Size Estimate

If you have decided to go with a renewable energy system then you must make sure that you properly size your system to match your requirements.

There are three things you can do to work out your consumption, the more work you put into this the more accurate your estimate will be:

# Look up the monthly KWH reading for all your devices in the Actual Consumption Table (if your devices are listed, if not you can pick one that's close.
# Measure the actual consumption of your devices with a 'Kill-a-Watt' meter or something similar
# Look at the nameplate on your device, work out how many hours in a month you use it and convert that to KWH using the following formula:

KWH = (average hours of use x volts x amps) / 1000

Another quick method to determine your needs with no additional conservation would be to simply look on your electric bill for the total KWH or kilowatt hours and this number will reflect your usage now. Remember, it is far easier to conserve power than to make or buy it.