Do you know what a plug-and-play off-grid system is?

The expression plug-and-play was created by the IT field to define devices that do not require complicated installation for their operation. In other words, the device is easily available for use after installation.

The expression has expanded to other sectors of the market and today we have several pieces of equipment present in our lives that are plug-and-play – household appliances and small appliances are a good example of how these devices work. 

Plug-and-Play in the photovoltaic market

In the solar energy market, with the expansion of off-grid systems using batteries, plug-and-play equipment is already beginning to be sold, as is the case with the POWERDEPOT H-5 48V LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) solar battery ) from Dyness, which, together with other components, allows you to adapt an existing photovoltaic system for use with batteries, being compatible with several inverter manufacturers such as Sungrow, Growatt and Goodwe.

To learn more about how to adapt an existing photovoltaic system for use with batteries, visit the here. 

Below we can see the Dyness plug-and-play battery and its characteristics:

• Higher usable energy ratio, less self-consumption
• 1/3 weight of equivalent capacity to lead-acid battery
• Plug and play, quick installation, up to 4 units in parallel
• Wide temperature range -20 C -50 C
• Contains no toxic heavy metals or caustic materials

Plug-and-play off-grid kit

A plug-and-play off-grid photovoltaic system can be purchased without the need for complicated projects, with easy installation and already configured, simply connecting the cables for operation. However, attention must be paid to the characteristics of the system, which must be defined according to each need.

Below we present a plug-and-play off-grid photovoltaic generator kit with estimated monthly generation of 156 kWh/month (maximum daily use of 5.23 KWh), considered for sizing the 80% discharge battery and suggested application based on solar index of 4 kWh/m².

The table below illustrates an example of the amount of equipment that can be used with the kit presented.

The kit consists of:

• 4 female MC4 connectors
• 4 male MC4 connectors
• 1 string box with 2 inputs and 2 outputs / 1000 V
• 1 Dyness Powerdepot lithium battery bank
• 4 460 W photovoltaic panels
• 100 meters of DC cable
• 1 off-grid inverter 

Final considerations

Plug-and-play off-grid options become an excellent option for places where connection to the electrical grid is not possible.

Plug-and-play off-grid is already widespread outside Brazil, where it is possible to buy photovoltaic kits in department stores and even supermarkets. In Brazil, plug-and-play off-grid equipment options, such as Dyness batteries, are beginning to appear and gain space to contribute to the expansion of off-grid systems.

Below we can check some installations that have the Dyness PowerDepot battery, which can be used in both off-grid and hybrid systems. The battery is compact, has IP65 protection and a nominal voltage of 48 V, with an operating voltage of 42~54 V and under normal conditions it supports up to 6,000 cycles.