SunPower releases Maxeon® 3 Solar Panel at 400w, the most powerful residential solar panel in the world
In an industry first, SunPower has released its A-Series, which will take residential solar energy production from 360w to a record-breaking 400w, making it the most powerful solar panels in Australia. Taking efficiency and energy output to new heights, this latest generation of SunPower PV modules are a strong addition to the existing SunPower range and herald the start of a bright new era in solar energy production for Australian households.
How will a SunPower Maxeon® 3 Solar Panel make a difference to my home?
It’s so much more efficient! A home fitted with the SunPower Maxeon┬« 3 Solar Panel is equipped with their signature solar cell technology and will now deliver more than 400 watts in its region, which means a stunning 60% more energy in the same amount of roof space over the first 25 years compared to a conventional solar power fit out.
How is the SunPower Maxeon® 3 Solar Panel better than other products?
The SunPower Maxeon┬« 3 Solar Panel features larger Interdigitated Back Contact (IBC) solar cells, the highest efficiency solar products currently available on the market, with layers of copper and aluminium that extract electricity off the back of the cell but no grid lines or busbars (the thin strip of copper or aluminum between cells that conducts electricity) on the front. SunPower products are also incredibly durable, and virtually free from the corrosion and cracking that can destroy conventional solar panels. The panels also come with SunPower’s industry-leading 25-year Combined Power and Product Warranty.
As a SunPower premium partner, Natural Solar is delighted to welcome this product into its range and will provide more information around availability as it is received.
Get your Premium Sunpower Solar Panel Proposal
These costs are based on the SA Power network in Adelaide but may vary depending on your circumstances. This comparison assumes a general energy usage of 4000kWh/year for a residential customer on Energy Locals Time of Use Tariff – (TOU – Peak, Off-Peak Solar Sponge).
The reference price is set by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) for a financial year in relation to electricity supply to residential customers in the distribution region and is based on an assumed annual usage amount. Any difference between the reference price and the unconditional price of a plan is expressed as a percentage more or less than the reference price. The terms of any conditional discounts are shown, along with any further difference between the reference price and the discount applied if a condition is met, expressed as a percentage more or less than the reference price.
SunPower increases solar cell size with new 400-W A-Series of modules for the residential market
SunPower launches today in the United States a new line of solar modules for the residential market. The new A-Series, using SunPower’s “Next Generation Technology” will deliver 400 and 415 W of power. In Europe and Australia, the company has also released 400-W panels known as Maxeon 3.
New A-Series modules on a home
“SunPower is introducing the world’s first 400-W residential solar panels as most in the industry are just crossing the 300-W threshold for home solar,” said Jeff Waters, CEO of the SunPower Technologies business unit. “Our record-breaking cell technology and innovative research and development efforts have enabled us to fit more power capacity on rooftops than we ever have before. Our growing panel portfolio is delivering unprecedented value across global markets that goes unmatched by any other residential solar technology currently available.”
SunPower’s patented Maxeon solar cells are built on a solid copper foundation for high reliability and performance. The Maxeon cells provide SunPower panels with improved resistance to corrosion and cracking.
SunPower’s new larger solar cell (right). Credit: Paul Sakuma Photography
A-Series panels are built with SunPower’s fifth-generation Maxeon solar cells, called Gen 5, which were perfected at the company’s Silicon Valley Research Facility. This new technology required new materials, tools and processes, and resulted in a 65% larger cell than previous generations that absorbs more sunlight and ultimately offers more savings to homeowners.
Combined with Maxeon Gen 5 solar cells is one of the industry’s highest-powered, factory-integrated microinverter, making A-Series ideal for use with SunPower’s Equinox platform. All SunPower panels are backed by its 25-year combined power and product warranty.
The Maxeon 3 panels in Europe and Australia use SunPower’s third generation of smaller Maxeon cells.
“SunPower solar panels are designed to maximize power production and energy savings for our customers, and we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible in home solar,” Waters said. “With our innovative solar solutions and services, and our established channels to market, SunPower will continue building on its strong leadership position in distributed generation around the world.”
About The Author
Kelly Pickerel
Kelly Pickerel has over a decade of experience reporting on the U.S. solar industry and is currently editor in chief of Solar Power World.
Комментарии и мнения владельцев
Larger maybe, but you all seem to forget that word and real meaning of the word… efficiency! the A425 has 22.8% efficiency, so a larger panel with more efficiency means that you will actually buy less number of panels.
