₦airaland Forum

GloriousGbola:
You will want a networking guy to block some sites on your network. Staff downloading tv shows and movies is what will kill your bandwidth. Speaking as an abuser of office internet

Awon VPN/Proxy users downloading the internet on your work network. Using multiple MAC addresses & IP to dodge firewalls and deep packet inspection. Sysadmin looking at you with serious side eye

FEGEITOK:
As usual you have been that resource person in electrical matters that I have to reference.

Thank you for your time.

By the way, you may recall our discussion about internet awhile back. I just subscribed to a dedicated 2Mbps service from Glo. Costs N41,000.00 monthly. Data cap is 1TB. If you exhaust the 1 TB before the 30 days is up, they dial you down to 512kbps but the internet does not shut down.

Should be activated by the end of the week.

Will tell you if it is worth the cost.

Ah !!! That's quite a lot o.

Just got connected to FTTH by one of the internet service providers in my estate. I paid N65,000 for the connection and their unlimited Classic 30mbps internet speed at N21,380 and the speed has been consistent so far with highest latency of 148ms observed so far. I might upgrade to the 60mbps bundle for more speed for online gaming and that is gonna be just N28,891. I highly advise you contact the fibre providers in your areas to know of their service coverage. Abuja has been mainly covered including parts of the outskirts with fibre.

Godliftedme:
Thanks, these will be high end batteries, are there medium cost with good value

You can also do the following:

1. Eastmaann
2. Luminous
3. Genus
4. Lento

Here, Fixed it for you guys. Enjoy !!!

CANADIAN 670w AVAILABLE !!

Canadian 670w solar panel now available.

Price : N197,657


For further enquiry & purchase;
Contact,
Gennex Technologies Limited
CALL LINE: 08179464060
Website: https://shop.gennextechnologies.com/

papiTwist:
Thanks for your help.
Can you please send me the link to join the DIY Nigeria telegram group on 07035383828.

Secondly, will the ratings on the pictures you attached be perfect for protecting 5kva/48v inverters?

Done sir. As for whether the SPD listed are sufficient for a 5kva/48v system, i suggest you contact your installer and read up more on the different brands and options available.

papiTwist:
Hello Good People,

My 5kva/48v inverter suffered lightning damage a few weeks ago. I’ve spent some reasonable amount of money in the course of the repair, and I wouldn’t want to have a similar experience again.

Please I need a help on how best I can protect the inverter from lightning damage. I would appreciate any device (with price) that can help me achieve this protection.

Thank you all in anticipation to your kind response.

This has been discussed extensively some pages back and on the DIY Nigeria Telegram group. A lot of times people forget or overlook the safety aspect of their installations forgetting that Sango, Thor & Amadioha belong to the same whats app group and start doing press up during the rainy season looking for who's inverter to smite. For any basic installation you are first and foremost expected to have a functional earth system installed in your house. You may be using an ELCB or RCCB depending on what was installed. Test it and ensure that it is functional by a qualified electrician. You may wish to also install a lightning arrestor to serve as an potential pathway for any strikes Thor might send your way. Finally for your system, you are expected to install Surge Protection Devices (SPD) at both the DC side from your charge controller and AC side input from the grid. This can significantly help your chances of recovery from an indirect strike. But ultimately there is nothing you can do to prevent any damage from a direct strike on your house. You can order directly online from AliExpress or from some of the retailers here advertising on the thread. Hope this helps a bit.

brightk:
Btw jinko and Canadian panels which is better.. Apart from gennex, any reliable seller for original canadian panels

Techland Solar is also a reputable seller of Canadian Solar Panels. Canadian Solar panels are slightly above the average than Jinko but they are all Tier 1 rated panels with authorized dealers in the country so you can't go wrong with either one.

Juror:
You're simply just diverting from the main issue by bringing up history which you also profited from.

