Batteries · Faisalabad, Lahore, Punjab
How Many kWh of Battery Do You Need? 5kW, 10kW and 16kW Lithium Battery Sizing and Price in Pakistan
Short answer
To size a solar battery, add up the watts of the appliances you want to run at night or in load-shedding, multiply by the hours you need them, then allow roughly 10 to 20 percent extra for depth of discharge and losses. For most Punjab homes this lands at about 5 kWh for essentials, about 10 kWh to include the fridge overnight, and 15 to 16 kWh or more if an inverter AC must run for part of the night.
This guide walks through the arithmetic step by step, explains the common kW vs kWh confusion, and shows what a 5kW, 10kW or 16kW lithium battery really means when you compare the hybrid battery price in Pakistan.
First, clear up kW vs kWh
Most people search for a "5kw lithium battery price in Pakistan". In practice, the seller means a battery that stores about 5 kWh.
- kWh (kilowatt-hour) is energy: how much the battery can store. This is the tank size.
- kW (kilowatt) is power: how fast energy flows out at any moment. This is the tap size.
A 5 kWh battery could, in theory, supply 1 kW for 5 hours or 2.5 kW for 2 hours. Your inverter and the battery's own discharge limit decide the maximum kW. When you compare a solar battery system, compare usable kWh first, then check the battery can deliver the kW your loads need.
Battery size in four steps
Step 1: List the loads you want on backup
Do not size the battery for the whole house. Choose the loads that matter during outages and at night.
| Appliance (typical) | Typical running watts (approx.) |
|---|---|
| LED light | 10-20 W each |
| Ceiling fan (standard) | 70-90 W each |
| Ceiling fan (inverter/DC) | 30-40 W each |
| Refrigerator (average running) | 100-200 W |
| Wi-Fi router | 10-20 W |
| LED TV | 60-120 W |
| Laptop | 50-80 W |
| 1.5 ton inverter AC (average running, varies with temperature) | 800-1,500 W |
| Water pump (1 HP, short runs) | ~750-1,000 W |
Generic, approximate figures for planning only. Check the rating plate of your own appliances.
Step 2: Multiply by hours of use
Energy needed (Wh) = running watts × hours.
Example A, essentials only. Suppose at night you run:
- 6 LED lights at 15 W = 90 W
- 4 fans at 80 W = 320 W
- 1 router at 15 W = 15 W
- Fridge averaging 150 W = 150 W
Total ≈ 575 W. If you need these for 6 hours: 575 × 6 = 3,450 Wh, about 3.5 kWh.
Example B, essentials plus one inverter AC for part of the night. Add a 1.5 ton inverter AC averaging, for example, 1,000 W for 4 hours = 4,000 Wh. Total ≈ 3.5 + 4.0 = 7.5 kWh.
Example C, essentials plus one AC for the whole night. If the AC runs 8 hours at about 1,000 W = 8 kWh, and the essentials run 8 hours = 4.6 kWh, the total is about 12.6 kWh.
These are illustrative round numbers, not measurements from any customer's home. Your own figures will differ with weather, appliance age and habits.
Step 3: Allow for depth of discharge and losses
You should not plan to empty a battery to zero every night. LiFePO4 lithium batteries allow a high depth of discharge, but the manufacturer and the inverter settings keep a reserve. There are also inverter and wiring losses.
A simple planning rule: divide the energy you need by about 0.8 to 0.85.
| Example | Energy needed | ÷ 0.85 | Practical battery size |
|---|---|---|---|
| A: essentials, 6 hours | 3.5 kWh | ~4.1 kWh | ~5 kWh |
| B: essentials + AC 4 hours | 7.5 kWh | ~8.8 kWh | ~10 kWh |
| C: essentials + AC all night | 12.6 kWh | ~14.8 kWh | ~15-16 kWh |
Step 4: Check load-shedding hours and charging
A battery is only useful if your solar array can refill it. In a hybrid system, panels first run daytime loads, then charge the battery.
- Load-shedding hours: if your area has, for example, two 2-hour cuts in the evening, size for the longest stretch you need covered, not just total hours.
