Calculate How Many Solar Panels You Need

Calculate How Many Solar Panels You Need – If you are going to install a solar panel system (off the grid or in the grid) and want to find the exact amount of wattage and solar panel rating, you can do it easily by the simple method below. Solved examples and explanations are as follows.

Suppose we want to power four lamps of 15 watts each and a fan of 60 watts and we need to use these 4 lamps and 1 fan for 4 hours a day. So first, we will calculate the total wattage usage.

Calculate How Many Solar Panels You Need

Currently, we need continuous power supply for 4 hours per day with solar panels to the load.

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We will use 480 Watts per day for 4 hours. Let us have full sunlight for 6 hours a day.

Now we divide 480W by 6 hours to get the final rating of the solar panel in watts. In this way, we will get the hourly power we need for our electrical equipment.

That means, you need 480 watts for 4 hours where an 80W solar panel will produce 480 Watts due to 6 hours of sunlight. To know the battery bank, inverter and charge controller size for this system, see the link in the foot-note.

The above calculations are based on the Ideal case. Therefore, it is recommended to always choose a panel that is larger than necessary. Because when the solar panel charges the battery, there is a waste of power due to loss as well.

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Note: Do not miss the following detailed article on solar panel installation where we have discussed the number of solar panels required, ratings, battery size and charging time, series and parallel connection of solar panels, power controller ratings, UPS / inverter sizes and ratings etc with solved examples.

It appears that you are using an ad blocker. We rely on advertising to support our website, provide free information, and maintain our services. Please consider whitelisting our website to allow advertising. Use the solar panel series and parallel calculator to easily find common wiring configurations that optimize your solar panel’s power output.

Note: If your panel does not have a label, you can usually find the technical specs in the product manual or on the product page online.

There should be a label on the back of the solar panel that lists the main technical specs.

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2. Enter the maximum power voltage of the panel (denoted Vmp or Vmpp). It can also be called the optimum operating voltage.

3. Enter the maximum power current of the panel in amps (called Imp or Impp). It can also be called the optimum operating current.

4. In the Quantity field, enter the number of solar panels of this type that you will wire together.

5. If you use a different solar panel, click “Add Panel” and fill out the next panel specs and quantity. Repeat this process as many times as necessary. You can click “Remove Panel” at any time to remove the last panel you added.

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6. After you have added all the panels, click “Calculate Series vs Parallel Wiring Output” to compare the power output of common wiring configurations.

Here’s how to calculate the power output of a solar array, regardless of how you connect the panels together — and regardless of whether or not the panels are the same.

For example, suppose you have 3 identical solar panels. All have a voltage of 12 volts and a current of 8 amps. When using a series cable, the 3 connected panels (often called a series “string”) will have a voltage of 36 volts (12V + 12V + 12V) and a current of 8 amps. In this example, the series string will not be lost.

For solar panels that do not match the series wiring, the voltage is summed and the current is equal to the lowest panel.

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When wired in series, the resulting series string will have a voltage of 42 volts (12V + 14V + 16V) and a current of 6 amps (the lowest current rating of the 3 panels).

In this example, our series string will lose power because the current of the 12V / 8A panel and the 14V / 7A panel will be “pulled down” to 6 amps.

For example, let’s go back to the same scenario of 3 solar panels, all with a voltage of 12 volts and a current of 8 amps. When the wires are in parallel, the 3 Panels connected will have a voltage of 12 volts and a current of 24 amps (8A + 8A + 8A). In this example, our parallel string will have no loss.

For mismatched solar panels on the same string, the currents are summed and the voltage will be equal to the lowest panel in the string.

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When the wires are in parallel, the resulting parallel string will have a voltage of 12 volts (highest voltage rating of the 3 panels) and a current of 21 amps (8A + 7A + 6A).

In this example, the parallel string will lose power because the 14V / 7A panel voltage and the 16V / 6A panel will be pulled down to 12 volts.

For the same solar panel with series-parallel configuration wires, for each series string the voltage is added and the current remains the same. Then, for each series string of identical lengths of wire in parallel, the current is added and the voltage remains the same.

For example, suppose you have 4 identical solar panels, all with a voltage of 12 volts and a current of 8 amps. First, you wire 2 sets of 2 panels in series to create 2 series strings of 24 volts (12V + 12V) and 8 amps. Then, you wire two series of strings in parallel to create a 4-panel array of 24 volts and 16 amps (8A + 8A).

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When using the same solar panel, it is important that your series length is the same. Otherwise, the string voltage will be different.

In general, I recommend wiring the solar panel in series first, then in parallel. This limits the number of branch connectors required and can reduce wiring costs.

For different solar panels in a series-parallel configuration, for each series string, the voltage is summed and the current will be equal to the lowest panel in the string. Then, when the series strings are connected together in parallel, the currents are summed and the voltage will be equal to the series string with the lowest voltage rating.

First, you use a 12V / 8A panel and a 16V / 6A panel in series to create a series string with a voltage of 28 volts (12V + 16V) and a current of 6 amps (the lowest current rating of the 2 panels).

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Next, you connect the 14V / 7A panel and the 20V / 5A panel in series to create a second string with a voltage of 34 volts (14V + 20V) and a current of 5 amps (the lowest rating of the 2 panels).

Finally, you wire 2 series of strings in parallel to create a 4-panel solar array with a voltage of 28 volts (highest voltage rating of the 2 strings) and a current of 11 amps (6A + 5A).

Unfortunately, when dealing with mismatched solar panels in a series-parallel setup, there is no simple rule I can give to easily find the wiring configuration that will result in the most power output. Our calculator at the top of this page is a good starting point, but may not give you the optimal configuration.

In this situation, I recommend trial and error. Calculate the output of various wiring configurations and go with the one that results in the highest power output.

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Here is a quick overview of how to install solar panels in series and parallel. For more in-depth instructions, check out our full tutorial.

To connect solar panels in series, connect one positive wire to the other negative wire.

If you want to connect more in series, just connect the positive wire of each additional solar panel to the negative wire of the series string. You can string together as many panels as you want like this.

To connect the solar panels in parallel, you need to buy branch connectors suitable for the number of panels to be connected in parallel. (You also need to buy an inline MC4 fuse and connect it to the positive wire of each solar panel.) I will show you how to wire 2 panels in parallel using the Y branch connector.

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To do so, connect the 2 positive solar panel wires to a compatible Y connector. Then connect the 2 negative solar panel wires to the other Y connector.

If you connect more than two solar panels in parallel, choose the correct branch connector for the number of panels to be installed in parallel.

H/T to Mowgli Adventures whose calculator was a big inspiration for this. Her blog is amazing and you should check it out!

Alex Beale is the founder and owner of Footprint Hero. As a self-taught DIY solar enthusiast, Alex has spent 4 years producing educational solar content on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and the Footprint Hero blog. During that time, he created Footprint Hero for more than 7 million blog visits and 18 million YouTube views. He lives in Tennessee.

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Hi, I’m Alex. I’m a DIY solar power enthusiast on my travels

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