How big should my solar panel with power station be?

If you want to use solar energy cleverly to save electricity in the long term, you will come to one Power station with solar panel not over. But how big should it be? portable power source because now be? That and more in this article.

one thing is certain: Solar generators are useful on a number of occasions. Especially in the event of a power failure, a reliable one is used Powerstation as the perfect backup power source. 

Such a replacement is essential as groceries need to be refrigerated and appliances charged. Of course, you could also rely on a conventional diesel generator - but is there really always enough fuel available in an emergency?

To be fully independent, you should use solar energy. Ideally via a power station with a solar panel.  

Would you like to find out more about the various possible uses of mobile power stations? In this article, we will show you how to get the most out of portable energy sources.

But first, let's take a look at what types of solar generators there are.

Using solar energy cleverly: Types of solar generators you should know

Solar generators can be roughly divided into two categories:

1. Standby Solargenerator 
2. Portable energy source (power station)

Before we go into detail, let's take a close look at the pros and cons of each type.

Backup solar generator for home

Home backup generators are large devices that provide enough power for most of the devices in your home. 

Since no gas is required to operate, solar generators can be easily installed and used inside the home. Thanks to their size, solar generators can power a variety of devices for a long time.

Large solar generators have several disadvantages:

• Size: Devices of this size are bulky and very inconvenient to transport.
• Price: Large generators are equipped with many batteries. That drives up the price. A system with 3000 watts often costs upwards of 5,000 euros (a 1000W Power Station costs a fraction).
• Installation: The installation of large solar generators is quite complex. Typically, a qualified electrician will ensure the proper installation of power generators, water heaters, or heating and cooling systems. In addition, control panels may need to be modified or replaced. If you already have a system and are using grid metering, you will need a switch to keep your system power off the grid. In short: You will definitely incur additional costs for professional installation. 

What does this list tell us specifically? Well, while a large whole-home solar generator is effective, it's also a big investment. 

Therefore, be sure to talk to our experts in advance to find out whether installing a large solar generator is really the right choice for your individual situation.

The portable power station: innovative, advantageous and inexpensive

Smaller solar generators are cheaper, can be used on the move and can supply power to a large number of devices. 

In addition, to install a tragbaren Powerstation do not hire an electrician. That Solar panel with power station is also low-maintenance and is considered a so-called plug-and-play device. What exactly does that mean? Well, above all, ease of installation and use. Whether you want to charge your smartphone or need some light – one portable power source is quick and easy to use.

Incidentally, mobile power stations are suitable both for emergencies and for normal use. Would you like an example? Now that you have a power station Use solar power yourself without feeding it into the grid is camping independently easily possible. When camping, on the next boat trip or in the mobile home, you can supply yourself with solar energy in a clever way.

Another clear advantage: The Power station with solar panel is portable and very compact compared to large standby generators with roof mounted solar panels.

You can therefore easily take a power station with solar modules with you on camping trips, as the compact folding panels can be transported to save space.

In order to choose the right solar generator for your needs, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• How much electricity do I use?
• What is my power requirement in detail? 
• Do I just want to run a few lamps or use the fridge and microwave at the same time?
• Should I rely on a large electricity storage system or on stand-alone systems?

What does that tell us? When using a power station, detailed planning is the be-all and end-all. So, let's go!

Planning is the be-all and end-all: use solar energy and save money cleverly

The detailed planning for your future energy supply takes place in 2 steps.

Deciding which service is really needed

• Find out how much energy your devices use.
• Calculate how much electricity the power storage unit has to supply.

Below, we'll take a closer look at each of these options.

How much energy do your devices use?

First, list all the devices that you use and plan to power regularly. Here you only consider devices that can be connected to a normal household socket. 

We leave out water heaters that are connected directly to the fuse box or stoves that require a 220-volt socket when planning.

a notice: In the event of a blackout (prolonged power failure), only the most important devices should be powered. You can find more about this in the post below. 

If your location or medical condition requires you to have air conditioning or heating, you should consider purchasing a small air conditioner or portable heater and equipping it with a dedicated power source. Health always comes first.

How powerful is the energy source?

The power of an energy source is usually measured in watt-hours (Wh). This is a metric used to calculate energy transfer rate. 

Put simply: the more watt hours a Powerstation has, the more energy it delivers on a single charge.

However, there are various watt measurements to consider when deciding on your own Solar panel with power station should consider. Below we take a closer look at the continuous and peak performance.

continuous power

Continuous output is the amount of watts that an energy source can continuously deliver.

SOOOP 600 = 600 watts
SOUP 1200 = 1,2 kW
SOUP 1800 = 1,8 kW
SOUOP 2400 = 2,4 kW

Top performance

The second measurement is often referred to as peak power. In other words, the maximum amount of electricity that an energy source can supply in a short period of time.