This particular case is simple. He required that you deliver the battery by a timeframe which you didn't meetup with (either your fault or not), yet you want him to suffer on two counts, his integrity because he couldn't deliver to the hospital which was a life threatening situation, you want him to lose funds after he has found an alternative.
You could've simply returned the battery back to the main seller you sourced it from or even try to pacify your customer and reach an agreement which wouldn't allow the matter come here but it looks like you don't always really seem to care about your end users, they must always take the fall, especially when money has changed hands.

This last part is the reason why i have never bothered to patronize our local sellers here flooding the forum daily with their adverts without any meaningful contribution to this body of knowledge. They promise and sweet talk but once money has changed hands it turns into a different ball game entirely. For those of us up country, who do you turn to for help ? Yes, i can listen to "some" recommendations from reputable users with long term history and reputations to protect but last last the risk always lies on your head. The fact that a seller needs to always go and get stuff from other sellers and doesn't have a shop with stock is a red flag for me. Trust is rare these days especially for us in Nigeria which is why your better off sometimes buying directly from the retailers/dealers rather than middle men adding up costs to make a buck.

ask4bk:
Hi,
Seems you know well about batteries ao pls let me ask you.

I've 6 lead acid batteries of 200ah 12v each I use offgrid. They are connected to use in 24v inverter.

Been using it for 1 year now without nepa or generator but fully solar and it's has never gone off.

Good thing is, it has never gone beyond 20% DoD. During the day it's fully charged. At night I sleep with it at 25.6v and by morning it's still at 25.0v-25.2v. Impressive. That's like over 90% charge before sun charges it again all day.

My question is, being lead acid and never hitting 50% Dod, do you think it can last me 5-7 years? I'm asking coz I was told no matter how you use lead acids, after 2-3 years they'll die or be weak.

Six (6) lead acid 12v batteries of 200ah for a 24v battery system makes it connecting two (2) batteries in series to make 24v with the amp maintained at 200ah. You will get 3 battery banks. Then connecting those battery banks in parallel to increase the amperage to 600ah. That's a massive capacity upgrade for your 24v system. So, key things to note:

1. What type of lead acid batteries do you have ? Tubular or AGM ? This will affect your charging profile and usage to a large extent.

2. What's the charging specifications of the batteries as written by the manufacturer and are you hitting those numbers.

3. Temperature and storage of the batteries affects life span, so where you are keeping your batteries can affect them.

4. Finally, for me the DoD rule your following is very commendable. This is what actually kills lead acid batteries in Nigeria faster than the above mentioned issues i raised.If you can maintain this and your battery is from a reputable brand with good quality control and not those cheap Alaba knockoffs then yes, your batteries can last you that long. @bigbrovar is one of our resident long term user of lead acid batteries and maintained very good DoD for his batteries which made them to last long.

oloet:
Cool story but this your trenches has a car and a solar inverter system I don go oooo!

So, if the Senior Chairmen with Victron's and large LifeP04 banks arrive, say wetin go happen then ?

Baba will grow from the trenches to a big mansion soon. His time will come

Hmmm, Selina, Selina......

From the stories starting to emerge from some people here, one needs to be very careful with the type of sellers one conducts business with. Especially when they claim to be more affordable than others leading them to leave you hanging when issues arise. It's also important to pay them within the Ali Baba system as it gives more protection than going "offline" and settling the business. When issues arise you have no where to go to seek redress. I always leave reviews and feed backs on sellers pages on any site that i buy items from. My ratings on shipping times, packaging, cost, quality can serve as historical evidence to any potential new buyer trying to conduct business with the seller. My main issue i have with some people is when they are ordering and things are going well, you don't hear about it here. When things now go bad or there are issues we all come rushing to the thread to complain. It is well with us.

osayuwamwen:
Finally installed my 1.5kva solar system

Congratulations Boss on your setup. The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

My own ideal setup will have been to replace the Solar Panels with (Yingli 450W) which are both high quality and budget friendly compared to these no name chinese brands that eventually start losing capacity quickly. Replace the 1.5kva inverter with the Schneider Homaya and the solar charge controller with a Powmr 60A. Make sure that your panels are connected in series as some kazeem installers can be funny

Tubular batteries like to be charged very well and not be left in a partial state so ensure that your battery is full to the recommended voltage as specified by the manufacturer. Don't be putting heavy loads on the inverter before it is finished charging. Battery is meant for night use so allow the panels to charge the battery well first. Also, check your electrolyte (water) levels regularly and top off with distilled water.

queenfav:
Good evening house,pls is there any protective device i can get to protect my inverter and solar set up from thunderstorms?

