Best Solar Generators with Advanced Buyer’s Guide
Need a new solar generator? Are the features making you too confused? Our in-house electrical engineer offers a detailed review of the best solar generators.
The charge controller, the inverter, the difference between lead-acid and lithium-iron batteries… choosing the best solar generator can be confusing if you’re not an expert.
Ask 10 people and most can’t even tell watts from volts.
To help you, I’ve got the lowdown on the 10 best solar generator units, together with the pros and cons of each product, so you can choose the one that works for you.
I’ll also explain how a solar generator works, why you might need one, and things to look out for when buying one.
My Top 3 Picks: Best Solar Generators
Bluetti AC500 B300S
Overall Rating: 5/5
Bluetti AC200MAX
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Ecoflow Delta Pro
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Best Solar Generators (Reviewed by An Electrical Engineer)
Bluetti AC500 B300S | Home Battery Backup — Best Overall
Battery Capacity: 3072 Wh | Rated Output: 5000W | Charging Time: 1-1.2 hours | Weight: 66 lbs. 84 lbs.
Here’s the deal. Ever since Bluetti has unveiled its AC500 model in September 2022, I’m asking myself one question:
How did they manage to fit 5000 watts of power in a box the size of the 2000-watt AC200P model?
Don’t get me wrong, Bluetti AC200P is still a great choice (please scroll down) but, the AC500 blows it out of the water!
This two-piece solar generator is able to take in 3,000 watts of DC input power, which makes it a suitable inverter for a small- to mid-sized rooftop system.
Following the familiar Bluetti arrangement, on the front side you find intuitively grouped six 120V AC outlets in a long row, each with a neat rubber dust cover.
But there’s an easter egg — the sixth socket is not 20 or 30, but a big old 50-amp outlet that allows you to power your entire household via a single port.
Just ask your electrician to install an appropriate connection to your power box, and you’re good to go.
Above them, there are two cigarette lighter sockets at 12V and 24V, which means you can power a range of portable accessories. There are four USB-A and two USB-C ports
The second part of this solar generator is the power storage unit, the Bluetti B300 with a capacity of 3,072Wh.
You can connect six of these batteries and achieve a maximum capacity of 18,4kWh — enough to power a single-family home in an emergency.
Why Do I Like It?
The Bluetti AC500 B300S is an amazingly flexible solar power station combo that offers home solar grade power in a semi-portable package.
Bluetti AC200MAX Expandable Power Station — Best Solar Generator for RVing
Battery Capacity: 2048 Wh | Rated Output: 2200W | Charging Time: 3-3.5 hours | Weight: 62 lbs.
No matter how good you are, there’s always a new challenger behind the corner. Ladies and gents, this is the solar generator that pushed last year’s favorite — AC200P down the list.
The beefy 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery coupled with a 2,200W pure sine wave inverter and a total of 16 output ports make AC200MAX a solid runner up.
It will run any household appliance, which is probably overkill for most weekend users, but as they say, it’s firepower that separates men from the boys.
What really puts a smile on my face is the dedicated 30A DC port through which you can directly power a travel trailer or small RV.
Just keep in mind that 2048 watt-hours won’t power your entire RV indefinitely, but it’s great for backup and “dry camping” for a couple of days.
The best thing: the AC200MAX costs twice less than EcoFlow Delta Pro, another hard-hitter on this list.
Why Do I Like It?
This generator solved all the shortcomings of its predecessor, the AC200P, and is still compactly sized for me to fit it in the car, boat, tent, or even my desk!
Ecoflow Delta Pro — Best for Offgrid Living
Battery Capacity: 3600Wh | Rated Output: 3600W | Charging Time: 2-2.2 hours | Weight: 99 lbs.
Not everyone has the skills and time to build a DIY solar generator for offgrid living. On the other hand, if you can dispense with 3699, there’s hardly a better offgrid deal than EcoFlow Delta Pro.
Following the well-known EcoFlow design and top-of-the line features like the latest LiFePO4 battery, onboard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi controls, the Delta Pro is 3600 watts of raw AC power on wheels!
And if the massive 3,600 watt-hour battery isn’t enough for you, you can hook it up to two additional 3,600 batteries for 10,800Wh capacity.
That’s where solar generators break into the gas generator range!
Seriously, the Delta Pro can go toe to toe with a smaller propane/natural gas generator, as it can power even the largest appliances like refrigerators and freezers through a power outage.
For this solar generator, personal electronics and lighting are like flies on buffalo’s back — it doesn’t even know they’re there.
With four EcoFlow 400W flexible Smart Home Panels, you can charge this monster in a little more than 2 hours.
Why Do I Like It?
I’ve always appreciated the EcoFlow’s flow-through cooling design with two fans sucking in cool air and the opposing fans driving hot air out. With so much power in one box, proper cooling is a must.
Bluetti AC200P Portable Power Station — Best Deal
Battery Capacity: 2000Wh | Rated Output: 2000W | Charging Time: 3-4 hours | Weight: 60 lbs.
The uncontested last year’s winner of this list, the Bluetti AC200P is still pretty high up on the list.
As more resilient, more versatile, and more powerful Bluettis have emerged, the AC200P is available at a steal price of only 1,699!
But even today, this Bluetti packs a lot of punch for its size.
In a well-rounded package, you get a total of 17 output ports to power your gadgets, including the two ultra-handy wireless charging pads.
With a power capacity of 2000W, this power station can run almost any appliance, including my fridge, microwave, toaster, and in a pinch — even a room heater.
Thanks to the surge power of 4800 watts, the AC200P has no trouble firing up power tools and machines with AC motors.
The new lithium-iron technology gives you still unbelievable battery life of more than 3,500 charge cycles. This means you won’t have to think about getting one for the next 10 years, even with heavy use.
Why Do I Like It?
The innovative lithium-iron battery and 700W solar charge capacity give me super fast solar charging. I can run my camping gear all night, and the AC200P still gets to fully charge until lunchtime.
Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Pro — Best Allrounder Solar Generator
Battery Capacity: 2160Wh | Rated Output: 2200W | Charging Time: 2.5 hours | Weight: 43 lbs.
The biggest portable solar generator from Jackery easily found its way to our list. The 2.16 kilowatt-hours of capacity are enough to power a full camping setup for a few days.
And if you hook 2000 Pro to six 200W solar panels, you can get it fully charged in less than 3 hours.
This is a huge upgrade from the Explorer 1000 model that could connect only one panel, resulting in 8-hour charges.
Jackery 2000 Pro comes with plenty of high-power and low-power ports so you can simultaneously power home appliances and charge your gadgets.
Weight. Unfortunately, with this model Jackery is breaking up the tradition of 20 lbs. solar generators that were the top choice for people who move around a lot.
Why Do I Like It?
