Choosing the right solar solution for your house size can seem a bit overwhelming due to the many factors to consider; such as your house size, type of solar panels Tampa system, and many more. But it doesn’t have to be; if you conduct the necessary research and you become equipped with the right knowledge, it’ll be much easier to choose the perfect solar solution for your home.
In this post, we will walk you through the process of choosing the right solar solution for your home; from the amount of energy, your household consumes daily to the number of solar panels your home needs, and many more. Let’s dive right in!
Estimate your Energy Consumption
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Calculate your daily energy usage
To begin the process of getting the right solar system for your home, you’ll start by analyzing your daily energy usage. This can be done by calculating your daily kilowatt-hours (kWh) usage. Get all your electricity bills for the past 12 months; on the bills, you’ll find monthly kWh usage. Typically, your household kWh usage will fall within the same range every month but you might notice some significant differences in the summer and winter months. With that in mind, add up the kWh usage for the 12 months and divide the answer by 12 to get your average monthly energy usage. Then divide the average monthly kWh usage by 30 days; this will give you the amount of energy you consume daily.
Another way to calculate the amount of energy used in your home is by checking the energy consumed by all the electrical appliances in your home. Once you’ve got the energy consumed by your appliances (you can check the body of the appliances or check online to know the energy used by your home appliances), multiply each one by the number of hours they stay in use per day.
For instance:
If your TV consumes 100W for 4 hours per day; four 100W incandescent lights stay on for 4 hours, the laptop consumes 60W for 4 hours, and the blender uses 500W for 1 hour per day.
: (100W× 4) +(4×100W×4)+ (60W×4) +(500×1) = 2740W (this will be your estimated daily energy consumption per day. You can divide 2740W by 1000 to convert to kWh; it’ll be 2.74kwh.
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Consider the climate in your location
The next step is to consider the climate in your area and whether it’s sunny enough to make solar panels a viable option. If your climate supports solar energy systems, look up the peak hours so that you can determine whether your solar energy system will have sufficient solar power each day. To check the sun’s peak hours for your location, you can look up your city to find out about the average peak sunlight per day. For instance, if you reside in New York, the average peak is between 3 to 3.5 hours per day.
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Determine the Size of the solar system your home needs
After you’ve got the sun peak for your location, you’ll need to determine the size of your solar system. Take the calculated amount of energy you need per day in Watts then, divide that number by the average number of hours of sun exposure you receive (known as peak sun hours). This will give you the required kilowatt output which you’ll then multiply by the panel’s efficiency to get the estimated number of solar panels you’ll need for your system. The efficiency factor of 1.15 or 1.25 is usually included to account for any losses that may occur in the system.
For instance; (2740W÷3.5) x 1.25 = 978.5
Approximately 979 Watts per hour (Wp).
With these, we can determine the number of panels your home needs.
Choose the Right Solar Panels
Solar panels come in various designs and electrical specifications. Before you choose the solar panel you desire, endeavor to understand what each type offers, its required maintenance practice, estimated lifespan, price, energy efficiency, electrical specifications, and many more. After you’ve chosen a preferred solar panel, check the electrical specifications to find out about the Wp capacity of the panel. Some panels come in 100Wp, 200Wp, 400Wp, and others. To get the number of panels needed, you’ll divide the calculated solar system capacity your home needs by the Wp capacity of the panel you choose.
For instance; if you prefer a 200Wp capacity solar panel and your home needs 979 Watts per hour.
979 Wp ÷ 200 Wp =4.8 solar panels.
Approximately, you’ll need 5 solar panels to conveniently serve your home.
Finally, it’s also essential to consider the storage battery sizing as well as the type of inverter that’ll meet your needs. Also, endeavor to work with a professional solar panel installation company when choosing solar panels for your home. These experts will further help simplify the process of choosing the right solar solution for your home.
