Best Flexible Solar Panels for RVs in 2024 (Top 5 Reviews with Comparison)

BUYER'S GUIDE

How Much Solar Should Your RV Have?

Answering this question is going to vary based on a variety of factors, but the most vital is how much energy you’ll be using in your rig. While you won’t be able to run entirely off of solar power, you can determine a sufficient amount based on the kind of appliances that you have and that will factor what the best flexible solar panel to use.

The first thing to do will be to conduct an energy audit of your mobile home to calculate how much electricity you use on a regular basis. Let’s go over how to do that.

Conducting an Energy Audit

One of the easiest ways to figure out your energy needs for your RV is to pay attention to the appliances you have in your rig. To do that, you can look at the manual or the sticker attached to it.

You’ll notice that electricity is labeled in a few different ways - watts, amps, and voltage. Let’s break down each one.

Watts - the energy produced by your source (i.e., your batteries)

Amps - the flow of energy from the source

Volts - the amount of resistance in an electrical system

To break it down even further, think of it like this. Amps determine how much power you’re going to get, and volts are how you can convert that energy into watts. Thus, converting amps into wattage goes like this:

Number of Amps x Number of Volts = Wattage

If you’re drawing 10 amps from your batteries and you’re using a 120-volt system, then you can produce up to 1,200 watts.

So, when you calculate the total number of watts used by your appliances and machinery in your RV, then you can determine how many amps you need as a result.

For example, if you require 2,200 watts total, and you know that you’re using a 110-volt system, then you need to produce at least 20 amps at any given time. I would suggest going a little over that though just so that you have a buffer.

Sizing Your Charge Controller

The first question you’ll invariably ask here is “what is a charge controller?” Simply put, this is a device that prevents your batteries from getting overcharged by your solar panels. If too much power goes into the cell, then it could cause it to break down.

Because you want to be able to regulate the power going from a panel to the battery, you need to pick the right size controller for your system. A good formula to follow is this:

The number of panels x wattage output, divide that by the voltage of your batteries and then add 25% for cold weather. Also, be sure to round up so that you get even more of a buffer.

So, for example, let’s say that you have three panels that give you 100 watts each. That’s 300 watts, divided by a 12-volt battery (25 amps). Adding in 25% gives you 31.25, so you should round up to 32 (or higher) for your charge controller.

Sizing Your RV Flexible Panel Array

One challenge that you’ll discover when installing solar panels onto your rig is that you have limited space to do it. The first obvious choice is the roof, but you can also install panels onto the sides of your mobile home as well.

The downside of installing them on one side is that you limit the amount of solar energy you can get, but it offers more real estate, so it may be a suitable solution if you need more power.

Overall, the best way to size your panel array is to determine how many of them you need to keep your batteries charged regularly. Also, keep in mind that your alternator from the engine is already charging them, so if you drive most of the time, you probably don’t need that many panels.

Once you get your total number of watts necessary, then try to find panels that offer as many watts as possible. Keep in mind, however, that peak wattage is almost never going to happen, so you have to plan on only getting about 70% of that.

So, for example, if you find a panel that delivers 150 peak watts, you can expect to receive 105 of them in reality. Even though you may get a little more than that, it’s always better to be conservative with your estimates.

If you need 800 watts to power your batteries, then four of those panels will be ideal. However, depending on the available space on your RV, as well as the cost per panel, you may or may not be able to get all four of them.

How Many Amp-Hours Is Your Battery Bank?

Another thing to consider is the number of amp hours that you have total in your battery bank. Experts recommend only utilizing about half of that number to extend battery life, so keep that in mind when calculating your needs.

When looking at amp hours, you’ll notice that they can vary based on the number of volts. Deep-cycle batteries (like the ones you use for appliances) will have several hundred amp hours, so let’s say that your current bank delivers 800 amp-hours. Based on the recommendation, you should only plan on using 400 of them.

This estimate will help you determine how much power you have at any given time, as well as how much energy you should be using to recharge those batteries.

CONCLUSION

Because solar panels are all about efficiency and reliability, I highly recommend the Renogy Flexible Solar Panel 50 Watt 12 Volt among the list of our best flexible solar panels. Although it only produces 60 watts of peak power, it’s one of the most reliable and easy to use panels on the market.

This panel has a high-efficiency design, so you can utilize it for a variety of needs, particularly for electronics. Having a few of these on your rig will keep you well-powered for years to come.