@george_D is it posible to use a 1.5kva airconditioner with an inverter? I have hardly seen anybody mentioning that since the begining of this forum

Geoge_D and other guru in the house should educate us on the posibilty and implication on the inverter and batery bank. Or is there any special type of inverter that is designed for airconditioners?

adex2000ng,
yes, its possible to use a 1.5kva airconditioner with an inverter. all you need is a large battery bank to carry the extra load and a source of replenishing the power drawn from the battery bank.

however, its not always advisable to do so. reason being that airconditioners generally are heavy power users and the aim of solar generally is to conserve energy. rather than building a large battery bank to run your ac you can redesign your accomodation to use natural ventillation which cools your house without the need of running ac everytime.

ps: you got mail!

All,

What an interesting thread it is. George_D, I dey hail OOO!!!. You guys have succeeded in hanging on to this thread. Good job to you all.
Many people have come to make enquiries about Solar Panels and Inverters since the removal of fuel subsidy. It looks like the prices of back up power equipment will shoot up as well as other commodities.

While the removal of fuel subsidy has a negative impart for lots of people for Solar and backup power, it is good fantastics news for renewable energy I have to say, people who have 8KVA generators that uses 180 liters of fuel per week used to pay N700 000 per year for fuel. Now they are paying N1.5 million per year. Some people said solar from N1.5 million to N2 million was to expensive.

@Butoneday prices of back up power equipment will go up but not too much, prices of renewable energy equipment are dropping, the only reason why it will shoot up will be because suppliers will try to cash in on this advantage like very one else, (also increase in shipping cost), if you can call off there bluff, you should be good, if transport used to cost N2000 now will cost N4500, realistically speaking the price only increased by N2500 it should not increase by let's say N5000, the removal of fuel subsidy just gives all suppliers excuses to charge rocket prices,

@ George_D
Thanks a million for that piece of info. Now I see d retionale behing non advisable to use inverters for a/c. I will send u a mail when I return from my journey.

Once more, I must say I appreciate all your contributions in the house. Keep it up

butoneday,
solar business is an all time business and more so now that peeps are grappling with the prospects of sky high prices for fuel to run thier generators. this thread should begin to become more interesting as more and more peeps struggle to find alternative to fosil fuel.

pecorns,
you are very correct in that. i think i need to revist my solar cost savings calculations post and update the current price of petrol. it will be interesting to see how much my installed system should be paying back yearly at the going rate!


adex2000ng,
anything i can do to further create awareness on inverters and solar power, i will be willing to do it. just keep the questions coming in. thanks!

@George-d pls it is time 4me to invest in solar plus inverter energy i have been folish for not looking at this since u started ur own tnen, pls i want u to mail me on the cost of solar panel, inverter, battry packs, with qty for 2tv set 120wts each 4fan 160wts for the 4 then 3nos of 40wts bulb, email adedad20002001@yahoo.com thanks.

someone mentioned 420ah 2v batteries, pls cud some1 update me on the contact n location of the supplier?

@ADEX70 Well let me jump in and answer you quickly… How many hours per day will you have the TV, fan and light bulbs on for? The number of hours of usage of each device is extremely important. For example, If  I assume the following:


2 TV @ 240W for 6 hours per Day=1440Wh
4 Fans @ 160W for 12 hours per day=1920Wh
3 Lights @40Ws for 12 hours per day=480Wh

This will be a total 3840 so let just say 4000Wh.

Battery Bank using 12V battery
(Total Load x Days of Storage) / (System Voltage x Efficiency after system losses)
4000X1day/12X0.8 = 417Ah.

Depending on how much you want to spend you have two options,
Two MK Battery, Sealed Gel, 12V, 225Ah, Size 8D, 8G8DLTP-DEKA N208 000
Three Surrette & Rolls 12V deep cycle batteries 2@ 200Ah and 1@80Ah  for N136000

Solar Panels
Array Size (Wp) = Daily energy requirement in Watt Hours [Wp] / Average Daily PEAK SUN HOURS in the design month / System Effeciency.

