₦airaland Forum

pdozie:
Thanks Chris.

Previously, from my calculation I was getting 189AH as battery requirement. I was making a mistake obviously. I have 251AH as battery capacity from my recalculation. Is that correct?

If yes, how could I possibly upgrade? Can I just get two batteries of same size/age and parallel them with two existing? i.e 2 batteries in parallel + another 2 batteries parallel, then connect the 2 in series (24v) and add the other 2 in series (now 48v).

That is total of 6 batteries.

Will it work or do I have to get entirely new string of 12 x 200aH x 4 and parallel the new string with the existing string?

9645 / 48 = 200.9375 is what your useage is. I multiply by two to give me that magical 50% depth of discharge.
Based on what you wrote I assumed you had a 48 V inverter.
You will need four more batteries of the same capacity to get your 400 AH.

Maybe we should take it from the beginning. What is the voltage of your inverter? I understood 48 is that incorrect? 4 batteries in series gives you 48 V assuming 12 Volts each. The AH still remains at 200.

If you buy 4 more batteries connect them in series and then parallel them. You do that by connecting the positive of one bank to the positive of the other. And then repeat the same for the negative.

pdozie:
Team,
I'm trying to figure out if my installation is giving optimal output. I tried reading the meter but I need help to decipher. I have:

10 solar panels now (average of 250W each).
4 x 12v x 200ah Batteries (48v)
Total Load x Hours = 9645WH (load = 1535W; Individual devices have different hours of run)

I get these reading on my Morning Star Controller (45A) from the logging data
Today, Battery 3490wh; battery 68.5ah
Day (-1), Battery 4560wh; battery 85ah
Day (-2), Battery 5260wh; battery 103.6ah
Day (-3), Battery 4520wh; battery 83.5ah

Then I also have these on the front reading: 1613kwh; 73112ahT; 3649kwhT; 31908ah

On a good day my battery goes beyond 49v just before midnight and I have to shut it down. Are my installation undersized for the load?

Your production is good. However your battery bank is undersized. Your Production will be limited by your use. You should have a battery bank that is double your load hours. At 48 V your battery AH useage is 200.9
You are covered during the day time. Your production on day two was higher because your batteries had been drawn down a bit.

hoseamatoh:
Take a look at this picture, the old Nigeria, this is of course Nigeria before the birth of politicians, we can only look with envy and pray that our children or grand children would enjoy another Nigeria this beautiful

The VW bus and Land Rover are worth a lot of money today

Strahovski:
I don't know where to post but since this is my active section I post here. So mods please move to correct section.

Today someone post about our excuse for our sins if God suddenly comes. That thread made me remember my greatest sin. Like I mentioned on that thread. I have not committed adultery as I'm the most faithful of all time. Neither have I stolen or fornicated. My only sin is a LIE I told to save my friend.

Flashback!!! My friend did something. He actually did it. He raped a 12 year old orphan girl and in our place it's death sentence for a man to rape a woman let alone 12 year old. He was drunk. We went to this party and he drank too much. Both of us were walking to our car so I drive him home then we saw this little girl. Even at 12 she looked 21 so perhaps my friend in his drunkenness over the wine got carried away and went after her. I tried to stop him but u could not. Right he front of me be hurt the little girl and someone caught him ad called it in.

We were both arrested. The person confirmed I was innocent that it's my friend who did it. But my father once worked in the Navy before retirement into private business, so alot of the police and law officials in our town know me very well. So they said I should give testimony in court of what i saw. I looked at my friend this is friend since childhood. This is friend that taught me how to use the swing. This is friend who taught me how to write my first code of programming to which I'm I'm a veteran now in programming. I cannot just throw him out the window. Then I said to my said elf "The devil you know is better than the angel you do not know"

I told the court the woman who saw us lied!!! That it was another man (actually her fiancé) who was with her that committed the crime and she want to protect hin. I said it with authority and confidence even I believed it to be true.

And like I said my father has reputation in the law enforcement so the judge said that based on the reputation of my father n the country (a navy chief) my words do hold water and the court will take it as true. Another lady (my wife now) backed me up. Perhaps she liked me. Said she was also there. That it wasn't my friend.

Long story short, the innocent man who was to marry his woman faced the death sentence just because i lied to protect my friend. My wife lied too (to support me) but she is fine with it. I was even discussing this with hr this morning that I'm feeling guilty now. She said I should forget it that people die everyday. That sometimes people have to be sacrificed to save another. She is just cool like it's nothing but I keep seeing flashes of the woman when she cried and her fiancé was taken away for what he did not do. It's driving me crazy

Please nairaland what do you think is the right thing I do?

No jokes here this is serious.

Thanks

Since when the rape attract a death sentence?

