Complete Guide to Solar Panel Size - SolarReviews

If you're looking to switch to solar, you may wonder if you have enough space to install the panels. This is a valid concern - solar panels are pretty big! Most home solar panels are about 5.5 feet x 3 feet and weigh roughly 40 pounds each.

Goto OUSHANG SOLAR to know more.

Most of the time, you won't see the size of solar panels expressed in feet. Instead, you'll see it's listed as the number of solar cells within a panel, with the most common solar panel sizes being 60-cell and 72-cell.

Let's take a closer look at the difference between these solar panel sizes and how to pick the right one for your home.

Calculate the costs and benefits of installing solar on your home

How to measure solar panel size

When you look at a solar panel, you’ll see it’s made up of small squares. Those squares are called solar cells, and they're the part of the panels that turn sunlight into electricity.

You'll see the size of a solar panel described by how many cells it has. 60-cell panels are usually laid out in a 6 by 10 grid and are the most popular option for home solar installations. You’ll typically find that 60-cell solar panels have output ratings between 350 and 400 watts and efficiency ratings between 17% and 19%.

72-cell panels, on the other hand, are usually arranged in a 6-cell by 12-cell grid. Because 72-cell panels hold more cells, they are bigger and can produce more solar power, making them popular for commercial installations. 72-cell panel wattage usually sits around 415 to 450 watts, but they can get into the 460-watt range. Their efficiency ratings are typically between 18% and 21%.

Solar panel dimensions and weight

Many people want to know the physical size of solar panels, not just how many cells the hold. The average 60-cell solar panel is about 65 inches by 39 inches, or 5.4 feet by 3.25 feet, and weighs around 40 to 50 pounds. The actual dimensions will vary from panel to panel, so we’ve listed a few for some of the most popular 60-cell panels on the market:

72-cell panels are larger, about 80 inches by 40 inches and about 1.5 inches tall. This works out to just about 6.5 feet by 3 feet for 72 cell panels, give or take a few inches. 72-cell modules generally weigh around 50 pounds. Here are the dimensions for 72-cell panels offered by top brands:

Pros and cons of 60-cell and 72-cell solar panels

Here’s a brief breakdown of the pros and cons of each panel size.

How big are portable solar panels?

Once solar panels are installed on your roof, you don’t have to think much about their size anymore. 

But, with portable off-grid panels, solar panel size is one of the most important things to consider. Your RV might only have a small amount of roof space, or you might want something you can carry around and set up outside your campsite!

Because portable solar panels are made for travel, they tend to be smaller and have about 40 cells as opposed to 60. 200-watt portable panels are around 5 feet by 2 feet. 

You could also opt for flexible solar panels, which also measure about 5 feet by 2 feet. But flexible panels can bend and are much thinner than crystalline panels, so they’re easier for storage.

The flexible panel sold by Renogy, a popular portable solar brand, has 72 cells, but they’re smaller than the ones used in typical commercial panels. The panel is also substantially lighter, weighing just 10.8 pounds!

Folding solar panel kits are also an option for portable use. Foldable panels can be small enough to fit in your backpack, or large enough to power your RV - there's a wide range of options out there.

Factors that are more important than solar panel size

There are many factors that you should consider before the size of your solar panels, like solar panel efficiency and solar panel warranties. 

Solar panel efficiency

Solar panel efficiency is the percentage of light that strikes the surface of a panel that is converted into usable electricity. Modern solar panels have efficiencies that range from around 17% up to 22.8% in some premium models.

Highly efficient panels take up less space, which will allow you to fit more panels on your roof.

Solar panel warranties

There are two types of warranties that cover solar panels.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website 60 Cell Solar Panel.

The first is the product warranty. This is the period during which you can ask the manufacturer to replace the solar panel should any problem arise. Nowadays, a product warranty of 12 years is standard, but more brands are starting to offer product warranties of 25 years.

