Best Rv Solar Panel Kits In 2022
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Using solar panels to provide at least some of your campers electricity can make for a peaceful, off-grid experience.
Without the need to hook up, daily driving, or noisy portable generators, you can keep your leisure batteries charged without paying for campgrounds and enjoy some of natures best boondocking locations.
A few components are needed to install a solar setup, so you have to shop around for the correct size parts and configure a suitable setup for your electrical demand.
Or you can make it easy and buy a solar panel kit, which includes all the parts you need.
With pre-configured solar panel kits, adding solar panels to RVs, campervans, and motorhomes has never been easier.
But there are a few kits available, and this post will help you figure out which one is best for you.
So what are the best solar panel kits for campervans, RVs, and motorhomes? Read on!
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1. Renogy 200 Watt Solar Premium Kit
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Mighty Max Battery 100
The polycrystalline solar cells in this Might Max Battery panel provide a highly efficient 100 watts of power at a time.
The panel is encased in an aluminum framing that resists corrosion, withstanding damage from the elements. It even has drainage holes around the back portion of the frame. Thus, it can easily release any water, preventing damage.
Because the frame is built to be long-lasting and sturdy, it can withstand harsh, inclement weather, be it harsh winds, rains, or even heavy snowfall. It can take a load up to 5,400Pa with little to no damage. This is excellent if we re traveling in your van across cities with unpredictable weather.
I find that the frame has six pre-drilled holes at the back to make it easier and more convenient to mount on the roof.
The panel comes with essential MC4 connectors. These cables are about 35 inches long, which gives us more mobility as to where you set up our controllers, cables, and panels since short cables dont restrict them.
- Polycrystalline solar cells provide 100 watts of power
- Corrosion-free aluminum framing with drainage holes to release water
- Frame can withstand harsh winds, rains, and snow up to 5,400Pa
- MC4 connectors are 35 inches long for more mobility to set up
- There are six pre-drilled mounting holes at the back of the panel
- Doesnt come with mounting brackets to set up the panels
Go Power 130 Watt Portable Solar Kit
ASIN Number: B009MIPH4K
The Go Power 130 Watt Portable Solar Kit is ideally suited for travelers that do not want to install a panel on their roof. The kit is foldable in nature which makes it convenient to carry around with you.
The foldable design and lightweight features make it ideal for traveling. Additionally, the battery clamps and additional cabling provide good durability. There is a 25 years warranty on the panels as well.
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Do You Need Batteries For Your Rv Solar Panels
A deep cycle battery for your RV solar system is essential for running appliances outside of daylight hours or when it is cloudy. Since RV solar panels are not grid-tied, your battery bank is your principle source of back up energy. RV batteries will store energy produced by your PV panels, allowing you to use it as needed, while a charge controller will regulate that energy and prolong battery life. The real question is:what kind of batteries are best for your RV and needs?
The Basics Of An Rv Solar Panel Setup
Solar panels for RV campers or motorhomes work in the same way a residential solar installation operates: solar panels capture sunlight and convert it into electricity, and you can use that solar electricity to power appliances. You can buy specialized portable solar panels designed for easy set up and take down for RVs, as well as small or flexible panels that are designed to be mounted on an RV roof.
If you spend time camping and traveling in an RV, a solar panel setup can be a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and convenient way to use electricity on the go. Solar panel systems generally require little to no maintenance and provide a dependable source of electricity when the sun is shining. For RV owners who mostly stick to campgrounds with electrical hookups, however, RV solar panels likely wont provide enough of an extra benefit to rationalize spending on them.
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How To Install A 200 Watt Solar Panel Kit On Your Rv/camper Detailed Step By Step Instructions
How do I connect my portable solar panel to my RV?
If you have a portable solar panel and you want to connect it to your RV, you will need to purchase a solar panel kit. This kit will include all of the necessary components to connect your solar panel to your RV. Once you have the kit, follow the instructions to connect the solar panel to your RV.
How do you mount solar panels?
- There are a few different ways to mount solar panels, depending on the type of roof you have and the number of panels you want to install.
- If you have a flat roof, you can either install the panels directly onto the roof or use a mounting system that attaches to the roof rafters.
- If you have a sloped roof, youll need to use a mounting system that attaches to the roof rafters.
- If you want to install a large number of panels, you may need to use a ground-mounted system.
How Many Watt Solar Panel Do I Need For Rv
- The amount of wattage youll need for your RV solar panel depends on a few factors, including the size of your RV, the amount of sunlight you get, and how much power you want to generate.