Array Size = [4000Wh] /4 / 0.75
Array Size = 1333Watts

Your cheapest option will be to use 5 Canadian solar panel 295W PV Module 263.6W PTC panels. N370000

Inverter: Xantrex, Trace 1500W, Off Grid, 12VDC 230 VAC, 50 Hz, -N120000

Charger controller: Outback, FM60-150VDC MPPT Charge Controller, 60A- N106000

Total Cost: N732 000(using the cheap battery option including all cables and connectors breakers, lighting arrestor and disconnects)

I assumed 4hours of sunlight all year wrong, I assumed a 0.75 system efficiency and choose the smallest inverter you can use. The batteries are only going to provide you with 1 day of back up. These are brand new parts, If money is an issue, you could try starting small with second hand batteries different brand inverters and a square wave charge controller.
Hope this helps

Fairly batteries? How can one be sure they're not dead? Btw, i just replaced a 1.5 kva inverter which got burnt due to power surge from a generator but I discovered that the batteries will only charge 4 few minutes and the indicator will go off. When disconnecated from mains, it only lasts 4 few minutes (30mins or so) and the alarm starts beeping '(low bat. Indicator starts blinkin). It can be like that for 1 to 2 hrs bf switching off. Could it be that the batteries are affected during the surge or is it because I left the batteries uncharged for a long period before buying another inverter? The new inverter is the same model as the burnt one. The old one used to last more than six hrs b4 showing battery low but after battery low, it would shot down in minutes. It also takes longer 4 the batteries to be fully charged then. Batteries are 200ah by Innovation. Could it be the batteries or the new inverter?

@Ameboperoo,
It looks like your batteries are about to die. I was in the same situation in 2005.  Unknowingly, my batteries started dying when my inverter was unavailable for about three months.The replacement inverter could not bring back my batteries (car batteries not deep circle) to live. I have learnt never to stop charging my batteries or else I will lose them.

To find out if your batteries are still ok, just charge them to about 13 volts or so. Remove the source of charge. Wait a few minutes. Measure the voltage of each battery seperately. Their current voltage will tell you if your batteries are dying.

For a dead battery, when the source of charge is disconnected, the the rate at which the battery will discharge to its current ability (volts) will be very fast.

If you lost your inverter, you can buy a small portable charger to keep your batteries in order until you will have the cash to purchase a new one

ameboperoo,
butoneday is very correct. when you leave your batteries flat for a long time, the internal plates gets sulphated and this hardens over time. the longer you leave them discharged, the harder the sulphation. depending on how long you abandon them, they cannot return to full charge anymore no matter how much you charge them. also, depending on the quality and make of battery, you can only revive them by intensive battery care.

what happened to you almost happened to me about two years back when i travelled to the village. i came back to meet my batteries discharged due to lack of public power and my brother used every last juice from the them until they could give no more. knowing the consequence of such condition, i quickly swung into action, bought a portable 24v charger and i ran my generator over three days to revive them. thankfully the sulphation had not reached an advanced stage yet and the batteries were of very good quality (zenith) and they responded well to treatment. i am still using them till today.

Adex70:

@George-d pls it is time 4me to invest in solar plus inverter energy i have been folish for not looking at this since u started your own tnen, pls i want u to mail me on the cost of solar panel, inverter, battry packs, with qty for 2tv set 120wts each 4fan 160wts for the 4 then 3nos of 40wts bulb, email adedad20002001@yahoo.com thanks.

adex,
using my pv software, i came up with these figures:

assuming a daily run time of 12 (twelve) hours, you will use a total of 12,000wh/d.

total monthly energy need will be 360kwh

so, your battery bank will be 277ah, 48v for one day autonomy. that translates to roughly four (4)
pieces of 12v, 260ah deep cycle batteries connected in series.

as for the solar panels, you will be needing a total of 5,159w which is roughly 25pcs of 200w sharp solar panels. but not to worry, you can always start with 2pcs of solar panels and keep adding to it as your pocket allows. the main thing for now is the battery bank and inverter. the solar panels can come later.

as for prices, i'm afraid i'm not that current but you can deduce them from pecorns post above.

@ All,
Let's watch what will happen with the DEATH of PHCN. If power becomes steady in Nigeria, then we just need a few batteries and solar panels to carry us through the dark hour(s) till when the power will be restored.
On the other hand, if you want to reduce your monthly electricity bills, then you can think of a big battery bank and wide solar array.

butoneday,
true talk, my brother. i was also thinking the same thing recently.

with power steady in my neighbourhood these past few months, my battery bank is now mainly for back-up purposes (which is what it should be in the first place).

my emphasis now will be mostly on expanding my storage and that's why i'll be setting up bank 2 very soon - if the lord wills.

George_D, what a great thread you have here. I'm relocating to Nigeria in 3 months and a quote I got for a 3KVa inverter was around 350k with a clause it might have increased b4 then, however,I'd done a bit of alternative energy research and have been sizing up solar, no doubt I'll thread this path. Nice job man

hello feasy,
thanks for your interest in solar power.

that 3kva inverter quote is rather on the high side.

check cyberpower prices on this link for comparism:

http://www.buyright.biz/productdetails.php?categoryid=c67&subcategoryid=&productid=p1051

George_D I just like ur replies to peoples questions and needs. U are realy Standing by us. God is ur strength. Keep it up.

