400 Watt Solar Panel

The 400-watt solar panel is the most popular and basic residential solar panel. These size solar panels convert sunlight into electricity to power your home or business. 400W is a great option because it means you will not need an inverter for the off-grid installation of a small system (less than 5kW).

How Much Power Does a 400 Watt Solar Panel Produce?

A 400w solar panel can be useful for either a commercial or residential solar project. One panel can produce a maximum 400 watts of electricity during peak operation. On average, 400w solar panels will each produce 1.2 and 3-kilowatt hours of electricity a day. However this amount can range depending on how much sun they have, where they are located, and how tilted they are.

How Fast Will a 400 Watt Solar Panel Charge a 12-volt Battery

Lithium batteries take 2 hours to charge, and lead-acid batteries take 12 hours. We suggest not using AGM, deep cycle, valve regulated, or other types of lead-acid batteries. They are all old technology and are not the best for solar charging. Lithium batteries are the best. They can be charged quickly in just a few hours.

Compare this to lead-acid batteries, which might need 12 hours or more to reach full charge due to their technical limitations. Solar panels are good for renewable energy. They can withstand changes in the power input, like when a cloud blocks the sun. Solar panels are best because they last a long time and produce more power. It might charge more money at first, but solar panels have many benefits that make them worth it in the end!

A 1 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack is your best choice for you to charge! Your ability to charge the battery depends on how much power your solar panels generate. The more panels you have the quicker it will charge. Capitalize the circuit current and voltage by optimizing the exposition of your solar panel to direct sunlight. Charging will be faster around noon when the sun is at its brightest.

What Can a 400 Watt Solar Panel Run?

The number of solar panels that can power your home depends on many things. For example, how many hours it is sunny outside. If you have a charge controller, you can get more watts out of your solar panels.

Here is what you might power on an average day of 4 peak hours of sun with an MPPT controller.

That’s about enough to run:

• an inverter for a TV and charging laptops,
• a good-sized, energy-efficient fridge,
• recharge many small devices on a USB cord-like phone, tablets, and kindles.
• run your roof vent during day and night to stop condensation,
• keep a composting toilet’s fan running 24/7,
• run a diesel heater for a few hours and
• switch on a few LED lights inside the campervan

The following is based on an average day in the sun.

A 400w system will give you a couple of days, depending on your usage. And if you have other sources of recharging, you can get more time.

It is a good idea to have some spare batteries charged in case your power runs out when you need it. This way, you won’t have any downtime of power.

How Big Is a 400 Watt Solar Panel?

The dimensions of a 400-watt solar panel are determined by how many solar cells are used in its production.

The size of a common surface area is 81in x 41in (2050mm x 1050mm). The thickness varies depending on the manufacturer. All solar cells are about the same thickness, but there are different layers for the EVA plastic, backing, and glass cover.

Most panels are 1.5 to 2 inches (40mm to 55mm) thick and weigh 44 to 55lbs (20kg to 25kg).

How Many 400 Watt Solar Panels Do I Need for My House?

The standard American household uses around about 11,000kWh of electrical energy per year. Obviously this can vary widely but we will use this average as an example.

A 400-watt solar panel can produce an average of 584kWh/year. But it also loses power, which is typically more than 23%.

Let’s say that the overall PV system loss is 10%:

The number of 400 solar panels needed is equal to the home’s energy needs. Each panel generates 584kWh per year. But we want to be careful and calculate the 10% loss, which equates to 525.6kWh from each panel.

The number of 400-watt solar panels you need to power your home = 11000kWh/525.6kWh = 21 panels.

The amount of solar panels you need for your home depends on how much energy you use. If you live in the south you most likely will need less than if you live in the north.

If you want to use solar energy, use this equation to see how many panels you need for your house or business.

What Is the Best 400 Watt Solar Panel?

Here are some of the best solar panels that are 400 watts in size. They are not too large and operate efficiently.

We chose solar panels from the best solar panel companies. Our suggested panels are among the ten brands with the highest consumer review scores.

All of the solar panels on this list are monocrystalline. They are a type of solar panel that is becoming more popular for use in high-efficiency and high-wattage panels. In 2021, they will be the preferred cell type for these types of panels.

Solar panels can be bought from the top brands that are 400 watts.

Rich Solar, ACOPOWER, NewPowa, LG, Silfab, SolarProblem, XPower, Trina Solar

According to our testing and research, this list includes the best 400W solar panels that are suitable for homes and off grid projects.

Rich Solar – 400 Watt Solar Kit 40A MPPT Controller

The 400 watts Solar Kit with a 40A MPPT controller is the most popular. You can power up your RV, boat, trailer, and up two or three 12V battery banks. 

This kit comes with 4 100-watt panels that are made with the highest grade monocrystalline solar cells which assures it works well. They use an anti-reflective coating on the panels to maximize light absorption.

Installing the wiring harness is easy and there’s no need for a crimping tool. All of Rich Solar’s products work with each other, so it is easy to add to the system or reduce its size. Just plugin and go.

Reliable and Convenient – Digital MPPT charge controllers show you the power that you are using. This way, you can always know how much energy the system generates. It will tell you if your system is overcharging by showing the volts, amps, and amp-hours. This helps give peace of mind.

25-Year Output Warranty – With this protection plan you can be confident they will last for a long time!