This is “vaporware” in the US. For one thing, I have yet to find a dealer (6-8) contacted nation wide. None of them have 400w x-series. For second point, The one that did wanted 1400 a panel plus shipping. Im told by other dealer that this is bullocks because sunpower will not sell panels unless the dealer gets to install. Now having said this I would strongly discourage others from buying from SunPower. This practice that you are forced to buy install with panels is bad for the consumer. And in other industries and situations this is called “tie-in” and courts have ruled it illegal. Customers dont have to wait for lawsuit — just vote with your feet. There are other manufacturers that are so close to this 400W, that its going to be better to go with them.
This. I have been asking them for panel pricing for years now. #DemandBetterSolar. How do they even make money if nobody can buy them, or even determine cost? Just like Auntie Maxeon said, #ReclaimingMyTime. I do not have time for games and nonexistent nonsense. Being mysterious and inaccessible is not cool, it is frustrating af. You are not the revolution. You are not available. I hate your brand. #SunPowerSucks. I hope you get Solyndra’d. You are useless. If your market is multimillion dollar installations only and idiots willing to pay 4x too much for a goddamn commodity, STOP ADVERTIZING TO ME. Solar Cells should be getting smaller and more modular so they can fit in more places, not 65% larger. But you are not trying to install your panels in more places. You are trying to be exclusive. Which is gross morally, and must be bad for your business if it exists at all. Go power your own world cuz you haven’t even tried to power anything in mine, ever. Your degradation rate is actually the worst in the industry because this invisible and inaccessible pricing is demeaning, degrading, and disrespectful to all the nerds that spend their free time trying to make the world a better place and fall into the trap of your marketing wasteland. I don’t know how one monetizes pissing off the little people, but if i ever get my hands on an elusive SunPower panel, i’m throwing it off the roof and tossing the shattered glass onto YouTube to demand better solar. I deserve 420W panels for my home grow anyway. I’ll wait. #ReclaimingMyShine.
I was wondering how much do these 400Watt modules cost? and the type they are called? I was thinking about investing in one where could you recommend me to get started?
Ok well can someone please tell us the difference and do a comparison article. That will answer the questions, that would be really really great and also maybe throw availability. Thanks
I just completed an install with the new A series 415 w modules. Amazing product! They are an AC module. 66 cell format. Just slightly larger in height to the standard 60 cell format. Approx 3-4 inches taller.
IF so, these panels will be about 3 inches wider and actually around 1 inch shorter than the typical 350W panels out today, much like the LG 350W series panels. The old Schott solar PV panels that were in the 400W to 500 watt range were right at 4 foot wide by 8 foot long. This allows one to “harvest” 400 to 415W from about 16.25 square feet as opposed to “harvesting” 330 to 350W from about 17.5 square feet. It’s this kind of technology nudge that will drive some early adopters of solar PV to install these new panels and put their old system on e-bay for the secondary used market. Is this not how the automobile built by Henry Ford became so popular. First as an affordable automobile, then as a cheap second hand car creating the “used car” market? Bring on the high output panels, the hybrid inverters and cheap battery storage to allow net zero energy use for decades to come.
So this is actually 66 cells at 400 watts? And what is the difference between the 400W to the 415W is the 400W a blk on blk?
This is bogus. You can’t get them. Certainly you can’t get them in the US. That’s what they will tell you when you call SP. But they wills say Europe. Call Europe and they will tell you, not Europe; but you can get them in the US.
There have been 400W, even 500W panels for 4.5 years. Even 500W panels at the size of these new Sunpower panels, 4.5 years ago.
The 6×10 cell A-series produces 400W / panel at 95cm x 156cm while the 96-panel X-series produces 370W are measured 105cm x 156cm.
What are the frame dimensions? With a larger cell it seems like they would need a larger module. If this is actually the rough size of a current 60-cell module I’ll be impressed, but if they’re making something roughly the size of a 72-cell they can get in line behind other manufacturers who have already done it.
This image going around the internet apparently shows SunPower’s smaller X series on left and the new A series on right. The X series is a 96-cell panel… which is closeish to a traditional 60-cell panel. So maybe the 66-cell A series is more like a traditional 72-cell panel? Not sure.
SunPower Solar Panels Review
At GI Energy we can install any solar panel for your home or business. This means we are able to write honest reviews expressing our genuine opinion, without having to be biased due to holding stock of SunPower solar panels, or any other solar panel! This article details the opinion of our Business Development Director, who has 12-years’ experience in the PV industry.
We review lots of solar products at GI Energy and more often than not we have to start by addressing the fact the product we are writing about is made by a large, Rapid growing Chinese manufacturer with huge profits and plans to take over the world…well maybe not quite the taking of the world part, but you know what I mean! The vast majority of solar panels available for purchase in Australia today are made by big Chinese companies who manufacture a ridiculous number of solar panels every year. The primary objective with this type of business is to drive down cost and appeal to the mass market with a decent enough product…yawn!
