How to Building solar system and select a controller for it

Building solar system and selecting a controller employing electrical energy from the sun is becoming a more appealing and cost-effective solution. While the cost of solar panels, solar controllers, and other components is declining yearly, people's awareness of environmental issues is expanding as a result of environmental contamination on a global scale.

We'll explain the many types of solar systems and show you how to design your own by picking the appropriate solar system management (controller), solar panels (photovoltaics), batteries, inverters, etc.

According to the usage of the energy produced, solar (photovoltaic) systems can be divided into two categories: those that supply energy to an electrical distribution company's network and those whose energy is used internally without the system being connected to the transmission network.

For the first kind of solar installation, you must sign up for service with an energy provider, connect to their network, prepare a project from a licensed provider, and then get approval to carry it out. a drawn-out, expensive procedure that can only be used in specific situations and for certain types of energy.

[caption id="attachment_2035" align="aligncenter" width="282"] Size, Weight, And Number of Panels[/caption]

The second form does not require a project or a permit. When installing a solar system like this, you should consider whether you want to lower your electricity expenditures or live somewhere without an electrical grid. The system is ideal for distant cottages, lodges, and outbuildings, as well as for camping with a camper, caravan, or tent, for hunting and fishing expeditions, etc. due to its mobility and potential for compact proportions.

A sophisticated process called utility-synchronized solar system design is carried out by certified design companies.

However, as long as they are familiar with the operating principles of the components and adhere to a few straightforward criteria, nearly anyone may prepare a stand-alone system. As a result, it is possible to create a solar installation with excellent performance and great reliability.

Various solar installation types based on the parts

Solar panels coupled in series and parallel form the basis of the most basic system, which provides steady DC voltage to users directly. Variations in panel voltage must be taken into account in this situation. Standard solar panels have voltages of 12, 24 and 48 VDC, although they actually produce 21, 37 and 60 VDC when "idling" under maximum lighting and 17, 33 and 53 VDC when under nominal load. The voltage reduces to 30% when the solar panels are overloaded or the lighting is inadequate, and to 0 when there is no sunshine or a short circuit.

[caption id="attachment_2166" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Solar Charge Controller[/caption]

A solar system controller must be added to the system in order to ensure the installation is functioning properly, or consumers must be trained to tolerate such significant voltage changes.

The solar panel, battery, and DC consumer system is more intricate and offers more potential. The panels will charge the batteries when there is a lot of light, and if the power of the panels is enough, consumers can also operate simultaneously. To prevent overcharging and boiling, it is vital in this situation to continuously check the batteries' voltage. Additionally, the system will begin to "return" current to the solar panels as the lighting declines and the battery voltage surpasses that of the latter.

To avoid this, either keep an eye on the voltage and manually break the circuit, or add extra components like diodes with a slight decrease in the desired direction (Schottky diodes). It is even better to add a solar controller to the system of solar panels, batteries, and consumers since it will appropriately regulate the system and save you from the duties of constant monitoring and control.

The best solar installation has the most potential and comes with all the building materials you'll need, including a controller for managing the solar system, solar panels, sturdy stands for them, connecting wires, connection couplings, a DC fuse, batteries, and a DC/AC inverter if you'll be powering AC loads.

Attention! To avoid harming the inverter, the following power requirements must be followed when utilizing a DC/AC inverter with AC consumers:

• 1. When consumers have an active load, their power can match the inverter's power.
• 2. Consumers with inductive loads must have power that is four times lower than the inverter's (coil, transformer, throttle, electric motor, refrigerator, air conditioner...)
• 3. The power of consumers with capacitive loads should be 10–12 times lower than the inverter's (pulse power supply, LED lighting, etc.)

How to size a solar system appropriately

Consumers' power is assessed in VA if they run on a constant voltage (W). Knowing how many hours we want them to run gives us VA/h (W/h), and from there we can determine the capacity of the batteries we need to buy. It should be noted that the battery can use roughly 70% of its capacity, and that it must be turned off to prevent deep discharge when the voltage falls to about 10.5 V.

