Give

Charge controllers, inverters and safety

What sits between panel, battery and socket, and how to keep people safe around it.

Back to Engineering · Solar power and mini-grids

Planned. This module is part of the plan and is not written yet.Handled with care: read the note under Practicalities before using this module.

EGEG-ELE-SOL-0505Level13–14

Why it matters

A Lantern can send power down one sub-metered cable to a nearby clinic. That cable needs the right size and protection, or it could overheat.

Draft outline · in review
For
Level 13–14 · A level / JUPEB / foundation year to 100 Level
Inside
6 lessons and a test · about 120 minutes
Topic
Solar power and mini-grids · extension, 3 of 4
Plate EG-ELE-SOL-05: planned.

Inside the module.

6 lessons in order, about 120 minutes in all, then a short test. Learners go at their own pace; the minutes are a guide, not a timetable.

Draft outline · in review

  1. Lesson 1: Charge controllers

    PWM and MPPT controllers, and how they protect the battery.

    Explain20 min, from minute 0

  2. Lesson 2: Inverters

    Turning d.c. into a.c., and what a kVA rating means.

    Explain15 min, from minute 20

  3. Lesson 3: Choosing a cable

    Current, cable rating and voltage drop over distance.

    Worked example25 min, from minute 35

  4. Lesson 4: Fuses and breakers

    Protection must trip above normal current and below the cable's rating.

    Explain20 min, from minute 60

  5. Lesson 5: Safe isolation

    Switch off, lock off, prove dead: rehearsed in simulation, never on a live system.

    Worked example25 min, from minute 80

  6. Lesson 6: Check your skills

    Choose parts and protection for a small system.

    Review15 min, from minute 105

  7. End-of-module test

    Explain what charge controllers and inverters do, choose cable sizes and protection for a small system, and set out safe isolation steps in the right order.

    Mastered at 85% or more. Retake it until you pass; nothing is lost, and each try gives feedback.

    Already know it? A Challenge Test (planned) clears the whole module: 90% overall, no objective below 75%.

    Last stageafter about 120 min

Practicalities

Draft outline · in review

  • Handle with care

    Never work on a live system. Hands-on work happens only with the facilitator and a qualified electrician; the rest is simulation.

  • Built to run offline

    Planned to run on the Lantern's own computer, with no internet needed.

  • Beyond the screen

    With the facilitator

  • Languages

    Planned first in English; every module aims to reach all of the Lantern's languages.

Try a question.

One question from the module, as a learner would meet it. Have a go, then open the worked solution a step at a time.

Draft outline · in review

A 24 V circuit supplies a 480 W load through a cable rated for 35 A. What current flows, and which fuse fits: 15 A, 30 A or 60 A?

Your answer

Particulars

Where it sits

Engineering · Electrical · Solar power and mini-grids

What a learner can do after it

  1. Explain what a charge controller and an inverter do.
  2. Choose cable sizes and protection (fuses and breakers) for a small system.
  3. Follow safe isolation steps before any work on a system.

Needs first

Unlocks

Level

Level 13–14 · A level / JUPEB / foundation year to 100 Level

Show levels in

Level mappings are approximate. A qualified teacher or lecturer in each country must check them before they appear in the app. Levels 13–18 describe the content, not the learner: “Level 15” means material usually taught in a second-year university course, whoever chooses to learn it.

Difficulty for its level

3 of 4 · Extension

Time

About 120 minutes

Alignments

  • Aligned to Typical university courseintroduces · in reviewTypical first-year electrical engineering course: power electronics introduction

Alignment in review until a qualified teacher or lecturer checks it. No exam body, university or vendor endorses us; learners still sit the real exam. University-level modules give knowledge, not university credit.

Challenge Test

Planned: a Challenge Test to prove you know it and skip it. Pass at 90% overall, with no objective below 75%.

University courses it previews

Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Renewable Energy Engineering

The route here.

Everything this module builds on, drawn as a route from its foundations. Solid lanes must be mastered first, or cleared by a Challenge Test; dashed lanes are suggestions that never lock anything.

