By Admin | 24 March 2023 | 0 Comments
Best Portable Solar Panels for RV Campers: Buying Guide
Regarding the question of what is the best solar panel for RV camping, it is a difficult issue. Setting up a solar power system has always been a big topic, involving many aspects.
Advantages of Portable Solar Panels
When it comes to solar panels, there are mainly two types, portable and roof-mounted. The most common and widely used are roof-mounted solar panels. Portable solar panels and roof-mounted solar panels both offer benefits for generating electricity in campers and RVs, but they have some key differences in terms of advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of Portable Solar Panels:
Flexibility
Portable solar panels can be positioned and adjusted for optimal sunlight exposure, which is especially useful in areas with varying levels of sunlight or when parked in the shade.Easy Installation
Portable solar panels are easy to install and remove, connect them directly to the portable solar generator, no need to deal with a more complicated battery setup and charge controller. Ideal for anyone who is boondocking on weekends or short trips.Expandability
Portable solar panels can be easily added or removed to meet changing energy needs and can be combined with other solar panels or power sources.USB Charging Directly
The portable solar panel has a built-in USB port to charge your phone or tablet directly.Why Do RVs Need Portable Solar Panels
Although purchasing solar panels is an expensive investment, it will ultimately be worthwhile, particularly if you frequently take the whole family on vacations. If you don't have solar panels, you can end yourself living in one of those busy and noisy RV parks rather than a peaceful rural place. Solar generators and solar panels are frequent methods of generating electricity when boondocking or dry camping.
If you're new to solar and want to test it out without having to put anything on your RV roof, portable panels are a fantastic alternative.
Many new RVs are purchased with solar systems installed, but most have only one or two 100W solar panels. This basic solar system doesn't have enough power for comfortable travel, especially in the summer. And as the roof area of the RV is limited, there is no way to add a fixed solar panel on the roof.
Plus, for people who don't live in an RV or plan a long-term RV trip, adding portable solar panels is more cost-effective. It is easier to maintain, store, and transport, and can be used in the home yard.
As we mentioned above, portable solar panels often come with built-in stands that allow you to take the panel out and connect it directly to the RV battery or quick connection port when needed.
They're also great if you're camping in the shade, because you can leave them out in the sun and still generate energy.
How To Choose The Right Portable Solar Panels For Your RV Campers?
When choosing portable solar panels for RV campers, there are several factors to consider, including the size of the RV, your power needs, and the type of battery system.
Your Power Consumption Needs
To get the most out of enough solar power to keep your camping comfortable, there are two things you need to know:• How many watt-hours do you use per day? That is the energy to use.
• How much energy your solar panels are supplying to the battery? This is the energy to store.
For example, your current roof-mounted solar panel has a total of 200W, which generates 1 kWh of electricity per day, and you need 2 kWh of electricity per day. Then, you need to add another 200W of solar panels to meet your daily electricity demand.
The Specifications of Your RV Battery
If your electricity demand is 2 Kwh, what size of deep cycle batteries do you need? A 100ah 12volt battery has a storage capacity of approximately 1200 watts. The 24V battery can store 2400 watts. So 2 x 12V deep cycle batteries will suffice. Now take a look at whether the battery equipped with your RV meets your needs.Let’s take the motorhome Winnebago 24V View 2023 for example. It is equipped with two deep-cycle batteries in the solar power system. The battery is an AGM type, a sealed lead-acid battery. Here are the specifications for the Winnebago 24V View 2023 RV Deep Cycle Battery:
• Capacity: 12V, 100Ah (each battery)
• Voltage: 24V (two batteries wired in series)
• Watt-hour capacity: 2400Wh (total capacity of two batteries)
The 24V battery is enough to store the solar energy generated by the 400W solar panel for one day.
The Specifications of Your RV's Existing Solar Panels
We figured out the specifications of the existing solar panels to ensure that the new solar panels would match the solar panels of the existing system. It is best to install panels with a similar output to the original solar array, preferably the same brand. This ensures the same power output and efficiency.Let's take a look at the specifications of the solar panels mounted on the roof of the motorhome Winnebago 24V View 2023.