The second type of warranty is a performance guarantee. Most mainstream panels have a 25-year production warranty, guaranteeing the panel will produce a certain level of output at every stage of the panel’s life. From the date your panels are installed up until the 25-year mark, the minimum guaranteed output of your panels will gradually decrease.

You can expect an output of close to 100% for year one, gradually down to between 80 and 92 percent for year 25. This loss in output is technically known as solar panel degradation. Some solar panel manufacturers, such as Canadian Solar, even offer a 30-year performance warranty on certain panel models.

Find out if solar panels are worth it for your home

How to find the best solar panel size

The easiest way for homeowners to figure out the best solar panel size for their needs is to work with a dedicated solar installer. Solar installers will size your system based on your energy needs, coupled with your available roof space and the sunlight in your area. They can recommend a system size that can fit on your roof and reduce or eliminate your electric bill. 

Solar technology is constantly improving—the efficiency of the average solar panel on the EnergySage Marketplace has increased by about 10% in the last five years alone. 

Most solar panels are at least 20% efficient, but the best ones are over 22% efficient. We reviewed the efficiency ratings of hundreds of home solar panel models and found that five brands stood out: Maxeon, Qcells, Canadian Solar, REC, and Panasonic. 

Highly efficient solar panels can generate greater electric bill savings than their less efficient counterparts, but they cost more upfront. We'll help you decide if the highest-efficiency solar panels are worth it for you and offer some advice on how to keep your panels producing electricity as efficiently as possible.

A solar panel's efficiency measures its ability to convert sunlight into usable electricity. If the sun shines on a solar panel with a 20% efficiency rating, 20% of the sun's energy will convert to solar energy in ideal conditions. Given the same amount of sunlight shining simultaneously on two equal-sized solar panels with different efficiency ratings, the more efficient panel will produce more power than the less efficient panel.

Higher-efficiency panels are typically more expensive, but depending on your energy needs and the configuration of your roof, they can be worth it.

Maxeon isn’t just our most efficient panel; it’s our top panel overall. It comes with the highest price tag but can be worth it if your roof has limited space or a lot of shading. Otherwise, you may be better off choosing one of the other highly efficient but more affordable solar panels on our list.

Our second most efficient solar panel goes to Qcells. While 0.3% less efficient than Maxeon, Qcells gives you a great bang for your buck as the second most affordable brand on our list. But it also places last for temperature coefficient—which means its efficiency drops the most at temperatures above 77°F—so if you live in a warmer climate, it might not be your best option.

Canadian Solar ranks in the middle of the pack of our most efficient panels. At 22.3% efficiency, it has a slight edge over REC and Panasonic. Additionally, it places higher than Qcells overall on EnergySage’s Equipment Rating System. But it’s pricier, so consider another option if budget is a concern.

REC may be tied for the fourth most efficient solar panel, but it ranks second best overall on EnergySage. In addition to its 22.2% efficiency, REC boasts one of the lowest temperature coefficients on the market and has the most affordable price per watt. While it’s a longtime EnergySage favorite, it won’t output quite as much power per square foot as the options above.

The Panasonic Evervolt rounds out our most efficient panels. It’s tied with REC as the least efficient panel on our top-five list but takes first place in temperature coefficient. The Evervolt is an excellent option for those in warmer climates, but if you’re not concerned about hot temperatures affecting your system’s performance, you can find a more efficient panel elsewhere.

To understand the cost-effectiveness of each panel option, calculate whether the increased savings you achieve by generating more electricity over the lifespan of your solar energy system with high-efficiency panels justifies the higher upfront cost.

Let's consider two solar panel systems located in Massachusetts. Both have 20 solar panels of the same physical size. One system has Maxeon’s 440-watt panels with 22.8% efficiency, while the other includes panels with 21% efficiency.

In the example above, after considering your upfront costs and 25-year electric bill savings, the Maxeon system would save you $3,658 more overall.

We've gone over the basics of monocrystalline versus polycrystalline panels and the impact each material design has on efficiency, but there's more than just the structure of your panel that determines how well they can turn sunlight into electricity.

For more information, please visit 36 cell solar panel.