₦airaland Forum

micxwell:
All my Ogas, una good evening o. Please, can you advise me on what ₦1.6 million can get me? I’m not sure if it will be enough to power a 1HP water pump and a 1HP inverter AC (Not concurrently pls) and this will be used in the afternoon only.

Haisic or Luxsun 4.2kva 24v hybrid inverter 340k ish
Mrreed 8kwh 24v LiFePO4 battery 870k
500 watts panel x4 400k ish
Find 200k for installation and materials you're good to go.

This will power even a 1.5hp AC and a 1hp submersible.

bassdow:
mayBe now is time to gradually load it to see how far it can go. Just not allow it get to point of shutDown. You could one by one turn loads to see how many consecutive load it can carry before nearing high load.

BUT once again, should your load always remain less than 80%, chance of you having business with engineer would be low. Just ensure the airVents are always clean.

SomeOne still can't tell if all these are adverts

There is no need to load the inverter as you can already infer from 1.9kw being 57%.

It's about 3.5kw inverter so it's capable.

bassdow:
issue ain't the battery as before it gets to point of issue, the BMS would do it's work. na the inverter overheating or not living long enough. 80% not an issue BUT constantly above 70% should be a concern except you don't mind paying technicians visits regularly.
I sha know person wey dey run close to 98% regularly and it's been over a year with no issue BUT can everyOne be that lucky.

But then again, His GeePee tank might not be more than 3,000 litres and probably doesn't pump regularly. 4.2kva is small for 1.5HP especially at 24v. That it works now, doesn't mean it's ideal.

If the 1.5hp is pulling 1.9kw then it's not too small for the 4.2kva inverter. Why does it matter if it's 24v or not? I would like to know/learn.

bassdow:
I recall asking this question and He either didn't respond or said NO. Either way. Glad it's working BUT judging by the percentage, He's really pushing that inverter. That thing is over 70%. hopefully He only does this when the Sun is up as relying entirely on batteries not feasible in the long run.

Are you suggesting that loading an inverter above 70% is not advised?

As for the batteries the total bank is 8kwh, I think it can handle it.

justasitis:
The startup surge of the pump will definitely be more than 1.9kw as what’s being displayed by the inverter is just the running power of the pump.

Oh now I understand your point and it's valid. In that case if issue repeats in the future a soft starter will be the only way out.

justasitis:
Your pump wasn’t malfunctioning, and the problem was not from the inverter but your battery. The pump is working now because of the pv coming from your solar panels. I will advise that you leave your Grid charging current at 60A but Solar charging can be set from 80A - 100A. Finally you have confirmed my earlier claim that the 4.2kva Luxsun inverter can power a 1.5hp submersible pump but your battery was not just designed for higher current discharge. Happy weekend to you and Mr Baasdow.

If the continuous discharge current of the battery is 100A, and the pump is pulling 1.9kw (79 amps), how is it possible that it can't power the pump?

Unless maybe other loads are already pulling enough power which the total sum is above 100A.

osayuwamwen:
Tanks boss, I increased the charging current to 80amps and pv generation increase to 3.0kw

Great. Enjoy your maximum yield.

osayuwamwen:
Ok tanks

You're welcome Chief.

Meanwhile always remember that since your batteries maximum continuous discharge is 100A (2,400w), any appliance that will pull more than that for extended period will surely shut down the battery bms. Have this in mind when getting another pump wether solar hybrid or not, as long as you're connecting to your system.

Good luck.

cj1080:
I moved into an area that had light problems in Lagos Called Ijegun

This started my journey into inverter and then solar upgrades

As I moved in here in 2023 and saw the state of the phcn here, I needed something that I and my family could use at night, as against running generators through out the night.

having bought 2 batteries (1 55am lithium ion in 2023 and a 100am Lithium ion in 2024)

The 55am battery came with a 1000watt modified sine wave inverter,

It kept 2 DC rechargable fans running for 4 hours when fully charged, with the inverter making noise so loud.

