Solar & MPPT

Solar is an option for the generation component of your system. Work out how many kilowatt-hours you would consume every day. You then have to design to generate at least that amount every day. There are a lot of options and complexity here. Easiest thing is to contact us and we will assess and design for you.

PWM controllers act as a simple regulator and trim off excess voltage from the solar panels and pass through the same current supplied just as a lower voltage, the power from the excess voltage is lost.MPPT solar chargers commonly contain a power converter, this power converter will convert all the power available at one voltage into a different voltage with minimal conversion losses. This means panel voltage in excess of your battery charging voltage is not lost and can be observed as increased current going into the batteries from the solar controller vs the current supplied by the solar panels.

Depending on panel voltage vs battery voltage the efficiency gain from MPPT over PWM is commonly 15-30%.

Smaller, lower cost voltage-matched systems e.g. a single 18V-type panel on a 12V battery most commonly and less commonly we see 30-37V panels on 24v batteries.

Yes, best done through an MPPT solar controller - a 60+ cell panel's voltage is too high for 12V charging do be done economically without one.

Match it based on array power and your battery voltage, also consider future expandability. We stock 20A through to 100A MPPT units and will size for you.

In general north-facing in NZ. Sometimes we do systems with different facing such as Nor North West and Nor North East, to optimise for afternoon and morning generation respectively. Also using existing mounting surfaces that have a non-optimal angle for generation may be best as they are preexisting and there may not be a lot of options on a site, our consultant will work through your site to optimise the system overall.

A general starting point is using your latitude as the mounting angle. To optimise further consider what time of year you are using your system. You can go shallower if just used during sunnier months and steep if used through winter. For general advice for off grid used all year around it is common to go for 5 degrees steeper than your latitude. There are other factors in play so to optimise this is best covered in a consultation.

Potentially, it just factors into how much energy your solar produces at different times of the year. Mounting systems with angle are usually possible to give you much increased generation especially if you are using the system through winter.

Yes, including ground-screw foundations, handy for avoiding heavy civil works and waiting time for concrete to set.

We've quoted ground-screw mounting packages specifically to keep an install within exemption from further engineering reports and building consents. One useful thing is multiples of these frames can be deployed to get you up to the total solar wattage you need.

Yes, wind makes an impressive difference for a system. As it complements solar because it's strongest in winter when solar is weakest. We sell wind turbines, towers and MPPT wind controllers with matched dump loads.

Yes, we can expand any system. Though it is more economic to do so if planned for in advance. A higher system voltage, MPPT controller and cabling sized with headroom lets you add panels easily without redoing the system.

Factory-assembled 4mm² and 6mm² triple-shielded PV extension leads with MC4 connectors made to current NZ solar standards, plus the MC4 spanner for tightening and disconnection.

Partial shade cuts output, the exact amount will depend on your array configuration. MPPT copes better than PWM but the real fix is a shade-free location and sensible string layout.

There are no limits by number of panels, there are many different separate limits in terms of the panel voltage, current, power and configuration, and that changes system by system. There are many variables here that need to be optimised by the engineer during your consultation.