Solar energy
How to Create Solar Power at Home in Lagos Without Being Scammed
NEPA takes light 6 times a day. Gen dey drink fuel like water. Solar is the only way, but installers in Lagos will quote you 2 million for what costs 400k.
I built mine for 180k. Runs my fan, lights, TV, and charges 4 phones. Here’s exactly how.
1. What You Actually Need to Start Small
Forget those 1kVA packages. Start with this “Student Setup” first:
- 1 Solar Panel 150W - ₦55,000 at Alaba. Mono panels work better in Lagos heat.
- 1 Battery 100AH - ₦85,000. Buy “dry cell” not water battery. Water own dey die in 8 months.
- 1 Charge Controller 20A - ₦12,000. This stops your battery from exploding. Don’t skip it.
- 1 Inverter 500W - ₦28,000. Runs fan + bulbs + TV. Not fridge.
- Wires + Holder - ₦10,000. Use thick 6mm wire or you’ll lose power.
Total: ₦190,000. This runs 3 LED bulbs + 1 standing fan + TV for 6 hours at night.
2. Where Lagos People Get Scammed
Scam #1: “200W panel” na actually 80W. Carry small multimeter from Computer Village ₦3k. Test before you pay. If it shows less than 18V in sun, it’s fake.
Scam #2: “Solar installer” wey no sabi wire. They connect battery straight to panel. 2 weeks later your ₦85k battery is dead. Always use charge controller.
3. How to Connect It - No Electrician Needed
1. Put panel on roof facing where sun dey 10am to 3pm.
2. Run wire from panel to “PV” on charge controller.
3. Run wire from “Battery” on controller to your battery.
4. Connect inverter to battery directly.
5. Done. If controller shows green light, you’re charging.
Warning: Never connect panel straight to battery. It will overcharge and can catch fire. I’ve seen it happen in Surulere.
4. How to Expand Later
After 3 months, buy one more 150W panel and one more 100AH battery. Connect them. Now you can run small fridge in daytime.
Don’t let any installer lie to you that you need ₦800k to start. Start small. Upgrade when NEPA frustrates you again.
You have questions? Drop them in comment. I dey Lagos too. I’ll reply.
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