The Jackery 2000 Pro hits the best blend of power, capacity, input/output capability, portability, and durability.
EcoFlow Delta 2 — Best Medium Capacity
Battery Capacity: 1024Wh | Rated Output: 1800W | Charging Time: 1.2 hours | Weight: 27 lbs.
The slimmed down version of EcoFlow’s Delta Pro, this solar generator uses the same great LiFePO4 battery chemistry and has kept the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
This is a huge leap from its predecessor, the original Ecoflow Delta 1300 that uses regular Li-ion batteries and has modest capabilities.
For less than 1000, you’re getting a decent power output, and a very manageable weight of 27 lbs.
The weight becomes even more manageable with EcoFlow’s trademark molded in carrying handles.
Another trademark of Delta models is the abundance of output ports: You get six AC ports, four USB ports, two DC ports and one 12V car port.
Using the same great Smart Home flexible panels, we managed to get a full charge in little more than 1 hour!
Why Do I Like It?
The EcoFlow Delta 2 hits the sweet spot for a small family emergency backup power source or a road trip solar generator. With a bigger battery, it would be a serious contender to the much more expensive Jackery Explorer 2000.
Jackery Explorer 1000 — Best for Camping
Battery Capacity: 1002 Wh | Rated Output: 1000W | Charging Time: 8 hours | Weight: 22 lbs.
Very competitively priced and with a solid capacity and power output, the Jackery 1000 is indeed a camper king.
The Explorer 1000 is the best solar generator for campers, adventurers, and all those outdoor types who need plenty of power on the go.
With a weight of 22 lbs and a beefy molded handle, the Jackery Explorer 1000 is one of the most portable solar generators on the list. Still, don’t let the compact dimensions fool you.
Its 1000 watts of continuous AC power and the 1002Wh battery are enough to power an electric grill for 50 minutes, a TV for 13 hours, and a mini-fridge for 17 hours.
And if you can’t leave your work behind, your boss will be happy — With the Explorer 1000, you can charge your MacBook Pro eight times — on a single charge.
Why Do I Like It?
You don’t come to appreciate some features until you start using the device. Jackery Explorer series have all their ports on one side. This way, I can always tell what goes in and what goes out.
EcoFlow RIVER Pro Portable Power Station — Best Value for Money
Battery Capacity: 720 Wh | Rated Output: 600W | Charging Time: 3 hours | Weight: 17 lbs.
You’re a weekend hunter, fisherman, or camper. You value gear that works under any conditions, but you don’t want to break the bank.
Like its bigger cousin, the Delta 2, the River Pro uses the same ultrafast charging technology, so you can charge it from the wall from 0 to 80% in an hour.
On the business end, the River Pro may not power a microwave oven or an electric grill, but it still packs enough power to run the fridge, coffee maker, or TV in your cabin.
Go off-grid and you get 10 charges for your laptop or no less than 60 charges for your phone.
On the downside, you’d struggle to run any serious power tools or appliances, so I can’t recommend this as a backup power source for your home or workshop.
Why Do I Like It?
I like the fast-charge 60W USB-C port. This way I can top off my drone even when the AC outlets are taken.
BLUETTI EB3A Portable Power Station — Best Ultralight
Battery Capacity: 505Wh | Rated Output: 300W | Charging Time: 3-6 hours | Weight: 13 lbs.
Many of these solar generators are called portable, but I challenge you to haul the 60 lbs. AC200P from the place you parked your car to the camping site some 100-200 meters up the trail.
With Bluetti EB3A, you won’t even break a sweat!
Thanks to the modern LiFePO4 battery, this ultra-portable solar generator weighs only 10 lbs. and still gives you 9 output points.
The rated output of 600W can’t compete with heavyweights like Bluetti AC500 and EcoFlow Delta Pro, but it will power everything you can fit into your backpack.
And now listen to this: Bluetti EB3A fully charges on solar three times faster than similarly sized solar generators.
Such a fast charging time is made possible mainly thanks to the quality built-in MPPT charge controller and excellent Bluetti PV200 portable solar panels.
These solar panels have an efficiency of 23.4% and under ideal conditions and, under ideal conditions, will completely charge this solar generator in under 2 hours.
For 209 what this amazing portable solar box costs, you can hardly find a more capable budget deal.
Why Do I Like It?
The display goes beyond just basics like overall charge and tells you how much power is flowing in and out and which ports are active. Not something you’d expect from generators in this size/price range.
BougeRV 1100Wh Portable Power Station — Best for Construction Sites
Battery Capacity: 1100 Wh | Rated Output: 1200W | Charging Time: 4.5-5.5 hours | Weight: 30 lbs.
Cordless power tools are great as you don’t have to chase power sockets and worry about cords in messy areas.
However, quality cordless tools are expensive, especially if you go in the pro-series.
But why throw your trusted corded tools away?
With the rugged aluminum casing and two sturdy carrying handles, the BougeRV 1100 Wh Portable Power station is born for construction sites and tough handling.
There are no bells and whistles on this one — A simple LCD screen and 10 output ports with a total output of 1200W.
You can plug in your drill, but also use the time to charge your phone, and even brew some coffee using the 12V DC car charging port.
This makes the BougeRV a great solar generator for RVs and road trips, especially if you upgrade your camper with an array of solar panels.
Why Do I Like It?
Maybe it’s just me, but I love when a portable solar generator has all of its input/output ports on the same side. This way I always know what’s plugged in and what’s getting charged.
Comparison Table: The Ultimate Showdown!
Solar Generators
Battery Capacity
Battery Life Cycles
Rated Output
Solar Input
Solar Charging Time
Weight (Approx.)
BLUETTI AC500 B300S
BLUETTI AC200MAX
Ecoflow Delta Pro
Bluetti AC200P
Jackery 2000 Pro
EcoFlow Delta 2
Jackery Explorer 1000
EcoFlow RIVER Pro
BLUETTI EB3A
BougeRV 1100Wh Portable Power Station
What Is A Solar Generator?
A solar generator is a device you can use to power to your appliances in case of an outage or when you don’t have access to grid power.
In the off-grid mode, solar generators use solar panels to charge up, so manufacturers sometimes offer special “solar generator panel” deals.
Most solar generators are made to be portable — designed as a sturdy box that contains the battery, inverter, and the control circuits.
On the outside, a solar generator usually has:
However, not all solar powered generators are the same and not all generators work with all solar panels. There are a few things you need to know before you go shopping.
But first, let’s explain how these power stations work.
How Do Solar Power Generators Work?
Every solar generator today consists of two main parts:
When you plug your device into a solar generator you’re basically using the power stored in its battery.
You can charge it in three ways:
Grid Charging
This is the easiest way — just plug the solar powered generator into a wall outlet and charge it like any battery-run device until it beeps 100%.
