Project Solar Calculators: Calculators for approximating solar panel output and battery banks for loads placed on them

Purpose
The purpose of this project is to help you approximate the size of a battery bank and solar array based on the load (number of devices) you plug into the battery bank. If you already know the total amps of your load, or the volts and watts you can go straight to the "DC Battery Bank Calculator".

Otherwise, simply enter the volts / watts / amps of each device in "Device Calculator". After clicking on "Calculate" single click on "Pass Values to Device Load Calculator >>" to pass the values of the device to the device table in the "Device Load Calculator". When you are done entering devices (up to 10), click on the button "Pass Total to DC Battery Bank Calculator (below)". The calculations for the total size of the battery bank (to power your collection of devices) will automatically be made in the "DC Battery Bank Calculator". As a bonus, the size of a solar array will also be automatically calculated (solar array to supply power to the battery bank).

Finally, there is a calculator, the "Solar Panel Calculator" which allows you to determine the value of a solar panel that you may be missing a value for (provided you have two values).

Device Calculator

Input any two values to get the third value. Remember, batteries are DC so you need to input values that are based on the DC required by the device. As an example, the Insignia 22" LED TV has an AC plug (120VAC) but the LED TV has a DC plug rated at 12VDC/3Amps - you would enter 12 and 3 NOT 120. Calculations that derive voltage are assumed to be DC. All devices should have the same voltage rating.

DC Volts
DC Watts
DC Amps

The device with 12 Volts and 100 Watts has 8.33 Amps.

Device Load Calculator

This section allows you to input the rating of a collection of devices (input each device in the "Device Calculator" to the left). Once entered, this section totals the voltage/wattage/amperage that your collection of devices draws (this is the load). Those numbers then can be used to determine the size of your battery bank (the "DC Battery Bank Calculator" below).

Device	Volts	Watts	Amps










Total

Solar Array Needed For Battery Bank

The solar array puts power into the battery bank. In order to determine the size of the solar array, ensure the battery bank calculations have been made (to the right). You can alter hours of sunlight the array receives which will control how many watts the array must collect.

Hours of Sunlight
Single Solar Panel Watt Output
Array DC Volts
Array DC Watts
Array DC Amps

DC Battery Bank Calculator

In order to calculate the amp-hours (Ah) which determines how much power must be stored in the battery to supply power for the devices you have plugged into it, supply the following information. Hint: Voltage should never exceed battery voltage - many devices have 12VDC adapters; in order to determine number of watts or amps, add up the watts each device needs or add up the amps each device needs when plugging in each device to the battery bank.

Select The Information You Have:

Calculations include offsets of an energy conversion percentage of 85% (from battery to a device) and that the devices are high-demand (that is, they are always drawing power).

Solar Panel Calculator

Input any two values to get the third value.

DC Volts
DC Watts
DC Amps

The solar panel with 12 Volts and 100 Watts has 8.33 Amps.

If you need a solar calculator that you can customize further, try http://store.altenergystore.com/calculators/off_grid_calculator/.