Discover how to achieve true power independence with your own off-grid solar system, right here. Since off-grid solar systems do not connect to local power, they must operate from stored energy in a battery bank. Therefore, your system must handle maximum power consumption at all times. On top of that, it must be flexible for when your power consumption needs change in the future.
Off-grid systems are enormously more complicated than common grid-connected solar systems, except for hybrid solar systems. That means, it’s very important to understand the nuts and bolts of an off-grid solar system before you proceed. Here, receive a comprehensive understanding without the technical difficulty you would normally expect.
This guide will equip you to outfit your off-grid home reliably, effectively, and safely for you and your family. Now, Let’s break down the pieces of your off-grid solar system so you understand each part. So without further ado, continue reading to fortify yourself and achieve real power independence for your off-grid home.
Off-grid solar system essentials
Although there are many variations and custom options that go into an off-grid solar system, there’s an assortment of essentials to identify and explain in simple terms. As such, let’s take a walk through each part to understand the basic system and what essential solar components go into it prior to installation.
Solar panel arrays convert sunlight to free electricity
A solar panel array is a framework of panels filled with photo-voltaic cells. They generate DC electricity from the energy projected by sunlight called photons. This process was first discovered by Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel back in 1839.
A term called “Panel Efficiency” deals with the electrical output of each panel: 320W, 290W, 270W etc. This translates into the number of panels you’ll need. To calculate, power rating divides by total panel area. That means, having a larger panel doesn’t always equate to higher efficiency.
Your solar panels must be compatible with the battery bank and power inverter packaged with your off-grid system. To make that happen properly, the voltage, amperage, and string size are all calculated prior to solar component selection. This prevents damage to your solar components and it ensures reliability when your off-grid solar system is in use.
Installing a solar panel array requires thorough knowledge of solar technology, solar system design, electrical wiring, and general construction. In other words, the average person must avoid doing it themselves. Unless qualified, leave this to certified professional local installers to avoid costly problems and danger.
Finally, please note that solar panel array installation takes time. To elaborate, there are various vital steps within the installation process that are essential. These steps ensure an effective, reliable, and efficient solar panel array setup that will stand the test of time.
Solar panel power optimizers improve reliability
Power optimizers maximize the energy harvest from solar power systems. They achieve this by individually tuning the performance of each panel within the solar panel array. As you’ll see, power optimizers are especially useful when the component performance in a distributed system varies due to shading or facing different directions.
This is a voltage converter that connects to each solar module within your solar panel array. In short, it turns them into smart modules. By constantly tracking the MPPT or Maximum Power Point Tracking of each individual solar module, power optimizers increase system energy production.
By attaching power optimizers to each solar module, installers easily monitor system performance reliably. In other words, installers can now track, pinpoint, and resolve issues at any point along a string with surgical precision. This lowers maintenance costs dramatically over the life of your system.
Power optimizers are equipped with industry-leading safety mechanisms. As an example, they automatically reduce occasional high DC voltage spikes to a safe level, by design. To explain, when your power inverter or battery bank is temporarily disconnected, voltage sometimes spikes quite high. As such, power optimizers provide maximum protection for both you and your property.
Off-grid solar system inverter-charger for 120V AC
Knowing that your solar panel array and battery bank generate DC or Direct Current, the electricity must be converted into 120V AC or Alternating Current for your home. To explain, the electricity in your home must be 120V AC. In other words, your solar power inverter-charger creates power that mimics that normally coming from a utility grid.
In addition to providing 120V AC to the home, your inverter-charger is the heart and brains of your off-grid solar system. First, it regulates battery bank charging and manages battery charge levels to maintain battery life. Then, it monitors and displays power consumption and battery status to provide system status.
For off-grid solar systems, multi-mode inverters must be used. They perform two primary tasks. As mentioned, it converts DC from the solar panel array and battery bank to 120V AC for the household electricity. On top of that, it charges and manages the battery bank charge levels to prolong battery life.
Multi-mode inverters backup very large household loads like air-conditioners, water pumps and heaters. Many of them provide high level of pass through power capability. Therefore, advanced solar power inverters don’t require separation of essential loads and non-essential loads.
The size of your solar power inverter-charger depends on two factors: the amount of electricity required by your home and the amount of power produced by your solar panel array. In the market, there are various types of solar power inverters boasting distinct features to suit different budgets and situations.
Battery banks provide your home with steady power
Your battery bank provides complete electrical independence – it makes off-grid solar systems possible. To explain, it provides power at night when your solar panel array isn’t producing. Also, it provides extra power in those moments when power consumption spikes above what your solar panel array provides.
As you know, not having a grid connection means you need a reliable way to store the energy generated during the day for later use. Therefore, it’s critical to have a battery bank to store enough energy that’ll get you through each night and those off-peak production periods like cloudy or stormy days.