- A good rule of thumb is to aim for around 100 watts of solar panel per 100 square feet of RV, which should be enough to power most RV appliances and devices.
- If you live in an area with lots of sun, you may be able to get by with a smaller panel, but if youre in a more shady area, you may need a larger panel.
How do you hook up a solar panel to a battery?
- In order to hook up a solar panel to a battery, you will need a few things: a solar panel, a battery, and a charge controller.
- The solar panel will need to be connected to the battery via the charge controller.
- The charge controller will ensure that the battery is not overcharged by the solar panel.
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Take Charge Of How You Camp
Impossibly versatile, exceptionally designed, SolarFlex is shattering customers expectations of factory solar power. SolarFlex eliminates the guesswork, delivering affordable, high-quality RV solar energy systems. All Keystone fifth wheels and travel trailers* now feature one of four SolarFlex solar energy systems. Each package was developed so that owners can easily build on to their system to meet their needs with approved and warrantied parts available through authorized Keystone dealers. All SolarFlex packages can now be optimized with state-of-the-art Dragonfly Energy Lithium-ion batteries — available as factory-installed equipment, exclusively from Keystone RV.
Want to learn more about the SolarFlex & Dragonfly partnership? Listen to this Beyond the Wheel podcast episode.
Security
Intelligently engineered by the experts at the Keystone Innovation Lab. SolarFlex uses best-in-class hardware and configuration options designed specifically for RVers. Fully integrated during the build process, SolarFlex eliminates the patchwork of an aftermarket build and is covered by Keystones fully transferable warranties.
Control
Monitor and optimize your solar energy in real-time using the Victron app.
Protection
Every RV owner knows the sinking feeling of a dead battery. SolarFlex can provide continuous charge, ensuring the operation of 12V systems and avoiding battery depletion and replacement.
Flexibility
Solar System Size: Truly Consider Your Energy Needs
RVs do not require as much power as residential solar systems, especially since there are rarely any power-hungry devices like in a house. When spending the day at your RV, you might want to watch TV for a few hours , turn on your satellite internet for working or surfing the web on your laptop , make coffee , or use other low power consumption tasks.
All of these devices have relatively low power consumption, except for the coffee maker which consumes 1,000W per hour but only operates for 5-10 minutes. Considering and analyzing your power demand habits will help you estimate how much power you need, allowing you to invest in the right size for RV solar panels.
The previous equation can help you to estimate the ideal size for a PV system for your RV. The equation requires you to consider your daily energy requirements, expected Peak Sun Hours or effective hours of power generation at maximum capacity in the location where you will be camping, and a derating factor associated with PV losses. For properly estimating your energy consumption, you can use the widget for reference to obtain the power demand, you just need to figure out the amount of time that you intend to use these appliances.
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Solar Panel Price & Diy Installation Cost
Most solar panels for RV on the market have a power output of between 100 and 400 watts of power per panel. Solar panels for RV cost between $50 and $300 for a single panel, depending on the power output as well as the type and material.
Monocrystalline solar panels are the most advanced and are capable of the highest power output, thus are the most expensive, followed by polycrystalline and then flexible amorphous panels.
The number of solar panels and the total wattage rating you need depends on your daily power consumption. An small sized RV, that is a Class B minivan or a small travel trailer, typically consumes about 120 watts to 200 watts of power per hour.
Meanwhile, a medium to large sized RV, including Class A and Class C RVs and larger trailers and fifth wheels, on average draw about 450 watts per hour.
This means a DIY RV solar panel installation will cost you at least $600 for the simplest setup up to some $2,000 for more extensive systems for above-average power demand.
Renogy 400 Watt 12 Volt Solar Premium Kit
ASIN Number: B07CTKT56Y
This Renogy 400 Watt 12 Volt Solar Premium Kit is definitely one of the more premium kits going around in the market. The kit comes with an amazing combination of four monocrystalline panels, which rank high on efficiency and provide 100 watts each.
The 40 Amp MPPT charger is a blessing to have and can help you monitor voltage and charge times. Additionally, there are 4 Z-brackets for easy installation.
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Determining Factors: What To Consider When Buying An Rv Solar Panel System
One important difference between residential panels and RV panels is the size of the system: RV solar panel setups are usually designed to provide enough power to recharge either small devices or a few larger kitchen appliances, while a home solar system is typically sized to cover most or all of your propertys electricity needs. You can always add more panels to your RV solar setup, but given the small amount of roof space and energy storage capacity requirements, RV solar panel systems are generally on the smaller side compared to residential rooftop installations. Below we have laid out some groundwork for you to determine how big of a system you need.
