Interested in the topic of how to connect a solar panel, it is worth a good study of the features of installation and device. It is also worth asking yourself the question – why do you need a home power plant, and what is the main purpose of its installation. As practice shows, there are several answers: the fight against permanent power outages, saving electricity and the ability to create a fully autonomous power grid. When the main goal is defined, then you can approach the technical side of the question. Prepared article will tell you how to connect a solar panel from Energolt and other nuances of such a system.
Different types of solar power plants
To understand the connection schemes well, you need to get acquainted with the complete set of equipment of a small solar system Energolt. It is worth clarifying, solar power plants come in grid-connected and stand-alone, so their equipment set is slightly different. For example, the grid type solar panels Energolt successfully used in shopping malls, offices, private homes, farms, hotels, and the list of components is as follows:
- Inverter, which will be a separate section of the article;
- Solar panels of polycrystalline or monocrystalline type;
- Single-core copper cable, necessarily with high-quality double insulation and good resistance to quite aggressive environments. Recommended cross section of 6 mm or more;
- DC and AC circuit breakers;
- Quick-release connectors for panel connections;
- DC ultrasonic protection;
- DOCA sensor;
- Mountings must be ordered separately;
- A reversible electric meter is necessary when electricity sales to the government are contemplated. Given the “green tariff,” you can make a good profit.
Stand-alone solar power plants Energolt comes in the following configuration:
- solar panels of a certain type;
- battery charge controller;
- The inverter is not included in every kit;
- several options for rechargeable batteries (often gel batteries);
- protection devices (fuses, circuit breakers);
- cables with a cross section of at least 4 mm.
Autonomous kits Energold are used in most cases for street lighting, motor homes, yachts, traffic lights, power to automatics, as well as in homes where there is no central power supply and, accordingly, the possibility to connect. Ideal option, which for a little money allows you to create an autonomous power grid and use a variety of electrical appliances, even away from civilization.
If the solar system will be equipped with batteries, then it is important to pay attention to such parameters:
- the maximum voltage under the condition of peak power Vmp;
- nominal voltage of panels: 24 V or 12V;
- no-load voltage value (denoted as Voc), which characterizes the amount of voltage generated by the panel at no load. An important parameter when selecting a controller;
- Imp current – the current at the maximum possible power of the panel.
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Why do you need a grid power plant Energovolt
To begin with, a grid-connected solar power plant is a good way to significantly reduce your monthly electricity bill, given the constant rise in energy prices. This equipment does not require storage and is specifically sharpened to save money. This type of Energy Volt power plants are in particular demand among commercial property owners, because the cost of 1kWh is significantly higher compared to the private sector.
Private households are also interested in grid power plants, because electricity can be sold at a “green tariff”. Which allows good savings on utility bills, spending the family budget more economically and wisely. Despite the price of 1 kWh, as well as the price of periodic maintenance and all the costs of installing a solar plant, this investment is more than worthwhile. After all, over the long service life (panels up to 30 years), the power plant will pay for itself more than once, but for more detailed calculations you need to know the exact configuration.
Wiring Diagrams
There are 3 possible schemes to help connect the solar panels of Energowolt: parallel, series, and series-parallel. Below is more detail about each of the schemes.
Parallel connection
In order not to make a mistake, you just need to connect the terminals of the same sign to the outputs and inputs of the panels. Y-type connectors are the most convenient.
With this scheme, you can increase the current without increasing the voltage of the panels. For example, 4 panels from Energovolt are installed and each panel is 12V, at 22.48V, the maximum current is 5.42A. By measuring the no-load voltage and nominal voltage, you can see that the figures have not changed. However, the maximum power looks like 5.42A*4=21.68A.
Series Connection
It can be seen from the diagram that the minus terminal of the first panel is connected to the plus terminal of the second panel and the minus terminal of the second panel is connected to the third terminal and so on in a similar way. With this connection, the voltages of the panels are added together. The circuit will even make it possible to achieve 220V, but this is rarely done.
Here is an example for better understanding. If we have 4 EnergyVolt panels each rated at 12V, Voc: 22.48V (no-load voltage figure) we end up with 48V. No-load voltage = 22.48V*4=89.92V. However, the maximum current output will remain the same.
In order not to reduce the efficiency of the system as a whole, solar panels with the same Imp values must be used.
Parallel connection
The circuit shown here contains panels which are partly connected in parallel and partly connected in series. This feature allows you to select the most optimal mode of operation of the power plant, by adjusting the output current and power rating.
For clarity it is worth taking apart an example of 4 panels with the following characteristics:
- No-load voltage or Voc – 22.48V;
- Nominal voltage 12V;
- Current at maximum power Imp: 5.42A.
