fikfik:

Ok, thanks boss. The Morning star MPPT someone offered me 105k for 45A this a good price? and 125k for 60Amp. (no display)

What size of DC circuit breakers should one get? 40A?

fikfik,

sorry i must have missed out your post earlier on.

the morningstar charge controller is a high end, top of the range product and hence quite expensive. i think
that price range you were given is around what you can get the original for. the display meter alone is about 20k.

but like totalgreen said, you can contact him for his own. i'm sure you'll get a better bargain from him.

for dc breakers, you can get 100a minimum.

Hello house,my solar battery performance is disappointing,while charging it using 80Watt solar panel the voltage is going up within short time afterwards the controller shows that it is full.On connecting load at night the voltage drops drastically and this is happening on daily basis.The battery specifications are Ritar VRLA Solar Battery RA12-100 ie 100AH battery.I bought this battery in June 2011 does it mean it is dead now?Please an advice from you is Welcome.

THE BATTERY IS MOST probably dead......it appears you hv only 1 battery/ur battery bank is small....all batteries hv a max number of times..u can charge and then drain it completely....so the trick is to have a large battery bank, so that it wudnt be draining to below 50% all the time

earthrealm: THE BATTERY IS MOST probably dead......it appears you hv only 1 battery/ur battery bank is small....all batteries hv a max number of times..u can charge and then drain it completely....so the trick is to have a large battery bank, so that it wudnt be draining to below 50% all the time

very true

kibukila,

earthrealm is very correct. your batteries are most probably dead.

for longer battery life, always take time to calculate your total house load and
size your battery bank in such a way that it doesn't drain beyond 50% at any point in time.

in voltage terms that means your batteries should never go below 49v (for 48v systems) or
24.5v (for 24v systems) or 12.25v (for 12v systems)
therefore, if you find yourself consistently draining your battery bank below 12v, 24v or 48v
depending on which system you have, then know that for sure your batteries will not last
very long.

Thanks for all your wonderful response,I am planning to replace the battery,can I go for Ritar 100AH or there is a better brand than this?

kibukila: Thanks for all your wonderful response,I am planning to replace the battery,can I go for Ritar 100AH or there is a better brand than this?

pls its better does you to buy 3 or 4 of such batteries if u can afford it. All u need to do is parallel all of them which translates to a bigger batt bank. Else ur single new batt will suffer d same fate as d dead one. Bear it mind that there is no short cut to enjoying renewable energy than doing the rite thing which may be expensive initially but in d long run it worth every kobo invested. Wish u luck.

kibukila,

i would rather advise you to go for zenith 200ah or 260ah if you can afford it.

George_D: kibukila,

i would rather advise you to go for zenith 200ah or 260ah if you can afford it.

i agree 100%.

uncle G et al, what are your thoughts on mixing different panel manufacturers? I'm trying to buy my panels but getting mixed prices and views about effectiveness. Joy Solar is cheapest; suntech is 10k more expensive and solarworld is almost 25k more expensive. I havent even mentioned the almighty SHARP panels. I like good deals as much as the next bloke, but is joy solar really that much inefficient as the more expensive panels?

Also, Uncle George mentioned that i can use 45A MPPT; but 250 x 12 = 3000 watts and 3000/48V = 62.5 amps. how is it possible I can still use 45A for this setup? (I prefer 45 amps anyways due to costs, if i need to expand i can get another one, but how is it mathematically possible)

fikfik:

i agree 100%.

uncle G et al, what are your thoughts on mixing different panel manufacturers? I'm trying to buy my panels but getting mixed prices and views about effectiveness. Joy Solar is cheapest; suntech is 10k more expensive and solarworld is almost 25k more expensive. I havent even mentioned the almighty SHARP panels. I like good deals as much as the next bloke, but is joy solar really that much inefficient as the more expensive panels?

