Tiny houses are becoming widely popular among people looking to cut down their expenses and reduce the environmental impact. However, before you move from traditional homes to tiny houses, you'll need to figure out one important thing &#; power. Since small homes typically exist off-grid, the best way to power them is by using solar panels for tiny houses.
You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.
The number of solar panels you'll need for your tiny house will depend on how many appliances you use. Jackery offers a wide range of high-quality solar panels compatible with power stations. Jackery Solar Generator Pro combines Explorer Pro Portable Power Station and SolarSaga 200W Solar Panels to charge 99% of appliances at home.
Series
Product Image
Output
Dimension
Weight
SolarSaga 200W
200W
Folded:
21,2 x 24,2 x 1,6 in (540 x 615 x 40 mm)
Unfolded:
21,2 x 91,3 x 1 in (540 x x 25 mm)
17.5±0.5 lbs (8.0±0.3 kg)
SolarSaga 100W
100W
Folded:
24 x 21 x 1.4 in (610 x 535 x 35 mm)
Unfolded:
48 x 21 x 0.2 in ( x 535 x 5 mm)
10.33 lbs (4.69 kg)
SolarSaga 80W
80W
Folded:
35.67 x 20.79 x 1.06 in (906 x 528 x 27 mm)
Unfolded:
35.67 x 20.79 x 1.06 in (906 x 528 x 27 mm)
11.24 lbs (5.1 kg)
Going solar offers many benefits, like reduced utility bills, lower environmental impact, and more. Additionally, solar energy is widely available, making it a free and renewable energy source for tiny houses. Here are a few main benefits of using solar panels for tiny homes.
While solar panels for tiny houses come with a bunch of advantages, there are a few drawbacks you must know.
In this table, let's quickly wrap up the pros and cons of solar panel systems for tiny houses.
Pros
Cons
&#; Saving electric bills
&#; Reduces environmental impact
&#; Eliminates dependency on grid electricity
&#; High upfront cost
&#; Require expensive additional batteries
You can install solar power panels on the roof of your tiny home or choose a portable battery backup to charge appliances. However, with a lot of solar panels available, it can be challenging to choose the one that meets your power requirements and budget. Therefore, it's ideal to consider a few important factors before you shell out money.
Power Usage
When choosing the solar panels for a tiny house, you'll need to know how many watts you use per hour or day. For instance, you'll need more solar panels and a larger battery capacity if you have higher power needs. If you have a high power requirement, consider Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panels with an Explorer Pro Portable Power Station.
Types of Solar Panels
Mainly, three types of solar panels are available &#; monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film. Monocrystalline solar power panels are the most efficient type made with single silicon cells, whereas polycrystalline are less efficient panels built with different silicon cells. Thin-film solar power panels are the least efficient type but have low cost.
Cost
The solar panels for tiny houses cost varies from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the quality. When buying solar panels, you must ensure they fall within your budget. Although monocrystalline solar panels have a higher initial cost, they are sturdy and have the highest quality.
Location
Southwestern states like Arizona, Florida, etc., generally get more sunshine hours as they are located in the sunbelt. However, if your tiny home is in the Northern Hemisphere, tilt the panels to the true south to get direct sunlight. The southern hemisphere should tilt PVs towards the true North. You must ensure the sun's rays hit the solar panels perpendicularly throughout the day for best results.
The first step to choosing the right solar power system is determining how much electricity you need. In order to calculate the exact energy consumption, all you need to do is list all the appliances and see how much energy they consume daily.
Energy consumption of an appliance = Watts × Usage time
Suppose you have a mini refrigerator that consumes 200 watts of energy. If you run the fridge for 5 hours, you'll need a solar system that supplies 200W*5H = Wh.
The below table reveals the power consumption of daily household appliances and their usage time.
Item
Watts
Usage Time (in hours)
Energy in Watt-hours
5 Led lights
5
5
125
Incandescent lighting
60
5
300
Refrigerator
200
8
AC unit
5
Cellphone
5
5
25
Well pump
750
1
750
Space heater
4
The answer to how many solar panels for a tiny house will depend on how much power you consume, the home location, space, and more. Typically, a small house requires 4kW of energy to charge all appliances. A 200-watt solar panel receiving 5 hours of direct sunlight will produce around watts of power.
You'll need to install four solar panels of 200 watts atop homes. However, they may be unsuitable for houses with smaller roofs. That's where portable solar panels come into the picture. Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels are designed with portability and convenience in mind.
