With over 170,000 terawatts of solar energy continuously striking Earth, the amount of solar energy our planetreceives is 10,000 times more than the energy we consume in electricity, coal, and all other sources combined. Plus, solar energy is significantly cheaper and does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. With so many benefits to harnessing this abundant energy source, it's easy to understand why solar-powered homes are on the rise.
However, the idea that appliances draw power right from solar panels is a bit oversimplified. The energy
harnessed by your solar panels needs to be modified before it can be used. Some panels come with built-in charge controllers and inverters, but these are typically not strong enough to supply the power needed to run a vacuum cleaner. Depending on the square footage of your panels, multiple panels need to be wired together. Those panels then need to be routed to a battery bank. Then you'll need a sizable inverter to convertthe battery's DC output to a 120 volt AC current, which is the average voltage needed to run most household lights, electronics, and small appliances.
To figure out how much power a single solar panel generates, check the panel's manual or the back of the panel itself for its maximum wattage and power voltage (VMP). You can also use a digital multimeter or calculate the solar panel's current by dividing its voltage by its resistance. It is easy and safe to check these factors on a single panel, but it's better to ask a solar panel technician for assistance when measuring the voltage of several connected panels.
The average residential vacuum (this includes uprights, canisters, and even most central vacuum units )consumes about 640 watts per hour. On average, 1500 watts of continuous power can run your vacuum, television, computers, household lights, and other small appliances all at the same time. To attain this level of continuous power, a home will typically require a large battery bank and the charging power of multiple solar panels.
Most vacuum cleaner manufacturers measure power consumption in airwatts. One airwatt is equal to 0.9983 watts.To calculate your vacuum's wattage, you can use the following formula:
The average residential vacuum (this includes uprights, canisters, and even most central vacuum units )consumes about 640 watts per hour. On average, 1500 watts of continuous power can run your vacuum, television, computers, household lights, and other small appliances all at the same time. To attain this level of continuous power, a home will typically require a large battery bank and the charging power of multiple solar panels.
Most vacuum cleaner manufacturers measure power consumption in airwatts. One airwatt is equal to 0.9983 watts.To calculate your vacuum's wattage, you can use the following formula:
Air watts = 1⁄8.5 × vacuum suction [inches of water] × air flow [cubic feet per minute]
Once all these factors have been addressed, you'll be ready to enjoy a fully solar-powered vacuuming experience. If you're feeling inspired to find a vacuum with lower-than-average energy consumption for quick pickups, check out our selection of cordless stick vacuum cleaners. These capable machines can run about 30 minutes on a single charge, and can help you save up more energy for later use.
For more information about any of the products covered in this post, please call (866) 972-8227.
