Off-Grid Solar Systems: Load Lists, Battery Banks, Panel Sizing, Cables & Monthly Energy Balance
Size a 12/24/48 V solar system for a cabin, van or boat from the load list to batteries, panels and cables, with every cell checked as you go.
One-time payment · lifetime access · lessons, labs, exam and certificate included · no subscription.
About this course
In this course you plan a fictional off-grid cabin in a live spreadsheet. You build a load list in Wh per day with inverter losses, a planning margin and start-up surge, and choose 12, 24 or 48 V with IFS. You size the battery bank from days of autonomy, depth of discharge and efficiency, then the solar array from peak sun hours and derate, including the cold-weather string voltage against the controller limit. You compare PWM and MPPT, run a monthly energy balance with generator top-up hours and a chart, pick cable cross-sections and fuse sizes from tables, and finish with cost per kWh, payback and NPV.
Lessons
- The Load List: Watts, Hours, Wh per Day & Surge Pro
- Choosing 12, 24 or 48 V: System Voltage and Currents Pro
- Sizing the Battery Bank: Autonomy, Depth of Discharge & Strings Pro
- Sizing the Solar Array: Peak Sun Hours, Derate & Cold String Voltage Pro
- Charge Controller: Current Rating, Margin and PWM vs MPPT Pro
- Monthly Energy Balance: Surplus, Deficit & Generator Top-Up Pro
- DC Cables: Cross-Section, Voltage Drop & Fuse Size Pro
- Costs: System Price, Cost per kWh and Payback vs a Generator Pro