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How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation - Science/Technology (13) - Nairaland

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Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by vivaciousvivi(f): 6:52am On May 01, 2016
timifakay:

*thumbs up* I guess you bought that size of inverter because it's the size you have in mind for the final set up. That's an economical trick.
Please put an insulator between battery and inverter (very dry wooden board would do) I get scared when I see people just placing the inverter directly on battery, here's what comes to mind: over time the inverter is shifted (as people pass by it or things gently tap it, could take as long as years) till it bridges both terminals of the battery which causes a short circuit...
Thank you so much. I will get a wooden board and place it after church today.

3 Likes

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by kiekie1(m): 8:43am On May 07, 2016
Must Power star light inverters
1kva-12v=72k
1.5kva-12v=82k
3kva(2000w)-12v=95,000
3kva(2000w)-24v=118,000
4kva(3000w)-24v=135,000
5kva(4000w)-24/48=155,000
6kva(5000w)-24/48= 175,000
7.5kva(6000w)-24/48=240,000

Mercury tubular batteries 12v 220a batteries @ 75k (still in stock)

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For best affordable prices,proforma invoices valid for just 1 week, contact Smartcell Global Services,Lagos Nigeria. Simply call Sir Frankie "08135031951" for purchase,fast delivery and waybills .. Thanks !!

1 Like 1 Share

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 6:19am On May 08, 2016
DMerciful:
If you design your system such that you don't discharge ur battery less than 50% of its capacity...it can stay for about 4-6yrs
This is not absolute but depends on the type of batteries. Most batteries used for Inverter and solar systems in Nigeria are VRLA SMF (Sealed Maintenance Free) batteries. The products from Su-kam (LA SMF and Luminous AGM SMF) some product from Rita and Amaron also based on gel and AGM technologies. All the above mentioned would give u a max of 800 circles at 50% depth of discharge. I. fact the su-kam gives u less (about 400 cycles at 50% dod) a cycle in the case is recharge of your battery after a 50% discharge. In essence if u charge and discharge your battery once a day you can take your cycle time to be 1 day. There are 365 days in a year hence a very good SMF battery lasts for 2 years at moderate use. Products from Su-kam Luminous last lesser time. Maybe a year and half.

If you want to get the best cycle from a battery then the way to go is FLA batteries. This are the most rugged and ideal for deep discharging with robust cycle time. I would recommend the Tubular battaries from either Su-kam or Luminous or even Mercury Tubular is quite good. A tubular batteries can easily give u 1200 cycles even when used consistently at 80% depth of discharge we are talking 3-4 years. They are also cheaper than SMF hence easier to recoup ur investment. The catch here is they require maintenance. Requring u to top up the battery with distilled water every once in a while. Small price for the obvious advantage it brings.
Full disclosure don't work for battery company no do I sell consort or own solar Inverter company. Just an enthusiast.

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Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 6:29am On May 08, 2016
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Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 7:31am On May 08, 2016
parlondy007:


Ok... Point out those things that is critical and a must use for you. E.g.
* Lighting points (energy saver) bulbs - 10pcs @ 10w each = 100w
* LED TV 2 @ 120w each = 240w
*Ceiling Fans 2 @ 75w each = 150w
*Satellite Decoder 1 @ 45w
*Charging Laptop and phones @ 90w
I guess this should be a must use for a mini home. So on the total you have a 625w total load. In this case a 1000w inverter system is suitable here, with about 300w extra to serve as tolerance. Its advisable to create some reasonable amount of tolerance to enable the system breathe well to avoid breakdown since the inverter doesn't work like the generator that accommodates excess load and still with stands it. But what ever be the case you must allow at least about 50w untouched as the system tolerance point.

Where are u guys pulling this watt figures from? I think your estimate are over the top. Yes it is OK to over estimate watt usage as it helps acts as a buffer however over doing it just won't allow u have an efficiently planned system. When I started my project. I did some energy usage estimate of close to 520w concurrent usage mainly home theatre setup ( 42in led + DSTV decoder + 5.1 sound system and a laptop running xbmc ) my total estimate for that was 450w. Add lighting points and I was close to 520w. However I got me a watt a meter. And since then my estimate was drastically reviewed. My home theatre setup turns out uses only 90w (with TV screen on eco mode) compare 90w to my initial estimate of 450w. I also noticed my freezer is 150w with pick start time of 180w. Using the watt meter really helped me plan out a good setup and usage and also helped me in sizing my batteries well so I don't spend too much for my needs. Watt meter are cheap and u can get them from aliexpress for 15 dollars. About 5k.

