₦airaland Forum

INSPECTORMAX:
Battery Procurement Dispute – Request for Fair Resolution

I’m sharing this to seek objective input and a fair resolution regarding a recent solar installation carried out by Trippledots.

From the outset, my clear preference was LVTOPSUN, based on its features, reviews I got here on NL and other platforms, warranty, and support structure. To confirm pricing, I independently contacted Solaris Surge, who quoted ₦1.9m. I communicated this to Tripplredot and stated I was willing to pay ₦2m to cover procurement and logistics.

At no point did I request a locally made battery. The decision to move away from LVTOPSUN was based on Trippledots recommendation, where I was advised that LVTOPSUN would not provide a full 15kWh usable capacity, while a locally made alternative would provide a full 15kWh and comparable overall value. Based on this professional recommendation, I agreed to the change.

Before payment, I had also informed my Quantity Surveyor (QS) that I was proceeding with LVTOPSUN at ₦2m, which he confirmed was fair. The locally made option was not discussed with my QS at that time. It was only after the battery was delivered that I shared the details with my QS, who highlighted material differences in value, pricing, and functionality compared to LVTOPSUN.

Following further independent research, I confirmed that the installed locally made battery (Mr Reed) is commonly sold around ₦1.6m and has more limited functionality compared to higher-tier options. I also found that alternatives such as VALTO, sold around ₦2m, offer better communication features and overall functionality at a similar price point.

After installation, additional differences became apparent, including shorter warranty coverage, lack of a Lagos service centre, and missing communication features, some of which required additional cost and I was charged separately for and are still not functioning at the time of writing.

I attempted to resolve this privately by requesting either a reasonable price adjustment or a return to my original LVTOPSUN preference. After reasonable follow-up, I have not received a response.

I’m open to constructive opinions on what would be considered a fair and professional resolution in this situation, particularly where a client’s original product preference was changed based on professional recommendation without full disclosure of material differences.

Image 1 : Locally made battery that was supplied and installed

Image 2 : LVTOPSUN battery that was my original request

While I totally understand your grievance,I would suggest you just forget it,count your losses and move on.

It can be painful paying #2m for an item you can easily procure yourself for #1.6m and still not get the required features

The good thing is that you have a good battery.Mr Reed is an honest man and his batteries are built with Grade A cells.

Next time,take time to do proper research and ask questions here.Most folks here will easily point you towards the right direction.

Take it as part of the learning process and move on.

Trippledots:
Good evening everyone, and happy new year.

My attention was drawn by a member of this group to a mention of my name by INSPECTORMAX. I read through the comments and deliberately chose to observe the discussion before responding, to better understand the perspectives being shared and res

Sometimes maturity means responding quickly; at other times, it means listening first. So far, I have not seen anyone categorically state that Trippledots failed to deliver what was agreed, even based on the version of events presented.

Rather than go into long narratives, I will state some key facts about the installation, in no particular order:

The system was originally designed for a 15 kWh battery. I informed the client that we could instead supply a 16 kWh battery, locally assembled, at roughly the same price I would have charged for the 15 kWh option. After considering different brands, the client agreed to proceed with the full installation on the basis that he was getting a 16 kWh battery at around ₦2m.

The client requested and received a full cost breakdown of the installation (which was an upgrade to an older, failing system). With the involvement of his QS, each line item was reviewed and negotiated. After several discussions, we reached a mutually acceptable all-in price, which the client paid. Chat records are available.

At no point did the client expressly request an LVTOPSUN battery, nor did I discourage one. I simply stated that a factory-assembled 16 kWh battery would cost well above ₦2m, which informed his decision to proceed with a locally assembled option. He was involved throughout the procurement process and was sent a picture of the battery way before delivery was done. There were no objections regarding the battery’s appearance, features, or price, and to date there has been no complaint about performance.

Subsequent concerns raised about communication ports, internal breakers, switches, charging voltage, service centres, and warranty terms were not part of the original agreed requirements. At that point, it became clear that the issue was no longer about performance or specification, but about perceived profit margins.

