I'm considering adding a 1000Wh power station that I'd charge with a 200W solar panel. My main goal is to keep batteries for my lawnmower and the kids' outdoor toys charged, along with powering some LED lights for my shed and possibly some string lights from time to time. I've estimated that my battery usage for the lawn and kids' equipment will be about 630Wh a week (let's round that to 700Wh to keep things simple), so to keep the power station topped up, I need to generate around 100Wh daily from the solar panel. However, my shed is kind of tucked away in a shaded area with a limited sun window — I only get about 2 full hours of direct sunlight from 8 AM to 10 AM and maybe an hour of partial sunlight before and after that. Am I trying too hard to make this solar setup work? Just so you know, the 1000Wh station will also act as a backup during winter here in the Northeast USA.
4 Answers
Even though you have 100% sun exposure between 8 AM and 10 AM, it doesn’t mean you’ll get 100% output from your panel. Typically, you get better output between 11 AM and 1 PM. A 200W panel is pretty limited, and you might not generate enough power unless conditions are perfect. Consider using a calculator like this [PvWatts](https://pvwatts.nrel.gov/index.php) to get a better estimate of what you can expect.
Just a heads up for winter: make sure your power station has a built-in battery heater, or it could get ruined in freezing temps. Most power stations handle temperature limits well and disable charging in the cold, but it’s still a good idea to store it indoors during winter. I know the Pecron E1000LFP is one viable option that can operate in sub-freezing temperatures, so maybe check that one out!
Sounds like you should be able to make that 1kWh in a week. I’m in Canada, and on a sunny day, I can produce at least 3-4 times what my panels are rated for — around 2kWh from a 545W panel! Just ensure your panel has zero shade during those 2 hours, and you should be good to go!
You might need to adjust your expectations a bit since the sun's angle at 8 AM is pretty low, which means you'll get less energy out of your panel than you would around noon. It’s a good idea to angle the panels towards the east to capture more light during those hours, but keep in mind that you're not going to reach peak output like you would at noon. You might actually benefit from adding more panels if possible.
Yeah, battery systems are generally designed with temperature safeguards, but it’s definitely best practice to bring them indoors if you can! The Pecron sounds like a solid choice for your needs.