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Embarking on a caravan / motorhome or campervan adventure offers a unique blend of freedom and flexibility. However, to maintain your comfort and convenience on the road, ensuring you have a reliable power source is essential.
Solar panels are an eco-friendly and efficient solution, but how many or what size do you need? We will try and answer this question.
Assessing You Power Needs
The number or size of solar panels you'll need depends on your power consumption, the amount of sunlight you receive in your area and not forgetting how much room you have on the roof! Unfortunately there is no simple fix to say you need this size but to simplify the problem let's break it down into three categories: basic, moderate, and high power needs.
Basic Power Needs
If your goal is to keep your caravan's battery topped up for basic lighting and small devices, a 65W solar panel should suffice. This setup is ideal for short trips or those who prefer a minimalist approach and are not relying on powering a fridge.
Moderate Power Needs
For those who plan to use additional electrical devices, such as a small fridge, laptop, or larger lighting systems, a 130W solar panel or more will be necessary. This setup ensures you can comfortably power your essentials without worrying about running out of juice for a long summers weekend.
High Power Power Needs
If you're looking to extensively use high-power devices like a fridge, TV, or multiple electronics, you might need a 200W solar panel or even more. This setup should provide ample energy for a more luxurious off-grid experience.
Calculating Your Daily Power Usage
To determine the exact size or number of solar panels required, it's important to calculate your daily power usage. Consider the wattage of each device and estimate the number of hours you'll use them each day. Here's a simple formula to get you started:
Total daily power consumption (Wh) = Device wattage (W) x Hours used per day
For instance, if you use a 50W TV for 3 hours a day, your total consumption for that device would be: 3 x 50 = 150Wh.
Considering Sunlight Availability
Another crucial factor is the amount of sunlight you get, which varies based on location and season. In general, solar panels generate more power during the summer months and in sunnier regions. We would normally say, in summer time a solar panel can generate 5 to 6 times its rated power per day.
For example, a 100W panel could create 500W to 600W per day in good conditions in the UK. It's a good idea to research the average sunlight hours in your area to ensure your panels are receiving optimal exposure.
Conclusion
By assessing all your power needs, calculating daily usage, and considering sunlight availability, you can determine the size or number of solar panels required for your caravan / motorhome or campervan.
Whether you're a minimalist traveller or a luxury-seeker, solar panels offer a sustainable way to keep your caravan powered up and ready for adventure.
For more information, you might want to read our blog on sizing a solar system Sizing an Off-Grid System
Sean