When the 105am battery came with a 2000watt modified sine wave inverters and each came with lithium ion battery charger.

I felt that would at least carry the TV as extra, still increase the fan use by about 2 extra hours.


Then in February 2025 our transform which only provided low light blew(how that happened I do not know), phcn came to inspect then later came to carry it.

It's March 2026, still no hope for it yet, and through out the time I ran a 6kva generator to charge my batteries every evening, that became too expensive, so i got a tiger Gen and modified it to be able to charge one battery at a time for 3 hours a day(if you have ever had to run generators during the night 9pm-12pm everyday for 10months, you will understand the expense and maintainance cost, which far out weighed the cost of getting a fully solar option)

Which is what I decided to do in December, took an upfront reached out

Got someone who decided it's best to save cost by using my batteries and just getting an new sine wave inverter (euronet 1.25kv) and panel(went with 6 200wat tiny panels)

Since installation, I have literally abandoned my my street discussions about the transform, as if it does come, it's ok, if it comes it's ok.

My wife gets to finally use the fridge for 12 hours a day, with watch the TV . For me the big one was I could finally get to use the washing machine during the day(although I technically have to wait for sun to be at its peak and switch off every other thing in the house).

This been 3 months, and I have more than 22 hours of light (switch off the inverter for 3 hours a day during the evening)

Now I am looking to upgrade the inverter and add another battery.

Any recommendations would be appreciated

My setup

Can you do well by stating your load profile?
Also be very specific about your battery, is it Li-ion or LiFepO4? And how are they connected? (a picture of your set up will also be very helpful)

This will help anybody giving you suggestions on how best to go about it.

osayuwamwen:
I don't understand what you mean, I have decided to use Gen for my borehole if later on I have to replace pump I will go for solar hybrid pump.
why am asking is that yesterday I noticed my pv max generation was 2.2k about 59 to 60amps charging current when I have 3745 total capacity jinko panel, the default charging current of the inverter is 60amps and the battery recommendation is 62.8amps or so I want to increase it for faster charging since I paired two battery I want to know if I can increase it to like 80amps if it is safe for the battery on the long run

Oga o, 100amps for a 24v system is 2400w, your panels are oversized, although it's good for rainy season. Your panel is generating 2.2kw, but that is not all that is going into the battery. You can increase your battery charging to 80A (1,920w) as it is supported by your battery.

The problem is you already bought and installed everything before asking questions.

osayuwamwen:
Is it safe to increase the charging current of lithium battery to 80amps
My battery bms is 100amps
The manufacturer recommend 62.8amps
Since am pairing two of this battery is still safe to increase it to around 80amps

It's safe to charge at 100A even, however combining the 2 batteries in your case doesn't mean the current will increase.

Get ready for inverter fans to kick in at loudest mode sha

Ezimuoh:
I use this same exact Luxsun 4.2kva 24v inverter with a 5kwh Luxsun Lithium battery. The actual capacity of the inverter is 3.5kw, but I have no problem running my 1.5hp submersible pump on it, infact I pump water with it 2 times everyday. The problem might be from your submersible pump itself

This is a very important information. If the actual capacity is 3.5kw that means the power factor is 0.8ish.

capnies:
I DONT THINK ITS THE BMS.
THE STARTING CURRENT OF A 1.5HP PUMP CANNOT BE MORE THE 40A EVEN AT 70-75% EFFICIENCY.
100A IS PERFECTLY OK.

TRY TO PUT OFF EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE BEFORE PUMPIING WATER

But a 4.2kva inverter should have a surge of at least 7000-8000w

Most of this inverters are poorly rated.

For a 24v system it will be more than 40A, for instance mine is 0.75hp and it draws about 53A continous.

osayuwamwen:
The battery safe discharge is 100amps bms but can be discharged up to 300amps b4 bms cut off this is not bms issue sir

No that is not what it means. That is surge current it can handle, means a spike for a few seconds. Max continuous discharge is what you should be looking at which is 100A.

