Where’s a complete flexible solar panel kit you ask?! Right here… you found it!
When building out our campervan, solar power was easily the most daunting task. Nowhere did we find a complete DIY solar panel kit, so after mounting our flexible panels, we decided to make a true, complete flexible solar panel kit for all the other DIY van builders out there.
The flexible solar panel kits that are sold online don’t actually have everything you need to mount and connect your solar panels. And too many blog posts we’ve read leave out the little bits and bobs like cable glands, zip ties, and more. So we are here to give you the total package. Down to the nuts, bolts, and tape in this DIY flexible solar panel kit.
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Why You Need A DIY Flexible Solar Panel Kit
For starters, yes, you can purchase a “flexible solar panel kit” straight from Amazon or Renogy, but these are not complete kits. Solar Panel kits are not a one-size-fits-all, and often the kit comes with things you don’t need or not the right length of wire. We also found that solar panel kits were never the complete package. Yes, they offer the basics, but you still need to purchase the extra connectors, entry harnesses, and materials to strap down your solar panel cables to your van roof.
And shoot, I honestly can’t tell you the number of blogs I read and videos I watched that didn’t say a dang thing about all the extra materials needed for actually mounting flexible solar panels. And nowhere, I mean nowhere, did I see how to actually get your solar panel wires to enter your van roof with water and wire protection.
At that point, it was simple. We knew we needed to write, photograph, and video every aspect of our van solar system. And we also knew we needed to create a one-stop shop for flexible solar panel materials, so here we are.. with the ultimate DIY flexible solar panel kit.
Looking for a guide to actually installing your flexible solar panels? Check out this 31 step guide to every detail of installing flexible solar panels on your campervan.
A Complete Flexible Solar Panel Kit Quick List (all links)
Coroplast (for mounting and preventing too much heat)
100 Watt 12 Volt Extremely Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel by Renogy (2 panels)
Male/Female Pair Branch Connectors (makes two solar panel cables one)
Cable Glands Adjustable 10 Pcs 3/8″ Nylon Cord Grip NPT (for inserting cables into van roof)
10 Stainless Steel #10-24 pan head Phillips Bolts/Screws
Stainless Steel Fasten #10 Washers (10 total)
10 Stainless Steel #10 Split Lock Washers
10 Stainless Steel #10-24 Nylon Lock Nuts
Butyl Tape (for mounting seal)
Waterproof Patch and Seal Gorilla Tape
Renogy 20A Set w/Holder ANL Fuse
Wanderer Charge Controller by Renogy (protects the battery and solar panels)
Renogy 8ft. 10 AWG Wire Copper Tray Cable
Renogy 30A Set w/Holder ANL Fuse
12 V 31 AGM 48 Batteries (two wired in parallel)
4 Gauge Wire (two with connectors on ends)
Materials & Tools You Probably Already Have
Screw Driver (from basic tool set)
DIY Exterior Flexible Solar Panel Kit in Detail
Coroplast (for mounting and preventing too much heat) | find it here
The biggest issue people have with flexible solar panels is the risk of the panel overheating and causing heat spots, damaging the solar panels. An easy fix to this issue is creating an air gap underneath the solar panels. Coroplast is basically corrugated cardboard in the plastic form. Basically two sheets of plastic with waves in between for air to flow. It keeps the panels pretty flush on the roof and has held up great in our rig thus far!
100 Watt Renogy 12 Volt Extremely Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel (2 panels) | grab them here
In this detailed flexible solar panel kit, we are using two 100W Renogy solar panels. Renogy is a very trusted solar outfitter in the United States, and they make some of the top of the line solar products. These flexible solar panels are only 4.2 pounds each, only a quarter of the weight as rigid solar panels, and they’re obviously super flexible… perfect for mounting to teardrop trailers, Airstreams, and minivan campervan conversions.
Renogy 1.5Ft 12AWG Solar Extension Cable with Solar Panel Connectors (lengthens cable from solar panel) | find them here
This cable is just simply to extend the length of the solar panel cable to be able to connect to the pair branch connectors (listed below). You won’t see this in any other flexible solar panel kit, which is just annoying.. but, basically, the cables provided on the solar panels aren’t long enough to reach each other when joining two panels together. So, you have to have this little extension to lengthen one side of the cables to then join it to the pair connector.. listed below.
Male/Female Pair Branch Connectors (makes two solar panel cables one) | grab them here
Simply put.. these pair branch connectors take the cables from two solar panels and make a single cable to run inside your van to the charge controller.
Renogy 10Ft 10AWG Solar Adaptor Wire Extension Cables with Female and Male Connector (connects solar panels to charge controller) | current prices here
These extension cables connect to the super short cables on the flexible solar panels, extending the length of them to reach the charge controller in the inside of your van. 10 feet was just barely long enough for us to connect to the charge controller, and honestly limited the placement of the charge controller for us.
