Going Off-Grid may be the best economic decision you can make
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If you live in a remote location and are moving into an existing house, adding a removable house or building a new house, then an Off-Grid solar system can be cheaper than paying large setup costs connecting to the grid. So, if you don’t have access to the national grid for electricity, our range of high quality off grid solar systems are the perfect option as a complete stand-alone power system.
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AC and DC coupled Off-Grid systems
Substantial improvements to Off-Grid photovoltaic technology during the past decade have led to more choices in Off-Grid PV system design. Both AC- and DC-coupled systems provide a renewable energy source where power normally is not feasible, but there are advantages and challenges to both methods.
It seems like a small amount of confusion exists about photovoltaic systems with battery energy storage. DC and AC-coupled systems are many times referred to as the same system which is not correct.
AC Coupled System
The design with two inverters configuration allows you to live a “normal” life during daytime like you are connected to the grid. The solar panel inverter and its solar regulator converts the DC power from the solar panels into AC which is supplied firstly into the current load in the house and secondly it re-charges the battery bank through the Off-Grid/Battery Inverter. During daytime this Off-Grid/Battery inverter can also supplement with more energy from the battery bank if required (e.g. unusual high load or overcast weather) into the household. The maximum power output (kW) from the system and the two inverters is big during daytime which enables you to use many appliances simultaneously and live like you are connected to the grid.
DC Coupled System
In a DC system, the energy comes from the solar panels via the solar regulator to the battery bank and then to the inverter in DC power without energy conversion. The inverter only converts the DC energy to AC energy so it can be used by your home appliances.
A typical DC coupled system uses a separate solar regulator and one inverter. The maximum power (kW) output from this system is limited to this single inverter’s maximum capacity output i.e. 4000W (4kW) continuous with a 5kW inverter
In summary, harvested solar energy has two distinct flow paths in DC and AC-coupled systems. In AC-coupled systems, harvested solar energy first flows to AC loads in the house via the solar panel inverter and then to a battery bank via an Off-Grid/Battery inverter.
In DC-coupled systems, the harvested solar energy first flows to a battery bank via a solar charge controller and then to AC loads in the house via a battery-based inverter. Further, DC-coupled systems, as the name implies are connected on the DC electrical system whereas AC-coupled systems are connected on the AC electrical system.