Re: Off-Grid solar panel project NEED HELP!

[elnav]

A good question was posed here a while back. Given the best available commercial panels figure on you needing 5 square meters to produce one kilowatt of energy from the sun. This is assuming the panel is pointed directly at the sun and the panel os perfectly clean and the skiesn are totally clea.

If the sun hits the panel at an angle or the sun is low near the horizon or dust has collected on the panel surface you will get less power.

For what its worth experienced power managers have sucessfully lived on a solar array of around 500 watts capacity. A 1000 amo hour battery bank and a 2500 watt inverter while enjoying a almorst normal lifestyle with electric lights a few kitchen appliances and a fully equipped computer station with a wiFi link. This does assume you cook with propane and heat with wood and do not require full time airconditioning. There will always be someone who can manage with less ( more credit to them) but for the average faminy trying to off-grid on solar the transition cam be difficult enough to cope with. Peak demand loads such as a deep well pump will require more power than the inverter can supply so a generatlor boost is needed. These pumping periods using a generator can be combined with doing laundry. Both appliances have higher water and energy demands. It makes sense to carry these out during periods of abundaant energy and water supply times.