You can see a picture of my watt meter reading power usage from my TV

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by DMerciful(m): 8:12am On May 08, 2016
Thanks for the info.....much appreciated. But what about the release of gases during charging, is it safe or u need to have a dedicated place outside for good ventilation
bigrovar:

This is not absolute but depends on the type of batteries. Most batteries used for Inverter and solar systems in Nigeria are VRLA SMF (Sealed Maintenance Free) batteries. The products from Su-kam (LA SMF and Luminous AGM SMF) some product from Rita and Amaron also based on gel and AGM technologies. All the above mentioned would give u a max of 800 circles at 50% depth of discharge. I. fact the su-kam gives u less (about 400 cycles at 50% dod) a cycle in the case is recharge of your battery after a 50% discharge. In essence if u charge and discharge your battery once a day you can take your cycle time to be 1 day. There are 365 days in a year hence a very good SMF battery lasts for 2 years at moderate use. Products from Su-kam Luminous last lesser time. Maybe a year and half.

If you want to get the best cycle from a battery then the way to go is FLA batteries. This are the most rugged and ideal for deep discharging with robust cycle time. I would recommend the Tubular battaries from either Su-kam or Luminous or even Mercury Tubular is quite good. A tubular batteries can easily give u 1200 cycles even when used consistently at 80% depth of discharge we are talking 3-4 years. They are also cheaper than SMF hence easier to recoup ur investment. The catch here is they require maintenance. Requring u to top up the battery with distilled water every once in a while. Small price for the obvious advantage it brings.
Full disclosure don't work for battery company no do I sell consort or own solar Inverter company. Just an enthusiast.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 8:18am On May 08, 2016
DMerciful:
Solar panels are now. Cheap such that electricity bills for 2 years can pay the cost of installation... the rest is profit
no it won't. Not for a reasonable off grid solution. Average bill for homes in Nigeria is 10k per month. 10*24 is 240. 240k would not give u an offgrid that replaces NEPA. Not in the times of high dollar prices. And u also have to factor in cost of maintenance which depending on the type of battery u use and usage might be yearly ever 2 years or every 4 years. We really need to lower expectations of solar. Putting it too high rises people hopes and often lead to disappointed users.

3 Likes

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by DMerciful(m): 8:39am On May 08, 2016
I was paying 15k for PHCN monthly with 40% light and generator n fuel cost+ inconvenience. I still think its cheaper maybe more than two years like u rightly pointed out. Truth is if you must be independent, u must make the initial high investment so it requires planning. But if u're using prepaid meter then ur system may be moderate and ur bills will be drastically reduce
bigrovar:
no it won't. Not for a reasonable off grid solution. Average bill for homes in Nigeria is 10k per month. 10*24 is 240. 240k would not give u an offgrid that replaces NEPA. Not in the times of high dollar prices. And u also have to factor in cost of maintenance which depending on the type of battery u use and usage might be yearly ever 2 years or every 4 years. We really need to lower expectations of solar. Putting it too high rises people hopes and often lead to disappointed users.

3 Likes

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 9:15am On May 08, 2016
Electroweb:


Well, inverters have minimum voltage at which they cut off power supply, so its not possible to drain it to nought. Assuming If you have an inverter of the strenght of a truck but use it to carry load of one Laptop then its a waste of money and space. The average life span of the batteries is 2yrs. The storage capacity of the batteries drop over time, just like ur phone, rechargeable torch, car batteries e.t.c they are all the same.
majority of Inverter in the market have completely unreliable low voltage disconnect which should never be relied on. In fact Inverter low voltage disconnect are meant to protect the Inverter and not the battery. E.g most Inverters LVD are activated when battery is at 10.5v. At which point ur battery is basically dead. Some Su-kam allow u to set LVD to 11.5 or 11v which is also unsafe for your battery. At 11.5 your battery is at 10% state of charge or 90% state of discharge which fliea on the face of keeping your battery at 50% state of discharge or at 12.06v. Some Inverter (really expensive ones by outback, victron etc ) allow u set a specific LVD but those cost a lot.

Best approach are:

Get a battery monitor especially one with a shunt which will allow u effectively monitor battery usage. The shunt allows u see what comes in and what goes out of battery for near accurate reading. Even the. Disconnect would be manual. Done by the user.

Have an electrical audit of your house appliance. Maths don't like. A properly done calculation of how much u take from your battery daily and how much goes into the battery can help determine when it is self to disconnect. Again this has to be done manually.

You can setup a LVD system that is automatic. I designed one that uses a relay connected to the load output of my charge controller. I then set LVD on CC to 12v ( I use Epsolar Mppt controller) and the positive wire from Inverter is connected to the relay such that when my battery is at 12v the CC lord comes on and the Inverter load from battery is cut off. System works fairly well but a bit complicated to setup. Also getting a good dc to AC solid state relay is quite hard.

