Panels · Faisalabad, Lahore, Punjab
How Many Solar Panels for a 5 kW or 10 kW System?
Short answer
A 10 kilowatt solar system needs 17 panels of 615 W, 16 panels of 650 W, or 14 panels of 720 W. A 5 kW system needs 9 panels of 615 W or 8 panels of 650 W. The rule is simple: divide the system size in watts by the panel wattage and round up. The final count also depends on your inverter and how its inputs are wired, which is why an engineer confirms it at design stage.
The simple formula
Number of panels = system size (W) ÷ panel wattage (W), rounded up.
Worked example: a 10 kW system is 10,000 W. With 615 W panels, 10,000 ÷ 615 = 16.3, which rounds up to 17 panels. Seventeen panels × 615 W = 10.46 kW of panels.
Note: every panel below 615 W is now out of stock; we supply 615 W to 720 W, so all examples here use those sizes.
That extra 0.53 kW is normal. Panels come in whole numbers, and in practice they are arranged in strings (rows wired in series), so the count is also adjusted to suit the inverter's inputs.
615 W panels per system size
5 kW
9 panels (5.5 kW DC)
10 kW
17 panels (10.5 kW DC)
15 kW
25 panels (15.4 kW DC)
Panel count table: 5 kW to 20 kW
| System size | 615 W panels | 650 W panels | 720 W panels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | 9 (5.54 kW) | 8 (5.20 kW) | 7 (5.04 kW) |
| 6 kW | 10 (6.15 kW) | 10 (6.50 kW) | 9 (6.48 kW) |
| 8 kW | 14 (8.61 kW) | 13 (8.45 kW) | 12 (8.64 kW) |
| 10 kW | 17 (10.46 kW) | 16 (10.40 kW) | 14 (10.08 kW) |
| 15 kW | 25 (15.38 kW) | 24 (15.60 kW) | 21 (15.12 kW) |
| 20 kW | 33 (20.30 kW) | 31 (20.15 kW) | 28 (20.16 kW) |
Figures in brackets are the total panel (DC) capacity. Your actual design may use one or two more or fewer panels to balance the strings on the inverter.
Why the panel kW is often higher than the inverter kW
You will often see quotes like "10 kW inverter with 11.7 kW of panels". This is called the DC/AC ratio, and it is normal good practice, not a sales trick.
Panels rarely produce their full nameplate output. Heat, dust, smog, the sun's angle and morning and evening light all reduce real output below the label. Adding a little more panel capacity than the inverter rating lets the inverter run closer to its full output for more of the day.
How far you can go depends on the inverter. Every manufacturer sets a maximum DC input on its datasheet, and staying within it protects your warranty. Our engineers balance the ratio against your roof space, budget and the inverter's limits. See solar inverter price in Pakistan for current inverter options.
What about 1 kilowatt?
One kilowatt is 1,000 watts. With 615 W panels, that is about two panels (1.23 kW). People often search "1 kilowatt solar" to understand the unit, but a 1 kW system is far too small for a typical Punjab home: a single inverter AC alone can draw well over 1 kW when running hard.
Solar Works Pakistan designs systems from about 6 kW upwards. If you are unsure what size you need, start with your bill, not with a target panel count.
How to work out the size you need
- Take the highest monthly units (kWh) from your last 12 bills.
- Divide by 30 for daily units.
- Divide by average useful sun hours to get approximate kW.
Example arithmetic only. A bill of 1,500 units in July is about 50 units a day. Assuming about 5 useful sun hours a day for illustration, 50 ÷ 5 = 10 kW, so a 10 kilowatt solar system is a reasonable starting point. Real output varies with season, weather, dust and shading, so this is a starting estimate, not a generation promise.
Then use the table above to see how many panels that means. Our solar calculator runs these steps for you.
Does panel wattage change the price?
Higher-wattage panels usually cost a little more per panel, but you need fewer of them, which saves on clamps, rails and handling. The total price per watt is what matters. Compare options on our solar panel price in Pakistan page, or see 600 to 750 watt solar panels for the sizes in stock now. For complete systems, including inverter, structure and installation, see solar system price in Pakistan.
Will the panels fit on my roof?
A 615 W panel is about 7.8 × 3.7 feet. A 10 kW system with 17 such panels covers roughly 495 square feet of panel area, and more once you allow walkways and row spacing. See solar panel size in feet for the roof space table.
Why an engineer still checks the count
The table gives you a good first answer, but the final design also considers:
- Inverter input limits: voltage and current windows for each input (MPPT).
- String balance: panels in each string should match.
- Roof layout: how many panels fit in each row without shade.
- Future expansion: leaving spare inverter capacity if you plan to add panels.
- Temperature: panel voltage rises in cold winter mornings, which must stay within the inverter's limits.
At Solar Works Pakistan, our in-house engineering and AutoCAD team designs every system around your load and roof, and our own teams install it. See our solar installation services.
Get today's price or a free site survey
- WhatsApp or call: 0336 666 4321
- Email: info@solarworks.pk
- Head office: Main Boulevard, Sargodha Rd, Block F FDA City, Faisalabad
- Lahore branch: 2nd Floor, Jeff Heights, Gulberg, Lahore
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, daily
Send your last 12 months of bills and we will suggest a size and panel count. We serve all of Punjab. See our Faisalabad and Lahore pages or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
How many solar panels are required for a 10 kW system?
About 17 panels of 615 W, 16 panels of 650 W, or 14 panels of 720 W. The exact number is adjusted to suit the inverter's inputs.
How many panels do I need for a 5 kW system?
About 9 panels of 615 W, 8 panels of 650 W, or 7 panels of 720 W.
Why does my 10 kW quote show more than 10 kW of panels?
Panels rarely reach their full label output in real conditions, so designers often add slightly more panel capacity than the inverter rating. This is called the DC/AC ratio and must stay within the inverter manufacturer's limits.
How many panels make 1 kilowatt?
About two 615 W panels make roughly 1.23 kW. A 1 kW system is too small for most Punjab homes; we design systems from about 6 kW upwards.
Is it better to use fewer, bigger panels?
Fewer, higher-wattage panels can reduce mounting parts and labour, but they are larger and heavier and must match the inverter's current limits. The best choice depends on your roof and inverter.
How much roof space does a 10 kilowatt solar system need?
Roughly 495 sq ft of panel area with 615 W panels, and about 630 to 730 sq ft including walkways and row spacing on a clear flat roof.