We have categorized medium-wattage appliances as appliances that require around 500 to 900 watts of power to operate. This is less than 1000 watts used by high-wattage appliances in a home. Examples include coffee makers, instant pots, microwaves, and toasters. These appliances have moderate power demands and are commonly found in households and offices.
In this article, we take you through choosing the right size solar generator for medium-wattage appliances. Why the inverter rating and the capacity of the solar generator matter and how solar panels can expand the solar generator’s capabilities.
What Size Solar Generator for Medium Wattage Appliances
To choose the appropriate size solar generator for an appliance you need to match the power rating of the appliance to the inverter rating of the solar generator. You also need to consider the capacity of the solar generator as it will determine how long it will run your appliance.
Inverter Rating
The inverter rating of a solar generator is a crucial factor in determining its capability to run medium-wattage appliances. To run medium-wattage appliances between 500 to 900 watts you will need a 700-watt inverter for the lower end or a 1000-watt inverter for the higher end. Matching the solar generator’s wattage to the inverter rating ensures compatibility and optimal performance.
Capacity
While the inverter will determine if a solar generator can run the appliance the capacity will determine how long the solar generator will run the appliance. The capacity in watt-hours represents the total energy storage of the solar generator.
A solar generator with a good power ratio will balance the inverter rating to the capacity. A good 1000-watt solar generator will have a 1000-watt-hour capacity and a 700-watt solar generator will have a 700-watt-hour capacity. This balanced design ensures at least one-hour runtime at full capacity.
How Long Will a 1000-Watt Solar Generator Run an Appliance?
To determine how long you can run an appliance on a solar generator you need to consider the solar generator’s capacity and the appliance’s watt-hour requirements. Electrical energy is measured in Watt-Hours. The length of time an appliance operates determines how much power it uses.
Watt-hours take into consideration the number of hours you will be running your appliance.
To calculate Watt-Hours you multiply the Wattage of the device or appliance by the number of hours you use the device.
Watt-Hours = Watts X Hours
For example, if you want to use a 700-watt instant pot cooker for 1 hour, you will need 700 Wh of energy.
So how do you calculate how long a solar generator can run an appliance?
To calculate the running time of a pressure cooker, you would use the following formula:
Running Time = Solar Generator Watt-hours/operating power of the device
You will need to multiply the solar generator’s capacity by 0.85 to factor efficiency and conversion losses.
= (1000*0.85)/700
= 1.21 hrs
| Appliance Wattage | Runtime (Hours) |
| 500 | 1.70 |
| 600 | 1.42 |
| 700 | 1.21 |
| 800 | 1.06 |
| 900 | 0.94 |
A 1000-watt solar generator will not run anything above 900 watts. The actual continuous output power will be around 900 watts. If you need to run an appliance with a higher power rating you should consider a 1500-Watt or 2000-watt solar generator which will be adequate for running high-wattage appliances.
How Long Will a 1000-Watt Solar Generator Last with a Solar Panel?
The recommended solar panel for a 1000-watt solar generator is a 300-watt solar panel. This will depend on the manufacturer and may differ with some makes depending on capacity. A 300-Watt Solar Panel can charge a fully depleted 1000wh solar generator in around 4 hours. This will depend on the time of day, and availability of sunlight.
With the extra 300 Watts coming to your solar generator, you add a couple of minutes of your running time:
With 300 watts for a 700-watt appliance
= (300*0.85)/700
= 0.36 hrs
With the solar panel hooked on the solar generator, you add 21 minutes to your running time.
Also because the solar generator supports pass-through charging meaning you can use it as it is getting charged. This means that the sunlight becomes a fuel source powering your appliance. What this also means if you’re running your appliances for short periods of time you may not deplete any capacity of the solar generator. Like our example for the instant pot it can cook quite fast and can cook vegetables in less than 3 minutes and stews in 15 to 20 minutes.
How Long Will a 700-Watt Solar Generator Run an Appliance?
A 700-watt solar generator can also work for your medium-wattage appliances on the lower end. So how long will a 700-watt solar generator run an appliance?
To calculate the running time of an appliance, you would use the following formula:
Running Time = Solar Generator Watt-hours/operating power of the device
You will multiply the solar generator’s capacity by 0.85 to factor efficiency and conversion losses.
= (700*0.85)/500
= 1.19 hrs
A 700-watt solar generator can run a 500-watt coffee maker in 1 hr 11 minutes. You can also run a 600-watt appliance for at least an hour.
How Long Will a 700-Watt Solar Generator Last with a 200-watt Solar Panel?
The recommended solar panel for a 700-watt solar generator will be a 200-watt solar panel. A 200-watt Solar panel can charge a 700-watt solar generator in around four hours. This will depend on the availability of sunlight. 4 hours of sunlight in an ideal situation should provide 800Wh enough to fully recharge the solar generator.
With the extra 200 watts going to the solar generator this also adds to the run time;
= (200*0.85)/500
= 0.34 hrs
With the power from the solar panel, you can run the coffee maker for an additional 20 minutes and recharge the solar generator in 4 hours. Since you won’t be using your coffee maker for less than 20 minutes a day this means that the load can be supported fully from the power coming in from the solar panel.
Recommendation
The Lipo 1000W Solar Generator Power Station is a reliable and versatile power solution that meets the demands of various applications. With its ample power capacity, battery capacity, versatile charging options, solar panel compatibility, portability, and additional features, it offers a comprehensive package for powering your devices and appliances. The generator also comes equipped with a variety of ports, including USB-C, USB-A, AC, DC, and carport, allowing users to charge and power a wide range of devices and appliances. It also includes a built-in MPPT charge controller, which maximizes the charging efficiency of the solar panels.