1 Like 3 Shares

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 9:59am On May 08, 2016
bigtt76:
So what do you suggest is the best inverter brand out there and also how best to achieve good battery charge without ruining them in no time undecided


Before I started my project I did lots of research particularly on Inverters out there. What I set out to get were Inverters that had the following features:

Smart charge: ability to efficiently and safely charge the battery knowing that voltage to use at different state of battery charge. (Bulk, boast, floating, equalisation etc) not all Inverters have this feature and it's why many batteries don't last. There are not charged properly.

ATC: Automatic temperature control: is another feature I look for in an inverter. This means the Inverter adjust its charging based on battery temperature. In essence the Inverter has a sensor that can read temperature and adjust charge rate accordingly. This is very important. Battery charge should be based on how cold or hot the ambiance temperature is. Charging battery at a flat rate iirespective of temperature will affect it life span.

Fast charge capacity: u would want an inverter that can charge up.ur batter at the shortest time. Most Inverters do 10ah but there are Inverters that can do close to 50ah. Those would charge a 400ah battery setup in 4 hours.

Something within budget: most Inverters with the feature above listed cost money. Lots of money. The golden rule about going alternative is to safe cost so that ur system pays for itself in shortest time possible. A system that's too expensive for your budget becomes a case of sunk cost fallacy or white elephant.

Also most recommend pure sine wave Inverters as they produce power that is as clean as what u get from nepa.

After doing my search I settled for the Su-kam power plus Inverter. This system has all the above listed features. 6 state charge (which it calls fuzzy charging) capable of ATC and comes with a temperature sensor to boot. The only down side is it can only do 14ah of charge but will run even on law current of about 90v but at 9ah. The price is also pocket friendly. About 40k (then) for a 1050va system.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 10:56am On May 08, 2016
bigtt76:
Dry cell cos it's maintenance free and usually sealed.

another common misconception. All deeo cycle batteries (with exception of lithium batteries) are technically wet cell. Even GEL and AGM batteries still use Lead acid. The two type of deep cycle batteries are Flooded Lead Acid (FLA) and Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) the former is what is often called wet cell, while the latter is called "dry cell" FLA requires periodic topping with water. VRLA don't require water topping hence are called SMF ( sealed maintenance free )

Secondly contrary to popular belief. FLA are more rugged and durable than SMF batteries. Especially the type of FLA in Tubular form aka Tubular batteries. This can easily give u 1200 cycle at 80% depth of discharge. Most SMF can only guarantee u 800 cycles at 50% dod (for high end Gel type) and 400 cycles at 50% dod for the common popular type. Many good FLA batteries can last for 4 - 8 years of non abusive use. They are more rugged handle over charge better and take heat better. The only catch is the periodic topping with distilled water. Both Mercury, Luminous and Su-kam have Tubular FLA batteries often time cheaper than their SMF offerings

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 11:08am On May 08, 2016
Just to add that optimal tilt for solar panels in Nigeria (for those that are non adjustable)/is 81° facing through true south. That way u get the most of the sun all year round. Also if u house allows it. But adding an extra panel to compensate for losses and ineffiency in alignment is a good idea. Never thought of that.


DMerciful:
You are right. Let me give the house a free design grin
If your battery is two 200AH deep cycle batteries, u need a current supply of 30A for 7hrs to charge fully. In addition if your load is 300w from the inverter, u need 300/24=12.5A. So in total, u need 42.5A from the solar panels to power your load and charge your batteries at the same time. Now since you need 42.5A @ 24V in total, your solar panels should be 24*42.5*f=1020f, where f is the factor for the varying angle of the sun's beam. All in all, you need about 1500w solar panel bank. The 480w difference is to compensate for the sun's angle as a solar panel of 200w is actually 200w when the sun is at 90 degrees to d panel. In order words its the power of the panel is rated power p*cos€ where € is sun's anglecheesy
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 11:21am On May 08, 2016
DMerciful:
Thanks for the info.....much appreciated. But what about the release of gases during charging, is it safe or u need to have a dedicated place outside for good ventilation
from all I have read. All batteries discharge .. Every one of them. Even the smf. Just ensure your batteries are placed in a place with good circulation. The gases released are very lite and dissipate easily ( someone with more knowledge can add ) just don't keep them in an enclosed space or box. And if urs is in an enclosed box. Provide a pipe to allow the gas to escape. Corridor of ur house is a good place.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by kogistar: 2:57pm On May 08, 2016
bigrovar:


Before I started my project I did lots of research particularly on Inverters out there. What I set out to get were Inverters that had the following features:

Smart charge: ability to efficiently and safely charge the battery knowing that voltage to use at different state of battery charge. (Bulk, boast, floating, equalisation etc) not all Inverters have this feature and it's why many batteries don't last. There are not charged properly.

