JUST TO SHARE (Lau Tai Onn)

Friday, May 29, 2026

SOLAR PANEL INSTALLATION FOR MY HOUSE

In view of the escalating TNB electricity bill in my house, I decided to install solar panels on my roof for the first time after living here for 32 years.

Four (4) solar panel service providers were approached, viz. Brilliant Solar, Green Innotech, Pathgreen Energy and Eco Hybrid Solar. Three of them came for site inspection using a drone to check the roof and advise on the required quantity of panels based on the existing single-phase power. The other service provider came without using drone.

It is decided that a system of 12 pieces of solar panels and 3 nos. of micro-inverters is to be used and the prices varied from RM19,000 to RM24,000.

I have used DeepSeek and ChatGPT to provide evaluations and recommendations on all 4 proposals received, considering financial value, technical & brand strength, programme choice, provider's credibility & experience and etc. Both AI models impressed me very much for their instantaneous responses with very detailed and comprehensive feedback.

I finally decided to select Pathgreen Energy for submitting the most competitive quotation in view of the following factors:

1. Lowest price per kWp / Best price-to-size ratio

2. Strong after-sales support including:

(a) 5-year free O&M / monitoring / annual maintenance

(b) 5-year workmanship warranty

3. Premium hardware stack

4. Commercial-grade installer discipline

5. Good ROI / payback estimate

Pathgreen Energy’s package comprises 12 pc. AIKO 670Wp and 3 no. Hoymiles micro-inverters 8.04 kWp for a total amount of RM19,000.

ChatGPT also provided a technical audit by stating that AIKO 670W is viewed as premium/high-efficiency (Tier-1, 30-year performance), and Hoymiles micro-inverter has good smart monitoring ecosystem and strong growth / adoption in Malaysia.

PROGRESS SEQUENCE

08/05/2026: Paid down-payment of RM3,800

18/05/2026: eATAP application submitted to SEDA

19/05/2026: Preliminary Assessment Report received from Pathgreen (covering site details, roof details, electrical point, proposed system design of panel layout / shading analysis / proposed cable route and solar AC box configuration etc.)

25/05/2026: Installation of solar panels / micro-inverters / cabling & trunking /

Solar DB / setting up Data Transfer Unit (DTU):

8.25 am Materials delivered on site

9.25 am Skylift and installers (6 general workers + 1 supervisor) arrived

Pathgreen PIC Ahmad Zulfaqarulla came later to create plant & monitoring system (DTU).

1.05 pm All works completed

Work done: hook & railing installation / panel hoisting, installation & alignment / DC/AC & earthing cable lay & termination / inverter & combination box installation / trunking AC installation / system testing & monitoring / housekeeping

25/05/2026: Paid 2^nd progress payment of RM6,650

25/05/2026: Site Progress Report & Hoymiles Solar Monitoring System User Manual received from Pathgreen

26/05/2026: eATAP application approved

29/05/2026: eATAP digital certificate of approval issued

Delivery of materials

Solar panels

Micro-inverters

Skylift

Hoisting of railing

Roof checking before installation work

Installation of Solar DB

Solar DB above Main TNB DB

Solar DB

Lifting of solar panels

Railing & micro-inverters installed

Solar panel installation in progress

Pathgreen PIC Ahmad

Replacing 2 no. damaged roof tiles
(I have prepared 10 pc. Monier roof tiles, but only 2 were used)

Installers ready to descend after completion of work

Solar panels installation just completed

Capturing aerial-view photos from skylift cage

Solar panel installation completed

DTU placed

Solar DB & voltage captured

Solar DB

Trunking waterfall cable flow completed

Aerial-view photo

SOME VIDEO CLIPS ON THE DAY OF INSTALLATION:

After completion of the installation work, I was pleased to post a 5-star Google review to express my satisfaction and appreciation to Pathgreen Energy Sdn. Bhd. as follows:

https://share.google/3WZUXUeFJoNcg334Z

Thursday, May 28, 2026

Half-day Visit to Kuala Pilah, N.S. on May 27, 2026

On Wednesday, May 27, 2026 (Hari Raya Aidiladha 哈芝节）, my wife Soh Ai and I joined our old buddies Saw Cheng Ghee (苏清义）, Onn Boon Chai （温文才） and Lee Ken Chong （李建章）to visit Tokong Si Thian Kong （lit. Western Heaven Palace, 西天宫） at Lot PT 2157, 7km Jalan Tampin, Kuala Pilah, Negri Sembilan. Saw was the car driver.

They came to BSL to fetch Soh Ai and I at 2.40pm and used LEKAS Highway to go south. We reached Tokong Si Thian Kong at 3.50pm for the first-time ever visit for all of us.

This temple was built on 4.8 hectares of land, dedicated to various deities and showcases beautiful traditional architecture adorned with intricate carvings and vibrant colors. Surrounded by lush greenery, it serves as a peaceful retreat for worshippers and visitors alike.

The site is also known for its spiritual significance and cultural heritage, making it an interesting destination for those keen to learn about local customs and practices. It is a place to worship the Nine Emperor Gods (九皇大帝) and other Taoist deities.

One attraction is the Shouting Fountain (喊泉) which is an interactive voice-activated fountain. The louder and longer one shouts through a wired pipe, the higher the water fountain goes.

We left the temple at 5.45pm to look for a restaurant for dinner. I used my mobile phone to Google-search a seafood restaurant in Tmn Desa Melang, Kuala Pilah. Unfortunately it was closed when we reached there.

After driving around town for a while, we discovered most if not all of the shops were closed. We finally found a one-man eatery on the ground floor of a clan association building Moon Kee Bak Kut Teh (滿记肉骨茶）near Bazar Melayu Pasar Rabu at about 6.30pm.

We savored yellow wine chicken (黄酒鸡 RM50), black vinegar pork trotter (猪脚醋 RM20), dry Bak Kut Teh (干肉骨茶 RM22), claypot Bak Kut Teh (瓦煲肉骨茶 RM20) and boiled choy sum (油菜心 RM10). The total cost including 5 bowls of rice amounted to RM132, paid by me in appreciation of fellowship.

Saw sent Soh Ai and I back home at 9.00pm, concluding a pleasant half-day trip to Kuala Pilah.