Small Appliance Energy Consumption?

[yamsack]

Hey all,<br>In order to estimate how much power I will need to generate for my van, I need some info from you all regarding how how many watts the following appliances uses:<br><br>__&nbsp; desktop PC<br>__&nbsp; laptop<br>__&nbsp; mini/compact fridge<br><br><br>Thanks everyone.<br><br>

 

[4x4tour]

Yam, you're killin' me... <img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/comp.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br><br>http://www.webbsrvsupply.com/hints/amp_chart.htm<br><br>http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/measuring_circuit_amps.html<br><br>http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/usage_chart.html<br><br>http://www.advancemcselectronics.co...se/Power_inverters/Appliance_Consumption.html<br><br><br><br>

 

[Guest]

Not all laptops use the same amount of energy.<br>Not all fans use the same amount of energy.<br>Not all .... you get the idea.<br>Also - depending on what you're doing on the laptop, it's going be using different amounts of power. Charging the laptop battery and playing/streaming video uses more power than writing a word document.<br>A fan on high uses more power than a fan on low.<br>But... big fans do NOT necessarily use more power than small fans!<br><br><b>Stop guessing - know for sure:<br>Get yourself a nifty device called a Kill-A-Watt for about $15.</b><br>Plug it in, plug something into it.<br>Push a button - Kill-A-Watt tells you how many amps the device is using.<br>Push another button - tells u how many watts.<br>Push another button - tells you how many volts.<br>Push another button - tells you a cumulative total used since you first plugged whatever device into it.<br><br>Write it all down and use actual numbers to plan your electrical system. <br><br><br>

 

[yamsack]

@ 4x4tour&nbsp;&nbsp; You're the best, AJ!!!&nbsp; May I call you AJ?&nbsp; Anyways, I figure it's better to annoy people and ask stupid questions, but in the end be educated by you all.&nbsp; <img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br><br>This is my concern, if I had 2 solar panels generating 136 watts of electricity (roughly 11 amps/hour based on Bob's formula of Total Number of Watts divided by 12 volts = amps/hour, my electricity consumption cannot be more than 11 amps/hour or the 2 solar panels won't be sufficient for the power needs.<br><br>I plan on running a small fridge (let's say 90 watts) and my laptop (about 70 watts) 24/7, which would be about 13 amps/hour?&nbsp; And that's only 2 devices.&nbsp; I would need to occasionally use the microwave, shaver, printer, etc. so how would this work, unless perhaps if I add a 3rd panel (totalling 17 amps/hour)?<br><br>

 

[yamsack]

@ 4x4chevy&nbsp;&nbsp; Thanks for your reply.&nbsp; Unfortunately, I haven't yet purchased my laptop or my compact fridge.&nbsp; Therefore, getting estimates is the best I can do right now.&nbsp; <br><br>More important, though, is that I'm trying to learn how to actually do all this math correctly.&nbsp; If my math is wrong, any planning after that would be pointless.<br>

 

[blars]

An amp is a rate.&nbsp; amps/hour would be a rate of change, like miles/hour/hour.&nbsp;&nbsp; Batteries are rated in amp-hours (amps times hours).&nbsp; Your pannels will only produce their rated power in bright sunlight and if they are pointed directly at the sun.&nbsp; However, you also have to consider duty cycle of your load as well.&nbsp; A 1500 Watt heater that runs half the time uses 750 Watt-hours/hour.<br><br><br>