₦airaland Forum

Please does anyone know where I can get an electricity meter with RS485 communication ports?

abuzz33:
I have two ABB meters I used for something like this. Very rugged. Drop your digts.

Abuzz33, is this meter still available?

bassdow:
Don't. Mind you, when you mix 2 batteries of varying capacity and strength, the WEAKer would kill the STRONGer

I've seen some advanced mix of lead and lithium on YouTube. Some people said it can be done with good BMS or separating the two battery types, with the lithium acting as a charger.
There is a possibility of using a load-based function to stop the voltage sag of lead using the lithium, when large loads are applied.
I want to know any Naija man wey don do am.

bassdow:
@HeavenlyBang already gave you an appropriate response BUT still, you didn't tell us the voltage of your battery bank as Higher voltage banks tends to stress the battery lesser than their lower counterparts

Boss, na 48v bank

alosbaba007:
Yes yes and yes

I know a friend that has a 10kwh lithium and 4 tubular batteries connected in parallel together to a 6kva Growatt.

Everything is working fine no issues since march 2025 till today.

Please, do you have details on how he achieved this and what voltage settings he is using?

adrusa:
+-7

Nope, you will get into all sorts of trouble.

What kind of trouble? I have gone through several videos on YouTube that suggest it is possible. I want to find out the experience of anyone who has attempted it.

abuzz33:
Na firesale. Twenty k for the pair.

I'm interested. How can I contact you?

Please

Has anyone mixed lithium and lead acid batteries before in a safe manner?
I know you can't parallel them. I want to buy a 12V lithium battery with good BMS connect it to a 1800W step up converter 12v to 48v and use it as a DC source. Charging will be with an external charger as lithium and lead acid have different charge profiles.

Will this work?

HeavenlyBang:
That happens because lead acid has a very low continuous discharge rate. Generally under 0.2c, so for example loading two 150aH lead acid batteries (in a 24v setup) with anything more than 900w is asking for trouble, and it's only that high when the batteries are still new/in good shape.

1. No, it doesn't. In comparison, even the worst lithium battery is perfectly fine discharging at 0.5C. So a 150aH 24v lithium battery can handle 1.9kw pretty well, and a decent one would be fine even with 3.8kw load.

2. No reason why your inverter would trip, but that depends on the AC capacity, your battery capacity, and how long you plan on running it at night.

3. It's just a limitation of the chemistry. Lead-acid is ancient technology and no one should be buying lead acid in 2025.

Thanks for clarifying

Please, I'd like to ask a question regarding lithium vs Lead acid

I notice with my lead acid that when you put on a heavy device (>2000W) at night (no sunlight) the battery voltage keeps dropping until it goes below the inverter voltage trip point. However, the SOC may still be high > 95%.
1. Does this happen with lithium?
2. Can you use an AC at night and the inverter will not trip?
3. Are my batteries fake/substandard? Does it happen with all lead acid batteries?

Thanks in advance.

GloriousGbola:
Please name the riff raff who ripped you off. So future buyers who don't have your resources will not make the same mistake

My brother. This na cartel things. It's not just one dealer. It's a system. Your duty is to protect yourself.

How Nairaland Solar FTA thread has helped me:

This may be a long post, but I want to thank everyone on this thread for their help. Many people read stuff here anonymously, believe me.

So let me start. I bought 12 panels from a dealer (supposedly 450W each; Afri-something panel). I was happy initially but started noticing that my batteries (lead acid - 8 x 220Ah) were not being fully charged. During installation, I asked the dealer if LFP or lead acid was better. He said LFP was better but far more expensive, only for me to come here and find out that, considering all variables, LFP is cheaper (but that is a story for another day), so let me continue my panel story.

After looking at the data, I found out that the supposed 450W x 12 panels never exceeded 2700W, even during the dry season. I was expecting about 4500W (I did not mind the panels not reaching their 100% rate which would be 5400W or so), but 2700W was too low for me. The charge controller (CC) was rated 45A, so I concluded the CC was reducing the panel output. The inverter system was 48V, so that could not be the problem.

Later, I got a 100A CC but the power still did not increase. I washed the panels - no increase. I brought an installer to check the connections - no increase. That's when I realized that I had been sold a substandard panel. I complained to the dealer, but he said nothing was wrong with the panels (what else would he say?).

I could not use those panels because their very presence began to irritate me. I offloaded them (at an honest rate) to someone else and came here. It was here that I found that panel sellers were not doing good things to people. However, on one of the threads, Fouani and Techland were mentioned as legit panel sellers. I went with Techland. I bought 12 x 485W Jinko panels for less than I bought the useless 450W panels. On second day of installation, I saw 4800W. I was happy.

