Welcome to a informative thread for prospective solar installers and those that already got it.
I'm Terry a Solar Expert and i will be updating most of my completed solar projects here.

This thread is to share my experience on the installation process i pass through while installing Solar.

Please take note that everything would be broken down to enable others from various field to assimilate quickly/easily.

The things that you will be seeing often are
1. Panels
2. Charge controller
3. Inverter
4. Battery

Installation Done in Delta State Capital GRA

5KVA installation Process
same as 5000 watts installation.


32 panels installed
Each panel has 200watts, 30volts and 9amps capacity
Installing 32 panels, means it will generate 6,400watt
Watt means power
32*200watt=6,400

Please i don't wanna bore my readers with lot of calculations.

I will be showing the charger controller used, inverter and batteries

That's the charge Controller below
This is the first time we used a Power Wave controller and it has proven to be working well.

The purpose of charge controller is to maintain a steady charging of the battery so it won't over charge or discharge thereby protecting the battery from failing(spoiling) quick... The battery temperature and percentage can be monitored from the charge controller..

The Charge controller is 80amps(current) 96v(volt)

Installing the Controller was pretty easy, just screw the for edges.

This Power wave Controller got just Panel input(wires coming from panels) and battery out(wire leaving charge controller to battery)

Note: Your battery determine the charge controller Voltage, while the solar panel determine the Amps(Ampere)
I can explain in details if you want..

Following already.

you should not skip the calculation part.,.its important i guess...

between nice work so far

also kindly state brand of charge controller solar panel inverter etc used

terrymason:
5KVA installation Process same as 5000 watts installation.

32 panels installed Each panel has 200w and 9v capacity Installing 32 panels, means it will generate 6,400watt Watt means power 32*200watt=6,400
Please i don't wanna bore my readers with lot of calculations.
I will be showing the charger controller used, inverter and batteries

kindly state the kind of connection for the panel
series or parallel
thanks

saxwizard:



kindly state the kind of connection for the panel

series or parallel

thanks

Thanks for the question..
I intentionally skip the connection process not to scare people who don't know about solar away.

It's a series parallel connection.
I made mistakes in the ratings initially, the panels are 200w 9amps 30v rating...

We connected 4 panels in series 32/4=8 and linked them in parrel, thereby increasing the panel volt to 120volt and 72amps(we had to increase the charge controller to 80amps to accommodate increased in amps that normally cause by high intensity of the sun)

Series Connection Linking positive and negative together thereby increases the Volt while amps remain constant.

Parallel Connection Linking poistive and positive or negative and negative together thereby increases the amps and volts remain constant

Check my hand drawn schematic diagram below (That's the connection we did for that installation)

saxwizard:
you should not skip the calculation part.,.its important i guess...


between nice work so far


also kindly state brand of charge controller solar panel inverter etc used

Sure i will do that...

I'm leaving most things to let others ask or make their own choice though

Check the inverter below

The inverter used was a 5kva 96volts sine wave
It's a digital inverter but does not have a backlit to see the readings at night.

It was a bit stressful carrying the inverter on the battery rack..

For this inverter to be powered on we need to connect 8pcs of 12volt battery in series

8*12v=96volts

The voltage of an inverter will determine the number of battery you need..

Check the batteries below..

The first picture shows when the inverter was been tested to ascertain the state of the inverter before installation.

The battery were connected in series to get the required volt for power up the inverter

That last picture was after the installation at the client house..

The battery used are jell batteries, they can last for 2-8 years depends on usage..

If a battery is used flat frequently the life span of the battery are always reduce...

We had to used an AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator)

AVR>>> Is to balance the voltage from nepa before it goes through the inverter. The rating of the Avr is 140volts to 240volts, so if the power that phcn is providing is 140volt the Avr will boost it to 220volt.

That's the black box below.

The area the client was staying has power issues, the power is not always steady, it goes so high and very low..

The AVR had to be used for effective charging of the batteries from the main (Phcn/Nepa)

Note: Both Solar panels and Main (Phcn, Nepa) can charge the batteries too, including Generator...