What does having a 15 amp charger in my inverter mean to me? Watch the video for the answer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhLojzzqRk

What does having a 15 amp charger in my inverter mean to me? Watch the video for the answer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhLojzzqRk

What does having a 15 amp charger in my inverter mean to me? Watch the video for the answer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhLojzzqRk

What does having a 15 amp charger in my inverter mean to me? Watch the video for the answer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhLojzzqRk

What does having a 15 amp charger in my inverter mean to me? Watch the video for the answer


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIhLojzzqRk

AkoEja:
Thanksfor your help.
My AH is therefore 450 x7 x 1.6 = 210AH for 40 % depth of discharge.
Divided by 24 gives me 46.6 AH
What is the basis for dividing by 4.5 with no NEPA or 6 with NEPA?
Many thanks again

Bros your numbers are off. How did you get 450?
Take your load eg TV 150 watts.
You will watch TV for 8 hours a day. 150 x 8 = 1200 watt hours.
Do the calculation for all your lights fans and appliances you want to run on solar power. Add up the total
If your total is 1200 watt hours. To determine how much in battery you will be using
1200 / 24 =50 AH. (24 is the voltage of your inverter)
At a 50% SOC that number is 100 AH. You can figure what 40% will be.
To determine the panels 1200 / 4.5 = 267 watts. You will need 267 watts in panels to maintain that TV for 8 hours. (4.5 hrs = sun hours)
We have answered these questions many times before. Go back and read comments and threads explaining what these numbers mean.

semitunde:
Pls, Can you give a configuration with cost, of a 5kva inverter supply with solar panel?

The capacity and type of batteries needed, type of inverter recommended, type/size/no of panels and cost for the required solar panels to charge the set up?

Thanks.

Good day. Please visit our website. http://atlanticwastepower.com/store/

AkoEja:
Can you gurus comment on my setup?
My total load comes to 450 watts . Small fridge and a freezer consuming 200W, LED TV 110W, Light's and fans 140W.

Setup is as follows
Inverter ...1.5KVa
MPPT Charge controller.....40W
Two 200AH Quanta Batteries ....connected in parallel for 24 Volts.
Two 190W solar panels

Assuming I run this load for approximately 7 hours per day.....though will not all run at once. Generally will only run freezer when it's sunny.

Please do you think this is adequate...and if not ..why?

You can do the math yourself
Figure the Watt hours divide by 24 to determine your consumption in AH. That number is how many AH you use. Now determine the minimum depth of discharge for your batteries and increase the ah to compensate.
Then divide the total Watt hours by 4.5 if no NEPA or 6 if you have NEPA. That will answer the question about your Panels.

Im2Busy2Bother:
Thank you for taking out time in your busy schedule to drop a comment. I'll relay your observation to him.

How do you bring the voltage of existing panels to that of new one?

Series connections

How much of my battery is my light bulb using?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoLR1TN-_rI

How much of my battery is my light bulb using?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoLR1TN-_rI

How much of my battery is my light bulb using?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoLR1TN-_rI

WeldHome:
Hmmm.. So what are the brands you're suggesting are the best? Please I need more info about (brand names) the best set of solar brands out there.. Thank you.

I will tell you who I buy.You will have to decide for yourself what works for you. The minimum I seek is a 2 year warranty on equipment. The high end give you 5 years and some give you the option of extending that to 10 years.
1. Schneider Electric
2. SMA
3. Victron

Magnum and Outback are also some awesome brands. You have to decide what works for you in the market you are in. I have enclosed a picture of an Outback that I serviced in Brooklyn NY.

WeldHome:
What was/is the capacity of the inverter you purchased?
You know how Alaba stuffs go na.
The man gave me two options, one cheaper without guarantee while this one a bit more expensive with 6months guarantee (only). I had to try my luck with that of 6months guarantee since he was even sincere enough to make it a bit clear to me. Others might have sold the complete junk package at a higher price tho.
Are you based in Nigeria?
Feeling bit discouraged tho.

Nothing to be discouraged about. Buy in bits till you assemble what you need. You waited this long what is the hurry? I install solar power for a living. We have an office in Lagos. Our corporate office is in Sparta NJ USA.
Take your time. A good 200 AH battery retails for over N65000. Think about what that means relative to the purchase you made. 100 W panels retail for over N20000. When I started my business I purchased stuff from a factory in China. I was excited that they were giving me an opportunity to be an OEM. Within three months everything we installed failed. I had to replace each one at cost. The panels, the batteries and the inverters were junk. Inverters that failed once you connected a generator to them, panels that produced substantially less than the rated capacity. So what I saved initially was wiped out in three months.
Now I only buy name brands. Yes they cost more but I have less stress.

WeldHome:
He told me it will but you know how dealers always use only positive words when marketing their products.. All the same, I'll give it a shot so I begin sleeping at night.