Yes, there and this has been discussed extensively several pages back. You may wish to use the search function.

But briefly, make sure that that your house distribution board has a functioning earth connection and that your ELCB/RCCB trips (you may need to have that checked out by a trained professional). You can also purchase Surge Protection Devices and install them both at the AC side (from NEPA) and on the DC side (from your solar charge controller). Your solar panels on the roof must also be properly connected to your earth system via copper cables to ensure that they are properly grounded and tested. There is a cost to this and the need for a trained professional but trust me it is far cheaper than burnt equipment.

Sunnystooth:
I don plead tire... Please house help with recommendations naaa, I don't want to make mistake again.

A good 24V 3.5KVA inverter with budget around 250k naira.

Thanks.

Call HM Solar 08034490636 For SRNE Inverter 3.3kva 24v 500vDC Hybrid inverter N237,000

TechGeek777:
Hello house below is our recently installed pump spec with depth of 180FT.

I need 3.5kva 24v/48v inverter with toroidal transformer and at least 2x surge rating.

kindly recommend inverter that can carry this pump.

Name: ASTRAL submersible motor
Type: 4SD1100S
Horsepower = 1.5hp
Voltage = 220v
Current = 8.8a
45uf/450v
Power = 1.1kw
Frequency = 50hz
Cos 0.93

You can check out this Hober product if it fit your needs https://hobertek.com/solar-pump-inverter/hsph3700h-3-7kw/

You might need to order online though direct or from AliExpress.

Ah !!! Dis one that Sorotec is receiving woto-woto left right and centre like this......

I don't think Felicity Inverters have received this kain bashing maybe their batteries.

abbey086:
Please, I will like to get your input on Eastman tubular battery in terms of qualitywise. Does the battery worth investing on?

Another solid battery brand with good warranty especially for Tubular Lead acid batteries. Better than Luminous in my opinion. They have authorized resellers across the country you can buy from and provide support/warranty issues. But don't forget that Tubular batteries don't like to be discharged beyond 50% of their capacity and need periodic maintenance (electrolytes). https://eastmannigeria.com/

viperVIP:
Good day everyone, I have a concern. with the increase in size of a single pv panel capacity now up to 600watts panel, does this not make the panel more fragile without having frames in between to brace the 4 edges? and the weight also considering lifting them on high roofs. Has anyone thought about this before?

I am guessing you might be referring to the 600W HiKu7 Canadian Solar panel currently sold by Techland and Gennex. This panel alone weights 31kg. So, if you have 10 of them on your roof you have added 310kg onto your roof. An average bag of rice is 50kg so that is equivalent to about 6 bags of rice on your roof. This is apart from the aluminum rack mount system that will need to be installed to place the solar panels on them thereby adding more weight. The 600W panels are mainly considered for utility installations (solar power plants) and not residential use even though they can be used for that. The main range for residential solar panels are from 72HC cells to 144HC. in wattage that's from about 350W - 450W. Anything beyond that range and your entering the big boys leagues. However, the major advantage that these panels offer is that they reduce the need for more panels to achieve higher wattage. And they come with larger wafer sizes for the cells making them generate more power faster. However, you must first make sure that your roof can be able to withstand the stress of such a heavy load before install. They are not fragile in the sense as they are built with quality in mind but its the weight that they add on your roof that is the issue. Those whose roofing beams are inadequate to handle the load should not be installing such huge panels. However, they also have some advantages to consider. Kindly check out the link below:

https://www.cleanenergyreviews.info/blog/most-powerful-solar-panels

bodeface:
Happy Sunday to everyone!
Please, I need help from experienced installers, users and DIYs.

