RV solar panels can work wonders for your recreational vehicle.  You don’t need to worry about the location of the nearest RV park to charge your batteries during a trip, so installing RV solar panels gives you more freedom on the road.

People install RV solar panels to harness the sun’s energy to power up their electronic devices inside the recreational vehicle.   There’s no need to use noisy fossil fuel generators along the way, and you’ll save on generator fuel as well.

But before you purchase an RV solar panel kit, you need to know a couple of things.  One of the most important factors you need to consider is the total amount of energy you need for your RV, which will determine the number of solar panels, batteries, and the size of the inverter.

To accurately estimate the size of your RV solar panel kit, calculate the total energy you’ll use in a typical day.  Once you determine the amount of solar power system, you can then envision if you have enough space for the inverter and batteries inside your RV.

If the projected RV solar panel system is too big for your recreational vehicle, the best and only viable solution is to reduce the amount of energy consumed.  There are various ways you can save on your power usage.  Plan your trip during warmer times of the year, which will cut your furnace use since heaters consume a large part of electricity produced by RV solar panels.  You might also consider getting a catalytic heater for the job because this type of heater doesn’t use electricity.  Further, you should also switch off lights and devices when not in use.

The cost of RV solar panels varies among the different models available on the market today, although a complete kit typically costs around $500.  This includes batteries, the inverter, and wires to connect the components. The actual cost will depend on the quality of the parts, but that doesn’t mean that cheaper is not better.  Consider going online to find good bargains.

If you can’t afford a full RV solar panel kit, then opt for a portable solar panel instead.  This can be used to charge your batteries and power small electronic devices.

These are the points you need to consider regarding RV solar panels.  If you’re thinking about getting a kit for your next DIY project, be sure to keep these points in mind.