Jackery SolarSaga 200W Solar Panels is best known for exceptional comfort and performance. The high-quality solar panels are practical for tiny homes since they can be folded and packed when not in use. You can connect the SolarSaga 200W Solar Panels with power stations to recharge them faster. They are built with monocrystalline silicon solar cells to offer 24.3% conversion efficiency.
Customer Review
"These are fantastically well-made panels! I use two of them to charge my Explorer . The carrying case is super nice as well, and the cord is stored in an inside pocket that is built in." &#; Grant
Compatible With
No. Of SolarSaga 200W Solar Panels
Recharging Time
Energy Produced
Working Hours
Explorer Pro
6
3.5H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 12H
AC Unit (W): 2.4H
Space Heater (W): 2.4H
Well Pump (750W): 3.2H
4
5H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 14H
AC Unit (W): 2.8H
Space Heater (W): 2.8H
Well Pump (750W): 3.8H
3
7H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 14H
AC Unit (W): 2.8H
Space Heater (W): 2.8H
Well Pump (750W): 3.7H
Explorer Pro
6
2.3H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 9.9H
AC Unit (W): 2H
Space Heater (W): 2H
Well Pump (750W): 2.6H
4
4H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 11H
AC Unit (W): 2.3H
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Space Heater (W): 2.3H
Well Pump (750W): 3H
3
5H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 10H
AC Unit (W): 2.1H
Space Heater (W): 2.1H
Well Pump (750W): 2.8H
Explorer Pro
4
1.8H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 5.2H
Well Pump (750W): 1.3H
3
2.4H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 4.7H
Well Pump (750W): 1.2H
With monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the Jackery SolarSaga 100W Solar Panels have a high efficiency of 24.3%. They have an ETFE-laminated case that protects the outer surface. It weighs only 10.33 lbs, making them ideal for off-grid adventures. It features 1*USB-A (5V, 2.4A) and 1*USB-C (5V, 3A) output ports to charge two small devices directly, like portable fans, phones, etc.
Customer Review
"Accurate power output under good sunlight. Good quality, great expandability. Charges my power station 300 in roughly 3-4 hrs. Might get a few more panels and connect them." &#; Ryan M.
Compatible With
No. of Panels
Recharging Time
Energy Produced
Working Hours
Explorer Pro
6
7.5H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 19.5H
LED Lights (5W): 780H
AC Unit (W): 3.9H
Cell (5W): 780H
Space Heater (W): 3.9H
Well Pump (750W): 5.2H
4
11H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 17H
LED Lights (5W): 693H
AC Unit (W): 3.4H
Cell (5W): 693H
Space Heater (W): 3.4H
Well Pump (750W): 4.6H
3
15H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 18H
LED Lights (5W): 736H
AC Unit (W): 3.6H
Cell (5W): 736H
Space Heater (W): 3.6H
Well Pump (750W): 4.9H
Explorer Pro
6
5.5H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 12H
LED Lights (5W): 476H
AC Unit (W): 2.3H
Cell (5W): 476H
Space Heater (W): 2.3H
Well Pump (750W): 3.1H
4
7.5H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 10H
LED Lights (5W): 433H
AC Unit (W): 2.1H
Cell (5W): 433H
Space Heater (W): 2.1H
Well Pump (750W): 2.8H
Explorer Pro
4
3.6H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 5.4H
LED Lights (5W): 219H
AC Unit (W): 1H
Cell (5W): 219H
Space Heater (W): 1H
Well Pump (750W): 1.4H
3
4.8H
Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 5.6H
LED Lights (5W): 225H
AC Unit (W): 1.1H
Cell (5W): 225H
Space Heater (W): 1.1H
Well Pump (750W): 1.5H
One thing that differentiates Jackery SolarSaga 80W Solar Panels from others is the upgraded dual-sided panel. It offers an ultra solar conversion efficiency of 25% to charge battery backups faster. The solar panels are designed with extra-white glass used on the backside. With only 11 lbs and an IP68 waterproof rating, the SolarSaga 80W Solar Panels are ideal for outdoor adventures.
Customer Review
"I am very impressed with the new 80-watt solar panel. The water resistance rating is very high, and it is not in danger if accidentally rained upon. Being the first Jackery two-sided panel, it picks up extra power from reflected background light." &#; Craig.
Compatible With
No. of Panels
Recharging Time
Energy Produced
Working Hours
Explorer Pro
12
1.5H
.8Wh
Refrigerator(200W): 6.2H
LED Lights (5W): 249H
Cell (5W): 249H
Well Pump (750W): 1.6H
If you want to build a DIY solar panel system for tiny houses, here are the main components you must know.
