Table of Contents
Cost of Inverter Installation?
The cost of inverter installation in Nigeria in 2024 depends on how the inverter is installed. Due to the epileptic supply of power in Nigeria and many Nigerians being accustomed to using power generators, the idea of inverter installation is not common. If you want an inverter installed in your house, it means you want a set of batteries in your house to store power and an inverter to convert the power in the battery to something your household appliances can use. The process involves you deciding how the battery is going to be charged, and which appliances in the house you want the inverter to transfer power to. You can decide to charge your inverter with normal electricity, power from solar panels, or even a generator.
Once all these are decided, then you can get a professional inverter installer to help you with deciding where the batteries should be placed and how much it will cost to get and install the inverter. Because inverter installation is not so common, most houses do not have their electricity design made to accommodate an inverter. This is why you need an inverter installer to help you figure out how it can be done. Although, it is possible for every house that can use electricity to have an inverter. The price range for inverter installation is ₦45,000 – ₦130,000.
Types of Power Inverters
- Sine wave inverter: This type of inverter gives the same output as a power generator by producing sine waves. So, it can be used by household appliances. It has a major advantage because all the equipment that we use today is designed to support the sine wave. So with this, you can be assured that most of your appliances will work to their full specifications. Although, it doesn’t work well with equipment that has AC motors (microwaves and refrigerators) and it is not suitable for very sensitive home appliances. It costs from ₦450,000 – ₦850,000 to get sine wave inverters in Nigeria.
- Pure sine wave: This type of inverter produces a pure sine wave because it uses filters to filter out all harmonics leaving only a pure 50Hz sine wave. This process makes the device very complex to fabricate. This is most suited for house appliances that are very sensitive like the newer LED televisions, CFL light bulbs, and appliances with AC motors (microwaves and refrigerators). It is capable of producing smoother, cleaner, silent, and more reliable electricity. The pure sine wave is the most expensive type of inverter as it will cost ₦1,500,000 – ₦12,000,000 to get in Nigeria.
- Square wave inverter: This is the old type of inverter and it is not so common presently. It is okay if you want to use it for charging batteries. It also works well with simple appliances with universal motors and it costs around ₦90,000 – ₦200,000.
Note: All these types of inverters can work with different power sources like solar, power generators, or PHCN.
Which Type of Inverter is The Best?
There are so many things to consider when deciding which type of inverter is the best for you since there are different types, brands, sizes, and models of inverters available. It is important to understand that there is nothing like the best inverter as each type can serve a specific function better than the other. So the purpose of using the inverter will determine what type of inverter will be best for you. You will also consider the size, type, and amount of load you want it to carry. It is advised to contact a professional inverter installer to discuss what inverter will be best for you.
Moreover, it is important to note that the square wave inverter is not suitable for use in a house. It would be preferable to get the sine wave or pure sine wave inverter. It is safer to allow a professional inverter installer to recommend a brand that would be suitable for your purpose to avoid selecting a brand of inverter that wouldn’t last long.
Cost of Inverter Batteries in Nigeria
If you have decided what type of inverter to get, one thing you also have to consider is the battery you want to use. You might have used a battery that doesn’t store as much power as it used to. You can decide to change them. Below is the current price of different inverter batteries in Nigeria.
| Battery Rating | Price Range |
|---|---|
| 12V/100Ah | ₦55,500 – ₦200,000 |
| 12V/150Ah | ₦150,000 – ₦250,000 |
| 12V/200Ah | ₦200,000 – ₦350,000 |
| 2V/500Ah | ₦150,000 – ₦350,000 |
| 2V/600Ah | ₦150,000 – ₦350,000 |
| 2V/750Ah | ₦250,000 – ₦400,000 |
| 2V/1500Ah | ₦370,000 – ₦450,000 |
Benefits of Inverter Installation in Nigeria
- Environment friendly: The power inverter doesn’t emit smoke nor does it make noise. So it doesn’t pollute the environment. If you are living in an estate in Nigeria where people are paying more to live in a safe and serene environment, the only option you have for constant electricity is to install a power inverter.
- No voltage fluctuation: One of the problems with normal electricity and power generators is voltage fluctuation. High voltage would end up damaging your home appliances. With an inverter, you can ensure that the voltage will be regularized.
- Constant electricity: The purpose of having an inverter is to always have electricity to power certain devices, appliances, or machines that need to be used constantly. It becomes a useful backup when there is no power or load shedding.
- Save money: When an inverter is properly installed, it will help you save money in the long run because you won’t have to spend money on buying petrol for years. Although it might seem costly at first, it eventually helps you save money.
- Independent of petrol price surge and scarcity: Any Nigerian can tell how frustrating it is when the petrol price becomes ridiculous but you still have to buy it because you need it for backup power. This frustration would be worse when petrol is scarce, even if you have the money to buy it you might still not get petrol. Installing an inverter saves you from all this stress.
Using a Power Inverter Against Using a Power Generator
One of the tough decisions for many Nigerians is to choose between a power inverter and a power generator. This can be tedious when you have a lot to consider before making this decision. We would be helping with some advantages and disadvantages of using both.
| Generator | Inverter |
|---|---|
| It is very noisy | It produces little or no sound |
| The combustion causes pollution and also stains its environment this | This doesn’t emit any harmful gases |
| It is cheap | It is costly |
| A generator requires a lot of effort to maintain | An inverter doesn’t require any effort especially if used as instructed within |
| Within 5 years you might have to change the engine | It can last up to 10 – 15 years before you change the battery generators generators |
| Generators need petrol or diesel to be used | Inverters need their battery to be charged before it can be used |
Factors That Influence The Cost of Inverter Installation in Nigeria
- Location: The location of the inverter installer is something you need to consider, as the transport cost would be added to the cost of installation. So you want to get inverter installers near you. This means that inverter companies in Lagos should also have inverter installers in Lagos.
- Position of inverter: The inverter needs to be kept in a place that is well-ventilated and dry. This seems like an easy task to achieve but the location of the inverter can be far from the appliances it needs to power. It will cost more to connect the inverter to appliances over longer distances.
- Poor house circuitry: Many people in Nigeria don’t pay attention to how the house they stay in is wired. Poor electrical wiring happens when electricians are not monitored or when they rush a job. This will pose a problem when you want to install an inverter because it will be difficult to connect the inverter to the appliances in the house.
- Inverter accommodation: Even though every building that uses electricity can use an inverter, it will cost a lot less to install it in buildings that were built to accommodate an inverter. This means that there is a designed location for it and the circuit is already connected to accommodate the inverter. In this case, all you need to do is get the inverter, and the batteries and then make an easy connection.
How to Save Money on Inverter Installation
- Bargain: If you know how to bargain, you can convince an inverter installer to install your inverter at a lower price. However, if you want your inverter to power two (1Hp) ACs, a refrigerator, a TV, a washing machine, and a microwave. You should expect to spend over ₦400,000 to get everything you need.
- Reduce inverter load: You will save more money if you allow the inverter to only power necessary devices. This means you can get a cheaper inverter and a smaller battery. You can depend on PHCN to do any heavy-duty task with electricity.
- Consult a professional before buying an inverter: This is a mistake many people make, they buy an inverter because it is cheap or seems like a good deal. But different inverters are best suited for different situations. It is better to allow the inverter installer to recommend the type of inverter you need to avoid extra costs.
- Have your power source already: If you already have a power source to charge the battery, it makes installation a lot easier and cheaper. If you already installed a solar panel, you just need to connect it to the batteries and inverter.
- Compare prices: Request quotes from different inverter installers to compare their offers and pick the one that suits your budget. You can check out VisCorner to request quotes from different inverter installers.