ATC: Automatic temperature control: is another feature I look for in an inverter. This means the Inverter adjust its charging based on battery temperature. In essence the Inverter has a sensor that can read temperature and adjust charge rate accordingly. This is very important. Battery charge should be based on how cold or hot the ambiance temperature is. Charging battery at a flat rate iirespective of temperature will affect it life span.

Fast charge capacity: u would want an inverter that can charge up.ur batter at the shortest time. Most Inverters do 10ah but there are Inverters that can do close to 50ah. Those would charge a 400ah battery setup in 4 hours.

Something within budget: most Inverters with the feature above listed cost money. Lots of money. The golden rule about going alternative is to safe cost so that ur system pays for itself in shortest time possible. A system that's too expensive for your budget becomes a case of sunk cost fallacy or white elephant.

Also most recommend pure sine wave Inverters as they produce power that is as clean as what u get from nepa.

After doing my search I settled for the Su-kam power plus Inverter. This system has all the above listed features. 6 state charge (which it calls fuzzy charging) capable of ATC and comes with a temperature sensor to boot. The only down side is it can only do 14ah of charge but will run even on law current of about 90v but at 9ah. The price is also pocket friendly. About 40k (then) for a 1050va system.
wat of mercury sine wave inverter?
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 3:49pm On May 08, 2016
Haven't really given them a look. Was put off by it being modified wave. Their Tubular batteries are sait to be good
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by kogistar: 6:52pm On May 08, 2016
bigrovar:


Before I started my project I did lots of research particularly on Inverters out there. What I set out to get were Inverters that had the following features:

Smart charge: ability to efficiently and safely charge the battery knowing that voltage to use at different state of battery charge. (Bulk, boast, floating, equalisation etc) not all Inverters have this feature and it's why many batteries don't last. There are not charged properly.

ATC: Automatic temperature control: is another feature I look for in an inverter. This means the Inverter adjust its charging based on battery temperature. In essence the Inverter has a sensor that can read temperature and adjust charge rate accordingly. This is very important. Battery charge should be based on how cold or hot the ambiance temperature is. Charging battery at a flat rate iirespective of temperature will affect it life span.

Fast charge capacity: u would want an inverter that can charge up.ur batter at the shortest time. Most Inverters do 10ah but there are Inverters that can do close to 50ah. Those would charge a 400ah battery setup in 4 hours.

Something within budget: most Inverters with the feature above listed cost money. Lots of money. The golden rule about going alternative is to safe cost so that ur system pays for itself in shortest time possible. A system that's too expensive for your budget becomes a case of sunk cost fallacy or white elephant.

Also most recommend pure sine wave Inverters as they produce power that is as clean as what u get from nepa.

After doing my search I settled for the Su-kam power plus Inverter. This system has all the above listed features. 6 state charge (which it calls fuzzy charging) capable of ATC and comes with a temperature sensor to boot. The only down side is it can only do 14ah of charge but will run even on law current of about 90v but at 9ah. The price is also pocket friendly. About 40k (then) for a 1050va system.
this mercury inverter ok??
Key Features
Compact, sleek and light
weight design
Super-efficient
DC to AC conversion
Minimizing charging losses
Input voltage range
selection option
Fully automatic restart
operation
Provides critical overload
protection
Advanced technology
optimizes battery life
Off-mode charging design
Colour: Black
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by olorunda68: 10:36pm On May 08, 2016
please house, what should be the voltage reading of 12v vrla battery after full charge? my 12v 100AH vrla deep cycle series mercury battery reads 12.7v after charging with my 30A smart charger, and tested with my voltage meter. is it okay? I bought the battery NEW on the 15 month of march this year.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by mrZENographer: 12:09am On May 09, 2016
bigrovar:
another common misconception. All deeo cycle batteries (with exception of lithium batteries) are technically wet cell. Even GEL and AGM batteries still use Lead acid. The two type of deep cycle batteries are Flooded Lead Acid (FLA) and Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) the former is what is often called wet cell, while the latter is called "dry cell" FLA requires periodic topping with water. VRLA don't require water topping hence are called SMF ( sealed maintenance free )

