RV Solar: Is It Worth It? We absolutely love living in a solar powered RV. But as awesome as solar can be, it is NOT for everyone.
A lot of RVers seem to think that a few hundred watts of solar will magically give them absolute electrical independence (even running air conditioners!) with an investment that will pay for itself in no time at all. And we’ve run across others who regard solar with distrust – just a way for “environmentalists” to throw money down the drain while acting smug about it. But the truth is – both extremes can be deluded about the realities of solar. We find relatively few RVers have actually taken the time to think through the real benefits, costs, and cost savings associated with going solar to decide if investing in a solar system actually makes sense. There is no one right answer for everyone. But hopefully this guide can help you decide – what is right for you?
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Our Solar History. Our first date – solar powered working with a million dollar view. The perfect introduction to technomadism!
Solar power actually played a big roll in the beginning of our relationship. When Chris hit the road solo in a minuscule T@b trailer 9 years ago, the first thing he did was upgrade the electrical system with a 1. W solar panel. When we met in person later that year for our epic 2. I told him that I needed to be able to get a day’s work in, and he was able to squeeze out just enough power from the sun while boondocking that I didn’t need to cut things off early. Who knows – if it wasn’t for that solar panel, we might not have ended up together.
When we designed our next RV together, of course we integrated in as much solar as we could fit (2. W) on the roof of our tiny Oliver Travel Trailer. Our goals at the time were to be as off grid as possible, without being constrained to RV parks or hookups. We didn’t even carry a generator with us at first, so of course solar was a must. But when we moved into our bus Zephyr four years ago, solar was not on our immediate upgrade list. Our style of travel had changed, as had our electrical needs. We instead first invested in a robust battery & inverter system that could store plenty of energy for a couple days off grid at a time, and this gave us tremendous flexibility in between stops while relying on minimal generator usage.
It wasn’t until a year ago that we at last went all in with our big solar upgrade. For us – it made sense to wait, and we had other life priorities that we knew would keep us on the grid for a while. But now we are back to enjoying boondocking part of the year and being powered by the sun while doing it. We love our solar setup, and the increased freedom it provides us. And we’re not at all deluded that it’s necessarily saving us money right off the bat. But that’s us. Does solar make sense for you? When Solar DOESN’T Make Sense.
Solar is an investment. It requires planning, substantial upfront expense, and a sizable chunk of physical roof and/or storage space devoted to the cause. And if you’re not going to be able to take advantage of sucking power from the sun often enough, going through the effort may not be worth it. As much as we would love all our neighbors to be dependent on solar (and thus silent) – running a generator on occasion isn’t the end of the world. So let’s start with some scenarios where installing solar just doesn’t make sense: Solar is not necessarily ideal if you only occasionally dry camp while in transit.
You’ll be sticking mostly to electric hook- ups anyway. There’s a plethora of options out there ranging from traditional commercial RV parks to absolutely amazing state and national parks. If you focus on hookups and your only dry camping tends to be a night here or there while in transit (such as blacktop boondocking in a rest area or commercial parking lot), then solar probably doesn’t make a ton of sense. If you are a “special event” boondocker.
If the only time each year you are away from hookups is for a single week or two to attend a special event (like Burning Man or the Balloon Fiesta) – a solar system might not make sense. A week of heavy generator use once or twice a year won’t cost you much at all. Even us solar enthusiasts understand that when we choose to attend such events, there will be lots of generator noise (but please do keep it to a minimum). You’ll frequently be in places with extreme climates. Especially if you’ll need air conditioning a substantial part of the year, you’re more than likely going to be best off finding a place with hook- ups. Trying to be off- grid and comfortable with just solar on roasting summer days is not fun. It takes an extreme solar & battery setup to keep up with air conditioning – whereas most generators can run an AC with ease.
You’ll be sticking to more populated areas. Unless you’re embarking on some urban stealth camping, the areas where off- grid boondocking spots are most plentiful don’t tend to be near cities or populated areas. The east coast and midwest have fewer options – and most campgrounds in these areas offer hook- ups. Go out west however, and the opportunities for solar boondocking and dry camping are endless. You’re more of a weekend warrior than extended- time RVer.
If you’ll just be going out for short trips a few times a year, the investment in extensive solar may not be worthwhile. It’s easy enough to find campgrounds with hook- ups, or to learn to live without much energy – supplementing with a generator (please get a quiet one however!) when necessary. Or you you can get a simple solar setup to meet your minimal needs, instead of investing in a larger system. You’re not otherwise setup for dry camping. If you don’t have large enough waste holding tanks or don’t care to conserve other resources – then solar alone isn’t going to make extended boondocking magically feasible. Solar is a Lifestyle Change. If you’ve gotten comfortable in your RVing lifestyle going pole- to- pole – you of course have to step back and ask yourself if you’re avoiding solar because you don’t go places you need it, or if you’re not going to those places because you don’t have solar?
It is a Catch- 2. Installing solar can be a complete RV lifestyle change. Are you not going to places like this because you don’t have solar?
Once you have solar, you start thinking differently about the variety of places you can go. You have a new freedom where you don’t have to plan around hook- ups, and energy usage & collection becomes quiet and passive. Here’s some of the changes that solar can create: You can seek out more remote locations with amazing vistas, privacy, getting further out in nature. There’s an abundance of free dispersed camping options available on public lands, especially out west.
You can go entire seasons moving between them, hardly ever hooking- up – having priceless experiences almost for free. Dry camping in a developed campground affords us better views & cheaper prices. There are many campgrounds that have developed campspots that don’t offer hook- ups, and staying in these campgrounds (or dry loops) will become an option for you.
Often the camp areas without hookups have better views, lower prices, easier availability, and increased privacy over their hook- up alternatives. You can take advantage of .
See if you even like it before investing in solar. Try conserving power and minimizing generator time as best you can to get a feel for it. Budget out your water usage, and really get to know your tank capacities. It’s particularly helpful if you have boondocking savvy friends you can join up with for a couple days to show you the ropes.
We’ve certainly enjoyed introducing friends to the lifestyle. Will Solar Pay Off? Of course, installing solar isn’t free. It takes an investment up front before you see any of the benefits. This means spending real dollars. Voyager Music From Earth Download.
And potentially lots of them, depending on what your needs are and what components you already have installed. One of the frequent questions we field is?
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