OK, so let's do some noodling here. Some thoughts:
You're on a budget and there are still a LOT of parts you need to buy that are going to add up quickly. Knowing the budget would help, but let's just go with what we know so far and do some napkin math.
Most mid-range MPPT controllers (and you're going to need one) are happy in the 140-150v PV input range, so that's a 3s string max. With that you'd get 6 panels in a 3s2p config for about 1500w of panel. Rule of thumb is 4 hours of sun a day, so call it 6Kw of solar generation per day for purposes of napkin math.
A 12v system is going to severely limit you, so go with a 24v or 48v system. At 24v you'll need a (1500w / 24v) = 62.5a controller, but since you'll never see the full power from those panels most likely you can get away with a 60a version. I'd recommend something like the
EPEver 60a or something along those lines.
At 48v you can step it down to a (1500w / 48v) = 31.5a, and go for a 40a version that supports 48v (which not all of them do) for your battery banks.
Speaking of battery banks, you have to choose whether to spend the money up front for LFP and go with something like Chins/Ampertime or spring for the rackmount batteries. 24v@200Ah and 48v@100Ah are about $1500ea and give you 4800watt hours of power. This is one of those places you can cheap out if you have the space and are willing to do some maintenance by getting deep cycle
batteries from WallyWorld and doing some upkeep with water as needed. Those will cost you right about $100ea and give you 12v @ 60Ah of usable power (since you can't really discharge them below about 50%), but on the other hand if you went 24v you could get 14 of them for the same price as the 24v rackmount, put in 2s7ps gives you 7*60Ah @ 24v = 10,080 Wh or 16 of them in 4s4p for 4*60Ah*48v = 11,520Wh! Obviously that's a huge overkill on the batteries but it shows the concept.
OK, so onto the inverter. This is one of the places you can't really skimp out on, you're going to really want to spend the extra cash for a Pure Sine inverter. Yes, modified sine is much cheaper, and you can put the money you saved towards replacing the refrigerator and computer and TV you fried with the cheap-ass inverter.
A safe number for a 24v system (remember, there's a budget) is about a 3000w inverter which will draw a max of about 150a of current. At that amperage things like wire and fuses are much easier to get hold of and manage as copper prices get big quick. Here's where a trade off happens: Do you go for a smaller inverter to save cash and standby draw and just be really careful about how much you plug in at once, or do you step up to a 48v system and a bigger 6Kw+ inverter so you can run the hot tub and air conditioning and well pump?
The more wattage you need to draw over a day the more expensive the inverter and batteries are going to be. If you're just looking to make do and see what you can get out of it, I'd suggest a smaller inverter, like 2Kw and a 24v system which is still a pretty healthy amount of power without breaking the bank.
Do you need any kind of lower voltage supply? Do you have any 12v systems
Rules of Thumb:
At 150a a fuse blows, at 300a a fuse blows up!
Never skimp on your fuses and wires,
FUSES ARE CHEAPER THAN FIRES!
The tube style breakers are generally krap.
You want enough battery to run your loads for 3 days without sun.
More to follow.
Tl;Dr:
I'd suggest, because of the budget:
You get 6 panels in a 3s2p config and face 1 string SE for morning sun and the other SW for afternoon sun.
Go for a 24v system using WallyWorld batteries, get 16 batteries in a 2s8p config.
About a 2Kw
PURE SINE inverter.
ANL fuses at each battery bank, bus bar, inverter.
If you have money to burn:
Swap out the batteries for 2 of the 24v/200Ahrackmount batteries.
Get 9 panels for a 3s3p setup facing SE, S, SW for all day sunlight and production.
Step up to a 3Kw inverter.
Add a 3rd battery to the mix and get a 3Kw AIO from Growatt/MPP/Midnite Solar instead of piecemealing the system.
