NL 2008 Basic technical training manual FV proven - ITERmacsen-pv.iter.es/...Tech_Solar_Training_manual_FEF... · Technical solar training manual Basic design and installation training

Technical solar training manual Basic design and installation training guide

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With the financial support of

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Date: June 2008 Purpose: Document to support staff of business development service agencies to build the

technical capacity of solar dealers, enabling them to design and install good solar energy systems for rural households and small businesses and advice their customers adequately

Aimed user: Solar business development service providers and technical trainers of solar dealers/technicians (e.g. Solar.Now! employees)

Organization: Free Energy Foundation, The Netherlands Status: Practiced in Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Ghana, Ethiopia

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Basic design and installation training guide Page 2�

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Foreword This manual is part of an overall set of strategies to simulate local entrepreneurship for small solar appliances for rural electrification. These strategies fall into three categories: those meant to boost the chain and business development for small solar appliances in off-grid rural areas; those meant to upgrade the technical domain of the private actors involved; and those meant to strengthen their marketing and sales capacity. Each of these comes with a comprehensive pedagogical guide and specific technical manuals. �

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The technical training strategy is geared at enabling both commercial and technical staff in the technical aspects of solar energy, so they can design and install small solar systems correctly and adequately answer the questions that prospects or clients may have. Eventually this is bound to result in more sales, and more rural people satisfying their basic energy needs for illumination, powering their communication equipment [radios, TVs, cell phones] and if possible, earn a bit of extra income. This may entail a number of small solar applications and training levels:

� Solar Lanterns. The lower rural middle class segment may not have the purchasing power for small solar home systems, and my with to satisfy their need for illumination. There is thus a viable market in certain areas for solar lanterns or small LED lights, of 5 to 10 Watts, to provide this market segment with basic energy services (lighting). Retailers, sales agents and technicians are trained in the characteristics of this product, its parts and the maintenance and repairs involved.

� Solar home systems. As most rural middle class families have no access to basic energy services but wish to extend their effective day length and connect to the outside world, there is a good market for affordable solar home systems of 12 to 20 Watts, that allows them to charge batteries that feed a couple of bulbs, the radio, a phone charger and eventually maybe a TV. Retailers, sales agents and technicians, yet also promotion staff of NGOs and saving banks are, first, trained in the basics of their design and installations. Later they may also be provided more advanced training, eg. to elaborate on electricity detail, and do tailor-made sizing and installation of bigger systems.

� Backup systems (inverters). Especially in peri-urban setting or in rural settings, there may be a grid but it may be too unreliable. In such cases, back-up systems, which allow middle class families to charge batteries on the grid when it’s on and feed their lights and basic equipment from batteries. This can also be a good diversification strategy for solar entrepreneurs, as the technical details are very similar to those of the bigger solar home systems. Retailers and technicians are therefore trained in the details that come with the sizing and installation of these systems.

� Solar Business Applications (SBA). Solar home systems may not only be used to save on kerosene expenses, but also to earn an income. Phone and dry cell charging, powering shavers, lighting restaurants, shops and bars are commonly applied micro-businesses that use solar systems. For each of these a technical and economic fact sheet is elaborated. Retailers are trained in assembling and exploiting these solar business applications.

� Innovative new products. There are a number of new solar appliances that the retailer may wish to be informed and trained about: such as, pack and go home kits, solar sign posts, and so on.

The crucial step here is the basic training in solar home system design and installation, as all the rest follows on o this. This guide summarizes the experience gained in this basic technical training.

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Table of Contents Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................2 Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................................................................................3

1. Why ......................................................................................................................................................................................4 2. Whom ..................................................................................................................................................................................4 3. Where ..................................................................................................................................................................................4 4. When ....................................................................................................................................................................................4 5. How ........................................................................................................................................................................................4 6. Which (tools) ......................................................................................................................................................................6

Annex 1 – Presentation Annex 2 – Background document (handout) Annex 3 – Worksheet designing Annex 4 – Placemat systems options Annex 5 – Sunhour sheet Annex 6 – Installation guide Annex 7 – Wire thickness sheet Annex 8 – Fault finding sheet Annex 9 – Maintenance checklist


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The Basic Design and Installation of Small Solar Home Systems �1. Why A solar system is different from normal technical electricity installations, because it is direct current (DC). Some rules are different. Also, because it is a system, automatically it is a bit more complex, because elements of the system have to work together. Experiences in the field show that often installations are done wrongly, which is damaging the potential of the solar market. Also it shows that a good and intimate knowledge of the system design is quite essential in the sales process, as solar is a relatively new and unknown technology. 2. Whom The training is meant for dealers, technicians and even others that require a basic insight in how to do solar installations, such as employees of NGOs or saving banks who wish to engage in small affordable solar electrification. The primary aim is to train a network of technicians that can actually do proper installations in the field, linked to start-up or existing retailers. This way, retailers can guarantee that they do not only sell good solar systems, yet also that these are properly installed and maintained. Sometimes the technicians are employed by the retailers, sometimes they have a more free-lance relation, yet sometimes the technicians are also sales agents for the retailer. 3. Where As this is a training it should be carried out in a training environment. Always try to give it in a conducive [yet cheap and easily accessible] venue. A shop a not the most ideal location for giving a training since the dealers will be distracted by customers who come in. Therefore it is recommended to arrange for example a classroom in the local school to give the training. A classroom has several other advantages like good tables and chairs and a blackboard. Conference centers may also be used for training. The venue should have plenty of space to carry out practical sessions. 4. When When training is given, the following schedule is recommended for a one-day training.

Hour Theory and practical training - BASIC 1 What is solar energy? What are the advantages of solar energy? 2 Components: solar panel, charge controller, battery, lights.

