400 Watt Solar Panels

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Do you want to get rid of your utility bills? Then switch to solar panels and fulfill your energy requirements effortlessly.

About 13% of the world is generating energy from solar power. Previously 300-W of solar panels were being used which were 15% efficient. In today’s solar market, 400-watt solar panels have emerged to be more standardized electricity generation panels.

Wondering why? Because it is 20% – 22% efficient. A 400-watt solar panel can convert about 20% of the sunlight it receives into energy. Only a 3-5 horse of solar recharge is sufficient to produce enough energy to power various appliances like TVs, refrigerators, lights, fans, and more in your homes for hours.

Do you know, you can save more than 36000$ on rough estimates in just 20 years of using 400-watt solar panels? That’s intriguing. So without further ado let’s get into its specifications.

Key Takeaways

A 400-watt solar panel in general has the dimensions of 5.4 feet to 3.25 feet and it weighs almost 50 lbs.
Only a 3-hour recharge of solar panels can generate about 1.2kWh of
A 400-watt solar panel is capable of running various appliances like TVs, refrigerators, LED lights, and more.
You need a 270W inverter to power a 400-watt solar panel.
A 400-watt solar system may cost about 5000$ to 9000$ for full installation.
1 battery is sufficient for 100 Ampere hour (Ah) storage in a 12-volt solar panel to supply you with energy for the whole day and nigh

Specifications of 400-Watt Solar Panels

Specifications of a 400-watt solar panel may depend on different brands and models. It defines the size, weight, solar cells, and various other characteristics of these premium state panels. These aspects affect how much space is required for solar panels and in which area should it be placed. A 400-watt solar panel is equipped with the following specifications in general.

Size

A 400-watt solar panel has a size of about 64.8 inches in length (1645mm) and 39 inches (1000mm) in width. In terms of feet, a solar panel is 5.4 feet long and 3.25 feet in height.

Weight

The weight of the solar panel depends on different manufacturing brands. In general, a 400-watt solar panel is 48 to 50 lbs or 22.7 to 27.2 kilograms.

Solar cells

A typical 400-watt solar panel is equipped with about 60 to 72 solar cells. This is the reason for its higher efficiency of converting solar radiation into electricity. These cells are placed in a configuration of 6×12.

Output wires

A 400-watt solar panel usually comes with solar cables for easy installation of various components with the solar system. There are three types of solar cables PV wire, Use-2Wire, and THHN wire. The wires are highly temperature and UV-resistant. The typical length of the wire is about 8mm2 to 12mm2. It also consists of earth grounded for a grounded connection to keep electrical current away from your appliance in a condition of lightning or short circuit.

Output Capacity

Under standard test conditions, a 400-watt solar panel has a rated power capacity of 400 Watt. This means it can generate 400 watts of power through 1000 watts of sun energy per square meter area, at a temperature of 25 o C.

Frames

Solar frames are used to fix the solar components. It protects the solar cells and is connected with the glass panes. Solar panels are made of extruded aluminum. They are resistant to UV and corrosion and are low-weight.

Features

A solar panel can save you energy completely from your houses or business. Features of a solar panel are calculated on how much energy it can generate, its open circuit voltage(VOC), short circuit voltage(ISC), fill factor(FF), and solar energy conversion efficiency(η).

Conversion Efficiency:

A 400-watt solar panel’s efficiency depends on the manufacturing company. However, on average a solar panel is capable of converting 20% of the solar energy that it is receiving.

Open Circuit Voltage(VOC)

Open circuit voltage is the maximum voltage a solar panel can generate without load on it. The open circuit voltage of a 400-watt solar panel is about 49.3 – 49.95V.

Short Circuit Voltage(ISC)

The Short circuit voltage of a 400-watt solar system is about 10.30. It aids in the case of a short circuit, the current takes the quickest unintended path enhancing load regulation.

Max Current Generated

Depending on the type and configuration of the solar panel current generated can vary.

The maximum current that can be generated in a solar panel is based on the following formula

Max Current(amp) = Max Power(watts) / Voltage

A general 400-watt solar panel has a voltage rating of either 12V,24V, or 48V. The current in these panels can be calculated using the following formula:

12 V solar panel = 400 watt / 12 V = 33.33 amp

12 V solar panel = 400 watt / 12 V = 16.66 amp

12 V solar panel = 400 watt / 48 V = 8.3 amp

Energy Production of 400-Watt Solar Panels

Energy produced by a 400-watt solar panel is dependent on various factors that include duration, location, peak sunlight factors, cloudy days, state of charge, and temperature. Normally a 400-watt solar panel can produce about 1.2kWh to 2kWh of energy a day. Additionally, there is always some energy loss which is calculated to be 3%.

