Solar Calculator
Plan your home solar with a clear estimate.
Find out how much energy your appliances may use, how many solar panels could cover that demand, and what inverter and battery capacity to explore next.
Designed for homeowners • Works on mobile • Instant estimates
Solar Calculator
Add the appliances you use at home. Adjust quantities, wattage, and daily usage to get a practical starting estimate for your solar system.
Home energy estimator
Change any value to match your household appliances.
1 Your appliances
Enter the appliance quantity, rated watts, and average hours of use each day.
| Appliance | Qty | Watts each | Hours/day |
|---|
Tip: Check the label on each appliance for its rated wattage. Daily energy use is an estimate, especially for refrigerators, pumps, and air conditioners.
2 Your estimated system
Your results update when you calculate.
Estimates use simplified assumptions and should not be treated as a guarantee of solar production, savings, or equipment compatibility.
What can this solar calculator help you estimate?
Use your appliance list to understand the main parts of a typical home solar setup before speaking with an installer.
Solar panel quantity
Estimate the number of panels based on daily energy use, panel wattage, sunlight hours, and a simple system-loss allowance.
Inverter starting point
Review your connected appliance load and get a preliminary inverter capacity figure to discuss with a qualified installer.
Battery backup estimate
Explore approximate battery energy needs for your selected backup duration. Actual battery sizing depends on chemistry and usable capacity.
Appliance-by-appliance inputs
Include fans, lights, refrigerators, water pumps, air conditioners, televisions, computers, and custom appliances.
Simple on any device
The layout adapts to desktop, tablet, and mobile screens so you can estimate your needs wherever you are.
Print-friendly results
Print your estimate or choose “Save as PDF” in your browser to keep a copy for your planning.
How to use the Solar Calculator
You do not need technical expertise to get started. Begin with the appliances you use most often.
List your appliances
Enter how many of each appliance you have, the wattage per unit, and average hours used per day.
Choose solar settings
Select the panel wattage, peak sun hours, and whether you want to include a battery backup estimate.
Review your results
Check estimated panel quantity, daily energy, connected load, inverter starting point, and battery energy.
Solar Calculator FAQs
Understand what the numbers mean before choosing solar equipment.
How does the Solar Calculator estimate panel quantity?
It estimates daily energy from each appliance using quantity × watts × hours, then divides that energy by panel wattage, selected peak-sun hours, and an allowance for system losses. Real production varies with location, weather, orientation, shade, temperature, and equipment.
Can I use this calculator for an air conditioner or water pump?
Yes. Enter the appliance's rated input watts and typical daily running hours. Motors and compressors can have high starting surges, so the inverter must be checked separately by an installer.
Does the result guarantee that my home will run on solar?
No. It is a planning estimate only. The actual design depends on when appliances run, peak simultaneous load, seasonal sunlight, grid connection, wiring, inverter characteristics, and battery performance.
Do I need a battery for my solar system?
Not always. A grid-connected system may operate without batteries, depending on its design and local rules. Batteries can provide backup when properly designed, but they add cost and require suitable installation and protection.
How accurate is the battery estimate?
The estimate is a simplified energy calculation. Battery capacity should account for usable depth of discharge, inverter losses, battery chemistry, reserve requirements, and which appliances need backup.
Can I save or print my calculation?
Yes. Select “Print or save results as PDF,” then choose your browser's print destination to print the page or save it as a PDF.
Start with your home's energy needs.
Use the calculator above to build an appliance list and create a useful first estimate for your solar planning conversation.