12 Volts PV’s Vs 24 Volts PV’s
Solar Panel
Your energy consumption should determine the voltage of your power system. You should not have continuous currents greater than 100 Amp. The higher the current (measured in Ampere or Amps) the bigger the components need to be. High currents require large diameter cables and fuses, both of which are expensive. By doubling the voltage you get double the power (Watt) at the same current.
· The 150 watts solar panel is a 24 volt. You need 4 six volt batteries or two 12 volt batteries. The solar panel puts out 6.25 Amps at peak. The converter will use up from 5% to 10% of the 150 watts.
Multimeter
· If you plan on the down converting by MPPT Type Controllers use 24v PV’s and batteries
· Use the 12v PVs with a PWM Controller.
· If you have long runs from the panels to the battery, wiring your solar panels for higher voltage can greatly reduce the cost of the wire run (higher voltage, lower current, smaller wire for same drop).
· The advantages of higher voltage are, you can use smaller wire, and have less voltage loss.
· a 12V DC power system are recommended for lower loads, like if you need a little light in a shed or caravan and wish to wire it yourself than a 12 Volt system is more suitable.
· Larger panels are preferred because there are fewer mounts and electrical connections required
· Rule of Thumb:
- 1,000 Watt = 83 Amp @ 12 Volt
- 2,000 Watt = 83 Amp @ 24 Volt
- 4,000 Watt = 83 Amp @ 48 Volt
- 20,000 Watt = 83 Amp @ 240 Volt
Related articles
- Solar Panel Connection in Series (enersol.wordpress.com)
- Solar Panel Connection in Parallel (enersol.wordpress.com)
- Solar Panel Charge Controller (enersol.wordpress.com)
- Selection of Solar Energy System Hardware (enersol.wordpress.com)
- Solar Energy – How to Select the size of a Solar Panel and Battery (enersol.wordpress.com)
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