I so much love this thread, one of the useful threads on this forum. If you really pay attention and are patient, you will learn a lot and not make some avoidable mistakes.

bassdow:
Actually, most transformerLess (hybrid) inverters do have powerFactor of 1 hence if it's 4kva, then it's complete BUT that doesn't mean it can have the surge handling capability of those with hefty transformers.

A 24v 5kva transformerLess inverter can never give same capability as a 24v 5kva with hefty transformer even if it's same brand. Those hefty transformers are there for a reason. It's same reason their efficiency ain't same.

That something works, doesn't mean it's ideal to last long.

Yes you are right

Max continuous discharge current of 100A can't power above 2,560w.

For the price of that battery, having a 100A bms is quite poor.

This is why we keep recommending the likes of Valto and Mrreed's that comes with atleast 200A bms.

Make una try dey ask questions well before buying and also try to take recommendations from people based on experience.

I think your only way out is to go for a lower power submersible or keep using gen to pump while using solar for other stuffs.

osayuwamwen:
The power factor of inverter is 1 that's what is stated in the inverter manual
The battery bms has a surge of 270amp± before striping off according to the manual
The Generator that powers the same pump is 7kva
I tink the issue is the inverter cause anytime I switch on the inverter the pump power in watt goes as high as 4.1kw before showing over load

What is the continuous discharge current of the battery bms?
Your submersible is obviously pulling above inverter capacity.
My suggestion would be same as above where someone mentioned to know the depth and if 1.5hp is necessary, if not, then go for a lower rated pump, maybe 1hp or 0.75hp. Because at this rate even a 5kva inverter will struggle.

bassdow:
Your location to justify the 1.5HP pump.

Also what's your installer doing about this ?

He / She ought to have accessed situation of things and updated you. That would have reduced the guessing game.

Even at that, a 1.5HP submersible pump still is big for a 4KVA transformerless inverter.

if you try force am, you risk damaging either the inverter or pumping machine.

To make life easier for the poor inverter, you could try looking into getting a softStarter because even if that inverter manages to carry that pump, you go just stress the poor thing.

Can imagine the feeling after spending such money.

The problem is probably not the inverter; it's the power the submersible is pulling whether it's above the inverter threshold. For instance, most inverters power factor is 0.8kw/kva which translates 4.2kva to 3.3kw, in this case, if starting surge is above 3.3kw for the submersible due to other factors, then there is no way that inverter can power the submersible.

Good suggesting with the gen, If gen can power that submersible then it would be interesting to know the power rating of that gen.

Another observation is that the bms of the battery is 100A, and 100A for 24v system is about 2,500w. If your submersible is pulling outside that threshold then sorry it can't work either.

bassdow:
I don't know that state at all.

Anyways, you either use generator for pumping water, or get a softStarter. That should fix the issue. All inverters ain't same.

.

codemaster2much:
Please how has the experience been since buying this battery, thinking of getting one

That battery has a lot of positive reviews on Jumia so you can give it a try, however from the listed features I think Bluetooth monitoring is not present.

If you want Bluetooth monitoring you can go for Deriy 3.6kwh, or you can contact Mrreed for a 4kwh build with a smart bms that has bluetooth monitoring. Explore your options and see what works out best for you, one thing is you'll never go wrong with this move.

Good luck.

Kenny4life007:
Good day gurus in the house, I’m about to begin my solar journey in a 1 bed apartment. I’m thinking of going for a small setup that can carry a Tv, play station 4, a freezer and a fan… and sometimes microwave. Which should I go for in the following and budget friendly? The other options i listed there don’t have solar panels yet but I intend getting them soon.

