How to calculate how many solar panels/solar panel wattage is needed to support my equipment?

How to calculate how many solar panels/solar panel wattage is needed to support my equipment?

We have a free system requirements calculator located at: https://tyconsystems.com/tycon-support/tycon-calculators/

You can use the online calculator or follow the guide below to determine solar requirements.

First, calculate the total watts required for your equipment. Let’s assume 50W, and that your equipment will run 24hrs per day.  50W x 24hrs = 1200Wh; so, each day you are consuming 1200W. 

Figure out the worst-case winter sunlight peak hours in your area; let’s assume it’s 3hrs peak sun per day.  So, with 3hrs of sun you need to generate 1200W of power. 1200W per day equipment load / 3hrs sun per day = 400W of solar panels.***

***This is the absolute minimum amount of solar you would require. With solar it’s always a good rule of thumb to add at least 20% additional capacity, so the recommended capacity would be 500W minimum of solar panel capacity to support 50W equipment load with 3hrs of sun per day.
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