This is also the fastest way, EcoFlow solar generators can go from 0-80% in just one hour.
However, I don’t need to tell you that grid charging is only possible when you have access to…well, the grid.
This is why we value and rate solar generators for their ability to take charge from solar panels in the first place.
Solar Charging
Solar panels provide free and clean power during the day and for many users, the main point of having a solar power generator is to be able to charge it from the sun.
Solar charging speed depends on the size and number of your panels, the size of the battery, and the solar input power that the generator can take.
For solar charging, you need a special solar adapter cable that some manufacturers include in the solar generator kit.
An average solar charging time is around 5 hours, but large generators like Renogy Lycan 5000 and Bluetti EP500 have a dual-charging mode which lets you charge from the grid and solar at the same time.
This way you can charge even a 5000Wh battery in just 1 hour.
Car Charging
This is definitely the slowest way of charging, but here’s the deal:
If you have to drive all night and need your solar generator locked and loaded by tomorrow morning, that 12V car charger becomes your best friend.
The Bluetti AC200P, for example, takes 14 hours to top off with a 12V charger.
What to Look For When Buying A Solar Powered Generator
Always Go Portable
Whether you need a solar generator to take camping, load aboard your boat, or keep it at your home as backup power, you need a product you can carry relatively easily.
If you’re an outdoorsy type, you already know what I’m talking about. You already have a lot of gear to haul around, and to be honest, a solar generator is not the lightest item on the list.
But I don’t plan to take mine anywhere.
Well, I’m sure that the good people of Houston didn’t plan to go anywhere as well, but when Harvey struck in 2017 and flooded the whole area, many of them were running for their lives.
Believe me, when I say that portable is always better, so you best choose one with a solid carrying handle.
High Solar Input and Charging Speed
The solar input wattage tells you how much power the generator can receive from solar panels.
For example, the Bluetti AC200P has a solar input of 700 watts. This means that you can hook it up to 7x100W or 3x200W solar panels and its 2000Wh battery will recharge in 3-4 hours.
Such efficient solar charging wouldn’t be possible without the MPPT (Multiple Power Point Tracking) controllers.
This device evens out the voltage difference between an undercharged battery and solar panels. As a result, almost all the solar energy they produce is used to charge the generator.
The MPPT controller is a standard feature of many modern solar generators, but please go through the specs sheet before you buy.
So to conclude, if fast solar charging is your priority, look for solar generators that offer plenty of solar input.
On the other hand, if you want to fully use the enormous 1200W solar input of the Bluetti EP500 and fill up its 5100Wh battery, you’ll have to deploy 12x100W or 6x200W solar panels.
There’s no magic to it. Having high solar input is always good, but you’ll definitely need more than 2 solar panels to reach it.
This is why it’s important to prioritize your needs and buy the solar generator you can make the most use of.
How Big Should My Solar Generator Be?
Before purchasing a solar generator, you need to know what size will suit your needs. There are so many different capacities on the market to choose from, knowing which one is right for you can be quite overwhelming. Take Bluetti for example, we already sell around 9 different solar generators, all with different capacities. So, how do you know which size solar generator is right for you? In this article, we will explain how to size a solar generator based on your electrical needs.
Differences in solar generator capacity
Are you looking for 300Wh of power or perhaps a 2000Wh generator? What do these numbers even mean? Understanding whether you have a solar generator with a large capacity or small capacity is quite easy. Look for the number ending off with a Wh. The higher that number, the more capacity your solar generator has. Wh stands for Watt Hours. We will go into a little more detail here later on in the article. For now, just know that a solar generator marked 2000Wh has much more capacity than a 500Wh generator for example. Solar generators with larger capacities are also notably bigger than their lower capacity cousins. The reason for this? Simple, the higher the capacity, the larger the internal battery, therefore the bigger the solar generator.
How big should my solar generator be?
To begin figuring out what size solar generator you need, first think about the task you would like it to perform. By that I mean what will its application be, how much appliances do you need powered and for how long? The more appliances you need powered, the bigger the generator will have to be. This is pretty standard among most things in life, nothing changes here with solar generators. The reason sizing a generator to suit your exact needs can seem complicated, is usually due to the variety of things people want powered. There is no one size fits all solution here. Your best bet will be figuring out more or less the exact amount of power you require based on the exact amount of appliances you use.
Don’t worry about small appliances
If you plan on powering small appliances like phones and cameras with your solar generator, do not worry so much about getting the capacity exactly right. In these scenarios you are affectively looking for a large power bank, and in this case a 500Wh solar generator will offer you many efficient charges at full capacity.
How to know the working times for my device?
(Working time = 500Wh (capacity) 0.85 / operating wattage of your device) For reference, assuming the power consumption of your device is 60W (might be a Laptop ), working time will be 500Wh 0.85 / 60w = 7 hours (roughly calculated). So if you own a laptop that draws 60 watts, you would be able to run it for 7 hours on a 500Wh solar generator. The formula stated above holds true for most of the solar generators here at Bluetti. Further on in the article we will provide you with a table outlining the different run times based on your solar generators capacity.
Why the wattage is important?
Watt hours indicated how much capacity your solar generator is capable of storing and the watts reading indicates what type of inverter it has built in to it.
Remember, all solar generators store DC electricity, but all your appliance use AC electricity. Therefore, before your generator can power your device, it needs to convert its DC electricity to AC electricity.
It does this by using the built-in pure sine wave inverter. Just like batteries, inverters also have a max limit they can handle.
Inverters are rated by the wattage they can handle.
So if your solar generator is rated 500Wh/300W really what its saying is the built-in battery can store 500Wh and the built-in inverter can power devices rated 300 watts and below.
Therefore, it is VERY important that you know which appliances you want to power before buying your solar generator.
Make a list of your appliances
I want you to go ahead and make a list of the appliances you need powered and for how long. make a table like this:
| Appliances | Wattage | Usage Time |
| Cell Phone | 20 | 2 |
| Laptop | 60 | 3 |
| Fan | 35 | 5 |
| Drill | 1200 | 1 |
By making a list like this you can clearly see what size solar generator would best suit your needs. Also make a note on how many appliances you plan to power simultaneously, you want to always make sure that the combined wattage doesn’t go over the preferred generators max wattage rating.
In our example above, right off the bat we can see that in order to use our cordless drill, we will need a solar generator with a higher wattage rating than 1200 watts.
However, if we were only wanting to power say the fan, laptop and phone, we could get away with a smaller solar generator of say 500Wh/300W.
Well for that we need to apply our formula:
( Working time = 500Wh 0.85 / operating wattage of your device )
Let’s assume we want too run all appliances simultaneously. The combined wattage rating would be: 105 watts.
Therefore, 500Wh 0.85 / 105 = 4 hour running time.