Thanks a lot once more sir!
More power to your elbow and more chicken in your soup!

Thank you and amen.When in doubt I use Google. Look up the specs of the inverter you purchased online. See if it has an ATS, a built in AC charger, or ups function. That will help you determine how it will be installed. The price you are getting is so low. So I suspect you might be getting a very stripped down piece of equipment.
A battery, 3 panels and an Inverter for N135k. My inverter's alone cost three times as much. And you know you might think you are saving money now and 4 or 5 months down the road it might not look like that

Im2Busy2Bother:
Hello Gurus,

Good day all.

Please I need an advice for a good friend ( an alternative energy freak)

He has 4 solar panels with the following specs.

Rated Power= 130W

Rated Voltage= 17.5V

Rated current= 7.42A

Open Circuit Voltage= 21.7V

Short Circuit Current = 8A

Maximum System Voltage = 600V

Cell Technology= Polycrystalline



He connected these panels in series to the MPPT Charge Controller


He has a 150V 50A MPPT that he is using.


He recently acquired two more solar panels with the following specification:

Peak power ( PMP) = 250W

Open Circuit Voltage(VOC) = 36V

Max Power Current (IMP) = 8.33A

Max Power Voltage(VMP) = 30V

Max System Voltage= 1000VDC

CELL TECHNOLOGY: MONOCRYSTALLINE

Now the big question is this, which configuration is best suited for this scenario?

Series or parallel connection?

Please explain as he is currently confused.

Thanks y'all.

I would buy a second controller and call it a day. Less headache and not much in the thought process department.
Should he decide he needs the headache, the voltage of his existing panels needs to be brought close to the voltage of the newer bigger one. He will lose some of the benefits he got from buying the larger panels after going through all that headache.
My two cents.

WeldHome:
Sadly, am settling for a 12V system due to financial constraints. I'm about to purchase an 800va inverter, one 200ah battery and three 130w solar panel, for N135,000. I was told this comes with guarantee unlike the cheaper on I saw. Though am a bit disappointed that it can only last for 8-10 hours of use at night.
On the "which system will carry the rating", am only a layman in this field so it's a mistake from me. Thanks a lot.

**modified**
Can the system be connected in such manner that during rainy season, electricity of generator power can be used to charge?

That question will be best posed to the seller of the equipment.

WeldHome:
Please I'd like to know, which is better, a 24V or w 48V system? And how do we know which is which. Which of the system carried this rating?


Thanks loads!

If you can afford it a 48 V system is more efficient. You can get away with smaller cables over reasonable distances.
How do you which is a 12, 24 or 48 V? It is usually written on the equipment you buy?
Which of the system carried this rating? You lost me on that one.
Keep the questions coming. This is a surefire way to gain knowledge.

WeldHome:
Please I'd like to know, which is better, a 24V or w 48V system? And how do we know which is which. Which of the system carried this rating?


Thanks loads!

If you can afford it a 48 V system is more efficient. You can get away with smaller cables over reasonable distances.
How do you which is a 12, 24 or 48 V? It is usually written on the equipment you buy?
Which of the system carried this rating? You lost me on that one.

WeldHome:
The only thing I don't understand here is the bolded. Where did the 4.5 come from? Is it a general value for people off grid?

Thanks..

The hours of direct sunlight on your panels.

Konnektions146:
No one CC can accept 3200w for a 24v system

You can use as many controllers as you want. Make sure you make adjustments to the settings for your equalize cycle. Also most brands will allow you to parallel multiple controllers.

Expertt:
Thanks.
The solar inverter is actually MPPT, but the failure rate is what I really need to know before investing on it.

The Axpert 3 Kva seem to be more robust than the 48 V units. I have 5 of the 48 V and one 24 volt. The 24 v unit has been in service for two years. The fan failed and will be replaced next month. I have replaced one 48 V for a failed fan and turned another off for a problem with PHCN Power.

A pwm controller does not limit the type of panels you use. They have voltage limitations.

tivta:
Please remember, Nigeria uses 220/240V not 110/120V

Thank you for the reminder. You can purchase 220V bulbs on ebay as well.

omotech:
Thank you for your response, please can you tell me how much you buy it from eBay don't be offended by my question

Why would I be offended. Here is the link.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321761965999?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=510670513501&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

omotech:
Thank you for your response, please can you tell me how much you buy it from eBay don't be offended by my question

Why would I be offended. Here is the link. http://www.ebay.com/itm/321761965999?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=510670513501&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

bigrovar:
Anyone here has experience with this DC rechargeable fans some even have solar panel options. Inam looking to pick up one of those in anticipation of the heat season. I won't want to run a fan off on my small offgrid.

We have a couple we use on our 3 kva system and they work fine. I have no clue what the brand is.