1. What is Solar System Sizing?

Solar system sizing involves calculating the appropriate size of solar panels and batteries needed to meet your energy requirements. Proper sizing ensures your system can handle the load while accounting for inefficiencies and days without sun.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses two fundamental equations:

Where:

• \( \text{Load W} \) — Total wattage of your electrical load
• \( \text{Factor} \) — Safety factor (typically 1.3-1.5) accounting for system losses
• \( \text{Load Ah} \) — Total amp-hour consumption per day
• \( \text{Autonomy} \) — Number of days the system should run without sun

Explanation: The equations account for your daily energy needs plus additional capacity for inefficiencies and cloudy days.

3. Importance of Proper Sizing

Details: Correct sizing prevents system failures, maximizes efficiency, extends equipment life, and ensures reliable power supply. Undersized systems won't meet demand while oversized systems are unnecessarily expensive.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips:

• Calculate your total daily watt-hours and convert to amp-hours for battery sizing
• Typical factor is 1.3 (30% extra capacity)
• Autonomy days depend on your location (3-5 days is common)
• All values must be positive numbers

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical factor value?
A: 1.3 is common, but may increase to 1.5 for systems with many conversion stages or poor sun exposure.

Q2: How many autonomy days should I use?
A: 3 days is standard, increase to 5 for cloudy locations or critical systems.

Q3: Should I include inverter efficiency?
A: Yes, either include in your load calculation or increase the factor accordingly.

Q4: What about battery depth of discharge?
A: This calculator gives total Ah needed. Divide by your battery's DoD (e.g., 0.5 for 50% DoD) to get actual battery size.

Q5: How do I calculate my daily load?
A: Sum (watts × hours used) for all devices, then divide by system voltage for Ah.