We will now discuss how much energy a 400-W solar panel can produce in a day or a month. So without further ado let’s delve straight into this.

Daily Energy Production:

The energy production daily by a 400-watt solar panel depends on the sunlight house. In the United States, the average peak sunlight hours are expected to be 3-5. Considering this factor and the total efficiency of the solar panel we can calculate the energy produced by a solar panel

The daily energy production of a 400-watt solar panel depends on the amount of sunlight it receives.

In the United States, the average daily solar insolation (sunlight exposure) ranges from 3 to 5 hours. Using this range and the panel’s efficiency, we can estimate daily energy production using the following formula

Per hour of power generated x total sunlight hours = Total energy produced for the day.

Energy calculation for a day exposure to sunlight

At 3 hours of sunlight: 400 watts x 3 hours = 1,200 watt-hours (or 1.2 kilowatt-hours, kWh)
At 5 hours of sunlight: 400 watts x 5 hours = 2,000 watt-hours (or 2 kWh)

Therefore, a 400-watt solar panel will produce a total energy of 1200 – 2000 Wh. using more panels you can increase the energy production.

Monthly and Annual Production:

For calculating the Energy production of a 400-watt solar panel in a month, you need to multiply the daily production by the number of days per month or per annual.

Energy production per month: 1.2 kWh x 30 days = 36 kWh with 3 sunlight hours
Energy production per annual: 1.2 kWh x 365 days = 438 kWh with 3 sunlight hours

Simultaneously, energy production of 400-W solar panels which gain 5 hours of sunlight daily, is 60 kWh per month and 730kWh per annual.

Real-World Considerations:

Do you know solar panels lose about 0.5% of their output, with an increase of 1oC temperature above STC?

Not only that dust can cause a 2% loss in power generation. Similarly, more factors include shading, weather conditions, irradiance, location of the solar panel, and more. It can be estimated that a solar panel can lose about 10% of its energy produced.

The output energy of Solar panels = Total energy x (1-0.10)

The output of a 400-watt solar panel subjected to 3 hours of sunlight = 1.2kWh x 0.90 = 1.08 kWh

The output of a 400-watt solar panel subjected to 5 hours of sunlight = 2 kWh x 0.90 = 1.8 kWh

Voltage of 400 Watt Solar Panel

A solar panel operates on three different voltage ratings. The voltage rates of 400-watt solar panels are 12V, 24V, and 48V. The voltage of a solar panel depends on the configuration of a solar panel.

Current (amp) Production of 400 Watt solar panel

For calculating the current produced by a 400-watt solar panel we use the following formula

The total current produced by the solar panel = total energy produced / voltage of panel

For 12V solar panel: 400 watt / 12V = 33.33 Amp

For 24V solar panel: 400 watt / 24V = 16.67 Amp

For 48V solar panel: 400 watt / 48V = 8.33 Amp

Even 12V solar panels produce 33.33 Amp current per hour, which is more than enough for running small and medium appliances.

Appliances Powered by a 400-watt Solar Panel

A 400-watt solar panel can run a variety of appliances. It depends on how much energy these appliances utilize and multiplying it with hour usage.

Appliance power = power rating of appliance x number of hours usage

Let’s suppose a laptop has a power rating of 50 watts/h. Suppose you use a laptop for 4 hours in a day. Then the appliance’s required power would be

The Power required by a laptop for 4 hours: 50 x 4 = 200

Similarly to calculate how long a 400-watt solar panel exposed to sunlight for 3 hours can hold that appliance, we use the following formula

Total hours a solar panel can hold your appliance = total energy produced by solar panel/power rating

So a laptop having a power rating of 50W/h can run for the following hours by a 400-watt solar panel

For 3 exposure to the sunlight = 1200 W / 50 W/h = 24 hours

This means a 400-watt solar panel having a 3h exposure to the sun can produce enough energy to power your laptop for the whole day. Similarly, a 5-hour exposure can power your laptop for 40 hours.

A few appliances that are used daily are mentioned below

Lighting

Let’s suppose your home has about 5 LED lights. On average LED light has a power consumption of 5 watts. A 400-watt solar panel produces enough energy to run your LED lights for hours without any hurdles.

Fans

There are an average of 2 fans in USA residential houses. A fan has a power rating of 33 watts/h. You will be able to switch your fan on for several hours.

