Hello World! Welcome Friends! A common practice in using solar energy is to have the panels connected to the grid. It is beneficial in certain ways, including net metering, and as a backup for rainy days.
However, individuals planning to live independently of the power grid prefer to be entirely off the grid. That means total reliance on the energy generated through the solar install as well as the need for proper storage. It is most common with folks who have a guest house, a mobile home, a boat house, etc.
Most of these individuals are also far off the power grid and must develop their energy from the sun to power their panels and households. However, before the panels are installed, they must be sized appropriately to determine how many panels will be needed for the building.
Read on to discover how you can size your off-grid solar panel system.
Factors to Consider When Sizing Off-Grid Solar Panels
Before choosing what panels to install, you need to consider the following factors that affect your sizing for an off-grid solar panel system:
- Load and energy consumption
- The location where the panels will be installed
- Type of inverters to be used
- Batteries
- Type and size of the solar panels
Easy Steps for Sizing an Off-Grid Solar System
1. Calculate Your Load
The first thing you’ll want to do is to measure how much energy your appliances will need to function correctly. Most times, this is made easy as the load comes with tags that indicate the amount of power required in watts.
You’ll also want to take note of what devices will be used at the same time to calculate your peak load.
2. Use Inverters
All the appliances you’ll be using will require an AC form of energy to function, but the solar panels only convert sunlight to a DC form of energy. It’s at this point that an inverter becomes crucial. Its basic function is to convert the generated DC into AC for your load.
Also, your inverter of choice will have its peak load. That will allow you to measure the power that can be supplied continuously.
3. Pick the Right Solar Battery
Batteries are vital for storing solar power and help deliver a sustainable power supply to households and appliances. The most common types are usually 12V to 24V. It’s also important to measure the power capacity of the batteries to determine how long your power supply will last after every charge.
4. Employ the Use of a Solar Charger/Regulator
Think of this as a battery protector. It takes the fluctuating power supply and stabilizes it so it’s usable. It’s after the power has been stabilized that it can be used to charge the solar battery or directly.
5. Solar Array
This last step helps measure the efficiency of the panels. In every solar grid, there’s a level of efficiency that is guaranteed by individual cells. It’s never 100% and depends on the ability of the cells to convert sunlight into usable energy.
Other factors like the angle orientation of the panels and the ambient temperature affect how much sunlight your panels can convert into usable electricity.
Wrapping Up
Sizing your off-grid panels is a crucial tip for ensuring you have all the correct data regarding the installation of solar panels. Therefore, it’s essential to seek advice from professionals such as Solar Co and get the best deal today.
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