Choosing the best solar panels for your van conversion can be daunting. There used to not be very many options for solar panels for van life, however, times have certainly changed. There are a couple of things to consider when choosing the best solar panels for van conversions, and obviously, it’s not a one size fits all approach.
This post is aimed to not just show you different options for solar panels for your campervan, but to also share things you need to consider before just jumping on something that has great reviews on Amazon.
We’ve in the middle of a month dedicated to all things solar systems for van life. If you’re interested in more on solar setups, head to our van build page. This is where we’re sharing all things van build, and where you’ll find all our solar posts!
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Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Solar Panels for Your Campervan
Weight of the Panels
The difference in type of solar panels is the difference of nearly 20 lbs of weight in some cases! If weight is a major factor for your campervan build, we suggest going with the flexible solar panels. Flexible solar panels are around 4 lbs per panel verses the 14 lbs per panel of the rigid ones! Multiply this by the amount of panels you’re installing, and the difference adds up quickly!
Size of Solar Panels
Size as in the actual dimensions of the solar panels. Some of the best solar panels for van conversions are not actually the best solar panels for your van conversion! In our case, we were converting a minivan.. so we had way less width to work with when installing solar panels. We actually couldn’t fit two solid panels on the roof side by side, nor could we fit the 175-watt panels we were eyeballing.
Consider the size of your van roof and anything extra you’re adding to the roof before purchasing your solar panels!
How Much Power Do You Really Need?
This one is a tough one. Most van conversions can get away with 200 watts of solar power. However, that’s not necessary what will work for you. If your solar panels can only collect 200 watts of solar, you have to remember that’s 200 watts in prime conditions. That means at least five hours of direct sunlight, where the angle of the sun and the strength of the sun is just right.
If you plan on wintering in your van or being in places with more cloud coverage than sun, you may want to consider adding more than just two 100-watt panels to your van conversion!
To Be Stealth or Not to Be
Honestly, once you add a fan to your campervan, you can kiss any idea of being stealth good-bye. But, if you want to be as stealth as you can, flexible solar panels are a better option than the solid panels. They lay much more flat on the roof of a van, and are hard to spot on a taller campervan or trailer!
Price Points
When considering a solar set up for a campervan, you have a lot of different things that cost money. You can easily spend thousands of dollars on a simple solar set up. Flexible solar panels tend to be more expensive than solid solar panels, however, that’s not always the case. You have to also consider the wattage of the solar panels to get a fair price point.
If you’re on a tight budget, specifically pay attention to the price of a 175 Watt solar panel compared to two 100 Watt panels. Because you’ll be paying a bit more for the 175 watt panel, as an individual panel, but you won’t have to purchase all the extra connecting gadgets for connecting two solar panels together.
Longevity
Renogy is a very reputable solar panel company. They are said to last ten years for their solid solar panels and 4-6 for the flexible ones. They also come with a great warranty on the solar panels themselves.
When thinking of solar panels, be sure to think of how long you’ll be in the van using the panels. You don’t want to install something that you’ll have to replace within a few years if you plan on living life on the road long term!
Do you Need Permanent Placement or Not?
Gone are the days of needed a complete solar system with loads of moving parts and permanent placement.. and in are the days of a solar powered generator. No.. not the ones that make loads of noise. Jackery is a company that creates solar panels and solar panel powered generators for those looking for power without the hassle of a full system.
If you want to have power for quick weekend trips or really don’t plan on spending loads of time in your van, check out the Jackery set up.. it may be perfect for you!
Another thing to consider is having a flexible solar panel that isn’t mounted, but is instead stored away. In our first build, we stored our flexible solar panel behind the seats and only took it out when we were parked. This was great because we could park in the shade and then run the panel into the sun, keeping the van cool while getting a good charge.
In our first van, we just moved the solar panel around in and out of the van and stored it behind the seats when not in use.
Monocrystalline vs. Polycrystalline Solar Panels
Monocrystalline campervan solar panels are more efficient than the polycrystalline solar panels, however, that efficiency comes at a higher price tag. The dead give away between the two camper solar panels is the color. Monocrystalline panels are black, whereas polycrystalline solar panels are blue. If you’re going through all the struggle and work of installing solar into your camper van, you may as well go for the more efficient solar energy route of the monocrystalline panels, especially since the price point isn’t that more.
Should You Buy One of the Solar Panel Kits
In our opinion, the answer to this is no. While you can purchase a solar panel kit that has some of the items needed for solar power, none of the solar panel kits we’ve seen have it all. Instead of purchasing a solar panel kit, make your own. Our DIY solar panel kit has every component you need for a complete campervan solar system. We include all the solar panel wiring needs, the mounting materials, solar charge controllers, and even the fuses.
Best Solar Panels for Van Conversion | 100W Panels
100 Watt solar panels are the most common size of solar panels for campervans. Most people that are converting campervans for van life choose to add two or more 100W solar panels to their van roofs. There are two major kinds of 100W solar panels for mounting to campervan roofs, flexible solar panels and hard solar panels.
100W Flexible Solar Panels | check current prices here
Flexible solar panels are fantastic for vans that aren’t flat. Think, airstreams, minivan campervan conversions, and even trailers. The huge benefit to these panels is the fact that they’re flexible.. able to curve around the awkward shapes of non-traditional campervan conversions.