If 2 panels are connected in parallel and 2 in series, the output voltage will be 24V and the no-load voltage will be 44.96V and the current is 5.42A*2=10.84A.
The scheme allows you to create a balanced system, which will not need a battery charge controller, because there is no large peak voltage. There is also an opportunity to assemble a solar system of panels Energovolt of different capacity, for example, 2 at 12 volts, and then convert to 24V. If it is necessary to provide a private home with solar electricity, this scheme is the most appropriate to use.
Instructions for connecting the solar panel to the charge controller
For a system equipped with rechargeable batteries, you need a controller that will carefully monitor the charging level. For example, the device will dump excess electricity so that it does not accumulate when the batteries are fully charged. It also becomes possible to connect appliances with low rated voltage – 24V, 12V, 48V, etc.
Often the controller has 3 pairs of contacts, and the existing connection diagrams of solar panel controllers involve the following:
- Pair #1 is needed to connect the panels;
- Pair #2 is needed to connect the batteries;
- Pair #3 is needed to connect a low-consumption source.
Experts recommend connecting the batteries first, which will allow you to check the correct operation of the equipment. In the second turn the solar panels, and then after checking the correct functioning of the system – the consumers.
Note. In addition to the described standard connection option, there may be a different number of terminals, so you need to carefully study the instructions that come with the equipment. It is also important to follow the polarity of the entire system, otherwise the controller may fail or the system will not work. When connecting the equipment to the mains, a short can occur due to improper polarity.
Connecting to Battery
If your home requires considerable autonomy, then you have to wonder how to connect the solar panel to the battery and properly set up the solar system. In addition to the charge controller, the batteries are connected to an Energolt inverter, which is capable of converting 12V, 24V, 48V to the usual 220V for household appliances. When creating a system, you need to use a large cross section of wire, as well as strictly observe the polarity of the circuit. The recommended cross section is 3 mm.
In principle, you can do without a controller, connecting the batteries directly to the solar panels Energovolt. However, it is not desirable to do this, because then there are several negative factors: constant uncontrolled charging, increased electricity consumption, as well as strong heating of the batteries. These factors significantly reduce their life, so frequent replacement will be required.
The most commonly used batteries are gel batteries or conventional lead-acid batteries. For residential installations, batteries should be of the enclosed type. Most solar enthusiasts use standard 12-volt automotive batteries.
Connecting an Energolt Inverter
To get 220V in the house, you need to know how to connect the inverter to the solar panel Energovolt and properly integrate it into the system. This device performs the function of the inverter, turning the voltage from batteries and solar panels into stable 220V. For industrial-type equipment, there are inverters that can output 380V. Such devices are rarely used in the home.
The process is not complicated at all: connect the terminals to the panels directly or through the controller and the battery, observing the polarity.
The Energolt inverter must necessarily be of the hybrid type, because it is versatile. When the solar panels provide enough energy, the device will use only it. When the output becomes insufficient or the consumption increases, electricity from the grid will be used. The system is very flexible, so you can fine-tune the equipment to make the most efficient use of different power sources. You can set the battery to charge from the mains if the day is cloudy, for example, or take advantage of the night tariff with cheaper energy.
If necessary, you can calculate the capacity of the inverter Energovolt, for this you will need the total power of the panels, as well as their power:
It is not difficult to calculate the total power, you just need to know the number and power of each panel. For example, 5 panels of 200W, which would give a total of 1 kW. When choosing a device, you need to consider a small margin, so an inverter for 1.2 kW will do. It may be necessary to add a panel or more in the future.
What are the main advantages of solar panels Energovolt
To begin with, the manufacturer gives a warranty on the grid inverter Energovolt and solar panels Energy Volt for as much as 10 years. The equipment itself serves for 30 and 20 years, respectively, which indicates high reliability and uptime over time.
If we talk about standalone equipment, then the warranty period of solar panels Energovolt is 10 years, the inverter from a third-party manufacturer gives 3 years, the controller 2 years, and storage units from 1 to 3 years, which depends on the model.
The equipment is unpretentious at all, so it can stably operate in the temperature range from -25 to 60 °C. Equipped with the modern IP65 standard of protection.
The customer can order solar photovoltaic modules Energovolt and get free delivery to almost any region, except the most remote: Kamchatka, Yakutia, etc. To each customer is always an individual approach, long consultations to find the necessary equipment and satisfy the request. For wholesale customers there is a system of discounts. Solar system is completed and shipped as quickly as possible (only 1-2 days), because all the equipment is stored in warehouses of the manufacturer Energovolt.
