What Can 2 Kilowatts (KW) Power?

Last Updated on July 11th, 2023

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When trying to figure out a solar system, one of the major requirements is deciding what size system you need. However, unless you track your wattage use closely, it may be hard to understand how much power you need or where you can easily cut back.

Thankfully, many people do pay attention to their wattage and know exactly what a system can run. That includes a 2kW system. So if you think a 2kW system may be for you, we’ve got your back.

2kW is the same as 2000 watts. So that means that you can run about 2000 watts of power at the same time. This includes anything that needs electricity, such as lights, chargers, fridges, and more.

Solar panels on a building - What Can 2 Kilowatts (KW) Power?

What can 2kw Run?

A 2000-watt system (or a 2kW system) can power quite a lot of things. Depending on your device’s wattage, you can power quite a few items at 2000W. However, there is no way to tell exactly what this system can run.

That’s because it depends on several factors. First, every item uses different power amounts, even if they are the same product. For example, one blender may use 300W of power while another can use 400.

Thankfully, you can look at the back of the machine. Usually, along with all their warnings, there is power information. Simply look at the wattage requirements for the device. That means that any time it is on, it will often draw the maximum amount of power.

 

Common Things That Can be Run on 2kw

Many items can run on a 2kW system. Again, every item has a little different wattage requirement based on size, company, efficiency, and more. However, for the most part, there are certain items you can run on 2kW.

Some common items that run on 2kW are:

  • Hand Drill
  • Deep Freezers
  • Lights
  • Microwave
  • Blender
  • Coffee Maker
  • Electric Grill
  • Hot Plate
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster
  • Speakers
  • Phone
  • Heater
  • Hair Dryer
  • Hair Curler
  • TV
  • Laptop
  • Air Conditioner

 

You can also sometimes use multiple of these items at once. As long as the items you are using do not total up to 2000 watts, then you can use a couple of items at once. For example, you can charge your phone and run a blender at the same time.

Bigger items such as heating and cooling and large appliances like a refrigerator tend to use quite a bit of power, so you might not be able to power multiple items at once if those are running.

 

How Many Solar Panels Does it Take to Make 2kw?

There are different sizes of solar panels. Most of the time, solar panels come in sizes of around 100 to 300 watts. The most common size, though, is about 250 watts. So with 250-watt solar panels, you can expect to need about eight to get 2000 watts at a time.

Your location also matters. If you are in a place where you don’t get a lot of sun throughout the day or you are in partial shade, your theoretical power and your actual power will be a little different.

For example, theoretically, you need eight solar panels to get 2kW. However, your efficiency can be halved if you don’t get a lot of sun throughout the day. That means that you may need up to 16 solar panels just to get the same power.

 

How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use?

Generally, many laptops use between 50 and 100 watts per hour. Most of the time, computers on battery tend to be in battery saver mode and use the lower end, while laptops plugged intend to be on the higher end.

There are many different types of laptops out there. For example, gaming laptops can use about 150 watts on an average day and may draw more when they are powering an intensive game. However, a simple laptop for school that you use to type may not use much.

Laptops aren’t as easy to tell their wattage usage as other devices. Since they can change based on their GPU demands, it isn’t even easy to get an average wattage amount. However, you can assume that a laptop isn’t going to use more than 200 an hour.

 

What Uses the Most Electricity in a Home?

Heating and cooling systems are the number one highest uses for electricity in a home. They can easily account for half of your monthly power demands, even if only used for a little bit of the day.

This includes not only your AC or your central heating. It also includes things like your water heater. Every time you run your hot water to shower or wash dishes or run your washer on high heat, you consume a lot of power as your heater has to kick in.

Washers and dryers are also high in power. This is because they not only have to heat the water or the air in their system, but they also have to use a lot of power to spin and cycle.

 

Final Thoughts on What Can 2Kw Power

A 2kW system can power a lot of basic appliances. They can power things like fridges, freezers, laptops, TVs, phones, and more. While it may not be able to power all of these at once, you can expect to power a fair amount of them.

If you want to reduce your power demands, look at using cooler water and not running your AC and heat as much. This can help cut back a lot of power. Running your washer and dryer less can also help to reduce your power demands.

Laptops, TVs, phones, and lights don’t use much power, so you can use multiple devices simultaneously.

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