The solar system i installed works well because it s customized to suit our needs and style of camping.
Build your own rv solar system.
Buy only deep cycle batteries for your rv these are rated in amp hours.
If you are going to build out your own custom solar system for your rv the first thing you need to do is make sure you are building a system that is large enough to handle your needs.
Having a healthy bank of 12 volt or 6 volt batteries is vital to the performance of your rv s solar power system.
This is because each type of recreational vehicle has specific requirements and limitations for off grid power and solar charging systems.
Now it is time to mount the solar panel.
Give yourself 50 bonus nerd points if you got it.
The diagrams instructional videos and written instructions in steve maxwell s build your own solar generator course were very helpful for understanding and constructing my own generator.
Here s my video showing how a portable solar suitcase works and why it s the easiest option when it comes to getting solar power on your rv.
Create a big enough system.
If you are planning to add solar power to your rv i recommend you learn as much as possible up front.
An rv solar suitcase is an excellent first step into the world of solar power.
There are no one size fits all rv solar solutions.
Technically they aren t part of the solar power system but without them you can t capture the electrical energy being created by your solar panels.
It will always be a valuable asset and even when you create your own monster solar system there will be a place for it.
I tested the unit charged the battery and had a eureka moment when it produced 110 volt power from the sun.
For step by step instructions you can see my instructable on building a pwm charge controller.
Prepare the mounting stand.
So if you build your rv solar energy system bigger than you need you ll wind up with a lot of wasted potential.
Buy all the components with an appropriate rating as per the previous steps.
When the time comes to take your rv off the grid you ll be ready to make informed.
After design the solar system.
You can t fill your battery over 100.
But once your battery is full it s full.
First choose a suitable location on the rooftop where there is no obstruction sunlight.
That s actually a nerdy joke because the volt is the si unit of electrical potential.
You can make it on your own or it is better to buy one from any store.
There is no point in doing this halfway if you are going to do it it needs to be done right.
You may also like my new 3 0 design of an arduino mppt solar charge controller.