Saturday, May 27, 2017

Get started with home Solar!

When you decide you want to put a solar system on your home there are some things to consider before you get started. You'll want to find the right place to install the solar panels so you get maximum exposure to the sun, you'll need to assess your power needs to understand the amount of panels to use and the battery storage requirements. The first thing you should do is to use a checklist and find out what your power usage is on a monthly basis. Each of your appliances will use a certain amount of power and depending on what your lifestyle is, you'll learn what unit is using the most power and how to assess your overall power needs. The following chart will give you an idea of some standard wattage usages. These are some wattage ratings for typical household appliances and home electrical devices. Check the rating on your personal items for an accurate wattage count.

Light Bulbs - 60 / 70 Watt60/70
Dishwasher1500
Refrigerator / Freezer700*
Microwave1000
Coffee Maker1000
Electric Range1200
Radio / Television50 - 500
Security System500
Computer w/17" Monitor800
¼ HP Garage Door875
Clothes Dryer5000
Washing Machine1500
Toaster Oven1500
Hot Water Heater5,000
Blender300
Stereo300-450
Ceiling Fan100
Floor Lamp100
Hair Dryer600-1200
Window Unit750-1200
Hedge Trimmer450
Lawn Mower1200
Weed Trimmer500
Edge Trimmer500
Furnace Fan Blower - ⅓ HP700*
Window AC - 12,000 BTU3250*
Central AC - 10,000 BTU1500*
Central AC - 24,000 BTU3800*
Heat Pump4700



Next you would calculate the Watt Hour which would be the Wattage rating times the hours used. Load Calculation Example:Lets say you want to run a 11W compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) for 5 hours from a solar panel, then the watt hour is equal to:
Watt Hour = 11Watts x 5 hr = 55 Watts
Once you have calculated your total monthly wattage use you can get an idea of what size of solar array to install in your home. This is the first step you need to take in order to properly plan your home solar installation. Stay tuned for the next step

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