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Like a lot of projects, the hardest part is just plain getting started. Once you do that, things start falling into place and you gain encouragement by seeing your own progress. To get started, you need to know the first steps to take. That's what this section is all about, where to start and how to proceed, step by step.
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Although this website contains a lot of information about solar power, you really only need to follow the 5 Steps below to get the essential information to design your Solar Energy System.
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Step 1 : First, look at the page About Solar Power to get an introduction to the basics of a solar energy system, and things you should consider before you start setting up a system including type of system, size, and cost.
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Step 2 : Second, check out the System Overview to see the minimum equipment you will need for a solar energy system: Solar Panels, Charge Controller, Power Inverter, and Batteries.
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Step 3 : The next step is to determine the size of your system. You need to add up all the wattage of all the appliances you plan to use and calculate how many hours per day the appliances will be used. Our System Sizing Estimator makes calculating wattage requirements quite easy. You can jump right in or read the detailed instructions to get a more complete understanding.
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Step 4 : Ok, now you know how many Solar Panels and Batteries you'll need. Next go to the Battery Bank Designer so you can see how the Battery Bank wiring is done. With just 4 clicks, the Battery Bank Designer will display a picture that shows you how to connect the batteries for multiple configurations using popular 2, 4, 6, or 12 volt battery sizes.
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Step 5 : Last is the Wire Size Calculator so you can determine the correct size wires to run from your Solar Panels to your equipment center. Proper wire size will prevent overheating of the wires and ensure maximum transfer of power to your batteries.
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Example Wiring Diagrams for 2KW, 4KW, & 8KW solar energy systems. |
Also, you will find these Example System Diagrams very helpful for showing how to connect the components of your solar energy system. 2 KW, 4 KW, and 8 KW systems are shown and include the solar panels, combiner boxes, charge controller(s), power inverter(s), battery bank, shunt & meter circuits, AC breaker panel, and AC generator wiring.
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