Television

Television is what everyone needs. Whether you want to play video games or watch shows you need smooth running of your TV without light getting off. The average television power consumption in the USA is 100 Watt/h.

Wifi routers

Nobody wants their internet connection to get cut off. It is a necessity nowadays. Guess what? A 400-watt solar panel can run your wifi router along with other appliances without any problems.

Kitchen Appliances

Various kitchen appliances need to be run in a home. Without a refrigerator, microwave, and other appliances you won’t live of course. That is why a 400-watt can run all your kitchen appliances on average hours with ease

Wondering if a 400-watt solar panel can power all your appliances? Then we got it summed up for you. Considering, on average a solar panel would produce about 2000W of power with 5 hours of sunlight exposure.

Appliance	Power Rating	Hours of Usage	Number	Total Usage
TV	100 W	4 Hours	1	400 Wh
Small Refrigerator	75 W	8 Hours	1	600 Wh
LED Lights	5 W	8 Hours	5	200 Wh
Laptop	50 W	4 Hours	1	200 Wh
Fan	33 W	4 Hours	2	264 Wh
Phone Charger	5 W	4 Hours	1	20 Wh
Wifi Router	6 W	7 Hours	1	42 Wh

Total Energy usage = 1726 Wh

This means a single 400-watt solar panel can produce more energy than the average consumption of your house utilizing the following appliances with ease.

Battery Requirements For 400-watt Solar Panel

The number of batteries required to store currently produced by a 400-watt solar depends on your usage. For normal usage a batter has a storage capacity of 200 Amp-h for 12V of solar panel is sufficient. This battery can store enough energy to run various appliances for the whole day and night. Even on cloudy days, it can store sufficient energy.

To calculate the battery power of 200 Ah, we use the following formula

Battery Power = Voltage x Current

For a 12V solar panel, and for a battery of 200 Ah, the total power stored will be:

Battery Power = 12V x (200Ah) = 2400 WH

Inverter Size For 400 watt Solar Panel

The inverter size depends on the amount of power it can handle. An inverter having power of 500-watt to 3000-watt is used for 400-watt solar panels. For an ideal experience, the 400-watt solar panel can utilize a 1500-watt inverter without any trouble. However, the power should not exceed 1500 watts and 125 A otherwise the inverter will be damaged.

It is essential to consult an expert and adhere to his guidelines for ideal conditions. Manufacturers of the inverter, solar panel, and inverter may provide more exact guidelines.

Cost of 400w solar panels

On average the total cost of a solar panel may vary between 5000$ to 9000$, with most people paying about 7000$. This cost varies depending on various factors. The factors that affect the cost of a 400-watt solar panel include solar panels, inverters, battery wire, labor costs, and government incentives. This cost is also influenced by excess expenses that may occur during the installation process. These factors incorporate the following components.

Solar Panel

The price of the solar panel depends on the manufacturer’s brand, quality, and efficiency. All solar panels are not the same price. A solar panel may cost you between 160-260$.

Inverter

You will also require an inverter. An inverter will convert DC(direct current) into AC for usability. An inverter can cost somewhere between 500$ – 2000$.

Electrical components

Various electrical components are required for the installation of a 400-watt solar panel including a charger controller, wiring, connectors, electrical meters, and more. These components will cost you somewhere between 500-1000$

Labor Cost

There would be professional labor that would assemble and install your solar panels. You will be required to pay about 1000-1500$ for the labor expenses.

Taxes

The taxes and government incentives may be deducted from your purchases and the labor cost. These incentives vary from state to state and are about 30 percent. The total cost of installation makes it about $5000-9000 for a 400-watt solar system in the USA.

Types of 400w solar panels

Solar panel cost depends on the brand you purchase from. Various brands provide different quality, weightage, panel models, and features for solar panels are available which are organically compared.

