Have you been surfing around on the web looking for the best solar system build under $3,500? Well, you have just found what you are looking for so look no further. Here you will find the exact components needed to set up your own build with a great investment for your money spent.
With a $3,500 budget, you´ll be able to create what we will call “a standard budget” solar system on your own.
This will stand for those households with a bit bigger sizes of appliances such as a 52” television set. The household will also use the appliance more than in basic budget. The household can install a bit more expensive components than a basic one.
In our case, we are going to budget for a household with the following electrical appliances using the steps outlined earlier to size for the components and thereafter we source them from amazon.
1) Television set
2) Computer/laptop
3) PlayStation
4) Tv set box
5) Radio system
6) Microwave
7) Refrigerator
8) Toaster
9) Electric jug
10) 10 lighting bulb
How To Build Your Own Solar System
When you build your own off grid system it is not only cheaper than hire someone to do it. It also puts you in full control and gives you a complete and very powerful solar system in your home
There is a huge advantage doing it yourself and to get the kind of power to a $3,500 budget if you would hire someone to do it for you wouldn´t be possible.
If this is your first time setting up your own solar system at home then you need to go through our step-by-step guide on how to do it. Simply follow the steps and you will be able to do it. Simply click the link below to open up the guide.
Click here for the step-by-step guide
Optimal Hardware On A $3,500 Budget
Here the components sizes are the same as in our basic budget but the number of components used increases. Components such as batteries, solar charge controller, and the solar panels change due to change of electrical appliances ratings and different hours of use.
The following hardware and prices are the ones that will bring you the most bang for your buck, all of them are from amazon.
Final Price: $3,203,84
At only $3500 you will have your solar energy system up and running at a basic level of appliances usage. Why we increased it to $3500 from $3203.84 is due to some cable and connector purchases.
Details
Standard budget ($3500)
- Total watts = 2335 watts
- Total watt-hours =5625 watt-hour
Remember:
- Generation factor=2.98
- Battery losses=0.85
- Battery depth of discharge=0.6
- Solar charge controller losses=1.3
- Inverter watts allowance=30%
Sizing for Components:
Solar panel
5625watt-hour/2.98= 1887.58watts
1887.58watts/160watts=11.7=12,12v, 160watts solar panels
Inverter
(0.30×2335) +2335watts=3035.5=3000watts inverter
Battery bank
5625watt-hours/0.85/0.6= 11029.4118watt-hours
11029.4118watt-hour/24 volts= 459.55AH
459.55 AH/200AH=2.297=3,24v,200AH batteries
Solar charge controller
9.87A x 1.3 x6=72.986A=80A charge controller
Nr of components needed
- No of Components: (A)
- Price each($): (B)
- Total($): (C)
ECO-WORTHY 160 Watt Polycrystalline Photovoltaic PV solar panels
A: 12
B: $169.99
C: $2039.88
Power Bright ML3500-24 3500 Watt 24 Volt DC To 110 Volt AC Power Inverter
A: 1
B: $349.99
C: $349.99
Exide XMC-31 MEGACYCLE AGM-200 Sealed
A: 3
B: $249.99
C: $749.97
Y-SOLAR 60A/80A 960W/1920W 12V/24V
A: 1
B: $64.00
C: $64.00
total price:
$3203.84
System specifications
Our system voltage is 24 volts. This mean the voltage from the solar panels to the inverter through solar charge controller and battery bank should be 24volts throughout.
Our solar panels have a rating of 160watts and they have a nominal voltage of 12volts. After sizing we found out that we are supposed to use 12 of them for our system.
Our system voltage is 24volts so our solar panels output must be 24volts.
Considering what we discussed about series and parallel Connections of solar panels we will connect 6 panels in parallel and the remaining 6 in parallel too.
Then we connect the two pairs in series.
That way we will have an output of 24v voltage and 72.9A current going into the solar charge controller.
The inverter input is 24volts and it Draws Power from the battery bank with Three 24v, 200AH batteries connected in parallel.
To Conclude
All in all if you´re looking at getting a build together that´s going to give you the absolute best and long lasting quality solar equipment that will last for years to come on a $3,500 budget.
Then this build is definitely for you.
So, what are you thinking about this build? Are you going to do it yourself?