Example:

For fishing and camping, we want to design a solar system that can run two 12 VDC/12 W LED lighting, as well as a 12 VDC/30 W TV receiver. We anticipate that the customers will work for around 4 hours, from 21:00 to 01:00.

The combined power is 54 W (24 + 30 W). Total power for 4 hours is 4 x 54 = 216 Wh, and the battery's capacity is 216 / 12 V = 18 Ah.

To prevent deep discharge, we boost this amount by 30%. We select the nearest standard figure for battery capacity, in this case, 24 Ah (18 x 3 = 23.4 Ah).

It is simple to choose a panel. Knowing that the batteries are charged at a current equal to one-tenth of their capacity results in the calculation 24 Ah / 10 = 2.4 A for the case presented. A 50 W panel with a current of 2.8 A and illumination of 1000 W/m comes the closest to this current. It is impossible to sustain such illumination throughout the day and without a guidance system, thus a panel with a power output of 80 to 100 W, or 4.3 to 5.39 A, is chosen.

Although it is theoretically possible to construct a solar system without management (a solar controller), doing so will make it more challenging to size the system, will result in less than ideal results, will necessitate constant monitoring and manual control, and will increase the possibility of someone getting hurt by consumers or components. integrating a suitable controller.

Management (controller) selection for a solar installation

[caption id="attachment_2165" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Solar Charge Controller Black[/caption]

All Wikivat controllers come included with the following features:

Automated 12/24 VDC and, in some models, 48 VDC voltage detection Protections against overcharge, overvoltage, reverse current to panel, overheating, overload, deep discharge below 10.5 VDC, panel/battery/consumer polarity reversal, output short, etc. are provided by three different battery charge modes, including monthly leveling charge mode temperature compensation.

The Solsum series controllers are the best to use when building a home solar system for a caravan, camper, camping, garden lighting, or something similar. They are capable of 240 W of power, 12/24 VDC, 4 diode LED indicator, and night lighting functionality. They are also the least expensive.

The Solarix PRS series controllers, which offer a power of up to 720 W active load and a 5-LED LED indication that also shows the end of the charge, can be used if you require a system with more capabilities.

The representatives of the PR series are the next class of solar controllers, which likewise have a power of up to 720 W but a significantly richer variety of functions. They add an informational LCD display, a self-test feature, show errors, and real-time data on the SOC (state of charge) display in percentage to the aforementioned controllers. In addition to being suitable for use at home or while camping, PR controllers are also reasonably priced. Because of this, they can be used to build more precise solar systems with a power of up to 720 W for a cottage, office, storage space, agricultural building, or the management of a small production.

In case you need a system controller up to 480W active load that is able to withstand extreme operating conditions, the PR 2020 IP is able to meet your requirements. The module is specially designed to work in humid, salty or dusty environments, and its housing has an IP65 protection index. This makes it particularly suitable for camping systems, park and garden lighting, telecommunications equipment, etc.

[caption id="attachment_2167" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Negative Ground Solar Charge[/caption]

Tarom 4545 (12/24 VDC, 1000 W) and Tarom 4545-48 are ideal solar controllers for higher power systems, on the order of 1000–2000 W active load (48 VDC, 2000 W). Along with the ability to be controlled through RJ45, RS232, SD card, a counter for energy received and delivered, an integrated data logger for programming, and auxiliary relay outputs AUX1 and AUX2, they also contain these features. Both models' ability to control up to 31 auxiliary controllers simultaneously in parallel operation, which enables the construction of extremely high power solar systems, is another crucial characteristic.

Finally, we reached the "big artillery." You will need a high-end controller to construct a robust, expert solar system that has all the features already described, as well as the ability to be controlled on the DC line. These are the Power Tarom series' 2070–4140 representations. Models with the number 2 begin with a voltage of 12/24 VDC, whereas those with the number 4 begin with a voltage of 48 VDC. With their assistance, you can design and create a system with a maximum active load of 6720 W, and the system's expansion capability enables the development of a system with a maximum power of 50,000–60,000 W.