When living the RV life, one thing that you always have to think about is power.

Since you aren’t always guaranteed to have an outlet to plug into, it’s necessary to bring as much energy as possible with you so that you can still use everything inside your mobile home.

Fortunately, solar technology has advanced to the point where you can attach flexible panels to the roof of your RV, saving you the headache of having to bring extra batteries wherever you go.

Today we’re going to look at some of the best flexible solar panels, as well as go over how to determine your power needs, as well as how to utilize your power source as efficiently as possible.

Although you probably can’t become 100% self-sufficient, it’s about as close as you can get.

COMPARISON CHART

IMAGE	PRODUCT
	1. Renogy Flexible Solar Panel 50 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Extremely Flexible Ultra Lightweigh Super Thin Lamination Highly Durable	LEARN MORE ►
	2. SunPower 50 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline High Efficiency Solar Panel Lightweight, Portable & Easy to Stow Designed and made by SunPower with Maxeon high efficiency solar cells Robust, Durable & Weather Resistant Micro Junction box has IP67 protection	LEARN MORE ►
	3. ACOPOWER 120W Portable Solar Panel High-energy design Portable and deployable Folds for easy storage Produces up to 120 watts	LEARN MORE ►
	4. Flexible Solar Panels 55 Watt 12 Volt Highly Flexible Easy to Use High Conversion Efficiency Ultra Lightweight & Durable	LEARN MORE ►
	5. TP-solar Flexible Solar Panel 50W 24V/12V Monocrystalline Bendable Durable Waterproof Ultar-Thin & Ultra-Light Design High Conversion Efficiency	LEARN MORE ►

OUR TOP 5 PICKS

#1 Renogy Flexible Solar Panel 50 Watt 12 Volt

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Specifications

Features

• Extremely Flexible
• Easy to Use 

• High Conversion Efficiency
• Ultra Lightweight & Durable

The Renogy 50W Flexible Solar Panel is the perfect way to power your marine or RV needs. With a traditional solar panel, you are often bound by its rigidness and heavy weight. But with the Renogy 50W Flexible Solar Panel, you get all of the power with none of the hassle.

#2 SunPower 50 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline High Efficiency Solar Panel

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Specifications

Features

• Get more power from each panel
• Protect the environment.

• Save money on your electric bill.
• Highest efficiency solar cells on the market

If you’re looking for a flexible solar panel that can be stowed away when not in use, this is the product. Made by Sunpower and designed with high efficiency at 23% – it will produce more power than its counterparts while taking up less space!

#3 ACOPOWER 120W Portable Solar Panel

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Specifications

Features

• High-energy design
• Folds for easy storage
• Produces up to 120 watts

• Portable and deployable
• Monocrystalline panel
• Folding feet for ground deployment

Next, we have another folding panel that is designed for portable deployment. However, if you’re looking for something a bit more industrial that can charge your RV batteries, this model is going to be a better option. Let’s see what it can do.

120-Watt Output

Overall, when comparing different solar panels, the wattage is going to be one of the most crucial elements to consider. In this case, a peak delivery of 120 watts is more than sufficient for most charging needs.

That being said, you have to realize that this number is based on maximum sunlight, so if you’re in a cloudy area or it’s winter, then you won’t be able to get the same amount of power.

Fortunately, this panel comes with a meter gauge to tell you how much energy you’re producing so that you can plan accordingly.

Folding Design

Although this is another portable solar panel, one feature that makes it a little easier to use is the fact that it comes with folding feet. This way, you can prop it up outside and collect sunlight that much easier. I don’t recommend mounting this unit.

Video

#4Flexible Solar Panels 55 Watt 12 Volt

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Specifications

Features

• Highly Flexible 
• Easy to Use 

• High Conversion Efficiency
• Ultra Lightweight & Durable

Introducing the Flexible Solar Panel – the perfect solution for those who want to take advantage of solar power, but have struggled with traditional, rigid panels in the past. This innovative panel is designed to be installed easily on curved or uneven surfaces, making it ideal for use on RVs, boats, and trailers.

#5 TP-solar Flexible Solar Panel 50W 24V/12V Monocrystalline Bendable

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Specifications

Features

• Waterproof
• High Conversion Efficiency

• Ultra-Thin & Ultra-Light Design
• Lightweight material

TP-solar’s Flexible Solar Panel is perfect for those who want to harness the power of the sun on the go. Its bendable design means it can be mounted on any irregular surface, making it ideal for RVs, boats, and even cars. With a conversion efficiency of up to 50%, this panel is sure to give you a boost when you need it most.

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.

Related Post: Best RV Solar Kit in 2020 (Top 5 Reviews with Comparison)

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.