₦airaland Forum

How We Designed a Solar System in Warri to Run AC All Night (With Proper MPPT Planning)

A client in Warri contacted me with one clear goal:

> “I want my AC to run all night without switching anything off.”



His appliances included:

2 Smart TVs

1 Air Conditioner (overnight use)

2 Refrigerators

Water pumping machine

Lights, fans and other basic home appliances


Instead of jumping straight to equipment, we started with proper load analysis.

Because solar is not about buying big equipment — it’s about correct sizing.


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Step 1: Load & Surge Calculation

We calculated:

Running watts of each appliance

Startup surge of refrigerators and pump

Night-time consumption (especially AC runtime)

Daytime usage pattern


Many systems fail because installers size based on guesswork instead of numbers.


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Step 2: Inverter Selection – Why 6kVA Was Chosen

We installed a 6kVA Growatt hybrid inverter.

Important detail:

This inverter has dual MPPT charge controllers, and each MPPT can take up to 4000W of solar input.

That means:

4000W on MPPT 1

4000W on MPPT 2

Total possible solar input = 8000W


This is important because many people do not understand MPPT limits. They either:

Underutilize the inverter

Or overload one MPPT while the other is unused


Proper string balancing is critical.


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Step 3: Panel Configuration – 12 × 550W (6.6kW Array)

We installed 12 pieces of 550W panels, giving a total of 6.6kW.

Now notice something:

The inverter can accept up to 8kW of panels, but we installed 6.6kW.

Why?

Because we designed based on:

Roof space

Realistic sun hours in Warri

Client’s actual load demand

Battery charging target time


The panels were split across the two MPPTs for balanced input.

The goal was not just to “have panels.”

The goal was:

Run all daytime appliances directly from solar

Charge the battery aggressively at the same time

Achieve near full charge within about 4 good sunlight hours


That way, by evening, the battery is strong and untouched by daytime loads.


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Step 4: Battery Sizing – 15kWh Lithium

For overnight AC, battery capacity is everything.

We installed a 15kWh lithium battery system.

Why that size?

Because:

AC runs for long hours

Refrigerators cycle at night

There must be reserve capacity

Lithium performs best when not deeply discharged daily


Undersized batteries are the number one reason people complain that solar “doesn’t last till morning.”


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The Result

✔ AC runs overnight
✔ No inverter tripping
✔ Pump starts without issue
✔ Battery charges quickly during the day
✔ No need to manage appliances aggressively

The key wasn’t brand.

It was:

Correct load calculation

Understanding MPPT capacity

Proper panel distribution

Adequate battery storage



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The Main Lesson

Before installing solar, always check:

1. How many MPPTs does the inverter have?


2. What is the maximum PV input per MPPT?


3. Is the battery sized for night usage?


4. Are the panels enough to power loads AND charge battery simultaneously?



Solar success is engineering, not guesswork.

If anyone is interested, I can break down how to calculate AC night consumption properly using real numbers.

Let’s discuss. 🔋☀️

⚡ Warri Solar Installation: 1.2kVA Solar Generator with 3.6kWh Lithium Battery (Real Project in Warri, Delta State)

One thing I hear often from homeowners in Warri, Delta State is:
“I want solar that will last overnight and not stress my appliances.”

So for this Warri installation, proper load calculation came first.

🔍 Load Plan (Warri Home Setup)
Daytime (9am–5pm – powered directly by solar panels):
Fridge
Washing machine
TV
Fan

Night use:
2 LED lights
Fan
TV
Phone & laptop charging
Base load: ~400–450W
Fridge surge: ~900W

Strategy:
Let the Warri sun power heavy appliances during the day.
Reserve the battery mainly for night stability.

⚙️ Solar System Configuration
1.2kVA All-in-One Solar Generator (MPPT built-in)
3.6kWh Lithium Battery
4 × 550W Solar Panels (2200W total)

Why this design?
2200W of solar panels ensures strong daytime production, enough to run fridge and washing machine while still charging the battery fully before evening.

The 3.6kWh lithium battery prevents deep daily discharge — which is a common reason solar batteries fail in many Warri homes.

