₦airaland Forum

earthrealm:
, cos this wretched country called nigeria manufacturers almost nothing and are relying on the warranty support&spares of the chinese, and the chinese knowing the end user countries have poor quality standards, ship in all sorts of cheap low grade devices that the average african can afford.

True. So true

GloriousGbola:
If you really want to mess with lighting design you can go for dialux or relux. They are both free lighting design apps. Most of the lighting industry has built modules that work with their software. It takes a little getting used to, but that is the way to go if you want to simulate lighting of your room

thanks for sharing.

I almost even signed up for a lighting design course

But I had to backpedal because I wouldn't have time to complete it. But I have it in mind.

I am grateful to learn from you.

The major light manufacturers in the US have several videos on this on YouTube, one can watch and pick lessons even if he or she is not going to use their products

redgem:
I will insist on using 1.5 then... Thank you so much

All the best. I got these results from my YouTube history. When I wanted to do magic with lighting in my place

Lighting is both a science and an art.

Sadly here we only set up lighting for the purpose of lighting and not for setting mood and ambiance or for tasks.

So you need to learn a bit more to explore the range of what is possible with lighting design

redgem:
So why then is he insisting I use 6watts spotlight?

Ask him.

Your lighting plan is even closer to the recommended than

See also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA-uLPzMilU

redgem:
42sqm

Then you should be using 1.5 x 42 = 63 watts going by the extract of the article I posted above


See also
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3KbEiMV6AE&t=7s

redgem:
I want to use 3watts spotlight for pop in the parlor but electrician is saying it won't be good cos it will be looking like a hotel 🙄🙄🙄that I should use 6watts instead.. Total pop lighting points in the parlor is 24 and 6 wall brackets... Please what is your opinion on this?

3 watts x 24 lighting points is just 72 watts
6 watts x 24 lighting points is 144 watts

How many square meters is your parlor?

Please take some time to view this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENc-0dufe_c&t=12s

contease:
For those who have been following and supportive through this journey, "The prof"@GeorgeD1, one of the "Techiest"@Niyi, and everyone, thank you so much guys. Even though it's been slow but determined, Finally am up and running with my 4 x 600w Pv (paired as 2S2P), though with 80amp cc and a 2.4kva, 2x230Ah battery...

All planning, accessories purchase, design, fabrication, mounting, installation, connection etc, all proudly done by me with the supports and ideas gotten here!

Can't appreciate you guys enough for the heads ups!

Enjoy, this thing is addictive!

You are sooner than later going to increase capacity!!

Well done!!!

https://www.nairaland.com/7615712/pay-salary-not-pay-salary

Mine

cc: Lavylilly

Coiner:
How much do you guys spend on a solid soakaway please. I have spent about 800k on mine (material and workmanship) and I'm wondering if it's the norm or the engineer is just being wasteful.

How much was quoted initially?

Is this a case of scope creep?

Kaycee54321:
Your last two posts really added context to the situation.


I think the niceness is even tipping the ruthless on the scale. I mean, you had to draft a letter for an employee to change status from on-site to remote?

If said employee doesn't turn up to work on some days and still expects full payment (knowing every opportunity the business has thrown to her, which she isn't even fully utilizing), then she has a problem with the content of her character.

Best case would be to get an intern (someone bright, young and hungry) to understudy her; if this doesn't keep her on her toes and makes her sit-up, then she's going to be deadwood sooner than later.

No, she begged to work remotely. She suggested she can even write letters to clients. So I gave her a client's contact details and samples of previous letters to other clients to study so she can write to this client (what I called so so and so).

This letter has not been written over 2 weeks later.

If I shared her outburst here which she later apologized for you would certainly not side with her.

GloriousGbola:
I and my partners have been running a project for a new client. Deliver a prototype. If successful, this would be repeated nationwide. I personally recommended the guy we engaged as site engineer because we wanted good finishing and the client is the kind that likes that sort of thing. A complete error of judgement on my part.

