₦airaland Forum

jonescosmos:
I promised us these take apart pictures, Oya, people wey get Pylontech make una post una own ooo.

Fear dey catch me make I open my Pylontech.

Will talk to my electrician on the earthing and breaker observation.
Thanks++

jonescosmos:
You should change the compressor ASAP (use the opportunity to change the it to r410a (good choice) or r600a (better choice) gas compressor, these are energy saver refrigerants energy saver or inverter fridges and freezers).

Reconfirm that your EARTH is still working (Might be responsible for the high consumption from the freezer because of current leaking to earth)

If your earth still works which I suspect is not, the breaker powering that freezer should break due to the surge.

Replace the breaker powering that freezer to a 3A to 5A max breaker.

Found a naked wire (mice or man attack?) This seems to have resolved the issue and all seems to have returned to normal for now

FEGEITOK:
Maybe you have a case of degraded wiring.

Or you have a case of water ingress into the wiring.

It seems you don't have an RCCB.

Cause when I had such, and had a case of water ingress whenever the freezer was on, it will turn off the electricity for the whole house.

I knew that there problem was the freezer because if the freezer was off, no tripping. Once I dried the water everything went back to being ok.

Bring out the circuit board of the freezer if possible or alternatively use an external light source and bend down to inspect.

Another thing, are you sure rats or mice didn't compromise the wiring when you traveled?

I don't know about bonding neutral to earth. I will need to clarify what the electrical contractors did

brightk:
IMHO, if u had a main db in that house and bonded ur neutral to earth.. i think only that breaker controlling the fridge will trip. and that shock wont be there. U touchin the fridge seems to complete the circuit for flow of current.

. There is more to this earthing stuff than wat the eye can see.... EXperts in the house,, does anyone have experience bonding neutral and earthing on ur main db panel?

olopan:
The purpose of earth on appliances is to take dangerous voltage as the case of a metal container of an appliance touching the live conductor.

For you purpose, I believe
1. Your fridge has a rust which in turn has bridged a live conductor somewhere, hence the light voltage shocks received
2. Your earth might need improvement, as i believe it has probably had a resistive buildup, hence the shock you may be receiving.
3. check your water supply for the shower and see where you have electricity been in the mix of your setup. (suspect is likely water heater) try and ensure this is grounded and free from rust - live container bridge.

It seems your number one comment was the issue. It was a naked wire that was likely touching the chassis. Since then, everything has returned to normal with no more shocks anywhere

bigrovar:
Like everyone have added, you need to review your electrical fault system including your earthing. You said you had your earthing done, have you had the earthing independently tested to ensure that it is within the recommended resistance required of a TT earth system (which is pretty much what we practice in Nigeria)

You should also ensure that the earth point for all your electrical socket are well terminated, and those terminations are still functional. You can use a multimeter to carry out basic testhing. In my case I run the connect the red probe to the live, and neutral, note down the voltage (which should be around 230v) then I do this same this time with red to live and black probe to earth / ground (the top part of your electrical socket) it should also read 230v. This will let you know the socket it connected to a sort of ground. (It would not tell you how active your earthing is but it is a good indicator)

Light bulb test can also help, get an incandescent light bulb and connect it to live and earth. A well lit bulb indicate decent earthing. Run this across most of your socket to ensure they are well terminated to earth.

Non of the above test should replace a proper earth resistance test which can only be done with proper tooling and by a competent technician. Often time, NEPA officials tend to have this tool so you might want to reach out to your local NEPA office .. you might be able to have someone come run a test on your setup (off the record).

I attached a picture of my previous earthing setup.

For a TT system 200 ohms and below is recommended but anything below 100 ohms is ideal. The earth resistent tester should carry out test of the earth electrode and also check resistant from central earth bar (from your db)

Lastly on the Main Earth Neutral Bonding (MEN). This is not recommended for a TT system. A TT system is technically suppose to have MEN happen between your earth electrode (earth rod) and transformer neutral. The connection between your earth rod and the transformer neutral is meant to happen through the mass of the earth.. basically the soil / ground between your ground rod and your transformer ground (which is bonded to the neutral that comes into your house. (See the attached diagram)

You are suppose to have only 1 MEN in a circuit to ensure that ground loop fault have just 1 path of return. Bonding Earth to neutral in your DB creates multiple fault path because it technically means you have multiple Main earth to neutral.