The installation cost was initially reviewed downward by over ₦600,000, which I declined. After further negotiation, we reached a middle ground, and payment was made promptly. To be clear, the only agreed battery selection criteria were capacity and price—no other technical features were discusse or agreed upon.

As an added note, I supplied 535W bifacial Jinko panels instead of the originally designed 500W panels, and upgraded the PV cable from 10 mm to 16 mm, all at no additional cost to the client. These decisions were made to improve system quality, even though they reduced my margin.

In conclusion, I have consistently maintained—both privately and publicly—that what was agreed is what was delivered. The final procurement cost of individual components is not the client’s concern once specifications, scope, and price have been negotiated, reviewed, and accepted.

To the client’s credit, he did request a refund for the balance of unused PV cable. While I declined a cash refund, I offered to return the remaining cable, despite having supplied a higher-grade cable at a higher cost than originally specified. He motioned that I could retain the remainder, and I appreciate that.

I have tried to be as concise as possible while providing clarity and clearer context to his narrative.

Cheers.

Well,I would suggest that as businessmen,consultants or installers,let's imbibe the culture of full disclosure.Saying the client did not talk about communication,etc is not fair.Ideally,you as the installer is the one that should have put all these cards on the table.Some one is investing in a 16kw battery and you are saying he didn't ask for communication ports,etc.Haba!

How many 16kw batteries do you have that doesn't support communication?16kw batteries are top end capacity batteries and comes with full package so ,I humbly fault you there.

Your client feels cheated and rightly so.Apologise,see how you can come to a win win situation and let's move on.

This life no too hard like that

Trippledots:
Good evening everyone, and happy new year.

My attention was drawn by a member of this group to a mention of my name by INSPECTORMAX. I read through the comments and deliberately chose to observe the discussion before responding, to better understand the perspectives being shared and res

Sometimes maturity means responding quickly; at other times, it means listening first. So far, I have not seen anyone categorically state that Trippledots failed to deliver what was agreed, even based on the version of events presented.

Rather than go into long narratives, I will state some key facts about the installation, in no particular order:

The system was originally designed for a 15 kWh battery. I informed the client that we could instead supply a 16 kWh battery, locally assembled, at roughly the same price I would have charged for the 15 kWh option. After considering different brands, the client agreed to proceed with the full installation on the basis that he was getting a 16 kWh battery at around ₦2m.

The client requested and received a full cost breakdown of the installation (which was an upgrade to an older, failing system). With the involvement of his QS, each line item was reviewed and negotiated. After several discussions, we reached a mutually acceptable all-in price, which the client paid. Chat records are available.

At no point did the client expressly request an LVTOPSUN battery, nor did I discourage one. I simply stated that a factory-assembled 16 kWh battery would cost well above ₦2m, which informed his decision to proceed with a locally assembled option. He was involved throughout the procurement process and was sent a picture of the battery way before delivery was done. There were no objections regarding the battery’s appearance, features, or price, and to date there has been no complaint about performance.

Subsequent concerns raised about communication ports, internal breakers, switches, charging voltage, service centres, and warranty terms were not part of the original agreed requirements. At that point, it became clear that the issue was no longer about performance or specification, but about perceived profit margins.

The installation cost was initially reviewed downward by over ₦600,000, which I declined. After further negotiation, we reached a middle ground, and payment was made promptly. To be clear, the only agreed battery selection criteria were capacity and price—no other technical features were discusse or agreed upon.

As an added note, I supplied 535W bifacial Jinko panels instead of the originally designed 500W panels, and upgraded the PV cable from 10 mm to 16 mm, all at no additional cost to the client. These decisions were made to improve system quality, even though they reduced my margin.

In conclusion, I have consistently maintained—both privately and publicly—that what was agreed is what was delivered. The final procurement cost of individual components is not the client’s concern once specifications, scope, and price have been negotiated, reviewed, and accepted.

To the client’s credit, he did request a refund for the balance of unused PV cable. While I declined a cash refund, I offered to return the remaining cable, despite having supplied a higher-grade cable at a higher cost than originally specified. He motioned that I could retain the remainder, and I appreciate that.