However, with that said, the longer the cables, the less efficient your solar power is. So, you’ll want to stay as short here as possible… keeping in mind, this is just going to the charge controller, which then connects with separate wire to your batteries.
The “male and female connectors” seem like a confusing bit, but this is just the way you connect them both to the solar panels. Don’t let this scare you.. it’s easier to understand when you have the cables in front of you!
Cable Glands Adjustable 10 Pcs 3/8″ Nylon Cord Grip NPT (for inserting cables into van roof) | find them here
Oh my goodness.. these cable glands are a gift from heaven. I don’t know why not a single other post or video we watched on installing solar panels didn’t include these little guys. We were at a stand still when laying out all the parts to put together our solar system, trying to figure out how the cables were going to insert into the van roof. Then, we came across these cable glands and all our problems were solved!
They’re freaking great and a life saver when fishing any wire from the outside of your van to the interior. We purchased the grey cable glands, thinking they would blend in with the roof better, but we wish we went with the black ones seeing how all the wires going into the cable glands are black.
10 Stainless Steel #10-24 pan head Phillips Bolts/Screws | check prices here
Nuts and bolts are hands down the most annoying thing in the entire world! There are so many different options to choose from, and so many numbers to understand. These are the bolts we used to pair with the washers and nuts below. They were some of the only bolts that actually fit the diameter of the grommets on the flexible solar panels.
We stuck with only having 10 bolts, even though there are 12 grommets on the solar panels. This was for simplicity of un-installing the solar panels if one broke or something went wrong. We didn’t want to have to take down the entire campervan ceiling to remove the solar panels. If you don’t mind, then go ahead and buy 12 instead of ten of the bolts, washers, lock washers, and nuts.
Just for added information.. the #10 is the diameter of the bolt. The 24 is the amount of threads per inch. There’s often another number like “1 1/2 inch”, that third number is just the length of the bolt.
Stainless Steel Fasten #10 Washers (10 total) | check prices here
Just like with the bolts above, and the next two items.. the #10 is the size of washer you want. The amount (10) is because we did only five on each solar panel, for easier access to them from the inside of the van.
Make sure you get the flat washers, and stainless steel, as the stainless steel prevents rust!
10 Stainless Steel #10 Split Lock Washers | current prices here
Lock washers are in place for security purposes against natural loosening and road vibrations. They may be overkill with the nuts that are up next, but rather safe than sorry when securing solar panels to the roof… especially with the cheap price tag of the lock washers.
Again, as with above, these are stainless steel to prevent rust, and are #10 to match the diameter of the bolts being used.
10 Stainless Steel #10-24 Nylon Lock Nuts | check prices here
Lock nuts are the final piece to the nuts and bolts of this flexible solar panel kit. The lock nuts not only hold everything in place like a normal nut would, but the locking aspect of them is a great security measure again theft. Lock nuts essentially lock the nut in place, making it so you cannot take off the bolt from the top. You have to actually move the nut itself to remove the bolt.
Again, going with stainless steel here for rust protection, and the #10 is to match the diameter of the bolt, while the 24 matches the thread count per inch.
Butyl Tape (for mounting seal) | current price here
Butyl Tape is a very common tape for RVs and campervans. We found ours at a local RV store for half the price Amazon was offering it (so do check there first). Anywho, Butyl tape is used for creating a water seal around anything hole on the outside of you van. We used a small piece of Butyl tape for each bolt entry, creating a water seal.
We also found Butyl tape to be one of the only things that sticks to the coroplast, so, we used Butyl tape to also adhere the coroplast to the van roof and the solar panels. Alternatively, you can use the 3M LSE VHB Tape listed below. However, that has a pretty hefty price tag.
3M LSE VHB Tape | check prices here
This tape is the bees knees. It’s super heavy duty and is one of the only things found to stick to the coroplast.. aside from the trusty Butyl tape. The 3M LSE VHB tape offers a much stronger bond when taping your flexible solar panels and coroplast together and to the van roof. However, it’s not 100% necessary if you don’t want to spend the money on it.
Although, we also recommend using this tape for securing the zip tie mounts to the van roof. As the tape they come with isn’t very good, and came off super quickly when we used it. We actually ended up using construction adhesive to re-secure the zip tie mounts to the van roof, though would recommend this tape instead.
Waterproof Patch and Seal Gorilla Tape | find prices here
Since our van roof is so small, our solar panels are butted nearly right up to the front of the van.. aka.. where there is loads of wind to worry about. Just the thought of wind getting up under the panels creating a sail made us cringe. So, we came up with taping the front of the panels down with super strong and waterproof Gorilla Tape.
