Portable solar panels 2023

One of the fundamental premises of anyone who wants to enjoy a trip in a camper van is independence. Being able to get lost in a remote place for days without depending on anything and maintaining comfort in our apartment on wheels.

Photovoltaic installations are a perfect complement to achieve this and there are many options available on the market, so let’s explain what types of solar panels we have for camper vans.

How is the electrical installation in a camper van?

First of all let’s remember that to maximize the autonomy with which we will feed the consumables of the camper vans, its electrical installation is usually composed of the main battery of the vehicle intended for regular use and a second battery dedicated to the lighting of the rooms, refrigerator, water pumps, heating, inverter and other elements. We have already talked at length about secondary batteries.

To recharge this second battery, a relay is normally used that allows the passage of electricity from the alternator when the engine is running and isolates it when the van is stopped. Thus there is no consumption of the main battery.

If we are going to be stopped for a long time enjoying an idyllic place, our secondary battery will be discharged without the energy from the alternator and that is where the solar panels come into play.

It is necessary to remember that to take care of the secondary battery the ideal is that the discharge does not go beyond 50% of the capacity of the battery. Going below this percentage could significantly shorten its useful life and here we have to play with the combination of the capacity of the secondary battery and the production of the photovoltaic installation.

What types of solar panels do we have for our camper?

Yes, we know it is the roof of a Prius, and not a camper.

Consumer solar energy has come a long way in recent years thanks to its expansion in the domestic sphere, and that also benefits us when we want to install a solar panel on a camper van or motorhome.

In this way we can choose several types of panels with different power levels to recharge the batteries of our vehicles depending on the needs we may have.

Kit 200W CAMPER 12V solar panel monocrystalline plate PERC high efficiency cells

We have installation kits with monocrystalline or polycrystalline panels (there are other types of panels but they are not suitable for this use). In both cases these panels are based on silicon mineral, structured by cells of regular size and can be rigid or flexible.

The difference between the two types lies in their purity. Monocrystalline panels are formed by laminating cells from a single block of silicon, while polycrystalline panels are formed by melting the silicon, which is poured into a mold.

Since impurities are not removed in the manufacturing process in polycrystalline panels and are non-existent in monocrystalline panels, the performance of monocrystalline panel cells is higher and they are more efficient. They can perform 20% better under optimum conditions and are less sensitive to temperature variations above 25ºC.

In addition to rigid panels, we also have flexible panels. They use the same technology but their weight and size are much more moderate. On the other hand, they are also much more fragile panels because they do not have a structure or a layer of glass to protect the cells. They are also less efficient as the temperature rises as there is no separation between the sheet metal of the vehicle and the panel, there is no cooling.

Which solar panel do I need for my van?

Polycrystalline panels are somewhat more expensive, although the differences have become quite diluted. Because of their construction characteristics, monocrystalline panels work better on cloudy days by trapping radiation, and polycrystalline panels work better on sunny days.

But what should really tell us which panel we have to mount will be the need for energy production that we have (and the space available). This will be determined depending on the devices that will consume energy and also the time we spend inside our camper.

We can go from a small or medium camper that does not even need to install a plate because with a second battery charged during the trip will cover the needs of a weekend to a family with children in a Large Volume with full bathroom (shower with hot water) and large fridge that will stay a week at the beach.

Needless to say that if we mount a 100 W solar panel, we will never get those 100 W. Optimal yields are usually around 70% because we never capture all the radiation, the atmosphere is not clean all the time and the orientation of the plate on the roof is not the best. To this we must add the hours of sunlight per day, with extreme variations between a sunny day in summer and a rainy day in winter.

Assuming an approximate daily consumption for a large camper of 50 Ah between refrigerator, heating, water pumps, lighting, cell phone charger and the operation of an inverter to charge the laptop, if we are looking for the solar panel to be a support to extend the capacity stored in the second battery, a 100 W solar panel would be enough to generate between 15 and 40 Ah per day.

On the other hand, if we want energy self-sufficiency, we would have to install at least two 100 W or one 200 W solar panels, which would give us double the production.

How much does a solar panel for a camper van cost?

If we look at prices we have a very wide range in a relatively narrow price range (depending on the quality of the panel).

We have monocrystalline panels of 120 W from just over 70 euros, and from there on: monocrystalline 180 W for 135 euros to beasts of 370 W for just over 200 euros and intended for large motorhomes. The difference in polycrystalline is not too relevant, with little options such as 160 W panels for about 130 euros.

For flexible panels their price is somewhat higher starting from about 130 euros for a panel of 100 W, 200 euros for one of 120 W, and from there upwards.

ECO-WORTHY Flexible Solar Panel 130W 12V Monocrystalline Module to Charge 12V Battery / Car / Boat / Caravan

We can also find complete kits to make the installation, including regulator, brackets, cable and even polymer to leave everything well fixed and sealed.

The regulators are in charge of converting the photovoltaic energy into charging pulses for the 12V batteries, and they can also be used to indicate the percentage of charge that we can distribute between the main battery and the secondary battery. Depending on the amperage supported and its type (MPPT, PWM) its price increases, being the most common the 10 and 20 Amperes.

Depending on the chosen option of kit material (board, regulator, control unit…) the prices range from about 170 euros to 300 euros for the most common combinations.