I have tried to be as concise as possible while providing clarity and clearer context to his narrative.

Cheers.

I’ll respond briefly and factually to correct a few points, not to prolong the debate.

LVTOPSUN was my original preference.
Before payment, I independently contacted Solaris Surge and confirmed LVTOPSUN pricing at ₦1.9m. I communicated this and explicitly stated I was willing to pay ₦2m to cover procurement and logistics. My decision to move away from LVTOPSUN was based solely on Trippledots’ recommendation that a locally assembled alternative would offer comparable overall value, particularly with “full” 15kWh capacity.

The decision was not based on capacity and price alone. While capacity was emphasized, other material factors such as warranty duration, support structure, service availability, and communication features were not clearly highlighted as trade-offs at the point of decision. These differences only became apparent after installation and further independent review.

The battery is functioning, and I have never claimed otherwise. The issue arose when I realized that, at the same ₦2m price point, alternatives (including my original LVTOPSUN option) offered broader functionality and support than what was supplied, with some features later requiring additional cost and still pending functionality.

Also, Certain decisions during installation were influenced by site constraints and adjustments made on-site, some of which also required changes on my end with additional cost. These are not the core issue under discussion.

To be clear, I’m not disputing that installation was completed or that payment was agreed. My concern remains whether sufficient material information was disclosed before I was advised to move away from my original battery preference.

I remain open to a fair and professional resolution so this can be closed amicably.

I need to clarify this important point for accuracy.

My original requirement from the start was a 15kWh battery, specifically LVTOPSUN, which is why I independently confirmed market pricing for the LVTOPSUN 15kWh unit before payment. I did not request a 16kWh factory-assembled battery, nor was pricing for a factory-fitted 16kWh option discussed with me prior to payment.

The discussion around a locally assembled battery arose when I was advised that it would provide “full” usable capacity compared to LVTOPSUN, which informed my decision at the time. My concern remains about whether all material trade-offs were clearly explained before that recommendation.

For accuracy, the image of the battery was shared a day before installation, after full payment had already been made, not earlier in the procurement stage. There was therefore no opportunity for a meaningful review or reconsideration of options at that point.

This whole thing is weird because LVTOPSUN batteries are pretty much always up to capacity from the tests I've seen.

Mrreed's batteries are great too (I've bought from him in the past), so I think OP's grievance here is having to pay 2m for a 1.6m battery. I mean, I'd be annoyed too if I were him.

HeavenlyBang:
This whole things is weird because LVTOPSUN batteries are pretty much always up to capacity from the tests I've seen.

Mrreed's batteries are great too (I've bought from him in the past), so I think OP's grievance here is having to pay 2m for a 1.6m battery. I mean, I'd be annoyed too if I were him.

Shey dem use juju for am?
See wetin recommendation don cos.

You guys should let this thread breathe. Deals done behind doors should not come to the public. It is behind the scenes...

dollarnaira:
You guys should let this thread breathe. Deals done behind doors should not come to the public. It is behind the scenes...

He was scammed. Let him vent.

The guy felt cheated that’s all, he’s not happy paying 2m for a 1.6m battery.

He should just move on and count his loses. His battery is a great quality battery and also a 16kwh battery as against the agreed 15kwh battery.

Abeg make the guy rest.

Charging 2m for a 1.6m battery is nothing but outright greed and should be called out, no mincing words. You want to profit more than the builder for being a middle man, while still charging premium for your services. That is gutter behaviour and I'll never support it.

Trippledots better do right by your name else this stuff will stick with you as long as this forum exists.

As for complainant, sorry about the situation, please next time do due diligence and ask questions here before making final decisions. Mrreed's battery are great and will serve you very well. Whatever the outcome of this situation will be, next time please be more careful. Sharks everywhere!

Judgementday666:
He was scammed. Let him vent.

You dey there when e happen?
Im go vent tire bro.

CuteMaro:
Charging 2m for a 1.6m battery is nothing but outright greed and should be called out, no mincing words. You want to profit more than the builder for being a middle man, while still charging premium for your services. That is gutter behaviour and I'll never support it.

