A REAL Tale of the Cobbler and His Shoes

• Some Major Vetting took place before specifying Major Tech VETi
• The electrician and his circuits
• The path to a highly efficient solar system involves these essential steps

The word cobbler is believed to be derived from the 14th century from the surname and place name “cobelere”, meaning “one who mends shoes”. A shoe mender, shoe repairer, a shoe-maker, one who hand-crafts shoes. In modern day, a cobbler is a master craftsman, an artisan.

The saying, which exists in various forms like “the cobbler’s children have no shoes,” originates from the idea that professionals are often so busy serving others that they neglect their own needs or the needs of those closest to them.

In today’s modern age one thinks that the younger generation have no trust in certain idioms that their parents and grandparents hold sacred.

Sayings to Live by:

• The Cobbler and his shoes,
• My Word is my Bond,
• A Bird in the hand is worth two in the Bush,
• When Life gives you lemons make Lemonade,
• All good things come to him who waits,
• Under promise and overdeliver,
• The client comes first,
• Don’t count your Chickens before they are hatched…

But back to THIS Cobbler:

In 1966 our late father, George Weston Straton established Straton & Co. (Pty) Ltd – an electrical contracting firm.

As young boys (our school holiday working careers started at 12 years of age) we were brought up on a diet of all the above sayings along with a hard work ethic and to always put clients needs ahead of our own.

In 1999 I moved into the present home that I occupy. At the time the original wooden distribution board and circuit breakers were deemed ‘adequate’ and passed a Certificate of Compliance.

As the years passed by the distribution board gave good service and I failed to see the need for a new Distribution Board.

Then we started doing Solar installations (for consumers in 2012 after exclusively servicing a large national company since 2005) and I realised that my old distribution board would not be adequate enough to handle a solar installation so relied on a portable backup solution whilst we made sure that we could handle the demand whilst our clients received the best service and time.

Fast forward to 2025 and the need to put up a large home solar installation became pressing so the slow process to find materials and time to replace the distribution board and split it into essential and non-essential circuits.

Yes, if you want maximum benefit out of any Solar Installation you need to undertake a preparatory journey which will include:

• Record your consumption for at least 12 months *
• Replace energy hungry appliances and lighting with energy efficient choices
• Check that your roof will handle the installation – TIP: If your trusses are held together by nails and not nail plates then you could have a problem
• Make sure that your distribution board can be easily split into essential and non-essential loads – this was my sticking point!

* As an aside – one of Straton Solar‘s first clients, when asked if he had a record of electricity consumption, produced a set of reports all recorded on graph paper beginning in 1966. Frankly – these are the type of clients that we love as we know that they will appreciate the benefit and be able to chart the massive savings.

Stepping up to the plate with some shiny new circuit breakers and boxes was my old mate, Bevan Barkhuizen, from Major Tech VETi. VETi supply products for the home and business such as: Switches & Sockets, Smart Products, Power Towers, Circuit Breakers & Enclosures, Lighting and Connector Blocks. Sorry Bevan – I did warn you that we may take a bit of time to install your Major Tech breakers and boards…

In fact it took us nearly six months to finally get a full day free to deploy three of our electricians on the replacement.

The results were quite sexy and have encouraged me to open the cupboard every now and then and feel just a teensy bit of pride in what Straton Electrical have done in the home that I stay in. AND I hope that our clients feel the same when they see the work that we do in their premises.

Next phase will be to link the inverter and backup battery and install the Solar Panels – don’t hold your breath as I may take a long time if we stay as busy as we have been these last couple of decades.

Major Tech VETi Equipment used:

• 63A Double Pole Isolator
• 20A Double Pole MCB 3kA C-Curve
• 40A 3 kA Double Pole MCB63A Double Pole MCB
• 63A Double Pole Electronic ELCB
• 40A 3kA Single Pole MCB
• 32A Single Pole 3kA C-Curve MCB
• 20A Single Pole C-Curve 3kA MCB
• 10A Single Pole 3kA C-Curve MCB
• 15-18 Way Surface DB Steel Tray
• 5-7 Way Surface DB Steel Tray
• Sundry cabling

About VETi:

VETi is a range of electrical switches and sockets from Major Tech, known for its modern designs, durability, and functionality. It includes the VETi 1 (rounded design, modular and complete options), VETi 2 (flat, ultra-slim monoblock design), and VETi 3 (also flat, with enhanced features like internal switches and communication modules). VETi products are manufactured from high-quality, flame-retardant materials and are compliant with both local and international standards like IEC and SANS.

About Major-Tech:

Major-Tech is a South African company founded in 1992 that specializes in developing and supplying a wide range of electrical and related products, including professional test and measurement equipment, hand tools, security products, and smart home devices. The company is known for its innovation in electrical instrumentation, such as introducing double injection housings for durable meters, and serves a variety of industries, including residential, commercial, mining, and solar.

About Straton Electrical:

Straton Electrical is an electrical contracting firm based in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), South Africa, established in 1966. It specializes in the commercial and retail sectors, offering services like electrical maintenance, construction, and installations. The company is part of the larger Stratlec Group, which includes other businesses focused on solar energy, prepaid meters, and building automation.

Before and After Images:

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