RV solar panels convert sunlight into electricity to power your RV.
While RV solar panels are a nifty concept, they’re not for everyone. For example, if you often dock at campgrounds where you’re required to pay for electrical hookups to power your RV, it may not make financial sense to purchase an RV solar system.
But, if you’re docking off the beaten path in a location without electrical hookups, an RV solar system is essential. With an RV solar system, you’re free to travel wherever you desire. However, this is an expensive purchase that requires thorough research.
If you have a few solar panel a top your RV, and it’s on the road or parked in the sunlight during the day, the panels will absorb energy as sun rays graze over. The energy absorbed from the sun is converted into an electrical current, which travels from the solar panel through wires to your RV battery’s charge controller.
This electricity converts into 12-Volt DC (direct current) and charges your RV’s battery, storing energy to power your RV and its appliances, lights and electronic devices. Passing 12-Volt DC through an inverter converts it into 120-Volt AC (alternating current), which powers 120-Volt gadgets, like a coffee maker.
With sunlight, solar panels, batteries and converters, you can power almost anything. This applies to most electronic appliances and devices, but it’s not realistic to power an air conditioner solely with solar power.
Aside from panels, an RV solar system entails several different pieces. The solar panels generate electricity, batteries store electricity, and the controller ensures the process runs smoothly without any issues.
RV Batteries
Batteries store an RV’s power. Energy produced from the sun‘s rays absorbed by RV solar panels will be stored in your RV’s battery bank. When selecting a battery, opt for a lithium battery over lead-acid.
RV Solar Panels
RV solar panels sit atop the roof of your RV and produce energy from the sun, converting that energy to your RV’s battery bank. RV solar panels can be mounted flat atop the roof or tilted at an angle towards the sun.
RV Charge Controller
The charge controller is affixed inside the RV. Wires go from the solar panel to the charge controller to the battery bank. The charge controller determines how quickly the batteries charge and prevents overcharging.
Inverter
The energy produced from RV batteries is 12-Volt DC electricity. 12-Volt DC electricity powers 12-Volt devices, appliances and RV cigarette lighter ports. To power anything that takes 120-Volt AC electricity, such as a computer or coffee machine, an inverter that converts 12V DC power into 120V AC power is required.
The inverter should be affixed inside your RV near the battery bank. Appliances and devices that run off AC power will operate from the inverter’s power (converted from DC to AC).