Also, Uncle George mentioned that i can use 45A MPPT; but 250 x 12 = 3000 watts and 3000/48V = 62.5 amps. how is it possible I can still use 45A for this setup? (I prefer 45 amps anyways due to costs, if i need to expand i can get another one, but how is it mathematically possible)

brother, to d best of my knowledge, you need no less than 60a to start for u have nearly 100% efficiency and to handle future expansion.
In my own set up- i use 10 pieces of 120w joy solar panels which i paralleled all 2geda, i sometimes get 44.5amps charging current but 34- 37amps on d average- so if had bought 45 amps controller, then i should be thinking of replacing it or which means i cant add more panels- my advice is get d 60amps and buy the few panels you can afford and add gradually. Most of us started gradually.

About mixing panels,check d specification name plate- if they are d same then no problem or fall within d same range- however, if u can avoid mixing the better. Its only batteries that you should totally avoid mixing.
About joy solar and other manufacturers, its up 2 u 2 make up ur mind and go for what ur heart likes.
Wish u luck.

@bodejohn where did u get the battery from, and at what price each? i need it

JUO: @bodejohn where did u get the battery from, and at what price each? i need it

You mean the ritar RA12-150FD batteries? I bought them here in Ibadan at 50K each.
If you are in Ibadan, we can arrange a meet and you can pick them up.
If you are outside of Ibadan, you will need to consider transportation costs.

bodejohn:

You mean the ritar RA12-150FD batteries? I bought them here in Ibadan at 50K each.
If you are in Ibadan, we can arrange a meet and you can pick them up.
If you are outside of Ibadan, you will need to consider transportation costs.

Please where is the address of the RA12-150FD seller in Ibadan? I'm interested.
Thanks.

phaim.services:


Please where is the address of the RA12-150FD seller in Ibadan? I'm interested.
Thanks.

He is at oluyole industrial estate extension.
The house is adjacent the Rehoboth Cathedral.

bodejohn:

He is at oluyole industrial estate extension.
The house is adjacent the Rehoboth Cathedral.

Thanks for the prompt response. Please drop his contact for me at Phaim.services@gmail.com
Thanks.

Please, I have a 2kva 24v inverter and
sukam 200 amp battries x 2. Please, can it
charge with Solar? Which ones should I go for? How many solar panels do I need and what size? Whats de bill? A guru Reply ASAP!

exxell: A guru Reply ASAP!

Or else?....

fikfik:

i agree 100%.

uncle G et al, what are your thoughts on mixing different panel manufacturers? I'm trying to buy my panels but getting mixed prices and views about effectiveness. Joy Solar is cheapest; suntech is 10k more expensive and solarworld is almost 25k more expensive. I havent even mentioned the almighty SHARP panels. I like good deals as much as the next bloke, but is joy solar really that much inefficient as the more expensive panels?

Also, Uncle George mentioned that i can use 45A MPPT; but 250 x 12 = 3000 watts and 3000/48V = 62.5 amps. how is it possible I can still use 45A for this setup? (I prefer 45 amps anyways due to costs, if i need to expand i can get another one, but how is it mathematically possible)

fikfik,
the most important factors you should consider when mixing panels from different manufacturers is the panel open circuit voltage (voc) and voltage at peak power (vmax). ensure that these values are the same (or nearly the same) across all the modules you are planing to tie together and you'll be fine. however, if there is a significant difference in the voltages of modules you're mixing together, you'll discover a significant drop in power output from your system.

when buying panels don't always be influenced by pricing. also, avoid the trap of big names. joy solar seems to be just an upstart in the solar business and hence not well known but that is not to say that their panels are inferior. Also talking of suntech, not all their panels are up to snuff-including sharp. so, like abunafiu told you above, ultimately the choice is yours.

i said you could use 45a charge controller for your set up and i did this using real world solar throughput and not just name plate power ratings. on paper, your calculations may appear to be correct but its a different ball game altogether when collating real world panel production. all the same just like abunafiu said, it is best to go for the higher rating charge controller of 60a for future expansion.

exxell: Please, I have a 2kva 24v inverter and
sukam 200 amp battries x 2. Please, can it
charge with Solar? Which ones should I go for? How many solar panels do I need and what size? Whats de bill? A guru Reply ASAP!

