Do I Need A Solar Panel For My Motorhome

Solar panels do one thing they charge your rv s batteries.

Do i need a solar panel for my motorhome.

I don t know too many people who rv under those conditions. Go boondocking and only use your rv battery ies as your power source. Position your solar panel to catch as much of the midday strongest sunlight as possible. This is assuming you are considering using 12 volt rv grade panels.

If you re hoping to cut the cord go off grid live more greenly or get off the radar then installing rv solar panels may help your cause. It s important to go into your solar power setup knowing what you need and what you don t. The primary purpose for solar panels on an rv is to recharge your battery bank when not connected to shore power or generator. Before buying a new solar panel check with your caravan or motorhome s manufacturer that it will fit to your van easily.

Maximizing roof space results in meeting the electrical demands required when boondocking. A solar charging system requires no gas makes no sound and can charge your batteries for hours and hours unattended as long as the sun is shining. Operate all of the electrical equipment in the same way you want to operate it while using rv solar panels normal usage here no conserving so you get a true reading of how much power you will need from your solar panels. That panel is rated at 100 watts at peak efficiency meaning on a 78 degree cloudless day at solar noon on the equator during the equinox.

You can plaster every inch of your camper with solar panels but this is ultimatley a waste of money if you have nowhere to store all the energy the panels produce. While rv solar panels are certainly not necessary they do have a lot of benefits. Many rvs today come pre wired for solar but what does this mean. You will need at least 1 800 watts of solar panels to run your rv air conditioner.

The higher the ah capacity the longer the battery or bank can supply the motorhome s electrical needs before it requires a recharge from the solar panels generator the motorhome s alternator or from plugging into shorepower. Without sun you ll need to resort to one of these other methods. This is also assuming of course you have a lot of battery power too. We suggest a battery bank of 800 amp hours.