Tips for estimating rv solar panel needs although actual output may vary based on the factors mentioned above you can get yourself to a ballpark figure using a couple of tips.
Rv solar panel battery rule of thumb.
The typical solar panel found on most rvs range from 100 watts to 160 watts.
That panel is rated at 100 watts at peak efficiency meaning on a 78 degree cloudless day at solar noon on the equator during the equinox.
A general rule of thumb is 200 watts for every 100 ah of battery.
Use a minimum of 100 watts of solar for basic battery maintenance on trailers and fifth wheels.
It regulates the voltage and current to prevent battery damage.
The general rule of thumb these recommendations are based on the metric that you can produce 30 ah of battery charge using a 100 watt solar panel between 5 9 hours of sun exposure.
A great rule of thumb is to keep your deep cycle lead acid batteries above 50 state of charge and if you run the 12v water pump furnace and lights in your rv camper it won t take long until the battery indicator says it s at 1 2.
The most common and often repeated misinformation is that you can size your solar array based on what batteries you have or the other way around.
The first thing i have to say about solar power is that rules of thumb don t work.
A solar charge controller is a standard part of an rv solar installation.
An rv battery can handle 12 volts.
Free recreational vehicle solar course.
Solar panels typically provide 16 to 20 volts of electrical potential.
The truth is when it comes to rv solar systems we are typically limited by the amount roof space.
The rv battery charging puzzle my rv system early on had the capability of providing over double the 75 to.
If you are unable to go boondocking to determine how many amp hours you consume on an average day then using the following rules of thumb will give you a fairly good estimate of how much solar you should design for.
Solar panels are sold in varying sizes but a 100 watt panel is a commonly found size particularly for rvs.
So 160 amp hours of storage divided by 2 days 80 amp hours of energy consumed on the average day.
The general rule of thumb is that a 100 watt solar panel can produce about 30 amp hours per day so you can use this guideline to determine about how many panels you need.