RV Solar 101 : Everything a Beginner Needs to Know !
RV Solar 101: Everything you need to know about the typical RV solar charging set up.
By far, the most common RV solar charging set up includes a couple hundred watts of solar panels and a 10 or 20 amp charge controller. Unfortunately, most of the best content and instructional include lessons on very expensive, ultra-high performance systems. In this video, we go through everything you need to know about solar charging components, product selection, and sizing in order to allow you to install you own highly effective system for a lot less money!
VIDEO CHAPTERS
0:00 – Intro
0:50 – Equipment Needed
1:29 – The Battery!
4:07 – Solar Panels
10:57 – Charge Controllers
15:07 – Connectors
16:07 – Sizing System Intro
16:52 – 3rd Grade Math Classroom
18:26 – Average Daily Wattage on Panels
20:04 – Sizing Panels
21:33 – Sizing Charge Controller
21:56 – Conclusions
Products mentioned in this video (Amazon Affiliate Links*)
Goal Zero 100w All in One Kit – https://amzn.to/3D0AN09
-This kit includes everything you need to install 100w of solar to your RV (high quality)
*Also Available in 200w
Budget Friendly
The Renogy Kit is Cheaper, a lot of friends have had luck here, I own one and it is considerably lower quality and performance but does the job
Renogy 100w kit – https://amzn.to/3mkMFUL
Batteries
100 AH AGM- https://amzn.to/3l4lBsd
125 AH AGM- https://amzn.to/3i6B8WI
225 AH 6V (wire 2 in series) – https://amzn.to/3ydeAsR
100 AH Lifepo4 (equal to 200 AH agm) – https://amzn.to/3ggrOy7
Panels
Portable – Glass
GZ 100W Suit Case (high quality) – https://amzn.to/3k74LH7
GZ 200W Suit Case (high quality) – https://amzn.to/3xVm03b
Portable Foldable
GZ Foldable 50w – (pricey but good) – https://amzn.to/2Wcz4nG
GZ Foldable 100w – (pricey but good) – https://amzn.to/3gbEYwn
GZ Foldable 200w – (pricey but good) – https://amzn.to/2W2sh06
— Sometimes amazon sells discounted “renewed” – I usually scoop those
Portable “Hybrid”
Jacker 100w (plugs into GZ controller) – https://amzn.to/2Xw8xCc
GZ Ranger 300 – (Huge performance, Tiny Weight)- https://amzn.to/3CXxDKy
Charger Controllers
GZ 10a – https://amzn.to/2XwBjTc
GZ 20a – (currently sold out)
– – These PWM chargers plug in directly to GZ panels, this allows you to easily use your GZ panel for your Yeti, Jackery, most power stations AND your camper
Renogy – Buy Factory Direct-
renogy.sjv.io/5g46gD
Use Promo Code: AFFILIATEUS
Renogy 20a PWM- https://amzn.to/3yX7KYS
– Cheap and effective, you will have to wire yourself and purchase connectors
Victron MPPT (not waterproof)- https://amzn.to/37X2WHi
^^Excellent if protected from weather
Please feel free to comment with product questions, I’m happy to help!
____________________________________________
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* Amazon Affiliate Links provide me with a very small percentage of the sale with no additional cost to the buyer. Please support DIYOL by using my links for any Amazon purchase. Thanks!
Hi, you need to come back and do a full video on the sizing panels and controllers. It was quite quick for its importance!
Cool video bro.
I want to say you made this really interesting. By adding two batteries and wiring them together that doubles the capacity? This whole solar thing , I thought was difficult. Thanks
thank you very much
This was genuinely so helpful. I have a learning disability so it’s a really big struggle for me to figure all this stuff out, especially since I don’t really have supports. I was getting so overwhelmed and confused while I was trying to research all of this but you have been the first person I’ve found that’s actually made things make sense to me, so thank you so so much for your help.
Can I run 2 PWM controllers from 2 solar panels wired in parallel? Can I split the feed coming from the panels to both controllers without losing any power? If I did it that way, would one controller draw more power from the other?
I learned more from you than anyone has ever taught me. And you speak very well so it is easy to understand. Thank you!
I’m 65 women. You kept me so interested. I’m going to be a nomad in van soon. Had no clue how i was going to have power. You are a saint. I totally get how it works.
Thank you so much for braking it down! I am new to the rv/camper trailer world and trying to find out how best to outfit my camper. This was VERY helpful!!!
Thank you!!! If I use a renogy mppt charge controller that is 60amp, on a 12v 100amp hour battery (want to build the battery bank as money allows) with 200w hard shell panel, is that too low for the controller? My system is intended as backup for house in emergency. Really appreciate you breaking down the math- you’re right, nothing to be intimidated by.