Lastly, you might want to try installing an RCD to or an ELCB. The latter to detect earth leakage, the former to detect a fault in the system and trip (in other to save life)

Be careful though RCD can become a nuisance if your electrical connection is not properly made.

Oga at the top! Good to see your comments.
I travelled and just got back to do the checks. In the meanwhile the freezer was switched off , allowing the goods inside to thaw.
My findings:
1) Socket test with voltmeter: My supply voltage from inverter was 210v. L-N test-210v, L-E test -210v and N-E test- 00v
2) Proper freezer examination: I saw a cut wire (light brown colour) that likely supplied the thermostat side. There was a STRONG possibility that it was touching the chassis of the freezer BEFORE I pulled on the wires as I was checking
Result:
1)When I switched on the freezer, there were no more shocks. Freezer chassis to earth reading was 0.18v on the voltmeter BUT the tester bulb showed a dim glow.
2) Power consumption from the freezer went back to normal
3) No glow or shocked from the shower or other taps/electrical appliances in that section of the house.

My conclusion for now:
Naked wire to chassis. Will be on the lookout for further issues. Due to my schedule, it may be up to a month before I freezer tech can have a look for me.

Thanks for the pointers given

FEGEITOK:
Maybe you have a case of degraded wiring.

Or you have a case of water ingress into the wiring.

It seems you don't have an RCCB.

Cause when I had such, and had a case of water ingress whenever the freezer was on, it will turn off the electricity for the whole house.

I knew that there problem was the freezer because if the freezer was off, no tripping. Once I dried the water everything went back to being ok.

Bring out the circuit board of the freezer if possible or alternatively use an external light source and bend down to inspect.

Another thing, are you sure rats or mice didn't compromise the wiring when you traveled?

All the above are possible. I will check over the weekend after the freezer has thawed.

jonescosmos:
You should change the compressor ASAP (use the opportunity to change the it to r410a (good choice) or r600a (better choice) gas compressor, these are energy saver refrigerants energy saver or inverter fridges and freezers).

Reconfirm that your EARTH is still working (Might be responsible for the high consumption from the freezer because of current leaking to earth)

If your earth still works which I suspect is not, the breaker powering that freezer should break due to the surge.

Replace the breaker powering that freezer to a 3A to 5A max breaker.

Chai! How can I confirm the earth is functional? I re-earthed my house about a decade ago when I noticed some appliances were shocking. The culprit at that time was a bridge between neutral and earth in one of the sockets. I used the opportunity to install a more robust earthing wiring to easily allow me connect more equipment in a DIY manner without having to call an electrician.

Please what could cause my freezer to start shocking? We travelled for a few days and on return I noticed that. Just a mild shock initialy but it got worse today. Only the freezer initially, now the shower shocks IF the freezer is on. Freezer content remained well preserved. I have been using the freezer actively for years (likely 4 years or more though I bought it @12 years ago) . I have tested the socket- not guilty. The freezer works BUT CONSUMES ABOUT 1.5KW/h of power rather than the usual @200w . I noticed that today.
Once I disconnected the freezer, everything becomes normal

Absolutely fine. You use about 12kwh per day. Your panels produces @13.5kwh daily. The battery gets full by 12 noon thereby. So, what else do you wish for? You cannot fill a full bucket, just an empty one. Your battery picks up the load around 6pm and carries you overnight.

Syber:
Hey all hope Ure great

Recently added a 4.6KW PV to my 5kva inverter setup ( for 8 units of 580w jinko panels from fuoani)

I noticed that the PV only peaks 3,000w between 9am and 12 noon, after that time frame it just coasts around 1,000w and when load is added to it surges to 1900w max... By 3pm it drops to 800w

Please is the norm or might the PV array not have being optimally placed on the roof.

