How much solar power do you need?

If you are unable to go "boondocking" in order to determine how many amp-hours you consume on the average day, then the following "Rules of Thumb" from the folks at AM Solar works fairly well:

1. Use a minimum 65 watt solar panel for basic battery maintenance on trailers and fifth wheels

2. Use a minimum 100 watt solar panel for basic battery maintenance on motorhomes.

3. For the more conservative consumers of electricity: Allow 200 amp-hours of battery storage capacity and 150 to 250 watts of solar panels.

4. For the more liberal consumers of electricity: Allow 400 amp-hours of battery storage capacity and 300 to 500 watts of solar panels.

5. For "hard core" boondockers with mobile offices: Allow 600 amp-hours of battery storage capacity and 500 to 800 watts of solar panels. We also encourage the use of an M.P.P.T. Current Boosting Controller.

Bear in mind that you can start with one or two solar panels and add more later if needed.

The RVers Solar Primer Learn how to use solar energy to generate electricity for your RV. Solar power experts Greg and Deb Holder explain the basics of solar power and solar battery charging systems.