Calculations with system sizing sheets. Do practical calculations on examples. 3 During coffee break: show open voltage from panel in sun. 4 Explanation on cost comparison and other tools (fault fining, placemat, etc) 5 Practical: Assemble a solar system. All attendees should know how to connect a basic system. 6 Practical: Fault finding in a solar system. All attendees should also know how to do this. 7 Practical: Assemble a demo board. Questions attendees

The basic approach here is a training, as skills have to be transferred to technicians that are already knowledgeable in electrical systems. A very practical hands-on approach is followed. Yet, it is likely that follow-up coaching visits will greatly enhance proper internalization of the design and installation skills. Also a technical hot-line by cell phone, e-mail or text messaging may be considered to allow the trained technicians to resolve technical questions in practice. 5. How

Step 1. Preparation. Call the retailers a week before, visit them and the technicians that they works with to get to know each other, pass the invitation and get more information on common training needs. Find a suitable venue and arrange for the seminar.

Step 2. Theory. A basic solar training consists of general and technical aspects of solar energy. Depending on the

type of students the training should be adapted to meet the interests of the listeners. Basically the following aspects are to be mentioned: � What is photovoltaic solar energy? How does photovoltaic solar energy work? What are the basic

components of a solar system? � Solar panel: What is a solar panel? How does a solar panel work? What different types of solar panels

exist? � Quality of solar panels: How should you install a solar panel? How should you maintain a solar panel?

Guarantee and the expected lifetime of solar panels? � Specifications of solar panels


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� Charge controller: What is a charge controller? Why do you need a charge controller? How does a charge controller work? How should you install a charge controller? What happens if you do not use a charge controller?

� Specifications of charge controllers � Battery: What is a battery and what do you need a battery for? What is the difference between car and

solar batteries? Different types of solar batteries? How should you install a battery? How should you maintain a battery?

� Appliances: What kind of appliances can you connect? Saving energy? Can you connect appliances that work on AC?

Step 3. Calculations on systems. In order to be able to sell a functioning system, any salesman or technician should be able to calculate system specifications. Larger systems with more panels are required if more appliances are to be used. The basis steps in any system calculation are the same and mentioned below: � Calculate for each appliance the daily energy consumption (Watts * hours = Wh) � Summarize daily consumptions of all appliances to find the total consumption (Wh) � Calculate the daily energy generation by one panel (Watts * hours = Wh) Note that the number of hours

that a solar panel generates electricity is normally set to 5 for amorphous solar panels. � Divide the total daily energy consumption by the daily energy generation of one panel and find the

number of panels required. � Divide the total daily energy consumption by the system voltage, multiply with 3 and divide by the

maximum discharge rate of the battery (50% for lead acid and 75% for gel) to find the size of the battery (Ah).

� Multiply the number of panels with the maximum current from a panel to find the maximum current for the charge controller (A).

Step 4. Practical training: Installing a basic system. Any retailer and technician should be able to build a basic system consisting of a small solar panel [12 to 20 Watts], a small charge controller, a small battery [20 to 40 Amp-hours], a light [4 to 6 Watts] and a phone charger. This step is repeated twice: first [in groups] to get at grips with the installation, and later [after the fault finding session – and individually] to assemble a demonstration kit.

Step 5. Practical training: Measuring open voltage and short circuit current of a panel. To demonstrate that the

energy output of a solar panel depends on the amount of sunlight on it, the panel can be taken outside to measure the open voltage (Vopen) and the short circuit current (ISSC). This experiment demonstrates very clearly that the energy output decreases when the solar panel is turned away from the sun or if the sunlight is being blocked by any object. It induces trainees to install panels properly in the right direction and with the right angle.

�Step 6. Practical training: Fault Finding. All technicians should be able to find the faults in a basic system with the use

of some basic tools like a screwdriver and a voltmeter. The purpose of this training is to teach people how to solve the most simple faults. Faults which can be introduced are: � Switch off the main switch of the charge controller; � Remove the fuse in the battery cable; � Reverse the battery connection (interchange +/-); � Disconnect a wire inside the light; � Wrap plastic around one of the wires and reconnect it; � Use an empty battery; � Use a broken light; The best way to start any fault finding procedure is to look at the status of the charge controller. Lights indicate whether the battery is being charged and whether the battery is full or empty. In annex 8 a schematic fault finding procedure is given which uses the indication lights on the charge controller.

Step 7. Practical training: Assembling a demonstration kit. This is the summit of the training all retailers should have their own demonstration kit, mounted into a wooden suitcase or a triangular box. This way the trainees prove that thy have mastered the installation skills correctly, or, alternatively, if the demo systems does not work, how to find the fault and correct it. Naturally, this enhances also the possibilities of the retailers to start off with their promotion and marketing practice. As the panels and batteries in a demo kit are normally smaller than those in a regular solar home system they will also be requested to recalculate the number of hours that the appliances can be used, thus re-practicing their design skills.

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Step 8. Follow-up. All attendees receive a full handout (annex 2) and the most important sheets (Designing worksheet; System sizing placemat ; Sunhour sheet ; Installation sheet ; Wire thickness sheets ; Fault finding sheets; Maintenance checklist – see annexes 3 to 9). This way they will be able to go over the contends again if needed. Yet also, with each one follow-up action plan is agreed on – including: practical coaching visit during or after installation, a technical hotline (over the phone or by text messaging or e-mail) and, possibly follow-up training.

The training is supported with a generic presentation – see annex 1.

6. Which (tools) The following things should be taken to give a proper basic technical training or on the design and installation of small solar home systems: � This training guide and the background document (annex 2) � The presentation (annex 1) � Enough copies of the hand-outs: Designing worksheet; System sizing placemat ; Sunhour sheet ; Installation sheet ; Wire

thickness sheets ; Fault finding sheets; Maintenance checklist – see annexes 3 to 9 � Signed certificates of attendance (as many of the attendees wish to put these in their shops, as a proof that they

attended a solar training and are qualified) � Demonstration kits � Loose panels, batteries, controllers and DC appliances, of different makes, in large enough quantity to have all

participants assemble full systems in sets of two or three. � Handyman tools: screwdrivers (small flat and star type), combination pliers, knife, hammer, voltmeter (preferably with

ampere measuring option). � Mounting frames. � All participants should come with a panel, a small charge controller, a small battery, a light or a phone charger and a

wooden demonstration kit suitcase or box, so as to assemble their own suitcase.