My setup consists of

5kva Growatt hybrid inverter

4 luminous 220ah tubular batteries

8 580w jinko monocrystalline solar panels

My average load during the day: 300w - 800w

One or two surges in load during the day to 2,000w for max time of 30 mins

Night time : 14 hrs of 500w

Take into account above scenario is off grid as there hasn't been electricity for 4 days

swagifted:
i mean i have gone to remote communities without electricity sha, like where I did my youth service.. but say inside city, say nepa take light, then e take over 4 days to fix..
.i never see o. Highest 2 days and some hours... E never reach 3 full days before wey i fit remember..

Interesting! In one of my sites in Oyo North, we have not smelt IBEDC at all in my area this year. The area was notorious for low voltage, so early last year or so, I got a 15kva servo stab . Now the thing is gathering dust on the wall.
I heard the whole town seems to have been forgotten by IBEDC for months now.
Because of charging opportunity in my place, you will think a community meeting is holding always.

durodee:
A short review: A low budget value for money. Need an MPPT CC with the most basic Interface but keeps working? Then get this!! PowMrI have 3 of them in use. Works well , relatively cheap and can work for 12,24,36 or 48v systems. Works with Lithium batteries and
lead acids variants. Excellent as a back up CC too in case you need one to fall back on. Planning on getting another one soon.
Cons? Plenty !
1) No log Interface to record daily harvests , so difficult to know exactly how much you are harvesting daily. I have to rely on other ways to get this.
2) Connect points are a bit small and take max of 6mm cables
3) the supplied screws to attach the CC to the wall sometimes are too small
4) Price is getting high nowadays

Update on this review:
I recently installed 2 more of this CC : one for my use and one for a friend. Both CCs behaved different from previous installs.
1) They get much hotter than the older make. I suspect the fan speed. The new ones have fans that are very silent but not as efficient as older variants. Temps of the new ones got as high as 65°C despite the fan being on!
2) The temperature sensor gauges differently on the old and new variants ans could be off by almost 5-10 degree
3) On a good note, harvest seems better than the old variants
How do you know which one you got? The OLD variants had a light that constantly blinks in the fan recess in front.

Hey my brother, it took less than an hour or so for the system to shut down after installation. I suspect the 3.5kva inverter for that. The owner and installer beging look at each other.

I have prepared the the owner Sha, so he just called to inform me of the outcome.
I didn't press further to ask which action he took.

Dam5reey1:
Boss, how Una take solve the Sunking 2.5kwh packs for 11M matter?

I just saw my old mentions

Due to my needs, I have added two other packs to the @ 5kwh pack to a total of @15kwh. Though I don't monitor daily or that frequently for that matter, I have not seen any unexpected behavior outside what is expected , based on the way I use them.
Nothing lasts forever, but one thing I never wish for is to go back to Lead acids. In Yoruba , it is called APADASIBURU (return to evil). If newer technology comes, I am very open. When I see videos of people lugging tubular batteries up and down, I tend to pity them and wonder why some people are still riding bicycles uphill when the direction to their destination is downhill.
If you have Lead acids now, by all means use them but please please my brother, there is absolutely nothing to gain by buying Lead acids in 2024.
I have used Sagem 4 sim phones before. Wonderful phone for 2005 but not for 2025. I hope you get my point.

kristien4:
Okay, any drop in the lithium performance?.. i was thinking of upgrading to lithium soon. All the hype about lithium. Even mobile phones that use lithium battery, over the years the battery does depreciate. Phone wey dey last one full day after purchase, 6months later, e no go reach again..

What our guy from Jos has been up to lately.....

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/GJRJ6kCkra84t6ar/?mibextid=xfxF2i

durodee:
I have bought four packs in all from him over the years. Transactions were unpressured and he responded to the issues with one of the packs as professionally as possible. Sometime he will be offline for days, placing a normal call or text message will make him check his whatsapp.
We all have our peculiarities and while he is the best person to explain his actions in this case, "quick-grab-money " attitude is not one of his vices!.
Is it possible he is on site outside network area?