Trippledots better do right by your name else this stuff will stick with you as long as this forum exists.

As for complainant, sorry about the situation, please next time do due diligence and ask questions here before making final decisions. Mrreed's battery are great and will serve you very well. Whatever the outcome of this situation will be, next time please be more careful. Sharks everywhere!

It is an unfortunate mindset of many Nigerian business people; maximal profit at the expense of their clients. Taking 2M for a 1.6M battery does not show character, it shows greed and avarice. This person will rob, given the opportunity. And in fact he has technically robbed his client using his knowledge, and the client's trust as weapons. He will remain in my bad book until he remedied the situation.

When will you start bringing EVE MB56 cells

Valto:
not really , there are several people on this thread , using my batteries since 2020

False! my 48v 16kwh battery with actual capacity of over 16.8kwh is 65ok to 700k cheaper than lvtopsun 16kwh battery it is made with brand new grade A 12,000 cycles cells and the best JK latest version V19 smart bms with communication ports, and original CHINT 125A 2pole DC circuit breaker , original 2pairs 200A battery terminals !

The price a retailer sells his goods isnt subject to the client or what ppl think. Its his choice and i dont think calling him names or condemning him is helpful. Best u can do is not patronize him.
The customer always has choices, he cud av insisted on what he wanted and no one wud deny him.
In the end, do your research and if you are not convinced, ask for help or seek others opinion.

dollarnaira:
You dey there when e happen?
Im go vent tire bro.

The fellow involved hasn't disputed the fact concerning the battery....

Allow him to vent.. If you were in his shoes, you will likely do worse....

fuckboys:
The guy felt cheated that’s all, he’s not happy paying 2m for a 1.6m battery.

He should just move on and count his loses. His battery is a great quality battery and also a 16kwh battery as against the agreed 15kwh battery.

Abeg make the guy rest.

I guess you also have the tendency to indulge in such mindless dealings, hence the propensity to dismiss the legitimate displeasure of customer..

The question is if the 1.6m he is referencing to is exactly the same specs with what Trippledot delivered to him at 2m, as I am sure Mr. Reed and Valtech's battery of same capacity usually have different prices based on the build (type of BMS, circuit breaker, box. etc).

omotoda:
While I totally understand your grievance,I would suggest you just forget it,count your losses and move on.

It can be painful paying #2m for an item you can easily procure yourself for #1.6m and still not get the required features

The good thing is that you have a good battery.Mr Reed is an honest man and his batteries are built with Grade A cells.

Next time,take time to do proper research and ask questions here.Most folks here will easily point you towards the right direction.

Take it as part of the learning process and move on.

jmaine:
The fellow involved hasn't disputed the fact concerning the battery....

Allow him to vent.. If you were in his shoes, you will likely do worse....

In his shoes?
So after venting his money will return abi?
They must had argue back and forth before going public. It is like last horse kick.
Funny you.

jmaine:
I guess you also have the tendency to indulge in such mindless dealings, hence the propensity to dismiss the legitimate displeasure of customer..

"Vocabularian"

ojeysky:
Bought from AZ global in 2018. He can be reached at +234 810 387 4511

Thanks

..

Ferdiwar:
When will you start bringing EVE MB56 cells

doesn't make business sense, no space is saved, price is higher than 2pcs of 314ah and they are the same size

J

CuteMaro:
Charging 2m for a 1.6m battery is nothing but outright greed and should be called out, no mincing words. You want to profit more than the builder for being a middle man, while still charging premium for your services. That is gutter behaviour and I'll never support it.

Trippledots better do right by your name else this stuff will stick with you as long as this forum exists.

As for complainant, sorry about the situation, please next time do due diligence and ask questions here before making final decisions. Mrreed's battery are great and will serve you very well. Whatever the outcome of this situation will be, next time please be more careful. Sharks everywhere!

