Answer: SANS 10142-1 addresses low-voltage wiring of premises in South Africa. A solar project also needs the applicable PV standards, equipment instructions and supplier connection requirements. Electrical compliance certification and permission to connect are separate checks. Confirm the applicable edition and certification scope with the responsible registered person before finalising the installation design.
Which edition should a solar project use?
Do not specify the 2020 edition merely because an older guide names it. The Electrical Contractors Association’s August 2024 release announcement identifies SANS 10142-1:2024 Edition 3.2 and separately lists SANS 60364-7-712 for PV power supply systems. That historical announcement does not establish the latest edition or amendments in September 2026.
Obtain the applicable documents through SABS. Have the responsible professional record the edition, amendments, relevant PV standards and the supplier’s requirements for the actual project. A published revision and its legal incorporation are separate matters to verify. This guide has not reviewed the purchased standard’s full clause text and does not reproduce its design requirements.
Who is responsible for the installation and CoC?
The Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 distinguish electrical contractor registration from registration of the person who certifies an installation. A contractor’s business registration alone does not establish the individual’s certification scope.
Under regulation 5, electrical installation work requires general control by a registered person. The regulations define different registration categories; verify that the person’s category covers the work. Regulation 7 addresses a valid Certificate of Compliance with its accompanying test report, subject to its stated exceptions. For additions or alterations to an installation already certified, it requires certification covering at least the addition or alteration.
Before work starts, identify the person supervising and certifying the project, confirm their registration and scope, and agree what inspections and test records will be delivered. Use the CoC guide and DoL versus ECSA sign-off guide to investigate the separate responsibilities for your project.
A project review checklist
The following is an editorial checklist for discussing the design with the responsible professional. It is not a list of verified SANS clauses or a substitute for calculations and testing.
| Review area | Evidence to request |
|---|---|
| Design basis | Applicable standard editions, project operating modes and connection conditions |
| DC circuits | String arrangement, module and inverter limits, cable selection calculations and installation conditions |
| Protection | Device ratings and coordination, reverse-current assessment and the reasons protection is selected or omitted |
| Isolation | Isolation arrangement for each energy source, equipment instructions and maintenance procedure |
| Earthing and bonding | Documented arrangement, approved hardware and relevant inspection and test records |
| Batteries and backup | Manufacturer instructions, protection arrangement and behaviour during grid loss and restoration |
| Identification | Circuit identification, warning labels and shutdown information specified for the actual installation |
| Handover | As-built documents, inspection results, CoC with test report and supplier approval where applicable |
Avoid applying a universal fuse rule based only on the number of parallel strings. Similarly, a single cable multiplier or a preferred voltage-drop target cannot establish a compliant cable size on its own. Ask the designer to document the relevant equipment limits, installation conditions and applicable requirements.
Does a CoC give permission to connect solar to the grid?
Treat these as separate approval paths. Electrical certification documents the installation within its stated scope. The electricity supplier determines its connection process and operating conditions. Confirm the required application, equipment evidence, metering and commissioning steps with the supplier before assuming that an installation may export or operate in parallel with the network.
Keep the CoC, design record and supplier correspondence together. The South Africa compliance overview provides related application guides; verify their requirements against your supplier’s current instructions.
Preparing a design review
For example, an existing home adding a hybrid inverter and battery needs a clear record of the changed circuits, operating modes and certification scope. Ask who verifies those changes, how the existing installation is assessed, and which supplier approvals apply. This example describes questions to resolve, not an approved wiring arrangement.
When evaluating SurgePV’s solar design software, use a representative project to assess its workflow and exported information. Agree which calculations, drawings and test records your responsible professional needs. Software output does not itself establish compliance or replace inspection, certification or utility approval.
Editorial verification: Reviewed 30 September 2026 against the linked regulations and the dated ECA release announcement. The current paid standard, amendments, legal incorporation and project-specific technical clauses remain unverified here. Obtain those documents and professional review before using this guide as a project specification.