Solar Panels: First, you'll need multiple solar panels to charge the battery backup system. You can choose roof-mounted panels fixed atop your house roof or portable and foldable solar panels. If you don't have enough roof space, it is better to choose portable solar panels.
Battery Backup: You must invest in a safe and large-capacity battery backup. The two best batteries that can charge faster and supply stable electricity to appliances are lithium-ion and LiFePO4. Although these batteries have a high upfront cost, they last long and are relatively sturdy.
Inverter: The inverter takes power in the form of DC from the solar power panels and converts it to AC electricity that safely charges appliances.
Charge Controller: The primary role of the charge controller is to manage the power supplied to batteries.
Many new technology batteries come with an in-built MPPT charge controller and inverter to reduce the complete installation cost.
Now that we have covered the components of a solar panel system, here is how it works.
The PV or solar panels convert the sun's rays to electric energy (DC electricity), which is then supplied to the inverter. It converts DC current to AC electricity, which then flows to charge your tiny home appliances.
The cost of solar power panels for tiny homes will vary depending on the power output and the number of components. If you are investing in a roof-mounted solar panel system, you'll have to pay for high installation costs.
However, that's not the case when you choose portable solar systems like Jackery Solar Generators. They combine Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations and SolarSaga Solar Panels to efficiently power most tiny home appliances.
The battery backups are made with lithium-ion or LiFePO4 batteries to safely charge appliances for long hours. These battery backups have a built-in inverter to supply safe electricity and ensure no power fluctuations while charging devices. The MPPT charger controller provides 99% solar charging efficiency.
Buying portable power stations and solar panels for tiny houses is a wise decision to power most appliances for long hours. Not only will this help you charge electrical devices faster, but it will also lower the environmental impact by reducing the emission of harmful gases.
You can combine Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels with the Explorer Portable Power Stations to power all your home devices. For instance, the Jackery Solar Generator Pro is designed to charge 99% of tiny home appliances, making it a smart choice for homeowners.
The type of solar panel system you will need for your tiny home depends on the answers to a few key questions:
In general, tiny houses use much less electricity than the average home. However, every tiny house is different, and how much electricity you use to power your tiny home will depend on its size, how many people live in it, the appliances you use, and more. You'll want to generate as much of your overall electricity needs as possible to maximize your savings. This may mean only installing five solar panels or installing 15 of them.
If you don't know how much electricity your tiny house will use, the Department of Energy's Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use Calculator is an excellent place to start. You can enter individual appliances and how often you use them to estimate the amount of electricity they use per year.
Before installing solar panels on the roof of any tiny house, you want to ensure the roof gets enough sunlight and is structurally sound enough to hold up the solar panels and racking equipment. The roof may not be strong enough to handle the extra weight depending on how your tiny house was built and what it was built with. If this is the case, thin-film panels are worth exploring as many are very light compared to traditional solar panel alternatives. Some thin-film panels, like Lumeta's panels, are even adhesive so that you don't have to worry about the additional weight of racking materials.
Rather than installing rooftop systems, many tiny house owners install solar panels on the sunny plot of land close to their house. These systems require additional racking and mounting equipment, but you'll have more freedom to place your panels optimally and often have more space to install. Regardless of whether the panels sit on your roof or the ground, you'll want to ensure your panels are tilted to capture the maximum amount of electricity.
If your tiny house is connected to utility power lines, the system and electrical setup will work similarly to standard residential rooftop systems. Producing solar electricity during the day will support your electricity needs before sending excess energy to the grid. Many utility companies have a net metering incentive, providing credits for this excess generation. On a later date, you can use those credits, drawing electricity from the grid at night so that your tiny house doesn't go dark.
Alternatively, if your tiny house is off-grid, you'll need to pair your solar panels and inverter with a battery and charge controller - that way, you can charge your battery during the day and use that electricity after the sun goes down. If you're using a battery, you'll probably want to put it indoors: batteries are sensitive to temperature extremes. They can degrade quicker if they operate in hot or freezing weather.
If your tiny house is in the backyard or close to another building, you can run it on solar power by installing solar panels on the larger structure. Once that building runs on solar power, you can connect your tiny house to its electrical system with extension cords, supplying your tiny house with clean solar electricity. As a bonus, you will save on electricity costs for your tiny house and the larger building.
Want more information on tiny house solar system? Feel free to contact us.