Secondly contrary to popular belief. FLA are more rugged and durable than SMF batteries. Especially the type of FLA in Tubular form aka Tubular batteries. This can easily give u 1200 cycle at 80% depth of discharge. Most SMF can only guarantee u 800 cycles at 50% dod (for high end Gel type) and 400 cycles at 50% dod for the common popular type. Many good FLA batteries can last for 4 - 8 years of non abusive use. They are more rugged handle over charge better and take heat better. The only catch is the periodic topping with distilled water. Both Mercury, Luminous and Su-kam have Tubular FLA batteries often time cheaper than their SMF offerings

Sir this info is well appreciated. I want the fla battery. I have a budget of 40k. can u recommend a good FLA battery with 1500w inverter? if there is a bit added cost I can still bear it. Thank you.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 8:16am On May 09, 2016
kogistar:
this mercury inverter ok??
Key Features
Compact, sleek and light
weight design
Super-efficient
DC to AC conversion
Minimizing charging losses
Input voltage range
selection option
Fully automatic restart
operation
Provides critical overload
protection
Advanced technology
optimizes battery life
Off-mode charging design
Colour: Black

Its better to see hard figures. numbers help determine how good / sufficient an inverter is. Take the case of *super efficient* what does this mean? the term efficiency is relative and open to interpretation. Rather it is stipulated the efficiency level of the inverter on various load. e.g most high end inverters maintain an efficiency load of btw 98% - 95% this means loses that occurs during conversion from AC to DC is reduced.

In my case I got the efficiency rating of my inverter by writing to Su-kam customer care in india (the figures were no where to be seen on the manuals both on and offline) and was informed their falcon plus has an efficiency rating of 85%. hence if am to calculate my load. say my load is 400watt I will divid that figure by 0.85 to get the total load i.e my total load when u factor in inverter efficiency is 470.5w the higher the efficiency rating the better the inverter.

Figures are very important, unfortunately most inverter marketers hide and in some cases are even ignorant of important figures about their inverter. In my case I have had to email the company directly to ask for specification about their inverter.

From my experience here are some of the specifications you need to know about an inverter to decide whether it is right for you.

Efficiency = Usually rated in percentage.. the closer to 100% the better. (read above)
Surge Factor = Most inverters have rated output and maximum output aka surge factor. The surge factor is the extra burst of output the inverter can give out for a short period of time (usually less than 10 sec) while the rated output is the out the inverter can consistently maintain. As many are away, Why is surge factor important. Let me explain:

I have a freezer (175 liters) which uses a constant watt of 135w-150w when it is running. However when started after a long time being off. It requires up to 8 times its running watt to kick start the compressor. Hence it might reach close to 1250w just to start the compressor. It picks at this figure for about 2 seconds and drops to normal operating watt of 135w. I wanted to know if I could run my 1050w inverter with it. so I mailed sukam to ask what their surge factor is. Below is the reply I got.

Dear Sir,



It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. The Crest Factor In Falcon is 5:1. That means Falcon+ is designed to run a load of 3.5A (AC) as a full load capacity , just for few seconds it can run load where the peak power demand in little more than 15A. For example 190 Liters of Refrigerator which needs high peak current to start the compressor.



Regards

rahul

Now I know the my inverter has a Crest or surge factor of 5:1. The surge/crest factor may be on the inverter manual so you might want to check

ATC: The ability of an inverter to do Automatic Temperature Control would go a long way in determining efficiency of your battery. The optimum temperature for batteries to thrive is 25c (under AC) if it is colder then the battery build up resistant which the charger (in our case the inverter) has to increase the voltage to over come the resistant. When it is hotter then the heat degrade the chemical reaction that produces current which can also lead to gassing.. hence in this case the inverter reduces the voltage to preserve battery life. In the case of Nigeria ATC plays a big role in ensuring good battery life.

Customer care. Please buy an inverter from a company u can always write to and inquire some of these questions. Do your research and see how responsive the company is.

of the top of my head these are what I would consider before choosing an inverter.

N.B I am not an electrical engineer nor do I do inverter installation for a living. I am just a DYI ethusiast. My write up should never be taken as a how to or guide.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 10:59am On May 09, 2016
mrZENographer:


Sir this info is well appreciated. I want the fla battery. I have a budget of 40k. can u recommend a good FLA battery with 1500w inverter? if there is a bit added cost I can still bear it. Thank you.
I would assume your inverter is 24v which means u need a minimum of 2 12v batteries. From the last market survey I did last week. The cheapest FLA battery I saw was Luminous 150AH Tubular battery. I saw it somewhere online for 49k or there about. I think it is sold for 50k from luminous dealers in Nigeria. their 220 model cost about 70k while that of Mercury from mercury direct cost like 60k for 220.

