Choosing products
Which NOMAD inverter is right for me?
The NPS 700W suits CPAP and light AC; 1100W runs a small fridge/freezer 24/7; 2200W and 3400W handle bigger mixed loads. Tell us your list of appliances and we can calculate total loading and surging.
Which battery model for an off-grid home?
Typically, the E2 ULTRA in 270Ah, the E2 ULTRA G2 in 300Ah and the NOMAD C2 CARBON 220Ah, in sets - we size the number to your daily energy consumption, usage and the longevity and backup you need.
AGM E2, E2 ULTRA or C2 CARBON - how do I choose?
E2 for standby and gentle cycling; E2 ULTRA for deeper daily cycling; C2 CARBON where you want fast recharge and heavy partial-state-of-charge cycling and long life close to lithium behaviour.
Which charge controller with these panels?
Give us panel wattage, voltage and battery voltage and array configuration; there are a number of ways to put the system together we will work out which is optimum for you.
Which DC-DC for my vehicle?
On a standard alternator, the $399 12V 20A DC-DC with MPPT; for higher-voltage inputs or high charge rates, we match the model to your specifics.
Which inverter-charger for a caravan?
For small systems the Mustpower inverter charger units (1000W). For larger the PassPower inverter-charger range (3000W and up) with automatic mains changeover is the most common; add a separate MPPT for solar.
Do you sell complete kits or preinstalled cabinets?
Yes, including preinstalled solar cabinets (e.g. 5.5kW) and all-in-one solar units, so you get a matched, wired package rather than a poorly though out collection of parts from different places.
What's the difference between your inverter tiers?
Broadly, output power, surge capacity and features like remote displays and parallel stacking. We'll only sell you the type compatible for you and that your loads justify.
How do I choose cable size?
By two criteria, not one - current-carrying capacity and resistance/voltage drop. Then look at what the cable connects to and how voltage sensitive that link is. That last point is what virtually everyone misses.
Which fuse or circuit breaker do I need?
Size it to protect the cable as well as the devices on either end. The circuit breaker guards the wire against a short and prevents damage to connected equipment and to human beings. Tell us the cable gauge and connected products and we'll spec it.
What does the kA rating mean on a circuit breaker, and does it matter?
That is the breaking capacity, and it is the number that decides whether the breaker survives doing its job.
The breaking capacity is the largest fault current it can interrupt and still function as a breaker afterwards rather than being fused shut. What specifies its requirements is not your load; it is what your battery bank can push into a short circuit. This is separate from its nominal amp rating, which is what it can carry all day.
So your requirements for these two numbers come from two different places. The nominal amp rating comes from the current the circuit will carry pulled by your load. The breaking capacity comes from the size of the bank. Put at least a 6kA breaker on a large battery bank (lead over 400Ah, lithium over 200Ah). Underneath this size, a 3kA breaker is sufficient.
The Nomad NMCB range is 3kA, rated to the automotive and marine SAE J1625. The Suntree DIN rail breakers are 6kA and the SM1 is 25kA, both to IEC 60947-2. If your bank is over the sizes above, the SM1 is the one to fit, and if you are not sure what your bank can deliver into a short circuit, tell us what it is and we will tell you which of the three to use.
Do you sell monitors and gauges?
Yes, shunt battery monitors, remote displays and instrumentation so you can actually see what your system is doing.
Can you just send me a parts list?
That's our standard output to you - you describe what you are doing, we turn that into requirements, make a design for those requirements, then fulfil the design with suitable and matched products, the output to you is a completed design solution, wiring diagram and kitset list of parts.