Technical training - basic - presentation 30-06-2008

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� Aim : Provide insight in installing small solar systems (<20 W) and

Content presentationIntroductionBrainstorm

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understanding its principles� Time : one day practical and one day

theory

1. Theory� Background on energy theories� Calculation and sizing

Q lit� Quality2. Tools3. Practical:

� Installation of the demonstration suitcase� How to do installations


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� What to bring!� Tools needed


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� Energy : ability to do work (in Joules, J or Watt hour)

� Kilo joule = 1000 joule� Mega joule = 1 000 000 joule� Mega joule = 1,000,000 joule

� Watt hour used for electricity� One watt hour = constant one watt

supply over 1 hour


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� Power : the rate at which energy is supplied (energy per unit time)

� Irradiance 1350 W / m 2

� At earth : 1000 W / m2

Midday

/� Panel angle important� Panel efficiency depends on:

� Solar panel type� Angle� Atmosphere

1000 W / m2

Power for1000 W

If all energy is

taken per m2

Angle important!


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� Atmosphere� Age of solar panel

� Irradiance = Sunhours� Sunhours depend on REGION!!! (tool

sunhours)

Power forPC computer


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ProductionPanel = Wp installed� W * h = production� H = sunhours (depend on region)

W = V * A

DC system, standard 12 V

AC versus DC

(next page)

Current (I in Amp) Rate of flow of electrons through

Potential difference (volts, V)

Difference energy between ends of

StorageBattery: Measured in AhW*h = V * A * hWh/V = Ah (divide production panel by 12 V) = battery size

ControlController = AW/V = A

ConsumptionInverter = Total appliances = W

Appliances = W * h


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circuit conductorDirect current DC Does not change

direction with timeResistance (Ohm, R) Property conductor

opposing the flow of current, creating heat

Alternating current AC

Changes regularly with time, switch back

Electric Power (Watt, P, W)

Rate energy supply

� Solar panel:� Short circuit current (Isc)� Peak Power (Wp)� Open circuit voltage (Voc)

I-V curve

11,5

22,5

33,5

Cur

ren Current (A)

Current (A) irradiance low)Current (A)hightemperature

� Changes with:� Irradiance� Temperature!!!

00,5

1

0 5 10 15 20 25

Volt

Current (A)hightemperature

Technology Crystalline -mono

Crystalline -Poly

Multi-junction Amorphous

Efficiency 11-16 % 9-13 % 6% 3-6 %


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Light barrier Direct light Direct light Indirect light Indirect light

Technology Silicon cells, one piece

Silicon cells, different

Gasification of silicon

Gasification of silicon


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� Battery is used for energy storage� Keep in mind:

� Good batteries are expensive, but worth it� Batteries get old, and wear outg� Keep them clean and protected

� Batteries can be dangerous if misused!� Storage capacity: in Ah (is maximum)� Depth of discharge : how much can be

used of maximum� Batteries need to be kept full most times!


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� Batteries need to be kept full most times!� Batteries have life cycles : they diminish

with bad use!

Chemical reaction lead acid battery :

Pb + PbO2 + 2 H2SO4-> a PbSO4 + 2 H2O

� Battery types:� SLI automotive batteries� Modified / portable automotive batteries

C ti l t l t GEL ll� Captive electrolyte GEL cells� Lead calcium maintenance free batteries� Motive/ traction batteries� Stand by batteries� PV flooded deep cycle batteries


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� Series and parallel� Batteries� Panels

� Why series or parallel?� How series or parallel?


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� Charge controller is used for protection of panel and battery

� Maximum Ampere needs to be larger th i t i t !than maximum current in system!

� Indicated panel working and battery levels


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� Without controllers, the management of LOAD needs to be very good


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� Appliances and the DC-DC converter

� Mind that 220-240 V AC appliances can not be connected to a 12 V DC system!!!

� Lights produce heat and light. Make use of energy saving lights.


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� A Voltage Converter, can run small radios with lower than 12 V requirements

PRACTICAL-CalculusQ li


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-Quality-Workshops


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� The next sheets will give some calculation exercises for the attendant to practise


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Daily Consumption:Basic:Multiply the wattage of every appliance by the hours of daily use, and add those up.Measured in Watt Hours.Advanced:Taking into account average use, relief weekends, and personal load shedding.Daily Production:Basic:Multiply the Daily Consumption by 1.5 to compensate for loss and produce reserve capacity to the

battery.Measured in Watt Hours.Advanced:Determine the required level of extra charge. Based on average use, spikes in use, the weather

patterns, finances, internal load shedding options, and most important customer wishes.Example: A customer who wants high security, where we would add 100% or more.Example: A customer who wants no added charge, where we would only add 10% to compensate for

loss.Panel size:Basic:Divide the Daily Production by that country’s related sun hours.Divide then by the panel size, and round up.


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y p pMeasured in Watts.Advanced:Understand what sun hours are, where the number comes from. How to interpret it. I believe it to be

important to know all numbers used in a sizing so it can be applied to different situations. (like different regions and countries)

Calculate different options. Different configurations of panels can yield the same result at different prices. Price should not always be the determining factor, but does count heavily. Take into account that mounting multiple panels costs extra to.

Take in to account the decisions for Daily Production when looking at rounding up or down.Let weather conditions weigh on the decision between amorphous and crystalline panels.


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Battery size:Basic:Multiply the Daily Consumption by 3. (for 2 rainy days)Multiply by 1 1/3 (1.33) to compensate for taking only 75%.Divide by 12 volts to get the rating in Amp Hours.Measured in Watt Hours.Advanced:Determine the required amount of reserve capacity with the customer. Take into account all other

sizing (this could include sizing from a production point of view instead of a consumptionsizing. (this could include sizing from a production point of view instead of a consumption point of view)

Example: A smaller size might be accepted if working with a generator as backup.Example: A larger size might be required when off time can not be accepted even in the worst of

conditions.Understanding the calculation of 75% based on deep cycle batteries discharged to 75% DOD. Ability

to modify for different types of batteries.Financial and practical considerations are important in deciding in what form to supply the capacity.