I gave u d link to this thread so u can read from page 1 to the current page. From experience, bill should be the last thing to ask. You need to know what appliance you need 2 power and for how long you want to run them. You need to also figure out if ur current battery bank will be sufficient.
Without knowing all the aforementioned you may be disappointed at ur solar performance.
Assuming you want to charge ur 200ah batteries alone, 2 pieces of 200w panels will do depending on the vmp which shall determine if u'll connect them in series or parallel. This means you cant use any appliance while d solar is chasing ur batt. Why suffer urself when u can use ur appliance during charging-all u need 2 do is answer those questions above and do ur system sizing where u'll determine to number of panels u need.

I'll stop here so that other senior members can contribute.

bodejohn:

Or else?....

@bodejohn, dont mind our friend who thinks solar installation is straight forward like 1+1. So many factors need 2 be considered. Funny enough these factors vary from individual to individual. You remember when u wondered why i complain even with my 1.2kw solar panels that u dont have up to that yet u enjoy ur system. The reason simply as u figured was that i am always at home in the morg hours and most appliance including my fridge is running. As i told him, he needs to do some power economics before deciding on the number of panels he needs. I forgot to tell him that he can start little by little bearing in mind his ultimate destination.
@excell, you'll never regret going the solar way. Just take ur time to study this page and then you'll know where to start from. Wish u luck.

abunafiu:
I gave u d link to this thread so u can read from page 1 to the current page. From experience, bill should be the last thing to ask. You need to know what appliance you need 2 power and for how long you want to run them. You need to also figure out if ur current battery bank will be sufficient.
Without knowing all the aforementioned you may be disappointed at ur solar performance.
Assuming you want to charge ur 200ah batteries alone, 2 pieces of 200w panels will do depending on the vmp which shall determine if u'll connect them in series or parallel. This means you cant use any appliance while d solar is chasing ur batt. Why suffer urself when u can use ur appliance during charging-all u need 2 do is answer those questions above and do ur system sizing where u'll determine to number of panels u need.

I'll stop here so that other senior members can contribute.

Sorry bro for my ignorance. Its just that am not used to intricacies and stuffs. Thats the major reason I had to paste the question like that without going from the first page. Again, am not good in maths especially waltage calculation. But if you can help me, I wil be happy. The gadgets I have are; 21 inches LG tv, LG Home theater with tall boys, Royal crown fridge, 1 flourescent, 5 20 watts energy bulbs, 1 standing fan, 1 ceiling fan, 1 laptop, 1 sattelite receiver nd 3 phone chargers. Sorry for my ignorance... Thanks.

BRAND NEW GXQ INVERTER 12v 1000w..... #‎20k
BRAND NEW GXQ INVERTER 12v 2000w .... #‎30k

SUKAM DSP INVERTER 48v 5kva"fairly used"..100k

PROSTAR 24v 3kva INVERTER....... #‎70k only

GP Malaysian Deep Cycle Batteries..
200 ahms...45k
150 ahms...40k
100 ahms...30k

SMARTCELL AUTO BATTERY CHARGER 12v 30 ahms....20k
EMERSON AUTO BATTERY CHARGER 24v 60ahms...... 25k
EMERSON AUTO BATTERY CHARGER 48v 30ahms...... 30k

HURRY WHILE OUR STOCKS LASTS !!!
SOLAR PANELS n CONTROLLERS all in STOCK

Call ..... 08135031951
E-MAIL....... frankie_feller@yahoo.com

where are u located?

kie kie: BRAND NEW GXQ INVERTER 12v 1000w..... #‎20k
BRAND NEW GXQ INVERTER 12v 2000w .... #‎30k

