Review of the Best RV Battery Chargers and Solar Panel Kits

You don’t need to hire a professional to plan a solar photovoltaic system for your RV. Using these steps, you can plan the perfect system on your own and calculate how long it will take to pay for itself.

The Most Recommended Solar Chargers Are:


This guide is articulated in sections where each section explains a specific question.
1° Estimate the Total Power You Need
2° Calculate Your Total Power System Size and Cost
3° Get an Estimate on Energy Savings and Payback

How can I increase the autonomy power of my motor home?

In a camper electricity and water are precious. We must therefore learn to save without depriving the indispensable. If you want to convert your Camper to solar power, you’ll need to increase its autonomy. Who stays a week in the same place needs to find a way to recharge the batteries, and a good solution is the solar panel. Be aware that they are expensive and fragile, just the branch of a tree to break, and is an additional weight. We also need to park in the sun, if you parked in the shade not serve. If we want to increase the autonomy of our campers we can increase the number of panels.

How to Determine an RV’s Solar Power Requirements?

Get a pen and notebook. List every electrical device: each light, all chargers, TV, washer, dryer, microwave, A/C, etc. List the wattage used next to the item, and indicate whether they are AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current, as in battery powered). Make two columns if you need to. List how long each device is used and multiply the hours used by the wattage to get the daily total used. Add the total current needs in each column, and the total needed overall. Although this may seem daunting at first, it really is easy to do.

Decide if you want to run the items directly from the solar photovoltaic system or if you’ll use the system to charge a battery bank first then use the power. Those appliances labeled as AC will need an inverter to accept the DC power directly from the batteries. Inverters are available for individual appliances or for entire AC systems.

What and how should I install the solar panels on my camper?

Solar Power system to charge RV batteries
A photovoltaic system area is based on:

  • One or more photovoltaic panels
  • A charge regulator to measure voltage and current
  • A battery.
  • 1 Mounting kit
  • 1 Display light to see the different levels of solar energy
  • 1 Parallel to keep the battery engine charged after the service battery is loaded from solar
  • 1 Set of cables to connect the panel on the roof and maintai an excellent insulation against the infiltration of water from the roof.

What would be a good RV solar panel with good wattage?

To calculate the power and let it work nearly 100% we need to consider:

  1. Intensity of solar radiation (sunshine). The highest value is obtained only in exceptional weather conditions and practically never in real situations.
  2. Temperature of 25 ° C but we all know that in a day of exceptionally high sunshine for sure the temperature is above 25 ° C. Higher temperatures cause a decreasing of the performance of the panel.
  3. Incidence of perpendicular sunlight.

Calculate Your Total Power System Size and Cost

Calculate your total RV photovoltaic power requirements by using the following information located at: http://www.energysavers.gov/pdfs/208.pdf. By using the correct incline of the rooftop panels, you can easily calculate how much energy can be collected and the correct number of panels needed for your RV.

Sound hard? Not really.

Let’s say, for example you’re going to stay in Arizona. What Will a 220 Watt Solar RV Kit Run? A single 200-watt solar panel could provide you with 16,000 watts of power every day (with 8 hrs sunlight). Using your wattage total for your appliances (i.e., 80,000 watts/day) you’ll need a total of 5- 200 watt solar panels. The total cost for those will be $3,475.

What size solar panel is required on a Caravan or Motorhome?

Example 1: Big motorhome then big consumer

  • Using 2 lights, refrigerator, TV, VCR, etc.
  • Having 3 evenings of autonomy in summer, 2 nights in winter
  • Power panels: 140 watts with adjustable solution
  • 180 watts with non-adjustable

Example 2: Average consumer

  • Power: 90 watts with adjustable solution
  • 110 Watt not adjustable

Example 3: Small consumer mini camper

  • 50 Watt power adjustable
  • 65 Watt not adjustable

What’s the right wattage for caravans to run lights, TV etc?

