If you are wild camping then this may not be possible and then you have to accommodate the panel in the van overnight where space is even more of a premium. to working out what size solar panel you'll need for your campervan, caravan or motorhome. The other advantage of semi-flexible solar panels is the flex that these panels offer – allowing your panel to match any contours on your van roof – bear in mind that they are semi-flexible and have a max bend radius – so check this out first if you want to mount to a very curved surface, you could damage the panel. Take a moment to think about the electrical appliances and accessories you plan to use; Decide on the part of the year you will be using the equipment (spring to autumn, or the whole year). Decide on the part of the year you will be using the equipment (spring to autumn, or the whole year). A solar panel works by capturing the energy coming from the sun and turning it into electricity that can then be used for your campervan. If you are just powering some lights and a few charging sockets then you’ll be fine with 80w – 100w, If you want to keep your starter battery topped up when it’s parked at home then look at the 60w panels. Company Registration Number: 04303044 VAT no: 794270796, Specialist Batteries Enersys SBS Battery Range, Solar Power Kits For Boats Caravans Motorhomes etc, Solar Power Kits (off-grid) for Buildings, Projects etc, How To: Test Your Solar Panel & Regulator, SOLARA M-SERIES - Extremely flat, walkable and semi bendable, Solar Panels Information, Panel Size Calculator, Motorhomes & Caravans, Campervan, Caravan & Small Motorhome, 110Ah batttery, Lights, water pump, radio, TV 3hrs/day & 240V appliances, Lights, water pump, radio, TV 5hrs/day & 240V appliances. Your camping behaviour dictates a lot about how you set up your system. The van will be started and moved (either to pop out for the day or to move to another site). Menu. Use the Ready Reckoner. It’s worth noting that these numbers are coming from a 100w panel on a cloudy day but with good light. So sometimes smaller systems, say in this case, let’s say you find a couple of 150 watt hour panels 160 watt panels – if you go 300 watts of solar and a PWM controller, you’re going to be paying less for more power than if you were to go with an MPPT controller. Types of solar panel There are currently two main types of solar panel available – thin film and crystalline. If you are thinking about panels smaller than 60w – don’t bother – those dash mounted cheap ones from motorists stores will do nothing for your batteries. In my opinion, the answer is simpler than you think but not truly defined but here are some choices. 4m red 4m black for wiring the solar controller up. What in your van needs powering? Other items you will need include a controller and there is a wealth of choice on those from cheap PWM controllers to more expensive MPPT controllers. Each side is 50w in size, which gives you 100w overall. Use the calculator to input each of your electronic devices. Conclusion. There are 100, 170, 200, 225, 265, 300, 335, and 360 watt solar panels. Take a moment to think about the electrical appliances and accessories you plan to use. Rolls S-Series 116Ah AGM Deep Cycle Leisure Battery, Victron Phoenix Pure Sine wave Inverter 12v 250W, Victron Orion Tr Smart DC to DC Charger 12-12-30, Victron 215W Blue Solar Mono-Crystalline Rigid Frame Solar Panel, 60w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating, 12v 300w Pure Sine Wave Inverter 230v AC Output, Votronic 12v/24v 100a Smart Battery Computer Monitor, 120w 12v Folding Solar Panel Kit with Controller, 100w 12v Folding Solar Panel Kit with Controller, 80w 12v Folding Solar Panel Kit with Controller, 60w 12v Folding Solar Panel Kit with Controller, 40w 12v Folding Solar Panel Kit with Controller, 160w Black Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel ETFE – Rear Junction Box, 160w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating, 120w Black Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel ETFE – Rear Junction Box, 120w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating, 100w Black Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel ETFE – Rear Junction Box, 100w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating (Narrow), 100w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating, 80w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating (Narrow), 80w Reinforced Semi-Flexible Solar Panel with ETFE Coating, Wiring Diagram: Solar Install 100w Panel with MPPT Controller with Battery Monitor. EHU points at these sites again off you the chance to boost your batteries via mains chargers. If you have a laptop that needs charging then fine – run the inverter for an hour or so to charge laptop and then unplug and run the laptop on battery. We've shared our own camper van electrical design in the post. The compressor fridge is another device that is power hungry but not as much as you think. Free postage. is a question that I always get asked. The key here is the same as the laptop – charge it then unplug it and use it’s battery as it’s designed to be used. Renogy 50 Watt Flexible Camping Solar Panel. … You can’t generate too much power, the solar controller will regulate the power supplied to your batteries. Free postage. The ampere, often shortened to “amp” or A, is the base unit of electric current in the International System of Units. I run a 100W solar panel and have no problems but I do use the van for everyday transport and I turn my fridge off at night. You might find that your solar panel needs are too big or too expensive once you run the numbers. Equally, there are some of us who after a period of ‘Off-Grid’ lifestyle may decide to stay at a campsite with facilities to empty the waste water, top up the fresh water, shower or entertain the kids etc. £194.99. To make it easy to choose which size is best for you, we make the following recommendations. Sullens Farm, Sunnings Lane, Upminster, Essex, RM14 2DQ, UK Still got a question? 