Installing RV solar panels can be a daunting task at first. However if you have a sense of logic and are good with your hands, it should be a piece of cake for you. This assumes you are familiar with the construction of your recreational vehicle.

First and foremost, you have to select the correct solar panel for this application. This requires in-depth knowledge on different types of PV panels and a good understanding of your energy consumption pattern.

A good sales consultant is able to help you choose an ideal set of solar panels for your mobile home. He is also able to help you select mounting brackets (panel mounts) and accessories that complement your purchase.

Once you’ve got your solar panels ready, you will have to find a charge controller, a junction box, a drill, some sealant and lengths of connecting wires.

First, cover the surface of your solar panels with paper so it doesn’t generate electricity. Then make sure all power sources are disconnected. This includes the coach battery, the generator and all shore cables or connectors.

After this is done, find a good spot on your roof for the PV panel. You should avoid places that are near to heat sources and large vibrations. On top of this, the mounts must be attached on spots with good structural support. Otherwise the weight of solar panels may cause the metal underneath to bend after some time.

You can choose to run your cables through vents instead of cutting a new hole. Therefore mounting your solar panels near to a vent may be a good choice, depending on what the vent is originally used for.

When fixing the panel mounts, you will need to seal the gaps at the holes on the roof structure to avoid leaks.

After the PV panels are mounted, they should be well within the edge of your RV’s roof. Otherwise passing branches or leaves may get caught at the solar panel frame and start tearing it away from its mounts.

Soon after the solar panels are mounted, you can start to fit the charge controller (power regulator) at a corner inside your RV. You can also cut a hole in the interior panel just to hold this component.

Finally, connect the wires from the solar panels to the charge controller and test to see if you are getting the correct voltage output. Then run cables from the charge controller to the coach battery, making sure the polarity is correct. (Meaning you must connect the positive battery terminal to positive regulator terminal and then negative terminal to negative.)

With RV solar panels installed, your batteries are charged whenever your recreational vehicle is out in the open.

For optimal performance, install a separate set of deep-cycle batteries and allow your solar panels to charge it during the day. In this way, your appliances can draw from a dedicated power source without touching the vehicle’s electrical system.

Continue Reading:

1. Recreational Vehicle (RV) Solar Panels
2. Solar Panel Installation
3. How To Build A Solar Panel Charge Controller

RV Solar Panels

There are many benefits to install recreational vehicle (RV) solar panels. The most important one is you can go further without having to worry or plan to stop at the next RV Park to charge your batteries. This may be obvious. But when you can’t find an RV park to recharge your batteries for the night, you can get pretty frustrated.

More and more full time RVers are planning to install solar panels on their vehicles so they can reap the full benefits of using solar energy to power up their equipment in their recreational vehicles.

Before you decide to buy a solar energy kit to hook up onto your recreational vehicle, there are a few points you need to work out. The first and most important step is to determine your total energy needs. This affects the number of solar panels you’ll need to buy and the batteries and size of inverter you need to have.

In order to size your solar energy system, you’ll have to make calculations with considerations to the energy you’ll use in a typical day. After sizing your required solar power system, you can then know if you have enough space inside your RV for the batteries and inverter.

You’ll also need to consider having a backup generator in case the worst happens…and these situations occur from time to time.

If the solar power system is too big to fit into your RV, the best solution is to reduce your energy consumption. Some practical electricity-saving advice given by fellow RVers are as follows:

- Avoid cold places that needs extensive furnace use
- Never fall asleep with the TV on
- Always switch off lights and equipment when not in use
- Do not leave any lights on throughout the night

You may also want to consider using a catalytic heater, as this does not require electricity. Since heaters would otherwise consume a large part of your solar generated electricity, this may help you get away with a smaller solar energy system.

You may also be wondering how much it costs to install a complete RV solar panel system. Depending on the quality of your solar panels, batteries and inverter, an approximate cost for each complete panel system is about (more or less) $500.

You may choose to buy a portable solar panel to charge your batteries and see if using solar panels suits your way of life. Very soon, you may be hooked to it. Then you’ll experience for yourself the benefits you can only experience with a set of RV solar panels installed on your recreational vehicle.

Continue Reading:

1. Solar Energy Panels For Big “Toys”
2. Recreational Vehicle (RV) Solar Panels — Run Your Appliances With A 12VDC Panel
3. Solor Panel Inverters – Multifunction Solar Panel Inverters

Many appliances for RVs, boats and camping use 12VDC supply. When you are outdoors having fun, these appliances provide you with all the convenience and comfort. Here’s a list of such 12VDC appliances:

• Hair Dryer
• Heated Travel Cup
• Heavy Duty Metal Fan
• Wet Dry Vacuum with Gallon Canister
• “All Season” Heater/Fan with Swivel Base
• Crock Pot Slow Cooker
• Flexible Map Light
• Frying Pan
• Heated Fleece Blanket
• Portable Stove
• Rechargeable Flashlight with Adjustable Head
• SnackMaster Deluxe 12-Volt Family-Size Cooler/Warmer
• Digital/Electric Compass with Ice Alert
• et cetera…

I’m sure you’re familiar with these…

However there are times when the accumulators run empty just when you need to draw power from them. Thus a 12VDC solar panel will be ideal to ensure these appliances work at all times. With such nifty devices, these inconvenient moments will only be  memories.