Later, the panels brought down 6200W (about 517W per panel; more than 100% of the rated power). The panels still produce well and charge the batteries to full when the sun is good.

I am happy and sad at the same time. I wish I had come here earlier. The dealer wasted my time, money, and emotions. Even the charge controller, the dealer sold to me, I have offloaded it. Only the batteries remain, as they seem to be the most expensive part of the system to replace. Anyway, I am happy I did not buy LFP from the man because I could have been sold 5kwh as 15kwh.

Moral of the story.
> Before you spend a lot of money on anything. Do your OWN due diligence.
> Many sellers and installers just want to sell, and DO NOT care about your subsequent frustrations.
> DO NOT trust sellers who have not been recommended by MANY people.
> Poor installations may not only lead to financial loss, they could lead to death, because people who cut corners, cut corners in EVERYTHING.
> It is YOUR money. Do not let anyone cajole you into buying pain and loss.

God bless.

The prices were not removed. It may be they want active sellers to pay for ads on nairaland, considering some have made substantial revenue here.

Price removal test:

12v 4kwh - 400 k
12v 2kwh - 350 k
24v 8kwh - 800 k
24v 7kwh - 700 k
48v 14kwh - 1.9 m
48v 16kwh - 2.1 m

bassdow:
Bottom line is, if you need NEW, I could help you arrange that BUT for Used, I would have to source for it.

I have emailed you

bassdow:
This 40amps in particular doesn't.

Do you have any 48V charge controller that has good communication (RS485) e.g. SRNE or DEYE clones?

bassdow:
Are you looking to Buy brand new or Used ?
The Used I know of is 40amps while the brand new I know of is not directly under my care. Also you're in Anambra while I'm in Lagos

Used is fine, if it is for 48V battery.

bassdow:
Are you looking to Buy brand new or Used ?
The Used I know of is 40amps while the brand new I know of is not directly under my care. Also you're in Anambra while I'm in Lagos

Is the 40A capable of charging a 48V system? The SRNE 40A chargers I know are unable to charge a 48v system; they max out at 24V?
How much is the person with the new one selling (for 48V system)?
Almost all goods come from Lagos, so distance shouldn't be a problem.

Anyone selling a 60A SRNE charge controller here?

After much thought, I have decided against getting a victron charge controller. Can I use a hybrid inverter as a charge controller? I need a 48v hybrid inverter with 3-5kw with robust communication options (RS485, ethernet)? Pls, I need help. Have a victron system, but don't want to be very tied to their ecosystem. Thanks in advance.

swagifted:
i have one... Bluesolar 150V/70A. But i want you test it and approve cause its used... Its actually paired to be sold with an 8KVA QUATRRO .... But i can sell separately.

Unfortunately, this won't work for me. I need the newer models.

swagifted:
are you in abuja?

Do you have a victron charge controller?

ola28:
I have epever 60ah used

Epever is difficult to integrate into the victron system.

bassdow:
Abeg no too dey loud this kind thing Ooo. Make people no go target you knowing fully well you don't have trust issues that much.

People like us dey paranoid by default. Even Jumia and Konga sef, na payOnDelivery though I don't patronize them but the first 2 attempts I made several years ago, na payOnDelivery Ooo. I no go gree drop a penny, not even for making call, let alone for transport/delivery even if na just part payment

I have never been cheated. God has helped me all these years. Somehow I am able to differentiate genuine and fake people just by interacting with them and assessing their online profile. If I get a check in my spirit, I do not transact. Overall, na God.

swagifted:
are you in abuja?

No, but that is not a problem at all. More than 95% of my solar installs have been bought online. I have hardly bought anything solar in person. If what you have is good and the price is good, then we're good.

swagifted:
which version

Anything that can handle 48V inverter. Preferably 150V/45A and above

Anyone with Victron charge controller?

No sun at all today. Worst output in the past 30 days

Mrreed:
16.8kwh, 1.7m
The equivalent in a wooden box is 1.550

Mr. Reed can your batteries communicate with victron inverters?
Daalu in advance

Please, I've noticed something about battery prices in the abroad vs Nigeria.
Abroad the price of Gel and Tubular is about half that of lithium, but in Nigeria, it's almost the same price. In fact, there seem to be no advantages of buying lead acid in Nigeria. Can anyone explain this discrepancy?
Daalu in advance

Ferdiwar:
This is something that comes up once in a seriously long while, so don't expect a fast response.

You can check online platforms like jiji for a used listing or a local shop within you location for a possible buy.

No wahala. Thanks for the feedback

mctfopt:
People with Ferrari are not many

Where do you place SRNE and Deye then? They are almost the same price with Victron