Design Guide

Solar Basics
PV power generation systems are made up of interconnected components, each with a specific function. One of the major
strengths of PV systems is modularity. As your needs grow, individual components can be replaced or added to provide
increased capacity. Following is a brief overview of a typical PV system.

Solar Array – The solar array consists of one or more PV modules which convert sunlight into electric energy. The
modules are connected in series and/or parallel to provide the voltage and current levels to meet your needs. The array is
usually mounted on a metal structure and tilted to face the sun.
Charge Controller – Although charge controllers can be purchased with many optional features, their main function is
to maintain the batteries at the proper charge level, and to protect them from overcharging.
Battery Bank – The battery bank contains one or more deep-cycle batteries, connected in series and/or parallel
depending on the voltage and current capacity needed. The batteries store the power produced by the solar array and
discharge it when required.
Inverter – An inverter is required when you want to power AC devices. The inverter converts the DC power from the solar
array/batteries into AC power.
AC and DC Loads – These are the appliances (such as lights or radios), and the components (such as water pumps
and microwave repeaters), which consume the power generated by your PV array.
Balance of System – These components provide the interconnections and standard safety features required for any
electrical power system. These include: array combiner box, properly sized cabling, fuses, switches, circuit breakers and
meters.

Five Steps to Sizing a PV System

We have provided you with an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide for sizing your photovoltaic (PV) system. Follow these five
steps to determine your requirements and specify the components you will need.

1. Determine Your Power Consumption Demands

Make a list of the appliances and/or loads you are going to run from your PV system. Find out how much power each
item consumes while operating. Most appliances have a label on the back which lists the wattage. Specification sheets,
local appliance dealers, and the product manufacturers are other sources of information. We have provided a chart that
lists typical power consumption demands of common devices which you can use as a guide. Once you have the wattage
ratings, fill out the load sizing worksheet.
Load-Sizing Worksheet

List all of the electrical appliances to be powered by your PV system. Separate AC and DC devices and enter them in
the appropriate table. Record the operating wattage of each item. Most appliances have a label on the back that lists the
wattage. Local appliance dealers and the product manufacturers are other sources of this information. Specify the number
of hours per day each item will be used. Multiply the first three columns to determine the watt-hour usage per day. Enter
the number of days per week you will be using each item to determine the total watt-hours per week each appliance will
require.

DC Appliance Watts X Qty X Hrs/Day = Wh/Day X Days/Wk = Wh/Wk

A. ____________________________________________________________ __________________________ _______
B. ____________________________________________________________ __________________________ _______
C. ____________________________________________________________ __________________________ _______
D. ____________________________________________________________ __________________________ _______
E. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _______
DESIGN
GUIDE

Total the numbers in the last column. This is your DC power requirement. Total _______

Multiply the total by 1.2 to compensate for system losses during battery charge/discharge cycle. DC WH/WK _______

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... Power Consumption continued

Load Sizing Worksheet

AC Appliance Watts X Qty X Hrs/Day = Wh/Day X Days/Wk = Wh/Wk
A. _____________________________________________________________ _______________________ ______
B. _____________________________________________________________ _______________________ ______
C. _____________________________________________________________ _______________________ ______
D. _____________________________________________________________ _______________________ ______
E. _____________________________________________________________ _______________________ ______

Total the numbers in the last column. This is your AC power requirement. Total ______

Multiply the total by 1.2 to compensate for system losses during battery charge/discharge cycle. AC WH/WK ______

1. Add AC WH/WK and DC WH/WK together. This is your total power requirement per week. Total _______

2. Enter the voltage of your battery bank (usually 12 or 24 volts) VOLTS _______

3. Divide line 1 by line 2. This is your amp-hour requirement per week. AH/WK _______

4. Divide line 3 by 7 days. This is your average amp-hour requirement per day­
that will be used to size your battery bank and your PV module array. AH/DAY _______