During the day, solar panels will bring the accumulators to full charge. At night, power is drawn exclusively from the batteries. If you’re running some appliances only during the day, you may not need batteries… you can plug straight into the solar panels to power these appliances.

Many appliances do not really care if the power is clean, so you can also power most systems that require 120VAC using an inverter. Although you loose efficiency, it may be worth a try.

Continue Reading:

1. Recreational Vehicle (RV) Solar Panels
2. Solar Energy Panels For Big “Toys”
3. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 2

Solar energy panels can be used in the smallest ways to improve our lives. There will always be those inconvenient problems that can be solved by using a solar panel in a creative way.

Do you have a boat, recreational vehicle (RV) or truck that you do not use often? If you have problems starting them from time to time, a solar charger is a cheap and effective solution.

With about $30, you can get a small solar charger to plug into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter jack. As you lay the photovoltaic panel on your dashboard, it trickle charges your battery. When you need to start your vehicle (or boat) the next time, it won’t fail you.

The beauty about solar chargers is they won’t overcharge your batteries. Therefore you won’t need extra components like a charge controller that adds to its cost. You can even let the solar charger remain plugged in while you’re driving. As a bonus, solar chargers tend to extend the lifespan of your battery by about 50%. So for a mere $30, you can squeeze $50 out of an accumulator that costs you $100. How’s that for good investment?

More than just dollars and cents, the peace of mind you have every time you need to start your old truck or seldom-used boat is worth its weight in gold!

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about…the Sunforce 1.8-Watt Solar Battery Maintainer:

“Sunforce 1.8-Watt Solar Battery Maintainer Twin Pack is comprised of two solar battery maintainers ideal for cars, SUVs, boats, ATVs and PWC batteries. The units are completely maintenance free and easy to install. The amorphous solar panels charge in all weather conditions, even on cloudy days. The panels plugs directly into your cigarette lighter. Complete kit for each unit includes 1.8-watt solar battery maintainer, 7.5 feet wire, 12V DC plug, suction cups for easy mounting and battery clamps. Temperature range from -40 to 176 degrees F.”

Continue Reading:

1. Recreational Vehicle (RV) Solar Panels — Run Your Appliances With A 12VDC Panel
2. DIY Solar Panels — Charge Controller Basics
3. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 2

It is important to have a charge controller. Otherwise the batteries will either not get charged or they could be damaged from overcharging. In order to charge a 12-volt battery, the regulator (charge controller) will have to maintain a charging voltage between 14.0 to 14.5 volts.

There are many types of charge controllers you can build. The easiest is the simple on-off type shunt regulator. This type of charge controller is simple, efficient, easily built, and cheap. It is also pretty reliable. Its small size makes it portable. Thus you can use it on many applications like your yacht, car and recreational vehicle (RV).

However the voltage on the battery will not be very constant. Disconnecting the battery can also result in high voltage output spikes from the regulator unless precautions are taken.

There are other design considerations that you may want to implement:

1. When the solar panels are not generating electricity, the circuit should be turned off. Otherwise current can be drained through the PV panels. When the sun is up and the PV panels start generating a fair amount of electricity, you can use transistors to start directing the current into the batteries.

2. As long as the rechargeable batteries are below 14 volts, the batteries get charged. When the batteries reach 14.0 volts, it is fully charged. Thus the circuit needs to stop current flowing into the batteries. You can use an operational amplifier (op-amp) to achieve this effect.

The components needed for building solar charge controllers are common and are therefore easily available. The operational amplifier you choose should be of a low power rating so there is lesser current drain through the component.

Here are some components that you can use as main components to your circuit:

TLC271 Operational Amplifier

a. TLC271. This operational amplifier combines a wide range of input offset voltage grades with low offset voltage drift and high input impedance. It also offers a bias-select mode that allows you to select the best combination of power dissipation and ac performance for your application.

b. SB540. This is a Schottky barrier rectifier. The advantage of using such components instead of standard silicon and germanium diodes is that the forward voltage drop is only in the range 0.15 to 0.46 volts as compared to a 0.3 or 0.6 volts respectively.

For the components that you use around these components, their % tolerance is not critical.

These components can be fixed on a printed circuit board or perf-board as usual. Then you can mount it in a protective box of your choice, depending on the environment you are going to use this in.

A solar panel charge controller like this can be built in an hour after you’ve got your PCB etched and ready. And it’ll probably be cheaper than you imagine.

Continue Reading:

1. Have Your FREE Bonus eBook “How To Build A Solar Panel” Emailed To You Now:
2. DIY Solar Panels — Charge Controller Basics
3. Making A DIY Solar Powered Reading Lamp