Ultimate Guide to 6kW Solar System: Basics, Cost & Electricity

A 6kW solar system can power most everyday household appliances, help eliminate the dependence on electric grids, and save a chunk on electric bills. On average, the 6kW solar array produces up to 24kWh of electricity, enough to run an average American household for 18-20 hours. However, these can be expensive even after applying state-wise incentives and rebates and require considerable roof space.

If these seem too much to your liking, Jackery Solar Generators is an excellent alternative. These, alongside foldable solar panels, can power most of your appliances for a long, are affordable, can be carried anywhere, and don’t take much space.     

Key Takeaways

• A 6kW solar system typically combines up to 17-24 solar panels to generate enough electricity to power your residential and commercial setups.
• You can expect an average output of around 400 and 900kWh a month.
• To power a 6kW solar system, you need 24 lead-acid batteries, each of 12V and 200Ah, or six lithium batteries, each of 400Ah.
• A 6kW solar array can power most household appliances, such as microwaves, air conditioners, and freezers.
• It costs around $16,620 to build a 6kW solar array.

What Is A 6kW Solar System?

A 6kW solar system typically attaches to utility grids and produces alternating current from solar energy for homes and businesses. On average, it generates 15-30kWh of power daily, but the actual amount depends on multiple factors, including equipment, installation, location, and household consumption. A 6kW solar system typically includes up to 24 solar panels (250W), DC-to-AC inverters, grid-tied inverters, micro-inverters or optimizers, rack mounting system, cabling, hardware, instructions, and permit plans.

So here’s how a 6kW solar system works: As the sunlight falls upon the solar panels, the silicon cells capture the photons from it and knock them loose to electrons, generating DC electricity. The attached inverter takes it in and converts it into usable AC electricity, which is then passed onto an electrical panel (breaker box) to distribute to power your home, office lights, and other electrical appliances. If the solar system produces excess electricity, you can store it in a battery or send it back to the grid and get paid by the utilities.  

Other than being a potential source of income, the benefits of a 6kW solar system are as follows:

Cost Savings: Generating your own power cuts your dependence on grid electricity, saving a chunk of electric bills. Get a battery storage to store the excess electricity and gain an added level of energy independence.  

Environmental Impact: Using clean and renewable energy reduces carbon footprint and potentially benefits the environment.

Increased Property Value: Solar installations substantially raise the value of your property.

Now, depending on whether your 6kW solar system is attached to the grid or not, there are three types:

6kW On-Grid Solar Power System: The 6kW on-grid solar system, as the name suggests, connects to the electrical grid and generates around 700kW of electricity per month on average. It’s used to power up your home appliances, and its net metering system exports the additional electricity to a utility grid, and you either get SREC (Solar Renewable Energy Certificate), or it offsets from your subsequent electric bill.  

6kW Off-Grid Solar Power System: Its working pattern and the amount of electricity generated at a time are the same as those of an on-grid solar power system, except that the excess electricity is stored in a battery rather than moving back to the grid. You can use it to power your electrical appliances in case of an extended blackout or when the sun is unavailable.

6kW Hybrid Solar Power System: A 6kW hybrid solar system can work with both batteries and grids, so you can now store the extra power or exchange it for credits.

How Many Solar Panels Are Needed for A 6kW Solar System?

An average household needs 17-24 solar panels to fully offset their dependence on electrical grids. To calculate the number of solar panels for your home, divide your yearly electricity usage by your area’s production ratio and divide the obtained value by the power output of solar panels.

So, the formula stands as:

Number of solar panels = Average electricity usage/production ratio/panel wattage

For example, the number of solar panels = 10,791kWh/ 1.1 or 1.6/ 400W= 17 to 24 panels.

Here’s the reasoning behind assumptions and how the calculation is done:

Annual Electricity Usage: Your annual electricity usage stands for the amount of electricity you consume in a year, measured in kilowatt-hours. As per the U.S. Energy Information Administration report, an average US household consumes 10,791 kWh of electricity annually. You can get yours from annual electric bills, which would be the base of your calculation.

Solar Panel Wattage: Also known as a solar panel’s power rating, solar panel wattage is the number of watts a solar panel can generate in ideal conditions. Most solar panels have around 300-400W of power wattage; hence, 400W is used in calculations.

