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--- electrical:solar:sizing [2019/02/08 12:21]
frater_secessus [Sizing a solar installation]
+++ electrical:solar:sizing [2019/02/08 13:00]
frater_secessus [Sizing a solar installation]
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ====== Sizing a solar installation ======
-In **normal, non-vehicle off-grid solar configurations** the sizing is done for your power needs in the worst case scenario (December in your geographical area):((https://web.archive.org/web/20110906013732/http://www.solarpowerforum.net/forumVB/solar-energy/1793-basic-off-grid-solar-design.html))
+Sizing **residential off-grid solar configurations** is relatively easy: calculate power needs in the worst case scenario (December in a particular geographical area)((https://web.archive.org/web/20110906013732/http://www.solarpowerforum.net/forumVB/solar-energy/1793-basic-off-grid-solar-design.html)) and pay for it.
+  - worst case scenario [[electrical:12v:loads|loads]] (the max loads you will apply in any 24hr period((or at any given time, if you plan to run heavy loads)))
+  - worst case scenario sunlight, usually December in your geographical area due to shortest daylight hours
+  - days of reserve (ie with no solar charging) you want
+  - whether or not you have access to other forms of charging: [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]], [[electrical:12v:alternator|alternator]], [[electrical:generator|generator]]
+  - These factors will tell you size of the system needed.  If the system you need will not physically fit on/in your vehicle, you will have to take a different approach.
-  - worst case scenario loads (the max loads you will apply in any 24hr period)
-  - worst case scenario sunlight, usually December in your geographical area
-  - these factors will tell you the **cost of the install**
-This also works for 'dwellers building relatively minimal solar power systems where one is not using all the available roofspace for panels.
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
-The first step in (and difficult part of) designing a solar setup for your camper is to **understand your real power needs**.  For most people running on solar power only (as when [[camping:dispersed|boondocking]]) will require a **resetting of expectations**.
+The first step in (and difficult part of) designing a solar setup for your camper is to **understand your real power needs**.  Most people running on solar power //only// (as when [[camping:dispersed|boondocking]]) will need to **reset expectations** to be more in line with reality.
 **Necessities** like charging phones, LED lighting, fans, etc. are easy to power. \\
-**"Niceties"** like coffee makers, toasters, hot plates, and microwaves require big/costly setups. \\
+**"Niceties"** like electric coffee makers, toasters, hot plates, induction cooktops, and microwaves require big/costly setups. \\
-Some **luxuries** like A/C are impractical on typical solar installs and are therefore relegated to [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]] or [[electrical:generator|generator]] scenarios.
+Some **luxuries** like [[hvac:solar_ac|A/C]] are impractical on typical solar installs and are therefore relegated to [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]] or [[electrical:generator|generator]] scenarios.
-See also some [[electrical:solar:builds|descriptions of working solar setups]].
+As a sanity check of what's actually being done out there, here is a list of some [[electrical:solar:builds|descriptions of working (rather than theoretical) solar setups]].
 ===== your daily power needs =====

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