100w Semi Flexible Solar Panel. Campervan fridges are rated at around 40w, so with a 12v battery that equates to around 3.3A per hour. Some people install our standard Lensun 50W, 60W, 80W and 100W Semi-flexible solar panels directly. This current is measured in Amps. It’s not as complicated as you might think, given what we have discussed above. When shopping for solar panels you will see these rated in Watts i.e. Solar panels wired in parallel. Motorhome solar panels: are used to charge the 12v leisure battery and commonly the 12v engine battery. Now let’s say that you run the fridge for 24 hours then that equates to around 80Ah – which equates to one dead leisure battery. So … First of all, I took advice. You want to start with the big hitters – Inverters and Compressor fridges. This will trickle charge your battery ready for the next trip. This current, pushed by voltage, flows through wires in an electrical system to perform work when it encounters resistance, which can be measured in terms of watts. This is a 100w solar charting kit with high-performance monocrystalline panels. 65 watching. Equally if we tie this back to our camping style – we will be travelling to our site whilst the fridge is getting down to the correct temperature so when we arrive and are reliant on the solar set-up to top up the batteries then the fridge is already cold. Amp hours is a unit of energy, which can be consumed or generated over a period of time. Solar panel size, weight and power One 200w panel will require less space and will weigh far less than two 100w panels. This is why it is important to choose the correct wiring for your accessories and if too much current flows through the wires your fuses are designed to blow to save the wires and the accessory – these are rated in amps. Solar panel dimensions: 590 x 505 x 25 mm If you use a small amount of power for approximately 2 to 3 hours a day, (e.g using energy efficient led lights, charging a mobile phone and occasional laptop use) then this 50W 12V Photonic Universe solar charging kit with 10A controller is for you. Phone us on the number at the top of the page, or use the contact form. Factors that affect your set-up. It also folds up nicely and comes with a case that it be packed away into when it’s not being used. There are several factors to consider and I promise none of them involve you having to get the calculator out. When wiring solar panels in parallel, the amps are cumulative but the volts stay the same. To simply trickle charge your engine or leisure battery we suggest you use a minimum solar panel size of 50 watts. So unless you plan on leaving the door open all the time the power consumption of the fridge is much less. 160W Photonic Universe monocrystalline solar panel with 5m of solar cable, for charging a 12V battery in a motorhome, caravan, campervan, RV, boat or yacht, or off-grid/backup solar power systems 4.7 out of 5 stars 70 £134.99£134.99 So now we have thought about the type of camping we are doing and what we want to charge let’s find out what type of panel we want – what are the choices? 24W Solar Panel With Triple Usb Ports By RAVPower. Which Solar Controller to Choose: MPPT or PWM? It is easier to fit two 100 watt panels than a single 200 watt panel. I missed a few, but the point is, there are MANY different sizes of solar panels on the market and 3, 100 watt solar panels will have the same output as a single 300 watt solar panel. I’m talking batteries of course. Phone chargers are another popular accessory for vans and run around 2A for the decent ones. Find out more here. Free postage. Having solar power aboard your campervan is a great way to create electricity. We built a camper van solar calculator to help you size your system. For motorhomes, panels of 80W and above are most commonly needed. A 150 Watt Solar Panel receiving 6 hours of sunlight, will supply a leisure battery with 750 Watts or power. Solar panels are measured in watts. During this time the leisure battery will be being charged by the alternator via a split charge system or via a DC to DC charger. We're open and remain available to help and support our customers. We really like the fact that you can simply park up and have access to an endless amount of electricity (obviously this depends on the weather and time of day depending). If you want to recharge it fully, winter and summer, a 100W panel is the minimum. The biggest factor affecting what solar panel size to choose for your camper van is what you are wanting to power – lights, fridges, TV’s and gadget charging are all on the list and some use more power than others and it varies for each van, how they are configured and how you camp. Electricity flows through your wires and connectors in your vehicle and this flow is referred to as electrical current. To maximise the solar output we always fit a 100 watt solar panel. When using a crystalline solar panel, remember that even the tiniest shadow can affect the amount of power generated. A Watt is a unit of electricity to measure power. or Best Offer. Folding camper & trailer tent quote. Get our FREE guide "How To Get The Most From Your Solar Panel" plus the latest SelectSolar news via email. SunWorks 200 watt solar panel kit. 80Ah is often the highest the smaller vans can go with limited space in the leisure battery area but some of the home builds can cope with a bigger 110Ah or even 2 batteries linked together. So now you’ve got to grips with the jargon around solar panels you can now start designing your system. Use the Ready Reckoner. Or…how big are yours? Mono-crystalline panels are the most effective out of all types of solar panel, with each… Covid 19 Customer Service and Support. £295.00. What size solar panel do I need for my camper van, How to wire a microswitch tap and water pump, Simply Lithium – Victron SuperPack Lithium Batteries (LiFePO4), 12v Battery Monitors and Monitoring Solutions from Victron Energy, Off-Grid Recipe – Ham Hock Ploughman’s & Chutney Dressing, How to install a split charge relay into a VW T25. If like me you will be using the van to pop out during the day to local attractions etc then you will have to disconnect the panel and nothing will be charging your batteries while you