Build a real autonomy estimate
Add each device, set the quantity and daily hours. The calculator totals your energy need, compares every SOLIX model and shows how solar input changes the picture. Add up to 12 devices for a complete picture of your actual load.
How to use this calculator
- Watts — the running power of the device. Pre-filled from a library of 50+ appliances. Edit freely for your specific model.
- Qty — number of identical devices running simultaneously.
- Hours/day — how many hours per day that device is active. For a fridge that cycles 50% of the time, use 12h instead of 24h, or reduce the watts to the average figure from your energy label.
- Solar watts + sun hours — if you have panels, enter their total watt rating and the realistic peak sun hours for your location (5–6h for southern Europe in summer; 1–2h in northern Europe in winter).
- Battery reserve — keeping 10–20% in reserve protects battery cycle life, especially for LFP chemistry.
| Device | Watts | Qty | Hours/day |
|---|
Reading the results
- Instant load (W) — the combined wattage if all devices ran at the same time. This must not exceed the station's continuous output rating.
- Daily energy (Wh) — total energy your devices consume per day. This is what determines which station fits and how long it lasts.
- Output fit — "OK" means the station's continuous output rating exceeds your instant load. "Check peak load" means you may exceed the station's output limit if all devices run simultaneously — review which devices overlap.
- With solar — runtime with solar input subtracted from daily demand. In good conditions this can multiply autonomy significantly or make a setup self-sustaining.
- Compressor fridges have a startup surge 2–3× their running watts. The station's surge (peak) rating must exceed this. All SOLIX models have surge ratings well above their continuous output.
Quick reference: common load combinations
| Scenario | Typical daily Wh | Station that fits | With 200W solar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router + laptop + phone charging (8h) | ~560Wh | C1000 | Covered most days |
| Fridge-freezer combo (24h) + router | ~5,100Wh | F3800 + solar | Partial cover |
| 12V fridge (24h) + router + laptop | ~1,400Wh | F2000 | Mostly covered |
| Starlink + laptop + monitor (10h) | ~1,450Wh | F2000 | Self-sustaining |
| Home essentials: fridge + router + lights + laptop + TV | ~3,200Wh | F3800 | Significantly extended |
| Café essentials: POS + router + lights + small fridge (8h) | ~2,800Wh | F2000 / F3800 | Partial cover |
| CPAP only (8h) | ~320Wh | C1000 | Not needed |
Watts vs Wh: the number that causes most confusion
- Watts (W) — the rate of power consumption at any moment. A 100W laptop draws 100W while running.
- Watt-hours (Wh) — the total energy used over time. That 100W laptop running for 5 hours uses 500Wh.
- A station's capacity is in Wh — this tells you how much total energy it can store. An F2000 stores 2,048Wh.
- Runtime = capacity ÷ average watts — an F2000 running a 100W load continuously lasts about 17 hours (accounting for inverter losses).
- Fridges complicate this because they cycle. A fridge rated at 150W but only running its compressor 40% of the time averages 60W. Over 24 hours that is 1,440Wh, not 3,600Wh.