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Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by kogistar: 3:20pm On May 09, 2016
bigrovar:


Its better to see hard figures. numbers help determine how good / sufficient an inverter is. Take the case of *super efficient* what does this mean? the term efficiency is relative and open to interpretation. Rather it is stipulated the efficiency level of the inverter on various load. e.g most high end inverters maintain an efficiency load of btw 98% - 95% this means loses that occurs during conversion from AC to DC is reduced.

In my case I got the efficiency rating of my inverter by writing to Su-kam customer care in india (the figures were no where to be seen on the manuals both on and offline) and was informed their falcon plus has an efficiency rating of 85%. hence if am to calculate my load. say my load is 400watt I will divid that figure by 0.85 to get the total load i.e my total load when u factor in inverter efficiency is 470.5w the higher the efficiency rating the better the inverter.

Figures are very important, unfortunately most inverter marketers hide and in some cases are even ignorant of important figures about their inverter. In my case I have had to email the company directly to ask for specification about their inverter.

From my experience here are some of the specifications you need to know about an inverter to decide whether it is right for you.

Efficiency = Usually rated in percentage.. the closer to 100% the better. (read above)
Surge Factor = Most inverters have rated output and maximum output aka surge factor. The surge factor is the extra burst of output the inverter can give out for a short period of time (usually less than 10 sec) while the rated output is the out the inverter can consistently maintain. As many are away, Why is surge factor important. Let me explain:

I have a freezer (175 liters) which uses a constant watt of 135w-150w when it is running. However when started after a long time being off. It requires up to 8 times its running watt to kick start the compressor. Hence it might reach close to 1250w just to start the compressor. It picks at this figure for about 2 seconds and drops to normal operating watt of 135w. I wanted to know if I could run my 1050w inverter with it. so I mailed sukam to ask what their surge factor is. Below is the reply I got.



Now I know the my inverter has a Crest or surge factor of 5:1. The surge/crest factor may be on the inverter manual so you might want to check

ATC: The ability of an inverter to do Automatic Temperature Control would go a long way in determining efficiency of your battery. The optimum temperature for batteries to thrive is 25c (under AC) if it is colder then the battery build up resistant which the charger (in our case the inverter) has to increase the voltage to over come the resistant. When it is hotter then the heat degrade the chemical reaction that produces current which can also lead to gassing.. hence in this case the inverter reduces the voltage to preserve battery life. In the case of Nigeria ATC plays a big role in ensuring good battery life.

Customer care. Please buy an inverter from a company u can always write to and inquire some of these questions. Do your research and see how responsive the company is.

of the top of my head these are what I would consider before choosing an inverter.

N.B I am not an electrical engineer nor do I do inverter installation for a living. I am just a DYI ethusiast. My write up should never be taken as a how to or guide.
IT JUST LIKE THIS INVERTER CALLED IPOWER PLUs. has every features u mentioned here .it has inbuilt solar charger too

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by Youngzedd(m): 7:56am On May 13, 2016
I saw one battery called Power tra

The seller said it's 38k, brand new and it's free maintenance battery.

I was wondering this maybe fake battery or substandard.

The price huh, anyone knows about this battery?
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by DMerciful(m): 9:06pm On May 13, 2016
Anybody with used epsolar, epever or tracer for 40A? Kindly mail me on chyke200@gmail.com
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bot101(m): 11:03am On May 15, 2016
Guys, I am on a very tight budget and am looking to buy an inverter that can carry a laptop, phone, standing fan and two energy saving light bulbs. Also I am looking at a system that would be easily expanded in the future to accommodate an ac unit, 2 flat screen TVs and 4 additional laptops. I need advice on which inverters would work best for this setup, as well as a good and affordable battery, at least for the initial setup. Don't know if a budget of 60k will be enough for the initial setup?
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by mrpayne(m): 9:00pm On May 15, 2016
bot101:
Guys, I am on a very tight budget and am looking to buy an inverter that can carry a laptop, phone, standing fan and two energy saving light bulbs. Also I am looking at a system that would be easily expanded in the future to accommodate an ac unit, 2 flat screen TVs and 4 additional laptops. I need advice on which inverters would work best for this setup, as well as a good and affordable battery, at least for the initial setup. Don't know if a budget of 60k will be enough for the initial setup?

LOL! Omo wobe, na office u won open..
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by VULCAN(m): 9:34pm On May 15, 2016
@bigrover

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on here.
I was on the verge of going for a regular inverter but the PMS increment coupled with the dwindling state of power supply in my area has brought about a rethink as running my 5.5 KVA gen for 8 hrs daily to charge the inverter is no longer economically sensible.

So its either I go solar or hybrid and I found this hybrid system on Konga and I would like your advise based on your expertise.