So, when writing about SunPower solar panels it is quite nice to report they are not a competitor for your typical Chinese solar panels. SunPower target a different type of customer. They target someone looking for a really great quality product, who places less emphasis on cost than they do performance. And they do it very well!
Some evidence of this is that SunPower produce the world’s most efficient solar panel – the Maxeon 3! The name Maxeon screams high power and reminds me of a gladiator about to do battle with lions and tigers in the coliseum! They are a 400w panel and have an efficiency rating of 22.6%. Compare this to the closest competitor for efficiency and the LG Neon R comes in at 21.7%. This gives SunPower clear bragging rights over all its competitors in the efficiency department. Be mindful here though, that the efficiency of a solar panel is calculated by watts divided by meters squared. What this means is the efficiency of a solar panel really only refers to how much energy it can produce for the space it uses up. Many other solar panel manufacturers now have 400w panels – they are just bigger than SunPowers Maxeon 3. Check out our article on panel efficiency for more details. Essentially what this means is the efficiency rating is a great thing, and often relates to the overall quality of a solar panel, but certainly not always, so don’t base your decision on this alone. There are many other factors to consider such as:
- Who is the manufacturer and are they going to be able to help with long-term warranty support?
- How will the solar panel actually perform when its installed on my roof?
- How much will it cost me?
So, who is the manufacturer?
SunPower have a long trading history and first started out back in 1985 in California. This is a long history for solar panel manufacturers as the industry generally didn’t gain global momentum until around 2005. Manufacturing has moved around a bit over the years, but they do now have a facility in the States again. Although, if you have SunPower panels on your roof in Australia, it is likely they didn’t come from this American factory. SunPower purchased their current American facility from SolarWorld in 2018 primarily to avoid Trumps solar tariff, which increased the cost of importing solar panels from overseas facilities. Hence, the American manufactured solar panels, tend to stay in America! They have other facilities in Malaysia, the Philippines, Mexico and also China.
In 2019, SunPower reported production of 2.5GW of solar panels. This was a drastic increase on previous years, but still some way off the top of the tree for volume. Jinko took that spot and they shipped 14.2GW that same year. In fact, SunPower wouldn’t even get close to the top ten:
- Jinko Solar– 14.2GW (25%)
- JA Solar – 10.3GW (17%)
- Trina Solar – 9.7GW (20%)
- Longi Solar– 9.0GW (25%)
- Canadian Solar– 8.5GW (20%)
- Hanwha Q Cells– 7.3GW (33%)
- Risen Energy – 7.0GW (46%)
- First Solar – 5.5GW (104%)
- GCL – 4.8GW (17%)
- Shunfeng Photovoltaic – 4.0GW (21%)
But, as previously mentioned, SunPower are a high-performance solar panel manufacturer, not a big volume player like the above companies (who all happen to be much newer, Chinese owned manufacturers).
Well, unfortunately this is where we need to address the big chink in SunPowers armour. According to reports, SunPower posted significant losses for a number of years running from 2016 all the way through to 2019. There have also been lot of (unconfirmed) reports that SunPower have been very close to bankruptcy a few times in the last 5 years. If this does happen, there is no way of telling what would happen to customers warranties, should they need them!
Unfortunately, this does represent a significant blow in the overall appeal for SunPower Solar panels.
Just for another twist in the tale, Total (massive oil and gas company) purchased 60% of SunPower in 2019, which does add some value and protection. However, is it still a bit unclear who is responsible for what in terms of warranties, should the solar division get in trouble again.
Ideally, we like to see solar panel manufacturers have a diverse range of products and multiple revenue streams, even if this is part of a parent company. While Total owning 60% of the overall company does add some credibility here, it is a bit too soon to see what this actually means for the business and its customers. Having a larger, more diverse company steering the ship means they are better equipped to ride the ups and downs this industry ultimately brings. Personally, I think the security this brings is extremely valuable.
How well will the solar panel perform?
This one is easy…it will perform very, very well!
Ok, let’s take a slightly closer look. SunPower nearly always have the most efficient solar panels in the world. And while this does not necessarily mean they are the best solar panel, there is no doubting the real-world performance of SunPower panels. Simply put… they are very good at producing electricity!
However, they do make two very different types of panels: The Maxeon, and the P Series. The Maxeon is what a lot of people would call the “real” SunPower panel. The P Series is the one made in China, and was introduced to increase volume significantly by giving consumers a cheaper alternative to the traditional SunPower panel. And it worked! SunPower increased volume by 80% after introducing this panel.