(2 volt tabular, 12 volt deep cycle, 24 volt, gel, …)Charge controller size:Basic:Divide the total panel wattage by 12.Measured in Amps.Advanced:Divide the total panel wattage by the systems running voltage. Usually no less the 12.7 (float

charge)


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charge).Add up all appliance wattages, and divide by 12 volt. This ensures that turning on all appliances at

the same time is not dangerous.Cable size:Basic:Know the length, calculate the current, look up the thickness.Measured in mm2.Advanced:Understand why thickness is important, how it influences the system.Understand that thickness is related to the material, and our sheet is for copper wire.Possibly teach the formula, but I would not recommend that.

� Calculus 1 : Get the amount of sunhoursfor your country – region

� Calculus 2 : From load to amount of panels

� Calculus 3 : Calculate the amount of output of several arrays of panels

� Calculus 4 : At a certain output and load requirement, what size battery is needed

� Calculus 5 : Calculate the size of the charge controller at certain currents


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g� Calculus 6 : Calculate from different

load requirements a whole system� Calculus 7 : Get the correct wire

thickness at a particular installation


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� Check the sunhour sheet.� Where is your region?� What is the irradiance?� How do we make sunhours from that?


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� Question 1, how much installed panels? : � Customers wants 2 x 11 W light for 4

hours.� Customers want 1 tv of 80 W for 6 hours.� Customer want radio of 20 W for 6 hours,

and 6 lights 5 W for 4 hours.� Customer wants ironing, 1000 W for 2

hours.


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� Customer wants a fridge, 30 W for 24 hours.


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� What is the output of?� 1 x 12 W panel, in 6 sunhour region� 3 x 20 W panel, in 5 sunhour region� 3 x 50 W panel, in 4 sunhour region� 1 x 85 W panel, in 5,5 sunhour region� 2 x 125 W panel, in 6 sunhour region


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� What size of battery is needed?� Output panels 60 Wh per day, storage

days 2, load demand 50 Wh per day� Output panels 300 Wh per day, storage

days 3, load demand 300 Wh per day� Output panels 500 Wh per day, storage

days 5, load demand 100 Wh per day


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� What charge controller is needed if?

� Installed Watt Peak of Panel Array = 300 Wp

� Installed Watt peak of Panel Array = 20 Wp

� Installed Watt peak of Panel Array = 3 x 20 Wp


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Question: A family wants 4 12 W lights, for 4 hours a day, a small radio (20 W) for 2 hours and charge a mobile phone very day. What system?

How: 1. Calculate for each appliance the daily energy consumption (Watts * hours =

Wh)2. Summarize daily consumptions of all appliances to find the total

consumption (Wh)3. Calculate the daily energy generation by one panel (Watts * hours = Wh)

Note that the number of hours that a solar panel generates electricity is normally set to 5 for amorphous solar panels.

4. Divide the total daily energy consumption by the daily energy generation of one panel and find the number of panels required.

5. Divide the total daily energy consumption by the system voltage, multiply


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with 3 to deal with 3 cloudy days (3 days of storage!!!) and divide by the maximum discharge rate of the battery (50% for lead acid and 75% for gel) to find the size of the battery (Ah).

6. Multiply the number of panels with the maximum current from a panel to find the maximum current for the charge controller (A).

Solution:


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Use the wire thickness sheet.� Question 1, how thick need the wires to

be?:� For system of 50 Wp panels, panel 6

meter away, one light 8 meter away, one light from controller 12 meter away.

� Question 2, how thick need the wires to


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be?:� For system of 12 Wp panel, panel 12

meter away, controller to battery 8 meter, controller to farthest light is 20 meter.

� Solar panel – amorphous :� Check if the sealing is good, water/air inside� Check the weight of the panel, good Q is glass

� Solar panel – crystalline :� Solar panel – crystalline :� Check for certificates

� Controller :� Check if the connections are good, voltmeter

� Battery : � Check if sealed correctly and Voltage is ok


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y g(above 12.5V)

� Inverter : � Low quality will consume a large amount of

power


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Workshop 1 : discussion round - What do we require to install a basic solar system?

Workshop 2 : Install the demo kit. Example of basic system.

Workshop 3 : Measuring open voltage &short circuit current� Take outside to measure the open voltage (Vopen) and the short

circuit current (ISSC) when the panel is pointing directly to the sun.

� Point it away from the sun or put it in the shade, measure the open voltage and short circuit current.

� What do you observe?

Workshop 4 : Measure strength of battery with voltmeter

Workshop 5 : Fault findingd f d f l ?


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� How do you find faults?� At each stage try to measure the voltage or current.� This simplifies the fault finding since it excludes many

components.

Workshop 6 : What to do after installation?

� Put all component ready for the demonstration suitcase

� Tool: the installation checklist

� First write it down on paper!

� Also write down what is needed for AC


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� Also write down what is needed for AC system


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Add to system:� Battery BOX,

station for charge controller and

Bring:� Hammer� Screwdrivers� Voltmeter

switch� Frame for panel

� Wires� Switches� Sockets� Bulb holders� Cable clips� Nails


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� Screws� Connection

strip� Battery clips� DC sockets

� What do we require more for an AC installation?� Inverter

L i� Longer wires� Insight in LOAD and amount of hours� Larger charge controller� More panels and batteries (likely)


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� Install the demonstration suitcase

� What are elements to keep in mind:� Have all tools ready� Do not SHORTCIRCUIT� Have all small screws and nails ready� Carry spare parts� The polarity in the bulb is correct


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� The switches are connect� Measure with voltmeter all steps!

Connect the battery to the controller1. Polarity: plus on plus, min on min (+ to +, - to -)***2. Short-circuit: protect the battery by a box (In cool

place (shade), use a fuse for protection)Connect the panel to the controller

3 Cooling: Space between panel and roof (10 cm)3. Cooling: Space between panel and roof (10 cm)Controller: Mount it free from ground (inside house), install where it can be seen, connect wires to the battery, loads and panels.