SUKAM DSP INVERTER 48v 5kva"fairly used"..100k

PROSTAR 24v 3kva INVERTER....... #‎70k only

GP Malaysian Deep Cycle Batteries..
200 ahms...45k
150 ahms...40k
100 ahms...30k

SMARTCELL AUTO BATTERY CHARGER 12v 30 ahms....20k
EMERSON AUTO BATTERY CHARGER 24v 60ahms...... 25k
EMERSON AUTO BATTERY CHARGER 48v 30ahms...... 30k

HURRY WHILE OUR STOCKS LASTS !!!
SOLAR PANELS n CONTROLLERS all in STOCK

Call ..... 08135031951
E-MAIL....... frankie_feller@yahoo.com

exxell:

Sorry bro for my ignorance. Its just that am not used to intricacies and stuffs. Thats the major reason I had to paste the question like that without going from the first page. Again, am not good in maths especially waltage calculation. But if you can help me, I wil be happy. The gadgets I have are; 21 inches LG tv, LG Home theater with tall boys, Royal crown fridge, 1 flourescent, 5 20 watts energy bulbs, 1 standing fan, 1 ceiling fan, 1 laptop, 1 sattelite receiver nd 3 phone chargers. Sorry for my ignorance... Thanks.

You cannot own an iphone app blog and not be good in maths.
You need to avoid rushing into solar power if you do not want to be frustrated and join the league of Nigerians who think solar power is a fraud.
It's your money that will be used here, i suggest you understand the rudiments and intricacies of the system if you want to do it yourself or consult professional installers if diy is going to be a lot of work on you.

earthrealm: am located @ Best Batteries sales outlet @ Olowu,Ikeja Lagos State !! Simply call my mobile number for further enquiry ......cheers

earthrealm: am located @ Best Batteries sales outlet @ Olowu,Ikeja Lagos State !! Simply call my mobile number for further enquiry ......cheers

bodejohn:
You need to avoid rushing into solar power if you do not want to be frustrated and join the league of Nigerians who think solar power is a fraud.

.@bodejohn- ure 100%. Most nigerians still beleive solar is fraud- may be because they thought it was as simple as 1+1. Hell No. Our friend here risk being disappointed if he does not take time 2 understand his needs. When i wanted 2 go d solar way, i was told 2 pieces of 200watts panel is just enough 4 me. Thank God 4 this thread, i started with 6 pieces of 120watts panel, sold off my old batteries and bought a set of 4 batteries.......and so on. Today with 10 panels and 4 batteries i cant help but ask for more.-but am satisfied with my present performance. I was able to achieve all these because i know what i want and figured an economical way of going around it. So our friend mr excel- you need 2 sit down and do those maths because hundreds of thousands of naira will eventually be involved. But the good news is that u can start small and expand as u enjoy ur system.

bodejohn:
You need to avoid rushing into solar power if you do not want to be frustrated and join the league of Nigerians who think solar power is a fraud.

.@bodejohn- ure 100%. Most nigerians still beleive solar is fraud- may be because they thought it was as simple as 1+1. Hell No. Our friend here risk being disappointed if he does not take time 2 understand his needs. When i wanted 2 go d solar way, i was told 2 pieces of 200watts panel is just enough 4 me. Thank God 4 this thread, i started with 6 pieces of 120watts panel, sold off my old batteries and bought a set of 4 batteries.......and so on. Today with 10 panels and 4 batteries i cant help but ask for more.-but am satisfied with my present performance. I was able to achieve all these because i know what i want and figured an economical way of going around it. So our friend mr excel- you need 2 sit down and do those maths because hundreds of thousands of naira will eventually be involved. But the good news is that u can start small and expand as u enjoy ur system.

abunafiu,
truely, as the good book says: thou shalt know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

as more and more people come to know more about solar, all previous misconceptions will be thrown overboard and they'll better be able to appreciate the best gift to mankind - the power of the sun.

