Solar panel with alligator clips
Most rigs these days are equipped with AGM or flooded lead acid batteries, which range from 85-200Ah. Unless you plan to replace these batteries, you need to know this so you can determine how to charge the RV battery with solar panels. What is the capacity and type of my RV battery bank? To have an effective solar panel system, with multiple panels, they all need to be all the same wattage. If you plan to install more permanent solar panels, this small one will likely have to come out – in addition to the small charge controller connected to it and any wiring currently going to the battery. This small panel is NOT designed to recharge a depleted battery while boondocking. These smaller factory installed panels are designed to simply maintain an already charged battery, so that the RV’s lights and slideouts work while for customer walk-throughs while sitting in the dealer lot. We get this question a lot, “I already have a small panel on my roof, can I just tie that into my new system?” The answer is, probably not. Is there a solar panel already installed on top of my rig (usually less than 50W)?
Check out this blog to learn more about what “solar ready” means. You can then choose rooftop panels or a solar suitcase, or better yet, a combination of both that will give you more boondocking flexibility. SAE to MC-4 adapter and SAE reverse polarity plug (search this product on Amazon) to adapt them for Renogy solar panels. Is there a solar input port on the outside of the rig? Does it require a specific brand of solar panel (or provide a QR code or website for more information)? This will help you determine what type of panels you’ll need to purchase – or if you simply need to buy an inexpensive Is my RV/van listed as “solar ready” or “pre-wired for solar”? See this helpful worksheet to begin this process. On the other hand, if you plan to go fully off-grid and run your RV with solar, like we do, then you will need to plan out a much more robust system, with all 4 components of a solar paneled system.
Solar suitcase (with an included charge controller) that can simply be connected to your RV battery via alligator clips - red to positive & black to negative. If you only plan to spend one or two nights in between electrical hook-up campsites then your solar paneled system can be simple. How many days do I want to run my RV without plugging into an external electrical outlet (e.g., “shore power” at an electrical campsite)?
Here are some questions to ask yourself before simply