The quickest answer is yes. A solar generator can power a house. Solar generators serve as a convenient and highly versatile power source for homes, especially during sudden power outages. They can power all your home appliances, from large refrigerators to microwaves and washing machines.
But there are several factors you need to consider when planning to buy a solar generator to power a whole house. These factors typically include the size and type of the generator, the household’s energy consumption, and more.
In this blog, we'll talk about these factors and determine the best size of solar generator you need. You'll also find some recommendations for the best solar generators for homes available on the market.
Benefits of Using a Solar Generator For Your Home
Solar generators for homes offer numerous benefits, from energy savings and versatility to eco-friendliness and sustainable living. We've listed below the top reasons why these generators make a wise investment for any household:
Emergency home power:
Power outages and blackouts due to inclement weather are uncertain and can cause huge inconvenience for days or even weeks. A solar-powered generator keeps your home lit up and powered during such emergencies.
Save you money:
Solar generators produce clean, renewable, and free solar power, thus reducing your energy costs. These savings can accumulate to become significant over the long term. In addition, you may also receive some tax credits and incentives from the Australian government for investing in renewable energy for your household.
Eco-friendly:
Solar generators use the sun’s energy to produce power for our homes. This energy doesn’t cause any harm to our planet because it doesn’t emit pollutants or toxins that are held responsible for causing climate change and global warming. This is how solar generators help you go green and reduce your carbon footprint.
Increase your home’s value:
Considering a lot of benefits of solar investments, like tax incentives and reduced energy bills, people are more interested in properties featuring sources of solar energy. That is why installing a solar generator can increase your home's value, making it worthwhile to potential buyers.
Offers peace of mind:
All the above-discussed benefits of solar generators should give you peace of mind, knowing that you and your family have access to power all the time. With the right size solar generator, you can keep your home appliances running even during power outages and extreme weather.
Can be used indoors:
Unlike petrol-guzzling generators, solar generators don’t use fossil fuels. They are clean, odorless, and noise-less, making them convenient to place anywhere in your house.
Low maintenance:
You’ll never have to replace air filters, spark plugs, or fuel switches with a solar generator. So, they demand very low maintenance, making it ideal for households.
What is the Best Size of a Solar Generator for a House?
Typically, a 2000W solar generator and above should be sufficient to power a home. But the exact answer depends on your family’s energy consumption. For this, you need to make some calculations.
First of all, you need to determine your house’s average electricity consumption. Look at your monthly electricity bills over the course of a year or two. The amount may vary from month to month, depending on the season of the year.
Will you be using the solar generator only during blackouts? Then, you may not need as much electricity as you do on the grid. In this case, you should calculate the watts (W) requirements of essential home appliances that you’re planning to plug into the generator rather than determining average energy consumption. Solar generators are sized in watts. A solar generator with higher watts can generate more power and support more appliances.
In order to calculate the watts (W) requirements of your home appliances, you need to understand two key terms:
- Starting watts: Amount of energy appliances needed for initial startup.
- Running watts: Amount of energy any device needs to keep running.
The following table shows starting watts as well as running watts needed for typical home appliances:
|
Appliance |
Starting Watts |
Running Watts |
|
Refrigerator |
2200 |
700 |
|
Washing machine |
2300 |
1200 |
|
Dishwasher |
1800 |
1300 |
|
TV |
0 |
500 |
|
Refrigerator |
0 |
1000 |
|
Light Bulb |
0 |
60-75 |
|
Laptop |
0 |
50-300 |
|
Heater |
0 |
2000 |
|
Fan |
350 |
200 |
Calculate the watt-house of each appliance by using this formula:
Total WH = watt X hour
In this formula, watt refers to the running watts of the appliance. By making these calculations, you can determine what battery capacity and size of the solar generator is suitable for your family’s energy needs.
Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Solar Generator For Your Home
Here is the list of key features or factors you should look out for when buying a solar power generator for your home:
Capacity:
Solar generators are available in different capacities, and you’ve to choose the one with enough capacity to fulfil your household energy needs. For example, a small solar generator, which is suitable for smaller devices like laptops and phones, will not work with the entire household that wants to power larger home appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, etc.