The downside here is that some solar retailers and installers are just pitching SunPower panels and not mentioning the fact they are actually installing the P Series. So, customers who are not well informed, just think they are getting SunPower…they don’t know they are getting the Chinese P Series. The P Series still performs well but from our own testing it is closer to the mainstream cheaper Chinese manufacturers, than it is to the better quality Maxeons. And, although cheaper than the Maxeon, they are still more expensive than most competitors. Which brings us nicely to our next point:
How much will they cost?
If the financial difficulty was the chink in SunPowers armour, then the cost is the sword that gets through that chink and right to the heart of most consumers. Yes, they are a great solar panel for efficiency, there is no doubt about that! And if you want the absolute best solar panels and you don’t care about cost, then despite the financial difficulties, these probably are the panel for you.
However, if you live in the real world like me, then unfortunately cost is always a factor! Especially when purchasing solar power and the return of investment is important. Please don’t get me wrong, you always have to look at the value of solar panel, not just the cost. And it is extremely rare that the cheapest solar panel offers the best value. So, with the increased efficiency, and the added cost taken into consideration, do SunPower represent value for money? The short answer is probably not. You will pay around 0.30 per watt extra for SunPower Maxeon panels, which is approximately 2000 more for a 6.6kW home solar system. Even if you produced and used 10% more with a SunPower solar system, it would take roughly 9-years to get this extra outlay back – even if you used every single kW you produced, which is highly unlikely!
Summary:
SunPower make a great panel! We love great panels! Would we buy one for our own roof? Probably not. The fact is they are very expensive and when you take the financial difficulties into account, they are even less appealing.
We don’t want to be too hard on SunPower as they are a leader in the industry in many ways. They are just not for everyone. So, if you are not overly concerned by the price vs. value equation then they may be for you!
6.6kW will produce 27.72kW per day on average based on 4.2 peak production hours per day. And extra 10% would be 2.77kW. If you used all this electricity at 0.23 then this is worth a maximum of 0.63 per day, which is 229.95 per year.
Top 7 Best 400-Watt Solar Panels in 2023 (Cost, Specs )
Each product and or company featured here has been independently selected by the writer. You can learn more about our review methodology here. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Written by Aniket Bhor
Aniket Bhor is a solar engineer who has spent nearly a decade studying and working in the solar power sector in the European, Asian and North American markets. He recieved his Master’s degree in Renewable Energies from Germany at Technische Fachhochschule Wildau. He has since worked in the industry in a variety of capacities including Solar Energy Consultant, Business Development Head, Solar Entrepreneurship Trainer, and more recently writing for solar organizations including Venuiti Solutions, Green Integrations, Solengy, Ecotality.com. Overall, he is a climate enthusiast and avid cyclist, and he also loves to lose himself in books and cooking. Learn About This Person
Reviewed by Kristina Zagame
Kristina Zagame is a journalist, editor and content writer with expertise in solar and other energy-related topics. Before joining EcoWatch, Kristina was a TV news reporter and producer, covering a wide variety of topics including West Coast wildfires and hurricane relief efforts. Kristina’s reporting has taken her all over the U.S., as well as to Puerto Rico and Chile. Learn About This Person
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Find the best price from solar installers near you.
Just a decade ago, 250- to 300-watt (W) solar panels were the standard size for most installations. But with Rapid technological advancements, 400 W panels are becoming the most common (and preferred) solar panel rating.
We’ve reviewed dozens of solar panel brands on the market and compiled this list of the top 400 W solar panels so that it is easier for you to choose the best 400 W panel for your needs.
Best Overall – SunPower A400-G-AC Residential Series
Most Value for Money – Canadian Solar HiKu dual cell PERC CS3N400
Best Portable – Ecoflow Foldable 400W solar panel
SunPower
SunPower designs and installs industry-leading residential solar and storage solutions across all 50 states. With a storied history of innovation dating back to 1985, no other company on this list can match SunPower’s experience and expertise.
SunPower earns its position as the top national installer on our list for a handful of reasons: It installs the most efficient solar technology on the residential market, offers the most expansive service area and backs its installations with a warranty well above the industry standard. All the while, SunPower pioneers sustainability efforts within the industry.
If that weren’t enough, SunPower systems come packaged with products all manufactured in-house by its sister company, Maxeon. This means that your panels, solar cells, inverters, battery and EV chargers are designed to work together and are all covered under the same warranty.
SunPower’s biggest downside? Its high-efficiency panels are considerably more expensive than most of its competitors’ products. However, its powerful panels are workhorses that make up for the initial cost with more backend production (think about this like spending more money for a car that gets more miles per gallon).