George_D: abunafiu,
truely, as the good book says: thou shalt know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

as more and more people come to know more about solar, all previous misconceptions will be thrown overboard and they'll better be able to appreciate the best gift to mankind - the power of the sun.

hmmm, the best gift 2 man is d sun. Without sun there can never be transpiration=rain=plant growth=hydropower=many other freebees. Never heard of any single bad event attributed 2 d sun, well if its 2 much 4 u, there are trees 2 provide shadow. So, the God we all serve has perfected the sun 2 be d main source of energy for the earth. In my new area, power supply is so poor that my neighbours stay up to 48hrs without power. Sometimes i feel like giving out power but i cant risk a neighbours carelessness. They'll now ask 'how much is this thing?'. I answered its free from God. You only need to learn the truth and the truth shall give u free power just like i have. Hmmm, this truth bitter pass kola when they sit down and listen. Thank God for showing us the solar way which has enriched our lives further.

@excell, any update?. Come up with ur power requirements. We cant wait to have u.

exxell:

Sorry bro for my ignorance. Its just that am not used to intricacies and stuffs. Thats the major reason I had to paste the question like that without going from the first page. Again, am not good in maths especially waltage calculation. But if you can help me, I wil be happy. The gadgets I have are; 21 inches LG tv, LG Home theater with tall boys, Royal crown fridge, 1 flourescent, 5 20 watts energy bulbs, 1 standing fan, 1 ceiling fan, 1 laptop, 1 sattelite receiver nd 3 phone chargers. Sorry for my ignorance... Thanks.

Brothers pls make i help @exxell, i think the group really would like u to understand what you are getting into thats why "i think or guess" the dont want to make it so easy.

Let me see how i can explain it then recommend to you from your appliance listing.

Imagine you have 1000Litre GP tank, then u have borehole that can pump at 10litres per hour - meaning it will take 100hrs to feel up the tank if no water is going out.

if you then increase you borehole capacity to 50litres per hour, u will then fill up in 20hrs - which is always what we like, the faster the better, but remember it cost money

lets talk of draining the tank, assuming we only have a 10litre per hour borehole - lets say we have 10 family members in the house with different drinking capacity, 4 members @ 10 litres per hr, 6 @ 5 litres per hr.

assuming in one day u can only pump for 10hrs meaning u cant fill up the tank, u would have filled up only 100litres in one day.

if all the members drink for only 1 hr cumulatively, the would have consumed (4x10)+(6*5)= 70 litres great! meaning thats enough for the house we still have 30litres left in the tank - hurray

what if we have really big house members like 4 members @ 50 litres per hr, 6 @ 20 litres per hr. so in one hour they would need (4x50)+(6*20)= 320 litres, our tank has only 100 litres - Problem

so we need to pay for a bigger borehole pumb that can fill up to about 400litres in 10hrs for that day, so we need a 40litres per hr pump.

so in essence your gp tank is battery, you borehole is the solar panels ur members are the appliance in your house.

lets do a rough estimate, pls guys correct me where i stray off


21 inches LG tv- 200w
LG Home theater with tall boys- 100w
Royal crown fridge - 200w
1 flourescent- 40w
5 20 watts energy bulbs- 100w
1 standing fan- 50w
1 ceiling fan- 50w
1 laptop - 50
1 sattelite receiver- 50
3 phone chargers - 20
total about 900w

lets assume u use them 5hrs a day, so you need battery capacity that will drain at 900/24 = 37.5amps per hr(i assume the run at the same time and you said you have a 24volt system)

since you are pulling 37.5 for 5hrs meaning battery required is (37.5x5)=187.5

from the above i can say u need like 2kva inverter with 200amps battery

now for the solar side, assuming 5hrs of sun, since u are draining at 37.5amps per hour, you will need to be charging at 40amps per hour(expensive borehole) u will need aprox 20 x 200watts 24v panels - this is where people run away from solar, thats the nail on the head for u.

but the great part of it is like what the other members have said, start slowly.

Good Morning

@gd, abu, totalgreen and others welldone. @exel try n start small if fund avlbl go full. also trim load lk drop fridge, change bulb 20w to 3 or 7w train urself/hhold to conserve. i hv started and it is workn