Turns out the guy is mentally lazy, a get it wrong fix it three times person and one who cannot push a vendor. It got to a point where I asked him what his role was if I was the one doing his thinking for him. We had engaged a vendor who was delivering a totally shoddy and lazy cladding and our site guy was just allowing all the nonsense. At a point I simply told my partners, we need to sack this cladding guy, engage someone else and take the loss.

This is what we did.

The only reason we have not sacked the engineer is because the project is almost done. Just this afternoon he was certifying some shoddily done work and I asked him if he would be willing to have the corrections backed out of his salary.

In the end, we delivered a project the client was happy with and it looks like repeat work is guaranteed. As for the engineer, he came this close to fking up the project for us. If you don't sack that kind of worker, then you give him the barest minimum consideration. At the start of the project we advanced him because he was broke and seemed distracted. No difference in his performance.

I have also learned the concept of a useful idiot, and that even if someone should be fired, you have to choose the date of the firing very carefully to protect the business. I guess that is why you had to keep that guy till the project was delivered.

She was due for a salary review upwards. Zero intention of any upwards review.

I will keep her for now, until I can find and groom a replacement.

She begged to work remotely, and I said fine, draft a letter to so so and so. Sent all the materials, but 2 weeks later, I haven't seen the letter, and other than the initial excuse of power troubles, not a word.

After one week, I drafted the letter and sent it out myself.

Kaycee54321:
If I worked onsite and couldn't make it to work but still found a way to deliver on my job, then I'd expect full payment...

But I saw you bolded the part about paying employes "for the time spent under the employer's control..."

Which smells like you've made up your mind to prorate.

Two sides of the coin;
As an employer, business is ruthless and business is business; they either show up or they don't get paid in full.
As an employee (at least my type of person), moment I feel that my welfare doesn't really mean anything to the business, I'll jump ship for even a 2k increase.

It depends on the kinda workforce you wanna breed, to be honest.

Thank you. Additional facts

Gave the employee relocation funds

Issued the employee a used iPhone one month after resumption

Issued the employee a tablet and a laptop ( she returned both [keeps them in the office] because she said her place is prone to robberies, so she cannot work remotely)

Paid last month's salary on the 11th of February when she was expecting a different sum for something else she did for the office, I decided to pay her that money and the salary at once

Even though I wanted to pay her, I also wanted her to know that if I actually paid when she showed up at work just 5 days in the last 30 days, it was not because she worked for it, it was because of other considerations. I just wanted her to realize and admit to me that even if she got paid, it was not a right, but a privilege that should not be abused. And that such an arrangement cannot be permanent.

I don't want her to assume or act entitled to all the privileges when she is unable to contribute to the magic that makes all the above possible.

Now to the issue that was raised by @GloriousGbola, she has not completed any of the online courses that I have enrolled her in. This is a major minus

Yes, in no other sphere of human endeavor is the expression truer:

This is a ruthless world and one must be ruthless to cope with it. Charlie Chaplin

To be successful in business, you have to be ruthless. Burt Reynolds

The issue here is balancing ruthlessness with niceness.

So you decide what kinda workforce I was trying to breed.

GloriousGbola:
i would say the first question is what are the terms in the employment letters and you may want to consider updating them accordingly.

my second question would be by discretion - is the worker in question a serious, committed guy, or one who dodges or under delivers? you want to keep your star performers happy - your chronic under performers - not so much.

one could pay complete salaries as a one off. however, if this cash situation continues or becomes the norm, then amendments in payment of salary will also have to become the norm.

people will find a way if they realize their income is threatened

Beautiful answer!

Is this not why the likes of Facebook, Amazon, and Twitter are laying off employees?

They have huge cash stashes and yet at the first sign of an economic meltdown, they start firing left right and center.

How should business be run? strictly business or as a social enterprise.

That is an issue here.

As you said, I am mulling paying but revising the contract of employment, since this was a totally unforeseen, taking both employer and employee by surprise

As a result of the naira scarcity, some of my employees could not find funds to come to the office.

