Off-grid solar sizing calculator
How many panels and batteries do you need to keep the lights on without the grid? Tell us your daily power use, your local sunlight, and how many cloudy days you want covered — we'll size the system.
Result
- Solar array (W DC)
- Battery bank
- Usable battery
- Nominal battery
How to read the result. The array wattage is the DC nameplate to buy after derating for inverter losses, soiling, and shading (default 0.75). The battery Ah figure is sized so the bank can supply your autonomy days without dropping below the depth-of-discharge limit (LiFePO4 → 0.85, AGM → 0.5).
Tip for AZ off-gridders. Generic high-desert peak-sun values are 5.5-6.5 in summer, 3.5-4.5 in December. Always design to the December figure if you don't have a generator — otherwise you'll be in the dark at Christmas. For exact numbers, look up your nearest NREL station.
Recommended gear
Affiliate links — Plotnode may earn a commission from purchases at no extra cost to you.
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AmazonBluetti AC500 + B300 modular home battery5 kW inverter / 3 kWh modular battery; LiFePO4, scales to 18 kWh.
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AmazonEcoFlow DELTA Pro 34 kWh expandable, 4 kW continuous. Solid mid-range off-grid pick.
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AmazonRenogy 400W solar panel kitFour 100W panels + 40A MPPT controller + Bluetooth module. Good shed-to-cabin starter system.
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