
Imagine you’re building an off grid tiny house and you’re trying to figure out your solar setup. You’re going to need panels, batteries, and a charge controller at a minimum. But how big should your system be? You might be inclined to head online to find a solar energy calculator to size your system. But after you listen to this interview with Former Tesla Lead Solar Installer Michael Garofalo, you might think twice about just jumping to an online calculator. Mike will show us how to do these calculations ourselves to make sure we wind up with the correct results. Plus, learn about the rest of the parts and pieces you’ll need in your tiny house solar array.
You'll Learn:
- What’s the difference between deep cycle and regular batteries?
- The biggest mistake people make when buying batteries for their solar sytems
- How to wire when you have a mix of AC and DC appliances
- The importance of planning your tiny house electrical in advance (hint: Save yourself a lot of time and mistakes!)
- MPPT vs PWM Charge Controllers
- How online solar calculators work and why you should do the math in your head
- Why you should plan your system based on how many winter hours of sun you receive
- How to approach wiring a tiny house with a mix of DC and AC appliances?
Links and Resources:
- MPPT vs PWM
- Adventure in a Backpack Solar Handbook
- Sun hours map
- How to Calculate your Solar Power Requirements
Michael Garofalo Online:
instagram @mgarofalo23