Make sure to confirm the power rating of your microwave, in mine for instance, it goes as high as 1.6kw, so I doubt the 1.5kva inverter can work well with a microwave.

morikee:
And me i ditch Airtel for Starlink I'm enjoying high speed with good latency

They're not comparable at all. Starlink will always answer you 24/7 with reliable speed. But for some of us that don't really mind 1 or 2 days of downtime, Starlink is more of an overkill, especially with the fee being twice that of Airtel and the price of the hardware lol.

twosquare:
I can't even sell my Starlink if I had one. I am even planning to get a Starlink mini as backup for downtime days. Will be subscribing to it intermittently. But I must say, Airtel, in a good place, save one the stress of bogus subscription. Sweet.

I think it was yesterday, or two days ago, when there was a downtime of more than 3 hours, affecting my work. So, Starlink would have come in handy. Also, I don't want to hear that diesel don cost, so they will be rationing network.

With starlink you don't have the option of intermittent subscription, it's like a contract. Once you're in then it's a monthly thing. The wifi coverage for the mini is very poor, same for the gen 3 so you might end up needing a wifi extender depending on your space.

I have also been enjoying Airtel for a couple of months now that I had to sell off my Starlink because it didn't make sense keeping it, well until Airtel struck me for 2 good days lol. Happy it's back sha. I guess you can't have it all. I'm ok with 1 or 2 days of downtimes.

bassdow:
you probably didn't read to understand. na question I ask and for a reason that didn't start today. Same way Fouani is being pushed, why don't we do same for home grown battery builders ?

and only suspend when they start feeling too big their prices are no longer competitive enough

Nobody is pushing Fouani, it's just a matter of 'where can I get a reliable product at a decent price with free delivery (For large orders) from the comfort of my home?' It's simple.

bassdow:
if batteries from the likes of Valto and mrReed are good enough + cost effective, why don't we priotize and patronize them ?

Recommendations are based on budget mostly.

For entry level sizes like 12v 100ah, Cworth is cheaper although grade B, still better than Tubular by far.
Haisic is budget friendly too, but for their 4 and 8kwh mostly (with caveat) however still better than Tubular.

Our native builders are a bit pricier; however, we all know why since you're getting full quoted capacity (sometimes more) + other benefits.

Bottom line is, for almost any budget level, getting a Lithium battery is by far a better investment than tubular for new users in all instances. The difference is so much that recommending tubular to someone at similar price range is doing them a big disservice and they'll definitely regret later.

codemaster2much:
I am testing a brand new 220Ah 12V Multipower Tubular (Flooded/Wet Cell) battery connected to a Prag 1.2kVA Pure Sine Wave Inverter. I recently transitioned from a 200Ah (Dry Cell) battery.
Test I ran:
I fully charged the battery to a float voltage of 13.6V, then applied a load of approximately 150–180W (80W AC fan, 10W LED bulb, 1 smartphone charging, plus inverter idle consumption) after Nepa took light. After 10 minutes under this load, the battery voltage read 12.4V.
My concern:
I'm unsure whether 12.4V at 10 minutes indicates a faulty battery , on my previous dry cell battery, it can still be reading 12.7v after 10mins . The battery is brand new, perhaps I should return it

If it's a new battery, for the love of God return it and go get the cheapest 12v 100ah lithium battery from Cworth. You shouldn't be buying tubular batteries in 2026, that's like throwing money away.

A simple research on Tubular vs LiFePO4 will give you all the answers you need. But you can choose to be stubborn small sha and come back later to cry

You mustn't pay someone just because they're a handy man then they deserve your hard-earned money. You bargain and if it's not Ok with you, you get someone else simple.

Which kind handy man blackmail be this one.

One last band lock and unlock and see what we got. Finally working well now.

Mohayaks:
Airtel also has. Tho only in few estates in Lagos and Abuja for now. Actually mtn are also mounting poles in the estate but I am inclined to try airtel if it has good reviews.

If you have the option to chose between Airtel and mtn omo chose mtn for your peace of mind.

Osyxcel:
Airtel has Fiber to the home too. Just that they service mostly estates.

I see. First time I am learning of this.