{"id":3036,"date":"2022-10-26T02:49:09","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T02:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ledask.com\/?p=3036"},"modified":"2022-10-31T02:42:27","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T02:42:27","slug":"solar-panel-appliances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ledask.com\/solar-panel-appliances\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar Panel Appliances: Which Devices You Can Run Using Solar Power"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The general trend globally with electrical power use is efficiency enhancement. If you run your home using solar panels, you need to consider efficiency as the highest priority because the power is inconsistent. The panel output fluctuates during different times of the day, and solar batteries can run out at night. So solar panel appliances need to be as efficient as possible. We will look at the various solar panel appliances and how to power them using solar energy. Take a look!<\/p>\n\n\n
Household appliances run on alternating current<\/a> (AC), the same one we get from the grid. Solar panels<\/a> generate direct current<\/a> (DC), and solar batteries store and produce DC. So you cannot run household appliances directly using solar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A solar panel system<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most solar wiring architectures consist of solar panels directly connected to charge controllers (MPPT<\/a> or PWM). These modules regulate battery charging and discharging. So they are the center point between solar batteries, solar panels, and inverters<\/a>. The inverter is responsible for converting 12V DC to AC power (110V, 120V, or 220V) to handle the appliance’s AC load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Large inverters installed under solar panels in a solar farm<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Houses can also have DC loads that connect directly to the solar battery or charge controller. These usually include LED lights or strips.<\/p>\n\n\n Any device plugged into the wiring system that draws power from the solar battery bank is a solar-powered appliance. The typical ones include the following.<\/p>\n\n\n Fridges are arguably the highest energy guzzlers in any household because they run 24\/7. Averagely, refrigerators consume about 57kWh and freezers roughly 58kWh monthly (115kWh total). The average solar panel generates about 30kWh monthly, so you need about four of these to run the refrigerator.<\/p>\n\n\n An infographic showing solar panel appliances<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n Adults in the US spend about five hours each day watching TV<\/a>. Of course, this number varies depending on the person. So you can multiply your TV’s wattage and the hours you watch each day to get the power consumption in watt-hours or kWh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Solar panel appliances<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Using a 60-inch TV with a power consumption of 29kWh monthly as an example, you’ll need one solar panel to run it. But TVs don’t come alone. You will need a cable box, WiFi router, and other devices to complete the entertainment and connectivity set. The total consumption from these devices can amount to about 55kWh. So you will need at least two solar panels. <\/p>\n\n\n Washers and dryers consume roughly 60-65kWh, meaning you need three solar panels to run them.<\/p>\n\n\n The power rating in microwaves is an average of about 900 watts. Estimating its consumption is not straightforward because its usage varies greatly depending on the home.<\/p>\n\n\n An average AC consumes about 1,000 watts, and you will use it for more hours during summer. You can do the math and determine the number of required panels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Solar panels and AC units on a rooftop<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n We don’t recommend running electric stoves on solar power because they are power-hungry appliances with an average power rating of about 2,500 watts. But if you have enough money to invest in multiple panels, battery banks, and a powerful inverter, why not?<\/p>\n\n\n DC led lights that draw power directly from the solar battery or panel are more energy efficient than their AC counterparts. However, these can only work for off-grid systems. With grid-connected solar power systems, you should install AC lights to make switching from solar to grid power seamless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A hybrid solar system<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is the typical appliance power table to summarize the average device power consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using this example, if you want to run all these devices simultaneously, you should have solar batteries with 5,663W (5.66kW) minimum power output. And the battery size should be at least 14kWh to run all the appliances for slightly over an hour, provided the solar inverter can handle such power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, you’ll need a similar-sized solar panel installation to generate enough energy to charge the batteries and match the household consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although expensive, deep-cycle batteries<\/a> are better for solar systems because they can handle regular charging\/discharging cycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSolar Panel Appliances: Typical Appliances with AC Loads in Households<\/h2>\n\n\n
Refrigerators<\/h3>\n\n\n
Television<\/h3>\n\n\n
Washer and Dryer<\/h3>\n\n\n
Microwave<\/h3>\n\n\n
Air Conditioning<\/h3>\n\n\n
Electric Stove<\/h3>\n\n\n
LED Lights<\/h3>\n\n\n
Electrical Appliances<\/strong><\/td> Essential Load Wattage<\/strong><\/td> Hours<\/strong><\/td> kWh<\/strong><\/td><\/tr> Refrigerator<\/td> 700W<\/td> 10<\/td> 7kWh<\/td><\/tr> Television<\/td> 77W<\/td> 2<\/td> 0.15kWh<\/td><\/tr> Microwave<\/td> 900W<\/td> 0.2<\/td> 0.23kWh<\/td><\/tr> Electric Stove<\/td> 2,500W<\/td> 0.5<\/td> 1.25kWh<\/td><\/tr> Phone Charger<\/td> 20W<\/td> 4<\/td> 0.8kWh<\/td><\/tr> Laptop Charger<\/td> 61W<\/td> 2<\/td> 0.12kWh<\/td><\/tr> WiFi Router<\/td> 5W<\/td> 24<\/td> 0.12kWh<\/td><\/tr> Lights (40 10-watt LED bulbs)<\/td> 400W<\/td> 5<\/td> 2kWh<\/td><\/tr> Air Conditioner<\/td> 1,000W<\/td> 2<\/td> 2kWh<\/td><\/tr> Total<\/strong><\/td> 5,663W<\/strong><\/td> <\/strong><\/td> 13.67kWh<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n