Production Ratios: A solar panel's production ratio is its estimated energy output over time, and it changes with the amount of sunlight your system is exposed to. For example, a 10kW solar system that produces 14kW of electricity has a production ratio of 1.4, which is the average. In the US, the value stays between 1.1 and 1.6, hence the basis of our calculation.

To fit around 17-24 solar panels, you’ll require around 265 square feet of roof space. The actual square footage depends on the dimensions and wattage of your solar panels. And high-efficiency solar panels produce more energy in a small area, so you won’t even need 265 square feet of space to produce such power.

How Many Batteries Do I Need for A 6kW Solar System?

For a 6kW solar system that produces up to 24kWh electricity per day, you will need around 24 lead-acid batteries, each of 12V and 200Ah, or six lithium batteries, each of 400Ah. That’s only the average, and your individual needs depend on your average energy usage, type of battery, and factors like system efficiency and depth of discharge. Now follow the steps to calculate your battery requirements:

Step 1: Determine Your Average Energy Usage

First, determine the average kWh your house uses daily, obtainable from your utility bills. Add up all units you consumed in the past year and divide it by 360 to obtain the value. For example, let’s assume your yearly energy consumption is 3,600kWh, so your average daily consumption is 10kWh.

Step 2: Select the Battery Type

Next, decide whether to go for lithium or lead-acid batteries. Each type has its own set of characteristics, including inefficiency factors and depth of discharge. Lithium batteries have an 80% DOD value, which means you can discharge them to 80% before recharging, while only 50% is used for Lead-acid batteries. At the same time, an inefficiency factor of 1.05 and 1.2 is used for lithium and lead-acid batteries, respectively.

Step 3: Calculate Battery Size

Now use the following formula to calculate the battery size:

Battery Size (in kWh) = Average Daily Power Usage x DoD x Inefficiency Factor

Considering average daily power consumption is 10kWh, for lead-acid batteries,

Battery Size = 10kWh x 2 (for 50% DOD) x 1.2= 24kWh

This means that you need 24kWh of lead-acid batteries to keep the energy your solar array produces and meet your daily power requirements.

For lithium batteries, Battery Size = 10kWh x 1.2 (for 80% DOD) x 1.05= 12.6kWh

In this case, you need a 12.6kWh battery bank to store your required electricity. It means you’ll need ten lead-acid batteries or two lithium-ion batteries to fulfill your energy needs. Please note that this calculation applies to an off-grid solar system where the entire dependence is on energy storage. For a hybrid system, the sizes are around half and smaller, depending on your energy needs and the appliances you’ll power.

How Much Electricity Does A 6kW Solar System Produce?

The amount of electricity a 6kW solar system produces varies between 400 and 900kWh a month, translating to around 4,800 and 10,800kWh per year. But, the actual number varies on the amount of sunlight, the panel’s age, your roof, alongside panel and system characteristics. Here’s how:

Amount of Sunlight

The amount of sunlight emitted by a solar system probably is the biggest determinant of the energy it produces. The more sunlight your solar system receives, the more electricity it produces, and so the sunnier states are at an advantage.

To calculate the amount of direct sunlight a location receives per day, use the peak sun hours of your state. For example, Arizona receives up to 7.5 peak sun hours every day, while it’s only 2.5 for Alaska. So, solar panels produce 3kWh of electricity in Arizona compared to 1kWh in Alaska.

Panel Characteristics

The solar panel also determines the amount of solar energy it generates. These are of three types: thin-film, monocrystalline, and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline is the most popular as it’s more efficient than the others.

Aside from the type, the size also determines its output. For example, a residential solar panel has around 66 cells, while a commercial panel has 72 cells. The more cells there are, the more surface area there is to generate electricity.

Your Roof

Your roof is the next most important factor determining the amount of power generated by solar panels. To maximize solar production, make sure the panels are installed on unshaded roofs and cleared of debris. Also, place them at an angle with maximum exposure to sunlight.

Panel’s Age

It’s important to remember that the efficiency of solar panels doesn’t retain over a lifetime, and they lose their ability with age. That’s the same with any electrical appliances at your home. Typically, solar panels lose around 0.5% of their efficiency yearly, so, at the end of a solar panel’s 25-year warranty period, they’d perform at an 85% efficiency.

