Undoubtedly, solar generators are the most trendy and beneficial thing to deal with power blackouts. I have connected my house to a solar generator to avoid heavy electricity bills. The first thing that you must know before purchasing your solar generator is wattage.
According to my research, the no. of watts you’ll need for a solar generator depends on your electricity requirements. As you know, solar generators are of various sizes and wattages. So, if you need to run small appliances, an average size solar generator will be enough, and vice versa.
In this writing, I’ll walk you through a detailed guide on your power needs and solar generator wattage. Here you come:
Table of Contents
Why Is Wattage Important?
Many of you might be confused about why wattage is important while purchasing a solar generator. Let me make it understandable for you. Watts usually indicate the sort of inverters built into the solar generator.
As you know, solar generators fetch energy from the sun as DC, meanwhile, the appliances need AC electricity to operate. Inverters help you to run your equipment by converting AC into DC power.
So, wattage is important because it indicates the working capacity of an inverter. For instance, if your appliance will take 300W power to work, your solar generator must have a wattage of more than 300W.
Therefore, I’ll suggest you estimate the wattage before purchasing your solar generator.
Related: What Will A 1000-Watt Solar Generator Run?
How Much Power Do I Need?
First of all, you should have to know your electricity requirements. Whether you want to light up your house or run heavy appliances like a refrigerator, you’ll choose the solar generator accordingly.
Plan Out Your Needs
You can estimate your power needs by enlisting the appliances that you want to run during a power outage. I will suggest you only choose crucial items for an emergency situation.
Moreover, if you want to shift your refrigerators or air conditioners to solar power, your power needs will automatically increase.
Energy Requirements Of Your Appliance
As you have enlisted the desired items, now you have to figure out the energy requirements of your appliance. I always prefer average power consuming items to fulfill my needs without stressing the generator.
All of your appliances must work under 220 volts. Let me explain it to you with an example. Let’s say, your heater runs on 120 volts and draws 12.5A current. You can calculate the watts by multiplying both numbers. I.e.
120×12.5 = 1500 watts.
Similarly, you can calculate the power needs of all the appliances.
Investigate the Watt-hour Of Generator
I have told you about calculating the energy requirements of appliances, but you should also investigate the Wh of solar generators. The power of the solar generator must be 2X more than your appliance needs.
If your appliances need 2000W power to work properly, a 1500W generator will be unable to help. So, estimate your power needs and compare it with the wattage of the generator, you’ll find a suitable solar generator in no time.
Related: Do Solar Generators Work In Winter?
Factors To Look For In A Solar Generator
When you go to purchase a solar generator for your house, you must consider the following features:
Solar Input
Many of you might be unaware of the importance of solar input. According to my research, the more solar energy your generator can take in, the quicker it will be recharged.
For instance, if you purchase a low solar input generator, it will need more time to fetch solar energy and recharge your battery for later use.
Therefore, you should always buy a solar generator with more solar input so that you can utilize the stored energy during a blackout.
Battery
The second crucial factor that you must focus on is the battery. Undoubtedly, batteries play a tremendous role in coping with longer power outages. I will suggest you to purchase a solar generator with at least a 2000Wh battery.
You can also compare the battery of a solar generator with your power needs to get the most suitable one.
Inverter
Another feature that you must consider before purchasing your solar generator is the inverter. As you already know, an inverter will convert DC into AC electricity which enables your appliances to work.
If you have an idea of expanding your solar system, you should already install inverters. You should know that inverters can’t be upgraded. Hence, choose an inverter accordingly.
Charge Controller
Charge controller plays an essential role in the whole solar system. There are two types of charge controllers;
- PWM (Pulse Width)
- MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking)
I’ll advise you to go for the MPPT charge controller. This charge controller will boost the generators’ efficiency by 40%.
Location
Your location is also a crucial factor in setting up solar generators. If you live in a wide sunny area, a small generator will be enough. This is because the solar panels will get a lot of sunlight to store.
Meanwhile, if you live in a cloudy area where sunlight is not clear, you need a large generator. The large generator will store more energy and provide you with AC electricity whenever you need it.
Watts Of Household Appliances
Here are the starting and running watts of normal household appliances.
| Appliance | Starting Watts | Running Watts |
| Washing Machine | 2300 | 1200 |
| Bulb | 0 | 60 – 75 |
| Dishwasher | 1800 | 1300 |
| TV | 0 | 500 |
| Dryer | 7000 | 5400 |
| Refrigerator | 2200 | 700 |
| Microwave | 0 | 600-1000 |
| Toaster | 0 | 1200 |
| Iron | 0 | 1500 |
| Vacuum | 2500 | 1440 |
| Blender | 800 | 300 |
| Coffee Maker | 0 | 1000 |
| Laptop | 0 | 300 |
| Curling Iron | 0 | 1500 |
| Heater | 0 | 2000 |
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to add that the wattage depends upon your electricity needs during a power blackout. If you want to run heavy appliances, you should go for a large generator to continue your job without interruption.
Likewise, if you want a backup only to light up a few bulbs, or to operate your laptop, an average wattage generator will be enough. You have also got the starting and running watts of various household appliances.
So, all you have to do is select appliances, see their watts, and estimate your power needs.
