To determine how many solar panels you need to charge your 12V 200Ah batteries using a
2.5kVA inverter, we can follow these steps:
Step 1: Calculate the total battery capacity
You have 4 batteries, each rated at 200Ah. The total capacity in amp-hours (Ah) is:
Total Capacity=No of Batteries× Capacity of Each Battery=4 ×200=800 Ah
Step 2: Convert capacity to watt-hours
To convert the total capacity from amp-hours to watt-hours, you use the formula:
Total Capacity ( Wh )=Total Capacity( Ah)× Volatage(V )=800 Ah× 12V =9600 Wh
Step 3: Determine the daily energy requirement
Assuming you want to fully charge the batteries daily, you must supply 9600 Wh. However, it’s good practice
to consider some inefficiencies in charging. A common efficiency factor for solar charging is around 75-85%.
For this example, let's use 80% efficiency:
Total Capacity (Wh) 9600 Wh
Daily Energy Requirement= = =1200 Wh
Efficiency 0.8
Step 4: Calculate the solar panel output
The output of solar panels depends on their wattage and the average sunlight hours per day. Let's assume you
are using 300W solar panels and you receive an average of 5 peak sunlight hours per day:
Daily Output of One Panel=Panel Wattage × Peak Sunlight Hours=300 W ×5 hours =1500Wh
Step 5: Calculate the number of panels needed
Now, divide the total daily energy requirement by the daily output of one panel:
Dialy Energy Requirement 1200 Wh
Number of Panels= = =8
Daily Output of One Panel 1500 Wh
Conclusion
You will need 8 solar panels of 300W each to fully charge your 4 pieces of 12V 200Ah batteries daily, assuming
5 hours of peak sunlight and 80% efficiency in the charging process.
Adjust the number of panels if your local conditions (sunlight hours or panel wattage) differ.