How Much Power Do You Need?

 

“How much electrical power do I need?” is a question that comes up often regarding generator use or solar power. It is even important for simple house wiring. The important thing is to find the maximum current that may be needed. If you have more than one appliance in a circuit, it is important to find the power needed for all the appliances so damage will not occur if all are turned on at the same time.

The two primary components in electrical power are current and voltage. Electrical appliances have rated voltage, current, and power associated with them. Simply adding up all of the power or current ratings of the appliances will tell you how much power you need. Power sources such as generators will give a power rating in watts. Electrical wiring is rated by the current it can carry.

Power is either AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current). To simplify, AC comes from the power company and DC comes from batteries, solar panels, or AC converters. Generators can produce AC or DC current. Current values vary with the device and the load on the device. Current is measured in amps but is sometimes stated in milliamps (1/1000 of an amp).

Voltage is measured in volts and generally comes in several values. In the United States, the most common values are 120 volts AC, 240 volts AC, 12 volts DC, and 24 volts DC. Other values are used for certain situations but are not common in the household setting. Standard wall outlet voltage is 120 volts; large items like some stoves and air conditioners use 220 volts. Certain types of lighting, such as spot lighting, operate at a lower voltage. These units use a transformer to step down the voltage to the proper level for lighting.

Power is the rate at which a device can do work. Electrical power is measured in watts but sometimes will be stated as milliwatts (1/1000 of a watt) or kilowatts (1000 watts). AC power can be either single phase or three phase. Household appliances are single phase. Three phase is used to power large industrial motors. This publication addresses calculating single phase or DC power only.

Another consideration is the differences between apparent power and real power. This publication deals with apparent power. Apparent power is the mathematical relationship of power, maximum current, and maximum voltage. Real power is more difficult to measure, but the values obtained are never higher than apparent power. These differences can cause some problems when calculating power for motors. Generators generally give power in terms of apparent power. Apparent power should be stated in terms of volt amps, but is frequently stated in terms of watts. Most generators list power in apparent power due to the difficulty in using real power. This will not cause problems as long as a system is not stressed to 100 percent of the rated power.

Device labels should contain the voltage and either or both power and current. The relationship between power voltage and current is expressed as follows:

voltage x current = power

If you know voltage and current, you can calculate power by multiplying voltage by current in amps. If current is in milliamps, divide the result by 1000. The result is in watts of power.

Occasionally you will encounter a product or device labeled in VA (volt amps). This designator is similar to watts. KVA (kilovolt amps) is kilowatts (1000 watts).

If you know voltage and power, you can calculate current by dividing power by voltage. This will give you current in amps.

When you first turn on an appliance with an electric motor, the motor will draw significantly more current—three to five times more—than stated on the label. You must make allowances for this. Generators and inverters usually have a surge rating that tells the maximum power that can be drawn for a short period. Fuses and circuit breakers will generally allow excess current to flow for a short time before deactivating the circuit.

So how much power do you need to run your appliances? For a given voltage, you will have a maximum power and current. Use the equation above to determine how much power you need. For multiple appliances, add the current or power of each to get the maximum power or current needed. All units must be the same. The number you obtain should be less than the circuit that is supplying the power. You should not attempt to run a power supply at 100 percent, although short surges to this level are acceptable.

Examples

You have three 120-volt appliances. Their labels indicate they draw 1 amp, 2 amps, and 5 amps, respectively. The total current would be 1 + 2 + 5 = 8 amps. From this, power can be calculated by multiplying voltage and current: 120 x 8 = 960 watts.

For three 220-volt appliances, the labels state that their power is 100 watts, 300 watts, and 600 watts. The total power would be 100 + 300 + 600 = 1000 watts. To find current, divide power by voltage: 1000/220 = 4.54 amps.

