To run a 3-ton air conditioner on solar panels we have to install a heavy watt of solar panels. It also depends on how much sunlight we get each day to charge our solar panels and how much time we run our ACs in a day. In this article, we’ll go through the more such factors that determine how many solar panels to run a 3-ton air conditioner and how the calculation is done.
Calculating how much power 3-ton air conditioning uses
Let’s say we have a 3-ton AC that uses 3000 watts of power. So, if we use the AC for the whole day, i.e., 24 hours, then it will consume 72 KWh, or (3000 X 24) / 1000 hours of energy each day.
Steps to calculate the power consumption of AC
- Know the 3-ton value in watts which is 3000 watts in this case.
- Multiply the watts by the ACs running time in a day.
- Divide the resulting value by 1000 to know the KWh of power consumption.
- Similarly, add the other appliance’s household consumption per hour to know the total consumption for each hour.
Steps to calculate the number of solar panels
- Firstly, know the peak hours of sunlight in a day, assuming 6 hours a day.
- Multiply the per-hour requirement of a 3-ton AC (or total consumption per hour) by peak hours of sunlight.
- Suppose we are considering installing the 150 watts or 300 watts solar panels.
- Divide the total consumption per hour by the watts of solar panels to know the number of solar panels required.
Here is the table which shows each hour of calculation and the number of solar panels we need at our place:
Running time in a day | Power consumption of a 3-ton AC | Other household consumption | Total consumption in a day | Number of solar panels required (for 150 W) | Number of solar panels required (for 300 W) |
1 hour | 3 KWh | 30 KWh | 33 KWh | 1 | 1 |
2 hours | 6 KWh | 60 KWh | 66 KWh | 3 | 1 |
3 hours | 9 KWh | 90 KWh | 99 KWh | 4 | 2 |
4 hours | 12 KWh | 120 KWh | 132 KWh | 5 | 3 |
5 hours | 15 KWh | 150 KWh | 165 KWh | 7 | 3 |
6 hours | 18 KWh | 180 KWh | 198 KWh | 8 | 4 |
7 hours | 21 KWh | 210 KWh | 231 KWh | 9 | 5 |
8 hours | 24 KWh | 240 KWh | 264 KWh | 11 | 5 |
9 hours | 27 KWh | 270 KWh | 297 KWh | 12 | 6 |
10 hours | 30 KWh | 300 KWh | 330 KWh | 13 | 7 |
11 hours | 33 KWh | 330 KWh | 363 KWh | 15 | 7 |
12 hours | 36 KWh | 360 KWh | 396 KWh | 16 | 8 |
13 hours | 39 KWh | 390 KWh | 429 KWh | 17 | 9 |
14 hours | 42 KWh | 420 KWh | 462 KWh | 18 | 9 |
15 hours | 45 KWh | 450 KWh | 495 KWh | 20 | 10 |
16 hours | 48 KWh | 480 KWh | 528 KWh | 21 | 11 |
17 hours | 51 KWh | 510 KWh | 561 KWh | 22 | 11 |
18 hours | 54 KWh | 540 KWh | 594 KWh | 24 | 12 |
19 hours | 57 KWh | 570 KWh | 627 KWh | 25 | 13 |
20 hours | 60 KWh | 600 KWh | 660 KWh | 26 | 13 |
21 hours | 63 KWh | 630 KWh | 693 KWh | 28 | 14 |
22 hours | 66 KWh | 660 KWh | 726 KWh | 29 | 15 |
23 hours | 69 KWh | 690 KWh | 759 KWh | 30 | 15 |
24 hours | 72 KWh | 720 KWh | 792 KWh | 32 | 16 |
Calculation of Central AC and Window AC
- Central AC
The centralized ACs are the ones that are of higher watts and can cool the whole area. Therefore, if we install a 3-ton centralized AC in our house, it requires more solar panels.
Suppose we are using the AC for nine hours a day and considering installing 150 W of solar panels, then we need 12 solar panels. As the central AC has more fans, then we require more than 12 solar panels, which can go up to 15 solar panels.
