Caravan solar installations

Creating a reliable and efficient caravan solar set up and making our van self-sufficient was by far the best thing we have done for our life on the road. It has given us the freedom to camp in remote locations for long periods of time, to save money in caravan parks by camping on unpowered sites, to power all of our electronics whenever we need them and to let us travel wherever we want.

On the first leg of our lap around Australia we spent more than three weeks without plugging our van into a power point. And when we did, it was just because we had chosen to stay at a caravan park that only had powered sites, not because we actually needed to. For us, the ONLY difference between our solar set up and being plugged in at a caravan park is that we are able to use the air-conditioner in the van.

In this post we are going to try our very best to explain everything we did to set up our van to be completely self-sufficient. If we miss anything that you might want to know for your renovation just leave us a comment or send us a DM on Instagram. For us the answer was simple, solar panels were going to be by far the best way to power our caravan. We placed four of the RedArc W Monocrystalline Slim Line Solar Panels on our roof — two at the front, and two near the back, to be able to pick up the sunshine from different angles.

You can see how we placed them in the image above. The good thing about these solar panels is that they have a strong aluminium frame, and have been made to withstand harsh road conditions and extreme weather conditions.

Exactly what we needed for some of the places we were planning to take our van looking at you, Oodnadatta Track. From the solar panels on the roof, the solar energy then runs into our battery management system BMS — the RedArc Manager The BMS is designed to take in any power that is coming into the caravan and use it to charge the vans batteries. As well as solar power, the BMS also charges the batteries with power from the car when we are driving 12V , or the power point if we plug our van in at a caravan park V.

A flow chart of how power travels through our battery and solar system. There are heaps and heaps of things you can control from this display screen, to give yourself a completely customisation set up and make it work best for the way you need it to. The included cable junction box reliably keeps out particles and low pressure water jets. The motorhome solar panel kit includes the Renogy Adventure 30A PWM charge controller which is compatible with sealed, gel, and flooded batteries of both 12V and 24V.

The controller is designed for a flush wall mount. Negative grounding ensures safety and the unit is also equipped to protect from overcharging, overload, short circuit and reversed polarity. The integrated LCD screen displays charging data, allows you to set parameters and analyze the readout of the embedded self-diagnostics. Take note that the controller is already maxed out with four W panels. The Renogy solar kit delivers high-quality solar panels and reliable charging or energy for an array of appliances — the best solar panels for RV use where you have demanding setup and already have a battery or getting one separately.

You can expect an average output of 1, Watt hours or Ampere hours per day, as always it depends on the weather.

With the P30L charge controller, you can monitor charging on the LCD screen and adjust settings accordingly. Readouts include amperage, voltage, ampere hours, temperature and load draw. The pulse width modulated PWM unit features smart charging for different batteries and will protect from overload, short circuit, reverse polarity or overheating batteries.

Note that the controller is maxed out with four 12V panels already, but can handle a total of eight W 24V panels. The HQST W 12V solar panel kit is another starter set specifically designed for people new to solar with easy and convenient installation.

It is fit for 12V and 24V arrays and a variety of applications off-grid, including water pumps , lights, RVs, and small appliances. An average output would be Watt hours per day, or 40 Ampere hours. The included pulse width modulated charge controller is rated for 30A and automatically recognizes a system voltage of 12V or 24V. It features overload and overcharge protection, smart charging and can handle a total of W.

With a power inverter, you can use appliances and charge or power electronic devices. It includes a W power inverter needed to run appliances off the 12V batteries, and you can add a Ah or Ah 12V battery to the kit. Depending on sunlight, the motor home solar panels average output will be 2, Watt hours or Ampere hours per day.

It features a peak surge power of up to W, which is important to have when powering devices that draw more when you turn them on. The inverter has all the necessary safety requirements, such as battery, short circuit and overload protection, an internal fuse, cooling and temperature protection. The included P30L charge controller will reliably charge your deep cycle batteries, and the bundle has everything else you need to get started, including cables, connectors and mounting hardware.

The Allpowers SunPower solar panel is unique because it is the only model in our selection that is bendable. This makes it ideal for installation on uneven surfaces, at an angle or on a rounded roof, for example on a trailer. Four metal reinforced holes make mounting straightforward and easy on your RV, trailer, cabin, car or tent. Thanks to a frameless design, the panel only weighs 4.

The cable junction box is sealed and waterproof. The monocrystalline W panel delivers an outstanding efficiency of A diode in the junction box protects the panel from reverse polarity and safety features include short circuit and surge protection. The Allpowers SunPower solar panel is ideal for flexible or temporary installation and for building your own solar charging station.

The Sunpower is in my opinion the best RV solar panel. The Go Power! Weekender Complete RV solar kit is another solution with everything you need to hook up solar power to charge a deep cycle battery and draw power from it with an inverter. As the name suggests, it is ideal for long weekend trips where you want to power a TV and other appliances.

Always depending on circumstances, expected output is Watt hours or 50 Ampere hours per day. The large monocrystalline solar panel has an efficiency of You can add two more identical panels for a total of W, if needed. The anodized aluminum frame allows for stable and safe mounting on your RV roof. The charge controller can handle multiple batteries and comes with 30A 4-stage smart charging. It is intended for a flush wall mount and will provide a charging readout on the integrated LCD screen.

Although the kit does not come with a battery, it is ready to run appliances off battery power thanks to the included W industrial power inverter. The RV solar charger delivers a pure sine wave output of AC and comes with an install kit and a switching kit to easily toggle between shore and solar power.

A battery is not included, and Go Power! Recommends at least a Ah battery bank. Weekender is one of the best solar panels for RVs to start charging and powering electricity hungry devices and appliances, with the option of enhancing it all the way to W of solar power. The best RV solar panel installation depends on your vehicle, your energy needs and what hardware and power you already have in your RV.

In order to make an informed decision, pay attention to the following key characteristics. Motorhome solar panels allow you to capture energy from sunlight. Solar cells are constructed from silicon, with purity and construction influencing the output rate.

Monocrystalline Panels: Use purified silicon and are more effective and more costly. Polycrystalline Panels: Panels have a less pure crystalline structure, which reduces cost but also efficiency. If sunlight hours are limited for you, choose a high-grade panel. Without going too much into detail, these are the basic fundamentals for each of the controllers:. They match the solar array voltage to the voltage required to charge the batteries. When selecting what solar charge controller is right for you will primarily come down to your budget.

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All monies received will be used to keep all DIY guide articles up to date, as well as funding new in-depth articles. Business Directory. Special Offers. Build A Campervan. No products in the basket. Home Page. Campervan Conversion. Campervan Solar Power. Here you will learn everything you need to know about a solar power system aboard a campervan.

We list all key electrical components, we share our top selections on the best components to use, and at the end of the article, we share some helpful tips and tricks helping you keep your solar power system running efficiently. Arron April 23, 2 Comments. A very simple solar power wiring diagram.

A typical solar panel. Some of the key differences between a Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline solar panel. Which solar panel is best for your campervan? Solar panel MC4 connectors are used to connect individual panels together. Product Image Price. A solar charge controller. A charge controller regulates the incoming power efficiently.