I usually pay salaries on the 21st of the month, but there is an issue.

Employers, in general, are required to pay their workers for the time that is spent under the employer's control and for the benefit of the employer.

Did you pay complete salaries to those staff who did not or could not show up? If yes, why.

Did you pay salaries pro rata to the number of days they managed to show up? If yes, why.

In other news, I overhead on Beat FM Abuja today the story of a guy who was stuck in Abuja for 2 weeks due to cash scarcity. He came all the way from Niger State to work for someone but could not return to base as a result of his inability to obtain physical cash to pay his way back to base.

One of my employees is asking for a loan to address an urgent family emergency a few days ahead of payday and I wanted to wait until payday to address this issue.

Over to you.

So this was in the news recently, batteries altering the environment and leading to the closure of a school.

Read on and take heed and most importantly be more environmentally aware

mangolpupa:
No worries bros. We are all learning and contributing by rubbing minds and thoughts.

Thanks for sharing your trick to get the perfect shape for the earth rod.

I will copy your style.

NiyiOmoIyunade:
GEM is a generic name for Ground Enhancement Material. There are so many types and varieties and offers from various manufacturers.

The ones I have access to, Enrico or Buntex .... cost under 25k for a 25kg bag. Make I nor spoil market for sellers.

The trick to saving on material and achieving superior but low cost earthing is to bore/auger a narrow hole in the ground for each rod and space your rods properly instead of the massive gullies and trenches people like to dig

Please see reference pictures below

Let me ask, for a residential apartment should I earth rods or earth mats?

By the way thanks for the pictures! And the advice!!

isangjohnson:
If you don't have patient/shock absorber, don't ever try to order for lifepo4 cells directly from China.
Manage what you see locally and have peace of mind.

Personal experience talking I guess?

This PV, CC, inverter thing is intoxicating.

I just have to scale up until I can totally run without utility power!

Trippledots:
Not common, but premium. I think that's one xteristics that sets premium modules apart from others. Enjoy.

Thank you very much!

My panels are producing or harvesting electric power in watts beyond the value on the nameplate.

Is that a common occurrence?

vta2008:
One more question abeg. This lightning protection can be uprooted easily when I change apartments right? The installations I'm seeing look permanent 🤦‍♂️

Rented compound? then I think you should do bentonite not GEM!

That is because of the cost, but then I am saying based on reviewing the literature not personal experience or practice.

Let the gurus weigh in.

Alternatively contact Niyi so you can get it cheap, cause I have gone online and it has been hell getting pricing.

Given how important this is, it is good to be sure that your 180,000 is being spent wisely.

FEGEITOK:
After determining what to buy I started looking for it on the Schneider website and decided to buy the A9R41263.

By going online first, and thanks to the Schneider website, I already had a fair idea of pricing before stepping out to make the purchase

Update:

RCDs rock.

Water flowed into the wiring of the freezer and the RCD kept tripping.

I would turn it on, it would turn itself off once the stabilizer timer went off. After this happened a couple of times, I took a second and deeper look at the wiring between the freezer and the wall outlet, low and behold, water had made its way into the wiring.

Once the wiring was replaced, the tripping stopped.

A couple of times I tried to remove an electrical plug and the RCD tripped.

I cannot confirm if an ELCB would have behaved that way as I cannot replicate the test.

But it is good to know that if something went wrong, the RCB would spring into action to stop electricity flowing through the house until the fault was fixed.

vta2008:
Thanks to NiyiOmo.Iyunade, FEGE.ITOK and others that have been speaking about lightning wahala, I never knew it was a problem till this evening.

Just got off the phone with my installer and he said he didn't add it to the initial setup cost as he saw I was a bit worried about extra costs. SMH.

If he had explained the need for it, I would have sourced the money by fire by force as replacing all my damaged electronics would be more expensive.

Anyway, the rains have not started here in Sokoto till maybe May, so he'll setup the lightning protection etc. by the end of this month or early next month after pay day...will cost me N180K.

