The size of solar panel needed to charge your RV's batteries will depend on a few factors:
1. Battery Bank Capacity
The larger your battery bank capacity in amp-hours (Ah), the more solar panels you'll need. Common RV battery banks range from 100Ah to 400Ah.
2. Daily Power Usage
Determine how many amp-hours you use per day from your batteries by adding up the load from lights, appliances, electronics etc. Higher usage requires more solar input.
3. Sun Exposure
The amount of peak sunlight hours your RV gets per day impacts charging. Less sun exposure requires more solar panel wattage.
As a general guideline:
- For a single 12V battery (100Ah bank), a 100-200 watt solar kit may be sufficient with good sun.
- For dual 6V batteries (230Ah bank), 200-400 watts is recommended.
- For 4-6 batteries (400Ah+), you'll likely need 400-600 watts or more of solar panels.
It's better to oversize your solar a bit to account for cloudy days and electrical loads. Plan for at least 20-25% of your battery capacity in solar panel wattage as a minimum.
Also consider portable solar suitcase or flexible panels if you'll be camping in shady areas. Add a solar charge controller and quality cables to the system as well.
Post time: Mar-13-2024