How Does An Rv Solar Panel Work
Understanding the basics of how an RV solar panel works isnt a complicated process. These devices capture sunlight and convert it into electricity, which passed through a charge controller. Its then fed at an optimal current to your RV batteries for storage.
In more scientific terms, the process is called Photovoltaics: converting light/photons into electricity/voltage. Its also important to note these solar panels are composed of many smaller units called photovoltaic cells.
Solar panels work by allowing light particles to knock electrons loose from atoms, which produces flows of electricity. This process has become more and more efficient over the years as technology improved.
As I noted earlier, most solar panels will work at 15% efficiency, which conveys that 15% of the sunlight captured is converted into usable power for your RV. But the latest models have increased this percentage to higher levels, topping out at 21% efficiency.
You should also know that your rigs batteries will store the power generated by these panels. Solar power happens to be somewhat sporadic, which means you cant use it effectively based on what your panels are getting from the sun at a single moment.
Like I stated before, the stored energy is accessible in two ways. The first method would be direct access for 12V DC appliances. Its also possible to use an inverter and convert the current into 110V AC power to run AC devices.
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Rv Solar Power Comes At A High Cost
The price of RV solar panels is high. A good, long-lasting solar panel kit can be pricy by itself, but it doesnt stop there.
You also must get solar batteries for storing the power, a charge controller to not overcharge, and an inverter to turn the solar power into usable power for your rig. All in all, eco-friendly power is an investment that comes at a major cost.
Solar Panel Formula For Rv
Finally, we have created a formula that you can use to determine the number of solar panels your RV need.
Dont let this bit of mathematics scare you off, I promise it is very easy to grasp once you get used to the different metrics used.
Okay, so to figure out how many solar panels your RV will need we will use the formula above.
Monthly electric usage ÷ monthly peak sun hours x 1000 ÷ solar panel power rating.
Lets start with an example.
You plan on driving your RV across Arizona. This state experiences on average 5.7 peak sun hours daily or 176,7 monthly.
So, lets apply the formula.
First, you need to convert your electricity consumption from Wh to kWh, so 4,848Wh = 4.8kWh.
4.8kWh x 31 days = 148,8kWh monthly.
148,8 ÷ 176,7 = 0,842 x 1000 = 842 watts.
842 ÷ 200 = 4,21
Using our formula you can see that an RV driving through Arizona with 4,8kWh monthly electricity consumption will require x4,21 solar panels to offset all their energy usage. Now of course there are no half panels, so we would recommend rounding 4,21 to 5.
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Why You Need A Portable Solar Panel For An Rv
Voyagerix/Shutterstock
Solar panels are not a cheap investment at all. Youll be lucky to find panels that are under $200, let alone ones that are of high quality, so spending a fair bit of money on them is part of the territory.
However, the expense is well worth the results youll get in the long run, especially if youre the type of person that regularly makes use of your RV. Not having a solar panel means you wont have as much flexibility when it comes to where you can and cannot take your RV.
Without a solar panel, youll likely find yourself staying in one of those noisy and overpacked RV parks rather than a nice quiet rural area.
Suppose you care about relying solely upon the sun and your equipment to keep your RV and all your electronics powered. In that case, getting a solar panel is absolutely the way to go.
Northwood Snow River 234rbs
Northwood RV claims to provide both comfort and luxury with their 2017 Snow River 234RBS trailer. Under its appealing design, these units boast block foam insulation which is vacuum-bonded to ensure campers can enjoy their Travel Trailer throughout the year.
An important feature of this model is that it comes equipped with solar wiring and with a 20 W solar panel. Its good to know that when youre camping off-grid in your 2017 Northwood Snow River, youll be able to switch on the lights and some other electric features without having to start the generator.
Handy, spacious kitchen and dining room
Browse all Northwood Snow River RVs
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2017 Pleasure-Way Plateau XLMB
Pleasure-way is known for custom Class B motor coaches built on Chevrolet, Ford, and Mercedes chassis.
The companys standards of quality control are unmatched as they put every single motor home through rigorous test processes. Their test process involves auditing the work of each craftsman involved in building the units. Also, the company prides itself on having a top-notch dealer network so buyers can always get help when needed.
The 2017 design of Pleasure-Ways Plateau XLMB comes with an interesting addition. It has a 285 Watt Solar package, which is great for lighting, for your electronic gadgets or entertainment system when you take this luxury Class B into more remote areas without access to shore power.
2017 Pleasure-Way Plateau XLMB
Fantastic new modern LED lighting
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