If you have mixed power and current, you must convert them to one or the other. For example, your 120-volt appliances are rated at 2 amps, 320 watts, and 450 watts. You must convert all three to current or to watts. For this example, we will convert to watts. The 2-amp item is multiplied by 120 volts to give 240 watts. Then, add the power ratings (240 + 320 + 450) to get a total of 1010 watts. The current would be 1010/120 = 8.42 amps.

Thats the basics of electricty requriments.  Now let’s look at Solar Generators and Power Stations

A solar generator is a highly convenient and versatile power source. You can use one to access power while on the go or as a backup source of energy for your home. Before buying one, you might be asking yourself, what size solar generator do I need?

This is certainly an important question. Buying the right size solar generator will ensure that you have an optimal source of power without paying more for one than you have to.

But perhaps the real question you should be asking is, what size power station do I need for my solar generator?

This is because a “solar generator” can technically refer to a solar solution that combines two (or more) components. A Solar Generator consists of:

  1. The solar panels – which collect the solar energy from direct sunlight.
  2. The power station – which stores the electrical power converted by the solar panels.

In this article, we will help you figure out what size power station is most suitable for your solar generator goals. Keep reading to learn how to calculate the right power station size, along with other information about solar generators, so that you make the best choice.

How Power Stations Are Sized

Power stations are typically sized in watts (W). This is a measure of power that’s used to calculate the rate of energy transfer. But what you really need to know is that the greater watts a power station has, the more power it can provide you in a single charge.
That being said, there are different watt measurements to pay attention to when deciding on a power station.

Continuous Power

The first measurement is usually called continuous power. This is the amount of power that a power station can provide consistently.

Peak Power

The second measurement is usually called peak power. This is the maximum amount of power that a power station can provide in a short burst.

Continuous Power vs. Peak Power (An Example)

Here’s an example. Think of when you turn on your air conditioner. It needs a quick burst of power to get started. That’s peak power. But the amount of power needed to continuously run the AC unit is generally lower. That’s continuous power.

Some appliances, such as refrigerators, need a burst of 3-7 times their normal power needs to get started. Keep in mind, your power station needs to be able to accommodate this peak power requirement to run the appliance. So, if you are looking for a solar generator to run a refrigerator, simply meeting the continuous power requirements won’t be enough.

Continuous power will likely be the more impactful number for you to think about. It’s what tells you how much power you will get from a single charge of your power station under normal conditions.

How to Calculate Your Optimal Power Station Capacity in 4 Steps

Gigs2work sells power stations to meet a wide variety of power consumption needs. Our products range from 167Wh of capacity to as high as 5,120Wh of capacity.

How Many Watts Do I Need in a Solar Generator’s Power Station?

To figure out which Gigs2work product offers the right power capabilities for you, you’ll need to perform the following calculations:

Step 1: Select What You Want to Power With Your Power Station and For How Long

The first part of picking the right power station for your needs is understanding what those needs are. This means selecting the specific devices that you want to power with your solar generator, and setting a rough estimation of how long you’d like for its power station to provide that power.

Tip: Be sure to only pick devices that you can plug into your Jackery Power Station. For example, things like water heaters are often hardwired into your home. So, the chances are you wouldn’t be able to power one with a power station. (Unless you also hardwire that device to your home.)

Here are some common devices that people power with solar generators:

Step 2: Find Out How Much Energy Each of Your Selections Uses

Once you know what you want to power, it’s time to figure out how much energy you need to do so.

The starting point towards calculating this is finding out how many watts your devices need to run. This number is often listed somewhere on the device itself. But if you only see a measurement for amps, you can multiply that number by the item’s voltage to convert into watts.

Next, you need to pick how many hours you want to be able to use each of your devices. Then, multiply the number of hours that you’ve selected by the watts of each item. This will give you the total watt-hours you require to be able to power each device.

Here’s an example:

You want to power two 60 watt lightbulbs for two hours each. To find the total amount of watt-hours of power you need:

Then, divide your answer by 0.85 to account for a constant energy consumption rate of 85% when the device is in charge.