2. Optimize Your Power System Demands

At this point, it is important to examine your power consumption and reduce your power needs as much as possible. (This is true
for any system, but it is especially important for home and cabin systems, because the cost savings can be substantial.) First
identify large and/or variable loads (such as water pumps, outdoor lights, electric ranges, AC refrigerators, clothes washers, etc.)
and try to eliminate them or examine alternatives such as propane or DC models. The initial cost of DC appliances tends to be
higher than AC, but you avoid losing energy in the DC to AC conversion process, and typically DC appliances are more efficient
and last longer. Replace incandescent fixtures with fluorescent lights wherever possible. Fluorescent lamps provide the same level
of illumination at lower wattage levels. If there is a large load that you cannot eliminate, consider using it only during peak sun
hours or only during the summer. (In other words, be creative!) Revise your Load Sizing Worksheet now with your optimized results.

3. Size Your Battery Bank

Read “Characteristics of Batteries” and then choose the appropriate battery for your needs. ­
Fill out the Battery Sizing Worksheet.

Characteristics of Batteries

Sizing Your Battery Bank

The first decision you need to make is how much storage you would like your battery bank to provide. Often this is expressed
as “days of autonomy,” because it is based on the number of days you expect your system to provide power without receiving
an input charge from the solar array. In addition to the days of autonomy, you should also consider your usage pattern and the
criticality of your application. If you are installing a system for a weekend home, you might want to consider a larger battery
bank, because your system will have all week to charge and store energy. Alternatively, if you are adding a PV array as a
supplement to a generator-based system, your battery bank can be slightly undersized since the generator can be operated if
needed for recharging.
DESIGN
GUIDE

Temperature Effects
Batteries are sensitive to temperature extremes, and you cannot take as much energy out of a cold battery as a warm one. Use
the chart on the Battery-Sizing Worksheet to correct for temperature effects. Although you can get more than rated capacity
from a hot battery, operation at hot temperatures will shorten battery life. ­

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... Battery Bank continued

Temperature Effects continued

Try to keep your batteries near room temperature. Charge controllers can be purchased with a temperature compensation
option to optimize the charging cycle at various temperatures and lengthen your battery life.

Depth of Discharge
Depth of Discharge is the percentage of the rated battery capacity that is withdrawn from the battery. The capability of
a battery to withstand discharge depends on its construction. Two terms, shallow-cycle and deep-cycle, are commonly
used to describe batteries. Shallow-cycle batteries are lighter, less expensive and have a short lifetime. For this reason, we
do not sell shallow-cycle batteries. Deep-cycle batteries should always be used for stand-alone PV systems. These units
have thicker plates and most will withstand daily discharges up to 80% of their rated capacity. Most deep-cycle batteries
are flooded electrolyte which means the plates are covered with the electrolyte and the level of fluid must be monitored
and distilled water added periodically to keep the plates fully covered. We also offer sealed, lead-acid batteries that do not
require liquid refills. There are other types of deep-cycle batteries such as nickel cadmium used in special applications. The
maximum depth of discharge value used for sizing should be the worst case discharge that the battery will experience. The
system control should be set to prevent discharge below this level.

Rated Battery Capacity

The ampere-hour capacity of a battery is usually specified together with some standard hour reference such as ten or
twenty hours. For example, suppose the battery is rated at 100 ampere-hours and a 20-hour reference is specified. This
means the battery is fully charged and will deliver a current of 5 amperes for 20 hours. If the discharge current is lower, for
example 4.5 amperes, then the capacity will go to 110 ampere-hours. The relationship between the capacity of a battery
and the load current can be found in the manufacturer’s literature.

Battery Life
The lifetime of any battery is difficult to predict, because it is dependent on a number of factors such as charge and
discharge rate, depth of discharge, number of cycles and operating temperature extremes. It would be unusual for a lead-
acid battery to last longer than fifteen years in a PV system but many last for five to eight years.