Thanks again guys ❤️❤️

glad to be of help.

Use these words to pick up the most relevant posts "earth rod", "earth mat" and "lightning" and I believe you would be good.

Lots of gems in this forum.

mfeng:
hi, FEGEITOK, I searched online and found this thread. My 2000 Mazda MPV worked well. I replaced the two valve cover gaskets. AFTER THAT I got P1520. I think my harness was not melted like yours but was in a bad condition. When I pull out the valve covers I must have bent the harness and caused the wires shorted. I am wondering how you found the short place. Should I cut off the harness plastic tube and tape and then visually examine each wire inside inch by inch? Thank you.

Please open it up and check.

In modern vehicles, computers control electrical and mechanical components

Also, electrical components control mechanical components.

That is why, wires and wire harness must be babied. If your mechanic does not do this, it is time to find another.

All the best

Bb007:
My DIY Experience at Festac Passport Office

I think things have changed and the process for DIY at Festac was very easy. I filled out my form online, total spent was 26,000. Then I proceeded to gather all my documents.

-NIN slip( one photocopy)
-Filled and signed guarantors form(signed by a commissioner of oaths)
-Photocopy of the data page of your guarantor's passport (some people forgot to take this along
-Original birth certificate and indigene cert with just one photocopy of each
-1 copy of your online application
-2 copies of your payment slip
-1 copy of appointment slip.
- Marriage cert for married women

I got to the office by 7:30 am, we had to wait till 8:00 am before the gate was opened and we were allowed to go in after they addressed us.

For DIY go straight to the servicom unit and submit your appointment letter (they did not open till 9:00 am thou).

Then go and sit down in the hall. They will verify your application. Ensure your NIN info is the same as the info you filled out online.

After they have verified, they will come to the hall to call your name, follow them to their office, where they will tell you how to arrange your documents, they will also ask to see the original copies. Then a file will be opened for you.

You will take this file to the capturing centre and tell them you want to submit for enrollment (do not join the queue for those who are going in for capturing, you will be asked to stand up). Go back to the hall and wait for your name to be called for capturing.

When your name is called, collect your file and go for capturing. Viola.

I finished everything by 11:30 am.

message me at my nairaland username @ yandex dot com

sethtsadopp:
I'll like to know if there is a mini or small type of water pressure pump i can buy that will serve just my own house. So my place is a mini Estate we Terraces together, so is there a way a small pressure pump can be attached to just my own apartment that won't affect the others?

Types of pump: surface and submersible.

Do you have a central water supply in the estate? Then, most likely you need a surface pump

Do you have a borehole (your own borehole)? Then, most likely you need a submersible.

The issue is you have not really explained what issue you are trying to solve.

Is it low water pressure at your residence? to power your dishwasher or clothes washer?

Questions for my friends, whose panels are on the rooftops, how do you adjust for optimal yield from the sun?

Mine is on stands on the floor and I have been able to play with positioning to achieve optimal yield.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmewJlpC1MQ

It has rained literally 3 times since the start of February in Abuja.

I had to disconnect the incoming PV wires from the charge controller this evening as the rains were about to start.

I initially approached the issue of earthing from the point of view of creating separate earthing for the PV system then found out that it is better to earth the whole house and then the earthing for the PV system but connect them to each other - they call it "Lightning equipotential bonding"

The idea is to reduce the potential differences caused by lightning currents by interconnecting all isolated conducting parts of the installation by means of conductors or surge protective devices. This line was adapted from Dehn's literature.

Obviously, I need to kick this lightning protection up my to-do list.

Please note: I know that lightning can strike anytime, not just when it rains!



That said there is a very interesting thread that tells us, that it is not just the solar panel that should be earthed.


Literally, everything needs to be earthed including your DSTV dish. I just totally literally disconnected mine from my TV and the rest of the electronics

EgunMogaji2:
Sadly I’ve been put in a situation where I’m now considering this again.