I am planning to upgrade my inverter system, am looking at buying a 5KW 48V Hybrid inverter (with solar DC input of 450V minimum), I have read of so many brands, I am trying to leverage on the experience of the forum to know which brand and model is considered stable, low idle consumption, compatible with lithium battery (future plan), low failure rate and the cost is within 350 - 400K (slight increase above budget could be accommodated for value and reliability)

Experienced seniors, pls help with brand and models based on experience, these toys aren't cheap anyone, one has to choose wisely.

Try out the new SRNE HES4855S100-H with 500 VOC built in MPPT. It can power up to 4HP loads and has an ECO mode for low idle consumption. Its selling price as at Dec 2022 was N600,000. But they have an authorized dealer (HM Solar) that can handle warranty and repair issues if you encounter any.

Milito:
Thank you.

Please do you or anyone here have any experience with Index NXT Lead Acid battery? Is it a good battery?

I've always been using Full River Batteries, but I'm considering using this Index NXT as that is what Prag is offering for sale with the inverter I want to purchase from them.

Full River vs Index NXT batteries. Please what is the verdict folks?

The Index brand of batteries are also a very good brand of lead acid batteries. They also have an authorized reseller in Nigeria Multipower Global Solutions. I just hope that the ones Prag are going to supply you are the genuine ones. But your in good hands with Index.

bigrovar:
Nope. They are essentially using the same technology and have similar efficiency. The difference between them is pretty much negligible heck Techland sell all of Longi, Canadian Solar, JA and Jingo at the same exact price per watt. In my case, I went with the Canadian solar when I wanted to upgrade because the specification had slightly better heat tolerance but I can assure you, you can't go wrong with either.

Can you explain a bit more on this heat tolerance issue and why that was a deciding factor for you ? Is it that major of a differentiator when choosing between those range of panels (JA Solar, Jinko, Trina) ?

FEGEITOK:
What's the consensus on GA Solar?

As good as Jinko?

I am guessing you are referring to JA Solar.

They are also a Tier-1 rated solar panel. Their 550W panel and above use their Deep Blue 3.0 technology.

However, i also highly recommend Trina Solar Panels. They have an authorized distributor Solarpowertal & website you can order from.

They currently stock 380W and 540W panels. I particularly like the 540W Vertex panels because they have the largest cells at 210mm compared to the competition.

FEGEITOK:
No contest.

However ever since one bad experience I am extremely worried about connecting poor quality equipment to my electrical circuits.

I was enjoying listening to music on my high end audio amplifier worth thousands of dollars. I was the only one who had power. My neighbor knocked and begged me to help charge her phone. The moment I connected that phone charger to the same outlet as my amplifier, my amplifier went bad. A post mortem indicated that one of the channels died.

Since then I am worried about the quality of the equipment connected to my outlets.

So while RCCBs protect against shock, I imagined all the worst things that can happen if I bought a fake RCCB.

That was why I had to be personally involved in buying the RCCB.

Might have been a coincidence but until then why didn't the amplifier fail?

Hehehe Hard luck.

This is why i have a Anker Multi-charger in my house and don't use anybody's charger to charge their phones. Just give me your phone and i will charge it for you even faster probably than your chinko charger.

Ikiriye:
Greetings guys,
Plz I need recommendations good and affordable 100amps mppt charge controller

You can also try out the SRNE 100am Solar Charge Controller - Last price i know of Nov 2022 it was going for around N195,000

Valto:
YINGLI is a very good panel!

Seconded. My first option if i am not going for premium solar panels like Jinko, Canadian Solar, Trina.

It shall not end well the way some installers slapstick components together for peoples installation and promptly after collecting their hard earned money proceed to form busy and ignore calls from customers. And because components are new, they will tolerate some level of abuse before promptly failing.

