How Many Solar Panels Do I Need to Power My Home Appliances?
Last edited
Author
Andrew Blok
Electrification and Solar Writer and Editor
Editor
Ryan Barnett
SVP, Policy & New Market Development
Home solar panels can be a useful guard against rising energy prices. But getting the most benefit out of your new solar panel system requires sizing it correctly. Too small, and you could leave savings on the table. An oversized system could see you paying for solar panels you don’t need.
Correct sizing is one of the reasons it’s best to go solar with a trusted expert. Here’s how you can get an idea of how many solar panels your home needs.
See how much you can save by going solar with Palmetto
How to calculate the electricity usage of household appliances
To learn how much total power you need for your home, you can start by calculating the amount of power each appliance uses — especially the major ones — and add the numbers together.
Power consumption is calculated in kilowatt-hours (kWh), and it varies by device size, type, and time in use (among other factors). There are two basic ways you can determine how much power each appliance needs.
Use the power rating
- Check the power rating near the power cord. The number is typically listed in amps or watts.
- If the power rating is listed in amps and you know the voltage of the circuit (usually 120) you can use the formula: amps x volts = watts (W).
- Multiply the appliance's wattage by the number of hours the device is expected to operate per day, and then divide the result by 1,000 to find kWhs/day.
- For example, if you ignore standby mode, your 65” TV screen might consume around 95 watts per hour and run for 4 hours per day: 95 watts x 4 hours = 380 watt-hours/day (or 0.38 kilowatt-hours/day.
Use the consumption
- If your device doesn’t list its power rating, you can also track an appliance's consumption over time using a smart plug or energy monitor.
- Multiply the energy consumption by the expected operating hours.
How many solar panels does my home need?
The number of solar panels you need to cover your home’s energy consumption will depend on your habits and the number of peak sun hours your home receives. The more energy you use, the more solar power you need.
On the other hand, if you live in an area with a lot of sunlight, you may need fewer panels to power your home.
To estimate the number of solar panels you need, look at three variables: Solar panel rating, production ratio, and annual electricity usage.
- Solar panel rating: The electricity generated by a solar panel when the weather conditions are ideal, measured in watts. For the calculations below, we use 400 watts as an average solar panel rating of the power solar panels produce.
- Production ratio: The ratio between the estimated energy production of the system over time (kWh) and the actual size of the system. Since this number can fluctuate by region, do the calculations with the range of 1.3 to 1.6.
- Annual electricity usage: The amount of electricity you use to power your home over the course of a year, measured in kilowatt-hours.
According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average American home used 10,791 kWh of electricity in 2022.
To estimate the number of solar panels the average American homeowner will need, we can use the values listed above with the formula:
Annual electricity usage / Solar panel production ratio / Solar panel rating = Solar panels
- 10,791 kW / 1.3 / 400 W = 21 panels (for areas with fewer peak sun hours)
- 10,791 kW / 1.6 / 400 W = 17 panels (for areas with more peak sun hours)
See what solar can do for you:
How many solar panels do I need for typical home appliances?
While the above example provides an estimate based on your whole home’s energy consumption, it doesn’t account for individual appliances.
Here’s how many solar panels it would take to provide the power for common appliances (using 400W panels as a guide).
Kitchen appliances
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it’s often the place where high-usage appliances like a refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven are located. Here is a table of the energy consumption of typical kitchen appliances.
| Appliance | Capacity | Annual hours | Annual consumption | Panels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 150 - 800 W | 8,760 | 1,314 - 7,008 kWh | 3.5 - 17.5 |
| Oven | 2,000 - 5,000 W | 150 | 300 - 750 kWh | 1 - 2 |
| Stove | 1,000 - 5,000 W | 150 | 150 - 750 kWh | 0.5 - 2 |
| Dishwasher | 1,200 - 1,800 W | 260 | 312 - 468 kWh | 1 - 1.5 |
| Microwave | 600 - 1,500 W | 78 | 47 - 117 kWh | <1 |
| Coffee maker | 500 - 1,000 W | 60 | 30 - 60 kWh | <1 |
| Toaster | 750 - 1,200 W | 36.5 | 29 - 43.8 kWh | <1 |
| Stove hood | 70 - 150 W | 150 | 10.5 - 22.5 kWh | <1 |
| Blender | 200 W | 73 | 14.6 kWh | <1 |
Bathroom appliances
Here is a table of the annual energy consumption of common bathroom appliances.
