AC loads

Plan an inverter around the loads that overlap

Use continuous wattage for simultaneous AC loads and preserve headroom for startup surge. Then check the battery’s BMS discharge capability and the cable and protection design with qualified guidance.

Continuous power

List appliances that can genuinely overlap. This is the base requirement, not the sum of every appliance you own.

Startup and surge

Motors, compressors, pumps, and some electronics can draw more power while starting. Use the appliance documentation where available.

Verify the DC side

An inverter recommendation is incomplete without checking the battery discharge limit and the installation design. Do not choose the inverter in isolation.

Continue planning

Turn this decision into a power plan.

Carry the planning question into the system sizer, then verify the component specifications it makes relevant.

Build a power plan

Start here

Separate daily energy from peak power

Storage

Understand usable battery kWh before Ah

Editorial record

Maintained by Make Your Own Tools to turn “Size off-grid power” into a defined daily wh, battery reserve, panels, and inverter. The references below provide the technical context for this planning path. Its calculation rules and planning assumptions are documented in the methodology, and affected calculations pass regression checks before the review date advances.

Last reviewed
Evidence set
1 primary reference
Calculation coverage
2 affected rules checked
Read methodology →View change history ↗
Planning scope
Early off-grid power planning before component comparison.
Next check
Carry the continuous and startup specification into the selected inverter, battery, cable, and protection documentation.
U.S. Department of Energy homeowner solar guidePlanning sequence, site constraints, energy use, and solar decision context.Open source ↗