Complete Solar Panel Installation Design & Calculations with Solved Examples – Step by Step Procedure

Below is a DIY (do it yourself) complete note on Solar Panel design installation, calculation about No of
solar panels, batteries rating / backup time, inverter/UPS rating, load and required power in Watts. with
Circuit, wiring diagrams and solved examples. Anyone who follows the simple steps (DIY tutorial) below
can install and connect solar panels in home for residential applications.

If you pick this article related to solar panel installation, You will be able to;

To calculate the no of solar panel (with rating)

To calculate the rating of Solar panel

To calculate the rating of batteries for Solar panel system

To calculate the back up time of batteries

To calculate the required and charging current for batteries

To calculate the charging time for batteries

To calculate the rating of charge controller

How much watt solar panel we need?

Connect Solar Panel in Series or Parallel?

How to select the proper solar panel for home

UPS / Inverter Rating for load requirement and much more…

Solar Panel Installation: Step by Step Procedure with calculation and examples

Solar Panel Installation: Step by Step Procedure with calculation and examples

Before we start, its recommended to read the article about proper selection & different types of solar
panels and photovoltaic panel for home & commercial use as well. To the point, lets know how to wire
and install a solar panel system according to the proper calculation and load requirements.
Related Post: How to Design and Install a Solar PV System? Solved Example

Now lets begin,

Suppose, we are going to install a solar power system in our home for a total load of 800W where the
required backup time of battery is 3 hours (You may use it your own as it is just for sample calculation)

Load = 800 Watts

Required Backup time for batteries = 3 Hours

What we need to know?

Inverter / UPS Rating =?

No of batteries for backup power =?

Backup Hours of batteries =?

Series or Parallel Connection of Batteries = ?

Charging Current for Batteries = ?

Charging Time for batteries = ?

Required No of Solar Panel =?

Series or Parallel Connection of Solar Panels = ?

Rating of Charge Controller = ?

Solution:

Table of Contents
Inverter / UPS Rating:

Required No of Batteries

Backup Hours of Batteries

Series or Parallel Connection for Batteries

Why Batteries in Parallel, not in Series?

Charging Current for Batteries

Charging Time required for Battery

Required No of Solar Panels (Series or Parallel) ?

Rating of Charge Controller

How Much Watts Solar Panel We need ?

Which One Solar Panel we Select ?

Inverter / UPS Rating:

Inverter / UPS rating should be greater than 25% of the total load (for the future load as well as taking
losses in consideration)

800 x (25/100) = 200W

Our Load + 25% Extra Power = 800+200 = 1000 Watts

This is the rating of the UPS (Inverter) i.e. We need 1000W UPS / Inverter for solar panel installation
according to our need (based on calculations)

Related Post: How to Connect Automatic UPS / Inverter to the Home Supply System?

Required No of Batteries
Now the required Back up Time of batteries in Hours = 3 Hours

Suppose we are going to install 100Ah, 12 V batteries,

12V x 100Ah = 1200 Wh

Now for one Battery (i.e. the Backup time of one battery)

1200 Wh / 800 W = 1.5 Hours

But our required Backup time is 3 Hours.

Therefore, 3/1.5 = 2 → i.e. we will have to connect two (2) batteries each of 100Ah, 12V.

Backup Hours of Batteries

If the number of batteries are given, and you want to know the Backup Time for these given batteries,
then use this formula to calculate the backup hours of batteries.

1200 Wh x 2 Batteries = 2400 Wh

2400 Wh / 800 W = 3 hours.

In the first scenario, we will use 12V inverter system, therefore, we will have to connect two (2)
batteries (each of 12V, 100 Ah) in Parallel. But a question raised below:
Related Post: What are the Blocking Diode and Bypass Diodes in a Solar Panel Junction Box?

Series or Parallel Connection for Batteries

Why Batteries in Parallel, not in Series?

Because this is a 12V inverter System, so if we connect these batteries in series instead of parallel, then
the rating of batteries become V1 + V2 = 12V + 12V = 24V while the current rating would be same
i.e.100Ah.

Good to Know: In Series Circuits, Current is same in each wire or section while voltage is different i.e.
Voltage are additive e.g. V1+V2+V3….Vn.

That’s why we will connect the batteries in parallel, because the Voltage of batteries (12 V) remains
same, while its Ah (Ampere Hour) rating will be increased. i.e. the system would become = 12V and
100Ah +100Ah = 200Ah.

Good to Know: In parallel Connection, Voltage will be same in each wire or section, while current will be
different i.e current is additive e.g. I1+I2+I3…+In

We will now connect 2 batteries in parallel (each of 100Ah, 12V)

i.e. 2 12V, 100Ah batteries will be connected in Parallel

= 12V, 100Ah + 100Ah = 12V, 200 Ah (Parallel)

Good to Know: Power in watts is additive in any configuration of resistive circuit: P Total= P1 + P2 +
P3. . . Pn (Neglecting the 40% installation loss)

Related Post: Series, Parallel and Series-Parallel Connection of Batteries

Charging Current for Batteries

Now the Required Charging Current for these two batteries.

