Solar Power For RV’s For Beginners

Camper trailers, motor-homes and Recreational Vehicles are a popular way to escape civilization and head out into the wilderness for days at a time. People like the fact that they can have their cake and eat it too; outdoors nature paradise, with all the conveniences of modern life. One soon finds out that plumbing, microwaves and DVD players take a lot of power to run. Soon the batteries on the motor-home are discharged to a dangerously low state. The easiest way to fix this is to rely on the traditional gas powered generator to top up the electrical system by burning carbon fuel.

When you go out into the wilderness to get away from it all, the last thing you want to hear is a noisy engine running in the background. A much quieter solution to the problem is rv solar panels, which can silently charge up your batteries using the free and clean energy of the sun.

It is possible to hook several RV solar panels together, and commonly they are wired in series to provide a greater output. These panels are made of many small cells all formed into a rigid panel. Photo-voltaic cells gather the energy of the sunlight and convert it to electricity, which flows to your battery bank.

Quite often, the panels are mounted on the roof and attached so that they can be raised to catch the light of the sun when in use. The disadvantage to these is that the reailer needs to be properly positioned so they face the correct way, and this is not always possible. A second method is to place the solar rv panels on stands on the ground, and run the wire over to the trailer. This way, as the sun moves the panels can be repositioned.

The sunlight gets converted to DC current, which flows down the wires to the charge controller. If the batteries are full, the charge controller won’t let any more power pass through and saves the batteries from being ruined by overcharging them. AS soon as the battery level drops, the controller allows current to flow through.

Deep cycle RV batteries are recommended to be used on all holiday trailers and RV’s. Standard car batteries aren’t meant to be recharged repeatedly and won’t last in a recreational vehicle system. If you need to add more batteries or replace your existing ones, make sure they are the correct kind.

The final part of the system is the inverter. Inverters can convert Direct Current electrical current to Alternating Current 110V. This will allow you to use household appliances in your holiday trailer. Inverters come in different sizes, and some are more efficient than others, so it pays to shop around.

If you are buying a new RV, you can pick a model with these parts included, or have the dealership order them and get them installed professionally. If you are the handy man type, you can find all of your components yourself and do it yourself. A trip to the RV dealership might still be a good idea, since you can ask them questions and they will help you decide how big of a system to install.

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