are parked up for the day in the local town – with the fridge on. If you have a compressor fridge and an inverter then go for 120w or above – 150W if you have the space on the roof. What size solar panel do I need for my camper van? After your solar panels have been installed, operational costs are low compared to other forms of power generation. Let’s talk about inverters first, these basically suck the juice right out of your battery and quickly – so it’s best to plan to use them sparingly. Which Size: The most popular motorhome solar panel kit we sell is the 120w MPPT kit.This kit is currently a good compromise in power, price and size. Because the best configuration for maximum performance depends on the panels in the solar array, there's no one size fits all answer. If this is how you tend to holiday in the van then spending hours calculating your loads etc isn’t necessary. The general thinking is that a small panel of, say, 20 Watts, is plenty if all you want to do is keep your leisure battery in tip-top condition. The photons knock the electrons loose from their atoms inside each of the solar cells. It all comes down to power. Could you be putting the roof of your motorhome to better use with solar panels? The choices and the technology seem a little confusing at first and my advice is to speak to someone first who can advise you on your situation but don’t get sucked into a debate over what power this accessory or that inverter uses and confuse yourself with numbers. 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. There are some pro’s and con’s to consider. Rigid frame soar panels are popular with motorhomes and caravaners as they tend to have more roof space. You can see this on the display from a Victron Smart Solar Controller here. Hits: 27808 With a 100 Watt solar panel you can run all of your 12v appliances indefinitely in the summer. The number as well as the size of the solar panels you need depends on the amp hours you eventually arrive at – the solar panel you then choose should supply approximately 20% more than your needs to compensate for variables such as cloudy days, shading etc. Once you've decided on the wattage you need, click on the relevant category. It measures the amount of energy or “power” released in a system. The older sockets (or cheap ones) will be rated at 1A and you will get a very slow charge or no charge at all. After that preamble we get to the key question – how big a solar panel do I need? In the summer months, the right size and quality of panel will produce sufficient amps to run your fridge, lights and water pump without the need to plug into 230v mains power or to have to drive the vehicle in order to recharge the leisure batteries. If you don’t have LED lights then rather than specifying your system to account for an array of 40w bulbs – make the change to LED and this will mean less stress on your system. No more need for electric hook-ups - camp in the pretty spots! With a campervan being the sole form of transport that we have when away on holiday – we are unlikely to be static on a pitch for a number of days. Ultra-lightweight design. We all have lights in the van and increasingly these are moving over to LED – these draw hardly any current (LED light strips for example draw around 2.9W per foot) so you can dismiss them from your equations – a 6 foot light string will consume less than 1.5A. Watts, Volts, Amps, Amp Hours are all terms we hear when shopping for solar set-ups, so it’s worth understanding the basics of electrical measurement and what each of them mean so you can decipher the jargon and decide what you need. This too covers more than camper solar panels so if you're new to all things campervan electric related, this is a the ideal place to start. They allow you to place the panel in direct sunlight, whilst keeping your van parked in the shade and they can also be turned through the day to track the sun to ensure maximum efficiency. When designing your system you must consider cumulative charge in Amp hours fed to your battery bank, not just the instantaneous peak amperage, since your loads may want to run regardless of whether the sun is shining with full intensity on your panels or at night. 0800 14 88 400 . The answer, if you Google it, doesn’t seem that simple – so in this blog I hope to lay it all out for you in a simple fashion so you can understand the numbers. A typical 14.72-volt solar panel has 32 solar cells. Check out our blog here on how to choose your controller. 8m: Auto electric supplies (AES) Analog panel meter ammmeter 0 to 20A reading: £3.97: 1: Amazon (sourcingmap) LCD digital volt panel Voltmeter: 7.5-20V. An 80w solar panel kit is adequate for most applications in the summer months but the 120w brings extra reliability. Amps is a unit of power, which is an instantaneous measure. Motorhome insurance quote. I don’t know too many people who RV under those conditions. You can calculate Watts by multiplying Volts and Amps. Also as they are detached from the van you should consider potential theft and one other factor to consider is the type of camping you do. For a larger motorhome or a narrowboat consider installing 200 watts. If we assume that the panel will generate this amount of power during the day (6 hours) then the total energy produced will be 18 AmpHrs. Go big or go home is the basic idea. The 100W Monocrystalline Silicon solar panel should give 5A per hour in good daylight, so maximum 30Ah for 6 daylight hours The alternator when driving from site to site (see split charge relay) The PMS charging unit when on electric hookup What size solar panel for a caravan? Our UK Best 100W Solar Panel For Tenting And Charging Picks: DI Mobilehome Solar Panel Kit Off-Grid. 400W Solar Panel Campervan Mercedes Sprinter & VW Crafter Camper Boat Off-Grid. Camper Van Electrical Design . Always ensure as many cells as possible are in direct sunlight. Total independence on a medium size motorhome requires a solar panel of about 160 watts. £3.60 per metre. Read our guide on buying and installing renewal energy. Retrieve a quote. 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