Facts and Figures: SunPower
| 5 |
| A |
| 1985 |
| Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, System Monitoring |
| SunPower Panels |
| 25-year all-inclusive warranty |
Blue Raven Solar
We like Blue Raven Solar because it understands that, for most homeowners, the cost of solar presents the biggest barrier to entry.
For that reason, Blue Raven Solar developed an innovative solar financing plan that offers in-house, flexible, zero-money-down options. The results speak for themselves, as Blue Raven Solar is now one of the fastest-growing solar companies in the nation and was recently acquired by SunPower. Its BluePower Plus plan (exclusive to Blue Raven) mimics the flexible structure of a lease while still providing the greatest benefits of owning your system.
Eligible homeowners enjoy 18 months of solar power before having to pay their first bill. When coupled with the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC), the initial energy savings can offset more than a third of the overall cost of a system before requiring a dollar down.
In contrast, other installers can only offer similar financing through solar leases, PPAs or third-party providers (such as Mosaic or Sunlight). Third-party loan providers can complicate the process, while opting for a loan or PPA will disqualify you from some of solar’s biggest benefits (additional property value, federal solar tax credit and local solar incentives).
Facts and Figures: Blue Raven Solar
| 4.5 |
| A |
| 2014 |
| Solar Panels, System Monitoring |
| Trina Solar, Canadian Solar, SolarEdge, Silfab, SunPower |
| 25-year manufacturer warranty; 10-year workmanship warranty, 2-year production guarantee |
ADT Solar
ADT Solar sets the industry standard for warranty coverage by including a multifaceted guarantee, making it one of the top installers for homeowners who want added peace of mind.
Its warranty coverage includes all of the following for 25 years:
- Power Production Guarantee: Also known as a performance guarantee, this ensures your solar system will produce the amount of electricity that’s outlined in your proposal, or ADT will write you a check for the difference.
- Labor Guarantee: This covers any issues with the installation of your system and is also known as a workmanship warranty.
- Panel Module Performance Guarantee: This is what ADT Solar refers to the manufacturer warranty as, and it ensures that any manufacturing defects are repaired or your ineffective panels replaced.
- Enphase Microinverters Guarantee: This backs the performance of your inverters.
Though in recent years other solar companies have started to offer similar guarantees, ADT Solar has been at it since 2008, performing over 30,000 installations across the country.
Facts and Figures: ADT Solar
| 4 |
| A- |
| 2008 |
| Solar Panels, Solar Batteries, EV Chargers, Energy-Efficiency Upgrades |
| Silfab, Panasonic and others depending on location |
| 25-year all-inclusive warranty |
What is a 400-Watt Solar Panel?
The “watt” is a unit of power, denoting the amount of energy consumed or generated in an hour. For instance, a 50 watt LED bulb consumes 50 watts of power every hour. Similarly, a 400 watt solar panel generates up to 400 watts of power with every hour of direct sunshine. Therefore, a 400 W panel can ideally run 80 of the above-mentioned LED bulbs (50 W x 80 = 400W).
The polycrystalline solar panels from the older generations were far less efficient than today’s monocrystalline options, and could generate much less power in the same size. This is why 250 or 300 watts were the largest panel sizes until just a few years ago.
Speaking of solar panel sizes, most solar panels have 60 or 72 silicon cells in them. Any more than that and the panel weakens under its own weight. This makes the power rating so important, because all manufacturers have to maximize the power output in the available size limits.
Typically, 300 to 360 W panels (60 cells) are still used in residential applications and 400 to 500 W panels (72 cells) are used in commercial applications. However, this is swiftly changing, as people are regularly installing 400 W panels on homes, cabins and even RVs.
What is the Best 400-Watt Solar Panel?
The last couple of decades have seen an incredible boom in solar panel manufacturing companies. The result of this is a wide variety of solar panel options to choose from. And with all the available options in the 400 W category, it is difficult to shortlist a few panels as the best options, let alone choosing a single panel as the best one.
All the solar panels we have selected have something unique in them — from aesthetics and innovative tech to cost and efficiency. The panel that is best for you will depend on several factors, and your own preferences.
However, if we had to choose just one “overall best 400 W panel,” we would award the title to SunPower’s A400-G-AC Series Residential panel. It offers the highest efficiency in its class, while also offering microinverters and some cutting-edge solar cell technology.
Compare 400-Watt Panels At A Glance
| Manufacturer | Superlative | Price per Watt | Features | Warranty | Where to Buy |
| Sunpower A400-G-AC Series Residential | Best overall | 3.25/W | High efficiency, |
High efficiency, Made in USA
30-year performance guarantee
25-year performance guarantee
25-year performance guarantee
Sunpower A400-G-AC Residential Series – Best Overall
SunPower’s state-of-the-art A series residential solar panel offers an impressive efficiency of 21.5%. It houses larger mono-Si solar cells and comes with integrated microinverters supplied by the industry-leader Enphase.