Run Times of Different Appliances
Below we thought to create a simple table which outlines various different sized solar generators and how long they would each run all sorts of appliances.
500Wh/300W Solar Generator
(Please note this assumes you run each appliance independently of each other)
| Appliance | Run Time |
| Laptop (60 Watts) | 7 Hours |
| Drone (50 Watts) | 8.5 Hours |
| Phone (20 Watts) | 21 Hours |
| LED Lamp (30 Watts) | 14 Hours |
| Cordless Drill (1200 Watts) | N/A |
1500Wh/1000W Solar Generator
(Please note this assumes you run each appliance independently of each other)
2000Wh/2000W Solar Generator
(Please note this assumes you run each appliance independently of each other)
Final Thoughts
Please note, we supplied the total amount of hours possible to run each appliance, this assumes you run the appliances entirely off the solar generator.
In actual fact you would need to figure out how many hours each device (not requiring constant power) takes to recharge.
For example a phone may take 2 hours to fully charge, that means a 2000Wh generator could recharge a phone 42 times before being completed depleted.
Here is the formula for thew above:
Run Time / Charge Time = Total recharges possible.
Portable Solar-Powered Charging Lockers. Convenient Power On-the-Go
Picture this: you’re hiking up a mountain, taking breathtaking photos of the view and candid snapshots with your friends, when suddenly, your phone.
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Modular solar generator with solid-state batteries originated in the Outback
Decarbon Venture, an Australian company, designed a swappable solar generator for camping, boating, off-grid living and home backup.
Image: Decarbon Venture
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Designed in the Australian Outback, the swappable, portable solar-powered generator has a capacity of 7.2 kWh, or enough energy to power a small house for two to three days, according to Decarbon Venture (DCV).
The generator consists of the AirBase Quad (with four batteries) or AirBase Duo (with two batteries) plus a folding 400 W solar module. When fully loaded, the Airbase Quad weighs 96.2 pounds and stores 7.2 kWh of energy. The AirBase Duo weighs 48.5 pounds and stores 3.6 kWh. The solar panel weighs 24.3 pounds.
The AirBase is UL 2743 certified, which is the standard for portable power packs. It has multiple inputs and outputs, and screens showing how much power is being used and how much power is available. A phone app is also available that displays similar information. The unit is IP55 weather and dust proof, and the company reports that it can be charged with the solar panel while in use.
The AirBase Modules (batteries) weighs 17.6 pounds and contain 1.8 kWh of energy.
DCV’s family of generators will be sold globally and will initially be available through a Kickstarter campaign in late August. DCV told pv magazine USA that the Kickstarter campaign will run through October and shipment is expected to begin in mid-November.
Pricing for the AirBase Duo is 3299; AirBase Quad, 6500; DCV solar panels, 999. Additional AIrbase Power Modules (batteries) are 1099. Note that a discount applied through the Kickstarter campaign.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
Anne Fischer
Anne Fischer is a senior editor at pv magazine USA. Anne is a seasoned writer, editor, and journalist.
Watts To Amps Converter Calculator (With 1 Amp = Watts Examples)
Example: A 1500 watt heater is running on a standard 120V. How many amops does it draw? Exactly 12.5 amps.
How to find amperage or amps from watts?
To convert electrical power to electrical current (Watts to Amps), we need to use the electrical power equation:
P = I × V or Watts = Amps × Volts
- P is electrical power, measured in Watts (W).
- I is electrical current or amperage, measured in Amps (A).
- V is electrical potential or voltage, measured in Volts (V). The standard voltage for most electrical devices is 110-120V, and upgraded voltage powerful electric devices use 220V or 240V. Batteries run at 12V or 24V.
Using this equation, we can convert watts directly to amps, if we know the voltage. The higher the wattage, the lower the amps will be for the same amount of watts.
- 1 amp is equal to 220 watts at 220V voltage.
- 1 amp is equal to 110 watts at 110V voltage.
- 1 amp is equal to 120 watts at 120V voltage.
To help you out, we have prepared an easy-to-use Watts To Amps calculator. Below the calculator, you will find examples of how to make the conversion and 5 calculated tables of watts to amps as 12V, 24V, 120V, 220V, and 240V.
Watts To Amps Calculator (W to A)
Here you can easily convert watts to amps using this calculator. You can play around with numbers a bit as well:
To demonstrate how watts can be converted to amps, we solved a few examples of how many amps is 500 watts, 1000 watts, and 3000 watts. In the end, you will also find a watts-to-amps table at 120V electric potential.
Here’s a quick useful piece of info:
How many watts make an amp?
At 120V, 120 watts make 1 amp. That means that 1 amp = 120 watts.
How many watts in 1 amp at 220 volts?
At 220V, you get 220W per 1 amp.
With that in mind, let’s look at the 3 examples:
Example 1: How Many Amps Is 500 Watts?
Let’s say we have a 500W air conditioner plug into 120 V voltage.
Here is how we can calculate how many amps is 500W:
If we input the P = 500 Watts and V = 120 Volts, we get:
I = 500 Watts/120 Volt = 4.17 Amps
In short, 500 Watts equals 4.17 Amps.
What if the voltage would be 220V?
Let’s calculate how many amps is 500W at 220V:
I = 500 Watts/220 Volt = 2.27 Amps
At 220V, 500W draws 2.27 amps.
Example 2: How Many Amps Is 1000 Watts?
If we repeat the exercise and ask ourselves how many Amps equals 1000 Watts, we get:
I = 1000 Watts/120 Volt = 8.33 Amps
We see that a 1000 W device draws twice as many Amps as a 500 W device.
For 220V, we get this watts to amps calculation:
I = 1000 Watts/220 Volt = 4.55 Amps
In short, 1000W draws 8.33 amps at 120V, and 4.55 amps at 220V.
Example 3: 3000 Watts Equals How Many Amps?
3000 Watt devices can be plugin into 120V or into 220V. In cases with higher wattage, it’s not unusual to use a higher 220 voltage. This is designed to reduce the amperage.
For example, 3000 Watt equals to:
For 25 Amps, for example, you would already need an amp breaker. But if you plug such a device into 220 V, the current generated is only 13.64 Amps (there is no need for amp breakers).
Example: Bigger multi-zone mini-split units usually need amp breakers. You can check 2-zone, 3-zone, 4-zone, and 5-zone mini-split systems to see how many amps they run on.
