Reconnecting with nature through camping, weekend cabins and off-grid living has in recent times become more and more popular. With the rise off affordable and portable solar panels and power stations these activities have become more practical and comfortable. However, what capabilities do different solar panel sizes offer? In this article we’ll see if it’s possible to run a TV off a 100W solar panel. And to put this into context a few real-world scenarios have been included at the end.
Understanding Power Consumption
The power consumption of TVs can vary a lot depending on size, voltage level, screen size and more. For example, a 24-inch 12V TV usually consumes around 30-40W while a 52-inch TV might go up to 100W or more. However, power consumption (wattage) is not the main thing to consider. The runtime and therefore the energy consumed (watt-hours) is a more important factor. A TV which consumes a lot of power but is not on for long periods of time can be equivalent to a low consuming TV that is used more frequently. This means that the energy storage capacity (i.e. batteries or power station) is more important than the solar panel size itself. A smaller solar panel simply means that the batteries take longer to charge.
What a 100W Solar Panel Can Actually Do
Under ideal conditions a 100W solar panel might generate around 400-600Wh of energy in a day (corresponding to 4-6 hours of peak sunlight). Note that this depends a lot on the location and the weather. Factoring in losses from charge controller, inverter, battery inefficiency and so on, the amount of useful energy is around 60-80%. If a more optimistic 80% efficiency is assumed this leaves you with 320-480Wh of energy under ideal weather conditions. For a TV consuming 50W this would amount to between 6.4 – 9.6 hours of runtime, given that no other devices are consuming the energy available.
A useful and free website for estimating the energy generation in a given location is Global Solar Atlas. The website offers lots of detailed information and it also gives the ability to configure your own solar system size.
The Role of Batteries and Inverters
It is not possible to power a TV (or in general any device) directly from a solar panel. Energy storage (batteries) are necessary to be able to store the energy and also to have a more consistent power supply. Additionally, if the TV uses AC, inverters would also be necessary. A third component, charge controller, is also needed in order to regulate the voltage and current. All of these components cause, as mentioned before, slight efficiency losses, but they are crucial for making solar power work.
Alternatively a power station can be used since these often include all of the above mentioned components into one single unit. This makes connecting devices much easier and it is also a lot more practical for travelling.
Real-World Scenarios
Here are some possible real-world scenarios of powering a TV from a 100W solar panel.
Scenario A
- Small TV: 40W power consumption
- Daily usage: 2-3 hours
A small TV consuming around 40W would consume 80-120Wh of energy in 2-3 hours. This is very doable using a 100W solar panel and a small power station/battery to store the energy. This scenario also gives a lot of margin in the case of a cloudy day or longer TV usage.
Scenario B
- Small TV: 40W power consumption
- Daily usage: 4 hours
- Other devices also connected
This is an extended version of scenario A where the daily usage is increased and more devices consume the available energy. This situation would mean the TV consumes 160Wh per day and if we assume the other devices include charging a laptop (~180Wh) and powering a small fridge (~240Wh) then the total energy consumption would reach 580Wh. This scenario would be pushing the capabilities of the 100W solar panel. It would require optimal weather conditions and even then it might not be enough considering efficiency losses in the equipment.
Scenario C
- Large TV: Consuming 120W of power
- Daily usage: 3 hours
This setup would mean an energy consumption of 360Wh per day. Depending on the weather for a given day, this scenario would be possible but not with complete certainty.
Conclusion
A 100W solar panel can absolutely be enough to power a TV for a few hours. But, it’s important to keep in mind that a lot depends on factors such as the weather condition, the TV’s power consumption and possible other devices also consuming energy. However, binge-watching Netflix the entire night while keeping your drinks cool using a small fridge might not be possible on a small solar setup.
The amazing thing with solar panels is that you can always start small and expand your system if needed.
Good luck with you solar system!