In this short article, we’ll cover what all can a 60-Watt solar panel can power single-handedly. We’ll also talk about information for setting up a 60-Watt solar system along with the advantages and disadvantages of using a 60-Watt solar panel than other solar panels.
Let’s get started!
Common Items A 60-Watt Solar Panel Can Power
60 Watts is a moderate amount, and it can power smaller electronic devices, charge batteries, and do other useful tasks.
The input is usually limited to five hours a day, on average due to sunlight.
When multiplying 60 Watts by five hours, you will have around 300 Watt-hours every day. Here is a list of things that a 60-Watt solar panel can power:
- Battery chargers
- Smaller water pumps
- Laptop computers
- Lighting and signboards
- Televisions
- Fans and smaller coolers
There are other items that aren’t included on the list. To find out if your appliance can be powered, simply find the Wattage required on the device. We’ll use a 40” LED TV in this example—requirement of 50 Watts.
By dividing 300 Watt-hours by 50 Watts, you can expect your solar panel to power your TV for 6 hours every day (wholly based on an average).
Common FAQ
How Big Is A 60-Watt Solar Panel?
The size usually varies a little depending on the manufacturer of the solar panel.
For example, Jackery’s SolarSage 60W Solar Panel is 22” x 18.5” or approximately the size of a 30” flatscreen TV. SUNGOLDPOWER’s 60W Solar Panel is 30” x 21.2” or roughly the size of a 37” flatscreen TV.
Because of the smaller Wattage output, 60-Watt solar panels aren’t necessarily huge. In fact, there are cheaper 60-Watt solar panels that are foldable and easy to transport for hiking, taking a vacation, or just relaxing in the sun.
What Is Practical To Power For A Multiple 60-Watt Solar Panels Setup?
You can connect as many 60-Watt solar panels together for a more extensive solar system, and you can also connect solar panels of different Wattages for more power.
For example, let’s say that we have a five solar panel setup, each solar panel producing 60 Watts. Under five hours of direct sunlight in a day, on average, we will have:
60 Watts x 5 hours x 5 solar panels = 1500 Watt-hours every day
1500 Watt-hours of energy is a lot for many households—it isn’t enough to power a whole house, though. Let’s say that you have an entertainment center consisting of a 40” LED TV (50 Watts), an Xbox One (70 Watts), and two moderate-sized speakers (30 Watts together)—your total Wattage for the entertainment center comes to 150 Watts.
With the current example of our five solar panel setup, you can divide 1500 Watt-hours by 150 Watts to get ten hours of free electricity for your entertainment center—ten hours of gaming on a large TV with good speakers, all powered by the sun!
Which Charge Controller And Inverter Can A Multi 60-Watt Solar Panel System Use?
Usually, for 60-Watt solar panels or panels with more Watts, you can use a typical charge controller for your battery bank.
A standard 60-Amp charge controller can handle 480 Watts of power coming through, so in our case, you can have a 60-Amp charge controller for eight 60-Watt solar panels. Any more than that, you will need to get a second or an upgraded charge controller.
Check out more charge controllers here
An inverter would work the same way. Inverters come in size ratings—from 50 Watts to 50,000 Watts. You will have to get the right size for your solar system.
For example, if you have five 60-Watt solar panels, or 300 Watts in total, an inverter suited to handle 350 Watts will work just fine for you. For twelve 60-Watt solar panels, or a total of 720 Watts, an 800-Watt inverter or two 400-Watt inverters will suit you just nicely.
Check out more inverters here
Can A 60-Watt Solar Panel Charge A 50-Amp Hour Battery?
Yes! An average 60-Watt solar panel usually produces about 5 Amps. With simple multiplication, we can see that your solar panel will make 50 Amp-hours over ten hours. So, according to the math, you can charge a 50-Amp Hour battery with a 60-Watt solar panel in usually ten hours.
Unfortunately, there are only about five hours of direct sunlight every day, so your solar panel would be able to charge a 50-Amp Hour battery in two days. It can charge it in one day, but you would need two 60-Watt solar panels.
Reasons To Use A 60-Watt Solar Panel Over Others
Advantages:
- A 60-Watt solar panel has a very high Wattage per dollar value. You get more power for less money spent.
- A 60-Watt solar panel is relatively small and light—can be assembled and mounted in no time.
- You can buy multiple 60-Watt solar panels for more power, and you can have an affordable solar system for cheap.
Disadvantages:
- Usually, the max output is 60 Watts, but people don’t generally reach that high every day. With clouds, Earth’s tilt, the atmosphere, and other factors, people usually get 40-50 Watts which is still a lot.
- The actual output varies depending on where you are on Earth and what season it is.
- For more Watts per day, you need to angle-mount the solar panel somewhere without shade or high.
- Angle-mounting isn’t complex, but it does require tools, assembly, and parts that aren’t usually included with the solar panel.
Wrapping up
60-Watt solar panels are usually underrated when it comes to green power. Because it’s a smaller amount of energy, people generally don’t purchase it, but it makes for a significant first step towards going green.
What can a 100 W solar panel power? read more here
