FROM APPLIANCES TO A SOLAR PLAN
Build a system that fits your life.
Select your location and loads. We'll handle the estimates.
01Choose your system
02Your location & sunlight
Choose a state, then select a city from the alphabetical list. US Census 2025 incorporated places and census-designated places are included; some rural addresses and postal names are not separate places. Solar data is queried for the selected location.
City data source: US Census Gazetteer
See monthly sun hours
03What do you want to power?
Enter watts from your appliance label. Every added appliance is included; examples are hints only. For cycling loads, use equivalent full-power hours, not time plugged in. US appliances are 120 V or 240 V at 60 Hz.
Add your first appliance to calculate a plan.
04Battery backup
Based on the daily usage of backed-up appliances. Battery module count is calculated automatically using a 51.2 V LiFePO₄ planning profile.
05How far apart are the components?
Enter one-way distances in feet. We calculate wire candidates and estimated loss; no loss percentage input needed.
Shopping lengths include a 15% routing allowance. Actual equipment and installation rules determine final wire and protection ratings.
06Your shopping list
Quantities use a reference 200 W panel and 5.12 kWh battery profile. These are procurement targets, not verified Baseltix stock or an approved equipment package.
| Qty | Item | Specification / selection target | Selection status |
|---|
07Color-coded connection planDC red + / black − · AC L1 / L2 / N / PE
Follow terminal labels, not color alone. This is an architecture connection concept, not model-specific installation instructions. Do not energize from this drawing.
08Cable loss breakdownCalculated from your distances · no loss input required
| Circuit | Current | Distance | Wire candidate | Cable loss |
|---|
Loss % = conductor heating power ÷ circuit power at the listed design current, not annual energy loss. Different circuit percentages are not added. AWG candidates meet a 2% drop target plus a preliminary current-density screen; installation ampacity and protection still need review.
Design checks & calculation notesDefaults, sources and items to confirm before purchase
Energy defaults: 75% PV-to-load yield, 20% PV reserve, 80% usable battery capacity, 92% battery-to-AC efficiency and 0.9 design power factor. These are planning assumptions, not guaranteed autonomy or recovery after cloudy days.
Off-grid and hybrid use the lowest monthly average sun hours; grid-tied uses the annual average. Near-zero polar winter sun requires alternative charging and a site-specific design. Annual fixed tilt is PVGIS-optimized; seasonal angles are latitude-based references, not recalculated solar yields.
Example panel profile: 200 W, Vmp 20.4 V, Voc 24.3 V, Isc 10.8 A; coefficient magnitudes 0.28%/°C Voc and 0.4%/°C Vmp; temperature envelope −40°C to 70°C cell temperature. MPPT checks run in the background. Substitute actual datasheets before purchase.
Battery profile: 51.2 V / 100 Ah (5.12 kWh), 100 A continuous discharge, 200 A startup and 50 A charge. Module count covers energy and current. Verify actual surge duration, parallel limits, BMS communication and equipment listing.
US output: 60 Hz. Grid/hybrid need 120/240 V split-phase-compatible equipment; off-grid uses 120 V unless backed-up 240 V loads are present. 120 V loads are tentatively balanced between legs. Check branch assignment, per-leg surge capacity, utility permits, local code adoption, grounding and rapid shutdown where required.
Wire estimates use copper resistivity 0.0225 Ω·mm²/m, round-trip length and a 3 A/mm² current-density screen, not an NEC ampacity table. Additional combiner tails, battery interlinks, grounding and utility feeders require on-site measurement. Battery calculations use 43.2 V for conservative current estimates.
PVGIS / European Commission · DQYDJ · seasonal tilt reference · Victron · wiring principles · US DOE · grid integration