Maintenance
Batteries require periodic maintenance. Even the sealed battery should be checked to make sure connections are tight and
there is no indication of overcharging. For flooded batteries, the electrolyte level should be maintained well above the plates
and the voltage and specific gravity of the cells should be checked for consistent values. Wide variations between readings
may indicate cell problems. The specific gravity of the cells should be checked with a hydrometer particularly before the
onset of winter. In cold environments, the electrolyte in lead-acid batteries may freeze. The freezing temperature is a function
of a battery state of charge. When a battery is completely discharged, the electrolyte becomes water and the battery may
freeze.

Battery Sizing Worksheet

1. Enter your daily amp-hour requirement. (From the Load Sizing Worksheet, line 4) AH/Day ______________

2. Enter the maximum number of consecutive cloudy weather days expected

in your area, or the number of days of autonomy you would like your system to support. ______________

3. Multiply the amp-hour requirement by the number of days. This is the amount of amp-hours
your system will need to store. AH ______________

4. Enter the depth of discharge for the battery you have chosen. This provides a safety factor ­
so that you can avoid over-draining your battery bank.­
(Example: If the discharge limit is 20%, use 0.2.) This number should not exceed 0.8. ______________
DESIGN
GUIDE

5. Divide line 3 by line 4. AH ______________

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Battery-Sizing Worksheet

6. Select the multiplier below that corresponds to the average wintertime ambient temperature
your battery bank will experience. ______________
Ambient Temperature Multiplier
80ºF 26.7ºC 1.00
70ºF 21.2ºC 1.04
60ºF 15.6ºC 1.11
50ºF 10.0ºC 1.19
40ºF 4.4ºC 1.30
30ºF -1.1ºC 1.40
20ºF -6.7ºC 1.59

7. Multiply line 5 by line 6. This calculation ensures that your battery bank will have
enough capacity to overcome cold weather effects. This number represents the total battery
capacity you will need. AH ______________

8. Enter the amp-hour rating for the battery you have chosen. ______________

9. Divide the total battery capacity by the battery amp-hour rating and round off to the next highest
number. This is the number of batteries wired in parallel required. ______________

10. Divide the nominal system voltage (12V, 24V or 48V) by the battery voltage and round off ­
to the next highest number. This is the number of batteries wired in series. ______________

11. Multiply line 9 by line 10. This is the total number of batteries required. ______________

4. Determine The Sun Hours Available Per Day

Several factors influence how much sun power your modules will be exposed to:
• When you will be using your system – summer, winter, or year-round.
• Typical local weather conditions.
• Fixed mountings vs. trackers.
• Location and angle of PV array.
We have provided the following charts which show ratings that reflect the number of hours of full sunlight available to
generate electricity. Your solar array’s power generation capacity is dependent on the angle of the rays as they hit the
modules. Peak power occurs when the rays are at right angles or perpendicular to the modules. As the rays deviate
from perpendicular, more and more of the energy is reflected rather than absorbed by the modules. Depending on your
application, sun tracking mounts can be used to enhance your power output by automatically positioning your array.
The charts reflect the difference in sunlight during spring, summer, autumn and winter. It is more difficult to produce energy
during the winter because of shorter days, increased cloudiness and the sun’s lower position in the sky. The charts list the sun
hour ratings for several cities in North America for summer, winter and year round average. If you use your system primarily in
the summer, use the summer value; if you are using your system year-round, especially for a critical application, use the winter
value. If you are using the system most of the year (spring, summer and fall) or the application is not critical, use the average
value. With the chart and the map, you should be able to determine a reasonable estimate of the sun’s availability in your area.

