User Guide

www.poweroptimal.com Document Version: 2.08
[e-mail] Page: 8 of 10
Directors: RA Fearon, FS Moolman, JJ Theron, DM Weber (Non-Executive), IR Jandrell (Independent)
Company registration number: 2012/099947/07
PO Box 5, Kleinmond, 7195
TABLE 5. SOLAR PV MODULE AND AC HEATING ELEMENT MATCHING GUIDE
Contact PowerOptimal for advice on module-element matching if module properties are significantly different to typical
values or for advice on bifacial, high voltage & high current modules.
Solar PV array size
(kW
p
)
Best matching
geyser element size
(kW)
2
nd
choice geyser
element size*
(kW)
Geyser (water tank) size
(litres)
1 – 1.2
4
3
100 - 200
1.2 – 1.6
3
4 or 2
100 - 200
1.6 – 2
2
3
150 – 300
2 – 4
(two parallel PV strings)
4
NA
200+
* Second choice element size would reduce efficiency by 10 – 20%.
Example:
For 3 x 410 W
p
= 1.23 kW
p
, the best heating element match is a 3 kW AC element (as rated at 230V). The second-choice
element is 2 kW, but this would reduce efficiency by 10 – 20%.
Contact PowerOptimal for advice on array-element matching if module properties (V
mpp
and I
mpp
at NOCT) are significantly
different to typical .
DO NOT DEVIATE FROM THE RECOMMENDED MODULE-ELEMENT MATCHING CONFIGURATIONS
WITHOUT CONSULTING POWEROPTIMAL.
Maximum allowed solar PV array specifications at Standard Test Conditions (STC):
I
sc
< 20A V
oc
< 240V Power < 4 kW
p