Thanks in advance

These are the specs:


2400W/3KVA LCD Input & Output 220V 50Hz 24V DC input; with MPPT solar charge controller; with RS232 ;50Hz output frequency;
Pure sine wave inverter
Selectable input voltage range for home appliances and personal computers
Selectable charging current based on applications
Configurable AC/Solar input priority via LCD setting
Compatible to mains voltage or generator power
Parallel operation with up to 4 units only available
Auto restart while AC is recovering
Overload and short circuit protection
Smart battery charger design for optimized battery performance
Cold start function



Technical Specifications

Surge Power: 6000 VA
Waveform: Pure sine wave
AC Voltage Regulation (Batt.Mode): 230VAC±5%
Inverter Efficiency (Peak): 93%
Transfer Time: 10ms(For Personal Computers) 20ms(For Home Appliances)
AC Input Voltage: Voltage 230VAC
Selectable Voltage Range: 170~280VAC(For Personal Computers) 90~280VAC(For Home Appliances)
Frequency Range: 50Hz/60Hz (Auto sensing)
BATTERY Nominal voltage: 24V DC
Floating Charge Voltage: 27V DC
Overcharge Protection: 31V DC
SOLAR CHARGER & AC CHARGER: Maximum PV Array Open Circuit Voltage: 60V DC
Standby Power Consumption: 2W
Maximum Solar Charge Current: 50A
Maximum AC Charge Current: 20A or 30A
Maximum Charge Current: 50A
MECHANICAL SPECIFICATION: Dimension,W*H*D: 272*355*100mm
Net Weight: 12kg
OTHER: Humidity: 5% to 95% Relative Humidity (Non-condensing)
Operating Temperature 0°C-55°C
Storage Temperature -15°C-60°C

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 2:45am On May 16, 2016
Youngzedd:
I saw one battery called Power tra

The seller said it's 38k, brand new and it's free maintenance battery.

I was wondering this maybe fake battery or substandard.

The price huh, anyone knows about this battery?
It might not be fake yet the seller might not be saying it all. What is the capacity of the battery? That price is fine for a 100AH or even 150AH battery. It might also be 200 at c100 hours which is just a glorified 100ah battery. As usual buyers beware

1 Like

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 3:13am On May 16, 2016
VULCAN:
@bigrover

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on here.
I was on the verge of going for a regular inverter but the PMS increment coupled with the dwindling state of power supply in my area has brought about a rethink as running my 5.5 KVA gen for 8 hrs daily to charge the inverter is no longer economically sensible.

So its either I go solar or hybrid and I found this hybrid system on Konga and I would like your advise based on your expertise.

Thanks in advance

These are the specs:


2400W/3KVA LCD Input & Output 220V 50Hz 24V DC input; with MPPT solar charge controller; with RS232 ;50Hz output frequency;
Pure sine wave inverter
Selectable input voltage range for home appliances and personal computers
Selectable charging current based on applications
Configurable AC/Solar input priority via LCD setting
Compatible to mains voltage or generator power
Parallel operation with up to 4 units only available
Auto restart while AC is recovering
Overload and short circuit protection
Smart battery charger design for optimized battery performance
Cold start function



Technical Specifications

Surge Power: 6000 VA
Waveform: Pure sine wave
AC Voltage Regulation (Batt.Mode): 230VAC±5%
Inverter Efficiency (Peak): 93%
Transfer Time: 10ms(For Personal Computers) 20ms(For Home Appliances)
AC Input Voltage: Voltage 230VAC
Selectable Voltage Range: 170~280VAC(For Personal Computers) 90~280VAC(For Home Appliances)
Frequency Range: 50Hz/60Hz (Auto sensing)
BATTERY Nominal voltage: 24V DC
Floating Charge Voltage: 27V DC
Overcharge Protection: 31V DC
SOLAR CHARGER & AC CHARGER: Maximum PV Array Open Circuit Voltage: 60V DC
Standby Power Consumption: 2W
Maximum Solar Charge Current: 50A
Maximum AC Charge Current: 20A or 30A
Maximum Charge Current: 50A
MECHANICAL SPECIFICATION: Dimension,W*H*D: 272*355*100mm
Net Weight: 12kg
OTHER: Humidity: 5% to 95% Relative Humidity (Non-condensing)
Operating Temperature 0°C-55°C
Storage Temperature -15°C-60°C


On paper the device is on point. Key points that sounds good include the solar charge capacity of 50A however and 30A is not bad for charging via NEPA ( that's better than many Indian Inverters out there)

98% efficiency rating is among the best in the market if those figures are true.

I also uses an MPPT controller though one has to be sure how good it is at doing that.

