When you build a solar powered system you'll need to figure out how many panels you have to use for the amount of electricity you use.
There are several variables when determining how many panels you need but you can still get a rough estimate so you can get your costs determined.
To determine how many panels you'll need you will have figure out how much electricity you use every day.
First you'll have to add up all the watt hours you use every day in your house.
For instance if you use the TV which is 500 watts and the sump pump in the basement is 800 watts and they both are used 4 hours a day 500+800=1300 x 4= 5200 watt hours.
You can also look on your utility bill and see what your average monthly watt usage is.
You will need to divide the monthly total of watt hours by 30 to determine daily usage.
This would be an easier way to determine how much electricity you'll use.
You will also need to determine how many hours of sunlight you'll get every day.
On the average in the winter is 5 hours a day and in the summer is about 8 to 9 hours.
If you use the resource box below it will take you to a calculator to know how many hours of light you will get a day.
Now take all the wattage hours used each day in your home and add them up.
Then divide that by the (total of wattage from your panel (we are just using this size panel as an example) (90 watts x 5 hours of sunlight equals 450 watts ) for example 5200/450 = 11.
5 panels.
Now you know how many panels you need to use.
Here it is again Watt hours 5200 / divided by (90 watt panel x 5 hours of sunlight) = number of panels you need.
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