What is a Starter Kit exactly?

When searching for a solar panel kit or system on the net, the words “Starter Kit” appears a lot.

So what is a starter kit exactly? A combination? Then what’s the difference between it and other solar power combinations?

Below is some Q&A to help you figure out the “Solar Starter Kit”

Q: What components are contained in a starter kit?

A: Usually, a solar power starter kit consists of some solar panels (1-4 mainly), a solar charger controller, wires, and brackets.

Q: What is the purpose of a starter kit?

A: The purpose of a solar starter kit is to recharge and monitor a 12v/24v battery bank. But since the battery is not included in the starter kit, so it means you need to prepare some leisure batteries first before acquiring a starter kit.

Q: How much electricity does a 100w, 200w, or 400w starter kit generate per day?

A: Considering the different weather and sunlight condition, we presume there are 4 hours of full sunshine in a whole day, which means the kit could generate power as the power parameter for 4 hours a day at least.

So a 100w starter kit generates about 400wh power/day, a 200w starter kit 800wh, and 1.6kwh power for a 400w starter kit.

Q: Can I run my DC loads on the solar panel or controller?

A: Yes. During the daily time with sunlight, you could wire the DC load such as a bulb to the DC posts of the controller, its max power limit is 300w.

But for continuous use, considering the weather in different districts, it’s better to connect the DC load directly with the battery bank.

Q: How does the controller work in this kit?

A: The controller plays a role in the starter kit as a protector of the battery. It prevents the overcharge current from the panel to the battery when detecting the battery is fully charged, it also with over-discharge protection, cutting off the output of the battery when detecting a low voltage reading. Those two functions aim to avoid damage to the battery and prolong its lifespan.

Q: How do I select the appropriate battery bank for my starter kit?

A: For a 100w or 200w starter kit, consisting of 1 or 2 panels, a 40ah or 60ah battery bank is sufficient.

If you got a 400w solar panel kit, then we recommend you prepare a 100ah or 150ah battery to store the electricity.

Q: My battery bank is 12v, and I want to set up 2 or more panels, is it possible?

A: Yes. If you have a 12v battery bank, and you have sufficient space to settle 2 or more 12v panels for more power, you could wire the panels together in parallel to make a 12v solar panel array with some Y branch connectors.

On the other hand, if your battery group is 24v, and you want to build a system with 2 or 4 panels, then you just need to connect them in series or 2S/2P.

Q: Is the starter kit capable to run home appliances? TV, fridge, etc.

A: No. The power comes from the starter kit is DC power, to use it for those AC appliances like TV, fridge, microwave, an inverter that convert the power from DC to AC is necessary. You could choose the off-grid or on-grid inverter depends on what kind of solar system you want to build.

We recommend the pure sine wave inverter, which provide stable and safe AC current for the loads