SOOOP 600 = 1000 watts
SOUP 1200 = 3,6 kW
SOUP 1800 = 4,0 kW
SOUP 2400 = 5,0 kW

Continuous power vs. peak power

For clarification, let's take a look at the following example:

It's a hot summer day. You turn on your air conditioner. Within seconds, a rapid burst of electricity ensures that the air conditioner works as usual - thanks to the peak performance.

The amount of energy to continuously operate the air conditioner is usually quite small. And you probably already guessed it - yes, that's where the continuous power comes into play.

In fact, there are also devices that require 3 to 7 times the normal power to start (e.g. refrigerators). When planning your energy supply, you should definitely take such devices into account. 

So if you want to use a solar generator to power your fridge, you need to consider both continuous and peak power equally. So make sure that your future energy source can supply the required current.

Basically, the continuous power is a very meaningful number that you should always take into account. Because it indicates how much energy is generated under normal conditions with a single charge.

Calculate the optimal system capacity: This is how it works in 4 steps

In the Powerbude.eu shop we provide you with innovative power stations for various power needs. Our products have a capacity of 599Wh up to 2,232Wh.

How many watts does a solar generator power plant need?

To determine which of our products will give you the right performance, you need to make the following calculations:

Step 1: Choose which devices should be powered and for how long

In order to select the right power station for your needs, you must first define the exact energy requirements. Specifically, this means: select the devices that you want to use via Solar panel with power station want to operate. Also roughly determine how long the energy source should supply electricity.

Our tip: Make sure that you only select devices that can be connected to a power station. Why is that important? Because water heaters, for example, are often permanently integrated into the electrical circuit of the house. In this case, an energy supply from the power station would only be possible with additional effort.

We have listed some common devices that can be powered by solar generators:

• laptops and personal computers
• Charger for smartphones
• kitchen appliances
• hair dryer
• air conditioning
• gaming consoles

Step 2: Determine the energy requirements for each device

After the "what" comes the "how". once you know was want to power you, you need to figure out how much energy you need for it.

To calculate this metric, you must first find out how many watts your devices use. This information can usually be found somewhere on the device. If the value is in amperes, simply multiply this value by the voltage of the device. How to calculate the key figure in watts:

Watts = Volts * Amps

Next, you need to set the number of hours you can use on individual devices. Then multiply the number of hours you chose by the wattage for each device:

Total watt-hours = hours * watts per device

This will give you the total number of watt-hours you need to power each device.

Example:

You want to run two 60-watt lightbulbs for two hours each. How do you determine the total output in watt hours?

• To the total hours To find out, multiply 2 hours charging time by 2 bulbs: 2 * 2 = 4
• To the total wattage To find out, multiply 2 bulbs by 60 watts: 2 * 60 = 120
• To the total watt hours To find out, multiply the previous sums together: 4 * 120 = 480

Then divide your answer by 0.85 to account for a constant 85% power consumption while the device is charging.

480 Watt hours / 0,85 = 564 Watt hours

What does that tell us? To power two 60 watt bulbs for 2 hours, you need one Powerstation, which can deliver at least 564 watt hours.

Step 3: Add up the individual watt hours 

You perform the calculations from the previous step for all devices that you use with the Powerstation want to operate.

Then simply add up all the watt hours to get the total watt hours. This is the value that your energy source must provide.

Let's say you need 400 watt hours to power your lights, 300 watt hours to charge your smartphone and 300 watt hours to power your laptop. In this case, the total watt hour requirement is 1,000 (400 + 300 + 300).

Step 4: Determine the watt-hours you need for your installation

In the previous 3 steps you have determined all necessary information. Based on this data, you are able to select the right power station for your individual project.

So just take your data from step 3 and compare this figure with the wattage of each power station in our shop. 

Make sure the Powerstation of your choice has a higher wattage than the total watt-hour requirement that you calculated in step 3.

recommendation: 1 to 3 = that means 1 need = 3 power storage. As an example: 1000 Wh requirement = 3000 Wh storage capacity. In the best case, this regulation should be taken into account in the blackout requirement. 

The advantages of a portable power station are obvious

One portable power source is a dynamic emergency power option. Because it serves as a clever solar power source both at home and on the go. Mobile power stations were intentionally designed to be more compact than dedicated solar generators for home use, to provide the necessary flexibility.

To use solar energy cleverly, connect this portable solar panel simply with the power station until it is charged. You can then use the electricity generated for almost any device.

Many people choose a portable power station because they want to produce clean electricity - ideally while enjoying the weather outdoors. In addition, the Power station with solar panel can of course also be used as a reserve source of energy for the house. 

It is precisely this versatility that makes portable energy sources so popular. Are you curious? Then take a look at the Powerbude.eu shop!

Conclusion: The size of your power station depends on your individual needs

One Power station with solar panel delivers clean, renewable energy as a low-maintenance power source. And wherever it is needed. 

In this article, we showed you that mobile power stations can be a great investment. The prerequisite: detailed planning of your energy requirements.

Thanks to the example calculations above, you can determine your energy requirements in detail and use this as a basis to decide which power stations from our range are the best choice.