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Estimate Your Tiny House Electrical & Solar Needs with Ease!
Building a tiny house or container home? One of the most critical steps in your design process is understanding your electrical and solar power needs. Whether you’re planning to go off-grid with solar panels or just want to size your electrical panel correctly, our Tiny House Electrical & Solar Load Calculator is here to help!
This calculator helps you:
- Estimate your daily energy consumption to determine the solar panel wattage you’ll need.
- Calculate peak power demand to size your inverter and electrical panel.
- Assign appliances to circuits and get breaker size recommendations, laid out like a real electrical panel for easy planning.
Designed with DIY builders in mind, this tool simplifies the process of planning your tiny house’s electrical system while following simplified National Electrical Code (NEC) 2023 guidelines. Let’s get started!
Instructions:
- Add Your Appliances: List each appliance or device you’ll use in your tiny house (e.g., fridge, lights, air conditioner). Enter its power rating in watts (check the label), daily usage in hours, and assign it to a circuit (like in an electrical panel).
- Calculate: Click the “Calculate” button to see your total energy needs, peak demand, suggested breaker sizes per circuit, and solar panel wattage.
- Review Your Results: Use the electrical panel layout to plan your wiring and the solar estimate to size your panels.
Tiny House Electrical & Solar Calculator
Plan your tiny house’s electrical and solar needs with our realistic panel simulator. Start with a typical setup or customize it your way!
Choose a Typical Setup
Your Appliances
| Appliance Name | Power (Watts) | Daily Usage (Hours) | Circuit Assignment |
|---|
Understanding Your Results
What Your Results Mean:
- Total Daily Energy Consumption (Wh): This is the total energy your tiny house uses in a day. Use this to estimate your battery storage needs if going off-grid.
- Peak Power Demand (W): This reflects the maximum power your house might draw at once, adjusted for a diversity factor (not all appliances run simultaneously). It helps size your inverter.
- Electrical Panel Layout: See how your appliances are grouped by circuit, with suggested breaker sizes based on NEC 2023 guidelines (125% safety margin). This mimics a real panel layout for easy planning.
- Suggested Inverter Size: Ensures your inverter can handle your peak demand.
- Required Solar Panel Wattage: An estimate of the solar panel capacity needed, assuming 5 hours of sunlight per day and 20% losses (e.g., from shading or inefficiencies).
Next Steps:
- Use these estimates to plan your electrical panel, wiring, and solar system.
- Consult a licensed electrician, contractor or engineer to finalize your design and ensure compliance with local codes.
- Ready to size your solar panels or battery bank? Contact us at Oasis Container Homes for personalized guidance!
Disclaimer: This calculator provides simplified estimates based on general assumptions and NEC 2023 guidelines for educational & reference purposes only. Actual electrical and solar system requirements may vary depending on your specific appliances, usage patterns, climate, and local building codes. Oasis Engineering assumes no liability for errors, omissions, or decisions made based on these estimates. For accurate sizing, safety, and compliance, always consult a licensed electrician, contractor, engineer or solar professional. Costs, wattages, and breaker sizes may differ based on your location and equipment specifications. Use at your own risk.
Have Questions? Need help with your container home’s electrical or solar setup? Reach out to our team at Oasis Container Homes! Email us at info@oasisengineering.com or call 813-694-8989. We’re here to support your tiny house journey.