In choosing the type of panel you can follow the following guidelines:

  • 80 watt panel: It ‘a small plant, ideal for those who use the camper mainly in the warmer months and not use auxiliary utilities such as CTV or fans.
  • 125 watt panel: The ideal solution for those who use the television.
  • 140 watt panel: It represents the best solution for anyone, making use of summer vehicle, stopping long ago and wants to have a good availability of power for various accessories.
  • 2 panel of 125 watt: The choice we recommend to all those who have a refrigerator compressor, or make an intensive use, even in winter.

Get an Estimate on Energy Savings and Payback

The economic benefits of an RV photovoltaic power system are easy to figure. Total how much in electricity costs you spend on your RV each month or as a year total. Divide that figure into the cost for your system. This is the estimate of how long it will take the system to pay for itself. Keep in mind that this is a base figure. It doesn’t take into account the cost of electricity from one county or state to another. Since electricity costs are rising, you can easily estimate the payback time while you use your RV and enjoy free energy at the same time while using a notebook with “savings to date” listed.

How to install the solar panels?

The ideal would always have the sun perpendicular. This is achievable only with a rotating and tilting variable, but this is not always possible.

Based on my experience the best solar panels to use for your RV are the Sunforce 60-Watt Solar Charging Kit (More Sunforce Solar Charger Reviews here), the Go Power! 95 Watt Solar Kit (In depth review here) or the HQRP 50W Mono-crystalline Solar Panel (More HQRP solar charger reviews here)

26 thoughts on “Review of the Best RV Battery Chargers and Solar Panel Kits

  1. Ben Cachel

    It took me exactly only one week to get fully set up and charge my first rechargeable battery successfully. It’s a primitive 200 mA current charger build from parts of 2 and a half old toys, or can use our car battery for power, well at least for now as it’ll look nicer soon, I turn it off manually in the evening after day’s work. I found a perfect calculator for a rechargeable batteries charging ( sizes AAA, AA, C, D, and specific ), input your battery size in mAhr then your charger’s current to see charging time. Thank you.!

  2. Portable Solar Charger

    The earth’s surface of every square meter received radiation can produce 1700kWh electricity power average annual. International Energy Agency data shows that if 4% of the global desert on solar photovoltaic system installation, it will be sufficient to meet global energy demands.

  3. Michael Farrugia

    I am looking for a 2 panel to charge a 12 voltage battery. I would like to know how much the kit costs and if it can be delivered to Malta Europe and what is the cost price for the shipping delivery please.
    Thank you

    Michael

  4. Michael Farrugia

    I am looking for a 2 panel to charge a 12 voltage battery. I would like to know how much the kit costs and if it can be delivered to Malta Europe and what is the cost price for the shipping delivery please.
    Thank you

    Michael

  5. rob heaney

    I have 2x 80 watt panels and would like to install these on the roof of the caravan. these are raw panels ,what conections brackets and wiring do i require ? also have a 12 v 20 amp regulator.thank in anticipation. rob

  6. Solar Ideas

    Cheap home solar power plans are found just about everywhere and many of them are less expensive than what you may think. The traditional solar panel is often quite pricey, but if you purchase a small solar panel, you will find that they are quite affordable. Starting off small with only a few solar panels to create energy will work nicely and as your savings start to grown, you can build more as time goes on.

  7. brian azzopardi

    hi what do i need to charge a 12v 140ah battery and pls can u tell me the cost of everything including p&p to malta europe tks

  8. plaidsportcoat

    Hi, I would like to know data about solar batteries without having to figure it out myself with a calculator, and I think in order to sell it, that is going to have to be the standard. For example, I have a marine cycle battery that I will be carrying in my minivan while I travel. I’d like to put a solar panel on top of the van and charge the extra battery with it while driving around. It would be really helpful if there were a table somewhere – I’m sure there is but haven’t found it yet. I don’t want to have to wait 50 hours to recharge the battery – which is what one site said it would take. There must be another option. Maybe I just haven’t googled the right phrase yet – but it would really help if there were one site that ALL solar manufacturers funded, that had all the info about a variety of configurations.
    Thanks!