MANUFACTURER	Panel-Model	PRICE PER WATT	FEATURES	WARRANTY	WHERE TO BUY
Sunpower	SPR-MAX3-400	$4.25/W	More efficient than conventional panel Integrated with microInverter	40-year product warranty, 25-year performance guarantee	Through SunPower Website authorized installers
Tesla	T400H	5400$	Resilient to snow, wind hail and fire	Output warranty 25 years 25 years material warranty	Through authorized installers
Silfab Elite	SIL-410-BG	$3.90 – $4.50/W	Sleek design, High efficiency, Made in USA	25-year product warranty, 30-year performance guarantee	Through authorized installers
Q Cells	Q.PEAK DUO L-G5.3 400	$3.50 – $3.90/W	High efficiency, Made in the USA, 12 Busbar technology	25-year product warranty, 25-year performance guarantee	QCElls
Renogy	SKU: RNG-KIT-PREMIUM400D-RVR40-US	$3.00 – $3.40/W	Affordable pricing, Made in USA	12-year product warranty, 25-year performance guarantee	Through authorized installers
Jinko Solar	JKM400M-72HL-V	$3.3 – 3.4/W	Affordable Price Equipped with weather-proof junction boxes	10-years Workmanship Warranty 25-years linear power Warranty	Through authorized installers
Ureco	FBM400MFG-BB	$ 300	High efficiency, Withstanding heavy load	25 years of workmanship warranty	Through authorized installers
EcoFlow Foldable 400W solar panel	–	$ 751	Highly portable, High efficiency, High durability	12 months	Amazon

Advantages of 400 Watt solar panels

A 400-watt solar panel has a variety of advantages. It is an efficient way to run various appliances like TVs, ACs, water pumps, and more. Moreover, it is highly affordable, lightweight, and durable which makes them high in demand. Advantages of a 400-watt solar panel include

Efficiency

The 400-watt solar panel is equipped with quality technology that produces 20% electricity per hour of sun energy. This makes it a top choice for residential and commercial home spaces.

Saving space

400-watt solar panels are lightweight and take up very little space. An average of 22.75 square feet is the area taken by a 400-watt solar panel. Compared to other panels they are small and various companies often offer portable panels which makes them highly convenient to install.

Less chance of failure

Various companies have offered 400-watt solar panels with more than 25 years of performance warranty. It is sure that it can last longer and accounts for less errors during installation.

Wondering. Why’s that? It’s because 400-watt solar panels have fewer modules(20), as compared to 300-watt solar panels having 20 or more modules with fewer installation components making them less prone to errors.

Balanced Output and Affordability

A 400-watt solar panel has a balanced output with affordable rates. The amount of features it provides with cleaner and safer energy makes it high in demand. What better than having a solar panel that saves your monthly bill for years and costs about 7000$ in the USA?

Remember on average you’re paying 150$ a month for your electricity bill only. With the companies offering 25 years of performance warranty, you are going to make up your cost in only 3-4 years and save money for more than 25 years on your utility bills.

Roof Space Requirements for 400-Watt Solar Panels

Roof Space requirement is essential to define how much area your solar is going to take. A 400-watt solar panel doesn’t take that much space.

Let us define how we calculate 400-watt solar panel space. A solar panel is typically 6.5 x 3.5 in dimensions, which makes about 22.75 square feet of space.

20% of space will be required for wiring, adjusting combiner boxes, and space left between panel springs to prevent shaking. We can calculate the exact roof space by using the formula.

Space taken by solar panel x 1.2 = total area required

22.75 x 1.2 = 27.3 square feet

This means a 400-watt solar panel will take about 27.3 square feet of total roof space.

Final Thoughts

A 400-watt solar panel is the most efficient renewable source of cleaner energy. It consists of about 60 to 72 solar cells. Various other factors like size, weight, and output efficiency make it highly reliable and accurate. Moreover, it is affordable with confirming energy-saving outcomes for 20+ years. You can save more than 36,000$ over 20 years.

It can produce about 1.2kWh to 2kWh, which is sufficient to run various of your home appliances for hours. It is a perfect fit for your commercial and residential energy-saving endeavor.

It is guided to seek expert guidance before any purchases and installation is made for the most effective outcome, adhering to safety measures.

A 400-watt solar panel depends on the battery power and current. An ideal 500-3000-watt inverter can be utilized for a 400-watt solar panel.

A 400-watt solar panel can produce about 1.2kWH to 2kWh of energy with 3-5 hours of exposure to sunlight on average.

For ideal usage, a battery of 200(Ah) for a 400-watt solar panel will be enough for running your appliances for the entire day and night, because an average US residential house requires 200 A of current per hour. More batteries can be added to increase energy storage for commercial usage.

About 13-19 400-watt solar panels are required to be installed in your house or commercial building depending on your usage.

It depends on various factors including manufacturer, features, quality, and weather conditions. Various companies have provided a performance guarantee of 25 years for a solar panel, with panels lasting even longer.

The best solar panel depends on various factors. The more features equipped with a solar panel the less affordable it gets. Sunpower solar panels have been regarded as having the best overall features making it the highest-selling brand. Moreover, Tesla solar panels can also be regarded as a top company because its 400-watt solar panel is highly resilient to snow, fire, hail, and wind.