How Much Solar Power Do I Need For My RV?
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.
Four hundred watts of solar power in an RV can typically run small appliances such as lights, fans, and small electronics. How much solar do you need to run RV AC? You will typically need a minimum of 1,500 to 3,000 watts of solar power to run an RV air conditioning unit.
Use this solar calculator to size your campervan or RV camper solar setup. If your device doesn't specify watts, use the watt calculator to convert amps and volts. List each device - every electrical component - its usage in watts, maximum number of hours used each day & if it's an AC or DC model.
A 300 amp-hour camper battery, for instance, would need around 300 watts of solar power. Also keep in mind that solar panels experience a 75-90% drop in efficiency on cloudy days, so it's good to have slightly more than you need when it comes to solar power (about a 20% cushion, if possible, to account for less-than-ideal conditions).
To calculate the amount of solar power you need for your RV, you can follow this formula (the process that we use in our calculator above on this page): Determine your daily energy consumption in watt-hours (Wh). Include all the appliances and devices you'll use, such as lights, refrigerator, TV, etc.
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