A Complete Guide About Solar Panel Installation

A Complete Guide About Solar Panel
Installation. Step by Step Procedure with

Calculation & Diagrams
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Complete Solar Panel Installation Design & Calculations with
Solved Examples – Step by Step Procedure
Below is a DIY (do it yourself) complete note on Solar Panel design installation,
calculation about No of solar panels, batteries rating / backup time, inverter/UPS
rating, load and required power in Watts. with Circuit, wiring diagrams and solved
examples. Anyone who follows the simple steps (DIY tutorial) below can install and
connect solar panels in home for residential applications.
If you pick this article related to solar panel installation, You will be able to;
 To calculate the no of solar panel (with rating)
 To calculate the rating of Solar panel
 To calculate the rating of batteries for Solar panel system
 To calculate the back up time of batteries
 To calculate the required and charging current for batteries
 To calculate the charging time for batteries
 To calculate the rating of charge controller
 How much watt solar panel we need?
 Connect Solar Panel in Series or Parallel?
 How to select the proper solar panel for home
 UPS / Inverter Rating for load requirement and much more…
Before we start, its recommended to read the article about proper selection &
different types of solar panels and photovoltaic panel for home & commercial use as
well. To the point, lets know how to wire and install a solar panel system according to
the proper calculation and load requirements.
Now lets begin,

Suppose, we are going to install a solar power system in our home for a total load of
800W where the required backup time of battery is 3 hours (You may use it your own
as it is just for sample calculation)
Load = 800 Watts
Required Backup time for batteries = 3 Hours
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What we need to know?
1. Inverter / UPS Rating =?
2. No of batteries for backup power =?
3. Backup Hours of batteries =?
4. Series or Parallel Connection of Batteries = ?
5. Charging Current for Batteries = ?
6. Charging Time for batteries = ?
7. Required No of Solar Panel =?
8. Series or Parallel Connection of Solar Panels = ?
9. Rating of Charge Controller = ?
Inverter / UPS Rating:

Inverter / UPS rating should be greater than 25% of the total load (for the future load
as well as taking losses in consideration)
800 x (25/100) = 200W
Our Load + 25% Extra Power = 800+200 = 1000 Watts
This is the rating of the UPS (Inverter) i.e. We need 1000W UPS / Inverter for solar
panel installation according to our need (based on calculations)
Related Post: How to Connect Automatic UPS / Inverter to the Home Supply
System?
Required No of Batteries
Now the required Back up Time of batteries in Hours = 3 Hours
Suppose we are going to install 100Ah, 12 V batteries,
12V x 100Ah = 1200 Wh
Now for one Battery (i.e. the Backup time of one battery)
1200 Wh / 800 W = 1.5 Hours
But our required Backup time is 3 Hours.
Therefore, 3/1.5 = 2 → i.e. we will have to connect two (2) batteries each of 100Ah,
12V.
Backup Hours of Batteries
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If the number of batteries are given, and you want to know the Backup Time for
these given batteries, then use this formula to calculate the backup hours of
batteries.
1200 Wh x 2 Batteries = 2400 Wh
2400 Wh / 800 W = 3 hours.
In the first scenario, we will use 12V inverter system, therefore, we will have to
connect two (2) batteries (each of 12V, 100 Ah) in Parallel. But a question raised
below:
 Related Post: What are the Blocking Diode and Bypass Diodes in a
Solar Panel Junction Box?
Series or Parallel Connection for Batteries

Why Batteries in Parallel, not in Series?
Because this is a 12V inverter System, so if we connect these batteries in series
instead of parallel, then the rating of batteries become V 1 + V2 = 12V + 12V = 24V
while the current rating would be same i.e.100Ah.
Good to Know: In Series Circuits, Current is same in each wire or section while
voltage is different i.e. Voltage are additive e.g. V 1+V2+V3….Vn.
That’s why we will connect the batteries in parallel, because the Voltage of batteries
(12 V) remains same, while its Ah (Ampere Hour) rating will be increased. i.e. the
system would become = 12V and 100Ah +100Ah = 200Ah.
Good to Know: In parallel Connection, Voltage will be same in each wire or section,
while current will be different i.e current is additive e.g. I 1+I2+I3…+In
We will now connect 2 batteries in parallel (each of 100Ah, 12V)

i.e. 2 12V, 100Ah batteries will be connected in Parallel
= 12V, 100Ah + 100Ah = 12V, 200 Ah (Parallel)
Good to Know: Power in watts is additive in any configuration of resistive circuit: P
Total= P1 + P2 + P3. . . Pn (Neglecting the 40% installation loss)
Charging Current for Batteries