4. Efficiency: Angle facing equator and sun (A solar panel generates more electricity when it receives more sunlight. Install for high receive of light.Usually this is done by fixing a panel on the roof free of shade and pointing it at the sun at noon. )

5. No shade on the solar panel


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5. No shade on the solar panelConnect the appliances to the controller + general installation

6. Installation: Easy access, firm and neat presentation7. Cable protection: from rain , sun and damage8. Wire thickness: : depends on current and distance


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� Open voltage� Short circuit current


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� Voltage


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� The suitcase has been installed� The trainer will change something

� The trainees will have to check what is


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� The trainees will have to check what is wrong, using the controller and the volt meter

AFTER INSTALLATION (USE MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST):

ROLEPLAY: trainer is customer, trainee is solar dealer

Use appliances the TIME the solar technician told you!

Make the GREEN light on controller burn everyday!!!

1. Clean: if there is dust on the panel, less sunlight, less power

2. Keep your battery clean and refill if necessary (not sealed)

3. Depending on the quality used, your battery, controller


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p g q y , y y,and light bulbs have to be replaced


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� What did we learn?

� Theory of energy

� How to do an installation of a small solar system

� What to bring during the installation


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1. What is solar?2. What components do you need to install a

basic solar system?3. What do I do in order to have a TV work on

the solar s stem?the solar system?4. What are the types of solar panels?5. What is the use of the charge controller?6. Compare the deep cycle and acid solar

batteries?7. Why are batteries connected in parallel

when solar panels are connected in parallel?


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parallel?8. On my charge controller, the solar panel

indicator is off, what do you think might be problem?

9. Why do we do system sizing?10. What is the use of the demonstration kit?

The Basics about Solar Energy and the Design and Installation of Small Solar Systems

Background document

Free Energy Foundation April 2008

Table of contents Photovoltaic solar energy ........................................................................................................................................... 2

What is photovoltaic solar energy? ...................................................................................................................... 2How does photovoltaic solar energy work? ........................................................................................................ 2What are the basic components of a solar system? .......................................................................................... 3

Solar panel .................................................................................................................................................................... 3What is a solar panel? ............................................................................................................................................ 3How does a solar panel work? .............................................................................................................................. 4What different types of solar panels exist? ....................................................................................................... 4Quality of solar panels ........................................................................................................................................... 5How should you install a solar panel? .................................................................................................................. 5How should you maintain a solar panel? ............................................................................................................. 6Guarantee and expected lifetime of a solar panel .......................................................................................... 6Specifications of solar panels ................................................................................................................................ 6

Charge controller .......................................................................................................................................................... 7What is a charge controller? ................................................................................................................................. 7How does a charge controller work? .................................................................................................................... 8How should you install a charge controller? ........................................................................................................ 8Specifications of charge controllers ...................................................................................................................... 9

Battery ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9How should you install a battery? ....................................................................................................................... 11How should you maintain a battery? .................................................................................................................. 11Specifications of batteries .................................................................................................................................... 11

Appliances ................................................................................................................................................................... 12

� 2

Photovoltaic solar energy

What is photovoltaic solar energy?

Photovoltaic solar energy is the conversion of energy that comes from the sun (light) into

electricity which can be used to power up appliances in the house. Good examples of

appliances which can be powered with solar energy are:

o Lights

o Telephone charger

o Radio

o Television

Especially low energy consuming appliances are suitable to be powered with solar

energy. By having solar energy a customer:

o Does not need a generator anymore for low energy usage;

o Does not need kerosene lights anymore;

o Has the luxury of electricity when and where grid electricity fails.

o During the day the electricity output of a solar panel varies because of the changing irradiation from the sun. This can be demonstrated with the following graph.�

How does photovoltaic solar energy work?

Energy which comes from the sun as light is transformed into electricity when it touches a

solar panel. This electricity is then going through a wire to a battery where it can be

used for later use. The more light a solar panel receives, the more electricity comes out

of it. A solar panel only generates electricity during daylight and not at night. Since it

makes little sense to only have lights running during daytime, a battery is required to

store the electricity for use at night.

� 3

Analogy with water storage

Drinking water (electricity) can be harvested by collecting water from the roof (solar

panel). The water is conducted through pipes (wires) to a drum (battery) where it can

be stored for later use. All components are necessary. It makes no sense collecting

water (electricity) if there is no drum (battery) since then it can only be used during the

rain (sunshine).

What are the basic components of a solar system?

A photovoltaic solar system consists of the following components which are all necessary

in any basic system: solar panel, charge controller, battery, appliances. These

components will be discussed in the following sections.

Solar panel

What is a solar panel?

The solar panel is the device which transforms light from the sun into electricity. A

physical process is used to do this. The more light a solar panel receives, the more

electricity is produces. Furthermore, the more solar panels are connected, the higher the

electricity supply will be.


A solar panel is like a roof to collect water. You need the roof to collect water. The

bigger the roof the more water you will collect. Therefore the bigger the solar panel,

the more electricity you will collect.

� 4

How does a solar panel work?

A physical process is used to convert the sunlight into electricity. Depending on the type

of the solar panel it is sensitive to specific frequencies in the solar spectrum.

What different types of solar panels exist?

There are many different types of solar panels. The two most important types are

(mono and poly) crystalline silicon panels and amorphous silicon panels. They have some

very important differences:

Amorphous Silicon Crystalline Silicon Colour Brown / black Blue Efficiency Low (5% practical) High (15% practical) Price / kWh Low (100%) High (150%) Energy output per m2 Low (+/- 40 W/m2) High (+/- 120 W/m2) Works on indirect sunlight (when cloudy) Yes No

Because of the different specifications the different panels need to be used in different

circumstances. Crystalline silicon panels are to be used when space is scarce and costs

are of less importance. Amorphous silicon panels are to be used when space is less

Construction�of�a�photovoltaic�cell

Current�collectors�

Rays�of�sunlight�

Electrical�current� Silicon/boron�layer

Silicon/arsenic�layer�

� 5

important than costs. This makes amorphous silicon panels very suitable for use in

African rural areas.

