Off Grid Calculator

Many are switching to solar or off-grid living but don't know how many solar panels to buy and how much stored energy in the form of batteries they need. The Off Grid Calculator can help millions make the switch comfortably to green solar energy!

Total Appliances	Total Watts Needed		Watts Produced		Storable Watts
0	0	0	0	0	0

Appliance	Watts Per Hour	Appliance	Watts Per Hour	Appliance	Watts Per Hour
Coffee Maker	900	Washing Machine	800	Electric Dryer	3000
Microwave	1200	40 Watt Bulbs	5000	Water Heater	4000
Refrigerator	1500	12,000 BTU	1400	Ceiling Fan	125
Hair Dryer	1500	Laptop Computer	50	15 ft³ Freezer	35
40" LED TV	31	Toaster	1200	.5 hp well pump	900
XBOX 360	180	PS4	150	1hp well pump	2000
DVD Player	15	RV Water Pump	50	Desktop PC	200
Dishwasher	1800	RV Furnace Fan	100	Clothes Iron	900

*All appliance wattages are an average estimate based on general usage. Wattage may vary with model.

Producing Energy

For producing energy I chose a 240 watt polycrystalline solar panel. The reason I chose this panel is because it is more affordable and common than monocrystalline solar panels, however, this is a baseline to be used for identifying how many panels are needed. Both polycrystalline and monocrystalline will produce the same amount of energy but the more efficient monocrystalline panel may be smaller.

Storing Energy

For energy storage I chose a common 1000 Watt RV battery for calculating needed stored energy. There are other options for storing energy that are measured in watt hours but I chose a readily available option for storing energy to solve the need for energy when solar energy is not being produced such as at night.

Solution

This program helps users understand how our consumption affects the need for producing and storing energy.