- Price: 3.25/W
- Dimensions: 72.2 x 40 x 1.57 in
- Weight: 46.5 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through SunPower or other authorized installers
Silfab Elite SIL-410 BG – Best Aesthetics
Labeled by the maker as “America’s most beautiful panel,” the Elite SIL series comes with a sleek, all-black look, thin profile and superb efficiency numbers. The panel’s innovative conductive backsheet and integrated cell design make it stand out in terms of performance as well as looks.
- Price: 3.90 – 4.50/W
- Dimensions: 73.4 x 40.5 x 1.4 in
- Weight: 45.8 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through authorized Silfab installers
Pros and Cons of Silfab Elite SIL-410 BG
- High efficiency
- Exceptional aesthetics
- Excellent warranty
- Made in the U.S.A.
Q Cells Q. Peak Duo BLK ML-G10 – Best American Made
Q Cells is one of the oldest and most respected solar power companies and one that has ramped up production in the U.S. at a gigantic scale. This large-scale production allows Q Cells to offer high-quality, feature-packed panels at reasonable costs, and the Q. Peak Duo is no exception.
- Price: 3.10 – 3.50/W
- Dimensions: 74.0 x 41.1 x 1.26 in
- Weight: 48.5 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through authorized Hanwha Q Cells installers — Momentum Solar, Palmetto Solar and Trinity Solar.
Pros and Cons of Q Cells Q. Peak Duo BLK ML-G10
- High efficiency
- Excellent warranty
- Highly reliable brand
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Q Cells went bankrupt in 2012, but was then brought out by The Hanwah Group — a large South Korean business conglomerate. The company has been stable since, but it’s worth calling out.
Mission Solar MSE 420SX6W – Most Affordable
Texas-based Mission Solar has quickly risen to be one of the most popular local solar companies. Its MSE series offers high-quality PERC modules at a reasonable price tag, which also come with decent efficiency and positive power tolerance of 0 to 3%.
- Price: 2.25 – 2.60/W
- Dimensions: 82.12 x 41.49 x 1.57 in
- Weight: 49 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through Mission Solar or authorized installers
Canadian Solar HiKu dual cell PERC CS3N400 – Most Value for Money
Canadian Solar is one of the oldest solar module manufacturing companies. Its HiKu series is popular, and the dual cell PERC module brings all the essential modern tech to a reasonable price slab.
- Price: 2.45 – 3.00/W
- Dimensions: 76.4 x 41.3 x 1.38 in
- Weight: 49.6 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through Canadian Solar or authorized installers — Momentum solar, Blue Raven Solar
Solaria PowerXT Pure Black – Best Warranty
Solaria’s proprietary Pure Black technology enhances both solar panel aesthetics and performance. The PowerXT panel crosses the 20% efficiency barrier and comes with a 30-year warranty that is yet unsurpassed.
- Price: 2.75 – 3.25
- Dimensions: 64.72 x 47.4 x 1.57 in
- Weight: 46 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through Solaria’s partner installers
Pros and Cons of Solaria PowerXT Pure Black
- High efficiency
- Solder-less design
- Exceptional 30-year warranty
- Low PID losses
- Innovative, no busbar design
EcoFlow Foldable 400 W Solar Panel – Best Portable
A highly popular name in portable solar products, EcoFlow is the only reputed brand that offers a single, foldable 400 W solar panel (unlike Renogy’s multi-solar-panel kit). The panel impresses not only with its portability but also with the high efficiency and thoughtful design, making it perfect for DIY and off-grid installs.
- Price: 1,199 (per-watt system pricing not applicable)
- Dimensions: 42.0 x 94.1 x 1.0 in
- Weight: 35.3 lbs.
- Where to buy: Through Amazon or EcoFlow’s official website
Pros and Cons of EcoFlow Foldable 400 W Solar Panel
- Foldable and lightweight design
- High efficiency
- Integrated and adjustable mounting kickstand
- Highly durable, glass-free structure
- Plug-and-play design
How Much Do 400-Watt Solar Panels Cost?
The easy answer: it depends on the brand of the 400W solar panel.
Modern solar panels that share the same power rating may not share the same features and, consequently, the same pricing. As expected, the more innovative and technologically-advanced solar panels typically cost more than simpler models.
The cost of solar panels rated for 400 W output can be anywhere between 2 and 4 per watt installed. Remember that this is the price of the entire solar power system, installed using a number of 400 W mono solar panels together.
