₦airaland Forum

ajabani4allah:
Good morning all, will this AC SPD of Uc 385v protect against electrical surge? It seems the Uc is too high for it to work since the normal voltage range here is around 240v

For single phase inverters, 275 abi 285v wid suffice. Not sure which of the nos is on the spd. Ur system wud av blown itself b4 the 385v wud trip

Bankyshinani:
What do you think I can do cos I can't buy another inverter for now?....Will installing an external charger controller make me go beyond 1600W of pv array?

You can get an external charger, it is going to the battery and so is limited by its own VOC and max Pv array and not the inverter's own

1kva
1.3KWH
400k

2kva
3.6kwh
700k

24V
3.5kva
2.56kwh
780k

Drgreatone:
You can get an external charger, it is going to the battery and so is limited by its own VOC and max Pv array and not the inverter's own

Hope there will not be conflict of operation between the inverter mppt and the external mppt cos I believe both of them will be working at the same time?

Dam5reey:
Still active

I’ve read something about not installing inverter and battery on any wooden surface.

Any reason why this was installed on a wooden surface?

Dam5reey:
1kva
1.3KWH
400k

2kva
3.6kwh
700k

24V
3.5kva
2.56kwh
780k

are all these 24v??

BangaRice:
24V will halve the current you have to deal with between PV-SCC-BAT. Go ahead and disregard team 48V until you are financially ready for cost of 48V.

385v spds seem to have a higher surge supressing capacity than that of a 275v.. if u must choose a higher voltage spd please add a voltage regulator to bring down the voltage to 230/240v

Bankyshinani:
Hope there will not be conflict of operation between the inverter mppt and the external mppt cos I believe both of them will be working at the same time?

I use both an internal MPPT CC and an external MPPT CC, and when the external MPPT notices the battery is full, it slows down and stops charging or like it happened this afternoon, the breaker between the MPPT and the battery tripped off

lilachiever:
I’ve read something about not installing inverter and battery on any wooden surface.

Any reason why this was installed on a wooden surface?

In conclusion do what you know and where your knowledge reach..

Gshems:
are all these 24v??

Only the last is 24V others are 12V

Dam5reey:
Only the last is 24V others are 12V

oh that's inverter and battery

FEGEITOK:
I did not answer this question then because upon checking I was using an AC breaker for DC which is wrong, I think I noticed arcing

I have since replaced the AC breakers for DC breakers and it just did it's work, it tripped off and when I went to check, the battery current was 29.~V and wanted to hit 30.~V

Here are the specs of the DC breakers that I am using

DC500V 4000A IEC60898-2 GBT/10963.-2 AND DC1000V 6000A IEC60898-2 GBT/10963.2

It was the DC500V breaker that just tripped off.

Sorry for the delay in the response.

Please do not use an AC breaker in a DC application, among other problems it can cause arcing which I personally observed, which is one of the reasons I had to make the change.

but wait Ooo, why would anyOne use AC breaker in DC application ?
AC and DC no relate na

Bankyshinani:
What do you think I can do cos I can't buy another inverter for now?....Will installing an external charger controller make me go beyond 1600W of pv array?

YES installing an external Charge Controller would allow you exceed 1,600W BUT ensure you go for a Charge Controller with such capacity

Hello and good evening all. So, we are considering getting our very first battery and inverter. It's for the house and will power everything minus freezer and AC to conserve energy. We can use our generator for those. We are not getting solar panels for now but will want a very good 2.5kva to 3.5kva hybrid inverter (hope i'm right cause i'm new to all these). So, it will power the lights, 2 to 3 laptops and the TV. Plus a few light equipment. I forgot to mention we will charge with light and generator (if need be) cause we mostly have light 2 hours in the day and from almost midnight till the enxt morning.

Can we get a 12.8V 4Kwh or even 24V 2.5Kwh DIY battery? Can it power a bungalow? We are quite tight on budget now and need the constant light for work. We hope to upgrade on the battery as time goes on. Reason we want to get it with the hybrid inverter. Also, what's the best inverter to go for?

chizzy86:
Hello and good evening all. So, we are considering getting our very first battery and inverter. It's for the house and will power everything minus freezer and AC to conserve energy. We can use our generator for those. We are not getting solar panels for now but will want a very good 2.5kva to 3.5kva hybrid inverter (hope i'm right cause i'm new to all these). So, it will power the lights, 2 to 3 laptops and the TV. Plus a few light equipment. I forgot to mention we will charge with light and generator (if need be) cause we mostly have light 2 hours in the day and from almost midnight till the enxt morning.


Can we get a 12.8V 4Kwh or even 24V 2.5Kwh DIY battery? Can it power a bungalow? We are quite tight on budget now and need the constant light for work. We hope to upgrade on the battery as time goes on. Reason we want to get it with the hybrid inverter. Also, what's the best inverter to go for?

State your budget

chizzy86:
Hello and good evening all. So, we are considering getting our very first battery and inverter. It's for the house and will power everything minus freezer and AC to conserve energy. We can use our generator for those. We are not getting solar panels for now but will want a very good 2.5kva to 3.5kva hybrid inverter (hope i'm right cause i'm new to all these). So, it will power the lights, 2 to 3 laptops and the TV. Plus a few light equipment. I forgot to mention we will charge with light and generator (if need be) cause we mostly have light 2 hours in the day and from almost midnight till the enxt morning.

Can we get a 12.8V 4Kwh or even 24V 2.5Kwh DIY battery? Can it power a bungalow? We are quite tight on budget now and need the constant light for work. We hope to upgrade on the battery as time goes on. Reason we want to get it with the hybrid inverter. Also, what's the best inverter to go for?

