400-watt solar panels are one of the biggest panels you can buy. For supplying electricity to a home, these-sized panels work great. To power, an entire house, connect one or more 400-watt solar panels. Now that you have a 400-watt solar panel, you can generate more power with less room. A 400-watt solar panel can power a 360-watt AC load (constant) at full irradiance. This amount accounts for 10% of inverter losses. You can learn more about 400-watt solar panels by reading the following paragraphs.
How Much Energy Can A 400-watt Solar Panel Produce?
A 400-watt solar panel produces 1600 watt-hours (Wh) of energy per day, or 584 kWh per year, under the assumption that there are four peak sun hours on average. According to the peak sun hours at the location, the exact energy value will vary. To account for inverter losses, which vary depending on inverter size and load, deduct at least 10%.
As you read about solar energy production, the phrase Maximum Power Point may have come up. In order to produce the maximum amount of power from the panel, the panel’s volts and amps must be at precisely the right values at this time.
Power in watts = voltage x current
Maximum power is generated when:
- the sun’s energy (irradiance) is strong enough and,
- the characteristics of the load resistance match the panel’s internal resistance
Solar Irradiance And Power Output
The output of solar panels varies throughout the day based on the sun’s intensity. The few hours just before and after noon are when it is strongest, and the early morning and late evening are when it is weakest.
When estimating the average watt-hours a panel can produce over time, solar installers refer to the average number of hours of sunshine per day.
When sizing domestic solar panel power, the daily value—often referred to as peak sun hours—is helpful.
Solar Panel Characteristic Resistance
Every electrical device has an internal resistance. The characteristic resistance of a solar panel is the term used to describe it. The internal resistance of most solar panels is 3 ohms or less.
Maximum power is produced when the load resistance equals the characteristic resistance of the panel.
Some appliances (such as solar chargers and inverters) automatically modify their internal resistance to produce the most power possible. Maximum PowerPoint Tracking, or MPPT, is the abbreviation for these.
What Can A 400-watt Solar Panel Power?
You can see that in the United States, a 400-watt solar panel’s typical daily power output ranges from about 805 Wh/day to more than 1656 Wh/day. 1150 Wh/day is the result of averaging out all the values in the table.
What Can A 400-watt Solar Panel Power?
A refrigerator can be run continuously on a 400-watt solar panel! Most of your common household appliances can be powered by a 400-watt solar panel. The battery connected to your panel will have a significant impact on the runtime of these appliances.
The sun is a natural energy source, but depending on the time of day and the weather, its power can vary greatly.
Batteries that store energy and serve as a backup in the event of cloud cover or a drop in power output are typically used in conjunction with solar panels. The clean and reliable power your appliances require will be provided by batteries and an inverter.
Energy Storage Is Critical
You’ve seen that a 400w panel can generate 2 kWh per day. For consistent power output over time, you must therefore store your energy in batteries.
Through battery storage and inverting, you will lose some energy. You should nevertheless anticipate using at least 85% of your initial energy output.
Less energy than your 400W panel can generate in a day—roughly 1.4 kWh—is used daily by a medium-sized refrigerator with a freezer.
You must keep in mind that you are dealing with natural elements. Your solar panel’s output won’t be sufficient to power the refrigerator all day on a cloudy and/or windy day.
Which Charge Controller Size Is Best For A 400w Solar Module?
The size of charge regulators you can get for this panel depends on two things:
- The voltages of your system,
- and the resulting current of the setup.
The current can be calculated by diving the wattage of the panel by the battery’s voltage (say 12V):
That is: 400W/12V = 33.33 amps
By adding 25% more current for safety, multiply this value by 1.25 to determine the size of the charge controller you need.
You will receive 41.25 amps as a result.
Therefore, a 12V 45A solar charge controller is available for this.
Read More: Can You Charge Solar Batteries Without A Charge Controller?
What Size Inverter Should I Buy For A 400-watt Solar Panel?
Solar inverters change the Direct Current from the battery (or the solar panels themselves) to Alternating Current.
The nominal voltage of your inverter and your system’s (battery and panels) components should be the same.
As a result, your inverter should also be 12V if your solar system is 12V. The recommended size of your inverter can be:
- equal to,
- 20% less,
- or more than the maximum output that your panel.
As a result, your inverter size options for a 400 w PV module are 380 w, 400 w, or 480W.
Read More: Why Do Solar Cells Need An Inverter?
Why Can An Inverter Be 20% Smaller Than A Solar System’s Size?
In real-world situations, it may be challenging to reach the maximum power that solar panels are capable of producing, which is determined based on Standard Test Conditions.
Throughout the system, a portion of the power generated could also be lost. especially when the temperature rises above the range for normal operation. Thus, it may be more economical to use an inverter that is slightly smaller.
Can A 400 Watt Solar Panel Power A Fridge?
When used with a 120Ah lithium iron phosphate (LiFeP04) battery and a 500–600 watt inverter (pure sine-wave type), a 400-watt rated panel will power a medium-sized refrigerator. A refrigerator needs between 2,000 and 400 kWh per year, so a 400-watt solar panel would produce about 584 kWh annually.
Let’s look more closely and assume that the refrigerator in question uses 400 kWh per year.
Unlike solar panels, which only generate electricity during the day, a refrigerator runs continuously throughout the night. Accordingly, a battery of some kind that can supply the refrigerator with 200 kWh per year, or 50% of the required energy, is required.
The solar panel must produce 200 kWh per year during the day to power the refrigerator and an additional 200 kWh to recharge the battery so it can run at night.
A 400-watt panel should be able to power a medium-sized refrigerator if there aren’t many cloudy days.
Can An Air Conditioner Be Powered By A 400-watt Solar Panel?
Short-term cooling can be provided by a 400-watt solar panel. RV air conditioners typically use smaller models with 1000–1500 watt power ratings. With a daily charge of 1150 Wh, you can hardly run an air conditioner for 46 to 1.15 hours, which is not a viable option.
How Many 400-watt Solar Panels Are Required To Power A Home?
To power a typical house, 19 400-watt solar panels are required. About 11,000 kWh of electrical energy is used annually by the typical American household. With an irradiance of 4 peak sun hours, a 400-watt solar panel generates 584 kWh annually. 19 solar panels are obtained by multiplying 11000kWh by 584kWh (losses excluded).)
Let’s assume a very lean overall PV system loss of 10%:
Number of 400 solar panels = home energy needs/solar system production
Each panel generates annually 584kWh-(584kWh*10%) = 465 = 525.6kWh
Number of 400 watt solar panels to power a home = 11000kWh/525.6kWh = 21 panels
Your energy usage and the location of your home will determine the exact number of solar panels you need for your house.
How Do You Maintain Your 400-watt Solar Panel?
All you have to do to keep your panel’s front window dust-free is to wash it with clear water once a month. You must visually check the 400-watt solar panel’s mounting rails every three years. You’re good to go for the next 25 to 30 years after that.
Final Thoughts
Excellent addition to your house or RV could be a 400-watt solar panel. Most appliances can be operated without any issues. An electric blanket, vacuum, dishwasher, computer monitor, and CPU can all be powered and run for a few to several hours each day by a 400-watt solar panel.