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So you’ve decided to go green. Diversifying your power sources on the road will make it easier and cheaper for you to use your RV’s appliances. Plus you can rest easy knowing you’re doing your best to reduce your carbon footprint.
Now that you’ve decided to look into RV solar kits, you’ll have to decide which one is best for you and your camper. We’ll cover some of the key points to consider including space, cost, and power so you can narrow down your choices.
Space for your Solar Kit
Technology has improved to the point where you can pack a solar-powered phone charged into your back pocket. You don’t need a dozen panels and a few dozen acres of space to harness the power of the sun. That said, you do only have a limited amount of real estate on your motorhome’s roof. Therefore picking a solar panel kit for your RV is going to depend on your space.
Start by getting up on your roof and seeing what’s in place already. Do you have a fridge vent? What about an air conditioning unit or fan? How big is your TV antenna or signal booster? Can you get something smaller? All of these features will have to be worked around when you install your panels.
If you have to opt for fewer panels, you can make the most of them with the right mounting hardware and installation method. To do this, look for panels that can mount on an angle to face toward the sun at any given point in the day. These panels usually fold down for easy storage and aerodynamics when in motion.
Cost of your RV Solar Panels Kit
While the sun’s rays are free, the technology we’ve built to harness it is not. So you’ll want to consider how much you’re willing to spend on RV solar panel kits before shopping.
It’s worth noting that you won’t always save money in the long run when it comes to your power sources. You aren’t going to see a huge dip in your consumption of propane in the first year. And you might still need electricity if you travel during certain months of the year or in parts of the world where you don’t get a ton of sunlight each day. Basically, you shouldn’t upgrade to solar just to save money. You should do it to reduce your carbon footprint and spend less on other types of harmful fuels.
You can expect to spend anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars on a solar panel kit depending on size. These kits come with panels, inverters, and batteries, which store and change the solar energy to electricity.
Power of your RV Solar Kits
How much power your solar kit produces depends on the sum of its parts. The number of panels will affect this amount, as well as your battery’s capacity and the strength of your inverter. That said, don’t opt for a cheap unit just to save money. Look for one with good reviews that stores enough energy to keep your smaller appliances running.
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