Panels need direct sunlight to operate at peak efficiency. Solar energy is also very dependent on, you guessed it, cloud cover. Then you’ll need batteries, wiring, an inverter, any necessary hardware to secure your panels properly to your RV’s roof. It’s not necessarily cheap to acquire solar panels to begin your RV solar power installation. The most glaring disadvantage of solar energy is the initial setup cost. Once you have your panels installed and wiring run correctly, you’ll probably only need to worry about cleaning your panels off three or four times a year to keep them operating efficiently. Lastly, solar energy also requires very little maintenance. While we’re focusing on using solar power for RV air conditioners in this article, solar energy can also be used for heating and other electrical applications. Solar energy can also be used for a variety of applications. For most RVers, the ability to plug in (or not) often dictates our travel itineraries.Įven when it’s not operating at 100% efficiency, solar energy can reduce your overall electricity costs and give you more freedom to explore remote locations. Putting the question of whether or not there are clouds in the sky to the side, the biggest benefit of solar energy is that it’s 100% renewable.Īnother benefit of solar energy is decreased reliance on the electric grid. Every day, the sun is going to rise, even if it’s cloudy and your installation isn’t able to function at optimal efficiency. The biggest advantage of solar energy is renewability. So I want to use this section to simply provide a few important advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. Since you’re here researching solar power for your RV, I’m assuming you already know a bit about the topic. Solar energy is often touted as a “unending power source,” the reality of harnessing solar power is still a bit complicated. I’ll also cover how solar panels work for an RV, how to choose panel size, and some frequently asked questions about solar power for RVs.īut first, let’s briefly talk about the pros and cons of solar energy! In this article, I’m going to explain the intricacies of setting up a solar power installation for an RV air conditioner. So how can you properly set up your rig to use solar power for your RV air conditioner and other appliances? The exact wattage needs of your A/C unit, as well as the size of the solar panels you want to install, will dictate how many panels you need for a useful solar installation. These two factors, along with the size of the panels you install, will dictate how many panels you need to effectively use solar power for RV air conditioner power supply.įor example, many RV air conditioning units require somewhere between 1,700 and 3,500 starting watts and 600 to 1,500 running watts. So can you power an RV air conditioner with solar? Yes, It is definitely possible to power even the largest RV air conditioning unit with solar power, but you’ll need to design your installation based on the size of your A/C unit and how much starting and running wattage it requires.
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