Electric heaters use high electricity and increase the bill significantly. Many consumers want to decrease electricity costs and looking for an alternative option, especially solar energy. The question is – how many solar panels does it take to run a heater?
Solar power may be a great option if you are worried about running a heater. You can run heaters with solar panels and reduce expenditure.
This writing will estimate the number of solar panels to run a heater.
Contents
- How Many Solar Panels Does it Take to Run a Heater?
- Can I Run Many Heaters on a Single Solar Power Source?
- Do You Need a Battery to Run a Heater on Solar Power?
- Best Electric Heaters to Use With Solar Panels
- Choose Good Solar Panel for Heater
- Are There Solar Powered Heater?
- How Many Solar Panels Does It Take to Heat a House?
How Many Solar Panels Does it Take to Run a Heater?
It depends on your heater size and energy consumption rate. It takes about 8-10 solar panels to run a heater. This number can change based on the size and efficiency of the solar panel, but on average, it will take 8-10 panels to produce enough power to run a heater.
You can calculate the number of solar panels by considering the watts and usage of the heater can calculate the number of panels.
| Wattage of Heater | Solar Panels Needed | Battery Needed | Operating Time |
| 100 watt | one 100-watt solar panel | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 200 watt | two 100-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 500 watt | two 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 1000 watt | four 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 1200 watt | four 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 1500 watt | five 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 2000 watt | seven 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 4000 watt | 12 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
| 5000 watt | 17 300-watt solar panels | Yes | 5 Hour |
You can reduce the number of panels by selecting high-power solar panels.
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- HIGHER ENERGY CONVERSION RATE: Covered by monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the solar panel adopts multi-layered cell technology to generate energy from the sunlight and perform better with higher conversion efficiency that up to 23% than other conventional panels.
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How Much Electricity Does a Heater Need to Operate?
Yyou are trying to make the living space warmer in the cool temperature. Suppose that you use an electric heater that uses 1500 watts per hour operating, and you run the heater 10 hours a day.
Since 1,000 watts equals 1 kilowatt, that means the heater uses 1.5kWh of electricity.
That means, in one day, the heater use 1.5kWh x 10 = 15kWh.
How many solar panels to run a 1500 watt heater?
To run a 1500-watt heater, you need fifteen of 100 watts or five of 300 watts solar panels. We highly recommend that you go with the 300-watt type because it will not require much space and installation effort compared to small solar panels.
Can I Run Many Heaters on a Single Solar Power Source?
Yes, you can run several heaters on a single solar power source if you have enough solar panels and battery capacity.
Solar power source produces energy from the sun and converts it into electricity. A solar system can be established with multiple panels to supply the desired electricity for multiple heaters or other appliances.
However, the system collects energy from the panels. If you need more energy, you have to establish a powerful energy source.
On the other hand, multiple heaters need a lot of solar power to provide uninterrupted service. It can be a wise solution to reduce electricity costs while running multiple heaters in different rooms.
Even solar energy production is related to sunlight, the efficiency of solar panels, and the size of the panels. You have to discuss with the service provider for better understanding and perfect results.
It is a lifetime solution, so try to bring the latest technology and equipment. The investment will come back with benefits. It will be really affordable if you can run several heaters on one solar power source. The system will reduce electricity costs and provide a continuous power supply to make the room warmer.
Do You Need a Battery to Run a Heater on Solar Power?
Yes, you need batteries for any solar system, not just heaters. You can choose to run your heater without batteries, but we recommend getting one at least. Having batteries will enable you to get a better experience without interrupting.
How many batteries do you need to run a 1500-watt heater?
To run your 1500-watt heater for 10 hours, you need 15KWh of energy. To generate 15KWh, you will need at least eight 1000W batteries, or you can buy four 12v 100Ah batteries to run a 1500-watt heater for 10 hours.
One of the best batteries to run a heater is the Renogy Li 12V 100Ah Lithium battery.
- 【Upgraded BMS Circuit】 Equipped with seven pairs of Mosfet and two pairs of XT90 are designed to allow a peak current of 150A to pass through, providing emergency charging and discharging option for you(overcharge protection triggered at 1C-rate, and over-discharge protection at 1.3C-rate). The high-precision BMS design offers over 20 protections and warnings, and the heat dissipation area increased by 50% compared to others on the market to maximize the safety of your off-grid use.
- 【Uncompromising Quality】 The high-quality pouch cells surpass severe high temperature and puncture tests to avoid fire or explosion. This battery has also passed international standards and quality requirements, such as UL1642(battery cell), UL1973, MSDS, UN38.3, FCC, CE, UKCA, PSE, and MIC. Offer over ten years of lifespan with more than 4,000 cycles (80% DOD).
- 【Activation Switch】 With the activation switch cable, you can turn on or off multiple batteries in parallel to ensure the safety of installation and use. The open-circuit voltage is extremely low when the BMS is in the hibernate mode, which minimizes battery over-discharge when connected to appliances for a long time, ensuring the health of your batteries and extending their service life.
It’s a solid lithium battery that would make a great RV house battery or any off-grid solar setup.
Another alternative with a lower price for battery solution is Mighty Max Battery 12v 100Ah. It is not a lithium battery, so you will not get the highest value from a lithium battery. But the Mighty Max Battery will do a great job as a power storage solution.
If you already have a solar system with batteries or capacitors, you don’t need specific batteries just for a heater. But having this power battery as extra energy storage would be perfect for you.