Here are my reservations:
Maximum string of panels at 60vdc is a deal breaker for me. One of the advantage of mppt is ability to string many panels in series to increase your total PV voltage and thus overcome resistance and spend less on wiring.. As u know Panels (PV) produces low voltage DC. And DC voltage does not do where over long distance.. Resistance causes loses the longer the distance unless u get a bigger wire which means more money. So unless your PV is very close to your charge controller you might be forced spend more on wiring so as to reduce wiring loses between PV and CC to the recommended 3-5%.

Second issue I have with it is the company. In fact that is the most important issue. U should do your research on the company very well. Many of these Chinese companies have bad reputation for putting out substandard product and having dodgy reputation. I have read some unpleasant things about Must Inverters even here on NL.

Why not consider Ipowerplus from zinox. It is a good product and I think the newer ones come with MPPT controllers. The product is a rebrand of Axpert hybrid solar Inverters from Voltronic systems which has a very good reputation in South Africa and Australia. I was going to go for the Ipowerplus but then their product only had pwn charges which was not good for my use case.

Note: caveat. I don't work for any solar or Inverter company nor do I own one or deal in sales if Inverter. Am also not an electrical engineer so don't take my words as professional advise. You might want to do research on the things I stated above.

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by Youngzedd(m): 7:42am On May 16, 2016
bigrovar:

It might not be fake yet the seller might not be saying it all. What is the capacity of the battery? That price is fine for a 100AH or even 150AH battery. It might also be 200 at c100 hours which is just a glorified 100ah battery. As usual buyers beware

200Ah
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by bigrovar(m): 10:14am On May 16, 2016
Youngzedd:


200Ah

In that case this rule I would apply is :If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Many people (Including Su-kam) are marketing SLI (Glorified starter batteries with relatively low discharge circle) has SMF deep cycle batteries. Any SMF that is not AGM or GEL is waste of money. The key thing about inverter is paying up front and making up your money back in the shortest time without breaking the bank. Hence a balance must be struck between your bank your needs and what is out there. This has to be a fine balance. If you spend too much u much it would take a long time to get your money back. If you spend too cheaply.. it migt among to a waste of money.. choose wisely
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by Youngzedd(m): 10:29am On May 16, 2016
bigrovar:


In that case this rule I would apply is :If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Many people (Including Su-kam) are marketing SLI (Glorified starter batteries with relatively low discharge circle) has SMF deep cycle batteries. Any SMF that is not AGM or GEL is waste of money. The key thing about inverter is paying up front and making up your money back in the shortest time without breaking the bank. Hence a balance must be struck between your bank your needs and what is out there. This has to be a fine balance. If you spend too much u much it would take a long time to get your money back. If you spend too cheaply.. it migt among to a waste of money.. choose wisely

I already have Luminous 1.5kva pure sine wave inverter.

Just the battery is left.
Re: How my inverter is saving me in this poor power supply and no-fuel situation by VULCAN(m): 2:58pm On May 18, 2016
@bigrover.

Thanks for your detailed response. I'm grateful.

I actually went to the coy marketing the inverter and there was no engineer on ground to answer my questions.

I was not impressed.

bigrovar:


On paper the device is on point. Key points that sounds good include the solar charge capacity of 50A however and 30A is not bad for charging via NEPA ( that's better than many Indian Inverters out there)

98% efficiency rating is among the best in the market if those figures are true.

I also uses an MPPT controller though one has to be sure how good it is at doing that.

Here are my reservations:
Maximum string of panels at 60vdc is a deal breaker for me. One of the advantage of mppt is ability to string many panels in series to increase your total PV voltage and thus overcome resistance and spend less on wiring.. As u know Panels (PV) produces low voltage DC. And DC voltage does not do where over long distance.. Resistance causes loses the longer the distance unless u get a bigger wire which means more money. So unless your PV is very close to your charge controller you might be forced spend more on wiring so as to reduce wiring loses between PV and CC to the recommended 3-5%.

Second issue I have with it is the company. In fact that is the most important issue. U should do your research on the company very well. Many of these Chinese companies have bad reputation for putting out substandard product and having dodgy reputation. I have read some unpleasant things about Must Inverters even here on NL.

Why not consider Ipowerplus from zinox. It is a good product and I think the newer ones come with MPPT controllers. The product is a rebrand of Axpert hybrid solar Inverters from Voltronic systems which has a very good reputation in South Africa and Australia. I was going to go for the Ipowerplus but then their product only had pwn charges which was not good for my use case.

Note: caveat. I don't work for any solar or Inverter company nor do I own one or deal in sales if Inverter. Am also not an electrical engineer so don't take my words as professional advise. You might want to do research on the things I stated above.

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