Professional Solar Installation — Built to Last 25 Years
A solar system is a 25-year investment — and the quality of installation determines whether it actually performs for 25 years. Poor mounting structures corrode, pull away from roofs, and allow water ingress. Undersized DC cables overheat and create fire risk. Improperly terminated MC4 connectors cause arcing faults and energy losses. In Kenya's climate — intense UV, seasonal thermal cycling, occasional high winds — quality installation is non-negotiable.
Vajra Drill is REREC (Renewable Energy Regulatory Commission) licensed and certified to install solar energy systems in Kenya. Our installation teams hold current REREC certifications and follow IEC 62446 commissioning standards. Every installation includes a written system commissioning report with measured string voltages, insulation resistance tests, and irradiance-corrected performance verification — giving you documented proof that your system is performing correctly from day one.
We install solar systems across all sectors and applications in Nairobi and nationwide: residential rooftop from 1kWp, commercial ground-mounted up to 1MWp+, solar pump systems, agri-solar, telecom and government projects. We also provide annual maintenance contracts and emergency fault-response services for systems installed by other contractors.
Installation Services
Roof Mounting Structures
Hot-dip galvanised steel and anodised aluminium racking systems for pitched iron-sheet roofs, flat concrete roofs, and IBR profile roofs — engineered to Kenya wind load standards (KEBS KS 02-846). Penetrations sealed with stainless steel lag bolts and EPDM gaskets; flashing installed on all roof penetration points. Structures carry 25-year corrosion warranty and IEC 61215 load-bearing certification for panel weight plus 1.4kPa wind pressure.
Ground-Mounted Structures
Galvanised steel post and rail ground-mounting systems for farms, industrial sites, and large commercial installations — with concrete foundation design, adjustable tilt angles (5°–45°), and row-spacing calculations to eliminate inter-row shading. Ground structures can be installed on any stable substrate and are designed for easy panel replacement and cleaning access. Available in fixed-tilt and manual seasonal-adjust configurations.
DC Cable Management & Wiring
Solar DC wiring using UV-stabilised TÜV-certified PV1-F solar cable (4mm²–10mm²) in rated conduit or cable tray with UV-resistant cable ties. MC4-compatible connectors from Stäubli or compatible certified manufacturers — correctly torqued to prevent arcing. DC string protection via fused combiner boxes with surge protection devices (SPDs) to IEC 61643-31. All DC wiring labelled, documented, and tested before inverter connection.
System Commissioning & Testing
Full IEC 62446-1 commissioning test procedure: open-circuit voltage verification per string, string insulation resistance testing (≥1MΩ), polarity check, clamp-meter string current measurement at operating conditions, inverter configuration and firmware verification, monitoring system activation. Commissioning report provided within 48 hours including measured vs. expected performance at actual site irradiance. Required by REREC for system registration.
Annual Maintenance Contracts
Comprehensive O&M contracts covering: twice-yearly panel cleaning (dust and bird-soiling account for 15–25% annual yield loss in Kenya), annual thermal imaging scan for hotspot detection, inverter health check and log review, AC and DC connection re-torquing, battery state-of-health testing, and written annual performance report comparing actual vs. modelled yield. SLA-backed rapid fault response for contract customers nationwide.
Our Solar Installation Process
Quality installation is what separates a 25-year system from a 5-year headache. Here is the step-by-step process we follow on every project.
- 1Pre-Installation Survey & Structural Check
Our team inspects the roof or ground area, measures available space, assesses roof sheet or slab condition, identifies cable routing paths, and locates the main distribution board. Structural integrity is confirmed before any fixing begins.
- 2Mounting Structure Fabrication & Delivery
Aluminium or galvanised steel racking is fabricated or procured to suit your specific roof profile (IBR, box profile, flat concrete, or ground). Structures are checked against design drawings on delivery.
- 3Structural Mounting Installation
Roof fixings are installed with stainless-steel lag bolts and EPDM-sealed flashings at every roof penetration. Racking rails are levelled, aligned, and fixed. All roof penetrations are sealed and a water-test is conducted before panels are placed.
- 4Panel Placement & DC Cable Management
Panels are placed and clamped to rails. DC cables are run in UV-rated conduit or trunking from roof to inverter room. MC4 connectors are correctly assembled and torqued. String labels are applied at both ends of every cable run.
- 5Inverter, Battery & AC Wiring
Inverter is wall-mounted and DC input terminals are connected. Battery bank is installed and BMS cables connected. AC output cabling to distribution board is sized and installed with appropriate protection devices and labelling.
- 6IEC 62446 Commissioning & REREC Handover
Full commissioning test: open-circuit voltage per string, insulation resistance (≥1MΩ), polarity checks, clamp-meter string current verification, and inverter configuration check. Commissioning report is issued within 48 hours. REREC registration and warranty documents are handed over to the client.
Sectors We Install For
Residential
Rooftop installations for Nairobi homes and estates — 1kWp to 20kWp systems
Commercial
Rooftop and carport installations for offices, retail centres, and warehouses — 20kWp to 500kWp
Industrial
Large ground-mounted and factory-roof systems — 500kWp to 5MWp+, with PPA structuring available
Agricultural
Ground-mounted and pump systems for farms — integrated solar-pump-irrigation installation nationwide
Telecom
Tower battery backup and solar charging installations — outdoor rated, remote-monitoring enabled
Government & NGO
Public buildings, health facilities, schools, water schemes — full REREC compliance and documentation
Frequently Asked Questions
The Renewable Energy Regulatory Commission (REREC) is Kenya's statutory body responsible for licensing and regulating renewable energy installations, including solar PV. Under the Energy Act 2019, solar systems above a certain capacity must be installed by REREC-licensed contractors and registered with REREC before interconnection to the grid. Insurers increasingly require REREC certification for solar system coverage. Buildings seeking KPLC net metering must present commissioning certificates from REREC-certified installers. Using an uncertified installer creates compliance risk and may void warranties.
Yes. We provide annual O&M contracts and fault-response services for solar systems installed by any contractor, including legacy systems. Our initial assessment visit includes a full technical audit: visual inspection of mounting integrity, wiring condition, inverter health, battery state-of-health, and production log review. We identify existing issues and produce a findings report with prioritised remediation recommendations before quoting ongoing maintenance. Many clients come to us after experiencing poor performance or repeated faults with their original installer.
A typical residential rooftop installation (3–10kWp) takes 1–2 days for structural mounting and DC wiring, plus half a day for inverter installation and commissioning — 2–3 days total. Larger commercial systems (50–200kWp) take 1–2 weeks. Ground-mounted systems require additional time for foundation preparation. We provide a detailed installation schedule at the project kick-off meeting and keep you updated daily on progress. Systems are not energised until commissioning testing is complete and the client has been briefed on system operation and monitoring.