Feel free to ask any questions
Abeg i nor be island oh, i don't know everything, am still learning every day on every project

Other Expert can add to this thread.

Thanks

your wiring doesn't look tidy.
how did you combine the solar panels? did you use a combiner box? what wire size/rating did you use to connect from solar panel to charge controller ?

What's the total cost if setting up this system?

why did you choose a 96v inverter..

i believe there are other 5kva inverter with maybe lesser or higher voltage..


you should also do a break down of loads on the inverter.. and average run time





nice jobs sir...
explanatory and detailed more jobs to come...

dragnet:
your wiring doesn't look tidy.
how did you combine the solar panels? did you use a combiner box? what wire size/rating did you use to connect from solar panel to charge controller ?

Pardon my late reply... the election matter tire person jare..

Thanks for spotting the wiring, i was hoping no one would asked but since you've asked.

Electrician is working there too, trying to segment the house load to 3 more AVR, the power there is really bad.
The Generator set would still be mattered close to the solar installation.
Work is still on going...

For the solar panel connection a combined box was not used.
Please revert to the hand drawn schematic i uploaded early.

A positive wire ran through all positive panels terminals, same as the negative wire too, down to the charge controller.

6mm wire was used for connection of the solar panel to charge controller.

10mm wire was then used from the charge controller to the batteries.

@dragnet the sizing wire is 6mm not 4m, sorry about that.

OgogoroFreak:
What's the total cost if setting up this system?

i really don't wanna talk about money on the thread not to discourage people from installing..
Chat me up for the price...
Hope you nor dey vex?

More 8 batteries would be added to the previous 8, making it 16...

The other 8 batteries would be connected in series...

When the client provide more funds for the other 8 i will update this thread...

saxwizard:
why did you choose a 96v inverter..


i believe there are other 5kva inverter with maybe lesser or higher voltage..



you should also do a break down of loads on the inverter.. and average run time






nice jobs sir...

explanatory and detailed more jobs to come...

i will explain soon... the explanation to this question is very lengthy..

1. The higher your volt the quick it takes to get to 220v, you will agree with me that it will be much quick and less stressful for a 96v to attain 220v than a 48v inverter..

2. The higher the volt the more battery the inverter can take and it result to more energy stored..

3. I will add this point later, it's the most important point, it about amps.. keep following sir

3.5kva detailed installation with explanation loading....

terrymason:
We had to used an AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator)

AVR>>> Is to balance the voltage from nepa before it goes through the inverter. The rating of the Avr is 140volts to 240volts, so if the power that phcn is providing is 140volt the Avr will boost it to 220volt.

That's the black box below.

The area the client was staying has power issues, the power is not always steady, it goes so high and very low..

The AVR had to be used for effective charging of the batteries from the main (Phcn/Nepa)

Note: Both Solar panels and Main (Phcn, Nepa) can charge the batteries too, including Generator...

Feel free to ask any questions
Abeg i nor be island oh, i don't know everything, am still learning every day on every project

Other Expert can add to this thread.

Thanks

Nice one OP. This is really enlightening.

I have one small question though. Does the inverter accepts both AC(nepa&gen) and DC(battery) inputs or only DC inputs

terrymason:

Pardon my late reply... the election matter tire person jare..

Thanks for spotting the wiring, i was hoping no one would asked but since you've asked.

Electrician is working there too, trying to segment the house load to 3 more AVR, the power there is really bad.
The Generator set would still be mattered close to the solar installation.
Work is still on going...

For the solar panel connection a combined box was not used.
Please revert to the hand drawn schematic i uploaded early.

A positive wire ran through all positive panels terminals, same as the negative wire too, down to the charge controller.

4mm wire was used for connection of the solar panel to charge controller.

10mm wire was then used from the charge controller to the batteries.

do you mean 4mm is sufficient for 120volts / 72Amps ?

dragnet:

do you mean 4mm is sufficient for 120volts / 72Amps ?

yes sir... that's what we used and so far no ish..

Check the charge controller and see the wire below..

terrymason:
yes sir... that's what we used and so far no ish..

Check the charge controller and see the wire below..

Ok, how about earthing for the panels? and surge protection.

dragnet:

Ok, how about earthing for the panels? and surge protection.

