Computers are an absolute necessity. Everything, from homes to government offices, is incomplete without computers.
But what would happen if you lose power?
Well, in this case, running your computer with solar power can be amazing, isn’t it?
Luckily, in this article, we will provide you with all the information you need to run your computer using the power of the sun from how many solar panels to power your computer to what size battery to keep your computer or laptop going all day long.
Calculate your Computer Daily Energy Consumption
To know how many solar panels do you need, first, you need to calculate your computer’s daily energy consumption.
And to calculate the daily power consumption you need to:
- Figure out your computer wattage
- Calculate how many hours do you run your computer each day
- Multiply the number of run hours per day by the computer wattage
Let’s calculate it together
- A standard desktop computer requires 200 Wh to 300 Wh.
- A standard computer’s monitor requires 35 Wh to 80 Wh.
- Assume we are going to run the computer for 8 hours.
That means Running a computer for 8 hours will need (300 + 80 ) × 8 = 3040 Wh from the solar system, each day.
Calculate The Solar Panel Daily Energy Generation In Your Area
How much energy produced by your solar panels depends on many variables such as:
- Solar panel efficiency
- Solar Panel wattage
- How many hours of direct sunlight do your panels get
- How intense is the sunbeam
- Shading
- Roof slope
- Azimuth
And because there are so many variables to consider, determining how much power your solar panel will produce can be difficult.
The simplest and quickest way to calculate this is to multiply the wattage of your solar panels by the number of hours of direct sunlight you receive each day.
Assuming you live in California, where you get 5.82 peak sun hours, then to generate 3040 Wh, we need 522 watt solar panels (3040/5.82).
So to power your computer on solar energy, you need five 100 watt solar panels.
Can You Directly Power The Computer From Solar Panels?
The answer is no, you can not power your computer directly from solar panels therefore we use batteries.
So You need to convert the power and make it suitable for your computer.
Batteries will operate as energy storage units, allowing you to use the energy stored in them even when there is no sun or when it is night.
During the day, solar panels will charge the batteries, and at night, you can use them.
So, you must Purchase a 12-volt battery or even get started with a small lawn-and-garden battery.
And for the ideal solution, you can use Lithium-ion batteries, Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable and perfect for fast charging. It will also last for a long time and have a higher power destiny.
What Size Battery To Power A Computer On Solar Energy?
Here is how to calculate the size of your battery:
Battery Size = Your Solar Panels Energy Generation Per Hour / Battery Voltage
Battery size = 522 Watt / 12 Volt = 40 Ah
Do You Need an Inverter To Run Your Computer?
Our modern appliances run on alternating current (AC). However, the electricity generated by your solar panels and battery system is direct current (DC).
Therefore you will need an inverter to convert DC electricity to AC power in real-time to use this solar energy in your home or business.
So we need to get an AC-to-DC inverter. This gives you a standard household wall socket that you can plug the computer into.
Can You Run A Gaming PC With Solar Power?
The answer is yes, A gaming PC requires more energy than a normal computer. Usually, a gaming PC uses an average of 400Wh to 450Wh.
To power your gaming PC on solar.
And to calculate how many solar panels we need:
8 hours x 450 W = 3600 Wh
6 hours x 200 W = 1200 Wh
1200 Wh x 3 = 3600 Wh
So we need three 200 watts solar panels to power our computer.
Pro tip: To store the extra energy, you’ll need at least two batteries; one may not be enough. The reason for this is that on cloudy days, the solar panels will not produce enough energy. You can run your computer without interruption if you have enough energy.
Note: you better figure out your gaming pc power then calculate how many panels you need to power it.
Can You Run A Laptop Using Solar Power?
Yes, solar energy can be used to power a laptop. You’ll need a solar charger for this, which captures all of the sun’s green energy.
A laptop consumes less power than a desktop and is a more convenient way to transport your workaround. Solar energy can be used to power your laptop in two different ways.
1. To buy and connect a solar laptop charger to the solar installed panel (system)
Because a laptop consumes about 60Wh, you will need to install additional solar panels to power it.
2. To buy a laptop directly running on solar energy
The latest technology enables many computers to run under the power of the sun. However, only a few computers with this technology are available.
Last words
Running your computer using solar power is an efficient way to reduce the amount of energy your local power provider uses which will reduce your electricity bill.
In the end, we hope you enjoyed this article as much as we did.
Do you have any questions?
If so, please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