Quality of solar panels

Many different manufacturers produce solar panels. Many of them produce panels

which have a low quality. Only very few create panels with high quality standards. The

physical process of changing sunlight into electricity is a process done by complex

chemical layers inside the panel. These chemicals are very sensitive to oxygen and

should therefore be protected against air. The glass blocks oxygen but in poor quality

solar cells, this oxygen can still enter from the edges. Therefore it is important that the

edges have an airtight sealing. In high quality panels this is usually made of plastic

which is firmly attached to the glass. At the current state of technology, high quality

panels should last for approximately 20 years. Unfortunately, sometimes it is very hard

to measure the quality of the panel at the beginning of its lifetime.

A customer should always be advised to buy a high quality panel to avoid complaints

about non working systems later on.

How should you install a solar panel?

� Position and Angle

As stated before a solar panel generates more electricity when it receives more

sunlight. Therefore it should always be installed in that way that during the day (or

during the year) it receives as much sunlight as possible. Usually this is done by fixing a

panel on the roof free of shade and pointing it at the sun at noon. In some specific

Life time�[Years]�

Energy�Output�[Watts]�

� 6

cases a tracking system can be designed. A tracking system is a manual or automatic

system which points the solar panel to the sun to increase the yield. For most southern

hemisphere locations, the solar panel should be mounted on a roof pointing to the north

and on an angle to the horizontal of 5 to 15 degrees (to the location of the sun at

noon).

� Cooling

Furthermore it is important to leave space between the panel and the roof. A panel

works better when it is being cooled properly. If there is space between the roof and

the panel, air, working as a cooling agent can flow around it.

How should you maintain a solar panel?

Solar panels require little maintenance. To increase the amount of light to be received it

is important that a solar panel is clean. The front side should therefore be cleaned with

cloth and normal water. Do not use chemicals! Furthermore it is important to check

regularly that trees have not been growing in front of the panel, creating a shade.

Guarantee and expected lifetime of a solar panel

High quality panels have an expected lifetime of approximately 20 years.

Manufacturers of high quality panels usually give a 10 years guarantee on the panels.

Note that the guarantee is only valid if and only if the panel is physically intact and if

the serial number has been recorded by the salesman.

Specifications of solar panels

Solar panels have many specifications. The most important values are:

� Peak power (Wp)

The peak power is the maximum power that a solar panel can give when it is being

operated in full sunlight. The higher the peak power, the higher the energy output of

the panel will be.

� Open voltage (Vopen)

The open voltage is the voltage which is measured when the panel is not connected to

anything but a voltmeter and pointed to the sun. The open voltage can be used to

� 7

determine whether is panel is positioned in the right way. The higher the open voltage,

the higher the energy output of the panel will be.

� Short circuit current (Issc)

The short circuit is the current which is measured when the panel is not connected to

anything but a current meter to measure the short circuit current. The higher the short

circuit current, the higher the energy output of the panel will be.

Charge controller

What is a charge controller?

A charge controller is the heart and the brains of a solar system. It controls the power

output of the panel and the power flowing to the appliances. Furthermore it gives

information (with indication lights) to the customer about the current state of the solar

system.

� Why do you need a charge controller?

A charge controller is a device which a customer should connect in a solar system. It has

several functions:

o Prevention against overcharging the battery and thus increasing the lifetime of the battery;

o Prevention against deep discharging the battery and thus increasing the lifetime of the battery;

o Optimising the solar panel output;

o Giving information to the user about the current state of the solar system.

o Prevention against overcharging the battery

If a battery is overcharged, the lifetime of the battery decreases dramatically.

Therefore the charging should stop when the battery is full. The charge controller

measures the voltage of the battery and with it the charging state. If the voltage level

is high enough it stops charging.


If you collect water (electricity) on your roof (panel) and store it in a drum (battery),

you should stop filling (charging) the drum (battery) when it is full. Otherwise the drum

� 8

(battery) will be flooded (overcharged) and it can burst. Valves (charge controller) are

to be used to stop the filling (charging).

� Prevention against deep discharging the battery

If a battery is discharged too deep, its lifetime decreases dramatically. Therefore the

discharging should stop when the battery is low. The charge controller measures the

voltage of the battery and with it the charging state. If the voltage level is too low, it

stops discharging by switching of the appliances. Sometimes this can be annoying but it

is a necessity to prevent the battery from being damaged.

� Optimising the solar panel output

A solar panel gives the most electricity when it is operated at a specific output voltage.

The charge controller can control the output voltage of the panel and with it the power

output of the panel. A solar panel will give more electricity when it is being operated

together with a charge controller.

� Giving information to the user about the current state of the solar system

A charge controller gives information to the user with indication lights. In this way the

user can determine whether the battery is full or empty and whether the solar panels

are charging the battery. By having the indication lights, the charge controller is a

perfect point to start when finding the fault in a malfunctioning system.

How does a charge controller work?

A charge controller measures the voltages of the panel and the battery and operates

electrical switches based on these voltages.

How should you install a charge controller?

The charge controller should be mounted free from the ground on a dry place.

Therefore it is usually placed inside a house. Furthermore it should be mounted in such a

position that the user can see the indication lights easily. After mounting it, the wires to

the panel, to the battery and to the appliances can be connected.

� What happens if you do not use a charge controller?

Some customers prefer not to use a charge controller in their solar system because of

the expenses. This however should always be discouraged since operating a system like

� 9

this is decreasing the power output and the lifetime of the battery.

Specifications of charge controllers

Charge controllers have a number of specifications. The most important values are:

� Operating voltage (V)

This is the voltage at which the charge controller is to be operated.

� Maximum current (A)

The maximum current a charge controller can handle should not be exceeded to

prevent the charge controller from getting damaged. When more panels are

connected, more current will be generated and a charge controller which can handle a

larger current should be selected.

The pictures above show the inside of a charge controller. The big blocking diode that

stops reverse current at night can be seen in the right figure.

