Solar Engineer Who Installed Panels on Walls Instead of Roof Explains Why in Video
- A Nigerian solar engineer has gone viral after revealing an unusual way he installed a customer's solar panels
- Instead of mounting the panels on the roof, the engineer fixed them to a wall and explained why the approach was the most suitable option
- He said several factors, including the property's layout, erosion concerns and the landlord's restrictions, influenced the final installation
A Nigerian solar engineer has shared a video explaining why he chose to install a customer's solar panels on a wall instead of the roof, as is commonly done.
The engineer took viewers through the installation process, saying the decision was based on the unique conditions of the property rather than personal preference.
Source: TikTok
Solar engineer explains why customer's panels were mounted on wall
According to the engineer identified on TikTok as @tiresimy, installing the solar panels side by side would not have been effective because the panels were taller than the fence surrounding the compound.
He further explained that one side of the property was located beside a drainage channel, meaning rainwater and erosion from the compound would flow in that direction.
The engineer said mounting the panels lower on that side would have exposed part of their surface to erosion over time, reducing the amount of sunlight they could receive and affecting their power output.
The engineer also ruled out installing the panels on another section of the property because nearby structures created shade that would interfere with the system's efficiency.
Source: TikTok
Engineer cites landlord's restriction and client's budget
While explaining the project, the engineer disclosed that the customer could not afford to build a garage where the solar panels could have been mounted.
He also revealed that the owner of the property did not permit solar panels to be installed on the roof, leaving the team to explore other practical alternatives.
According to him, mounting the panels vertically on the wall turned out to be the most suitable solution under the circumstances.
The engineer also showed other components of the installation, including the mounted inverter, protective devices, a 4-kilowatt lithium battery and the connection to the distribution board.
He noted that although the installation had not yet been completed, the inverter was already supplying electricity to the building.
Reactions trail unusual solar panels installation
TikTok users had different things to say in the comments section.
@nextgensolar said:
"This solution is absolutely is a waste you will hardly see 15% of the required energy to be generated."
@Pius/peace of mind said:
"The most useless installation ever, it will not work well because it’s not faceing up to get a direct sun light."
@Tbamz reacted:
"Is it even necessary to post this kind? This is an eye sore not a good idea."
@ELONEX said:
"2 panels well positioned on a carport will do better than the 4 panels on the wall. these panels on the wall cannot generate up to 40 percent of their total capacity. why not sell 2 panels and use the money to build a carport since you said the client does not have money for carport."
@Kingsley Ugwu355 said:
"The truth is getting a carport on that compound is not expensive compared to the resources wasted, trust me the cost of two panels will get you a car port while using the fence as a back support. I would have adviced the client to use money meant for two panels to finance the iron work."
@Abdul Rasheed Yusuff added:
"You’ve wasted the client money because the solar panels will not generate good amounts of power at all, the best ever degree of which your solar panels should be raised above the ground should not more than 45 degrees, but with what you did the panels will generate less."
Solar engineer shares experience with client
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a solar panel engineer shared his experience with a client who made an unexpected request after installation.
According to the engineer, he had already installed about six units for the client when the client called again to request adjustments.
Source: Legit.ng