Now the Required Charging Current for these two batteries.
(Charging current should be 1/10 of batteries Ah)
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200Ah x (1/10) = 20A
Charging Time required for Battery

Here is the formula of Charging Time of a Lead acid battery.
Charging Time of battery = Battery Ah / Charging Current
T = Ah / A
For example, for a single 12V, 100Ah battery, The charging time would be:
T = Ah / A = 100Ah / 10A = 10 Hrs (Ideal Case)
due to some losses, (it has been noted that 40% of losses occurred during the
battery charging), this way, we take 10-12 A charging current instead of 10 A, this
way, the charging time required for a 12V, 100Ah battery would be:
100Ah x ( 40/100 ) = 40 (100Ah x 40% of losses)
the battery rating would be 100Ah + 40 Ah = 140 Ah (100Ah + losses)
Now the required charging current for the battery would be:
140Ah / 12A = 11.6 Hours.
Required No of Solar Panels (Series or Parallel) ?

Now the required No of Solar Panels we need for the above system as below.
Scenario 1: DC Load is Not Connected = Only Battery Charging
We know the famous power formula (DC)
P = VI ………… (Power = Voltage x Current)
Putting the values of batteries and charging current.
P = 12V x 20 A
P = 240 Watts
these are the required wattage of solar panel (only for battery charging, and then
battery will supply power to the load i.e. direct load is not connected to the solar
panels)
Now
240W/60W = 4 Nos of Solar panels
Therefore, we will connect 4 Solar Panels (each of 60W,12V,5A) in parallel.
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The above calculations and system was only for battery charging (and then battery
will supply power to the desired Load) to AC electrical appliances, which will get
power through inverter and DC loads via Charge controller (via charged batteries)
Scenario 2: DC Load is Connected as well as Battery Charging
Now suppose there is a 10A directly connected load to the panels through inverter
(or may be DC load via Charge Controller). During the sunshine, the solar panel
provide 10A to the directly connected load + 20A to the battery charging i.e. solar
panels charge the battery as well as provide 10A to the the load as well.
In this case, the total required current (20 A for Batteries Charging and 10 A for
directly connected load)
In this case above, total required current in Amperes,
20A + 10 A = 30A
Now, I = 30 A, then required Power
P = V x I = 12V x 30A = 360 Watts
I.e. we need 360 W system for the above explained system (This is for both Direct
Load and Batteries Charging)
Now, the number of solar panels we need
360/60W = 6 Nos of Solar Panels
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Therefore, we will Connect 6 Nos of Solar panels in parallel (each of 60W,
12V,5A)
fig: Circuit Diagram for the above Calculation for Solar Panel Installation (Solar
Panels only for battery charging + Direct connected load).
Rating of Charge Controller

As we have calculated above that the charging current for 200Ah battery is 20-22
Amperes (22A For Battery Charging+10A for direct DC Load), therefore we can use
a charge controller about 30-32 Amp.
Note: The above calculation is based on ideal case, so it is recommended to always
choose a solar panel some bigger then we need, because, there are some losses
occurs during battery charging via solar panel as well as the sunshine is not always
in ideal mood.
How Much Watts Solar Panel We need ?

We have shown a very simple method in the previous post to find that How much
Watts Solar Panel We need for our Home Electrical appliances? depends on the
sunshine time and the load in watts we need to power up an electrical appliance.
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Which One Solar Panel we Select ?
Among lots of brands and material of solar panels like c-Si, String Ribon, Thin Film
Solar Cells (TFSC) or (TFPV), Amorphous silicon (a-Si or a-Si:H),Cadmium Telluride
(CdTe) Solar Cells, Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS/ CIS) Solar Cells, BIPV:
Building Integrated Photovoltaic Panels, Hybrid Solar Cells and PV Panels, We have
discussed in a very details post “different types of solar panels with
advantages/advantages, cost, and applications” This way, you will be able to find
which is the best type of Solar Panel for Home Use?
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A Complete Guide About Solar Panel

Installation. Step by Step Procedure with

Now lets begin,

Inverter / UPS Rating:

Backup Hours of Batteries

Series or Parallel Connection for Batteries

We will now connect 2 batteries in parallel (each of 100Ah, 12V)

Charging Current for Batteries

Charging Time required for Battery

Required No of Solar Panels (Series or Parallel) ?

Rating of Charge Controller

How Much Watts Solar Panel We need ?

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