We cannot state the price of an individual 400 W panel, since it is generally difficult to source only the solar panels (unless you are an authorized installer yourself, in which case you likely wouldn’t need to read this article).
Like any other product, it’s important to remember that cost alone should not be the deciding factor when choosing 400 W panels. Oftentimes a more costly panel can save you a lot more money over its lifespan. Or, a panel with stronger warranties can offer more reliability than a cheaper panel with short warranties.
The best way to choose a 400 W solar panel is to narrow down your needs and preferences and choose the product that has the optimum balance between cost, features, efficiency and warranty.
How Much Energy Will a 400-Watt Solar Panel Produce?
While most homeowners will naturally want to know how much solar energy each 400-watt panel they install on their homes will produce, the answer is a bit complicated.
The rating on your PV module in wattage tells you the maximum amount of energy it can generate with full, intense sunlight. This measurement of power output is called the Standard Test Condition (STC).
However, in reality, there are many factors that affect the panel’s efficiency and power production. Some of the factors that affect your production are shown below:
- The direction your panels face
- The intensity of the sunlight that hits the panels
- The hours of daylight in your area
- The weather, including the average number of cloudy days per year
- Shading on your property from trees or nearby buildings
- The brand of the panel you choose and its maximum efficiency
- The age of your panel, as they lose efficiency over time
For a baseline production, you can use the calculation below, but remember that this estimate can change drastically based on the factors above:
Your Daily Watt-Hours per Panel = [average hours of sunlight] x [solar panel wattage] x [75% maximum power production to account for changing weather conditions and lower sun intensity in the morning and afternoon]
Your Daily Kilowatt-Hours (kWh) per Panel = [your daily watt-hours] / 1,000
If we assume that your area receives six hours of sunlight every day, we can use the above equation to calculate how much power each 400-watt panel on your property will produce on a daily basis.
[6 hours of sunlight] x [400 watts] x 75% = 1,800 watts per day
[1,800 watts per day] / 1,000 = 1.8 kWh per day
Remember, this should be considered as maximum production, and the factors mentioned above can bring this number down significantly. If we assume maximum production, you’re looking at 1.8 kWh of energy production every day, which equates to 657 kWh per year per 400-watt panel.
How Many 400-Watt Solar Panels Do I Need to Power My Home?
Based on our above calculation of annual energy production from a 400 W solar panel, we can calculate how many panels your home will need.
For example, if your home consumes the national average of 10,715 kWh per year, you’d need seventeen 400-watt panels to power your home. The calculation below explains why.
[10,715 kWh of energy needed] / [876 kWh of production per panel] = 16.30 panels, which gets rounded up to 17 panels
Don’t feel like whipping out your calculator? No worries. You can use our solar calculator to find out how many solar panels you need to power your home.
Keep in mind that solar panels alone cannot power a home. You will need other supporting components — such as an inverter, branch connectors, tray cables, z brackets and more. If you want to store your solar energy for later, you’ll also need solar batteries and an MPPT solar charge controller.
Maybe you’re not looking to power your entire house and are instead wondering what a single 400 W panel can run. Thankfully, this is simpler to find out. The “watt” rating denotes not only the power generated, but can also denote power consumption rating on appliances.
All you need to do is check the rating on an appliance and make sure it is lower than that of your solar panel. In this case, anything that consumes less than 400 W of power can operate on a 400 W solar panel. A few examples of this are listed in a table below:
| APPLIANCE/HOUSEHOLD ITEM | RUNNING OR RATED WATTS REQUIRED TO RUN |
| Phone Charger | 10 watts |
| CFL Light Bulb | 18 watts |
| Ceiling Fan | 60 watts |
| Standard 60W Incandescent Light Bulb | 60 watts |
| DVD Player | 100 watts |
| Mini-Fridge | 100 watts |
| Home Speaker System | 100 watts |
| Box Fan or Floor Fan | 100 watts |
| Hair Straightener | 120 watts |
| Laptop Power Supply | 125 watts |
| Electric Can Opener | 170 watts |
| Gaming Console | 180 watts |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 200 watts |
| Rice Cooker | 200 watts |
| Heated Blanket | 200 watts |
| Up to 56” LCD TV | 225 watts |
| Paper Shredder | 225 watts |
| TV | 230 watts |
| PC (Non-Gaming) | 240 watts |
| Small Dehumidifier | 250 watts |
| Computer Monitor | 250 watts |
| Crockpot | 250 watts |
| Projector | 280 watts |
| Whole-House Exhaust Fan | 350 watts |
| Blender | 360 watts |
| Central AC Fan Only | 370 watts |
Roof Space Requirements for 400-Watt Solar Panels
When you are installing a complete solar power system, the roof space required for your system depends more on the total system size than the individual panel size.
