How Heavy Are Solar Panels: A Complete Guide About Solar Panel Size, Weight and its Dimensions
People are now increasingly adopting solar panels at their homes across the United state, but it is very difficult to estimate their size and weight without measuring them.
In this article, we will explain all the details about solar panels, how heavy are solar panels and their dimensions, and much more, which you should need to know before deciding on the solar panels for your home.
What is the exact size of solar panels?
The solar panel comes in many sizes, which depend on our choice and requirement, but when we see the average size of solar panels which is commonly used in a rooftop solar installation which is usually 65 inches by 39 inches, you can measure it as 5.4 feet by 3.25 feet in size.
Due to the multiple brands, there are many varieties and sizes available in the market. For instance: If you buy a large-scale solar panel system for a government building or warehouse, the panels will be much closer to 6 feet long, which is known as commercial solar panels.
Do you know what material each solar panel is made of?
If you answered “No,” then there’s nothing to be worried about as we are here to explain. Each of the solar panels is made from a single solar photovoltaic (PV), which are usually coming in the standard Solar Panel Size of 156 mm by 156 mm that is around 6 inches long and 6 inches broad.
However, the majority of the solar panels, which are especially for rooftops installation, are made from 60 solar cells, though the commercial level solar installation panels are made of 72 cells which can have more up to 98 cells or more than all depending on the requirement. Here we share a table below that helps to recognize the size and weight of residential and commercial panels:
| FEATURE | RESIDENTIAL PANELS | COMMERCIAL PANELS |
| No of Solar Cells | 60 | 72 |
| (Average Length in inches) | 65 | 78 |
| (Average Width in inches) | 39 | 39 |
| (Average Depth in inches) | 1.5 – 2 | 1.5 – 2 |
The length of a solar panel is proportional to the number of solar cells on it. Commercial solar panels have 72 cells and are about 13 inches longer than residential panels with 60 cells.
Standard Solar Panel Dimensions
The most common solar panels, which are usually installed at residential and commercial levels, are 60-cell and 72-cell. Each solar cell generally measures 6” x 6” square; however, the 60 cells of the panel are set out in a 6×10 grid. But the 72-cell panels are arranged in a 6×12 grid that will make them nearly 1 foot. We mention both dimensions which are helpful to understand easily:
- 60-cell panels: 39″ x 66″ (3.25 feet x 5.5 feet)
- 72-cell panels: 39″ x 77″ (3.25 feet x 6.42 feet)
So these two are the Solar Panel Dimensions which are usually used for residential and commercial installations. However, there will be some differences because every manufacturer uses different sizes of frames. But approximately, you will require 28-34 real solar panels that can be installed in your home.
The number of panels you’ll need to provide enough electricity for your home. It is not the number of panels that are required commercially, and it depends on the size of your roof as well. To figure out how big your roof is, you’ll need to first measure out how big it is.
How Heavy Are Solar Panels – A Short Overview
If you’re planning to install a rooftop solar system, it is important to know how heavy are solar panels because it will be challenging to lift these panels on your roof due to them being a bit heavy. Moreover, it can also ensure that your roof can carry the weight of solar panels or not.
So we mentioned above that the full-sized solar panel weight that is between 40 to 60 pounds. However, it depends on the products which the manufacturer uses. We tell people that full-sized panels weigh between 40 and 60 pounds as a rule of thumb, and it varies depending on the products that the manufacturer uses.