It is configured with two 100W Zamp Obsidian Series solar panels. The specifications are:
• Type: Monocrystalline solar panel
• Peak power: 100 watts
• Voltage at maximum power (Vmp): 20.1V --17.6V
• Current at maximum power (Imp): 5.01A --6.25A
• Open circuit voltage (Voc): 23.86V --23.76V
• Short circuit current (Isc): 5.36A ---7.5A
Specifications of Your Controller
Most RV solar panels run around 17-20 volts and can be used with most PWM charge controllers to charge a 12-volt system. Home solar panels are typically 40-70 volts and cannot be used with a PWM charge controller.You can use an MPPT type controller as long as it has a high enough voltage rating. Using an MPPT controller allows the use of most solar panels for RVs.
The motorhome Winnebago 24V View 2023 is equipped with a Zamp ZS-30A PWM controller that supports a 12V solar system with a maximum of 500 watts / 30 amps.
What Are The Best Solar Panels For an RV?
Now we have all the solar system data we need. Let's see what kind of portable solar panels are suitable. There are two situations: the RV originally does not have a solar system and has a solar panel system.
No Solar System originally
If your RV camper does not originally have a solar system, then you only need to consider the total wattage you want per day and the size of your deep cycle batteries or portable solar generator. If you're not sure how many watts and panels you need, you should read through this article: What Watt Solar Panel Do I need In Boondocking.The best option for you is the one that suits your needs, no more and no less.
I always recommend getting more solar power than you need because you won't have perfect sun conditions every day of the year.
Now, here's my recommendation for the best portable solar panels.
Gonagain, a veteran YouTuber in RV camping, made a detailed test and compared six different brands of 100w - 120w portable solar panels. They are Bluetti SP120 120w, BougeRV 120w, Xtar SP100 100w, Itehil 100w, Oupes 100w, and Jackery SolarSaga 100w. Here is the result:
• The most efficient portable solar panel is the XTAR SP100.
• The most weather-resistant is the BougeRV 120w panel.
• The cheapest portable solar panel is the Itehil 100w panel.
Here is the comparison chart below.
Related post: Comparison Of 6 Best Portable Solar Panels In 2022
With Original Solar System
If you need to add new portable panels to the original solar system, then it will be more complicated.Still taking the above motorhome as an example, let's take a look at how to choose a suitable panel.
Since the roof-mounted solar panels on the RV are generally connected in parallel, and the original charge controller of this motorhome supports a maximum of 500 watts, it is more appropriate to choose 100 watts for the additional solar panels. According to the parameters of the original solar panel, we choose a panel with relatively close parameters. The XTAR SP100 is the most suitable one. Here is the specification:
• Type: Monocrystalline solar panel
• Peak power: 100 watts
• Voltage at maximum power (Vmp): 17.6V
• Current at maximum power (Imp): 6.25A
• Open circuit voltage (Voc): 23.76V
• Short circuit current (Isc): 7.5A
Your daily power consumption is 2000 watts a day, assuming 5 hours of sunshine per day, then four 100-watt solar panels are just right. Therefore, we only need to buy 2 extra XTAR 100W portable solar panels.
Then, how do we connect these 4 panels? From the above, we know that these 4 panels need to be connected in parallel. First, you need to prepare several parallel connection cables. If you don’t know which one to buy, we recommend 2 pairs of solar parallel cable 1 to 2 with MC4 connectors.
Connect the positive poles between each solar panel to form a chain, and connect the negative poles of all solar panels to form a chain in the same way. Once all the solar panels are connected in parallel, use the appropriate cables to connect the positive and negative terminals to the charge controller. Test the system to ensure that all solar panels are functioning properly and that the voltage and current outputs are within the desired range.
Conclusion
By adding portable solar panels to your RV campers, motorhomes, or travel trailers, you can increase your RV's off-grid capabilities and provide additional power to your RV living life. Make sure to choose a compatible portable solar panel, install a charge controller, and test your system to make sure everything is working.
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