Size your van's solar system before you buy a single panel.
Plain-English guides for RV and van owners: how much solar you need, which kit fits your budget, how to wire it safely, and which battery and inverter to pair with it.
How a van solar system works
Live simulation-
Solar panels turn sunlight into DC power. Monocrystalline panels reach about 20-22% efficiency on a roof. In this demo, heat, dust and roof angle cost about 15% of the rated output.
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An MPPT charge controller adjusts panel voltage to the battery and protects it from overcharging. Good units reach up to 98% efficiency. When the battery is full, it limits the panels to what you actually use.
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A lithium (LiFePO4) battery stores the energy. Around 80-100% of its capacity is usable, versus about 50% for AGM. This demo counts 90% of 2.56 kWh, so about 2.3 kWh you can use.
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An inverter converts 12 V DC into 120/230 V AC for laptops, kettles and tools. Pure sine wave models run around 90-95% efficiency, and they use a small amount of power just by being on.
Simulation speed: 1 second = 6 minutes. Demo values, not a sizing result.
RV & van solar, step by step
Follow the order below, or jump straight to the part you are stuck on.
Sizing & Calculators
Work out your daily energy use, then the panels and battery capacity to match it.
Kits & Budget Builds
Compare ready-made kits with DIY builds at different budgets.
Wiring & Installation
Cable sizes, fuses and mounting, explained so you can install it safely.
Batteries & Inverters
Lithium or AGM, and how to choose an inverter that fits your appliances.
New to solar?
Volts, amps, watts and watt-hours in plain language. Read this first and the rest of the site will make sense.
Latest guides
New articles are published on the blog as they are written. Each one covers a single question from start to finish.
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