How Many Solar Panels in a 5kw Solar System?
How many solar panels are needed in a 5kw solar system? It’s one of the questions that many South Africans have been asking. The country has been reeling under loadshedding, though there is hope on the horizon. At the moment, some areas are going up to 6 hours without power, a development that has forced people to look for alternative energy sources. The most popular of these is solar. You are here because you wish to get a 5kw system. So, how many solar panels are needed for a 5kva inverter?
How many solar panels for 5kva inverter?
The number of solar panels that you are going to need for your 5kw system will depend on their size. The lower the wattage on your panels, the more the number of your are going to require. The following table shows the number of panels need for a 5kva inverter based on different sized panels;
| Panel Size | Number needed for a 5kw system |
|---|---|
| 300 watts | 16 |
| 350 watts | 14 |
| 400 watts | 12 |
| 450 watts | 11 |
| 500 watts | 10 |
| 600 watts | 6 |
Explanation
That’s the answer to the question how many solar panels are needed in a 5kw system. As you can see, the smaller your panels are in terms of power output, the more panels you are going to need.
If you opt for 300 watt panels, you will need 16 for a 5kva system. Meanwhile, if you get bigger solar panels, you will need fewer for your inverter. You will need 6 * 600 watt panels for you to set up your system.
What can you power with such a system?
The 5kw system is the most popular for those looking to go completely off-grid. It’s one of the most popular systems for those who are serious about solar energy.
But what can you do with such a system. There is a reason why such a system is popular. We have another article in which we fully answer the question what can you power with a 5kva inverter.
A 5kw system is great in that you can be completely off grid. You can power anything in your home, including your freezer. That’s probably one of the biggest draws as far as power consumption is concerned.
Summary
In this article, we answered the question, how many solar panels are needed in a 5kw system. It was noted that the number that you need is between 6 and 16. That’s assuming that your panels are going to be over 300 watts big.
Anything smaller and you will need too many panels, which is not ideal when it comes to the amount of space that you need. In general, the 6 * 600 watt panels are going to take less space, though they may be bigger than 300 watt panels.
How much does a 5kw solar system cost in South Africa?