Package Includes

• 4 x 100 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel
• 1 x Bluetooth Module
• 1 x 40A MPPT Solar Charge Controller
• 1 x 20′ #10 Gauge Solar Extension Cable (Black), Pre-assembled Male Connector
• 1 x 20′ #10 Gauge Solar Extension Cable (Red), Pre-assembled Female Connector
• 1 x 10′ #10 Gauge Wire (Black), Pre-assembled Battery Lug
• 1 x 10′ #10 Gauge Wire (Red), Pre-assembled Battery Lug
• 4 x Mounting Z Brackets (one set of 4)
• 1 x 30A Inline Fuse Holder with Fuse

Rich Solar – 400 Watt Solar Kit for Solar Generators Portable Power Stations

This 400 watt solar kit is compatible with Rich Solar generators and most of the popular brands of solar generators, such as GOALZERO, ECOFLOW, BLUETTI, etc. It comes with 4-100 Watt Panels. Each 100-watt solar panel has the highest grade monocrystalline cells to efficiently make power. The cells are treated with an anti-reflective coating to make them work better.

Manual installation is easy when you install a wiring harness that does not need any tools for crimping. All Rich Solar products are suited for compatibility, which makes it simple to add more panels. Just plug in and power up!

25-Year Output Warranty – With this solar investment you will generate clean energy for years to come.

Package Includes

• 4 x 100 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panels
• 1 x 30′ #10 Gauge Solar Extension Cable (Black), Pre-assembled Male Connector and Female Connector
• 1 x 30′ #10 Gauge Solar Extension Cable (Red), Pre-assembled Female and Male Connector 
• 1 x Parallel Connectors (one pair 2 to 1)

ACOPOWER – 400 Watt Monocrystalline Solar RV Kit w/ 40A MPPT Charge Controller (2x200W 40A Kit)

Unlike the first 2 kits, this kit just has two solar panels (200W each). This kit will generate solar power for your home, cabin, RV, boat, or backup power unit. Installation is simple, each solar panel has pre-drilled holes. 

The efficiency of 2PCS solar cells is 14.35%. The efficiency of the MPPT charge controller is 99.5%. A solar charge controller allows you to control the amount of electricity coming from the sun into your battery. It can also show you how much electricity you are using and what is left in the battery.

You can wire these two solar panels in parallel or series. This company offers a 25-year power output warranty on the panels and a 1-year warranty on all other parts.

Package List

• (2) 12V 200W Monocrystalline Silver Frame Solar Panels
• 1 Pair T/Y Connector :1 male to 2 female(M/FF) and 1 female to 2 male(F/MM).
• 1PC 12v 200W Solar Panel
• 1PC MPPT 40A Charge Controller
• 1PC 30FT 10AWG Solar Adapter Kit
• 1PC 8FT 8AWG Tray Cable
• Cable Entry Housing
• 2 Sets of Z-Brackets

NewPowa – 400W MONOCRYSTALLINE 12V SOLAR KIT (4PCS 100W)

This is a great starter kit for those who are interested in solar. It is good if they want to use solar power in their home, RV, cabin, off grid locations, or back-up power. This solar panel has a dimension of 44.49 inches by 20.08 inches by 1.18 inches, and the kit weighs 65lbs.

When operating, the solar kit system provides 100 amp-hours or 1,200 watt-hours of charging per 24 hours. The panels are easy to install and require minimal maintenance. This kit provides dependable clean energy you can count on for years. Backed by a 2 year material and workmanship limited warranty, 10 year (90% output) warranty, and 25 year (80% output) warranty!

Package Includes

• 4 – Highly-efficient 100W/12V Monocrystalline solar panels (with pre-attached 3ft cables)
• 1 – 30A PWM controller (LCD screen and 2xUSB ports for small electronics)
• 1 – 20ft cable 10AWG – W/(R/B)
• 1 – 3ft 12AWG cable w/ ring terminals & fuse protection
• 1 – Set of four-stage parallel connector (flexible) F/MMMM, M/FFFF
• 1 – set of Z-mount kit (4/set) for roof mounting w/ stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers

NewPowa – 400W MONOCRYSTALLINE 12V SOLAR KIT(2PCS 200W)  

This kit provides two 200W solar panels and it comes with all the parts you need to get started. Works perfectly for Rvs, cabins, and any other DIY solar projects. The panels can provide power to a battery with 99.9% efficiency so no power or energy is wasted.   

Depending on your location, while the system is operating it will generate 1,200-2,400 watt-hours of AC charging every 24 hours. The kit requires minimal maintenance and is super easy to install. It comes with a 2 years limited warranty covering material and workmanship, a 10 year 90% power output warranty, and a 20 year 80% power output warranty. 

Package Includes

• 2x 200w 12v Monocrystalline Ultra High-Efficiency solar panel (SKU: NPA100S-12H)
• 2x Universal flat mount z-bracket set (NPB-UZ)
• 1x Advanced MPPT 30A 12V/24V auto switch battery regulator with LCD display
• 1x 3ft  cable w/ring terminals and fuse protection (NPRV-3)
• 1x 20ft 10AWG cable W/(R/B)
• 1x MC4 1ft flexible branch parallel connection set (m/ff)(f/mm)

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a dependable solar panel to power your home, RV, or business, look no further. The 400 Watt Solar Panel is an excellent choice for anyone looking to supplement their home with renewable energy and save money on utilities. With all the benefits of solar power, you’re sure to find that this panel will be more than worth your investment in a few short years.