Examples

1. How much could I save by installing solar?

Answer: Use the System Designer to compare your house with and without solar:

• Get a baseline:
  1. Create a new System Design and enable solar charging.
  2. Search for your location, add solar arrays for each roof aspect (i.e., East and West).
  3. Add your loads in the 'Step 1' section.
  4. In the 'Step 2' section, set the solar array sizes to 0W, and battery size to 0Wh.
  5. Add a mains charger of 'Unlimited' power from time 0 to 24.
  6. Note the ' Mains charging' energy in the results panel.
• Add solar:
  1. Increase the power of your solar array(s).
  2. Observe the 'mains charging energy' reducing.
  3. Multiply the mains energy reduction by your unit rate - that is your saving in running costs!

2. Which roof should I put solar on?

Answer: In the System Designer create separate arrays for each roof with their azimuth and tilt. Set the arrays' power to 0W, then try adding 100W to each array in turn. See which array results in the most solar yield. Tip: try changing the 'Solar yield month' to see if it changes the result

3. What size solar array do I need?

Answer: There are a lot of factors here, but assuming that you are grid-tied and trying to cut energy bills:

1. Make a new System Design and enable solar charging then add your loads.
2. If you have a battery (or will do), set the right size.
3. Increase the solar array power and note the reduction in mains charging.
4. Decide based on the CAPEX cost shown, your unit rate, and available space.

4. Do I need a bigger battery?

Answer: Model your loads using your current battery in the System Designer. If the SOC regularly drops too low (especially in winter), increase battery capacity to see whether additional storage improves reliability and reduces mains/generator use sufficiently to justify the cost.

5. Can I reduce generator or mains charging power?

Answer: In the System Designer adjust mains or generator charging power and charger settings, then review the charge-over-time graph to ensure SOC recovery and reliability remain acceptable. This helps avoid oversizing chargers or generators.

6. What happens if I add new loads, like an EV or heat pump?

Answer: Add the new load profile in the System Designer. You will immediately see the impact on SOC, mains/generator use and whether additional solar or battery capacity is required before buying new equipment.

7. How does my system perform in winter?

Answer: Set your location and array angles in the System Designer and change the solar yield month to see winter months in the results. Check minimum SOC and solar contribution. Experiment with panel power or battery size to improve winter resilience.

8. What’s the best way to wire my solar panels?

Answer: Use the Solar Array Designer and enter your target array power. The tool generates panel string layouts and compatible MPPT options; sort and filter by string count, voltage and current to find configurations that match your inverter and installation constraints, then save preferred options.

9. Which MPPT should I choose?

Answer: In the Solar Array Designer generate configurations for your planned array. Review MPPT compatibility by voltage window and current limits, compare options for performance and cost, and choose the MPPT that best matches your array and future flexibility needs.

10. What’s the cheapest system that still works reliably?

Answer: Enter your loads, location and constraints into the System Designer and run the optimiser. It will propose a low-cost combination of solar size, battery capacity and charging power that meets your chosen reliability target; review and tweak if you prefer more resilience.

11. What size battery do I need to get through cloudy days?

Answer: In the System Designer increase the 'solar shading loss' to 30-60%, then increase battery capacity until the SOC stays within your acceptable range through the period. The minimum capacity that preserves reliability is your target.

14. Is it cheaper to upgrade the inverter or add more panels?

Answer: Compare two System Designer scenarios: (A) increase inverter/MPPT capacity, (B) increase panel power (use Solar Array Designer for panel configs). Evaluate mains charging, wasted energy and costs to determine the more economical upgrade.

15. What panel layout and MPPT should I pick for a 2 kW array?

Answer: Enter 2 kW into the Solar Array Designer to generate panel configurations. Sort by string count, voltage and current compatibility, then select MPPTs that match the voltage window and current requirements. Save preferred options for installation planning.

16. How will seasonal tilt changes affect yearly performance?

Answer: Run yearly simulations in the System Designer with different tilt settings (e.g., winter-optimised vs fixed). Compare annual production and mains usage to choose a tilt strategy that balances winter yield and overall annual performance.

17. Can I reduce generator/mains runtime by changing charge settings?

Answer: Adjust charger power, thresholds and charge profiles in the System Designer or run the optimiser. Check the charge-over-time graph to confirm decreased mains/generator activity while maintaining SOC and reliability targets.

18. I want an easy-to-install option—which string counts minimize complexity?

Answer: Use the Solar Array Designer to generate configurations, then sort/filter by number of strings and panels per string. Fewer strings and standard string sizes reduce wiring complexity and installation time; save the simplest viable options.

19. Which MPPT should I choose? (alternate)

Answer: Generate array options in the Solar Array Designer and review MPPTs that cover the array voltage/current. Compare features, efficiency and price — pick the MPPT that best matches your array and expected operating conditions.

20. What’s the cheapest system that still works reliably? (alternate)

Answer: Use the System Designer optimiser with your reliability target to minimise cost. Review the recommended solar size, battery capacity and charger settings, then iterate if you want to trade a small amount of resilience for lower upfront cost.