MPPT maximizes panel efficiency, especially important under Delta weather conditions.

🏠 Installation Note
The roof was very slant, requiring careful panel mounting for safety and correct tilt.
The project was executed on a Sunday, so sourcing some materials wasn’t easy — but proper engineering doesn’t depend on convenience.

🔋 Final Result
Stable power during the day.
Smooth battery performance at night.
No tripping. No overnight drain.
This Warri solar installation reinforces what we practice at Nelbrom Technology:
In Warri, solar works perfectly — when it is properly designed, correctly sized, and intelligently managed.
Solar is not about size.
It’s about engineering.

Solar Installation in Opete Warri: 4kVA 24V System Running AC, Fridge & Full House (Technical Breakdown)



🔎 STEP 1: Proper Load Calculation (Most Installers Skip This)
Appliances involved:
1 AC (daytime use mainly)
Refrigerator
TV
CCTV system
10+ bulbs
Multiple fans
Phones & laptops charging
Estimated Load Breakdown
AC: ~1,200–1,500W (startup surge higher)
Fridge: ~150–250W (with surge)
TV + CCTV: ~200W
Bulbs: ~150W
Fans: ~200W
Misc charging: ~150W
Daytime working load average: ~2,000–2,500W
Peak surge (when AC + fridge kick in): 4,000W+
This is where engineering thinking starts.

⚙️ STEP 2: Why We Chose a 4kVA 24V Gospower (100A MPPT)
We installed:
Inverter: 4kVA / 24V Gospower (built-in 100A MPPT)
Why not 3kVA? Because surge matters more than average load.
AC compressors and refrigerators don’t care about your inverter rating — they pull what they need on startup.
A 4kVA inverter gives:
Better surge handling
More headroom
Less stress on components
Longer lifespan
About the 100A MPPT
At 24V system: 100A MPPT × 24V ≈ 2,400W solar charging capacity (theoretical charging side)
This ensures:
Faster battery charging
Better harvesting even under partial cloud (common in Delta afternoons)
MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) is critical here — it extracts maximum usable power from the panels instead of wasting voltage like PWM controllers do.

🔋 STEP 3: Battery Bank Engineering
We used:
2 pcs 5kWh / 24V 200Ah batteries connected in parallel
Parallel connection keeps voltage at 24V but doubles capacity.
So:
24V system
400Ah total capacity
Energy storage ≈ 9.6kWh usable (depending on depth of discharge settings)
Why this size?
Client wanted:
Stable night power (no AC overnight)
Fridge, fans, TV, CCTV till morning
Night load estimated around: ~800–1,200W average
With proper battery management, this comfortably runs through the night without deep discharging — which is what kills batteries in many Warri installations.

☀️ STEP 4: Panel Sizing (12 × 450W Panels)
Total panel capacity: 450W × 12 = 5,400W (5.4kW)
Why 5.4kW?
Because in Delta State:
Heat reduces panel efficiency
Dust reduces output
Clouds reduce harvest
And real-world output is rarely nameplate rating
So we oversize panels slightly to ensure:
Batteries charge fully before 2–3pm
AC can run during the day directly from solar
Excess energy tops batteries
➕ Additional 60A Cworth MPPT Controller
Because of panel arrangement and roof layout limitations, we added:
60A Cworth MPPT charge controller for additional panel strings.
Why?
Instead of forcing all panels through one controller and risking imbalance or underutilization, separating arrays:
Improves harvest efficiency
Reduces MPPT stress
Provides redundancy
Allows better voltage configuration
This is something many installers ignore.
They focus on “how many panels” — not “how efficiently they’re managed.”
🧱 Special Challenge: Roof Space + Surge Planning
Roof space wasn’t perfectly aligned.
We had to:
Split panel orientation carefully
Ensure string voltage stayed within MPPT limits
Balance shading risks
Also, AC startup surge was a concern.
So wiring gauge, DC protection, and breaker sizing were carefully selected to prevent voltage drop — which is a silent killer of 24V systems.