- Daytime recharge: a 10 kWh battery needs roughly 10 kWh or more of spare solar during the day, after your daytime loads are met. In winter and on hazy days, spare solar is lower.
- Grid charging: many hybrid inverters can also charge from the grid when needed, at grid tariff cost.
This is why battery size and panel size should be designed together. Use the solar calculator for a first estimate, and our engineers confirm it at the site survey.
Step 5: Check the power (kW) limit
Even a large battery can only deliver so much power at once. If you plan to run an AC, a pump and the kitchen at the same time, check:
- the inverter's continuous output rating (kW);
- the battery's maximum continuous discharge rate.
An undersized inverter will trip on overload even if the battery is full. See our solar inverter price page for inverter sizes, and solar for AC for air-conditioner sizing.
Quick sizing table for homes
| Your goal (example) | Typical battery | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, fans, router through a few hours of load-shedding | ~5 kWh | Most common starting point |
| Essentials plus fridge through the whole night | ~10 kWh | Two 48 V units or a high-voltage stack |
| Essentials plus one inverter AC part of the night | ~10-16 kWh | Depends strongly on AC hours |
| One AC all night plus essentials | ~15-16 kWh or more | Needs enough solar to recharge |
| Several ACs or heavy night loads | Engineered design | Often a larger high-voltage stack |
5, 10 and 16 kWh lithium battery prices
| Usable capacity (approx.) | Common setup | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ~5 kWh | One 48 V unit or one high-voltage module | WhatsApp for today's rate |
| ~10 kWh | Two 48 V units in parallel or a high-voltage stack | WhatsApp for today's rate |
| ~15-16 kWh | Three 48 V units or a larger high-voltage stack | WhatsApp for today's rate |
We supply batteries from Luminey and current Huawei and Sungrow options. Brand, model and capacity options are on our lithium battery price in Pakistan page. Whether you need a 48 V or high-voltage battery depends on the inverter; see 24V vs 48V lithium battery.
Common sizing mistakes
- Sizing in Ah without the voltage. 100 Ah at 24 V is half the energy of 100 Ah at 48 V. Always convert to kWh.
- Planning to run ACs all night on a small battery. One inverter AC overnight can need more energy than everything else combined.
- Forgetting the recharge. A big battery with too few panels will rarely be full.
- Comparing lithium kWh with tubular kWh directly. Tubular lead-acid batteries have a lower usable depth of discharge, so a "5 kWh" tubular bank delivers less usable energy than a 5 kWh LiFePO4 battery. See LiFePO4 vs tubular battery.
- Ignoring expansion. Choose a battery you can add to later.
Factories and commercial buildings
For industrial and commercial sites, battery sizing follows a load analysis: shift patterns, critical processes, generator use and demand peaks. This is engineered as a BESS rather than picked from a table. See industrial and commercial solar.
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
We serve all of Punjab. Send us a list of the loads you want on backup and your load-shedding hours, or contact us for a site survey, which is normally free.
Frequently asked questions
How many kWh battery do I need for my house?
Add the watts of the appliances you want on backup, multiply by the hours, and divide by about 0.85. Many homes running essentials need about 5 kWh; adding a fridge overnight or an AC for some hours often takes it to 10-16 kWh.
What does a 5 kW lithium battery mean?
It usually means a battery that stores about 5 kWh of energy. Strictly, kW is power and kWh is energy, so always check the usable kWh on the datasheet.
Can a 10 kWh battery run a 1.5 ton AC all night?
Only partly. For example, if an inverter AC averages about 1 kW, an 8-hour night uses about 8 kWh before other loads and losses. Running an AC all night alongside essentials usually needs a larger battery.
How long does a 5 kWh battery last?
Roughly, usable energy divided by load. For example, at a steady 500 W, a 5 kWh battery with a usable portion of about 4.25 kWh would last around 8 hours.
Should I buy a bigger battery now or add later?
If your budget allows, size for your current needs and choose a battery that can be expanded. Adding the same model later is usually simpler than replacing the battery.
How many solar panels do I need to charge a 10 kWh battery?
You need enough spare solar after daytime loads to put back about 10 kWh, more in winter. This depends on your daytime use, so we size panels and battery together at the survey.