Solar panels are a valuable investment for any camper van or RV owner. Maybe you’re about to embark on an epic road trip, or maybe you’re interested in boondocking your way across the country. Perhaps you’re just looking for a way to make your RV more environmentally friendly. Having solar panel for a camper has many benefits, especially if you’re planning on spending a lot of time on the road or camping off the grid.

Not to mention, a high quality solar panel for a camper vans a low maintenance way to generate and conserve clean energy while saving you money in the long run.

Let’s dive deeper into what actually makes a good van-life solar panel.

WATT AMOUNT
When researching solar panel for a camper, you’ll see that most panels come in either 50W, 100W, or 200W power. The number of watts you need depends on what you’re using the solar panels for. This daily power consumption is referred to as watt-hours (Wh).

On average, a 100W panel will supply around 400Wh of power per day. To put this into perspective, powering a 60W lightbulb for six hours uses 360Wh while watching a 200W TV for four hours uses 800Wh.

If you calculate that you’ll need more power for your trip, you might consider purchasing multiple solar panels for RV electricity.

Of course, the amount of energy you get from your camper solar panel depends on the weather conditions; don’t expect to get a full charge in indirect sunlight or on a cloudy day.

WEIGHT AND SIZE
The difference in weight between solar panels can be drastic. Some flexible panels weigh as little as four pounds, while large solar panel kits can be as heavy as 40 pounds.

If you’re planning on mounting a fixed panel to the top of your RV, you’ll need to make sure the roof can support the added weight.

When looking at flexible or portable panels, you should also consider the dimensions to make sure the panels can be easily stored inside your van.

FIXED VS. PORTABLE PANELS
Fixed solar panels are permanently mounted to the roof or side of your van or RV. They are constantly exposed to the light, which means they collect energy even while you’re driving on the road. If you have a large RV or campervan with plenty of roof space, then fixed panels are a worthwhile investment.

On the other hand, portable solar panels are sold as individual units or solar suitcases. They have to be set up at your campsite and manually positioned towards the sun. For many campervans where exterior space is limited, portable solar panels are the best option.

The size of your camper van, the amount of power you need, and your budget are all factors to consider when choosing between fixed or portable panels.

MONOCRYSTALLINE VS. POLYCRYSTALLINE
When choosing solar panels for a campervan, you’ll also need to consider the type of solar gathering cell that’s used.

Panels that use monocrystalline cells are from a single source of silicon, making them more efficient compared to panels that use polycrystalline solar cells. Monocrystalline panels are smaller and more compact, although they also tend to be more expensive.

Polycrystalline panels have blended silicon sources and are generally cheaper and bigger per watt. Polycrystalline cells are less efficient than monocrystalline cells, which means you’ll need more panels to get the same power.