Battery

� What is a battery and what do you need it for?

A battery is a device to chemically store electrical energy (only Direct Current DC) for

later use. In solar energy, electricity is generated during the day when there is sunlight.

However, the electricity is often to be used during the night for example for lighting.

Therefore the electricity should be stored for some time. The usual way to do this is by

using a battery.

� 10


When water (electricity) is collected on the roof (solar panel) during the rainy days

(daytime), it should be stored for later use. Therefore the water (electricity) is to be

pumped in a drum (battery).

� What is the difference between car and solar batteries?

A battery works with a chemical process. In car appliances a battery is used to start an

engine. This is done by drawing a lot of current for only a couple of seconds at the

time. In solar systems however, electricity is to be withdrawn during a number of hours

when the appliances are switched on. Therefore the whole design of a battery for use

in solar systems differs from car batteries. The main difference is that solar batteries

have thicker lead plates inside to withstand the longer time that current is to be

withdrawn.

If car batteries are used in solar systems, they are used for applications where they

never designed for. It will work for some time but already after some months the

batteries will break down and another investment for new batteries is required.

Analogy with cars

A car battery is not the identical to a solar battery. Compare this with cars. A tractor is

a car and a sports car is a car. Both are cars but it is not good to drive with your

tractor on the highway or with your sports car in the mud. Both have a power which is

indicated in horsepower but still they are different and you should not interchange. For

batteries this is similar. Car batteries and solar batteries both have the same voltage

and a value in Ah. Still they should never be interchanged.

� Different types of solar batteries

Different types of solar batteries exist. All solar batteries have thick lead plates and

are specifically designed for solar systems. Lead acid batteries are the most common

but they require maintenance. Gel batteries in contrast are maintenance free, have a

higher discharge rate but they are more expensive.

Normal lead acid Deep cycle Availability High Low Maintenance Yes No Discharge rate 50% 75% Price Low High

� 11

It depends on the system specifications whether to select a lead acid battery or a

maintenance-free deep cycle gel battery.

How should you install a battery?

A battery should be installed on a relatively cool and dry place. The lifetime of a

battery decreases when it is operated in a hot environment. Therefore it should be

located in the shade. It is very important that a battery is never short circuited (never

directly connect + and - !!!) and that it is being operated with a fuse that protects is

from short circuit. Furthermore it is strongly advised to use a battery in combination with

a charge controller to prevent it from being overcharged or deep discharging.

Furthermore it is advisable to put a battery in a box to prevent people from putting

objects on top of the battery which sometimes can create a short circuit. The clamps

should be connected to the poles with Vaseline in between. Never use ordinary grease

since this will increase the resistance in the system and therefore introduce losses of

energy.

How should you maintain a battery?

Most of the batteries require maintenance. Inside a battery is a fluid. The level of this

fluid is very important for the functionality of a battery. Therefore the fluid levels

should be checked regularly and the battery should be filled if necessary. Only use

distilled water to do this. Never use acid or regular water since this damages the

chemical materials inside the battery. Furthermore it is important to keep a battery

clean to prevent discharging current running over the top of a battery.

Specifications of batteries

Charge controllers have a number of specifications. The most important values are:

� Operating voltage (V)

This is the normal operating voltage of the battery. For most batteries this is 12 volt.

� Energy content (Ah)

Any battery has a specific energy content which is given in Ampere hours. This can be

easily translated into the normal quantity for electrical energy (Wh) by multiplying it by

the operating voltage. Wh = V * Ah.

� 12


Imagine that a customer wants to use more water (electricity). He will need a bigger

roof (solar panel) to collect it but he will also need a bigger drum (battery) to store it.

Without this bigger drum (battery), collecting more water with a bigger roof (solar

panel) makes no sense.

Appliances �

� What kind of appliances can you connect?

Solar systems are very suitable for low energy consuming appliances. This makes it very

suitable to power some lights, a phone charger or a radio. A solar system works on

12V DC (direct current) and this is also what comes out of the system. Therefore the

appliances should also be working on 12V DC.

� Saving energy

Solar energy is very useful to create light at night or to power up a radio for luxury for

multiple hours. However, the energy output of a solar system depends on the number of

panels and therefore on the amount of money invested. If a customer consumes too much

energy, he will empty his battery and the charge controller will switch off the

appliances. Therefore it is important to save energy whenever possible. In this way the

investment can be limited. Saving energy can be done by reducing the number of hours

that an appliance is switched on and by using energy saving appliances.

� Can you connect appliances that work on AC?

Solar systems generate 12 volt DC (direct current) electricity. Some appliances however

require 240 V AC (alternating current) electricity. Some examples are televisions and

computers. It is possible to transform 12 V DC into 240 V AC by using an inverter.

Unfortunately an inverter uses energy to do this transformation. Depending on the

quality of the inverter the power required to transform DC to AC can go up to as much

as 50% of the actual energy use. In other words: by using inverters a lot of electricity is

being thrown away. Therefore any customer should always be advised not to use

inverters if not really necessary. Many appliances are also available for 12V DC.

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40 -

42 W

Char

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ontr

olle

rSi

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min

. 5 A

Sola

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tter

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1 st

orag

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24

Ah

3

stor

age

days

= 7

0 Ah

Phone C

harg

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= 1

2 u

nits

30

0

So

lar

un

its

(W

h)