The Gorilla tape runs all the way across the front of both panels, and over each bolt. Covering each bolt added a bit more security and water protection for the entry point into the van roof.
Zip Ties and Cable Mounts | check prices here
Another thing that we saw nowhere on any van build blog, and I (Heather) didn’t think of until Jay began questioning our solar layout.. zip ties and cable mounts. These go on the roof to secure your solar panel wiring down so it doesn’t flap in the wind. Regardless of where you install your cable glands for the entry point into the roof, you’ll need to secure/mount your extension cables, pair connectors, and extra wiring to the roof with these.
They are super easy to use, and are perfect for laying your cables exactly where you want them.
DIY Interior Flexible Solar Panel Kit in Detail
When we did the video for this post, we were originally thinking we would just talk about the exterior aspect of the flexible solar panel kit, but I want to also mention the interior bits you’ll need. Things like a charge controller, tray cables, fuses, and batteries.
Copper Wire Connectors | check prices here
You will use these copper wire connectors on multiple parts of your van build to connect different wires to the battery from your dual battery isolator, your inverter, and even your fuse box. To use the shrink wrap, you’ll need this heat shrink tool, and you’ll need a wire crimper to crimp the copper.
Renogy 20A Set w/Holder ANL Fuse | check prices here
A 20 amp fuse is an easy way to protect your charge controller and solar panels. The size of the fuse between the charge controller and solar panels is a 20A (amp) fuse. Just like the 30 amp fuse between the charge controller and battery, this 20 amp fuse comes with a fuse holder.. basically an easy way to mount and protect your fuse.
Wanderer Charge Controller by Renogy (protects the battery and solar panels) | check prices here
Charge Controllers are a very important bit of any campervan electrical system. They protect both your batteries and solar panels. There are a lot of different charge controllers on the market, and the hot new controller is the MPPT charge controllers. We opted to not go with an MPPT controller because you often need internet to use the extra information the MPPT charge controllers give.
Instead, we went with the basic Renogy Wanderer Charge Controller. This has done a great job in keeping both our batteries and solar panels safe. It does not tell you what capacity your battery is at, however, our fridge does. So we didn’t really care.
Renogy 8ft. 10 AWG Wire Copper Tray Cable | grab them here
Tray cables connect your charge controller to the battery. This Renogy set includes two tray cables, one for both the positive and negative connection. On the positive line, you’ll also want a 30 amp fuse (listed below too). This works as added protection to the entire system. Blowing a fuse is much nicer than blowing an entire electrical system!
The 8 foot cables were long enough for us, with extra wire to use in other areas. However, you’ll want to be sure to get a long enough cable for how your van is set up. It’s worth noting, mounting your charge controller closer to your battery increases the efficiency. So, the eight foot cable should be more than enough in length.
Renogy 30A Set w/Holder ANL Fuse | grab one here
Oh my gosh.. fuses are the literal death of me. I didn’t buy any fuses for our entire van electrical system, and it wasn’t until Jay had a look at the whole layout that he said we need them. I had no idea. Again, one of those things that isn’t really in many posts about van solar systems.
A 30A fuse is the size needed for going between the charge controller and batteries. This 30 amp fuse comes with a holder, basically a case making it super easy to install.
12 V 31 AGM 48 Batteries (two wired in parallel) | grab it here
The exact batteries we have for our van are not available online. We purchased them from a local battery store. However, these Renogy 100 amp hour batteries are quite similar to the ones we purchased as far as the type and size of the battery goes. We wired the batteries in parallel using 4 gauge wire (listed below).
Something to note with van batteries, if you can afford a lithium ion battery, they are worth the money. They’re less than half the weight, and can be drained down 100% of the battery juice, whereas the sealed deep cycle batteries can only be drained to 50% battery capacity. So while they are more expensive, you only need one for the same amount of amp hours two of these batteries.
LEARN MORE | Best Batteries for Campervans + Why
UPGRADED BATTERIES | We recently installed these Lithium Batteries and are in love!
4 Gauge Wire (red and black) | check prices here
These wires are to connect two batteries to make one big battery. If you go with a single battery for your solar setup, you do not need to get these wires.
If you have 0/2 gauge wire, you can run that here as well. But you really don’t need that thickness. A 4 gauge wire will do the job. We used two 18 inch wires to connect our batteries in parallel. You will need to decide what length you need based on how you lay out your batteries in your van build. Keep in mind, the shorter the cable is here, the more efficient it will be! These wires come with the connectors already installed. To ensure you have the correct size connector, measure the knobs/connectors on the tops of your battery.
0/2 Gauge Black Wire | grab them here
This wire is simply for grounding your van battery. You’ll be connecting this wire to the bare metal of your van close to where you’re storing your campervan batteries. You only need one black wire here, as you just need to connect the negative side of one battery to the metal.
