A 100-watt solar panel produces 280 watts to 450 watts per day. You will need 160 to 227 watts to run 32- to 40 inches LED TV. So, you can easily run a LED TV of this size and smaller with a 100-watt solar panel. You can also run other kinds of TVs with it.
Can I be frank with you? We cannot think of a day without a TV. Be it our home or RV; TV is a must. But can a 100-watt solar panel run a TV? Well, that’s the answer we will get in this article.
Generally, the sizes of a solar panel for running a TV depend on three factors: how large your TV is, how long it runs in a day, and what other components you use with your solar energy.
Here I will discuss all that. At the end of it, I will tell you whether you can run a computer with a 100-watt solar panel. So, let’s get into it.
How Much Will A 100 Watt Solar Power Run?
A 100-watt solar panel is a small panel essentially used for running and charging small devices. But you’ll be amazed to know how much energy it can produce daily. On a bright sunny day, a 100-watt solar panel that receives 8 hours of sunlight can produce 1-kilowatt-hour energy per day.
In a word, you will get 365-kilowatt-hour energy from a single 100-watt solar panel. But the output varies from time to time. While running, it produces a maximum of 8 amp of electricity if everything is in perfect form.
However, output depends on many factors. Where you mount your solar panel, how much sunlight you receive, weather, battery, inverter, etc. There are many things you can do with 100W solar panel.
It can run and charge a wide range of small devices and appliances. Whether your smartphone, laptop, or any other small device, a 100-watt solar panel generates enough power to run them.
Advantages Of 100-Watt Solar Panel
The advantages of a 100-watt solar panel have no bound. Since it’s a small device and extremely portable, you can easily carry it with you. It has the perfect size to mount them on your RV or take them with you camping.
A-100 watt solar panel is just the beginning of your renewable solar journey. Because of its design, you can buy one of these kits and try out whether it properly works for you. Once you are sure, you can expand the system per your requirement.
You can mount multiple 100-watt solar panels in series or parallel. Most importantly, this solar energy system is straightforward, plug-and-play, and pretty durable. Most 100-watt solar panels come with 20 to 25 years of warranty.
As you can see, you will receive many benefits by installing a 100-watt solar panel on your rooftop or RV. Make sure you calculate your electricity requirement and install solar panels accordingly.
How Many Watts Of Solar Panel Do I Need For The TV?
There were only CRT TV available even a couple of decades ago. But now, you have a lot of options. All those TVs are made from different technologies and consume a different amount of electricity.
The most popular and affordable option is now LED TV. For a LED TV up to 42 inches, a 100-watt solar panel is enough. But you will need solar panels with larger wattage for large LED TV. For example, you will need a 150-watt solar panel for 55 inches LED TV, and a 200-watt solar panel for 65 inches LED TV.
Requirement for other TVs also varies. You can run up to 40 inches of LCD and OLED TV with a 100-watt solar panel. You will need larger panels if you want to go beyond. But a 32 inches CRT and Plasma TV will require a 200-watt solar panel to run.
Can You Run A TV Off 100-Watt Solar?
Yes, you can run a TV with a 100-watt solar panel. We already know that LED TVs from 32 to 40 inches consume 160 to 227 watts-hour per day. On the other hand, a 100-watt solar panel produces 280 to 450-watt-hour energy per day.
An important indicator is that you can run LED TVs from 32 to 40 inches with a 100-watt solar panel. But it is not confined to LED TVs only; you can also use any LCD and OLED TVs of 32 inches to 40 inches with this small solar panel.
Modern televisions consume very little electricity compared to their predecessors. When looking at the old CRT televisions, you will see that a 100-watt solar panel can run only up to 20 inches. If your CRT TV is larger than 20 inches, you will need a bigger wattage panel.
Is 100 Watt Solar Panel Enough For TV?
A 100-watt solar panel is enough for running a TV. You can efficiently run any standard size TV with it except for CRT and Plasma TV. By standard size, I mean a TV with 32 inches to 40 inches.