From the recent comments i have been seeing a lot of people it seems are using their generators to charge their batteries using the inverters internal charger. While there is nothing inherently wrong with using a generator to charge your batteries with your inverter, you need to make sure certain safety precautions and parameters are set before blowing up certain components of your system. I would like to assume that majority of the members here are using a pure sine wave inverter which outputs a clean voltage of 220-230v 50hz to your appliances. However, it doesn't like the voltage fluctuations, frequency shifts and spikes that a lot of "some" peoples generators output thereby damaging their inverters. Your generators alternator must be outputting a steady voltage to the inverter. You need to check and ensure the voltage and frequency coming out of the output of your generator going to the inverter, some inverters will refuse to charge and reject such dirty voltages but ultimately will blow a component so lets be very, very careful with the types of generators we use for charging. Generators with the AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator) function are designed to maintain a consistent voltage level, causing it to be less likely to damage sensitive equipment. Named brands like Honda, Thermocool, Sumec, Fireman etc have this AVR built in but confirm to be sure that the voltage is within specs and adjusted if necessary.

NiyiOmoIyunade:
Egbon. If you choose to afford it, Victron is a worthwhile investment any day that will pay back several fold.

The Victron 5kva Multiplus is rated for 4kw at 25 degC and then derates accordingly to ~3kw at 65 degC BUT the transformer and internals are actually rated for 5kW load for 30 minutes or until the over temperature protection kicks in.

Technical note is that the over temperature protection kicks in ahead of any possible damage to the internals (before you actually have an electrical overload)

The surge rating for starting heavy appliances is of course excellent and you may not easily match it in a cheaper inverter.

In practice I have several sites that run 5kVa multiplus at a constant 3,500w in an unregulated room and no trouble - what we typically do is to separate the consumers into essentials powered from AC out 1 and large loads powered from the secondary AC out 2 - if you try to power perhaps a second AC off the secondary AC out and the inverter was already near peak loading, it would simply drop the supply to the large loads but lights and essentials stay on - so with a judicious use of 'assistant' programming you can govern the system and prevent overloading the output supply.

Pertinent to note that AC Out 2 can also run off mains and totally bypass the inverter and battery stage and in case of mains failure will just drop the large loads after say 60 seconds or as you program it.

Of course all our designs include external overcurrent protection apart from the robust safety provided by inverter logic.

In summary when they say their 5kVa inverter can run 4000w sustained and 5kW for 30 minutes at 25degC they indeed mean what they say - your ocassional burst loads will present no trouble at all.

Thank you Egbon Niyi for the feedback on this derating issue. My concern is can i run continuous loads over 4000w as an example above lets say 34C which is today's ambient temp for Abuja or will the inverter refuse to power the load ? I don't want to provide additional cooling for the inverter so it will be subjected to our average ambient temps.

bigrovar:
Hey God, you are just putting more and more pressure on me to go full Victron. Keep giving me reasons to complete the migration—hopefully this year sha.

Just have one question about Multiplus. One thing which has held ME back is the heat duration. e.g A 5kw Inverter produces 3.7kw if the temperature is at 40c and about 3000w if internal temp is at 60c. How much have your experienced this in practise and do you consider this a hold back feature for those in tropical environment like Nigeria.

This !!! This power derating issue is also a point of concern apart from the intial cost of the inverter. With average temps over 30C even with the harmattan weather here in Abuja, your 5kva Victron inverter is essentially a glorified 3.7kva inverter. And at that price and performance, my wallet cannot justify such expenditure. I however tap into Bigbrovars grace to also buy Victron when the Lord blesseth my wallet. Egbon Niyi, please keep on preaching the blue gospel. Your ministry shall flourish together with Nigeria's GDP

abbeymighty:
Please did SRNE have customer care in lagos in case any fault and how is their response to customer. thanks

The company listed below is their authorised reseller licensed by SRNE to sell their products and handle any warranty issues. The company in conjunction with SRNE recently had a booth at the Nigeria-Energy expo that held recently in Lagos.