❌ Common Mistakes I See in Similar Installations in Warri

Installing 3kVA inverter for AC load
Using only 2–4 panels and expecting miracles
Undersized batteries that die in 6 months
No proper surge planning
Poor cable sizing
No DC breakers or SPD protection
Wrong battery parallel configuration


Solar doesn’t fail. Poor engineering fails.

Welldone! This is for bookmark

NelbromTech:
Solar Installation in Opete Warri: 4kVA 24V System Running AC, Fridge & Full House (Technical Breakdown)



🔎 STEP 1: Proper Load Calculation (Most Installers Skip This)
Appliances involved:
1 AC (daytime use mainly)
Refrigerator
TV
CCTV system
10+ bulbs
Multiple fans
Phones & laptops charging
Estimated Load Breakdown
AC: ~1,200–1,500W (startup surge higher)
Fridge: ~150–250W (with surge)
TV + CCTV: ~200W
Bulbs: ~150W
Fans: ~200W
Misc charging: ~150W
Daytime working load average: ~2,000–2,500W
Peak surge (when AC + fridge kick in): 4,000W+
This is where engineering thinking starts.

⚙️ STEP 2: Why We Chose a 4kVA 24V Gospower (100A MPPT)
We installed:
Inverter: 4kVA / 24V Gospower (built-in 100A MPPT)
Why not 3kVA? Because surge matters more than average load.
AC compressors and refrigerators don’t care about your inverter rating — they pull what they need on startup.
A 4kVA inverter gives:
Better surge handling
More headroom
Less stress on components
Longer lifespan
About the 100A MPPT
At 24V system: 100A MPPT × 24V ≈ 2,400W solar charging capacity (theoretical charging side)
This ensures:
Faster battery charging
Better harvesting even under partial cloud (common in Delta afternoons)
MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) is critical here — it extracts maximum usable power from the panels instead of wasting voltage like PWM controllers do.

🔋 STEP 3: Battery Bank Engineering
We used:
2 pcs 5kWh / 24V 200Ah batteries connected in parallel
Parallel connection keeps voltage at 24V but doubles capacity.
So:
24V system
400Ah total capacity
Energy storage ≈ 9.6kWh usable (depending on depth of discharge settings)
Why this size?
Client wanted:
Stable night power (no AC overnight)
Fridge, fans, TV, CCTV till morning
Night load estimated around: ~800–1,200W average
With proper battery management, this comfortably runs through the night without deep discharging — which is what kills batteries in many Warri installations.

☀️ STEP 4: Panel Sizing (12 × 450W Panels)
Total panel capacity: 450W × 12 = 5,400W (5.4kW)
Why 5.4kW?
Because in Delta State:
Heat reduces panel efficiency
Dust reduces output
Clouds reduce harvest
And real-world output is rarely nameplate rating
So we oversize panels slightly to ensure:
Batteries charge fully before 2–3pm
AC can run during the day directly from solar
Excess energy tops batteries
➕ Additional 60A Cworth MPPT Controller
Because of panel arrangement and roof layout limitations, we added:
60A Cworth MPPT charge controller for additional panel strings.
Why?
Instead of forcing all panels through one controller and risking imbalance or underutilization, separating arrays:
Improves harvest efficiency
Reduces MPPT stress
Provides redundancy
Allows better voltage configuration
This is something many installers ignore.
They focus on “how many panels” — not “how efficiently they’re managed.”
🧱 Special Challenge: Roof Space + Surge Planning
Roof space wasn’t perfectly aligned.
We had to:
Split panel orientation carefully
Ensure string voltage stayed within MPPT limits
Balance shading risks
Also, AC startup surge was a concern.
So wiring gauge, DC protection, and breaker sizing were carefully selected to prevent voltage drop — which is a silent killer of 24V systems.


❌ Common Mistakes I See in Similar Installations in Warri

Installing 3kVA inverter for AC load
Using only 2–4 panels and expecting miracles
Undersized batteries that die in 6 months
No proper surge planning
Poor cable sizing
No DC breakers or SPD protection
Wrong battery parallel configuration


Solar doesn’t fail. Poor engineering fails.