The numbers
| Per day | 8.0–15.0 kWh |
|---|---|
| While running | 4,500 W per element |
| Starting surge (plan for) | up to about 4,500 W |
One of the biggest loads in a home. It can nearly double an off-grid system.
Tip: Propane or a heat-pump water heater uses a fraction of the power.
Answer a few taps in a guide and every page like this shows the numbers for your own setup. Start
Running it on solar in Wisconsin
At typical use (about 11.5 kWh a day), it takes about 17 400-watt panels to keep up through December in Wisconsin, plus batteries for the nights.
Sized for your saved location (NASA data). Change location · Size a whole system
How long a battery runs it
On its own, at typical use:
Questions people ask
How long will a power station run a electric water heater?
A 2 kWh power station runs it for about 4 hours on its own, at typical use. Bigger batteries scale up from there.
How much solar does a electric water heater need?
About 5740 W of panels covers it in a typical US winter month, on its own.
Power it for good
Want it running through outages, or off-grid for good? The guides size everything around what you run.
Typical ranges for planning, from US Department of Energy appliance estimates, nameplate ratings and owner measurements. Your model's label or a plug-in meter gives your exact number. More: How much power do you use?