I will make ur slogan my watch word as to deploying this Inverter solution. That is:
Break the myth,
dispel the belief -
I know I can!

I am realy learning from ur posts

adex,
thanks for your kind words but i'm not really doing anything special here just giving out info
that i think others need in order to free themselves from the shackles of darkness.

you got it right about my slogan though: solar power need not cost a fortune to setup.

break the myth! 

George_d. U might see what u are doing as nothing but it is not easy to give out time for such well thought out researched replies. Thanks anyway.

^^^^^ Seconded

^^ Thirded. oga GD happy new year. u seems to prefer zenith battery. frm experience how reliable are they and their capacity-amp range. i hardly get them in kd.

idsolar,
i keep referring to zenith batteries because i am using them so i know they are very reliable.

mine is the 200ah, 12v spec and i got them here through a reseller. recently though i
understand the sole distributor who is in lagos seems to have moved on to other brands.

Try this online shop for deep cycle batteries.
http://www.mygadgetsmall.com/shopping/inverters/deep-cycle-batteries-for-inverters/cat_68.html

butoneday,
thanks for the link.

if only they have up to 260ah zenith batteries they would have made my day!

Hi George_D, great job. keep up the good work. please could you push me your email address, i got a few solar details to request. thanks boss. my email addy is sawyerrola@yahoo.com

have a great day today.

Pecorns, great job too. well done.

@sawyerola long time no see. How is madam and baby? What is up in ph. when will u be back on Facebook?

Anyway, good to see u here requesting Inverter info from pecons and George_D. Those are the gurus in the house o.
Its like u want to break the myth. Hope u are not feeling the pinch of the subsidy removal.

George_D and pecons, keep the good work going. I will call for ur assistance soonest as am already set to start my Inverter setup.

Please George_D, pecorns I want u to suggest a very rugged Inverter product (3.0 - 3.5KVA) that will not give problem from experience. This will serve as guide for those contemplating Inverter setup in the house

Thanks for your usual prompt response.

@peconscan u pls let me have your e-mall address? Mine is adex2000ng@yahoo.com

@George_D, pecorns am expecting u guys to organize a practical seminar on solar energy soonest

adex,

you can go for cyberpower or sukam.

presently i'm using sukam 3.5kva and it has been serving me well.

@ George_D. Thanks for your prompt response.
I made some findings as per the 3.5 kva Inverter of the following products and their prices:
Luminus =118K
Sukam=125k
Cyberpower=150k

Sorry to ask u this question. The price of the cyberpower is higher than the others. Does it mean the product has an edge in function(s) over sukam?
I ask this question because being the boss and genius in d house, u will be able to descern the difference/edge. Your response will be highly appreciated in d house for the benefit of an informed decision

adex2000ng:

@sawyerola long time no see. How is madam and baby? What is up in ph. when will u be back on Facebook?

Anyway, good to see u here requesting Inverter info from pecons and George_D. Those are the gurus in the house o.
Its like u want to break the myth. Hope u are not feeling the pinch of the subsidy removal.

George_D and pecons, keep the good work going. I will call for your assistance soonest as am already set to start my Inverter setup.

Please George_D, pecorns I want u to suggest a very rugged Inverter product (3.0 - 3.5KVA) that will not give problem from experience. This will serve as guide for those contemplating Inverter setup in the house

Thanks for your usual prompt response.

@peconscan u pls let me have your e-mall address? Mine is adex2000ng@yahoo.com

@George_D, pecorns am expecting u guys to organize a practical seminar on solar energy soonest

Bros Adex, we just dey o! good to hit you here. i see we are sailing in the same solar boat at the moment.  i just called your phone and it rang out. please call me when you can so we share ideas.

sawyerrola:

Hi George_D, great job. keep up the good work. please could you push me your email address, i got a few solar details to request. thanks boss. my email addy is sawyerrola@yahoo.com

have a great day today.

Pecorns, great job too. well done.

@George_D
boss please i am still waiting for your email contact. thanks a lot for your support.

sawyerrola:

@George_D
boss please i am still waiting for your email contact. thanks a lot for your support.

hi sawyerrola,

you got mail!

@sawyerrola
I appreciate your call. I am happy 4 u for the fact that u have launched your 3.5kva Inverter. I like ur testimonies. I will join u soonest in this sailing boat. Thanks

@George_D I am still waiting for clarification on questions asked earlier. Thanks