MEDA

30/08/2026

Which lithium battery do you actually need?

100Ah or 320Ah for the van? 24V for the boat? A 10kWh wall battery for the house, or a 30kWh bank for going fully off-grid?

We wrote down the advice we give over the counter every week - what Ah and kWh really mean, the BMS rating that catches everyone out, why you should never chain 12V batteries into a 48V bank, and how to size a battery for a camper, a boat, a tiny home or a whole house.

No jargon, no sales pitch - just the guide we wish everyone read before buying.

Read it here:

Shopping for a lithium battery in NZ and drowning in numbers? 12V or 24V or 48V, 100Ah or 200Ah, kWh, LiFePO4, BMS ratings - this guide cuts through it. It is the same advice we give customers over the counter in Tauranga every week, written down. One thing most guides miss: lithium batteries are no...

24/07/2026

Another few roofs earning their keep.

Panels on, inverters humming, owners sorted.

17/07/2026

Another busy week in the MEDA workshop. PowerDepot, PowerPlant and our flagship PowerVault cabinets rolling off the bench - assembled, wired and tested right here in Tauranga before they head out the door. Off-grid made easy.
New update every Friday. Follow along.

07/07/2026

Everything Victron shipped since April, rounded up for NZ installers and DIYers.

Victron Microgrid goes official with a full application manual and firmware, a first look at the new high-voltage Multi HS19, the Orion XS 70A, two Venus OS releases, and Opportunity Loads, a clever new way to put surplus solar to work.

What it all means heading into winter 2026:

meda.co.nz/blogs/meda-blog/victron-roundup-june-2026-medawhere

07/07/2026

Two years ago we switched this place on. It has not had a power bill since.

72 panels. 150kWh of lithium storage. Full three-phase power to a large family home, pool included. Completely off the grid.

In the last 12 months it generated 23,600 kWh of its own power, that is 99% of everything the house used. The backup generator? 162 kWh all year. Less than 1%.

Off-grid does not mean going without. It means owning your power.

Full story: meda.co.nz/blogs/meda-blog/two-years-off-the-grid-a-mangawhai-case-study-meda

19/06/2026

18/05/2026

There's a new wave of slick all-in-one solar batteries hitting
the NZ market. They're great for grid-tied homes. But should
you use one for true off-grid?

Our take: usually no. Here's why surge capacity, repairability,
and 50 years of field data still matter when there's no grid
behind you.

Read the full breakdown 👇

Low-frequency vs high-frequency inverters for off-grid: why surge capacity, modular repair, and track record matter when there's no grid behind you.

13/05/2026

Big things happening at Victron, and we're keeping you in the loop.
Our first monthly Victron roundup is live on the MEDA blog, covering the new Microgrid launch, SuperPack NG batteries, Venus OS 3.70, and what's actually available in NZ right now.
From here on, expect a fresh roundup every month. Bookmark the blog so you don't miss the next one.
Read it: meda.co.nz/blogs/meda-blog/victron-energy-product-software-roundup-april-2026

02/04/2026

Filling up the car this week? Yeah, we all felt that.

Petrol's pushing $4 a litre. Power bills went up 12% last year and are climbing again from April. And we're being told it could get worse before it gets better.

So here's something most people don't realise — every major bank in NZ is offering green energy loans at 0–1% interest for solar panels and batteries. Westpac will lend you up to $50k interest-free for 5 years. ASB just reported a 33% spike in green loan applications.

One requirement from the banks: your installer has to be a SEANZ member (Sustainable Energy Association of NZ). That's us. MEDA is a registered SEANZ member, so when you purchase through us you're eligible for these loans.

Energy expert Mike Casey (Rewiring Aotearoa) put it pretty simply — rooftop solar is an "absolute economic slam dunk." Even borrowing at 5.5% on your mortgage, you come out ahead because the savings on your power bill outweigh the repayments.

We've been helping Kiwis go solar and off-grid for over 10 years. If you've been thinking about it, the numbers have never stacked up better than right now.

Flick us a message or check out meda.co.nz

🔗 Worth a read:
• OneRoof — $90k green loan to beat the fuel crisis? oneroof.co.nz/news/is-a-90-000-green-loan-the-cheapest-way-out-of-nzs-fuel-bill-crisis-49207
• The Spinoff — NZ fuel crisis in nine charts thespinoff.co.nz/politics/01-04-2026/the-new-zealand-fuel-crisis-laid-bare-in-nine-simple-charts
• Consumer NZ — Power prices set to surge consumer.org.nz/articles/power-prices-predicted-to-surge