Dam5reey:
1kva
1.3KWH
400k

2kva
3.6kwh
700k

24V
3.5kva
2.56kwh
780k

Third one.

Whenever you want to increase battery capacity, you can just buy an extra 24v battery and parallel them.

bassdow:
but wait Ooo, why would anyOne use AC breaker in DC application ?
AC and DC no relate na

The Real Lesson: It's Not Just the Big Four

The biggest takeaway here is to pay attention to every part of the alternative power supply chain, not just the major components like the inverter, battery, and solar panels—which is what new users often focus on.

Crucial, yet often overlooked, components include the wiring (which is frequently the cause of fires) and the protections (fuses and Moulded Case Circuit Breakers, or MCCBs). An installer may also misdirect an uninformed or misinformed user, making it vital to do your own research.

System Upgrades: Learning From My Mistakes

Like many on this journey, I’ve made mistakes and learned from them. Recognizing these flaws has led to crucial upgrades that enhance safety and give me peace of mind.

Here are some of the fixes I’ve implemented:

1. I've upgraded the breaker between my batteries and the inverter to a FEEO FPVM-250.

2. My panels are now properly earthed; they were not earthed during the initial installation.

3. I previously documented on this thread how I installed a Schneider RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker). Finding an accredited seller in Abuja took me a whole day because I wanted to ensure I didn't get a fake. While newer technologies like the RCBO (Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent protection) are available—and a newbie might decide to leapfrog directly to one—I haven't made that switch yet.

This effort paid off handsomely. The RCCB has helped me spot problems in my house long before they became serious, preventing potential disasters like the one that recently happened to the UBA house. It has tripped after detecting moisture in my wires and a fire from an overloaded water pump connection. Spending a day and nearly N30,000.00 (in 2023) on this single piece of equipment has been worth every kobo for the protection it provides.

Why Share My Experience?

I could have withheld this information, but sharing it helps new users understand that you can and should upgrade individual components in your alternative power supply system for better protection.

It also makes my narrative more credible. We all make mistakes in this journey, and sharing how we learn from them helps the community.

In any case, a user asked a specific question about which breaker trips, and I answered honestly. I have more than one inverter installation, and none of the others had ever tripped until yesterday. His question prompted me to further investigate my system and fix a serious oversight that I hadn't observed earlier.

I am pretty sure that had I removed the MCB in this new house and installed that Schneider it would not have let me use the house electricity because it is that sensitive! But I guess I have to to have the kind of peace of mind I had at my previous place of residence.

Please can anyone recommend a 200ah 12v lithium battery

Gshems:
Please can anyone recommend a 200ah 12v lithium battery

jsdsolar and Felicity Solar are strong. Although brands like Blue Carbon offer high capacity alternatives in higher voltage systems. The jsdsolar 12.8V 200AH is a good option with a built-in Battery Management System (BMS) and long lifespan.

You can get it on https://https://shop.earthbond.co/?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=nairaland

Ehikioyah:
jsdsolar and Felicity Solar are strong. Although brands like Blue Carbon offer high capacity alternatives in higher voltage systems. The jsdsolar 12.8V 200AH is a good option with a built-in Battery Management System (BMS) and long lifespan.

You can get it on https://https://shop.earthbond.co/?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=nairaland

Thank you. I will check it out

Bankyshinani:
Good evening all,
I just got a brand new 3.2kva MUST hybrid inverter and I would like to know the size of solar panels to pair with with as well as the numbers?....
I will be expecting your professional inputs....
Thanks

How much is it?

Valto just dey chop ban anyhow

oloet:
Valto just dey chop ban anyhow

lolz na normal thing for seun's temple

Gshems:
Please can anyone recommend a 200ah 12v lithium battery

there is 12v 1.8kwh abd 4.2kwh for shikini money

FEGEITOK:
Always buy the biggest panels your money can buy!

460 watts in an age of 600 to 700 watts is short changing yourself

The biggest panels may not always be the most cost effective. What I do is get the cost per W of each panel and go for the reasonably cheaper option.

Like for cworth, I found out the 420w was the most cost effective.

Please what is the price of the Bread hybrid inverter 1.5kva.

lilachiever:
Bassdow explained it.

Each apartment has separate panels provided by landlord.

Tenant to sort out inverter and battery individually.

How much is a he connection fee? Because this landlord is looking like he will win landlord of the year, this December.

Iinnov8:
Can you try reducing the absorption voltage a little?

Trippledots, I think you advised on how to resolve a similar issue on PowMr controller. Trying to find your post, but I no see am. Any advise for this bro?

That one was for battery disconnecting and connecting back when it's full.

This their own seems like a factory defect. I've not really given it a hard thought too. There could be a nifty way to set the system so it doesn't enter that idle mode.

BTW, I learnt not all MPPTs are the same. Some track faster than others. I don't know if it's the tracking that is the issue.

Edrizz:
Mine have been on 27.6 for both bulk n float

Hmmm. See if you can try this. Keep an eye on the battery voltage read out. tell someone to turn on a heavy load and watch at what voltage the battery starts charging. Set your absorption voltage to that value and observe.

fuckboys:
Omo eh, this bread inverter just deu give me joy. I keep seeing issues everywhere and I've never turned off the inverter or checked my battery level even after 5 months of installation.


Just there doing it's thing and supplying constant electricity 24/7

Ever since I saw that bread inverter, I just liked it. Good to hear it's doing fine.