The Renogy 400W 12V Premium Kit is easy for you to install, and it is the most economical choice for the off-grid adventurer. Renogy Solar Kit comes with solar panels, charge controllers, and needed electrical wiring, fuses, and monitoring typically required for an off-grid installation, making it an ideal choice for both off-grid and mobile solar power applications.
The Premium Kit will produce an average of 1.6-2.5kWh of electricity per day (depending on sun availability). The 4 x 100W solar panels don't take up much roof space, but their energy can offset small and medium-size loads such as lighting, television, and coffee maker. The Premium Kit can build a reliable and environmentally friendly power supply, perfect for all rooftops, RVs, boats, or campers. It can also be installed in a ground mount system as a power supply for outdoor appliances, emergencies, and a stand-alone power system.
| PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS |
| Efficient Performance |
By bypassing the shaded cells with poor performance, the bypass diode minimizes the power drop caused by the shadow to ensure excellent performance in low-light environments. |
| Full System Protection |
Meant to safeguard your system, the self-diagnostic capability can assess and protect against reverse polarity, battery overcharging, battery over-discharging, overload, short-circuiting, and reverse current. |
| Auto Detect and Powerful Compatibility |
Automatically detects 12V or 24V DC system voltages, and the LCD screen and multiple LED indicators display the solar charging and battery operation information, customizable parameters, and error codes. |
| Solid Quality |
Advanced encapsulation material with multi-layered sheet laminations to protect cells from physical damage or distortion, improving cell performance and providing a long service life. EL tested, no hot-spot heating is guaranteed. |
| No Fear of Weather Challenge |
The IP65 Junction Box offers complete protection against environmental particles and low-pressure water jets. These IP67 waterproof solar connectors ensure that the water and dust will not enter the connector during extended outdoor use. Effectively preventing water from seeping in. |
| Ready to Install |
Pre-drilled holes on the back frame allow quick installation. The kit has a complete set of accessories and is equipped with an In-line fuse and ANL fuse components to offer more protection. |
Note: To connect the panels in series, you do not need to use the Solar Y Branch Connectors in the kit. The included in-line fuse is intended for use ONLY with a series configuration. To connect the panels in parallel, you must use the included Solar Y Branch Connectors, and you will NOT be able to use the included in-line fuse. For a parallel configuration, we recommend installing an in-line fuse rated for a current GREATER than the sum of the short circuit current of each panel in parallel in your system. More questions about your off-grid power system? Learn more from Renogy Learning Center!
What Do I Need to Complete My Off-Grid Solar Power System?
A solar panel has to be connected to a charge controller to regulate current, and a battery to store the electrical power. You will need adapter kit cables to wire the solar panel(s) and charge controller, and tray cables connecting the charge controller to a deep-cycle battery.
What Does Off-Grid and On-Grid Mean?
On-grid simply means solar power equipment (array or solar panel) is connected to the electrical grid, while off-grid refers to systems that are not connected to the grid and therefore store the generated power for later use. Off-grid systems are not affected by grid blackouts.
Why Is My Solar Panel Under Producing?
Solar panel performance may be hindered for a number of reasons. Most commonly environmental conditions such as indirect sunlight, temperature rise, cloudy sky, and dirt and stain build up on the top glass will cause a reduced power output.
How Should I Connect Solar Panels in My Electrical Circuit (Series vs. Parallel)?
Solar panels can be connected in series or in parallel to meet your electrical circuit size and power demand. Connecting solar panels in series will have the effect of adding up their operating voltage output, while system current output will be the same as that for one panel. While connecting solar panels in parallel will have a different effect; individual panels operating current output will add up to be the system output current, while system output voltage will be the same as the output voltage of one solar panel. To meet the optimum power output and system rating for your power system, you can use both parallel and series connections.
How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?
The best way to gauge how many solar panels you need is to understand and define the power load needed from this system. Power is measured in Watts, and capacity is commonly measured in Watt-hours (multiplying power output in watts by the required number of hours of operation multiplied by a safety factor of 1.5-2). Therefore, it is wise to size your battery bank first based on the minimum required capacity, and accordingly decide how many panels or how much power input is needed.
Can I Add More Solar Panels to the Rover 20A and Expand My System Power Output?
Yes, more solar panels can be added to this system to increase the power output. The Rover 20A has a maximum PV input current of 20A, maximum PV input voltage of 100VDC, and maximum input solar power of 260W at 12V or 520W at 24V. You can wire more solar panels in series / in parallel to achieve larger power output; however, you are limited by the maximum input voltage and current the charge controller can handle. It is safer to build a system operating at around 90% of the rated voltage and current to ensure there is a tolerance for any system overvoltage or overcurrent.
Will This Solar Kit Power My AC Unit?
In order to determine what size solar kit is appropriate, you must first define the total load to be expected of the solar power system. Most manufacturers will publish a specification sheet of the AC unit online and will include a nameplate sticker on the AC body. Both can be used to determine the actual power rating of the AC. BTU is a common measuring unit for energy in AC and water heater products, however we are interested in the energy rate, or simply power. Power will be listed in units of Watts, and can be used to determine the total load resulting from running the intended AC unit. Multiply the power rating recorded in watts by the total number of hours of operation intended, to obtain the total watt-hours. Divide the total watt-hours by the peak sun hours in the location of installation, and multiply by a safety factor of 1.5-2, to obtain the total number of watts your panels should produce to power the air conditioner load. The total power load can be divided by the power output of one panel to obtain the number of panels needed.
When Do I Need an Inverter?
If you intend to use this solar power kit as a power supply for home appliances (e.g., coffee maker, TV, etc.), then you will need an inverter to convert the output voltage from a 12 VDC system to a 120V AC output socket. Renogy offers a variety of inverter products to suit your unique system and meet your power demand.
