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Solar Powered System Estimator v2.4
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produced by the RAT (Renewables for Artists Team)
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This spreadsheet will help to estimate the size, quantity, and parameters of solar system components given specified
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loads, component efficiencies, and environmental conditions.
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Fill in the yellow cells for each step. Numbers shown in yellow squares now are just examples.
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Project Name:Your Project
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Step 1: Loads - List ALL the loads that will need to be powered.
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This section is divided into loads that will use your system battery voltage, loads that use a different DC voltage, and AC loads.
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You will also be asked for converter and inverter efficiencies where required.
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System Battery Voltage: (typically 12, 24, 48 volts, etc.)
12volts
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fill in one of these columns onlyonly one of these
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Qty of loadsDescription of loadname plate wattsOR name plate VAOR name plate AmpsOR measured powerload power (calculated)hours/ dayor duty cycle (%)daily energy (watt-hours)
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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0.00.0
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Daily Energy used by system battery voltage loads:
0.0
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Non-battery voltage DC loads: (e.g., 5 volts)
5volts
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fill in one of these columns onlyonly one of these
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Qty of loadsDescription of loadname plate wattsOR name plate VAOR name plate AmpsOR measured powerload power (calculated)hours/ dayor duty cycle (%)daily energy (watt-hours)
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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00.0
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Daily Energy used by non-battery voltage DC loads:
0.0
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DC-DC converter efficiency (%):
91%
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Adjusted Energy used by non-battery voltage DC loads:
0.0
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AC loads (e.g., 120 volts)
120volts
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fill in one of these columns onlyonly one of these
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Qty of loadsDescription of loadname plate wattsOR name plate VAOR name plate AmpsOR measured powerload power (calculated)hours/ dayor duty cycle (%)daily energy (watt-hours)
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2Projector Mapping100.0200102000
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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00
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Daily Energy used by AC loads:
2000.0
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Inverter efficiency (%):
90%
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Adjusted Energy used by AC loads:
2222.2
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Step 2: Margins -
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This section will add any margins if desired
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Total of all loads from Step 1: ------->Daily energy-->2222.2watt-hours2.22kW-hours
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Reserve Days (0.0 - N) --->0.53333.3watt-hours3.33kW-hours
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Weather margin in days (see note 1):0.03333.3watt-hours3.33kW-hours<---Note 1: Bad weather can affect the amount of solar power collected and stored in batteries. Enter the number of EXTRA days between 0 and N days (e.g., 0.5)
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Step 3: Batteries -
Note: A battery is taken to be the aggregation of cells that you choose to make up the system voltage. The Ah rating is for one unit of this configuration.
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This section will estimate the storage batteries required
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Battery TypeSelect Type
Amp-hour rating
Available Capacity %Usable Capacity (Ah)Qty batteries at system voltage
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Deep Cycle Lead Acid (PB)Pb0.00.500.0
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Lithium Ion (LiIon)0.900.0
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Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LiFePo4)Li100.00.8585.03.3
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Step 4: Panels -
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This section will estimate the number of solar panels required
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Panel TypePanel Power (watts)Daylight Charge HoursPanel EfficiencyCharger EfficiencyBattery Charge EfficiencyQty panels
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Monocyrstaline 1005.50.900.970.88.7
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Step 5: Charge Controller -
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This section will estimate the size of the charge controller
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Watt-hours to chargeDaylight Charge HoursWatts/hourCharger Amp RatingThe charge controller must have enough charging amps to fully recharge depleted batteries over the course of the sun hours.