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How many solar panels does it take to power your home? If you have your energy consumption and other details about location and solar panels, anyone can work it out for themselves - DIY solar design.

The average domestic fridge uses 350kWh of electrical energy per year and would need 300 watts of solar panels to supply it. A 100Ah battery would also be needed to supply compressor motor surge.

Before sizing a solar panel to charge a 12 volt battery you need to know how much power a panel will produce in your location. This depends on the irradiance measure in peak-sun-hours. Average is 4.

A 100 watt solar panel is a very convenient size - not too big to handle and carry, while big enough to deliver some power. How much much power can a 100 watt solar panel supply and what can it run?

Hybrid PVT solar panels combine two solar technologies - PV electric and thermal water heating. PV panels are only 20% efficient, while solar water heating can reach 90% with evacuated tube technology

What factors affect solar panel output? Certain things are out of our control, like a panel's STC wattage rating, but others, like tilt and orientation affect output can have significant inpact.

18 ways to use solar panels in the home shows how we can use renewable energy sources to power everyday tasks and saving just a little bit of our planet's resources

Solar PV system installations have losses associated with them. Some losses are design issues, other are due to component and cable choice while some are impacted and improved by regular maintenance.

PWM vs MPPT Solar Charge Controllers - Which is better? The only true way to find out is by carrying out practical tests showing solar panel power outputs charging a battery to calculate efficiency.

Auto tracking the sun is used to make sure that solar panels are always at 90 degrees to the sun's rays. This maximizes the electricity output and keeps track of the sun's movement across the sky.

When mounted on an inflatable kayak or canoe these small motors that are normally used intermittently for fishing now become the main source of propulsion, turning an inflatable kayak into a cruiser!

Hybrid Solar-Wind Power Generation System is a renewable energy combination designed to provide energy from wind when sun us not available, and vice versa. The system uses a wind turbine & solar panel

With an average irradiance of 4 peak-sun-hours a solar panel will normally produce 4 watt-hours (Wh) per day for 1 watt of the panel rated watts (Wp) - that's 146kWh/yr for a 100 watt solar panel.

Is solar worth it in Texas? A solar installation pays for the up-front cost with 9 to 12 years. After that electricity is free! An average price home will increase in value 4% (6000 to $8000)

Is solar worth it in Florida? Solar is worth it in Florida from two viewpoints: 1. After payback period of 6 to 8 years electricity is free! 2. Solar can add up to $20,000 to a home's value!

Solar panel installations are taking off in a big way but is solar worth it in your state? Not only do solar systems save on utility bills big-time, but they also add value to your home.

Solar panels are worth it in North Carolina from 2 viewpoints. 1. After an average 11.6 years the system cost is recovered so all electricity is free! 2. Home resale value increases 3.5% after solar.

The average fridge consumes 40 watts of electricity per hour which means 960 watt-hours of battery capacity would be needed to run a fridge for 24 hours. 960 watt-hours equates to 80Ah, so x 2 = 160Ah

You may think a 100 watt solar panel just might run a refrigerator on a very sunny day in summer, but don't bet on it! It's safer to use two in summer & four in winter due to irradiance variations.

Can a solar panel operate in all weather conditions or behind glass? These questions and more are answered in this story

Can a solar panel overcharge a car battery or similar 12 volt battery? Without the use of a solar charge controller a solar panel can overcharge a 12 volt battery and destroy it.

A wind turbine can run an RV & is a great choice to work alongside a solar panel installation. A RV Wind Turbine Generator rated 200 to 500 watts can generate 30 to 40kWh per month. Go wind turbines!

A solar panel can be connected directly to a 12 volt car battery, but must be monitored if it's more than 5 watts. Solar panels rated higher than 5 watts must not be connected directly to a battery.

It sounds great fun but can you put an electric motor on a kayak that you carry around and inflate it when you need it? Many people have done this but it does need inflatable kayak motor mods.

There are some conditions under which a solar panel will perform most efficiently and deliver the most output in watts. Orientation, tilt, heat, maintenance, quality & type of panel all play a part.

Central solar inverters gave way to string inverters, which are used by most domestic solar installations. Micro inverters have advantages in some situations and power optimizers can boost output.

Frequently asked questions about solar panels, installation and uses.