Sun Hours Per Day - National

State, City Summer Avg. Winter Avg. Yr. Round Avg State, City Summer Avg. Winter Avg. Yr. Round Avg
AL, Montgomery 4.69 3.37 4.23 CA, La Jolla 5.24 4.29 4.77
AK, Bethel 6.29 2.37 3.81 CA, Los Angeles 6.14 5.03 5.62
AK, Fairbanks 5.87 2.12 3.99 CA, Riverside 6.35 5.35 5.87
AK, Mantanuska 5.24 1.74 3.55 CA, Santa maria 6.52 5.42 5.94
AZ, Page 7.30 5.65 6.36 CA, Soda Springs 6.47 4.40 5.60
DESIGN

AZ, Phoenix 7.13 5.78 6.58 4.87

GUIDE

CO, Boulder 5.72 4.44

AZ, Tucson 7.42 6.01 6.57 CO, Granby 7.47 5.15 5.69
AR, Little Rock 5.29 3.88 4.69 CO, Grand Junction 6.34 5.23 5.86
CA, Davis 6.09 3.31 5.10 CO, Grand Lake 5.86 3.56 5.08
CA, Fresno 6.19 3.42 5.38 D.C. Washington­ 4.69 3.37 4.23
CA, Inyokem 8.70 6.97 7.66 FL, Apalachicola 5.98 4.92­ 5.49

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Sun Hours Per Day - National continued

State, City Summer Avg. Winter Avg. Yr Round Avg. State, City Summer Avg. Winter Avg. Yr Round Avg.
FL, Belle Island 5.31 4.58 4.99 PA, Pittsburgh 4.19 1.45 3.28
FL, Gainsville 5.81 4.71 5.27 PA, State College 4.44 2.78 3.91
FL, Miami 6.26 5.05 5.62 RI, Newport 4.69 3.58 4.23
FL, Tampa 6.16 5.26 5.67 SC, Charleston 5.72 4.23 5.06
GA, Atlanta 5.16 4.09 4.74 SD, Rapid City 5.91 4.56 5.23
GA, Griffin 5.41 4.26 4.99 TN, Nashville 5.20 3.14 4.45
HI, Honolulu 6.71 5.59 6.02 TN, Oak Ridge 5.06 3.22 4.37
IA, Ames 4.80 3.73 4.40 TX, Brownsville 5.49 4.42 4.92
ID, Twin Falls 5.42 3.41 4.70 TX, El Paso 7.42 5.87 6.72
ID, Boise 5.83 3.33 4.92 TX, Port Worth 6.00 4.80 5.83
IL, Chicago 4.08 1.47 3.14 TX, Midland 6.33 5.23 5.83
IN, Indianapolis 5.02 2.55 4.21 TX, San Antonio 5.88 4.65 5.30
KS, Dodge City 4.14 5.28 5.79 UT, Flaming Gorge 6.63 5.48 5.83
KS, Manhattan 5.08 3.62 4.57 UT, Salt Lake City 6.09 3.78 5.26
KY, Lexington 5.97 3.60 4.94 VA, Richmond 4.50 3.37 4.13
LA, Lake Charles 5.73 4.29 4.93 WA, Prosser 6.21 3.06 5.03
LA, New Orleans 5.71 3.63 4.92 WA, Pullman 6.07 2.90 4.73
LA, Shreveport 4.99 3.87 4.63 WA, Richland 6.13 2.01 4.43
MA, Blue Hill 4.38 3.33 4.05 WA, Seattle 4.83 1.60 3.57
MA, Boston 4.27 2.99 3.84 WA, Spokane 5.53 1.16 4.48
MA, E. Wareham 4.48 3.06 3.99 WV, Charleston 4.12 2.47 3.65
MA, Lynn 4.60 2.33 3.79 WI, Madison 4.85 3.28 4.29
MA, Natick 4.62 3.09 4.10 WY, lander 6.81 5.50 6.06
MD, Silver Hill­ 4.71­ 3.84­ 4.47­
ME, Caribou 5.62 2.57 4.19 Province, City
ME, Portland 5.2 3.56 4.51 Alberta, Edmonton 4.95 2.13 3.75
MI, E. Lansing 4.71 2.70 4.00 Alberta, Suffield 5.19 2.75 4.10
MI, Sault Ste. Marie 4.83 2.33 4.20 British Columbia,
MN, St. Cloud 5.43 3.53 4.53 Kamloops 4.48 1.46 3.29
MO, Columbia 5.5 3.97 4.73 British Columbia,
MO, St. Louis 4.87 3.24 3.78 Prince George 4.13 1.33 3.14
