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No_electricity

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May 10, 2022
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Hi I am trying to help my family overseas in the middle east, in a country where they barely have electricity. They have the 240v. I need advice on what to get to send to them that will work with the 240v. I want something efficient, low maintenance and reliable that will last them a long time. I'm looking for something up to $8,000. What is your advice?
 
Start by determining what loads they need to power.
Total watt-hours per 24 hour day.
Total watt-hours at night.
Highest wattage running at any one time.
Peak starting wattage for loads like motors.
 
Like 3 ceiling fans, refrigerator, a tv, phone and laptop chargers and if possible an air conditioner. I'm not sure about the watt usage for each thing. But I can get the exact numbers .
 
1 of these


24 of these


And as many of these with whatever is left

 
1 of these


24 of these


And as many of these with whatever is left

Thanks.
 
That depends on what other loads are being drawn from the solar. But, approximately 6 to 10 hours.
On a clear and sunny day.
 
Like 3 ceiling fans, refrigerator, a tv, phone and laptop chargers and if possible an air conditioner. I'm not sure about the watt usage for each thing. But I can get the exact numbers .
Get nameplate ratings.

If there is "LRA" locked rotor amps for a motor, that is the starting surge. If not, whatever running amps is shown, multiply x5.
Air conditioner will have a compressor motor, fan for the outdoor condenser, fan for the indoor air handler. If a window unit, only one label available. If a split unit, 2 or 3 labels. It is possible those motors start at different times.
Surge requirement is sum of all motor starting current that happen at same time, plus loads operating at same time. Inverter needs to supply that for about a second.

Refrigerator will have power for the compressor, something as low as 25W or as high as 400W. It may also have a heating element for defrosting and for icemaker, which is where 800W or so on label might come from.

Refrigerators may be off most of the time. In the US, we have "energy labels" with estimate of annual power consumption. In a hot location, would consume more.
We've heard on the forum that ceiling fans draw a lot because motor running all day.

PV panels are fairly cheap. I prefer quality over the lowest cost used ones with visible damage, should last longer.
Batteries cost maybe 10x what PV panels do. It is easier to power loads while sun is up, so load that have to run at night is what will cost the most money.

In rough terms, watt-hours of battery divide by watts of panels is how many "full sun" hours required to recharge. In my location, although sun may be out 14 hours in the summer, because it is low in the morning and evening it is 7 full sun hours. Winter about 2 sun hours. You can find "insolation" web sites to calculate hours per day each month depending on location.
 
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