Something to note with wires, the color is really just for helping keep yourself organized. The red and black wires are the same, black is just normally used for negative lines while red is for positive ones. So, we’ve linked a pair of wires, because you will also need to ground your inverter, if you choose to purchase one. And buying the grounding cable now will help keep costs down. (You’ll just have to mark on the red wire that it’s a grounding cable!)
Materials & Tools in Detail
The following items are things you will need for your solar panel installation, however, they are things you probably have around the house. The tools that are on this list are tools you’ll be using in other parts of the van build as well. Check out this post on every single tool we used when converting our minivan into a campervan.
Marker | current prices
Dry-erase markers are great for writing on your van, as the ink comes off. If you don’t have any dry-erase markers, you can use a sharpie or any other kind of marker. Yes, sharpie.. they’re permanent, but it’s just for marking your drill spots, so you’ll be drilling the sharpie right off anyway!
Drill | grab one here
The biggest tool you’ll be using and for the scariest bit of the entire solar set up… using a drill to drill holes in your van roof. We’ve suggested the drill/driver combo we have and used for our entire van build because it’s a better bang for your buck to get this set including batteries and a charger!
Metal Drill Bits | check prices here
These drill bits are made from the same company, Ryobi, that we have listed above for the drill and driver set. More and more we’re seeing DIYers use Ryobi, and we’re here for it! They’re quality tools without breaking the bank.. right up our alley. Grab these drill bits to drill all the holes in your van roof for solar and even lights.
Rustoleum Spray Paint | find it here
There is nothing worse than rust in a campervan build. Thankfully, there’s Rustoleum.. a spray paint that treats and prevents rust. You’ll want to spray Rustoleum to treat any newly exposed metal when drilling into your van roof and walls too. You’ll want to use Rustoleum on any part of your van that has rust. In our case, there was some on the inside of the roof when we removed the headliner… With so many colors to choose from, be sure you choose a color that will match your van if it does show through anywhere.
We’ve linked the spray paint to Amazon, so you can see the exact spray paint we’re talking about.. but we must say, it is much, much cheaper to buy Rustoleum from your local hardware store. So check there first!
Rag | find some here
Don’t go and buy new rags.. but do have some on hand when installing your flexible solar panels. You’ll want to gently wipe down the metal shavings after you drill into the van roof. If you have a shop vac, you can also use that.. as any leftover metal shavings will cause rust on your van the second they get even the slightest bit wet.
Alcohol Wipes | grab some here
Alcohol wipes are the best way to ensure you have a clean surface when applying both the Butyl tape and the 3M tape for the cable mounts. If the surface isn’t squeaky clean, the tape will not stick well. It’s also nice to have alcohol wipes in the van, so after you use them, stick the leftovers in the van, for cuts and cleaning!
Screw Driver (from basic tool set) | get one here
You’ll need a simple screwdriver for fastening the bolts with the Phillips head on your van roof. Any screwdriver will do, so if you have one laying around, just use that. With that said, we randomly used tools in our toolbox that are similar to these. Things like pliers, screwdrivers, and even the wrenches for tightening down your battery. This tool kit comes in at a pretty decent price, but again.. if you have tools like these laying around, don’t spend the extra money on something like this.
Wrench (from basic tool set) | grab a tool kit here
You’ll need a simple wrench for fastening the nuts on the bolts. I believe the size we used was a 10, but I could be wrong. We randomly used tools in our toolbox that are similar to these. Things like pliers, screwdrivers, and even the wrenches for tightening down your battery…So, we suggest just grabbing this tool kit as it comes in at a pretty decent price, and you’ll likely need a lot of the tools in it for the rest of your van build.
Metal File | grab one here
When cutting and drilling into metal, it’s important to shave off any extra metal.. it’s sharp and dangerous to leave. You certainly don’t want it cutting the wiring you feed through the holes. You’ll be using a metal file for the solar panel installation as well as when installing your campervan roof fan.
Heat Shrink Tool | current prices here
This is basically a few steps above a blow drier in the realm of how hot the air comes out of this thing! This heat shrink gun can be used to touch up old bumpers, making them look brand new, but is also used to create a complete bond on the ends of your solar panel cables.
Wire Stripper and Crimp | check prices here
This tool is the one stop shop for cutting and crimping all the electrical wires in your campervan build. For the solar aspect of your build, you’ll be using this wire to cut the solar cables to size and also to crimp the copper lugs on the end of the cables for the fuses and battery attachment.
More Details On Campervan Conversion + Vanlife
A 31 Step Guide to Installing Your Solar Panels
How to Install Camper Van Wall Panels
25 Things to Look Forward to When Living in a Van Full Time
Complete Guide to Installing Your Campervan Flooring
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