Thank you boss, you took this your submission directly from my mouth

Hollo house
Is there any danger of not discharging lithium battery bellow 50%
My battery has never gone below 50% because there's always nepa

INSPECTORMAX:
Battery Procurement Dispute – Request for Fair Resolution

I’m sharing this to seek objective input and a fair resolution regarding a recent solar installation carried out by Trippledots.

From the outset, my clear preference was LVTOPSUN, based on its features, reviews I got here on NL and other platforms, warranty, and support structure. To confirm pricing, I independently contacted Solaris Surge, who quoted ₦1.9m. I communicated this to Tripplredot and stated I was willing to pay ₦2m to cover procurement and logistics.

At no point did I request a locally made battery. The decision to move away from LVTOPSUN was based on Trippledots recommendation, where I was advised that LVTOPSUN would not provide a full 15kWh usable capacity, while a locally made alternative would provide a full 15kWh and comparable overall value. Based on this professional recommendation, I agreed to the change.

Before payment, I had also informed my Quantity Surveyor (QS) that I was proceeding with LVTOPSUN at ₦2m, which he confirmed was fair. The locally made option was not discussed with my QS at that time. It was only after the battery was delivered that I shared the details with my QS, who highlighted material differences in value, pricing, and functionality compared to LVTOPSUN.

Following further independent research, I confirmed that the installed locally made battery (Mr Reed) is commonly sold around ₦1.6m and has more limited functionality compared to higher-tier options. I also found that alternatives such as VALTO, sold around ₦2m, offer better communication features and overall functionality at a similar price point.

After installation, additional differences became apparent, including shorter warranty coverage, lack of a Lagos service centre, and missing communication features, some of which required additional cost and I was charged separately for and are still not functioning at the time of writing.

I attempted to resolve this privately by requesting either a reasonable price adjustment or a return to my original LVTOPSUN preference. After reasonable follow-up, I have not received a response.

I’m open to constructive opinions on what would be considered a fair and professional resolution in this situation, particularly where a client’s original product preference was changed based on professional recommendation without full disclosure of material differences.

Image 1 : Locally made battery that was supplied and installed

Image 2 : LVTOPSUN battery that was my original request

I'll advice you let go, should he insist he delivered what you both agreed on.

I must say I'm seriously disappointed regards the comments I read up there. Most people supporting this level of greed are birds of same feather. How do you justify non disclosure of material facts.

Something I know is the installer just soiled his reputation. Whether the issue is resolved or not, in the future this will hunt him.

He is in this situation because he believed you are quite more knowledgeable in these matters.

Well in business it's 'BUYERS BEWARE'. You played a fast one on him because he trusted your professional guidance.

Yet you all complain that your clients prefer to get everything themselves and call you for installations only. You recommended a different product to your customer just to make more profit.

To the client, I suggest you let go after these efforts aimed at effecting the correction. Try move past it.

chosen124:
Hollo house
Is there any danger of not discharging lithium battery bellow 50%
My battery has never gone below 50% because there's always nepa

No
Normal degradation.

How? Shouldn't it be normal degradation since u treating it well. Only issue may be voltage /SOC drift which sud clear once cycled

dollarnaira:
Yes
Quicker degradation.

Obnoxious2001:
speaking from experience, as a hardware developer in Nigeria, its more expensive to package a product than to actually develop the product.


selling the product is a matter of ecstatic, that what is happening in the case of O.P, aside the features concerns his mentioning.

a lot of Nigerians does not know that even the foreign made products, some features they claim to have are false/not fully developed yet, they are been sold.

funny enough, I made the comment while responding from bottom to top hence didn't even see the actual complain. I only responded on general knowledge

Drgreatone:
How? Shouldn't it be normal degradation since u treating it well. Only issue may be voltage /SOC drift which sud clear once cycled

You are right.
50% is a storage stage sef.
Thanks

HeavenlyBang:
This whole thing is weird because LVTOPSUN batteries are pretty much always up to capacity from the tests I've seen.

Mrreed's batteries are great too (I've bought from him in the past), so I think OP's grievance here is having to pay 2m for a 1.6m battery. I mean, I'd be annoyed too if I were him.

what if na old stock, bought when Dollar was still very very High ? Abeg Ooo