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Sample Solar RV Installs


Sample Solar RV Installs

Sample Solar RV Installs

Banner pic of RV solar Kits

Many times people wonder how to layout their solar panels on their RV. There are so many types of RV units in the world that solar panel layouts are really custom. Our expects have designed a few sample solar RV installs to help get you started on planning. Follow the instructions on your solar kit. Remember, water is your enemy. Make sure your install is 100% water tight by using the proper sealant on your roof. Find what layout makes the best sense for your motorhome, travel trailer, 5th wheel, teardrop, horse trailer, or other cool travel creation. This guide only covers solar panel sample layouts on RVs. For more RV solar information checkout our sister site for RV Solar INFO or our RV solar kits. Make sure you look for RV grade solar kits and stay away from panels that will have warranty voided by installation on an RV. Complete RV solar kits are often the war to go for ease of use and installation.
Check out our Class A RV Solar Cheat Sheet

Here is a selection of sample layouts for RV Solar installs.

Sample Layout for Solar RV kit This RV travel trailer with slides has 190 watts of solar installed towards the rear of the unit. This will be about 11 amps of solar charging during the day.          

Solar panels on top of RV This 44 foot Toy Hauler 5th wheel has tons of room for solar panel installs. This unit is limited mostly by budget  of the owner. I could easily see installing 1000 watts of solar on an RV this size.              

Fifth wheel solar kits  This layout of solar panels takes in account the curved edges of trailerbody and moves panels to centerline of trailer that is more flat and easierto install solar panels.       

RV solar kits  A Horse trailer is ready for remote camping. It has 190 watts of solarlayed out to charge batteries for making coffee, watching tv, and runningcomputers. Who says cowboys can’t be high tech! 

Air Stream with portable solar kit

Here is a selection of 190 watt kits to get you started on your green energy RV

190 Watt panels are a great RV size and foot print

For years we sold the Go power 190 high quality solar panels. This robust size was powerful yet had a great form factor.
190 Watt Go Power Solar Panel
Go Power 190 Watt Overlander Kit

This Go Power kit is the basic building block of a standard RV solar kit. It comes with the solar panel controller, brackets and solar cable.

Last updated 3 mins ago

With Go Power panels you know you will get what you pay for. They are a little more exspensive and the quality is there to support the price.

Maybe save a few dollars with another RV solar panel brand.

190 Watt Solar Panel
190 Watt Solar Panel

This is a 190 watt bare solar panel. It claims to be RV friendly and has a pretty good price.

Last updated 3 mins ago

There are always different panels that you can choose to build your solar array from. Always consider price versus quality. Solar panels are things you really don't want to have to replace. It is a pain, so choose what works for your RV or off-grid array.

Need to add solar panels to your RV?

Depending on how large your charge controller is on your mobile solar array, you may be able add additional panels. Important factors to know when trying to add panels to your array: * How many amps can your charge controller handle * How many amps of solar are in your array * How is your array wired (Parallel, Series, Series/Parallel) * How much space do you have on your RV roof for more solar panels Here is a selection of panels to grow a Go Power System

Go Power 190 E Expansion Panel

Go Power Flexible Solar Panel 100 Watt Expansion

Go Power Rigid 100 Watt Solar Panel Expansion Kit

There are other brans on the market, we have found Go Power! to be among the highest quality gear on the market. Their service has been friendly and reliable. However they can be a bit higher priced. Lithium batteries have come down a lot in price over the last 10 years. When we first started selling these batteries, they were hard to come by and a 100 Ah battery would cost over $5000. Today they are much lower cost and the power denisty is getting greater.

Additional reads

Check out these articles for more information from Outside Supply.
Power Inverter Connection and Outlets
Power Inverter Connection and Outlets

Power Inverter Connection and Outlets Go Powers carries a wide variety of heavy duty power inverters. A good power inverter has several parts too look for. You will immediately notice the various heavy duty connections and possibly status and readout lights. 1: Input Connections: Notice these are heavy-duty connections. DC wiring is often heavier because of the lower voltages. Always use the recommended wire. You also see the chassis ground connection found on some power inverters in this picture.

What gauge wire is RV solar cables?
What gauge wire is RV solar cables?

Gauge of Solar Cables for RV Use When deciding what size cables to use for RV solar installations, the gauge of the wire is an important factor to consider. The gauge of the wire determines the amount of current that can be safely carried from the solar array to the charge controller and other electrical components. The most common gauges for RV solar installations are 8, 10 and 12. Gauge 8 wire is the thickest, and can handle the most current.

Go Power 130 Watt Portable Solar Kit
Go Power 130 Watt Portable Solar Kit

Go Power 130 Watt Portable Solar Kit Go Power!’s 130-watt Portable Solar Kit (PSK) folding solar modules offer some of the most versatile and convenient battery charging options for those who don’t want to permanently mount solar to a rooftop or want to supplement a roof top system. The Anderson-style battery charging connectors allow you to quickly interchange the charging accessory to best suit your needs – from maintaining your RV or trailer battery while on the road to trickle charging your car, ATV or boat battery.