Since a LED, LCD, or OLED TV up to 40 inches consumes 160 watt-hours to 227 watt-hours, a 100-watt solar panel can typically produce 280 watt-hours to 450 watt-hours, it will allow you to run one of these TVs. Just make sure you check the electricity requirement before turning it on.
But as unfortunate as it may be, you cannot run any standard size CRT TV with a 100-watt solar panel as it consumes more electricity than this solar panel can produce. You can run a 20 inches CRT TV at most with it. You also won’t be able to run any Plasma TV with a single 100-watt solar panel.
| TV | Screen Size | Solar Panel |
| LCD | 40 Inches | 100 Watt |
| LED | 40 Inches | 100 Watt |
| OLED | 40 Inches | 100 Watt |
| Plasma | 40 Inches | 200 Watt |
| CRT | 40 Inches | 200 Watt |
How to Connect A TV with A Solar Panel?
Connecting a TV to a solar panel is not that complex. You can do it on your own. However, you will need a few tools and components to connect them. It requires a solar panel, a charge controller, a battery, and an inverter.
Here’s how you can connect your TV with a solar panel:
- Firstly, mount your solar panel to a suitable place. Make sure you install it in a place where it will get sunlight throughout the day without interruption.
- Then, connect the solar panel with your charge controller and the charge controller with your battery and inverter.
- Now check if your solar panel is up and running correctly. If you look at your inverter or charge controller, you will know whether it’s working.
- Finally, connect your TV to the inverter. Remember that if your TV runs with DC, you won’t need an inverter. But if you have an AC TV, you must need an inverter.
How Many Batteries Are Needed To Run A TV With 100-Watt Solar Panel?
The battery is a crucial element in the solar energy system. Without it, you won’t be able to store the electricity your solar panel produces. You must use a good battery with your solar energy system.
100-watt solar panels are compatible with 12V batteries. A 100 Ah 12V Solar battery can store 50% of usable storage. So, make sure you use a battery that stores twice the output of your 100-watt solar panel.
In that case, one 12V battery would be enough to store electricity produced by your 100-watt solar panel and your TV. So, only one 12V 100 Ah battery would do just fine when your solar panel is 10o-watt and 12V.
Solar Power For TV And Computer
My previous discussion shows that you can run a TV comfortably with a 100-watt solar panel. But let me be honest: you won’t be able to run your desktop computer with it. The electricity a computer consumes is far more than a 100-watt solar panel can produce.
It consumes about 450 watts an hour and more, more than a 100-watt solar panel can produce. That’s why it won’t be able to run a desktop computer. However, you can charge and run your laptop with this solar panel.
You will find solar-compatible TV with modern technologies and innovation and runs on Direct Current. But there is no computer specially made for solar energy. You must make a solar energy system bigger than 100 watts and run it with Alternating Current.
Final Thoughts
Although you won’t be able to run a desktop PC with your 100-watt solar panel, you can run a TV up to 40 inches if the TV is LCD, LED, or OLED. But remember, it might affect the other devices you use with your solar panel.
A lot of people now love large screen TVs. In that case, you will need a large solar panel. Make sure you check the electricity requirement of your TV and plan accordingly.
References
Weisser, C., Lenel, F., Lu, Y., Kis-Katos, K., Kneib, T. . (2021, November 12). Using solar panels for business purposes: Evidence based on high-frequency power usage data. Retrieved from ScienceDirect: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352728521000166
Kabir, E., Kim, K., Szulejko, J. E. (2017, October 16). Social Impacts of Solar Home Systems in Rural Areas: A Case Study in Bangladesh. Retrieved from MDPI: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/10/1615/htm
Eng. Matthew Joseph Nandirio is the Founder of walkingsolar.
After graduating from the University of Houston in 2002, matt started working as a Solar Electrical Engineer for several multi-national solar energy companies.
He has a wide range of experiences including solar system requirement analysis, planning, maintaining, debugging and even solar device development through research.
He now shares his 20 years of expertise through his articles on the walkingsolar website.
Further, he is also the author of two books on Solar Technology, “Solar Power for Villages” and “DIY Solar System for Dummies”.