1. What is Home Battery Sizing?

Home battery sizing calculates the required battery capacity (in amp-hours) to power your home for a specified number of days without solar input, based on your energy consumption, system voltage, and battery efficiency.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the battery sizing equation:

Where:

• \( Home\ Wh \) — Daily home energy consumption in watt-hours
• \( Autonomy \) — Days of backup power needed
• \( V \) — Battery bank voltage
• \( Eff \) — Battery efficiency (typically 0.8-0.9 for lead-acid, 0.95+ for lithium)

Explanation: The equation converts your daily energy needs into battery capacity requirements, accounting for system losses.

3. Importance of Proper Battery Sizing

Details: Correct battery sizing ensures your solar system can meet your energy needs during periods without sunlight, prevents over-discharge that shortens battery life, and helps optimize system cost.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your average daily energy consumption in watt-hours, desired days of autonomy, system voltage (typically 12V, 24V, or 48V), and battery efficiency (0.85 for lead-acid, 0.95 for lithium).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How do I determine my home's Wh consumption?
A: Check your electricity bills for kWh usage, then multiply by 1000 and divide by 30 for average daily Wh. For accuracy, use an energy monitor.

Q2: What's a typical autonomy period?
A: 1-3 days is common for solar systems. More days increase cost significantly.

Q3: Why include efficiency in the calculation?
A: Batteries aren't 100% efficient - energy is lost during charging/discharging and conversion.

Q4: Should I oversize my battery bank?
A: A 20-30% buffer is recommended to prevent deep discharges that shorten battery life.

Q5: How does battery type affect sizing?
A: Lithium batteries can discharge deeper (80-90%) than lead-acid (50%), so may require less capacity for the same usable energy.