Size:
Above in this blog, we’ve already talked about the size of a solar generator in detail. Different sizes of solar generators impact their capacity, storage, and portability. So, ask yourself:
- Do I own a small or large home?
- How many devices do I want to plug into the generator?
- Do you face frequent blackouts?
According to your answers, you can calculate your energy consumption and determine the right size of solar generator for your home.
Output:
Output refers to the amount of power a battery generator produces. Does it accommodate the power needed by each appliance you plug into it?
Solar input:
It determines how many solar panels you need to charge your generator. Evaluate the charging speed, rates, and methods supported by the solar generator. Buy a model with fast charging capabilities to ensure quick battery recharging, especially during emergencies.
Expandability:
Your needs may grow in the future, requiring you to add more solar panels for your generator. So, choose a solar generator that can be expanded with more solar panels as your needs scale up.
In addition, your solar generator should be easy to install and durable. It should be backed with a warranty policy and positive customer reviews.
Our Top Recommendations for Home Solar Generators
Here are some of our best solar generators for households. Let’s review together and make an informed buying decision:
BLUETTI AC500 + B300S Solar Generator Kit
BLUETTI AC500 + B300S solar generator kit is the only solar generator featuring both 30 amp and 50 amp AC output sockets. Combining this with its surge capacity of 10,000 Watts, BLUETTI AC500 delivers enough power needed for your whole home.
You can extend its backup capacity from 3,072Wh to 18,432Wh, which is more than enough to power your house. Need more capacity? BLUETTI AC500 solar generators come with a solar input capacity of 3000 watts. So, it can generate 15,000 Wh of power in a day, depending upon climate conditions.
Other key features:
- Highest wall socket charging capacity (5,000 Watts)
- Modular design, making it easy to shift it around
- There are six ways to recharge, including AC, solar, car, generator, lead-acid battery, dual Charing (AC/AC+Solar)
- 4-year warranty
BLUETTI AC300 + B300 Home Backup Battery
BLUETTI AC300 + B300 home battery backup features the third biggest 3000W pure sine wave inverter, with a surge capacity of 6000 Watts. You can set the charging rate between 1800W (default) to 3000W via wall outlets, depending on your requirements.
It comes with a detachable battery with a capacity of 3,072Wh, and it can be extended up to 12,2888 Wh. Moreover, this home backup solution plugs in the wall outlet and solar panel, enabling fast charge at a 5,400W Max rate. So, you save much of your charging time.
Other key features:
- Dual charging options – AC and DC
- Fusion Box Pro enables you to connect two AC300 units to power your 240V appliances.
- It can run your whole house for 9-12 hours at its full capacity
- 4-year hassle-free warranty
BLUETTI AC200MAX + 2*B230 + Solar Panels
BLUETTI AC200MAX + 2*B230 + Solar Panels feature a great 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery capacity. This all-in-one backup power station is a 2000W-rated pure sine wave AC inverter, giving you the power to run your whole house for a day or two during an unexpected power outage.
The generator has up to 15 outlets so you can power anything from smartphones to air refrigerators or even your electric vehicles without fuss. You can recharge it in seven ways: (AC/Solar/Car/Generator/Lead Battery/Dual AC/AC+Solar). Also, it features 1400W max. dual fast charging with (Solar + AC Adapter). Also, it's expandable with 2×B230 to get 6,144Wh, or 8,192Wh with 2×B300.
Other key features:
- Smart Control & Monitor in BLUETTI App
- Off-grid energy storage with solar panels.
- You can load multiple devices simultaneously
- Flexible power station intended for different usages
- 2+2-year hassle-free warranty
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you’re able to find the answer to “Can a solar generator power my whole house?” As you see, solar generators have many irresistible benefits, from cost savings to environmental friendliness. Just make sure you figure out your household’s most accurate energy consumption to be able to find a solar generator of the right size and type.