Watts To Amps At 12V (For Batteries)
| 1 Watt to amps at 12V: | 83 mA (milliamps) |
| 10 Watts to amps at 12V: | 830 mA |
| 50 Watts to amps at 12V: | 4.17 Amps |
| 100 Watts to amps at 12V: | 8.33 Amps |
| 200 Watts to amps at 12V: | 16.67 Amps |
| 300 Watts to amps at 12V: | 25.00 Amps |
| 400 Watts to amps at 12V: | 33.3 Amps |
| 500 Watts to amps at 12V: | 41.7 Amps |
| 600 Watts to amps at 12V: | 50.0 Amps |
| 700 Watts to amps at 12V: | 58.3 Amps |
| 800 Watts to amps at 12V: | 66.7 Amps |
| 900 Watts to amps at 12V: | 75.0 Amps |
| 1000 Watts to amps at 12V: | 83.3 Amps |
| 1100 Watts to amps at 12V: | 91.7 Amps |
| 1200 Watts to amps at 12V: | 100.0 Amps |
| 1300 Watts to amps at 12V: | 108.3 Amps |
| 1400 Watts to amps at 12V: | 116.7 Amps |
| 1500 Watts to amps at 12V: | 121.7 Amps |
| 1800 Watts to amps at 12V: | 150.0 Amps |
| 2000 Watts to amps at 12V: | 166.7 Amps |
| 2500 Watts to amps at 12V: | 208.3 Amps |
| 3000 Watts to amps at 12V: | 250.0 Amps |
One good example where you need to calculate the amps from watts is 12V wire sizing. If you want to pick the correct size wire for the 12V circuit, you have to know the minimum ampacity you need from your wire. You can check how to correctly calculate a 12V wire size here.
Watts To Amps At 24V (For Batteries)
| 1 Watt to amps at 24V: | 42 mA (milliamps) |
| 10 Watts to amps at 24V: | 420 mA |
| 50 Watts to amps at 24V: | 2.08 Amps |
| 100 Watts to amps at 24V: | 4.17 Amps |
| 200 Watts to amps at 24V: | 8.33 Amps |
| 300 Watts to amps at 24V: | 12.50 Amps |
| 400 Watts to amps at 24V: | 16.67 Amps |
| 500 Watts to amps at 24V: | 20.83 Amps |
| 600 Watts to amps at 24V: | 25.00 Amps |
| 700 Watts to amps at 24V: | 29.17 Amps |
| 800 Watts to amps at 24V: | 33.33 Amps |
| 900 Watts to amps at 24V: | 37.50 Amps |
| 1000 Watts to amps at 24V: | 41.67 Amps |
| 1100 Watts to amps at 24V: | 45.83 Amps |
| 1200 Watts to amps at 24V: | 50.00 Amps |
| 1300 Watts to amps at 24V: | 54.17 Amps |
| 1400 Watts to amps at 24V: | 58.33 Amps |
| 1500 Watts to amps at 24V: | 62.50 Amps |
| 1800 Watts to amps at 24V: | 75.00 Amps |
| 2000 Watts to amps at 24V: | 83.33 Amps |
| 2500 Watts to amps at 24V: | 104.17 Amps |
| 3000 Watts to amps at 24V: | 125.00 Amps |
Watts To Amps At 120V (Standard Outlet)
| 100 Watts to amps at 120V: | 0.83 Amps |
| 200 Watts to amps at 120V: | 1.67 Amps |
| 300 Watts to amps at 120V: | 2.50 Amps |
| 400 Watts to amps at 120V: | 3.33 Amps |
| 500 Watts to amps at 120V: | 4.17 Amps |
| 600 Watts to amps at 120V: | 5.00 Amps |
| 700 Watts to amps at 120V: | 5.83 Amps |
| 800 Watts to amps at 120V: | 6.67 Amps |
| 900 Watts to amps at 120V: | 7.50 Amps |
| 1000 Watts to amps at 120V: | 8.33 Amps |
| 1100 Watts to amps at 120V: | 9.17 Amps |
| 1200 Watts to amps at 120V: | 10.00 Amps |
| 1300 Watts to amps at 120V: | 10.83 Amps |
| 1400 Watts to amps at 120V: | 11.67 Amps |
| 1500 Watts to amps at 120V: | 12.50 Amps |
| 1800 Watts to amps at 120V: | 15.00 Amps |
| 2000 Watts to amps at 120V: | 16.67 Amps |
| 2500 Watts to amps at 120V: | 20.83 Amps |
| 3000 Watts to amps at 120V: | 25.00 Amps |
Example: How many amps is 1500 watts at 120V? Simply consult the chart: There are 12.5 amps in 1500 watts (at 120V voltage).
Watts To Amps At 220V (220V Outlet)
| 100 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 0.45 Amps |
| 200 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 0.91 Amps |
| 300 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 1.36 Amps |
| 400 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 1.82 Amps |
| 500 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 2.27 Amps |
| 600 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 2.73 Amps |
| 700 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 3.18 Amps |
| 800 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 3.64 Amps |
| 900 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 4.09 Amps |
| 1000 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 4.55 Amps |
| 1100 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 5.00 Amps |
| 1200 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 5.45 Amps |
| 1300 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 5.91 Amps |
| 1400 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 6.36 Amps |
| 1500 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 6.82 Amps |
| 1800 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 8.18 Amps |
| 2000 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 9.09 Amps |
| 2500 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 11.36 Amps |
| 3000 Watts to amps at 220 volts: | 13.64 Amps |
Example: In many cases, you need to convert watts to amps if you are looking to find an adequate size wire for AC. You can look at examples of how this is done by checking the air conditioner wire size calculator here and the AC breaker size chart here.
Watts To Amps At 240V (240V Outlet)
| 100 Watts to amps at 240V: | 0.42 Amps |
| 200 Watts to amps at 240V: | 0.83 Amps |
| 300 Watts to amps at 240V: | 1.25 Amps |
| 400 Watts to amps at 240V: | 1.67 Amps |
| 500 Watts to amps at 240V: | 2.08 Amps |
| 600 Watts to amps at 240V: | 2.50 Amps |
| 700 Watts to amps at 240V: | 2.92 Amps |
| 800 Watts to amps at 240V: | 3.33 Amps |
| 900 Watts to amps at 240V: | 3.75 Amps |
| 1000 Watts to amps at 240V: | 4.17 Amps |
| 1100 Watts to amps at 240V: | 4.58 Amps |
| 1200 Watts to amps at 240V: | 5.00 Amps |
| 1300 Watts to amps at 240V: | 5.42 Amps |
| 1400 Watts to amps at 240V: | 5.83 Amps |
| 1500 Watts to amps at 240V: | 6.25 Amps |
| 1800 Watts to amps at 240V: | 7.50 Amps |
| 2000 Watts to amps at 240V: | 8.33 Amps |
| 2500 Watts to amps at 240V: | 10.42 Amps |
| 3000 Watts to amps at 240V: | 12.50 Amps |
If you have a specific question about how to convert Watts to Amps, you can use the comment section below, and we’ll try to help you out.
Note: Figuring out watts to amps can help you, for example, to calculate how long does it take to charge a Tesla car.
