Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis..

The following books are very helpful for the newbies. It takes care of the basics including earthing to avoid damages due to lightening. solar-energy-handbook.pdf 4MB currentratings.pdf 154kB schneider-earthing.pdf 451kB surge-protection-overvoltage-devices.pdf 1MB

Safety is the number one consideration in any installation. What can possibly go wrong if an installation is not done right? Fire - usually when wrong wire size or equipment is used. Electric shock - when there is current leakage due to insulation failure or poor earthing. Damage to equipment - due to improper earthing, overloading, poor installation etc Dissatisfaction - installation not meeting expectations Inability to recoup cost (low return)

Chief, na only you waka come😁😁

earthrealm Welcome one of my solar guru and mentor. I sight you. Please join me in sharing from your wealth of experience.

earthrealm silently following the class

How does solar system work All solar power systems work on the same basic principles. Solar panels first convert solar energy or sunlight into DC power using what is known as the photovoltaic (PV) effect. The DC power can then be stored in a battery or converted by a solar inverter into AC power which can be used to run home appliances. Depending on the type of system, excess solar energy can either be fed into the electricity grid for credits, or stored in a variety of different battery storage systems. For the different battery types, see https://www.kobocity.com/d/36-which-battery-is-the-best-value-for-money-wise/11

What make up a solar system installation A typical solar system setup will have the following components. solar panels: to covert solar energy into electrical energy DC circuit breaker or fuse , DC surge arrester, DC disconnect switch, blocking diode: disconnect switch is to prevent flow of current to the upstream system in case of maintenance. Breaker or fuse to protect the wiring from excessive current and the protect the solar panel in case of unintended flow of back current. Surge arrester to protect inverter and household appliances from lightening. Blocking diode is necessary when you have more than 2 string of solar in the same circuit. combiner box: usually houses the DC safety devices above and ensure that 2 or more strings of solar are combined neatly solar charge controller CC: the voltage and current from the solar panels fluctuates as solar isolation changes through the course to the day. CC converts this fluctuating voltage into a steady voltage that the inverter or battery can accept. power inverter: coverts the DC voltage from the CC/battery into AC that appliances in the house can use. battery: stores energy (DC) for later use. AC breaker and SC disconnect switch and SC surge arrester (functions in similar manner as the DC counterpart) mounting kit for the solar panel and wire Note: some inverters have charge controller inbuilt thus eliminating the need to buy them separately.

The three main types of solar power systems On-grid - also known as a grid-tie or grid-feed solar system Off-grid - also known as a stand-alone power system (SAPS) Hybrid - grid-connected solar system with battery storage Second image is an example of grid tie setup.

Planning your system The first step in planning your setup is to do load analysis. You must find out your daily energy need. You must also determine how much energy you consume between the hour of 4pm and 8am (usually called night time energy usage). You must also find out how much power your appliances consume at startup. Determine if you will be totally off-grid. If you’ll be totally off-grid, you also have to decide to run your power hungry load during the day except you’re very big pocket wise 😂 There may be other things to consider on a personal level (eg is it a rented apartment, can you mount your panel on the roof etc)

In the coming days, I’ll work through a typical design and planing for a household that consumes 100kWhr of energy from the national grid in a month going completely Off-grid. The household has the following appliances with high surge startup power - 1hp water pumping machine 7kw startup surge, fridge 1.2kw startup surge, freezer 1.5kw startup surge. Other appliances with low startup current requirement are not listed.

Solar Energy for Beginners

mank1234

Major equipment list for the 100kW monthly energy consumption with maximum of 2kWhr daily night time consumption and 9.7kW maximum opportunistic startup surge is (totally Off-grid) :

5kW inverter with 2x surge capability
80A MPPT charge controller
9 to 10 300W solar panels
4 200AH12V lead acid battery (9.6kWhr) or 5kWhr Lithium battery

mank1234

Dijita equipment list is listed here: mank1234
Cost varies depending on your pocket size.
Inverter. You can check one of this verified sites:
https://prag.global/buyright-nigeria/
https://solarshopnigeria.com/
https://www.solardepotng.com/

Dijita

Thank you very much. This is very helpful.
Please can you give a summary of equipment and labor cost

Dijita

mank1234 thanks

mank1234

Tips On Going Solar

Use energy efficient appliances especially the inverter type. Inverter type appliances has no startup surge power requirements. This will not only enable you to choose a lower sized inverter, it will also extend longevity of the inverter as well as lower your overall energy requirement.
get programing appliances that can be programmed to run while the sun is shinning whether you’re at home or not. Example dishwasher, water heater and washing machine can be programmed to work when your battery is full or when the sun is at its peak.
put off appliances that are not in used using manually or using automation.
if finances allow use lifepo4 (Lithium) battery, it will pay off in the long run.
Use energy efficient inverter (one with low self consumption). This will reduce drain on your battery and also reduce the quantity of solar panel you need for your setup.

Lastweek1

mank1234 please can you recommend some nice durable batteries with their price in the market? Planning to buy 2 batteries and 3kv inverter to start with it because we always have 12 to 16 hours of light in my area everyday.
thank you

administrator

Thank You 🙏🏻

administrator

quanta amaron 200AH 12V battery
prag 3kva inverter

Check solarshopnigeria.com or solardepotng.com for price.

Wilmaria14

mank1234 I sell too sir with best price

Lastweek1

mank1234 thank you

Lastweek1

mank1234 how about lithium lifepo4 200ah battery?

Wilmaria14

Hello

brabus

Wilmaria14 the platform is there for you to showcase your products and installations.

Take advantage of the opportunities and get ready to meet clients who are ready to buy.

mank1234

Lastweek1 it’s better than the one I suggested earlier. I am not too sure if prag can charge lifepo4 battery.
You can opt for Felicity (for both lifepo4 battery and inverter).

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