One of the main attractions of RVs (Recreational Vehicles) is the flexibility they give you. In theory you can drive anywhere you want, but often you are restricted to available camp sites because you need a source of electricity. Even if you use your batteries to power on-board appliances they will need recharging from time to time – usually more often than you had planned! And be warned, regularly draining a battery will shorten its life considerably. But there is now an attractive option that will give you true flexibility to go where you want, and you can make it yourself easily and cheaply.
Many RVs have generators on-board, but these tend to be noisy, smelly and gas-guzzlers. These days you can fit solar panels to your RV which will give you all or most of the power you need without damaging your battery, and these panels are very easy to make at home, even for the total novice. Your generator, if you have one, can then become a backup – much less harmful for the ears and pocket. Keep it for powering the lights at your next outdoor party!
Solar panels for RVs can be easily stored if foldable, and they tend to be quite lightweight so are easily moveable. One 8 square foot solar panel will produce about 75 to 100 watts, which is about the same as a pair of golf cart batteries. This would probably be enough for the average mid-size RV but it would depend, of course, on your own electrical needs. Most RVs use less than 400 watts. Perhaps start with a couple of solar panels, and fit some more as needed. We have some more information about this here.
There are some additional things you will need if you will be driving regularly in hot climates. You will need a solar-powered battery charger with battery temperature compensation to reduce the danger of damaging your batteries. Also, solar panels on the roof of an RV can get very warm, which can affect their efficiency and can lead to voltage drops. Your solar panels will need to be rated at about 17 volts or higher to to stop this becoming a problem. These are just some things to keep in mind.
There is a good range of RV solar panel kits on the market but these tend to be very pricey. We thoroughly recommend making your own. You will find it very easy, a lot of fun, and literally anybody can do it. And much cheaper than buying a kit. What you will need, however, is expert advice before you start to build a solar panel, otherwise you will probably waste a lot of time and effort doing research and not necessarily doing the job properly. This is not a problem, because we can recommend a good source of expertise with good step-by-step instructions for only a few dollars. We believe this is a good investment.