RV Solar Power

Click here to see our selection of RV solar power.

OVERVIEW
There are a variety of options available to outfit your RV with solar power. Most systems are designed to be reliable and maintenance free, and you won't have to pay for any extra fuel or energy to power them. On top of this, you're not contributing any greenhouse gas emissions or other pollution to the environment.

Photovoltaic panels can be installed on your RV, and used in a number of ways. Some systems can provide complete electrical power to your unit, relieving any need for generators or extraneous power hookups. On a smaller scale, solar energy can be used for simple battery maintenance, extending it's life and reliability.

INSTALLATION
There are a number of considerations to keep in mind if you are thinking about installing a system. The main concern is your power needs. You should consider how many appliances you have, and how many you'd like to power at any one time. It's also important to keep in mind how often you're using the vehicle. If you're only a weekend driver, you probably need fewer panels or less battery space. For longer hauls or full-time travel, larger systems will be required.

Besides being free to run and their ease-of-use, there are several benefits of RV solar power. For one thing, the have no moving parts, and therefore run in complete silence. The panels are also very low maintenance. There are no filters to change, nor is there any need for tune-ups. At the most, your solar panels may benefit from a simple cleaning from time to time.

When properly installed, solar power systems are incredibly safe, especially when it comes to solar battery charging. In this circumstance, voltage and amperage levels cause little to no risk of electrical fires or electrocution.

When solar panels are installed upon a recreational vehicle, there are a few extra matters to consider than there are for other solar applications. On the roof of a house, there's ample space on which to mount photovoltaic panels. This, however, is not the case when it comes to recreational vehicles. Having a much smaller roof, installers will have limited space to work with, making selection of solar cell materials much more important than usual.

A RANGE OF CHOICES
Silicon solar panels come in amorphous, polycrystalline, and monocrystalline versions, each having different prices and efficiencies. Amorphous cells are generally the cheapest, but also the least efficient. Monocrystalline is the most efficient and the most expensive, with polycrystalline falling in the middle.

Although monocrystalline is the most efficient, they only come in rounded shapes. This means that they can't be packed together as neatly as the other two options. It's therefore easier to fit the same amount of polycrystalline cells into a smaller space. So, if roof-space is going to be an issue, polycrystalline cells are probably the best option.

Any way you choose to go, whether a full-power outfit or a smaller supplemental system, you can be sure that you're not only saving yourself a lot of time and hassle, but you're also doing a small part to help maintain the ecosystem while you travel through it.