Solar Load Audit Checklist for Nigerian Installers
Soliqo · November 6, 2026
Every good solar design starts with a good load audit. If the audit is wrong, the inverter trips, the batteries run flat by midnight, and the client blames the installer. This checklist covers what to record on site so your sizing, and your quote, hold up.
Before you visit
- Ask what the client wants solar to do: back up everything, or only essential loads such as lights, fans, fridge and Wi-Fi.
- Ask how many hours of grid supply they get on a typical day, and when. Fewer grid hours mean more battery storage.
- Ask whether a generator runs today and what it powers. That tells you the loads the client really depends on.
On site: room by room
Walk through every room with the client and record each appliance in a load list:
- Name and quantity. Count light points, not just bulbs. Security lights often get missed.
- Running watts. Read the nameplate. If it shows only amps, multiply by 230 V. For a microwave, use the input power, not the cooking power.
- Starting watts. Note every motor and compressor: fridges, freezers, pumps, ACs, washing machines and gate motors. Note whether each AC or fridge is an inverter type, because those start gently.
- Hours a day. Ask how long each item really runs. A fridge compressor cycles, so it runs for about 10 to 12 hours, not 24.
Typical running watts
When a nameplate is missing or unreadable, these typical values are a reasonable starting point. Always confirm the real rating where you can.
| Appliance | Running watts | Starting watts |
|---|---|---|
| LED bulb | 9 to 15 | Same |
| Ceiling fan | 75 | About 110 |
| Standing fan (16 inch) | 55 | About 80 |
| LED TV (43 inch) | 80 | Same |
| Double-door fridge (250 L) | 150 | About 600 |
| Chest freezer (300 L) | 160 | About 800 |
| Split AC, inverter (1.5 HP) | 1,100 | About 1,450 |
| Split AC, non-inverter (1.5 HP) | 1,300 | About 3,250 |
| Borehole pump (1 HP) | 1,000 | About 3,000 |
| Pressing iron | 1,200 | Same |
| Starlink kit | 75 | Same |
Questions that change the design
- What runs at the same time? This sets the inverter size. See how to size a solar inverter.
- What must run at night? Night loads come from the batteries, so they drive battery size.
- Which loads can move to the daytime? Pumping water, ironing and laundry while the sun is up saves a lot of battery.
- What will they add in the next two years? A new AC or freezer can double the system. Plan headroom, or agree an upgrade path.
Site details to record
- Roof type, direction and free space, and anything that shades it, such as trees, water tanks or taller buildings.
- Where the inverter and batteries will sit. The spot should be cool, dry and ventilated.
- Cable distances from roof to inverter, and from inverter to distribution board.
- Earthing and the state of the existing wiring.
From audit to quote
Once the load list is complete, you can size the panels, batteries, inverter and charge controller, as shown in our panel and battery sizing guide. Then you can price it. Soliqo lets you build the load list on your phone while you walk the site, using a catalogue of common Nigerian appliances, and sizes the system as you go. See how it works.
Build the load list, get the inverter, battery and panel sizes, then send a naira quote.