This results, in you needing a power station that can provide at least approximately 564 watt-hours to meet your goal of being able to power two 60 watt lightbulbs for 2 hours each.

Step 3: Add All Of Your Watt-Hour Answers Together

You need to perform the calculation shown in the previous step for each item you want to power with your Gigs2work Solar Generator.

Then, simply add all of the answers together to get the total amount of watt-hours that you need the power station to provide and reach the goals you have for it.

For example, let’s say you need 400 watt-hours to power your lights, 300 to charge your phone, and 300 to charge your laptop. Your total watt-hour requirement would be 1,000 (400 + 300 + 300).

Step 4: Determine the Watt-Hours of the Power Station You Want

At this stage, you have all the information that you need to pick the right portable power station.

Simply take your answer from Step 3 and compare it to the wattage offered by each power station that you look at. Just make sure that you pick a power station that has a higher wattage than your total watt-hour requirement calculated in Step 3.

Can a Solar Generator Power a House?

Note that unless you purchase a large Gigs2work Solar Generator , you likely won’t be able to power everything in your house for multiple hours with a solar powered generator.

If you find that the answer you got in Step 3 is higher than almost every power station you look at, then you may need to go back and reassess what you really need to power with it. If you can lower yourself down to just the essentials, then you will find a solar generator that works for you without having to break your budget to buy it.

The Benefits of Buying a Portable Solar Generator

Portable solar generators are a dynamic backup power option. You can use them both in your home and when you’re on the go. They’re purposefully made smaller than dedicated home backup solar generators to offer this flexibility.

As they feature a power station that you charge with portable solar panels, you essentially plug the portable solar panels into the power station until it’s charged. Then you can use the power that you’ve created on almost any appliance or electronic device that you want.

Many people purchase portable solar generators to get access to clean power while enjoying the outdoors. Then, as an added benefit, they can use the generator as a backup source of energy for their homes whenever they need one. It’s this versatility that’s made portable solar generators so popular.

Power Station Sizing FAQs

Can You Charge Any Device with a Gigs2work Power Station?

Gigs2work Power Stations can power a wide variety of consumer devices since they feature USB ports, a DC carport, and pure sine wave AC outlets.

Your device will need to be powered with one of these methods and use a level of power that is compatible with the Gigs2work Power Station you select.

Can a Gigs2work Power Station Jumpstart My Car?

No, you cannot jumpstart a car with a Gigs2work Power Station. But you can charge a car’s battery with a power station. So you can use your Gigs2work product to get the battery charged enough so that you don’t need to jumpstart it.

How Long Can a Gigs2work Power Station Power My Device?

This is entirely dependent on the amount of power that your device uses. You need to perform the watt-hour calculation (shown above) and compare that figure to the wattage of the  Gigs2work Power Station model you select. Doing this will give you the answer you are looking for.

 

What Size Gigs2work Power Station Is Best for Me?

This will depend on how much power you want to get out of your portable solar generator.

Gigs2work Power Station Size Options

Gigs2work provides a wide variety of power stations to make it easier for you to find one that fits your needs. We’ve put together a chart to help you figure out which is right for you.

Check out this table to get a better sense of the type of power you can expect to get from several popular Gigs2work Power Stations:

Conclusion

Solar generators provide clean, renewable energy as a low-maintenance power source for wherever you need it. Whether that’s in the home, the outdoors, or both. They can be a very worthwhile investment. However, it makes sense to buy the right size for your energy needs.

That’s why Gigs2work offers solar generators equipped with power stations of various sizes to ensure you find the one that suits your goals and budget. Always keep in mind what devices you are looking to power and for how long.

If you are unsure how much power you need, we hope this article helps you to calculate the right size power station, and consequently, the right size solar generator for you.

For more information on Gigs2work Solar Generators and the various size power stations they come with, take a look at our solar generators* page.