From Level 1, Adding and subtracting to Level 9, Sine, cosine and tangent
  1. MA-ARI-OPS-01 Adding and subtracting, Level 1–3, Maths. Planned.
  2. MA-ARI-OPS-01Adding and subtractingMaths · Primary 1 to Primary 3 (Level 1–3) · Planned
  3. MA-ARI-OPS-02 Multiplication as equal groups, Level 2–3, Maths. Sample lesson in the demo.
  4. MA-ARI-OPS-02Multiplication as equal groupsMaths · Primary 2 to Primary 3 (Level 2–3) · Sample lesson in the demo Needs Adding and subtracting (required).Try the sample lesson: Multiplication as equal groups
  5. MA-ARI-OPS-03 Division as sharing and grouping, Level 3–4, Maths. Planned.
  6. MA-ARI-OPS-03Division as sharing and groupingMaths · Primary 3 to Primary 4 (Level 3–4) · Planned Needs Multiplication as equal groups (required).
  7. MA-ARI-OPS-04 Multiplying and dividing together, Level 3–4, Maths. Planned.
  8. MA-ARI-OPS-04Multiplying and dividing togetherMaths · Primary 3 to Primary 4 (Level 3–4) · Planned Needs Division as sharing and grouping (required).
  9. MA-ARI-ORD-01 Order of operations, Level 5–6, Maths. Planned.
  10. MA-ARI-ORD-01Order of operationsMaths · Primary 5 to Primary 6 (Level 5–6) · Planned Needs Multiplying and dividing together (required).
  11. MA-ALG-LIN-01 What an equation means, Level 5–6, Maths. Planned.
  12. MA-ALG-LIN-01What an equation meansMaths · Primary 5 to Primary 6 (Level 5–6) · Planned Needs Order of operations (required).
  13. MA-FDP-OPS-02 Adding and subtracting with different denominators, Level 5–6, Maths. Planned.
  14. MA-FDP-OPS-02Adding and subtracting with different denominatorsMaths · Primary 5 to Primary 6 (Level 5–6) · Planned · recommended
  15. MA-ALG-LIN-02 One-step equations, Level 6, Maths. Planned.
  16. MA-ALG-LIN-02One-step equationsMaths · Primary 6 (Level 6) · Planned Needs What an equation means (required).
  17. MA-ALG-EXP-01 Letters for numbers, Level 6–7, Maths. Planned.
  18. MA-ALG-EXP-01Letters for numbersMaths · Primary 6 to JSS 1 (Level 6–7) · Planned Needs Order of operations (required).
  19. MA-ALG-LIN-03 Two-step equations, Level 6–7, Maths. Sample lesson in the demo.
  20. MA-ALG-LIN-03Two-step equationsMaths · Primary 6 to JSS 1 (Level 6–7) · Sample lesson in the demo Needs One-step equations (required), Adding and subtracting with different denominators (recommended).Try the sample lesson: Two-step equations
  21. MA-NUM-POW-01 Squares, cubes and roots, Level 6–8, Maths. Planned.
  22. MA-NUM-POW-01Squares, cubes and rootsMaths · Primary 6 to JSS 2 (Level 6–8) · Planned
  23. SC-ENV-SOL-01 Energy from the sun: the Lantern, Level 6–9, Sciences. Planned.
  24. SC-ENV-SOL-01Energy from the sun: the LanternSciences · Primary 6 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 6–9) · Planned · recommended
  25. MA-ALG-FRM-01 Substituting into formulae, Level 7–8, Maths. Planned.
  26. MA-ALG-FRM-01Substituting into formulaeMaths · JSS 1 to JSS 2 (Level 7–8) · Planned Needs Letters for numbers (required).
  27. SC-PHY-ELC-01 Circuits and current, Level 7–8, Sciences. Planned.
  28. SC-PHY-ELC-01Circuits and currentSciences · JSS 1 to JSS 2 (Level 7–8) · Planned
  29. MA-ALG-LIN-04 Unknowns on both sides, Level 7–8, Maths. Planned.
  30. MA-ALG-LIN-04Unknowns on both sidesMaths · JSS 1 to JSS 2 (Level 7–8) · Planned Needs Two-step equations (required).
  31. SC-PHY-ELC-06 Electrical safety, Level 7–9, Sciences. Planned.
  32. SC-PHY-ELC-06Electrical safetySciences · JSS 1 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 7–9) · Planned Needs Circuits and current (required).