  9. Joe Schechtel

    hello i do own a mh as a noob i agree but i see solar panel just useful so coach batteries are not drained so geny don’t have to recharge the batteries can u guys give me bigger picture

  10. Ray Patrick

    We have someone in Haiti without electricity. We have a laptop and training aides that we wish to give them, but require electricity. They have a lot of sunshine in Haiti. He currently has a 60 Watt solar panel with a charge regulator, yet unused. The only use would for enough electricity for the laptop at night. The wattage usage of the laptop is about 50. For this size of solar panel what would be appropriate size battery or batteries and what size inverter to optimize his usage, possibly even give him a low wattage light for limited time each night.

  11. Ronald Benard

    I have 80watts solar pannel installed in my home, now i want use tv how long power will take if i use 45watts tv? and I installed it about 4month now but battery never indicate full even one day, is there any fault in wiring?

  12. Dewey

    Your example “A single 200-watt panel could provide you with 16,000 watts……..” is incorrect. A single 200 watt panel (assuming an 8 hour day) will only provide 1600 watts. Review your math. 8 x 200 = 1600 NOT 16,000 This would only apply IF the panel was in full sunlight, aimed properly, for the entire 8 hours. Solar energy is viable, but the cost is still too excessive. Batteries must be replaced periodically whether used or not. Using solar, you will always be buying batteries, or performing some sort of maintenance. Until the cost is significantly reduced (around 90%) it will not be a mainstream product. Most of the problem is with the mark ups, as with Geothermal heat pumps, the manufacturers are charging the consumer what the consumer will save making the PV systems not worth the expense. Give me nuclear energy!

  13. Brian Heisey

    If my solar charger is charging my RV batteries and I start the generator, will the trickle feed from the converter and the solar charge happening simultaneously cause any damage to my system? Do I need to disconnect the solar feed before starting the generator?

  14. lindsay micallef

    Dear seller
    I want to buy a solar panel full kit so that i can charge my battery of my caravan and i can use the energy for the fridge and TV that are 240 volts what will be the price and the shipping for Malta Europe be pls send me an email tks

  15. Solar Power

    Does anyone know the best type of battery that we should be using with these types of kits? If we have an 80-120W Solar Panel Kit, what capacity battery should we buy? Should we get a 12 volt 100AH Battery?

  16. raja yadav

    plz tell me …what and how much we neede to drive a 1kw motor for one hour..??..(with the no of soalar panel of how much watts )

  17. raja yadav

    plz tell me …what and how much we neede to drive a 1kw motor for one hour..??..(with the no of soalar panel of how much watts with its cost)

  18. Peter Johnstone

    Hi – i found your website today. My ‘solar’ needs are only to get my motorhome’s starting battery maintained strong enough to start the engine and/or generator. Right now, because of limitations of where I have to keep in at Mercer Island, WA (98040, near Seattle), I only start it up about once a month and actually run it anywher about four times a year (its basically ‘emergency’ housing in case we have the big earthquake or in case my apartment building burns down). I have a little solat trickle charger, about the size of a shoe box top, but it can’t keep the batteries charged-up enough all the time. So, do i just need a bigger solar panel? If so how big? And, do I need one of those controler boxes or just the panel that plugs into the giraette lighter? Thanks for keeping up this site – you have some really good information here for the uninformed (like me). TY, Peter J/

  19. vicki

    we will live in a 24 foot regent caravan and mostly free camp I have been told i would need at least 5 by 125 watt solar panels to have elecritity there will be a 240 litre compressor frig freezer, a 55 litre chest frig freezer to run in the annexe a front loader washing machine a 19 inch 12 volt t.v. and possibly another for the annexe a microvawe, cd, radio mp3 player lap top computer ,printer 2 mobile phone chargers,bread maker, and a turbo oven .we will have a pure sinewave inverter and a battery charger and all lighting in the van water pumps 2 down light above the sink,reading lights to the bed and seating,12 volt l.e.d. lighting through out the van gas /240 volt auto ignition hot water service and my question is would the 5 pannels be enough power we will also take 2 honda generators

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