matify83:


To partner with the sun, what you really need will depend largely on what you want to power(load).

To list the items verbatim :

1 appropriate inverter size
2. Battery bank ( AGM batteries)
3. Mppt solar charge controller
4 commensurate solar panels

Basically ceiling fans (3), one freezer, tv, light bulbs (10 thereabout), dstv and to charge phones too. What ballpark figure should i be looking at? And how much kva can power all i listed? Thanks for the reply though, waiting for your response.

kinglee007:

Basically ceiling fans (3), one freezer, tv, light bulbs (10 thereabout), dstv and to charge phones too. What ballpark figure should i be looking at? And how much kva can power all i listed? Thanks for the reply though, waiting for your response.

The biggest power drain on your list is the freezer. Do you intend to run it 24/7 or for the daylight period only?

matify83:


The biggest power drain on your list is the freezer. Do you intend to run it 24/7 or for the daylight period only?

i think it will be better run at night during sleep when other appliances must have been turned off. Since it retains ice for long, that time is fine by me. But from your experience, what will you suggest or advice?

matify83:


I will advice you start small and upgrade with time and available resources.

Though the proponents of flooded batteries will come for my jugular, I will advice you use AGM batteries only(SLA) as they are maintenance free and do not need frequent topping with distilled water.

I have no idea how inverter nor solar panels nor batteries. Can I get the explanation as a layman?

kinglee007:

Basically ceiling fans (3), one freezer, tv, light bulbs (10 thereabout), dstv and to charge phones too. What ballpark figure should i be looking at? And how much kva can power all i listed? Thanks for the reply though, waiting for your response.

3 ceiling fan at 80W each = 240W

10 LED light bulb at 20W each = 200W

Dstv decoder at Max 40W

LED TV at Max 65W

Phone charger = Negligible

Freezer at 1000w


Approximately 1700Wh

Remember, these are not absolute figures but exaggerated estimates of your load.

It is usually better to over estimate the load than to run out of juice during a crucial football match.

For effective and efficient glitch free running of you home if we are running the freezer only during daylight , you will require

1- A 1.7kva Microtek inverter at Max 70k

2- 4 batteries of 12v 200ah connected in series and parallel to get 24v at 100k each

3- 6 pieces of 280W 24v or higher solar panels ( monocrystalline preferably) connected in 3 series of two's and then paralleled for higher current. at Max 40k each.

4-60A mppt solar charge controller at 80 to 120k

We are looking at about 850k, for you to retire your generating set permanently.

Remember that most of the prices are inflated as the overall cost for people who reside in Lagos may eventually be less.

veekid:
I have no idea how inverter nor solar panels nor batteries. Can I get the explanation as a layman?

I guess you would have to do some research through google.

However, an inverter is a device that draws electricity from the public power to charge battery or batteries connected to it.

During power cut, it converts the stored charge in the battery which is a direct current back into alternating current that can be used by the regular home appliances.

The solar panels and charge controller may totally or partially replace the public power as the source of battery charging.

kinglee007:

i think it will be better run at night during sleep when other appliances must have been turned off. Since it retains ice for long, that time is fine by me. But from your experience, what will you suggest or advice?

Run the freezer for 18hour nonstop and rest it between 1am and 7am when the frequency of opening and closing reduces.

LosC:

https://dailypost.ng/2020/03/08/nigeria-govt-explains-electricity-shortage-nationwide/

America with 50 states has stable electricity because the sector is working unlike Nigeria with 36 states and the power sector is money consuming but functionally epileptic

LosC:

https://dailypost.ng/2020/03/08/nigeria-govt-explains-electricity-shortage-nationwide/

America with 50 states has stable electricity because the sector is working unlike Nigeria with 36 states and the power sector is money consuming but functionally epileptic....Who cares ?

matify83:


By 6pm on most days I have generated between 4.7 to 5.2 kwh/d with 4 fully charged batteries (on float mode by 12:30pm) to carry me for the next 12 hours.

I only switch off the AC at 11pm but run all fans (4 pieces of 50w binatone standing fans) till day break (tdb)

I bought the setup piece meal.

Started by buying the inverter and 4 batteries .

Then visited Arena shopping complex in Lagos when I traveled for a workshop there I saw some 2nd hand imported solar panels from America. 250w 30v each and I waybilled 8 pieces at 40k each back to my state via God is good transport company.

I did over 60 percent of the installation so the cost was minimal .

Wow, that's interesting. I am seriously considering this at the moment. Thanks for the info.

matify83:


By 6pm on most days I have generated between 4.7 to 5.2 kwh/d with 4 fully charged batteries (on float mode by 12:30pm) to carry me for the next 12 hours.