The Monbats were in service for about 3years+. The first two years in my house under monitored use and the later part used for business and well abused. The were replaced in my house by my first set of lithium in 2020. The lithium pack was bought USED from someone here on Nairaland who just coupled his own. I changed the BMS to Bluetooth enabled BMS not too long ago so I can monitor the cells

kristien4:
How many years did they serve? And how long have u used lithium now?

Na the pipes connected to the valve outlets. Came with the batteries

Trippledots:
Why you put tourniquet for the battery body? E de hospital?

A point in time in my life before I went the Lithium way. I felt like a king with these Monbat batteries o. My first set of good rated batteries bought brand new .They served well and were graciously retired.

Solar panels, EV batteries to be manufactured in Nigeria-Tinubu https://nairametrics.com/2024/05/11/solar-panels-ev-batteries-to-be-manufactured-in-nigeria-tinubu/

The client sent the installer the picture he took of the Felicity 15kwh with me. I have told him he will need about 4 units to have a chance of covering his loads . Installer told him not to worry, that he will bring "better " system for him. All loads to be covered including water pump for a few hours. Payment was then made.
When boys of the installer came to do their thing, he noticed a discrepancy and he took pictures and sent to me.
The installer is claiming 2.5kwh Sunking will Cary the loads better than 15kwh of Felicity. How in the world is that possible? That is dubious plain and simple.
I told you 25 of us are going for a trip and you book a G-wagon for the trip, can a G-wagon transport 25 people even if the costs may worth it?
I believe the installer had stock at hand that he was glad to see an outlet to move at all cost.
The hotel owner has determined to "host" the installer boys overnight in his hotel to test the veracity of their claims.
We all know where the story will end

Dam5reey1:
Well, He has advised to the best of his knowledge. I am not there before client make payment and what transpire before the agreement was made.
I rest my case.

Can the Sunking 10kwh carry his load?
I cannot send the voice notes the installer sent claiming the batteries will serve overnight!

Dam5reey:
Well, going by 10KWH LFP Sunking, 3.5KVA, and 4500W panels, for 11M is not bad, similar prices on Sumec Fireman, Prag, Pylontech, Fouani LG, and co.

The money not much o! Just like 11million sir!!!!!

Dam5reey:
Incomplete information, we need to hear from the installer as well, we remember the story of 800K stop-gap to power PS5 for 16 hours.

How much was spent?

Please house help me solve this issue o. A neighbour came to my place and loved my setup . He has an hotel and he wished the following loads to be carried for 12-16hours :
All lights-about 100 pieces of 10watts
Three freezers ( I don't know Capacity but medium capacity)
27 fan -ceiling type
28 big tv - about (36inches I think)
And borehole pumping machine 1.5hp for @2-3hrs per day
I estimated 6-7kwh of load at full capacity
Na so installer brought:
12x450w panels
4x2.5kwh (10kwh total) Sunkings batteries
3.5kva inverter.

I have advised my neighbour to request for his money on, because Na fight go end that relationship!

Absolutely not in a single place. Three inverters in three different buildings.

sharks776:
Wow 😲 this is huge, would love to see a picture of your power set up.
Are they all connected in parallel?

kristien4:
How do you charge these different battery packs?? Same inverter??

No . Three different inverters. Note the packs are a mix of 24 and 48v and could not have been on a single inverter

Xanderone:
I also had issue with one of the packs I helped someone to buy from him. 24v 102ah pack married to 4 pcs 350w monocrystalline via powerMr MPPT CC. It went bad before one year warranty ran out and I immediately notified him to which he was positively disposed to me sending it back for checks. But cos it happened during the peak of the sunny season, the problem only comes up when the sun is down and the battery runs down within 2 hrs on just 213L deep freezer which is the only appliance person uses it for. And since there was no immediate alternative to keep her freezer working while the pack is sent for repairs, she still hung on to it and kept managing it like that. Then came the rainy season the following year, which was already going to two years after purchase, she couldn't manage it anymore. So I had to remove one of my stacks of 24v 50ah lithium stacks and gave her to use pending the time it's sent for repairs. I have 4 stacks of the Lithium (self assembled) which I use so I'm down to 3 stacks at the moment.