(Charging current should be 1/10 of batteries Ah)

200Ah x (1/10) = 20A

Related Post: Charging Time and Charging Current formula for Batteries (With Example of 120Ah
Battery)

Charging Time required for Battery

Here is the formula of Charging Time of a Lead acid battery.

Charging Time of battery = Battery Ah / Charging Current

T = Ah / A

For example, for a single 12V, 100Ah battery, The charging time would be:

T = Ah / A = 100Ah / 10A = 10 Hrs (Ideal Case)

due to some losses, (it has been noted that 40% of losses occurred during the battery charging), this
way, we take 10-12 A charging current instead of 10 A, this way, the charging time required for a 12V,
100Ah battery would be:

100Ah x ( 40/100 ) = 40 (100Ah x 40% of losses)

the battery rating would be 100Ah + 40 Ah = 140 Ah (100Ah + losses)

Now the required charging current for the battery would be:

140Ah / 12A = 11.6 Hours.

Required No of Solar Panels (Series or Parallel) ?

Now the required No of Solar Panels we need for the above system as below.

Scenario 1: DC Load is Not Connected = Only Battery Charging

We know the famous power formula (DC)

P = VI ………… (Power = Voltage x Current)

Putting the values of batteries and charging current.

P = 12V x 20 A

P = 240 Watts

these are the required wattage of solar panel (only for battery charging, and then battery will supply
power to the load i.e. direct load is not connected to the solar panels)
Now

240W/60W = 4 Nos of Solar panels

Therefore, we will connect 4 Solar Panels (each of 60W,12V,5A) in parallel.

calculate the no of solar panel, rating of Solar panel & batteries , Charging time & current for Solar Panel
Installation with image and calculations.

The above calculations and system was only for battery charging (and then battery will supply power to
the desired Load) to AC electrical appliances, which will get power through inverter and DC loads via
Charge controller (via charged batteries)

Scenario 2: DC Load is Connected as well as Battery Charging

Now suppose there is a 10A directly connected load to the panels through inverter (or may be DC load
via Charge Controller). During the sunshine, the solar panel provide 10A to the directly connected load +
20A to the battery charging i.e. solar panels charge the battery as well as provide 10A to the the load as
well.

In this case, the total required current (20 A for Batteries Charging and 10 A for directly connected load)

In this case above, total required current in Amperes,

20A + 10 A = 30A
Now, I = 30 A, then required Power

P = V x I = 12V x 30A = 360 Watts

I.e. we need 360 W system for the above explained system (This is for both Direct Load and Batteries
Charging)

Now, the number of solar panels we need

360/60W = 6 Nos of Solar Panels

Therefore, we will Connect 6 Nos of Solar panels in parallel (each of 60W, 12V,5A)

Click image to enlarge

Solar Panel Installation with Battery for charging and DC Load

fig: Circuit Diagram for the above Calculation for Solar Panel Installation (Solar Panels only for battery
charging + Direct connected load).

Related Posts:

Series Connection of Solar Panel with Auto UPS System

Parallel Connection of Batteries with Solar Panel

Rating of Charge Controller

As we have calculated above that the charging current for 200Ah battery is 20-22 Amperes (22A For
Battery Charging+10A for direct DC Load), therefore we can use a charge controller about 30-32 Amp.

Note: The above calculation is based on ideal case, so it is recommended to always choose a solar panel
some bigger then we need, because, there are some losses occurs during battery charging via solar
panel as well as the sunshine is not always in ideal mood.

Related Post: How to Find The Suitable Size of Cable & Wire for Electrical Wiring Installation?

How Much Watts Solar Panel We need ?

We have shown a very simple method in the previous post to find that How much Watts Solar Panel We
need for our Home Electrical appliances? depends on the sunshine time and the load in watts we need
to power up an electrical appliance.

Related Post: Basic Components Needed for Solar Panel System Installation

Which One Solar Panel we Select ?

Among lots of brands and material of solar panels like c-Si, String Ribon, Thin Film Solar Cells (TFSC) or
(TFPV), Amorphous silicon (a-Si or a-Si:H),Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Solar Cells, Copper Indium Gallium
Selenide (CIGS/ CIS) Solar Cells, BIPV: Building Integrated Photovoltaic Panels, Hybrid Solar Cells and PV
Panels, We have discussed in a very details post “different types of solar panels with
advantages/advantages, cost, and applications” This way, you will be able to find which is the best type
of Solar Panel for Home Use?

Related Posts:

How to Calculate the Right Size of Solar Charge Controller?

PWM Solar Charge Controller – Working, Sizing and Selection

MPPT Solar Charge Controller – Working, Sizing and Selection

Electrical Home Wiring Diagrams & Tutorials

UPS / Inverter Wiring Diagrams & Connection

Solar Panel Wiring & Installation Diagrams

Batteries Wiring Connections and Diagrams

Single Phase & Three Phase Wiring Diagrams (1-Phase & 3-Phase Wiring)

Three Phase Motor Power & Control Wiring Diagrams

TagsSolar & PV CellSolar CellSolar PanelSolar Panel Installation

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