This is the kind of solar panels we used in both of our van builds. In our first van in Scotland, we didn’t have the panel mounted to the roof and instead stored the solar panel behind our seat, taking it out when we needed a charge. This worked out really well, as we really didn’t use too much solar in that van. It also was a great way to be able to park in the shade, keeping the van cool, while putting the solar panel into the sun getting a full charge.
In our current van, we have two of these solar panels mounted to the roof. They have been a godsend in keeping our leisure batteries topped up. With proper insulation we haven’t had any issue leaving the van in the sun for a full charge while it’s hot out!
Aside from the fact that these panels can fit the extra curvature of weird vans and trailers, these solar panels are also super light. They only weight 4.2 lbs… making them perfect for those watching the weight they’re adding to the van.
On our campervan, there’s no way to make these hidden, as you can literally see the top of the van from standing next to it. However, on taller vans and trailers, nobody would be able to tell there are solar panels on the roof with how flat these bad boys are!
100W Monocrystalline Solar Panels | check current prices here
These 100 watt panels are not flexible panels, but are instead a solid panel complete with a framed in mounting system. They have multiple layers to them, making them more durable and stronger than the flexible solar panels. These 100 Watt panels are what most people have on their campervan conversions.
The major downside to these panels is the weight. Unlike the flexible solar panels that weigh just over 4 lbs., these solid solar panels come in at 14 lbs. each. This is a considerable weight difference when converting a smaller van.
However, in the long run, the 10 extra pounds per panel isn’t too wild. One positive to these panels is the lifespan of them. Renogy’s 100 watt panels are said to last up to 10 years. This is about six years longer than their flexible counterpart.
Best Solar Panels for Van Life without a Major Buildout | portable solar panels
While you could certainly use the flexible 100 Watt solar panels we mentioned above, the better option for solar panels that you don’t have to mount or have an entire van solar system are the Jackery 100 Watt foldable solar panels. These portable solar panels fold up into themselves, protecting the actual panels and making them easy to transport.
Each 100 Watt solar panel comes with a USB-C and USB-A charging port, so you can directly charge things like camera batteries and phones straight from the solar panel. Alternatively, you can snag the Jackery Power Station and Solar Panel Kit, and then you have a power bank for charging laptops and bigger items.. all being charged by the sun!
We met a few people on the road that have this system in a van that has the bare basics. I think it’s a great option for those not looking to fully kit out their vans and instead just want to get on the road! The one downside to this foldable solar panel is that it’s not fully waterproof. Instead, it’s water resistant. However, with it not being something that’s out all the time, I think that’s just fine, since you won’t be trying to collect a charge in the rain anyway!
Foldable Solar Panels | check prices here
For those not really 100% sure about setting up an entire van solar system, these foldable solar panels are a great choice. If you aren’t planning on doing van life full time, and are instead just doing a long road trip.. it may be worth it to just grab these foldable solar panels and a Jackery Portable Power Station (listed below too) instead of putting the holes in your van roof and spending all the extra money on a complete solar system set up.
Jackery Complete Solar System Set Up | check prices here
This is the perfect set up for those not ready to fully commit to van life. This Jackery Solar System kit is a great way to have a way to power a 12V fridge, fan, and more, or simply just have a way to charge a laptop. It’s great for weekend get aways and those looking for a super simply way to have off-grid power in their campers!
Larger Solar Panels | Best Solar Panels for Van Conversion with Limited Space
If roof space is an issue, you may want to consider a single panel that has more watts. This allows you to have almost the same amount of solar wattage, for a smaller footprint of one panel instead of two. If space isn’t an issue, you may even consider adding two of these 175 Watt panels for more power!
Rigid 175 Watt Solar Panels | check prices here
These rigid solar panels are just like the 100 Watt rigid panels above, but they’re just bigger. They come in at just over 20 lbs a panel, however they offer 75 more watts per panel than the other ones. These would be great if you had limited space and only wanted one campervan solar panel on the roof.
Alternatively, they would also be great if you had extra space and could have more than one of these bigger panels on your camper van roof, allowing for more collection of energy!
Flexible 175 Watt Solar Panels | check current prices here
If our van was just a bit wider, we would have hands down installed two of these solar panels on the roof! However, we didn’t have the space for two these 175 watt panels, so we went ahead with the 100 watt panels.
These flexible solar panels only weight 6.2 lbs, making them perfect for lightweight conversions, and again, they’re super flat.. perfect for more of a stealth campervan vibe.
Renogy 200W Solar Panel | current prices here
Okay.. these 200w panels are fantastic if space isn’t an issue. And I suppose they’re great if you have limited space too, where you can’t quite fit two 100w panels. It’s unreal all the different solar panel options Renogy has. These 200w panels come with a 25 year warranty. And while they weigh just over 26 lbs… That’s still less than if you had two 100w panels on the roof.
With Renogy being such a trusted and reliable brand in the solar panel world, you don’t have to worry about spending top dollar for the larger solar panel! Two 100w panels are technically cheaper for the panels themselves. However, when considering the price of the connectors to connect two panels and the extra gas it will cost for the added weight, the 200w panels may be worth the extra cash.
The Best Solar Panels for Van Conversion
As you can see, it’s not really a one size fits all when talking about the best solar panels for van conversions. There are so many things to consider and so many different options nowadays! I hope this post was helpful to you! And I’m interested.. after reading this post, did you learn something new? Did you decide what solar panels you’ll be using for your van build? Let me know below!
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