MS, Meridian 4.86 3.64 4.44 British Columbia,
MT, Glasgow 5.97 4.09 5.15 Vancouver 4.23 1.33 3.14
MT, Great Falls 5.70 3.66 4.93 Manitoba, The Pas 5.02 2.02 3.56
MT, Summit 5.17 2.36 3.99 Manitoba, Winnipeg­ 5.23­ 2.77­ 4.02­
NC, Cape Hatteras 5.81 4.69 5.31 New Brunswick, ­ ­ ­
NC, Greensboro 5.05 4.00 4.71 Fredericton 4.23 2.54 3.56
ND, Bismark 5.48 3.97 5.01 Newfoundland,
NE, Lincoln 5.40 4.38 4.79 Goose Bay 4.65 2.02 3.33
NE, North Omaha 5.28 4.26 4.90 Newfoundland,
NJ, Sea Brook 4.76 3.20 4.21 St. Johns 3.89 1.83 3.15
NM, Albuquerque 7.16 6.21 6.77 Northwest Territory,
NV, Ely 6.48 5.49 5.98 Fort Smith 5.16 0.88 3.29
NV, Las Vegas 7.13 5.83 6.41 Northwest Territory,
NY, Bridgehampton 3.93 1.62 3.16 Norman Wells 5.04 0.06 2.89
NY, Ithaca 4.57 2.29 3.79 Nova Scotia,
NY, New York 4.97 3.03 4.08 Halifax 4.02 2.16 3.38
NY, Rochester 4.22 1.58 3.31 Ontario, Ottawa 4.63 2.35 3.70
NY, Schenectady 3.92 2.53 3.55 Ontario, Toronto 3.98 2.13 3.44
OH, Cleveland 4.79 2.69 3.94 Prince Edward Isl.,
OH, Columbus 5.26 2.66 4.15 Charlottetown 4.31 2.29 3.56
OK, Oklahoma City 6.26 4.98 5.59 Quebec, Montreal 4.21 2.29 3.50
OK, Stillwater 5.52 4.22 4.99 Quebec, Sept-Isles 4.29 2.33 3.50
DESIGN
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OR, Astoria 4.76 1.99 3.72 Saskatchewan,

OR, Corvallis 5.71 1.90 4.03 Swift Current 5.25 2.77 4.23
OR, Medford 5.84 2.02 4.51 Yukon, Whitehorse 4.81 0.69 3.10

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World Insolation Map

This map divides the world into six solar performance regions based on winter peak sun hours in the worst case month. A larger map
in full color is located on the back cover of this catalog.

5. Size Your Array

1. Enter your daily amp-hour requirement (from your Load Sizing Worksheet, line 4) AH/Day ______________

2. Enter the sun-hours per day for your area. Refer to chart. H/Day ______________

3. Divide line 1 by line 2. This is the total amperage required from your solar array. ______________

4. Enter the peak amperage of the solar module you have selected Peak A ______________

5. Divide line 3 by line 4. This is the number of solar modules needed in parallel. ______________

6. Select the required modules in series from the following chart. ______________

Battery Bank Voltage No. of Modules in Series
12V 1
24V 2
48V 4

7. Multiply line 5 by line 6 to find the total number of modules needed in your array. Total ______________

8. Enter the nominal power rating (in watts) of the module you have chosen. W ______________

DESIGN
GUIDE

9. Multiply line 7 by line 8. This is the nominal power output of your system. W ______________

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