This article explains the basic startup and needs for a solar panel hookup for a small power backup if the power should go out for a short period of time.
What Does A Solar Panel Do?
- Transforms sunlight into energy
- DC or direct current (battery power as opposed to AC or alternating current)
- Wattage varies based on size and material
- Monocrystalline vs. polycrystalline
- Groups of panels form an array
The main difference between the two technologies is the type of silicon solar cell they use: monocrystalline solar panels have solar cells made from a single crystal of silicon, while polycrystalline solar panels have solar cells made from many silicon fragments melted together.
Polycrystalline has a lower tolerance for heat.
Components Needed To Start
- Solar Panel
- Charge Controller
- Inverter
- Battery
Solar Panel Starter Kit
The typical solar panel starter kits come with most of what you need. The inverter may be a little small, but for an RV or bug out location, they will do just fine.
The one listed below does not come with an inverter, I find it better to choose the inverter that best fits your needs.
ECO-WORTHY 12V 100W Monocrystalline Solar Panel + 20A LCD Charge Controller + a Pair of 16ft Solar Cables + Z Bracket for Trailer,RV,Homes
What Does A Charge Controller Do?
- Automatically manage the voltage from the solar panel and controls the output to the battery.
- Build-in short-circuit protection, open-circuit protection, reverse protection, over-load protection.
- Prolong battery life by maintaining the workload.
- Easy to set up and operate.
- Fit for Lead-acid batteries(OPEN, AGM, GEL) with multiple load modes.
What Inverter Should You Buy?
When choosing an inverter, you need to calculate the wattage of the components that you will be running at any given point. Without getting too deep into electrical theory, the formula is:
P=V x A Power (Watts) = (Volts) x (Amps)
For example: If an appliance runs on 110 volts and operates on a 15 Amp breaker (The amps will not exceed 15A) The max wattage the appliance can draw is 1,650 Watts. This example is extreme as you would be maxing out the circuit in your home running an appliance like this and the breaker would likely trip.
Most appliances have an amp reading on the label and you can calculate from that. Most likely you will not be running a microwave, fridge and an air conditioning unit if SHTF.
I have a 300W inverter and have ran a TV with a video game console without issue. I still use it today to run a drop light and sometimes a two bulb florescent light with two 30W bulbs. So in a SHTF scenario, a 1000W inverter would run just about anything you need to. I personally have a 2000W inverter for my current setup.
Sug 2000W(Peak 4000W) Power Inverter Pure Sine Wave DC 12V to AC 110V 120V Converter Back up Power Supply for RV, Home, Car Use
Batteries
- Batteries are required on residential applications for solar to be usable when the grid is down.
- Batteries are required for any panels. EDC products have batteries built into them.
- Deep cycle is required because of the constant charging. While a deep cycle marine battery can be used, it will have a reduced life.
- Batteries that are specifically designed for solar cost in the range of $250 and will last for 8‐10 years.
Universal Power Group 12V 100Ah Solar Wind AGM SLA DEEP Cycle VRLA Battery 12V 24V 48V