I only switch off the AC at 11pm but run all fans (4 pieces of 50w binatone standing fans) till day break (tdb)

I bought the setup piece meal.

Started by buying the inverter and 4 batteries .

Then visited Arena shopping complex in Lagos when I traveled for a workshop there I saw some 2nd hand imported solar panels from America. 250w 30v each and I waybilled 8 pieces at 40k each back to my state via God is good transport company.

I did over 60 percent of the installation so the cost was minimal .

Please what's the kva of your inverter you use in powering the AC? I have a 1.5hp inverter ac, what inverter size should I get?

tipzy001:
Please what's the kva of your inverter you use in powering the AC? I have a 1.5hp inverter ac, what inverter size should I get?

Your 1.5hp inverter AC is approximately 1.1kw of load.

Because you would be running other electric gadgets simultaneously, I would suggest a 2.5 KVA inverter which may still utilize 24v batteries I. e. 2 pieces of 200Ah batteries.

However, for longer backup, I suggest 4 pieces of the same batteries hooked up in a string of 2 series and then paralleled.

The technical aspect of your plan is calculating the number of solar panels to run the AC effortlessly during the day without depleting your battery Bank.

matify83:


Your 1.5hp inverter AC is approximately 1.1kw of load.

Because you would be running other electric gadgets simultaneously, I would suggest a 2.5 KVA inverter which may still utilize 24v batteries I. e. 2 pieces of 200Ah batteries.

However, for longer backup, I suggest 4 pieces of the same batteries hooked up in a string of 2 series and then paralleled.

The technical aspect of your plan is calculating the number of solar panels to run the AC effortlessly during the day without depleting your battery Bank.

Thank you very much for this sir. Someone told me that the inverter itself consumes battery, that is the higher the kva of the inverter, the higher it will consume battery on its own, is that true? Because I'm considering just going for a 3.5kva inverter to power everything so there won't be need for me to upgrade the inverter in the future so I want to know if the 3.5kva is going to be consuming more power than the 2.5kva... thanks

tipzy001:
Thank you very much for this sir. Someone told me that the inverter itself consumes battery, that is the higher the kva of the inverter, the higher it will consume battery on its own, is that true? Because I'm considering just going for a 3.5kva inverter to power everything so there won't be need for me to upgrade the inverter in the future so I want to know if the 3.5kva is going to be consuming more power than the 2.5kva... thanks

Most technicians are just pedestrian with their advice.

A higher powered inverter only implies that a larger load can be drawn from it without necessarily wasting your battery charge.

The only downside with a higher KVA inverter is that you may need a larger default battery Bank.

It must however be noted that the efficiency of most common inverters are about 80 percent of their rated capacity but this applies to both lower and higher KVA inverters.

Disregard that advice Asap.

A 3.5kva inverter at 24v default battery Bank would serve you good but for an extended battery time I would suggest you get 4 pieces of battery connected in series and parallel to still get 24v but a larger amperage for extended backup.

MiosheEmpire1:
In my area dey av even downgrade us to 3hrs per day.
dey will bring d lite@exactly 10am and dey will take it@exactly 1pm

Do companies have onsite generators? How can a restaurant or a brokerage office exist in such conditions?

bkool7:


It's expensive and not durable

The only affordable option of power is generator

Burning fossil fuels is what is responsible for the unbearable heat you are struggling to mitigate.

Just because our country is replete with fake and substandard solar equipments does not negate the fact that renewable energy works.

Most times, we engage quacks with little or no knowledge on solar energy to do our installations. Why won't your battery Bank pack up in 6 months?

Before you engage any "expert" with your solar job, make sure he or she lives off grid either in his business environment or home.

How do you give what you don't have?

matify83:


Most technicians are just pedestrian with their advice.

A higher powered inverter only implies that a larger load can be drawn from it without necessarily wasting your battery charge.

The only downside with a higher KVA inverter is that you may need a larger default battery Bank.

It must however be noted that the efficiency of most common inverters are about 80 percent of their rated capacity but this applies to both lower and higher KVA inverters.

Disregard that advice Asap.

A 3.5kva inverter at 24v default battery Bank would serve you good but for an extended battery time I would suggest you get 4 pieces of battery connected in series and parallel to still get 24v but a larger amperage for extended backup.

Thank you for taking out time to answer my question and the advice. I appreciate Sir

kinglee007:

i think it will be better run at night during sleep when other appliances must have been turned off. Since it retains ice for long, that time is fine by me. But from your experience, what will you suggest or advice?

Not that you asked but thawing and refreezing food multiple times cannot be healthy.

Slaquan:


Not that you asked but thawing and refreezing food multiple times cannot be healthy.

really? Please enlighten. I'll love to learn from you and also experiences you must have encountered.