As a thumb rule, every kilowatt (kW) of a solar power system requires about 75 square feet of space. Therefore, a typical 6 kW system may need around 450 sq. ft. of roof space. But if we had to calculate using 400 W panels only, here’s how we could do it:
A typical 400 W solar panel is about 75 x 45 inches in dimensions, which is about 25 square feet. A 6 kW system will need about 15 solar panels rated 400 W. This gives us,
25 sq. ft./panel x 15 panels = 375 sq. ft.
Add another 20% to this to account for the space required for safe racking, combiner boxes, wiring and the space left between panel strings to avoid shading. Thus we have:
It is important to remember that these are basic calculations and general thumb rules which may or may not apply in every case. Based on the complexity of your roof and other factors encountered in solar installations, your system may need more, or sometimes less space. That’s why it’s best to connect with an experienced solar installer to figure out your solar needs.
Methodology: How We Ranked the Top 5 Best 400-Watt Solar Panels
To stay impartial, our solar experts evaluate hundreds of solar manufacturers in our database based on the same range of criteria and assign scores to each category. The main factors we assessed to find the best 400-Watt solar panels include:
- Cost and ease of purchase (20%): Cost is typically the biggest deciding factor for homeowners going solar. Obviously, solar panels at 400W are going to be more expensive than 250W or 350W panels because they’re stronger, but we still look for companies that offer reasonable for the quality. Companies with the most transparent, economical and practical financing options also scored highest in this category.
- Warranty coverage (15%): Solar panel manufacturers offering longer, more comprehensive warranties performed better in this category.
- Experience (15%): Companies with less than 10 years of solar manufacturing experience are docked in this category. Most with less than five were deemed not eligible for ranking.
- Availability (15%): Solar panel brands that are available to a larger number of customers scored higher in this category.
- Reputation (15%): We analyze reviews and trends on Google reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and similar review sites and assign scores accordingly.
- Solar services (20%): Manufacturers with more comprehensive service offerings perform better in this category. We also assess the quality of the products that the provider installs.
For a more in-depth look at our methodology, you can visit our solar rankings page.
FAQs: 400-Watt Solar Panels
How many batteries do I need for a 400-watt solar system?
Unlike solar panel calculations, battery calculations are a bit more tricky. In order to find out the size of battery needed, add up the watt-hours of all your appliances that you will operate in the absence of sunshine, and choose a battery based on this number.
For example, if you use lights, TV, fridge and a laptop in the evening and their energy ratings add up to 2 kWh, you can choose a battery with 2 kWh capacity. If you are using a battery bank, we recommend buying deep cycle lithium batteries.
What will a 400-watt solar system run?
A 400 W solar panel system, as mentioned above, can run any appliance(s) which consumes less than 400 watts of power. However, besides wattage, you may also need to match the voltage. For example, you cannot connect a 400 W panel with a voltage at open circuit (Voc) of 48 to a 12 volt appliance directly.
How much space does a 400-watt solar panel take up?
While different solar panels have different dimensions, a typical 400 W monocrystalline solar panel may take anywhere between 20 and 30 sq. ft. of space.
How much does a 400-watt solar panel cost?
The cost of a 400 W solar panel varies based on factors such as types of cells, efficiency, features, etc. However, a system of 400 W panels may cost between 2 and 4 per watt of installed capacity.
Does a 400-watt solar system generate enough electricity to power my home?
A single 400 watt solar panel is insufficient in powering an entire home, but it can power small systems including a few appliances under the 400 W mark. To power an entire house, however, you will need multiple 400 W solar panels.
Aniket Bhor is a solar engineer who has spent nearly a decade studying and working in the solar power sector in the European, Asian and North American markets. He recieved his Master’s degree in Renewable Energies from Germany at Technische Fachhochschule Wildau. He has since worked in the industry in a variety of capacities including Solar Energy Consultant, Business Development Head, Solar Entrepreneurship Trainer, and more recently writing for solar organizations including Venuiti Solutions, Green Integrations, Solengy, Ecotality.com. Overall, he is a climate enthusiast and avid cyclist, and he also loves to lose himself in books and cooking.
Kristina Zagame is a journalist, editor and content writer with expertise in solar and other energy-related topics. Before joining EcoWatch, Kristina was a TV news reporter and producer, covering a wide variety of topics including West Coast wildfires and hurricane relief efforts. Kristina’s reporting has taken her all over the U.S., as well as to Puerto Rico and Chile.
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