Solar system size calculator Zambia

Add up the energy your appliances use in a day (watts × hours). Panels must make that in the sun hours you get, the battery must store it for the nights or cloudy days, and the inverter must handle everything switched on at once.

About 5.2 to 5.8 peak sun hours a day on average, from World Bank solar data. This calculator uses 5, so the system still copes in the cloudier months.

Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries can safely use about 80% of their capacity and last many more years; lead-acid and gel only about 50%, so you need a bigger one for the same use.

An iron needs a large inverter for its short use; a geyser or a stove uses far more energy than a home kit can supply. Solar water heaters and gas are better for those.