A research team has built up a technical field audit among users of solar systems in external communities in Ghana and has identified some recurring technical problems. Based on the data collected, the scientists have also developed a practical field guide.
Researchers from the University of Energy and Natural Resources (Uenr) in Ghana have developed a practical field guide (FM) for Solar Home Systems (SHSS) in external communities.
The manual was developed after performing a technical field audit (TFA) of households that depend on off-grid PV installations and identifying their most recurring problems.
“Despite the rapid acceptance of SHSs in Africa, the Sahara Zahara, the long -term sustainability of these systems remains an important challenge,” said the academics. “Sustainability In this context not only includes the technical reliability of the systems, but also the ability of users to effectively maintain and manage them over time. The absence of robust maintenance protocols and accessible field manuals tailored to the needs of end users has been identified as a critical barrier for the continuing effect of SHSS in external communities. “
In particular, the protocols are designed for SHSS that were used as part of the China Climate Aid (CCA) initiative. That system includes a 100 W solar panel, battery storage of 150 AH, two USB ports for charging, three DC 12V ports, three 5 W -garage lamps, a battery capacity indicator, an FM/MP3 module with a speaker and a power switch. About 2,000 systems were deployed, with the team carrying out the TFA at 166, located in the Bono East, Oti and Upper West regions in Ghana.
The first phase of FM development was the development of the relevant survey. The first section contained general information about the user, such as education and profession; The second deals with patterns of the SHS; The third included the satisfaction levels of the SHS and their effects; the fourth with technical problems; And the latter was about work with relevant technicians. More in -depth conversations took place in focus groups, together with technical assessments, which were carried out by checking the functionality or status of each component and discussing incidents from the past with the users.
“The research results indicate that 96% of the respondents received basic guidelines from the SHS operation technicians after the installation, while only 76% were provided with instructions on maintenance protocols,” the researchers said. “Panels that are oriented in other directions than the south, or poorly maintained due to dust accumulation, emphasized a gap in user education about maintenance.”
Image: University of Energy and Natural Resources (Uenr), Solar Compass, CC by 4.0
Other results of the survey indicate that users had high expectations for the systems, with 76.5% disappointed in the limited capacity. That led 15% of them to adjust their SHSS with extra components, such as inverters, to support AC applications. According to the scientists, those changes have probably contributed to the technical issues experienced.
The most common problem is inflated fuses, followed by battery on discharge and damaged bulbs. Other problems include battery bottom load, damaged loading slots and damaged radios. These challenges were tackled by a detailed manual for solving problems that categorizes errors based on their causes, symptoms and possible solutions. In addition, also based on Flow Chart -based algorithms for problem solving have been made to help people with limited literacy.
“To guarantee the robustness of the findings, the problem solution protocol was tested with a subset of households (about 20% of the sample) in different regions,” the team added. “Feedback from end users, project implementers and technicians were included to refine the power charts and instructions in the field guide, so that the end product was both culturally and technically suitable.”
After the distribution of the revised FM, the group says that maintenance calls have been reduced. While 70% of the relevant technicians reported very frequent calls with regard to the SHS after the document had been implemented, 80% said they had not received any further calls.
“The findings of this work underline the importance of technical education and capacity building in the sustainable use of renewable energy technologies,” they concluded. “By equipping end users with the tools and knowledge that are needed for routine maintenance, this study not only deals with immediate technical challenges, but also promotes a culture of self -reliance and sustainability.”
Their work was introduced in “Post Technical Assessment and Field Manual for Solar Home Systems in Island Communities: The Case of Ghana“Which was recently published in Solar compass.
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