Solar panels are rated according to the power they are able to create at STC (Standard Test Conditions). These conditions will include the following:
• The temperature, 77℉ or 25℃
• The angle of light that hits the solar panel directly
• The sun’s intensity, 1000 watt per-square-meter
• Other factors
Solar Cape Town and the surrounding areas of South Africa regularly experience these types of conditions and make the perfect testing ground.
What this means is that the accurate output from a solar panel can vary, according to these factors when it comes to real-life situations. These calculations are typically reduced according to the differences between an actual installation and lab settings.
The 100W solar panels are more commonly found in use in boats, caravans, and motorhomes. They are small when compared to other types of solar panels, and are not usually considered as the panel type used for homes. This makes this solar panel the perfect traveling companion to take with for vacations or weekends away in remote areas.
They are also regarded as useful panels to own when it comes to their easy to transport and portable nature. If you do travel with your 100W solar panel, make sure you bring along a mount. In this way, you can angle the panel so that it receives direct sunlight. Solar panels always operate more efficiently when they are positioned in direct sunlight. To ensure maximum efficiency, it is best to position your solar panels so that they receive as much sunlight as possible.
What Can A 100W Solar Panel Power?
This is a common question that is asked about the 100W solar panels. The simple answer to this question is that this panel is capable of powering a variety of things. You may be surprised when you find out what 100W solar panels are able to do. Here is an overview of what you can do with a 100W solar panel.
Some of the 100W solar panels are specifically designed for charging 12V batteries. This process works on storing solar energy which means you are able to use it later on in a day or that evening when you require a bit of power. Keep in mind that it will lose some of this energy over the day. This usually translates into about 20% of the energy that is stored. In the majority of cases, all the 100W solar panels are suitable to charge 12V batteries. However, it is still a better idea to rather look for the panels that are specifically designed for this particular purpose.
You can also use a 100W solar panel to charge a device such as your laptop or your smartphone over a period of 2 to 10 hours over the day, which will depend on the power consumption you are using and the wattage of your laptop. You should also be able to power an LCD television for up to 5 hours or a lamp for as long as 33 hours without any hassles or interruptions.
It is also possible to power lights and your radio simultaneously with a 100W solar panel for about 3 hours at a time. Other devices that you can power at the same time include a kettle and your coffee machine, without decreasing the time that this energy will last for. A 100w solar panel could also be used to provide power to appliances like furnace fans for about 30 minutes.
It is important to take into consideration that many of these factors will depend on what your daily requirements are, and your panel type. However, we hope this has given you a better idea of what a 100W solar panel is capable of, and how long it will last for different situations.