1. The initial Earthing of the house will cover my panels installation

2. The charge controller is acting as a surge protector too.... Remember our charge controller rating is 96v 80amps, while the panel connection is 120v 72amps, if the intensity of sun is at is peak, the panel produces more Voltage which is then convert to amps, and will already have more space to accommodate extra amps .

Note: Your charge controller should have atleast 10% increment of amps than what your panels are producing, to avoid damages to the charge controller or fire out break.

Thanks

terrymason:


1. The initial Earthing of the house will cover my panels installation

2. The charge controller is acting as a surge protector too.... Remember our charge controller rating is 96v 80amps, while the panel connection is 120v 72amps, if the intensity of sun is at is peak, the panel produces more Voltage which is then convert to amps, and will already have more space to accommodate extra amps .

Note: Your charge controller should have atleast 10% increment of amps than what your panels are producing, to avoid damages to the charge controller or fire out break.

Thanks

1. how would the initial earthing cover the solar panels? are you connecting the frame of the solar panels to the house's earth wiring?

2. 120x72 is obviously more than 96x80, so how does the 10% apply?, and since you're using mppt, I believe the wattage going in also matters.

dragnet:

1. how would the initial earthing cover the solar panels? are you connecting the frame of the solar panels to the house's earth wiring?

2. 120x72 is obviously more than 96x80, so how does the 10% apply?, and since you're using mppt, I believe the wattage going in also matters.

1. What's the purpose of Earthing of panels (To protect the device from lightning). The buildings around my panels installation are higher and they got a lightening protector, before the lightening will get to the panels the house Earthing system will proctect it.

2. Have already explained it before, the battery voltage determines the change controller voltage to use(since my batteries are 96v the charge controller most be 96v to able it monitor the batteries) the panel determines the amps. Adding more amps space is for the safety of the Charge controller. Please take note that the 10% i stated is for emphasis purpose, it can be more but should not the lesser or thesame to the amps the panels are supplying...

Please are you an installer...

terrymason:


1. What's the purpose of Earthing of panels (To protect the device from lightning). The buildings around my panels installation are higher and they got a lightening protector, before the lightening will get to the panels the house Earthing system will proctect it.

2. Have already explained it before, the battery voltage determines the change controller voltage to use(since my batteries are 96v the charge controller most be 96v to able it monitor the batteries) the panel determines the amps. Adding more amps space is for the safety of the Charge controller. Please take note that the 10% i stated is for emphasis purpose, it can be more but should not the lesser or thesame to the amps the panels are supplying...

Please are you an installer...

No, I am not an installer.
what rating of dc breaker would you advise to be used between a 24v 200ah battery bank and a 1500va inverter?

terrymason:


1. What's the purpose of Earthing of panels (To protect the device from lightning). The buildings around my panels installation are higher and they got a lightening protector, before the lightening will get to the panels the house Earthing system will proctect it.

2. Have already explained it before, the battery voltage determines the change controller voltage to use(since my batteries are 96v the charge controller most be 96v to able it monitor the batteries) the panel determines the amps. Adding more amps space is for the safety of the Charge controller. Please take note that the 10% i stated is for emphasis purpose, it can be more but should not the lesser or thesame to the amps the panels are supplying...

Please are you an installer...

would like to learn this installation stuff but I am in Port Harcourt. how can we go about this

�

dragnet:

No, I am not an installer.
what rating of dc breaker would you advise to be used between a 24v 200ah battery bank and a 1500va inverter?

breakers are used between panels and changer control and main(Phcn) and inverter.. so if am right you want a breaker for the panels and charger controller?

There are situations were breakers are used, not on every installation.

weldone sir

terrymason:
Installation Done in Delta State Capital GRA

5KVA installation Process
same as 5000 watts installation.


32 panels installed
Each panel has 200watts, 30volts and 9amps capacity
Installing 32 panels, means it will generate 6,400watt
Watt means power
32*200watt=6,400

Please i don't wanna bore my readers with lot of calculations.

I will be showing the charger controller used, inverter and batteries

An idea of the Prices will also help