  33. MA-GEO-PYT-01 Pythagoras' theorem, Level 8–9, Maths. Planned.
  34. MA-GEO-PYT-01Pythagoras' theoremMaths · JSS 2 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 8–9) · Planned Needs Squares, cubes and roots (required).
  35. SC-PHY-ELC-02 Voltage, current and resistance, Level 8–9, Sciences. Planned.
  36. SC-PHY-ELC-02Voltage, current and resistanceSciences · JSS 2 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 8–9) · Planned Needs Circuits and current (required), Substituting into formulae (recommended).
  37. EG-ELE-SOL-01 How a solar panel makes electricity, Level 8–9, Engineering. Planned.
  38. EG-ELE-SOL-01How a solar panel makes electricityEngineering · JSS 2 to JSS 3 (BECE) (Level 8–9) · Planned Needs Circuits and current (required), Energy from the sun: the Lantern (recommended).
  39. MA-TRG-RAT-01 Sine, cosine and tangent, Level 9–10, Maths. Planned.
  40. MA-TRG-RAT-01Sine, cosine and tangentMaths · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 1 (Level 9–10) · Planned Needs Pythagoras' theorem (required), Unknowns on both sides (required).
  41. SC-PHY-ELC-03Electrical power and energySciences · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 1 (Level 9–10) · Planned Needs Voltage, current and resistance (required), Substituting into formulae (recommended).
  42. EG-ELE-SOL-02Watts and watt-hours: an energy budgetEngineering · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 1 (Level 9–10) · Planned Needs How a solar panel makes electricity (required), Electrical power and energy (required), Substituting into formulae (recommended).
  43. MA-ALG-FRM-02Changing the subject of a formulaMaths · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 1 (Level 9–10) · Planned Needs Substituting into formulae (required), Unknowns on both sides (required).
  44. SC-PHY-ELC-04Series and parallel circuitsSciences · JSS 3 (BECE) to SSS 1 (Level 9–10) · Planned Needs Voltage, current and resistance (required).
  45. MA-TRG-RAT-02Finding anglesMaths · SSS 1 (Level 10) · Planned Needs Sine, cosine and tangent (required).
  46. EG-ELE-SOL-03Batteries: storing the sunEngineering · SSS 1 to SSS 2 (Level 10–11) · Planned Needs Watts and watt-hours: an energy budget (required), Series and parallel circuits (required), Changing the subject of a formula (required).
  47. MA-TRG-RAT-03Angles of elevation and depressionMaths · SSS 1 to SSS 2 (Level 10–11) · Planned Needs Finding angles (required).
  48. SC-PHY-ELC-05Direct and alternating currentSciences · SSS 1 to SSS 2 (Level 10–11) · Planned Needs Electrical power and energy (required).
  49. EG-ELE-SOL-04Sizing a solar systemEngineering · SSS 2 to SSS 3 (WASSCE) (Level 11–12) · Planned Needs Batteries: storing the sun (required), Angles of elevation and depression (required).
  50. From here on: Beyond school · university level
    EG-ELE-SOL-05Charge controllers, inverters and safetyEngineering · A level / JUPEB / foundation year to 100 Level (Level 13–14) · Planned · the destination Needs Sizing a solar system (required), Direct and alternating current (required), Electrical safety (required).
30 stops across Maths, Sciences and Engineering. 2 have a sample lesson in the demo; the other 28 are planned and not yet written.

Help light the room where this is learned.

Every route on this map starts in a classroom with 24 stations, a tutor that works offline and a facilitator upstairs. Four are planned and waiting for light.

Help light a LanternTalk to us about a major gift