Small note: As you can see in our diagram, you need a breaker box to convert the energy to 120V AC because the heater is an AC device, and it needs 120V input.
Best Electric Heaters to Use With Solar Panels
Powering a heater on solar energy is great for the environment and your wallet. However, you need to go with low-wattage models to make sure your solar panels can handle the load. Here are some of our favorite picks that you can go with.
Pelonis Electric Radiator Heater
- [Efficient Heating & Multiple settings] Three heating options (900w, 1500w, mode) and five temperature settings (65F, 70F, 75F, 80F and 85F) to achieve customized temperature settings with maximized efficiency and warmth. Enjoying user friendly features including the LCD screen, programmable thermostat, remote control and 10-hour Timer.
- [Portability] 4- swivel Caster Wheels capable of 360°rotation provides easy portability to move your Polonis space heater from room to room.
- [Safety Features] Power indicator light lets you know the unit is ON, built-in safety, over-heat protection and tip-over safety switch shuts heater off if accidentally knocked over.
This heater from Pelonis is one of the most popular on the market, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a low-wattage model that runs off of just 750 watts, so it’s perfect for solar power. And, it has seven different heating settings so you can find the perfect balance of warmth and energy efficiency.
Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater
- Can heat up a large room with Auto Energy Saving Model With High and Low Feature. Tip-over protection and Overheat protection.Heat Up for a large room - Dual Heating System: Infrared Quartz tube + PTC for 60% more heat than others. Rated around 5200 BTU.
- Dual Heating Systems featuring infrared quartz tube + PTC with 12-Hour automatic shut-off timer. Amperage: 12.5 Amps
- IR Remote Control, High Pressure Low Noise Blower with Noise level 39 dB super quiet. Heating can cover for a large room.
The Dr Infrared Heater is another great option for those looking for a low-wattage space heater. It runs at just 600 watts and has three different heating settings. Plus, it’s portable so you can take it with you wherever you go.
Lasko Ceramic Tower Heater
- ✅【2 QUIET SETTINGS】This portable tower space heater offers a high heat setting and a low heat setting, plus and adjustable thermostat setting that will maintain the temperature in your room. This electric heater ideal for warming up a bedroom, home office, kitchen or any in your home.
- ✅【BUILT-IN TIMER】The auto off timer function allows you to program from 1 to 8 hours, in 1-hour intervals. The heater will automatically turn off after the selected time.
- ✅【REMOTE CONTROL】 The multi-function remote control allows you to turn the heater on/off, adjust the heater's temperature, set the timer, turn on/off the oscillation from a distance. Plus, there is storage for the remote control on the back of the heater so it won't get lost.
This ceramic tower heater from Lasko is a great option if you want a little more power. It’s still relatively low wattage at 1500 watts, but it has six different settings, so you can find the perfect level of warmth. Plus, the ceramic design helps to distribute heat evenly and quickly.
Choose Good Solar Panel for Heater
The most important factor to consider when choosing a solar panel to power your heater is the wattage rating of the panel. You’ll want to make sure that the panel can produce enough power to run your heater.
Renogy 300 Watt 24 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel
This solar panel is a great choice for those who want a high-quality option that can produce a lot of power. It’s perfect for running a heater, and it’s made from durable monocrystalline material.
Renogy 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel
This solar panel has a high wattage rating, making it perfect for powering a heater. It’s also made from durable monocrystalline material, meaning it will last for years.
ECO-WORTHY 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel
This solar panel is another great option for powering a heater. It has a slightly lower wattage rating than the Renogy panel, but it’s still more than enough to get the job done.
Are There Solar Powered Heater?
There are a few solar powered heaters on the market, but they are not very common.
The main reason for this is that solar power is not very efficient at converting sunlight into electrical energy. This means that it would take a large solar panel to generate enough electricity to power a heater.
Additionally, solar powered heaters would need to be placed in an area that receives direct sunlight for most of the day in order to work properly.
How Many Solar Panels Does It Take to Heat a House?
It takes a lot of solar panels to heat a house. In fact, it would likely take more solar panels than most people have on their property. Additionally, the solar panels would need to be placed in an area that receives direct sunlight for most of the day in order to work properly.
Finally, the solar system is a great solution to produce electric power for the heater and other appliances. According to your needs, you have to establish multiple or single solar panels to run a heater. Consider both the panel and heater and their watts.
Because the necessary energy will come from the solar panels, and the heater consumes the energy it requires.
Whether you want a large or small array, all your solar panels will be connected with the use of wires. These wires will transmit electricity from the photovoltaic cells to your inverter. Therefore, when you have many panels, you have more cells which simply means more power to produce.
My greenhouse is 9.5 x 19.5 I live in Beaver Utah, average night temperature during winter, 12-32. My greenhouse has full sun exposure. Looking for solar panels, batteries and anything else that would be necessary to grow during cold months. What do recommend. Thank you.
I live in Price Utah and I have solar it is not cost effective to try and heat the whole green house. So I have small 200 watt heaters that I sit on the bottom shelf my plants/seed starts are on the upper shelf’s i incased My shelf unit in bubble wrap the front has a removable piece for during the day. This keeps my starts between 50 and 60 degrees if I need it warmer I add one more small Heater and it will stay about 70 to 75 degrees. During the night. I have 3 100 watt panels and 3 100 watt batteries I am going to add 3 more panels and batteries eventually. But this has been working for me. Hope it helps