Phone C

harg

er

= 1

2 u

nits

Sol

ar B

atte

ry 1

sto

rage

day

s =

70

Ah

3

sto

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day

s =

100

Ah

Ch

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Con

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Size

: m

in. 1

0 A

Sola

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70 W

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Output

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bank

050

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N

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S

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N SSSSSNNNNNN

10 -

15°

60°E

30°S

20°S

10°S

0°10°N

20°N

30°N

40° N

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0°10

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°E30

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daily

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20 -

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REL,

GEF

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from

the inte

rnet

Afr

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t pla

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titu

de,

novem

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2005

20°W

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deriv

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lopt

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pre

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S

W

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+

N

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S

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: fo

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Wire

Thick

ness

2m

m001

0806

5505

5404

5303

5202

5101

54

32

11

6,55,4

3,31,3

8,25,2

2,20,2

7,14,1

1,18,0

6,03,0

2,02,0

1,01,0

22,11

9,87,6

1,66,5

0,55,4

9,33,3

8,22,2

7,11,1

6,04,0

3,02,0

1,03

7,614,31

0,012,9

4,85,7

7,69,5

0,52,4

3,35,2

7,18,0

7,05,0

3,02,0

43,22

8,714,31

3,212,11

0,019,8

8,77,6

6,55,4

3,32,2

1,19,0

7,04,0

2,05

9,723,22

7,613,51

9,315,21

2,118,9

4,80,7

6,52,4

8,24,1

1,18,0

6,03,0

65,33

8,621,02

4,817,61

1,514,31

7,110,01

4,87,6

0,53,3

7,13,1

0,17,0

3,07

0,932,13

4,325,12

5,916,71

6,517,31

7,118,9

8,79,5

9,30,2

6,12,1

8,04,0

86,44

7,538,62

5,423,22

1,028,71

6,514,31

2,119,8

7,65,4

2,28,1

3,19,0

4,09

2,052,04

1,036,72

1,526,22

1,026,71

1,515,21

0,015,7

0,55,2

0,25,1

0,15,0

018,55

6,445,33

7,039,72

1,523,22

5,917,61

9,312,11

4,86,5

8,22,2

7,11,1

6,011

3,161,94

8,637,33

7,036,72

5,425,12

4,813,51

3,212,9

1,61,3

5,28,1

2,16,0

219,66

5,352,04

8,635,33

1,038,62

4,321,02

7,614,31

0,017,6

3,37,2

0,23,1

7,031

5,270,85

5,349,93

2,636,23

0,924,52

7,121,81

5,419,01

2,76,3

9,22,2

4,17,0

411,87

5,268,64

9,240,93

1,532,13

3,724,32

5,916,51

7,118,7

9,31,3

3,26,1

8,051

7,389,66

2,050,64

8,146,73

5,333,92

1,529,02

7,615,21

4,82,4

3,35,2

7,18,0

612,98

4,175,35

1,946,44

2,047,53

2,138,62

3,228,71

4,319,8

5,46,3

7,28,1

9,071

8,498,57

9,651,25

4,747,24

9,732,33

4,827,32

0,912,41

5,97,4

8,38,2

9,19,0

814,001

3,082,06

2,552,05

2,542,04

1,531,03

1,521,02

1,510,01

0,50,4

0,30,2

0,191

0,6018,48

6,363,85

0,357,74

4,241,73

8,135,62

2,129,51

6,013,5

2,42,3

1,21,1

025,111

2,989,66

3,168,55

2,056,44

0,935,33

9,723,22

7,612,11

6,55,4

3,32,2

1,152

4,9315,111

7,387,67

7,967,26

8,558,84

8,149,43

9,729,02

9,310,7

6,52,4

8,24,1

033,761

8,3314,001

0,297,38

3,579,66

6,852,05

8,145,33

1,527,61

4,87,6

0,53,3

7,153

2,5911,651

1,7114,701

6,798,78

1,873,8 6

6,858,84

0,933,92

5,918,9

8,79,5

9,30,2

041,322

5,8718,331

7,2215,111

4,0012,98

1,879,66

8,556,44

5,333,22

2,119,8

7,65,4

2,254

0,1528,002

6,0510,831

5,5219,211

4,0018,78

3,577,26

2,056,73

1,525,21

0,015,7

0,55,2

058,872

1,3223,761

4,3514,931

5,5215,111

6,797,38

7,968,55

8,149,72

9,312,11

4,86,5

8,255

7,6034,542

0,4817,861

4,3510,831

7,2214,701

0,297,67

3,160,64

7,033,51

3,212,9

1,61,3

066,433

7,7628,002

0,4813,761

6,0518,331

1,7114,001

7,389,66

2,055,33

7,614,31

0,017,6

3,356

5,2630,092

5,7124,991

2,1811,361

0,5419,621

7,8016,09

5,274,45

2,631,81

5,419,01

2,76,3

074,093

3,2132,432

7,4122,591

7,5711,651

6,6311,711

6,791,87

6,850,93

5,916,51

7,118,7

9,357

3,8146,433

0,1520,032

1,9022,881

3,7614,641

5,5216,401

7,387,26

8,149,02

7,615,21

4,82,4

081,644

9,6537,762

4,5421,322

8,0025,871

1,6518,331

5,1112,98

9,666,44

3,228,71

4,319,8

5,458

0,4742,973

4,4827,062

0,7323,312

6,9819,561

2,2415,811

8,491,17

4,747,32

0,912,41

5,97,4

099,105

5,1041,103

0,6720,152

9,5228,002

7,5716,051

5,5214,001

3,572,05

1,521,02

1,510,01

0,559

8,9258,324

9,7134,192

9,4624,832

9,1124,581

9,8514,231

0,6015,97

0,355,62

2,129,51

6,013,5

0017,755

1,6446,433

7,6038,872

0,1521,322

2,5913,761

4,9315,111

7,388,55

9,723,22

7,612,11

6,5

2m

m08>2

mm08

2m

m62

mm5,2

2m

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3

Wir

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m2

]

Lenght [meter]Cu

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ind

ica

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SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY Check: system is in daylight?

ON

?

OFF

?

Faul

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ing Sh

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SOLA

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AN

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eettttaaBB

WWEENN

! yr eetttt aa BBB

yrettaB

$$

pohS

YUBB!!!!!

retrevnI

C

A-

C

D

10 -

15°

N

E

S

W

NN SSSSSNNNNN

+

Alw

ays

first

try

the

ligh

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app

lianc

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they

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rate

!

Documents

NL 2008 Basic technical training manual FV proven - ITERmacsen-pv.iter.es/...Tech_Solar_Training_manual_FEF... · Technical solar training manual Basic design and installation training