- Window AC
The window ACs come in different sizes and in various wattages. Suppose we have installed three window ACs in three rooms each having different wattage of electricity requirements with one being a 1-ton, 2-ton, and 3-ton. By converting each in watts it will be approximately equal to 1000 W, 2000 W, and 3000 W and they run for 12 hours, 11 hours, and 10 hours each day, respectively.
Suppose, we have installed 150 W of solar panels, and the peak hours of sunlight in a day is 6 hours. Following the steps of the calculation, the total number of solar panels required will be 3. But to know the total number of solar panels we need to add the requirement for the other appliances as well. If the additional consumption in a day is 150 kWh per hour, then we need a total of nine solar panels.
Air Conditioning Type | AC Capacity | Daily Usage (hours) | Solar Panel Capacity (W) | Peak Sunlight Hours (hours) | Additional Consumption (kWh/hour) | Estimated Total Solar Panels |
Central AC | 3-ton | 9 | 150 | —– | —– | 12 to 15 |
Window AC | 1-ton | 12 | 150 | 6 | 150 | 9 |
Window AC | 2-ton | 11 | 150 | 6 | 150 | 9 |
Window AC | 3-ton | 10 | 150 | 6 | 150 | 9 |
Factors to consider to know how many solar panels to run a 3-ton AC
- Type and efficiency of solar panels: There are in general three types of solar panels that are available nowadays. Monocrystalline solar panels are more heat resistant and efficient as compared to polycrystalline and thin-film solar panels.
- Watts of solar panels: The higher the watts of solar panels, the lower will be the number of solar panels required to install. It is because the higher watts producing solar panels will convert the solar energy into electrical energy at a faster rate.
- Peak hours of sunlight in a day: If we get more hours of sunlight in a day, then solar panels will produce more KWh of electricity. If we get fewer hours of sunlight, then we require more and more solar panels to produce the required amount of electricity.
- Storage capacity of a battery: The storage capacity of a battery plays a key role when determining the number of solar panels because as the watts of solar panels increase, then the storage capacity of a battery should be increased.
- The angle of a solar panel: The angle at which the solar panel is installed also affects its efficiency. The solar panels should be installed in such a manner that their upper area faces toward the south at an angle of at least 30 degrees.
- On-grid and Off-grid: ACs come in two types, on-grid and off-grid. An on-grid AC can run on an electrical grid even if our solar system is not working while the off-grid only works on the battery storage and inverter power of the solar system. Therefore, if we use the on-grid AC, then less wattage or few solar panels can be installed than what is required for off-grid ACs.
Conclusion
To calculate how many solar panels to run a 3-ton air conditioner, we must do the calculation right by following all the steps. We should keep all the factors in mind because each area has different peak hours of sunlight and thereby each area requires a different number of solar panels. As far as ACs are concerned, they are very heavy appliances and therefore also need to be supported by on-grid electricity as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many solar panels do I need for AC?
The number of solar panels I require for a 3-ton AC to run 10 hours in a day will be somewhere around 13 solar panels of 150 watts each and 7 solar panels of 300 watts each. This is the requirement if all my other appliances in 10 hours require 300 KWh of electricity.
Can we run AC on a 3 KW solar system?
Yes, we can run AC on a 3 KW or 3000 W solar system. Suppose we are installing the 3-ton air conditioner and running it for five hours a day, then it requires a power consumption of (3000 watts X 5 hours) / 1000 which is equal to 15 kWh.
Can I run 1.5-ton AC on a 3 KW solar system?
Yes, we can run 1.5-ton AC on a 3 KW solar system. Suppose we get 6 hours of peak sunlight in a day. Then the 1.5 ton running for 8 hours in a day requires 12 KWh of electricity.
Can I run my AC all day with solar?
We can run AC all day with a solar system only when we get a good amount of sunlight all over the year and a strong storage battery to store the excess amount of electricity that can be used at night
How to run 1 ton AC on solar?
To run 1 ton AC on a solar system, suppose for 2 hours in a day, we need to have a 400 W of the solar system. If we want to run the AC for 8 hours a day, then we need 1.6 KW of the solar system. If we want to run the AC for 20 hours a day, then we need 4 KW of the solar system.
This article is better than the other because it covers the step-by-step solution to calculate the number of solar panels requirements and later explains it in a tabular form for each number of hours.