What Can A 6kW Solar System Run?

With your 6kW solar system producing an average of 24kW electricity, here’s the list of appliances you can power:

Aside from a solar system, Jackery Solar Generators is a safe and reliable alternative that can deliver similar output but with the added benefits of portability, safety, and noise-free. With the available power, you can run 99% of your home and outdoor appliances for an extended period and charge them with foldable solar panels anytime.

The generators' working hours are calculated as Working Time = Capacity in Wh * 0.85 / Operating wattage.

For example, you can run a microwave (1500W) and a washing machine (500W) together on the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh).

So, Working Time = 6128.4 * 0.85/2000= 2.6H

Note: The solar generator loses some power while charging, so 0.85 is multiplied by the actual capacity during calculation.

6kW Solar System Cost

Considering the average cost of going solar in the US is $2.77/watt, a 6kW solar system costs around $16,620, without counting the federal tax incentives and other tax rebates available. The following chart outlines the total cost of a 6kW arrangement in the top 10 states in the US:

From the above table, it’s quite understandable that going solar is quite expensive. However, multiple factors influence its cost, which is as follows:

Size of Solar System

The primary deciding aspect of the cost of solar systems is their size. A larger solar system means more solar panels, a bigger solar inverter, more cables, and other equipment, increasing its overall costs. Depending on the manufacturer, a 6kW solar system requires up to 17-24 solar panels. Your solar advisor inspects your roof size and advises you on the best size for your needs.   

Incentives and Rebates

Another factor that determines the cost of a 6kw solar system is the incentives and rebates, which, as mentioned earlier, vary from state to state. Aside from a federal tax credit, other incentives like cash rebates, sales tax exemptions, property tax exemptions, and state tax credits might be available. For example, the NY-Sun Megawatt Block Program in New York and the SMART Program in Massachusetts have bonus incentives for solar systems. So check on your state government websites for such incentives and save a chunk on your investments.

Type of Solar Panels

As mentioned earlier, there are three types of solar panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film. Each has varying efficiency and performance capacities, which, in turn, dictates its price. Monocrystalline, being the best, is the costliest, followed by polycrystalline and thin-film solar panels.  

Installation Charges and Miscellaneous Costs

Some solar manufacturers also provide DIY solar installation kits with every purchase, so if you’re able, you can save a lot on installation charges. But it’s highly recommended to enlist the help of professionals—these experts inspect your location, roof type, and the amount of energy required and further suggest the best way to bolster your efficiency and minimize costs.

Irrespective of the incentives and rebates, building a 6kW solar array can be a costly affair. But going solar saves a lot on your electric bills, and after a certain time, your solar system pays itself off or breaks even, which is called a payback period. To determine your payback period, divide the total system cost by the savings you make each year on electric bills. The formula looks like this, for example: $12,600/$1,250 = 10.5 years.

Although the investment pays off, many might not afford to pay such a sum upfront, and if you’re one of them, the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh) is the best choice. This high-capacity solar generator is a reliable companion during extended blackouts, off-grid living, or camping.   

Jackery Solar Generator: 6kW Portable Solar System

Jackery has pioneered sustainability by establishing itself as a top manufacturer of portable power stations, solar panels, and solar generators. The Jackery Solar Generators work is an off-grid solar system that stores the electricity generated by Jackery SolarSaga Solar Panels and Jackery Portable Power Stations.

The solar panels convert the sunlight into DC current and send it to a pure sine wave inverter to further convert it into a usable AC current to power your home and outdoor appliances. Compared to your 6kW solar arrays, Jackery Solar Generators are much lighter, more efficient, affordable, and can support 99% of the appliances when needed.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh)

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus Kit (6kWh) is a large-capacity battery backup solution that can charge most of your household appliances for extended periods. Once fully charged, it delivers an uninterrupted power supply during blackouts or power outages. It features a LiFePO4 battery with a 10-year lifespan and doesn’t involve any installation, making it a much safer and cheaper option than traditional solar arrays.

Appliance Working Hours:

• Dishwasher (1800W): 2.9H
• Microwave (1500W): 3.5H
• TVs (60W): 86.8H
• Washing Machine (500W): 10.4H
• Laptop (100W): 52.1H