Solar Battery Runtime Calculator

Estimate how long a solar battery will last based on battery capacity, amp-hours, voltage, load watts, depth of discharge, inverter efficiency, and reserve capacity. Use this calculator for solar battery backup, RV batteries, off-grid batteries, cabin batteries, and emergency power runtime estimates.

Calculate Battery Runtime

Battery Runtime = Usable Battery kWh ÷ Load kW.
Your result will appear here.

How the solar battery runtime calculator works

Battery kWh mode:
The calculator uses battery capacity in kWh, adjusts for usable capacity, then divides by load kW.

Amp-hour mode:
The calculator converts amp-hours and voltage into watt-hours, then estimates runtime.

Watt-hour mode:
The calculator converts watt-hours into kWh, applies efficiency and reserve settings, then estimates runtime.

Required battery mode:
The calculator estimates how much battery capacity is needed for a target runtime and load.

Why use a solar battery runtime calculator?

A solar battery runtime calculator helps estimate how long a battery may power appliances, critical loads, RV equipment, cabin loads, or backup circuits before needing to recharge.

It can help compare runtime hours, usable kWh, amp-hours, load watts, reserve capacity, inverter losses, recharge time, and battery cost.

What your result means

Your result shows estimated battery runtime in hours and days, usable battery capacity, nominal battery capacity, amp-hours, required battery size for target runtime, reserve capacity, recharge days, peak load comparison, and estimated battery cost.

Solar battery runtime formulas

Frequently asked questions

How do you calculate solar battery runtime?

Convert the battery capacity to usable kWh, then divide by the load in kW. For example, 9 usable kWh running an 800-watt load is about 11.25 hours.

How do I convert battery amp-hours to runtime?

Multiply amp-hours by battery voltage to get watt-hours. Then divide by 1,000 to get kWh, adjust for usable capacity, and divide by load kW.

Why is usable battery capacity lower than total capacity?

Usable capacity is reduced by depth of discharge limits, inverter losses, battery efficiency losses, and any reserve capacity you want to keep available.

Does a bigger load reduce battery runtime?

Yes. Runtime is directly affected by load. A 2,000-watt load will drain the same battery much faster than a 500-watt load.

Is this solar battery runtime calculator exact?

No. This is an estimate. Actual runtime can vary based on battery chemistry, temperature, battery age, inverter design, surge loads, wiring losses, discharge rate, manufacturer limits, and changing appliance usage.