Thank you for breaking down in understandable terms! Great video!
Great info! Thank you👍👍👍
This is helping me understand. Thanks
thank you very much for a simple, concise explanation for what a newbie might need.
This video made me double check my setup to make sure my research was right. Glad I did. Ended up with the monocrystalline pannel with an included PWM charge controller.
Well done, great step by step, thanks.New sub
Great insight!! Thanks I subscribed.
Excellent, thank you, what part of the country are you located in if I may ask.
I’ll be driving from upstate NY south to Tampa , FL soon.
Thank you.
Thank you !great info!
Most easy to understand and complete video I seen in my weeks or research!! Keep up the great work!!
Thank you. Very informative
Really like the video No fancy Or Hyped up Videos just good basic information.. Think you did a great job of explaining stuff I’m looking to start getting into this myself Checking out Show me other videos in the future god bless and be safe
Great video man. Late to the game here, but you really helped me learn some things I
It was incredibly interest in and you’re the first person to explain it to me, in a way that I understand. Just because someone knows it, that doesn’t mean they’ll be good at teaching it.
Finally! Someone who has completely explained solar in such an easy way! Thank you for the 3rd grade math lesson! I really needed it! 😊Cheers!
Good job
great stuff!
Thank you so much!! This was so helpful
Great Video, thanks for the info.
Hey Brian, great video. My used truck camper has a solar panel with an anderson connector and a Yeti 1500x. I am getting zero watts from solar registering on my Yeti. Even on sorta sunny days. i live in Bellingham WA and the sun angle is really low right now. What can I do to test the wattage coming from the solar panel? Appreciate any ideas.
Thank you for this video!
I’m considering solar power for city and off-grid properties.
The challenge has been simply understanding/finding the products needed.
Now that I understand basic solar set-up, I also know where to find the products needed.
Thank you for offering quality education/knowledge on the subject.
Appreciate it!
Great video. My question is if you series or parallel panels do the batteries have to be wired the same parallel batteries parallel panels or series panels series batteries?
You make it easier to understand. Youre an excellent teacher.
your excellent clear consise
Thank you!! I definitely needed to hear this put so simply!! I bought a few small Glampers (RV/conversion van) with almost functional solar set ups but have no idea what I’m doing, how they work or how long they can go without use before they are useless. I will definitely be watching more of your stuff!! Thank you
Many people need basic lesson in what is a watt, what is an amp, what is a volt. And how they are related.
When my car battery died the garage (that had sold be the battery that died while under warranty) saw a woman alone and thought they could charge me big bucks for a new alternator – that I didn’t need.
I’m a certified energy auditor, trained in the 80s, when we actually had to know this stuff. I think I knew more about the electrical system of the car than did the person trying to rip me off.
Hey is it possible to message you and ask some more questions about solar? Youve made it a lot easier to understand than most other videos Ive watched and I know this is an older video but Id really love some more insight if possible since Im a first time rv owner
I feel like the tone is condescending
Thank you so much for explaining this for new beginners. It gets so confusing.
74 of these videos in as I explore building a portable system for a buddy’s off grid hunting camp and I FINALLY found a dude who explains things right and easily for an old fart to understand! Thanks, subscribed, can’t wait to see more
Thanks so much for your videos buddy. I am fucking lost and terrified to burn my camper/house down. Having to do it mostly by myself. Thanks for trying to help us.
I have an 80’s RV with 1 starting and 1 house battery under the hood. If I connect the solar controller right to the RV fuse box, would the solar power charge the starting and house batteries?
This is the most well spoken, concise, and practical video I have seen on YouTube. Thank You Dude!
I am so glad I found you. So many people can’t teach, but you definitely can, not to mention, you seem to be w very nice person and I like nice people, so hard to find anymore!
So what kind of battery do you recommend, a Marine battery or just a regular car battery and what size? I am a 58 year old single white woman who is getting ready to embark on van life living and putting all my stuff together to get ready. So I know very little to nothing at this stage of the game. However, I am a retired mechanical engineer, so I am not your average bear LOL. Any chance you live close to Ohio LOL? I would love to hire you
Absolutely great and informative video. Above and beyond what I was looking for. Liked and subscribed.
Has hope in this video but once you started I realized I’m not going to learn anything from the way you are talking . This is a video for someone who knows about this stuff already so why act like it’s for beginners . Stupid waste of time
That is NOT a camper! It is a RV, Travel trailer, or Tear Drop but NOT a camper. A camper does not have an axle and is carried. Some states go so far as to call a camper cargo and don’t license them.
Can I use a 30 amps charge controller with 100w solar panel? I just wanna change my 12v fridge
Ok so super helpful. However what I’m still struggling with is how would I figure out how many batteries I would need?
Just get a Bluetti dude!