September 2023, I called. He said he wasn't on ground in Jos but that he has his technical person on ground there and gave the details of the recipient. I spent 19k to send it to Jos using speedaf express so as to ensure careful handling. After three days, technician called that he'd repaired it and I spent another 11k5 to bring it back, also via speedaf cos I specifically demanded for that method.

After I received it, I was busy for about 1 week so couldn't even check what he did. The second week upon testing it, I was shocked to discover that ńa still exactly the same problem. As if the guy didn't open it up (although the warranty seal was broken sha which suggested it was opened). But walahi, na like say dude just kept it for 3 days and then called me that he'd repaired it without opening it up.

Dejectedly, I just packed it in one corner and hadn't bothered so much since the woman that owned it is doing well without complaints with the stack I gave her from mine. I chatted the Jos guy (not the technician o) up and he indeed expressed concern that the issue persisted and suggested we do the diagnosis together via video chat. But aswear, I never get time to do that since that time. To even carry the battery alone, cos it's heavy, ńa headache for me. So trying to hook it up to any set up for diagnostics is already worrisome for me.

Please note: This is the only battery that had problem out of the many I bought and referred to him. In total over the past three years, I gave him four referrals and I bought two for personal use from him. It's only that one that had problem. So he scored at least 84% assessment from me.

My experience is quite similar. There was this specific pack that was sent back to Jos THREE times before a cell was changed to resolve the problem. About a year now and no new issue. All the back and forth could be distressing with all the logistic logjam in Nigeria. I have four of his packs in my house now ( 3 bought directly from him and 1 as being prior-owned by a member of this forum)

I have 7 different Lithium packs in use - a Felicity 15kwh, a Pylontech US 3000,a 7.5kwh, 2x6kwh pack, 5kwh and a 3kwh and he built 4 of those packs

mahkanjuh:
You have them for sale?

No sir! Not mine

Sometimes there is waste in the midst of need

If you give it a second look, there is a sequence to the connections. The cells are first paired and then connected in series to the next cell pair. So the top connector (aluminium plate?) will show 1-2-3-4 cells and a then a break. Also, the edges of some cells can be seen peeking from underneath the bar. Therefore, it is safe to deduce some cells are there and likely to be 2 pairs to the left and right.

jonescosmos:
Abeg make una help me look at this again, maybe na my eye dey pain me or some cells are hidden under that bar. If so, who would do such a DIY? Anything that would cross the terminals of a battery cell is bad, no matter how insulated you might make it. Except say that Bar na plastic.

I have bought four packs in all from him over the years. Transactions were unpressured and he responded to the issues with one of the packs as professionally as possible. Sometime he will be offline for days, placing a normal call or text message will make him check his whatsapp.
We all have our peculiarities and while he is the best person to explain his actions in this case, "quick-grab-money " attitude is not one of his vices!.
Is it possible he is on site outside network area?

TechGeek777:
If na payment him want receive, he for don reply since.

Most Nigerian sellers almost get same attitude.

Sapiosexuality:
If I may ask, from experience, how long, on average, would you say a hybrid inverter lasts before it breaks down or develops fault?

Like for many inverters or electronics it depends on many factors- Quality of the inverter itself, protection provided at installation against grid surge, lightning strikes, types of loads its being used for, ambient temperature, duration of use etc. The worst hybrid I have used so far (SOROTEC 5KVA range) lasted about 3 months before suddenly packing up, most will last years but unless you are using the high end types, I will budget 2-4 years on average before you have to repair something . The National grid with its "dirty" voltage and current is a major enemy. Off grid, the worst enemy is the element- heat/fan stoppage , lightning strike etc, etc

Everything goes bad eventually but I have used CC bought 5 years ago recently without any issues. An EPsolar 30amps CC. Those ones with Aluminum casing. One of my very early ones

Dam5reey:
Once they gather dust, you will see rust and all.