When you figure out amps, you will probably need adequate wiring for your amp size. You can consult the ampacity AWG chart with wire sizes in mm, mm2, and amps here.
You can also check what wire sizes you need to conduct certain amps:
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79 thoughts on “Watts To Amps Converter Calculator (With 1 Amp = Watts Examples)”
I have a product that plugs into a 120v outlet that draws up to 3000w. Is that safe, or should I consider rewiring the product for 240v? (It’s 120/240 compatible Reply
Hello Damien, if it draws 3000W, the wiring should handle 25 amps. That’s quite a lot. Example: Even the highest BTU 120V air conditionerscan handle about 15 amps. You should use an amp breaker or rewire it to 240V, yes. Reply
Hello and how calculate the capacity of a 6.5kw generator to Amps in 220v ? And what is the formula ? Reply
Hello Jemievir, you use the basic electric power equation: P (power) = I (current) × V (voltage). In terms of units, this means Watts = Amps × Volts. Here’s how you express amps: Amps = Watts / Volts = 6500W / 220V = 29.5A. So, your 6.5kW generator puts out 29.5A at 220V. Hope this helps. If you need some additional help, you can check out this ‘Generator Amps Calculator’ here that will help you calculate how many amps your generator draws. Reply
It is illegal to make a device that pulls anything over 15 A on 120v because most receptacles can only handle 15 A At 120v and most breakers On receptacles is a 15 A. You can only pull close to 1500w witch is 75% of the breakers capability as if you pull 1800W your at 100% of the breakers capacity and it will trip … Reply
Hello Urek, first you need to calculate the amps. Here’s how you do that: 3000W/110V = 27.3 amps. So you will need an AWG wire size that can handle about 30 amps. You can check our articles about AWG wire gauges and check for 30 amp wire sizes here. For 30 amps the 10 AWG gauge wire with 35A ampacity or 8 AWG wire with 50A ampacity would be the most appropriate choices. Reply
Depends on the circuit, it’s purpose and the breaker used in line. Chances are good that if the circuit it’s hooked to isn’t rated for that much draw on a consistent basis. Switching to a 220v or 240v dedicated line would save money in the long term because 220/240 v power uses less juice than 110/120v does. Reply
how about duration of time? If 250 watt heater is constantly running for 12 hours lets say how many total amps will that draw? Reply
Hello there, the amperage remains constant. 250-watt heater on 220V will draw a bit more than 1 A. 1 amp is, by definition, 1 C (Coulomb) per second. In short, a 250-watt heater draws about 1 A, if you run it 1h, 6h, 12h, 24h, and so on. Reply
Watts divided by volts =amp 2300 w ÷120 v=19.16 amp Amp multiply by volt =watts 19.16×120 =2299.999 2300w ÷220v =10.45 amp 10. 45 amp×220 v=2299.99w Reply
Hello Louis, 240V 40 A = 9,600 watts. Be careful about the start wattage; that could be higher than 10,000 W. Otherwise, 10,000 W would be enough, yes. Reply
Question, I am buying a plasma cutter one plugs into 120 outlet and the other into a 220 outlet.other wise they are the same, they both draw 45 amps no more no less. Would the output be the same or would the 45 amps in the 220 be more. Thanks ruben Reply
Hello Ruben, with the input, we can calculate the total wattage. 120V 45A = 5,400W; and 220V 45A = 9,900W. So, the input of the 220V unit is almost twice as high as the 120V unit. How does that affect the output? Depends upon efficiency, but usually, if you have a 9,900W unit is has a higher output than a 5,400W unit. Reply
Hello, I have a question. Is there a way to determine how many watts a 20 amp AC uses per hour? Reply
Hello Zo, there is a way, yes. You can use the electrical power equation: P (watts ) = I (amps) V (volts). You already know you have 20 amps. Just include the voltage; either 120V or 220V. Let’s say that you have 220V; that would yield P = 20 amps 220 volts = 4.400 watts. Per hour, that’s 4,4 kWh. Hope this helps. Reply
On a site I am a member of we have a lot of people putting in multiple amplifiers into boats. Often these amps are 15 feet away from the battery so the questions always come up….what size wire do I need to run? This is 12V DC. So if I install 3 amps rated at 1000 watts each, 15-20 feet from a battery, what size cable should I run to them? Reply
Hello Julian, an interesting question. 1000W amplified on 12V DC will produce 1000W/12V = 83.3A. So, you would need wires that can handle up to about 100 amperes of current. For 100A, you would need #4 AWG copper wires or #2 AWG aluminum conductors; both of them have a minimum conduit size of 1 ¼ inch. Hope this helps. Reply
I am trying to power a 760 watt 2 channel audio amplifier 12 v 125 rms per channel. How many amps would I need the converter to put out? Reply
Hello Chris, for 760 W and 12 V you can use the P = I V equation. Basically, 760 W / 12 V = 63.3 A. You would need your converter to put out 65 amps minimum. Reply
I have 4 ea. 120 volt heaters that are rated @ 1500 watts each and they are 20 ft from my breaker panel what size wire should I use. Reply
Hello Jim, that’s an interesting question. Each of these units draws a bit less than 15 amps. For 15 amps, you can use 14-gauge wires. Hope you find this useful. Reply
Greetings I have an electrical panel with 150 Amps So that means I need 16500 Watts?? Trying to move to a solar panel I calculate 7 solar panels for a 200 Amp service with four 300 amp/hour batteries Need your advice Reply
Hello Willy. 150 Amps is a huge current; at 110V, that is 16,500 Watts, yes. Be aware that solar panels produce electricity at a lower voltage (12V or 24V). To get 16,500 Watts at 24V, you would need 687.5 Amps. Hope this helps. Reply
I want to purchase a heat press that has a 220v plug. It uses 6500 watts. Would a 30amp breaker be enough? Reply
Hello Darica, 6500 watts at 220V is a little below 30 amps. 30 amp breaker would be enough in theory. In practice, however, it’s better to get 2 30 amp breakers because the amps are uncomfortably high for only 1 30 amp breaker. Reply
Hello Chris, 182 kW is a huge wattage. You can use the electric power equation to easily see how many amps would be sufficient. Here’s the calculation: 182,000W / 220V = 827.3 amps You’ll need 827.3 amps; that’s quite an enormous amount. Reply
Hi … trying to learn about all this because my kitchen (actually my whole house) is electrically challenged. My fridge is 11.6 Amps big toaster oven pulls 15 Amps (1800W); they are on the same 20 Amp circuit. I would think this would be too much to run both at the same time, but they have never thrown the circuit. Am I doing the math right? Together I’m coming up with 3192W (26.6 Amps) … shouldn’t that be too much for a 20Amp circuit? Thanks Reply
Hello Sandra, do both run on 120V? If they run on 220-240V, the amps are halved. Additionally, the fridge might draw 11.6 amps when running at 100%. Most fridges run on much a lower percentage and hence draw much fewer amps. If your 10 amp circuit can handle that, you’re fine. Reply
