Below are some options for 12V, 24V, and 48V configurations, using Renogy 100W, … Contact online >>
Below are some options for 12V, 24V, and 48V configurations, using Renogy 100W,
Solar consumers areno longer asking if it is possible to power their lives with the sun, they are testing the limits of those possibilities. Just a couple years ago, we wrote a blog with the prophetic title, 48V Systems: The Future of Solar. Well, folks, the future is now!
Whether you are living in an RV, off grid cabin, or suburban neighborhood, you can power everything from lights and computers to residential refrigerators and air conditioners with energy from the sun.
How do you determine what size your system should be, which voltage you should choose, and which components you need? The questions all boil down to your daily energy needs, the types of appliances you want to run, the size of your solar array, and the amount of space you have available for both panels and batteries.
While most RVers can easily and inexpensively build a 12V panel and battery system that meets their basic DC and AC needs, folks with greater energy demands may find that a 24V system can help them run more powerful AC appliances. Going further, those who invest in a 48V system with enough solar panels and battery storage capacity, can even run electric heating and air conditioning!
The greater your energy demand and the more powerful your appliances (especially if they heat or cool), the greater the current (amperage) flowing through your wiring. The greater the amperage, the larger the wiring has to be for safety – and, not surprisingly, larger wiring is more expensive.
Previously, with 12V systems, that meant adding more panels, larger capacity charge controllers, and huge battery banks, plus all that beefy wiring. Now, many solar consumers with higher energy demands are moving away from 12V and toward 24V and 48V systems for overall cost-space-benefit.
Looking at the basic Volts (V) x Amps (A) = Watts (W) equation, you can see how to achieve the same wattage by doubling the voltage of your overall system, thereby reducing the amperage by 50% at each step up in voltage.
Overall, these higher voltage systems are not only safer, they are more cost effective, more efficient, weigh less, can be easier to build, and experience less transmission loss. The best news, the components, which were in production in 2020 when we wrote that prophetic article, are now readily available!
Before we proceed, below is some terminology in this article you''ll need to understand.
If you are brand new to solar, we encourage you to read our Unscrambling the Alphabet Soup of Solar Terminology blog for some additional help with terminology, as well as watch our Solar 101 video.
Once you have your head around some solar terminology, use our NEW Solar System Sizing Worksheet to calculate your energy needs, and determine the necessary size of your solar array, battery bank, and charge controller using the built-in solar calculator. The worksheet will then help you build a system and create an organized order for all of the components, wiring, accessories, and mounts that you will need. Our affiliate links in this blog, combined with our CANLIFE promo code, will save you 10% on all non-sale Renogy items – which can amount to hundreds of dollars in savings if you are building a larger system!
For the most cost-space-benefit, here''s a good rule of thumb that engineers use to determine the best voltage configuration for your system.
Solar panels operate at a higher voltage than batteries can accept to make up for the transmission loss along the wires and to produce enough energy on a low sun day for the batteries to still charge efficiently. The charge controller takes care of that extra voltage so that the battery gets what it needs. This can be a bit confusing because panels are sold as 12V or 24V, but that refers to its "nominal voltage" not the actual voltage it will produce. Since panels are sold as individual units, the nominal value indicates the voltage of the battery it can charge alone.
A single 100W panel can produce 20V (open circuit voltage), which is approximately 18V (optimum operating voltage), effectively charging a 12V battery bank, but not enough for a 24V battery. To charge this battery bank, you can either use a 24V (nominal) panel, or connect two smaller voltage panels in a series connection. Two 100W panels set up in series can produce 40V (open circuit voltage), and 36V (optimum operating voltage), producing enough voltage to effectively charge a 24V battery bank.
To build a 48V system without significantly increasing the amperage (and keeping your wiring smaller and cost lower), you can combine series and parallel connections together. A series configuration doubles the voltage and keeps the amperage the same.A parallel configuration doubles the amperage and keeps the voltage the same. By combining BOTH series and parallel connections within the same configuration, you can achieve the best of both worlds!
Below are some options for 12V, 24V, and 48V configurations, using Renogy 100W, 200W, and 320W panels. For each configuration, we calculate the voltage and amperage using a combination of series and parallel connections and indicate the voltage and current produced. As you can see from the chart, you can easily create a sizable 48V system, while keeping the amperage moderately low (40A)! Note: For sake of example, specific numbers in the chart are rounded to the nearest decimal. See the Renogy website for exact specifications for each product.
*Two 100W panels connected in series, then each of the 4 "series pairs" connected in parallel. (100W+100W)=(100W+100W)=(100W+100W)=(100W+100W)
**Two 200W panels connected in series, then each of the 4 "series pairs" connected in parallel. (200W+200W)=(200W+200W)=(200W+200W)=(200W+200W)
***Two 3200W panels connected in series, then each of the 4 "series pairs" connected in parallel. (320W+320W)=(320W+320W)=(320W+320W)=(320W+320W)
Note: The above configurations with specific panels and connections in series or parallel are just a few examples of the many ways to reach the desired wattage of your system. Space, weight, location specifications for panels, and wiring distance all play a part in determining the best way to configure your solar array.
For a quick moment, let''s review the two different types of charge controllers – PWM and MPPT.
PWM serves as a simple on/off switch that monitors the charge coming in from the solar panels. When using a PWM charge controller, the nominal voltage of the panel array needs to match the voltage of the battery bank.
MPPT charge controllers are more complex, making them more flexible and efficient. These controllers can charge a 12V battery bank with a panel array ranging from 12V to 48V (assuming the array does not go over the PV voltage limit). With MPPT, the total array voltage needs to be greater than the battery bank voltage, but it also uses that extra voltage to boost the amperage going to your battery.
The following Renogy charge controllers are designed to work with 12V, 24V, or 48V systems.
The Rover 60A and 100A will work with any of these system options, while the Wanderer 10A, Adventurer Li 30A, Voyager 10A and 20A, Rover Li 20A, 30A, and 40A, and Rover Elite 20A and 40A will work with either 12V or 24V. The new Rover Boost 10A* is a unique charge controller which boosts the voltage of 12V or 24V panels to charge 48V (or 36V) batteries.
Choosing the correct one for your system requires that you know both your panel array size so that you can determine your overall amperage, as well as the type of deep cycle batteries you will be using (Gel, AGM, LFP) – not all charge controllers work with all battery types.
Renogy takes some of the guesswork out of combining panels and charge controllers with their popular solar kits (ranging from 12V to 48V packages) which include many of the components and accessories you will need such as BT module, branch connectors, wiring, mounting brackets, breakers, breaker box, etc. Each kit is slightly different, so be sure to check out what''s included in the kit you choose!
These newer, 24V and 48V kits include:
About 48v solar system
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