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How Long Does It Take To Charge a Solar Generator?

Solar generators have a lot of benefits over traditional gas generators, or even propane generators, but they also have some big downsides that make them not so ideal for some people. One of the biggest drawbacks is the time between use. Depending on the generator, the charging time before you can use your generator again can take a while.

Unfortunately, when it comes to solar generators, there is no hard and fast rule on how long it takes for them to charge. For the majority of them, you can expect it to take anywhere between 1.5 hours and 48 hours.

As you can see, this is a pretty big difference. This is because there are a lot of factors that go into charging a solar generator and the charging speed.

Some examples of factors that influence charging time are:

  • The number and strength of the solar panels used to charge them
  • How much sunlight is available
  • The direction and angle of the solar panels
  • Battery size of the generator
  • Brand of generator
  • Type of battery
  • Efficiency of the solar panels
  • How you decide to charge your generator (some allow you to charge via a charging port in a car or wall outlet)
  • If you can charge using multiple methods at once

Here are some examples from big brands so you can see how fast they can charge.

ModelBluetti AC200pPockpals Rockpower 500Point Zero Energy TitanJackery Explorer 1000Goal Zero Yeti 1500X
Size of Battery2,000Wh505Wh1,002Wh1,516Wh2,000Wh
AC Charging Speed3-4 hours7-8 hours3 hours7 hours3-14 hours depending on the wattage
DC Car Port Charging Speed10-20 hours7-8 hours23.5 hours14 hours12.5 hours
Solar Panel Charging Speed4 hours with 700W4-5 hours with two solar panels (120W),   8.5 to 9 hours for one solar panel (60W)2 to 2.5 hours with 1000W of solar panels   7.5 hours with 200W of solar panels7 hours with 150W solar panel   10 hours with 100W solar panel2.5 to 3 hours with three solar panels (600W)   7.5 hours with one solar panel (200W)
Fastest Possible Charging Speed3 hours4.2 hours2 hours6.2 hours2.5 hours

Most solar generators will give you an idea of how fast they take to charge in a variety of situations. However, sometimes, these numbers are exaggerated or only under the most ideal of situations.

There is a way to get a general idea of how long it will take your solar generator to charge with solar panels. That is by using a simple formula. Battery capacity (Wh)/ Panel strength (W) X 2

This isn’t perfect but it can give you a rough estimation of how your battery will charge in average situations. This math is for lithium batteries, which tend to be the most common and better-running ones.

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You can also get an idea for lead-acid batteries as well with just a little change of the formula. Battery capacity (Wh) X 2/ Panel strength (W).

Looking at the angle the solar panels are facing can also help you to determine how fast your generator charges.

Angle to the SunOutput
90100%
7597%
6088%
4577%
3061%
1532%
03%

As you can see from this table, the angle of your solar panels plays a big factor in charging time. While the angle doesn’t have to be perfect, keeping it as close to the perfect angle as you can will help you to get a faster charge.

You also have to understand that sometimes, there are factors outside of your control, such as how sunny it is outside.

Amount/Kind of CloudsSolar Panel Efficiency
Perfect day/ no clouds98%
Thin clouds/ hazy day50%
Big fluffy clouds covering the sun15%
Heavy rain/thick clouds where you can’t see the sun0%