Hello, I have an inverter AC (1750 watts, 220v). With the equation you provided, it consumes 7.95amps. I am planning to run two of these units through a 5kVA 24Volt Victron inverter/charger with two 200Ah lithium batteries. Is this a feasible setup? Am I correct in saying I can run the AC even 24hrs? Thanks Reply
Hello Franz, two 200 Ah batteries have a 400 Ah capacity. However, the batteries run on 24V while AC runs on 220V. At 220V, it does consume 7.95 amps, your calculation is correct. However, at 24V, it consumes 1750W/24V = 73 amps. That’s about 10x as many amps due to roughly 10x lower voltage. So, if you have 400Ah capacity, that will be enough for 400 Ah / 73 amps = 5.5 hours. You can prolong that time if you don’t run the AC on 100% output but not to 24h. Hope this helps. Reply
We live in our 5th wheel. My wife needs a CPAP with O2 at night. The CPAP transformer uses 140 watts and the O2 concentrator 240 watts, both 120 volt. I’m trying to figure a way to provide power for her needs at night. Generators run out of gas. I was thinking about deep cycle rv batteries and solar panels to charge the batteries during the day. There are many 12v deep cycle batteries that put out 105 AH for their 20 hour capacity. I just don’t know how many batteries or solar panels I will need to facilitate my wife’s needs. She only uses her CPAP and O2 in bed at night. Thanks. Reply
Hello Jim, that’s a difficult case. To simplify it: You would require 140W 240W = 380W for lets say 12 hours. Can 12V batteries provide that amount of power? To produce 380W, you would need 380W/12V = 32 amps output. If a battery you have in mind can output 105 amps at 12V for 20 hours, that’s a viable option. We simply don’t have the full knowledge to help you out adequately with this one, sorry. Reply
I am considering hard wiring ( with switch boxes) a 250 amp welding mach./ generator to my house. Generator is rated at 10500 watts peak / 9500 watts continuous, is this going to be sufficient to supply power to my 200 amp service Reply
Hello Roy, it depends on the voltage. If you use a 120V generator, you will get 10,500W/120V = 87.5 amps. If you use a 240V generator, you will get 10,500W/240V = 43.75 amps. In both cases, the generator is too weak; it doesn’t provide 200 amps. You would need a much stronger generator for 200 amps. Reply
Hello, I have a wall baseboards heaters in my basement for a total of 4000Watts. My breaker is 25 Amps. Can I add another 1000 Watts? Thanks, Reply
Hello Serge, the voltage is 220V? If so, the current baseboard heaters draw 4000W/220V = 18.2 amps. Additional 1000W would add the total to 5000W and 22.7 amps. You can add another 1000W; the net amps draw won’t surpass 25 amps. Reply
Hello’ I’m considering running 3 crypto miners at my house, they are listed at 3500w each at 220v. My understanding is that I would need to run 3-20amp circuits to carry this load is that correct? Also, can you calculate the cost of electricity used in a 24hr time period @.10Kwh, Thanks! Reply
Hello Max, nice rig. Each miner runs on 3,500W/220V = 15.9 amps. It’s recommended that you connect an electric device that uses a maximum of 80% of the amp breaker. In a 20 amp circuit, that’s 16 amps. You have 15.9 amps, so that is perfect. Your understanding is correct; you will need 3 20 amp circuits. Alright, let’s calculate the cost of electricity. You can use our power consumption calculator here for all these calculations. Basically, you have a combined power of 3×3,500W = 10,500W. Each hour, you consume 10.5 kWh. In 24 hours, that’s 252 kWh per day. If the price per kWh is 0.10, you’ll spend 25.20 on electricity running the rig. Hope this helps. Reply
Hello, I’m confused with a labeling in an AC/DC power adapter. Hope you can help me understand it. I have a wall plug 230V/13A, so this can handle total 2990W I assume. And now I have a device which needs 180W DC power. An AC-DC power adapter has been provided and it has the following. AC Input : 110-240V / 2A DC Output : 12V 15A My question does the amperage in DC Output needs to match the amperage of the wall socket (13A)? Second question is, if it doesn’t have to do anything with the wall socket amperage can I plug multiple of these devices to the same wall plug as long as it doesn’t exceed the 2990W? Thanks for your help in advance Reply
Hello Alex, the DC output amperage doesn’t need to match the AC amperage. Do keep in mind that the total wattage of the 12V 15A DC output is 12V15A = 180W. In theory, you can set up multiple of these devices as long as the net wattage doesn’t exceed the 2990W, yes. But that’s in theory; in practice, it can get quite tricky getting all 2990W DC output. Reply
Hello, If I have a 24 V 700 Ah battery and I use a converter to change the 24 V (DC) into 220 V (AC) to run an airco of 1200 W (5.5 A), will I still have 700 Ah available or is it less because of the higher Voltage ? Reply
Hello Dave, it’s less due to higher voltage. The true measure of capacity is Wh or Watt-hours. You can use this Ah to Wh calculator to figure out how many Wh you have. Here’s how the basic equation looks like: Wh = Ah × V. In your situation, you have a 24V 700Ah battery; that’s 700Ah × 24V = 16,800Wh. Alright, so you have a 16,800Wh battery. Want to hook it up to 220V to run an AC? You can calculate Ah; 16,800Wh / 220V = 76.4 Ah. Want to know how long will this battery run an air conditioner? The AC you have has a 5.5 amp draw. Here’s how you can calculate that: 76.4 Ah / 5.5h = 13.89 h. Basically, this battery can run your AC unit at 100% output for almost 14 hours. Hope this makes sense. Reply
Hello I have a 2,650 watts 220/240 panasonic air conditioner. Is 30amps AVS / surge suitable for it ? Reply
Hello Victor, the Panasonic AC draws (when running at 100% capacity) 2,650W/220V = 12 amps. 30 amps AVS/surge will be more than enough. Reply
Hello Ron, depends on the voltage. If you have a 110V generator, that’s 110V×50A = 5,500W. If you have a 220V generator, that’s 220V×50A = 11,000W. If you have any other voltage, you can use this simple formula to calculate the wattage. Reply
The peak kWh for my home daily usage is 61.4. I want to install a backup generator. What size generator (in Watts) do I need to purchase? Reply
Hello Dick, in theory, you would need a backup generator that matches your peak wattage. That would be a 61,400W generator in your case; which is pretty absurd. The way you go about calculating the wattage of a backup generator is explained in our article about how to size a generator for your house. It’s a simple 3-step method that takes into account running wattage and, more importantly, the peak wattage. Peak kWh of your home is usually not the metric that we can adequately base the size of the backup generator on. Reply
Hello I have a device that consumes 10W. I found a small sollar kit with a 40W solar pannel, PWM 10A, 12V 18Ah AGM battery and 12V – 220V inverter. How much this configuration last? Or can I use max 20 W for 10h? Thank you very much! Reply
