1. What is a Home Solar Panel Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the power rating needed for solar panels based on your energy requirements, available sunlight, and system performance.

Purpose: It helps homeowners and installers determine the appropriate solar panel size for residential energy needs.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Solar panel power required (watts)
• \( Load \) — Daily energy consumption (watt-hours)
• \( H \) — Peak sunlight hours per day
• \( PR \) — Performance ratio (system efficiency)

Explanation: The energy requirement is divided by the product of sunlight hours and performance ratio to determine the panel wattage needed.

3. Importance of Solar Panel Sizing

Details: Proper sizing ensures your solar system meets energy needs without over-investing in unnecessary capacity, optimizing both performance and cost.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your daily energy needs in Wh, average sunlight hours (default 5), and performance ratio (default 0.75). All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How do I find my daily energy load?
A: Check your electricity bill for kWh usage and multiply by 1000 to get Wh, then divide by 30 for daily average.

Q2: What's a typical performance ratio?
A: Most home systems have PR between 0.7-0.8, accounting for losses from temperature, wiring, inverters, etc.

Q3: How many sunlight hours should I use?
A: Use your location's average peak sun hours (4-6 for most US locations, higher in southwest).

Q4: Does this include battery storage?
A: No, this calculates panel requirements only. Add 20-30% for battery systems to account for storage losses.

Q5: How do I convert this to number of panels?
A: Divide the result by your chosen panel's wattage (e.g., 300W panels) and round up.