Traditional lead-acid deep cycle battery systems were the most common and reliable option for off-grid solar systems. First, lead-acid batteries are a proven technology. As such, they last well over a decade when kept at room temperature and not discharged often. High temperatures, low temperatures, and fully draining lead-acid batteries damages or degrades them internally.
Lithium-ion batteries provide many advantages
Your best battery option for your off-grid solar system is the lithium-ion battery bank, an advanced storage device optimized for long lifespan, fast recharge, and high efficiency. Most notably, they’ve become extremely popular for their high efficiency ranging from 92% to 98%.
Lithium-ion battery banks are compact, lightweight and scalable. On top of that, they provide flexible sizing for additional capacity down the road. In other words, lithium-ion batteries may be added in the future as your power needs increase or if you just increase power storage for more peace of mind.
The huge advantage of lithium-ion battery banks is their ability to sustain a low charge level or a partial charge level for prolonged periods without negative effects as compared to sulfation that is a common problem with lead-acid batteries. Also, lithium-ion batteries provide high charge rates – charge times are up to 70% faster than lead-acid.
Your off-grid solar system installation
To begin, never install your off-grid solar system yourself unless trained, experienced, and certified to do so. Solar system installation is not a DIY project. To compare, solar component installation and wiring requires the same skills to install circuit breaker units and other major home electrical systems. Therefore, safety and reliability factors are no different with solar system installation.
In this section, uncover what goes into designing, system layout, solar component selection, construction preparation, and installation of your off-grid solar system. Your general understanding will help you achieve the best outcome possible when moving forward to outfit your home with an off-grid solar system.
Design and layout of your off-grid solar system
When preparing to build your off-grid solar system, it’s critical to determine the amount of energy you and your family require. As such, calculate your energy usage throughout the day and throughout the year in detail. The reason for this is simple: off-grid solar systems are inherently variable – day vs. night and sunny vs. cloudy.
Understanding the daily and yearly power rhythms or usage curves of your family’s energy consumption is essential when planning an efficient and reliable system. Using your household power usage data, solar component size determination for your entire solar system will be accurate and adequate.
After designing your off-grid solar system, layout begins next. First, your solar panel array must be located properly. The location has to provide full coverage and maximum sun exposure. Next, draw the solar component and wiring into the plan. Once the plan is complete, installation can finally begin.
There’s a balance between your solar component size requirements and your budget. When carefully considered throughout the process, this balance will come to light and you’ll understand how much you must pay. Most of the time, there won’t be any surprises since industry standards account for these factors quite well.
Physical installation of your off-grid solar system
In order to install your off-grid solar system properly, a certified installer is necessary. An installer is typically an electrician with additional training and experience. Though very similar, solar systems have unique aspects and technology. As such, expertise provides peace of mind.
Construction skills are also necessary. To explain, solar panel arrays are typically installed above existing structures. Therefore, these physical connections must be strong and reliable. Then sometimes, structures must be built from the ground up. They’ll carry the load of your solar panel arrays effectively.
System component installation and wiring requires a high degree of skill for accuracy and reliability and safety. Compare this to the installation of a circuit breaker unit, water heater, air conditioner, and lighting. Then, compare this to wiring those together properly. As you can see, safety and reliability factors are no different with solar systems.
To learn how to pick a solar system installer near you, check out this informative article:
SOLAR INSTALLERS NEAR ME: How to pick a solar installer to do it right
Off-grid solar system usage and peace of mind
Over 300,000 homes use off-grid power sources for their energy needs around the world. They know that when connected to the grid, they’re dependent on an external supplier, the utility company, for all their power. And when that power grid goes down, so does their power supply.
Now you’ve chosen to remove that dependency by creating your own reliable power source for your home, free electrical power is now at your disposal. As you’ll see after using it, peace of mind will be your number-one benefit from having your own off-grid solar system.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing to use an off-grid solar system is this: lifestyle changes must occur. If you talk to anyone with an off-grid solar system, they’ll tell you the same thing – relying on off-grid power requires you to reevaluate and adjust your relationship with energy. You’ll live better for it!
Small lifestyle changes ensure continuous power
Your knowledge of what uses more power in your household becomes very intimate. For example, water pumps eat power fast. That means, showers, toilet flushing, and washing dishes drain power quickly. The steps to take are small, but mindful. When you understand these factors, small changes make all the difference in conserving power properly.
Running out of power leaves you in quite a bind. You’ll either have to wait for the sun to come out again or generate power using a backup generator, if you have one. The first option is very inconvenient, while the second is very costly. Therefore, you’ll make those small lifestyle changes quickly and they’ll become your new norm throughout your life.