Hello Iancu, the key here is that you know the device runs on 10W. That means that you have to have a 10 Wh battery capacity to run the device for 10W. Now, a 40W solar panel with 5 peak sun hours will produce 200 Wh per day. Your 12V 18Ah has a battery capacity of 216 Wh; that’s perfect. With such a setup, you have a well-optimized solar system to power a 10W device almost 24h per day. Hope this helps. Reply
Hello Wayne, how many watts does the stick welder run on? If it’s a 225 amp welder, it probably runs on 220V. That means it requires 49,500W to run. The 225 amps is absolutely massive. Reply
Hello Terry, for this calculation, you will need amps as well. 120V at 10A current is 1,200 watts and 120V at 8.3A is 1,000 watts. Reply
I have a automobile alternator output project. I am hoping to take a 220 v motor and tie it in with my alternator to produce upto 10K watts. But I really am starting to feed stupid tring to understanding the conversion from 12v system to my idea. What the hell am I missing? If I can get upto 80a out of my 12v system in my auto, what would I have to do to get my needed result. Thank you for your time! Reply
Hello Jerald, you only need to operate with the basic electric power equation: P = IV (or Watts = AmpsVolts). Let’s say you have a 220V voltage and want to get 10,000 Watts. Here how you calculate this: 10,000W / 220V = 45.5 A. Basically, you need a current of 45.5A on 220V voltage to be able to generate 10,000W. 12V voltage and 80A current will only generate 960W; this is less than 10% of what you are hoping to get. Hope this helps. Reply
Hello. I want to install in the house four radiant panels of 600W / 220V each. I am thinking of powering them from a converter that is powered by storage batteries from four photovoltaic panels. What power should the converter have? About how many batteries would I need? 12V or 24V? Thank you. Reply
Hello there, you have 4 600W radiant panels; the total wattage is 2,400W. You would need a converter that can handle at least 2,400W. If you run them for 24h per day at 100% output, they will require 57.6 kWh of electricity. Hopefully, you can use this data to set up a system with 12V or 24V batteries. Reply
Hello, How do I calculate a solar irradiance meter reading into amps ? Example:- irradiance meter reading of 1000 watts per meter squared ? Solar pv system has solar panels with a Voc of 47volts and Isc of 9.8amps. Can’t find the formula anywhere ! Reply
Hello Adam, here is how you can think about this: You have 1000 watts per m2 and an open-circuit voltage of 47V. You can divide the watts by volts to get the amps: 1000W / 47V = 21.3A. So, you would have a 21.3 amps current. I know this is not exactly what you have in mind but this is kind of how these calculations are made, hope it helps a bit. Reply
Of course, Nikola, you can put 8 amps on 10A circuit (NEC 80% rule). At 240V, a 10A circuit can handle 1920 watts. So 9 watts is nothing for such a circuit. Reply
Good morning, I want to install 6 solar panels 550 watt each that mean if i am right should be give 3300 watts ,Please advice how many Amps should i get on 220 volt. and its enough for normal house to use ( fridge. wash machine. Ac…Etc. additional if i add 4 batteries 200 amps each how many amps will give at night and it`s enough ? the engineer advised me to be use inventor 5 kw. Please advice Thank you Reply
Hello Rabih, basically the 550W units can produce more than 550W of electricity per hour if it’s a very sunny day. That’s a fellow engineer advised the use of a 5 kW inverter, instead of a 3.3 kW inverter. If you would be producing 3,300W, that would be exactly 15 amps on a 220V circuit. Now, if it is very sunny and you actually are getting 5,000W, the amps increase to almost 23 amps. If you presume that you have 5 peak hours per day, that would produce 3,300W × 5h = 16,500Wh or 16.5 kWh per day. Fridges can use anywhere from 1 to 6 kWh per day; so you have more than 10 kWh per day for washing machine and so on. All in all, it seems feasible that you would be able to run your house on solar power alone. 4 200Ah 12V batteries can store up to 9.6 kWh of electricity; that’s almost 10 kWh. You could use additional battery or two to get closer to 16.5 kWh per day. All in all, this is quite a good setup. Hope some of this helps a bit Reply
Hi William, we are talking 200 amp 110V service, presumably? That’s a total wattage of 200A110V = 22,000 Watts. A 1,000W solar panel will produce 1,000W of electricity when the sun is shinning (peak sun hour). The rough answer would that you need a 22kW solar system for continuous 200A 110V service. Hope this helps a bit. Reply
Hi, I’m moving my bandsaw to Europe. Saw has 110 Volt and 1500 watt the motor is 2 HP. The shop in Europe is 220 Volt. What type of converter will I need? PS: I forgot the manufacturer said I can’t use it because of the difference in 50HZ vs 60HZ in the US. Reply
Hi Rolf, that 50 Hz vs 60 Hz difference makes this quite unusable, yes. Otherwise, you would need a 220V to 110V converter; the wattage will remain the same (1500 watts) but, because now you are using half the voltage, the amp draw will double. The 1500W 220V draws 6.8 amps and the 1500W 110V draws 13.6 amps. Hope you find an adequate substitute here. Reply
I love your presentations. If I want to charge a Level 3 stations with 150A at 400 VDC, how mayy solar panels would I need or how many batteries would I need to charge to handle this. Since the outputu of panels is DC, same for batteries, can I skip the double inversioo from DC to AC and just go straightt DC to through the charger to the car? Reply
Hi John, thank you. Solar panels can charge an electric car via a battery. Namely, here you look at your car battery capacity. Tesla Model 3 has a 75kW, for example. If you charge it from 10% to 90%, your solar panels will have to generate 60kWh of electricity. Alright, let’s say that you have a 5kW solar system and live in an area with 5 peak sun hours per day. This system will produce 25 kWh per day. It will generate 60 kWh in about 2.5 days. This is how you go about thinking how many solar panels and what size solar system you need for an electric car. For number of batteries, well, this depends on many factors but you can use 10 kWh batteries or 11.5 kWh Tesla Powerwall to store the electricity generated by the solar panels. Now, here is an interesting thing you suggested; for solar panels to charge the car directly. In theory, that makes sense, right? An electric car is basically a big battery. Why would you need an additional battery as a kind of middle-man to charge your car? I have to admit that I don’t really know if you can charge an EV directly from the solar panels. What you would normally do is install solar panels, use charge controller to charge the batteries, and then charge an EV from those batteries. John, I know we haven’t exactly came to 100% direct answers but I hope the logic about how to think about all of this helps a bit. Reply