Some robbers try to enter my compound at night and pushed my barbed wire off of my fence.

I still can’t shake the responsibility of a wayward child touching an electrified fence by accident.

Have you thought about placing a warning, electric fence beware prominently on the wall in English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo (in short the major languages in the area where the house is located)?

Also, there is technology you can put in the floor around your fence and connected to your fence to automatically alert you of footsteps so that you can initiate a response long before they get inside your command.

One such response would be very loud alarms and also playing a recorded call the intruders will hear that states which wall is breached and requesting for armed response to combat the intrusion.

This along with strobe lights would be a powerful deterrent.

But please make friends with your local police/soldiers so they can respond to you in the way you are accustomed to the police responding in the US.

Yes, we have such responses in Nigeria, but it is not for the general public, it is for those who have made prior arrangements in advance and which is paid for in cash, in kind, and in the use of influence for the benefit of the officer or officers who made it possible for you.

NiyiOmoIyunade:
I have been hoping you would highlight these differences between lightning protection for ground mount vs roof mount so everyone could learn and share ideas.

I have to digest the videos and the literature.

It is a fairly technical subject.

Once I do, I will share.

I just have to find the time, and I will before the rains.

FEGEITOK:
The cash swap ( abi cash confiscation policy) of the current government is a direct affront on money laundering legislation in the books that clearly specifies maximum funds that can be transacted with outside the banking system

Yet a President by oral proclaimation was able to override the statute books, and all sorts of lawyers from ordinary to SANs were speaking in support of a President turning himself into the law.

That only happens where strong men and not strong institutions are valued and worshipped.

The INEC Chairman is simply following a long established pattern of disregard for the law including that which established his office and the institution he heads.

I work with these people, so I speak as an observer and someone who interacts very closely with the system.

Unlike in the US where Biden halted his student loan forgiveness program the moment the Supreme Court told him to.

Here we will break the law and ask you to go to court to seek redress, the same law that we treated with outright disdain and disregard when it does not suit our whims and caprices.

As I said before. The President was wrong! His Attorney General of the Federation acted as a SAN that does not deserve the title. The CBN Governor was intoxicated with power and went beyond his limits

The President used executive power and privilege to infringe on property rights and acted against the best interests of the country and its citizens.

The right to own cash is constitutional, the right to withdraw cash up to the limits specified by legislation is also constitutional. Constitutional rights are rights that cannot be tampered with!

Imposing arbitrary withdrawal limits not backed by legislation is unreasonable and illegal.

This is a summary of what happened at the Supreme Court today.

*Supreme Court has jurisdiction on Naira swap case*
- Justice Agim

*The directive given by the President, through a press release by the CBN is invalid*
- Justice Agim

*I hold that no reasonable notice was given by the CBN under section 20 of the CBN Act. The directive is invalid and I hereby declare it so.*

- Justice Agim

*The position of the president as Agent of the federation imposed a duty of consultation on him. Not to do so makes him a dictator.*
-Justice Agim

*In other countries, decisions to change currencies follow due process and in accordance with democratic dictates, not after a side talk with their central bank chiefs .*
-Justice Agim

*I am not aware of any law which empowers a bank to withhold a customer’s money and refuse to give him/her. The directive on withdrawal limit is an infringement of people’s rights.*
- Justice Agim

*States have a right to be consulted by President before the directive to the CBN, as constituents of the Federation*
- Justice Agim

*Our rule of law becomes illusory if a President refuses to obey the court*

- Justice Agim


Sadly, till tomorrow, we prefer strong men to strong institutions.

GloriousGbola:
spambot is already handling me

google furse lighting protection guide and dehn lightning protection guide

both have detailed lightning protection manuals with sections on PV installations

this is why I now post links in pictures.

sorry about that.

I know dehn, I actually posted their over 1 hour long YouTube video here, which I have watched.

I got that fact from there, I just wanted to make the point since not everyone might have made the time to watch the video. thanks for the reference to the furse lightening protection guide