PLANNING TO GO SOLAR?

Here are the steps to determine your system requirements:

1) get your monthly kwh usage. Get two figures: average during dry season (lets assume this
figure is 150 kwh) and average during rainy season (lets assume this figure is 100kwh).
2) get the daily usage by dividing the ave. monthly usage by 30 days.
3) So you get 5kwh/day for dry season and 3.3kwh for rainy season.
4) This range (3.3 to 5 kwh/day) represents the number of 230 to 250 watts panels you need for
total energy independence because each panel of that watts range will produce 1 kwh per day.
So panels needed is 4 to 6 pcs. (we always round up to the higher even number).
5) The battery bank you need depends on the spread of your consumption over a 24 hour period.
a) if your usage is evenly spread over a 24-hour period, then you need half of the daily kwh or
3kwh (using the higher number), harvested by the panels to be stored in batteries for your night
time use. So ah of battery bank required is 3,000watts/12 volts= 250 ah. You double this to 500ah
to account of 50% dod.
b) If your usage is concentrated in the daytime like in offices, then you only need a minimal
battery bank. You can use the smallest ah battery (40ah) and connect them in series to attain the
system voltage required by the inverter.
c) if your usage is concentrated at nightime, them the solar production of 6 kwh all have to be
stored in the battery. So 6,000watts/12 volts=500ah, you double this to account for 50% dod, so
bank should be 1,000 ah.
Now you may ask, what if the grid is brown-out? Then you need an Offgrid inverter that will
automatically supply you AC power from battery bank when grid is out.
Now you ask what if there is weak sunlight? Then you should have an inverter that can charge
your bank from grid in addition to solar. It should also be able to automatically supply you with
ac power when both sunlight and battery bank are weak or depleted. Now another question:
What if I cannot afford the 6 panels all at the same time? You just buy say 2 panels and then you
need an inverter that will just connect you to solar/battery power when available and get from
grid whatever deficit you may have.

Another question: What if the grid in my area is so weak that most of the time at peak hours, it is
just supplying me with 150V AC? Then you need and inverter that has an AVR capability.
Another question: What if my usage is so variable that there are times that my usage is very
small? Will the inverter continue to use idling load? Then you need an inverter that automatically

shuts the inverter when load is below 5% of rated and shifts to chipset invertion during such
time to save on battery juice.
You may ask: What if there in no grid in my area? Then you need and inverter that can accept AC
power from a genset or a wind turbine in the range of 143 V AC to 297 V AC as backup.
Then final question: What if those in the household (maids) or workplace (staff) have zero
knowledge on electricity, can the system work on plug, play and forget? Then you need an
inverter that can do that.
The I-Panda HPC answers all the questions raised but i suggest you canvass what is available in
the market and do your own research.
Star Hub Enterprises Ltd is the exclusive distributor of I-Panda Solar Power Systems in the
Philippines. We extend 2 years warranty and 10 years technical support. Our I-Panda products
are eligible for trade-ins should system upgrades be required by our customers.