Things You Should Consider Before Solar Equipment Installation

Introduction

Before this article, we had previously considered “Renewable energy in Nigeria” in general terms. We also looked at the basic for “why renewable energy installations have failed”. Right now, we are going to be taking a dive into things you ought to know and consider before subscribing into renewable energy systems for your homes, offices and sites.

If you have not read the previous articles, I suggest you do so using the buttons below, just so you can fully comprehend the totality of where we started in conjunction to what this article is set to cover. Let’s dive in…

When the purpose of a thing is not determined and known, it’s easy to get things twisted fast and out of focus and then accompanied by bad decision. Let us take at a few questions to consider as guides.

Why do I need to have renewable energy equipment installed?

There are two major reasons why one would want to install renewable energy equipment. One of such reasons is to augment for when there is power outage The other is to be solely dependent and reliant on solar energy for power in your home, office or site Other reasons may include, saving cost on electricity bill, reducing cost of running, fueling and maintenance of petrol/diesel generator, trends, technological advancement, peer pressure, societal influence, productivity and others. Whatever your reason is, make sure it is a good one.

On the average, how much power do I consume per day?

After figuring out what your reason is, the next thing is to calculate, on the average, how much power you use up in a day, as this will help you determine what capacity of equipment to go for – talking about the Inverter that will be used to power the entire house, office or site. And to do this, you need to take notes of all the equipment you usually would have powered on the entire day. While some stay on all day, others go off for some time and vice versa. Electrical appliances such as blenders, computers, TVs, DVD players, lights, refrigerators, iron, fans, air conditioning systems and washing machine have their power ratings usually documented somewhere around their outer bodies, especially behind or on the side. It is best to document them all on paper and then calculate the total capacity in watts. We will cover in a later article how to go about this calculation properly.

What is this project worth to you?

Figuring out what the project is worth to you will help determine how much financial resources you can allocate to it. There are several equipment manufacturers in the world and all with varying quality, performance and costs. As we know, the best of equipment comes at a higher cost.

Research:

This is very vital. While determining all of the above, you should take time out to search the internet via google or your preferred search engine for what you are about to embark on, check out all it entails, this will help guide your decisions. Even if you might not have the technical know-how, it is equally important for you to know and understand a thing or two about it. Check out brands and pricing of some of the equipment required for the project you are about to embark on. This will help you understand the value and pick the quality of equipment you desire as well as help you determine what is obtainable based on your budget. If you do not already have a budget, this will help you determine that as well.

Look for and consult with the right people/professionals:

Looking for the right professionals to consult, get quotes from and have install your renewable energy equipment can be tricky. If you have done your research as stated above, based on internet searches, also get testimonies of friends and or colleagues if possible, acquaintances that you know have implemented what you intend to do, talking to them about what it cost them, who procured and installed for them, how well and efficient the equipment functions and all that will guide you tremendously. This way it’s easy to receive a quote from an organization or professional and know if the costs are outrageous or not, mediocre or not. Believe me you do not want to spend money on equipment and installation, that won’t stand the test of time or give commensurate value of cost made, this will be wasted investment.

Read product manuals and documentations:

Well, this part will most likely come into play after you have purchased your equipment. There are manuals that would always come with such equipment. After installation and testing, the professionals, should offer you some form of training that includes what you need to know based on how to use your equipment for maximum lifespan and performance. Make it a point of duty also to go through user manuals. You may not understand the technicalities but there is a section that always covers equipment usage practices that are best for your equipment based on how they have been designed to function. You cannot assume same for all brands and models as technology and design vary. Although, they share similarities.

In the next article...

I believe this has taken you a step further in preparation to subscribing to the installation and usage of renewable energy equipment.

Next Up

A list of the basic equipment and what role/function they play in providing you with power in your homes, offices and sites.

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