| Appliance | Capacity | Annual hours | Annual consumption | Panels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blow dryer | 1,500 - 2,000 W | 182.5 | 274 - 365 kWh | 1 |
| Ceiling fan | 25 W | 3,285 | 82 kWh | <1 |
| Electric razor | 15 W | 52 | 0.78 kWh | <1 |
| Iron | 750 - 1,100 W | 52 | 39 - 57 kWh | <1 |
Living room appliances
The living room is usually filled with several small electronic devices. While they might not use much electricity on their own, they can add up.
| Appliance | Capacity | Annual hours | Annual consumption | Panels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCD TV | 50 - 200 W | 1,460 | 73 - 292 kWh | <1 |
| LED TV | 20 - 60 W | 1,460 | 29 - 88 kWh | <1 |
| Game console | 50 - 200 W | 400 | 20 - 80 kWh | <1 |
| Stereo | 40 W | 1,460 | 58 kWh | <1 |
| LED bulb | 12 W | 1,825 | 22 kWh | <1 |
| Vacuum | 650 - 800 W | 104 | 68 - 83 kWh | <1 |
The big-ticket items
When it comes to powering your home, many of the appliances that consume the most energy are those that we use every day, but don’t tend to think about as much.
| Appliance | Capacity | Annual Hours | Annual Consumption | Panels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 3,000 - 3,500 W | 1,825 | 5,475 - 6,388 kWh | 14 - 16 |
| Water heater | 4,000 W | 1,095 | 4,380 kWh | 11 |
| Window AC | 1,000 - 1,500 W | 1,825 | 1,825 - 2,738 kWh | 5 - 7 |
| Washing machine | 400 - 2,500 W | 208 | 83 - 520 kWh | <1 - 1.5 |
| Dryer | 1,500 - 5,000 W | 104 | 156 - 520 kWh | <1 - 1.5 |
Tips to minimize your power consumption
The numbers listed above are just ranges and averages. A 75” big screen is going to use a lot more power than one half as big. And the amount of energy it takes to run a refrigerator is going to be a lot different for a giant side-by-side compared to a minifridge. And, how often each appliance is used will affect its electricity consumption.
If you’re surprised by how much electricity you’re using, there are easy ways to cut your consumption so you can get by with a smaller array.
- Purchase Energy Star-rated appliances for the most energy-efficient options.
- Turn off lights and water when not in use.
- Plug electronics and chargers into power strips when possible, and turn off the power strip when devices aren’t in use.
- Switch your most used lightbulbs to LED, and save even more money with smart bulbs.
- Run the washing machine on full loads and use cold water.
- Keep your fridge at 3/4 full, but don’t overload it.
- Install a smart thermostat so your HVAC system works more efficiently.
- Fix air leaks in your home by installing fresh weatherstripping and caulk around door and window frames.
For more tips, check out 6 Tips For Saving Energy (And Money!) Every Month.
Power your home appliances with solar
When you get solar panels, you won’t have to pick and choose which appliances to power, and you won’t have to size your solar system on your own. Working with a reputable solar installer is the most important thing you can do to get a solar panel system that works for you.
A reputable installer will also help you plan for or understand the impact of adding new electricity demand to your home in the future, whether it’s a new electric vehicle or central heat pump.
See how solar panels can work to power your home with a free quote today. Or, download the Palmetto app to learn more about how your home uses energy, how you can save, and how taking action can earn you rewards.
See how much you can save by going solar with Palmetto
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how many solar panels I need for my house?
The easy answer? Call Palmetto. If that’s not right for you at the moment, you can take a power bill and see the average annual consumption for your house. Take the annual number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) and divide it by 400, one of the more common sizes of solar panel.
Will solar panels power my house during an outage?
If your home solar system is connected to the main utility company grid, which most are, and you don’t have a battery your power will go out during an outage. A backup battery storage can power some devices through an outage.
The amount of energy available for you during an outage depends on several factors:
- The size and production of your solar panel system
- The size of the battery installed
- The battery’s state of charge when the outage occurs
- What appliances and devices you choose to power
A solar installer will have tools to help you make these decisions.
What size solar panels do I need to power my house?
The physical size of solar panels may be relevant if your roof has limited space. But, you can likely achieve your solar goals with multiple sizes of solar panels.
