How Many Solar Panels For A Tiny House? (Off-Grid And Grid-Tied)

Quick Answer: Panel Count By Location

A typical tiny house uses 4 to 5 kWh per day. Using 400W panels and an 0.83 derate factor:

These numbers assume you want comfortable margin above the 4.5 kWh/day average. In sunny locations, 3 panels provide enough. In cloudier areas, 4 to 5 panels give you a buffer for overcast days.

Try The Calculator

Tiny House Energy Use: What Actually Draws Power

Tiny houses (100 to 400 sq ft) use a fraction of the energy a conventional home needs. The average US home uses 30 kWh per day. A well-designed tiny house uses 3 to 6 kWh per day -- even less if you use propane for cooking and heating.

Common Tiny House Load Table

Optional higher-draw loads:

With just the basic loads, you need only 2.1 kWh per day -- achievable with 2 panels. Add an electric water heater and the total jumps to 3.9 kWh. Add AC on hot days and you need 6.3 kWh. This is why many tiny house owners use propane for cooking, water heating, and space heating to keep the solar system small and affordable.

Off-Grid Tiny House Solar System

Going fully off-grid means your solar panels and battery bank are the only power source. Here is the complete equipment list for a typical 1.6 kW off-grid tiny house system.

Equipment List

Sizing The Battery Bank

Your battery bank needs to store enough energy to get through nights and cloudy days without running out.

Step 1: Daily energy use = 4.5 kWh (our baseline tiny house).

Step 2: Days of autonomy = 2 (standard for areas with occasional cloudy stretches). In very sunny, dry climates, 1 day of autonomy may suffice.

Step 3: Required usable capacity = 4.5 kWh x 2 days = 9 kWh.

Step 4: Account for depth of discharge. LiFePO4 batteries can safely discharge to 80% of their rated capacity. Total battery capacity needed = 9 kWh / 0.80 = 11.25 kWh.

Step 5: Convert to Ah. At 48V: 11,250 Wh / 48V = 234 Ah. Two 48V 120Ah LiFePO4 batteries connected in parallel provide 240 Ah (11.5 kWh), which is spot on.

For a more budget-friendly setup with just 1 day of autonomy, a single 48V 120Ah battery (5.76 kWh) covers 4.6 kWh of usable capacity -- enough for one night plus a cloudy morning before the panels start producing again.

Charge Controller Sizing

The charge controller sits between the panels and batteries, regulating the charging voltage and current.

For 4 x 400W panels (1,600W total) on a 48V battery bank:

Maximum current = 1,600W / 48V = 33.3A. A 40A MPPT controller provides comfortable headroom. If you plan to add panels later, consider a 60A controller.

Always choose MPPT over PWM for systems over 200W. MPPT controllers extract 15 to 30 percent more energy from the panels by optimizing the voltage conversion, which effectively gives you the equivalent of an extra half-panel for free.

Grid-Tied Tiny House Solar System

If your tiny house is on a permanent foundation with utility power available, a grid-tied system is simpler and cheaper. No batteries, no charge controller -- just panels, a grid-tie inverter, and a net meter.

A 0.8 to 1.2 kW grid-tied system produces 100 to 150 kWh per month at 5 PSH, covering most or all of a tiny house's electricity use. Excess production feeds into the grid for net metering credits, and you draw from the grid at night. Monthly electric bills typically drop to the minimum connection fee ($10-$25).

Roof Space Considerations

Tiny house roofs are small. Here is what you can fit:

For tiny houses on wheels: Panels must be secured for highway wind loads. Flush-mount brackets with through-bolted connections are essential -- do not rely on adhesive alone. Consider tilt-adjustable ground mounts that deploy at your campsite for better angle optimization and easier cleaning.

If roof space is not enough: A portable ground-mount system with 2 to 4 panels on a foldable frame can supplement roof panels. This also lets you angle panels toward the sun regardless of how the house is parked.

Seasonal Production And Winter Planning

Solar production varies dramatically by season. In northern latitudes, winter production can be 40 to 60 percent lower than summer.

Winter strategies for off-grid tiny houses:

• Use propane for heating and cooking to reduce electric load
• Add 1 to 2 extra panels beyond your summer needs
• Increase battery bank size for longer cloudy stretches
• Keep panels clear of snow (tilt angle helps shed snow)
• Reduce discretionary loads (shorter showers, less screen time)
• Park in a sunnier orientation if on wheels

Sample Budgets

Minimal Off-Grid ($3,000 - $4,000)

• 3 x 400W panels (1.2 kW)
• 30A MPPT charge controller
• 48V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery (4.8 kWh)
• 2,000W pure sine wave inverter
• Basic wiring and mounting
• Best for: mild climates, minimal loads, summer use

Standard Off-Grid ($5,000 - $7,000)

• 4 x 400W panels (1.6 kW)
• 40A MPPT charge controller
• 48V 200Ah LiFePO4 battery bank (9.6 kWh)
• 3,000W inverter/charger
• Complete wiring with breaker panel
• Best for: year-round living, moderate loads

Premium Off-Grid ($8,000 - $12,000)

• 6 x 400W panels (2.4 kW)
• 60A MPPT charge controller
• 48V 300Ah LiFePO4 battery bank (14.4 kWh)
• 5,000W inverter/charger with generator input
• Best for: cold climates, AC in summer, electric cooking

Keep Reading

• How Many Solar Panels For An Off-Grid Cabin
• How Many Solar Panels For An RV
• How Many Solar Panels For A 2,000 Sq Ft House
• Battery Bank Sizing Calculator
• Peak Sun Hours By State
• Solar Panel Output Calculator