If you are looking for green energy sources for powering your home and the various electrical appliances in it, then going with solar panels can be a great idea. Once installed, solar panels can generate electricity completely free making them environmentally friendly as well as a cost-effective option in the long run.
Although, one of the most common issues that people face while going with solar panels is choosing the right size for them. Thus, to help you with the same, we are here with a complete guide on choosing solar panel sizes. You can also find details about their weight, roof area required energy calculations, and much more that you can find by going through this guide till the end.
Regular Sizes and Weights of Solar Panels
Before choosing the right solar panel size for your needs, you should take a look at the standard sizes available out there. Thankfully, getting an idea of the same is quite easy thanks to the construction of solar panels. All solar panels are made up of multiple solar cells which have a standard size of 156 mm x 156 mm. And with the help of this size, you can easily calculate the standard size of a solar panel that you can find out there.
Solar Panels and their Standard Sizes
Now that you know the standard size of solar panels available out there, you can easily calculate or get an idea of the standard-sized solar panels available out there. While there are multiple solar panel sizes available out there, the two most common ones include the following:
- 60 Cell Solar Panel: A 60 cell solar panel will have a size of 39 inch x 66 inch or 3.25 feet x 5.5 feet.
- 72 Cell Solar Panel: A 72 cell solar panel will have a size of 39 inch x 77 inch or 3.25 feet x 6.42 feet.
As you can see by its dimensions, the primary difference between these two solar panels is in their length as they both have the same width. In fact, both 60 cell and 72 cell solar panels also have the same thickness of 40 mm which is the standard thickness found in all solar panels.
Solar Panels and their Standard Weights
Because of the similar sizes and the same thickness offered by these two sizes of solar panels, their weight is also quite similar. And when you are installing solar panels in your home or office, checking this weight is quite important to ensure that you are not installing something heavy on your roof. Their exact weights are as follows:
- 60 Cell Solar Panel: A 60 cell solar panel weighs 19 KG which is on the lighter side.
- 72 Cell Solar Panel: A 72 cell solar panel weighs 25 KG which is on the heavier side.
60 Cell 250 Watt Solar Panel Size and Weight
Even though we have already given the size and weight of the common solar panel sizes above, the exact dimensions and weight may vary depending on the solar panel company you may go for as mentioned in this table:
| Solar Panel Brand | Size | Weight |
| Jinko Solar Panels 225W | 1650x992x 40 mm | 19 KG |
| Trina Honey Series | 1650x992x 35 mm | 18.5 KG |
| Waaree Solar 250W | 1640x990x 40 mm | 22.5 KG |
| Vikram Solar Eldora Neo Series | 1640x992x 40 mm | 18.5 KG |
| Canadian Solar CS6K | 1650x992x 40 mm | 18.2 KG |
72 Cell 300 Watt Solar Panel Size and Weight
Similar to the smaller 60 cell solar panel, the larger 72 cell solar panel may also have different sizes and weights depending on the solar panel brand that you go for as given here:
| Solar Panel Brand | Size | Weight |
| Jinko Solar Panels | 1956x992x40 mm | 26.5 KG |
| Trina Tall Max Series | 1956x992x40 mm | 22.5 KG |
| Waaree Solar Aditya Series | 1960x990x40 mm | 22.5 KG |
| Vikram Solar Eldora Grand Series | 1955x991x40 mm | 22 KG |
| Canadian Solar Dymond Series | 1968x992x58 mm | 27.5 KG |
How Large is an Average Solar Panel?
As mentioned above, the exact dimensions and size of a given solar panel will depend on the solar panel brand that you are going for. But if you want to get an idea of the average size of a solar panel before installing one, then we are here to help.
If you are in the market for a new solar panel, then the average size you will find is 65 inch x 39 inc or 5.4 feet x 3.25 feet. Apart from this average size, if you are going with industrial grease solar panels, then they may be up to 6 feet in length.
Furthermore, the average size of a solar panel also depends on the number of cells offered by it as 72 cell solar panels are larger than smaller 60 cell solar panels.
What does an Average Solar Panel Weigh?
Similar to the average size of solar panels available out there, you may also want to know the average weight of the various solar panels available out there. Checking the weight of your solar panels is quite important if you are installing them on your roof and want to make sure that you are not installing something heavy.
Even though different brands of solar panels will weigh different, an average 60 cell solar panel will weigh 40 pounds. This weight can vary anywhere between 30 pounds and 50 pounds depending on the exact solar panel model that you are going for.
How Much Area on your Roof is Required for Installing a Solar Panel?
Other than checking the weight of your solar panels before installing them on your roof, you may also want to check the exact area required on your roof for all the installation brackets and connections needed by your solar panels. Thankfully, you can easily get an idea of the area needed on your roof for installing a complete solar panel system. This can be done by using the following formula:
Formula: Total roof area needed = Area of each Solar Panel x Total Number of Solar Panels Required
For example, if you are installing a 6 kW solar panel system that has 20 solar panels of 300 watts each, where each solar panel is 20 square feet in size, then you will need the following area on your roof:
Area needed on the roof for a 6 kW solar panel system = 20 solar panels x 20 square feet = 400 square feet total area
How much Energy is Created using a Solar Panel System?
While we have already given the total energy output of the 20 solar panel system example given above, you may want to get an exact idea of the energy made by your solar panel system to ensure that your solar panels can easily power all of your electrical appliances. For the same, you first need to check the total power used by your home.
The first and the easier way to do the same is to check your previous power bills and check the total power consumption. Other than that, you can also check the electricity usage of each appliance in an hour and add it up to get an idea of the total energy needed to be created by your solar panel system.
How do you Calculate the Energy Made by a Solar Panel System?
Once you have an idea of the total energy consumption of the various appliances in your home or office, you need to calculate the total energy made by your solar panel system and ensure that it is higher than required. The primary factor which will decide the same is the area where you are living.
If you are living closer to the equator in desert areas, then you will get much more sunlight than mountain areas that are closer to the pole. One of the easiest ways to check the same is to go to the Department of Energy website and calculate the exact energy made by your solar panel system by filling out all of the required details.
What is the Ideal Solar Panel Size and Efficiency?
After checking these various details regarding solar panels, you may wish to calculate the ideal size and efficiency required for your electrical power needs. And when it comes to calculating the same, you need to consider the following:
- First, calculate your energy requirements and the type of solar panel system you need.
- Then, check the amount of roof area you are willing to give up for installing your solar panel system.
- You then need to calculate the amount of energy your solar panels can produce when installed in the defined area.
- Depending on the available size, you need to choose whether you will be needing high-efficiency solar panels or whether basic ones will suffice for the same.
- Once all of these factors have been decided, you can either contact a solar panel supplier or source solar panels on your own for installing them on your home’s or office’s roof.
Also Check: Do You Need Snow Guards For Solar Panels?
Conclusion
With the help of this guide, you must have a pretty good idea about the various solar panel sizes available out there. Since we have also discussed their average weights and efficiency ratings, you must be able to easily calculate the solar panel size that you need. This can be quite handy for ensuring that your solar panel system can offer enough energy to power your home or office and the various electrical appliances in it. If you have gone through all the information regarding solar panel sizes given above, make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section. You can also post any questions down there if you have any!
