![]() Switching to lithium batteries complicated the install, but because lithium batteries can be drawn down significantly farther than lead acid batteries, it was definitely worth the effort. They break this info down way better than I ever could, so check out their “Design Guides” section on their website for more info!) (Not sure what any of this means?! I wasn’t sure at first either, but I can assure you that AM Solar does. This simplified the panel installation significantly, and only required me to mount the panels and plug them into the existing ports in the junction box. By limiting our system to three panels, it allowed us to take advantage of the pre-wired junction box that came installed from the factory on the roof of our Airstream. The primary components included three 90-watt Zamp solar panels, two 100Ah lithium batteries, and a 30amp Victron solar charge controller. This choice met most of our needs and fit within our budget. How Hard is it to “DIY” My RV’s Solar System?Īfter some back and forth, we decided to go with option one and the DIY install option. Our 28′ Airstream has limited “real estate” on the roof for solar panels, but you can go pretty crazy with a 45′ Fifth Wheel. Keep in mind that pricing can vary dramatically depending on the size of your desired system, and what you intend to power. To top it off, the second option would have involved drilling a hole through the roof of our brand new Airstream, something I just wasn’t mentally prepared to do. Despite being a pretty handy guy, electrical was always something that was outside of my competency. At the time, the thought of installing our own solar system was a bit overwhelming. their DIY installation option.Īs you might expect, the first option was about a third of the cost of option two, and the DIY option was about half the price for both options. We also asked them to price out the cost for them to do the install vs.The ultimate off-grid setup that would let us run anything and everything we wanted.A bare bones setup that would let us camp off-grid for a few days at a time.We were immediately impressed by their customer service and decided to have them price out a few options for us: They came highly recommended by van lifers and RVers alike, and have been designing custom solar systems for decades. ![]() To help us design a system that would meet all of our needs, we reached out to AM Solar, an Oregon-based company that specializes in designing and installing RV solar systems. I’m On Board with Adding Solar to My RV - Now What? Unwilling to run a generator, our only other viable option was to install a robust solar system. This meant that we would have to constantly load and unload a heavy generator, or hope that no one came along with cable cutters and made off with our only source of power. Based on our experience we knew that we wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving a generator unattended when we left camp, or even out overnight, in some areas. Generators are also prone to theft, which is a worthwhile consideration. They are heavy, take up a lot of space, and require you to carry fuel - which can be problematic if you don’t have a good place to store the fuel separate from your other necessities. Our primary objection was the incessant noise, but generators have other drawbacks as well. However, we decided early on that we did not want to travel with a generator. The best you can hope for from most stock systems is that they will get you through a night or two as you travel between destinations.įaced with the limitations of these stock solar systems, most RVers simply use gas or diesel-powered generators to keep their batteries topped off while camping off-grid. Most travel trailers just aren’t designed for dispersed camping off the lot, and Airstreams are no exception. After inspecting it further, the reality was that it wasn’t really a system at all. ( Read why we transitioned from van life to Airstream life here!) However, even with my limited understanding of solar systems at the time, I knew it wouldn’t amount to much. To be fair, we never really tested this system to see what it was capable of since we were camping in an RV park for the first couple of months. I’ll be honest - when adding a complete solar system to your RV, the possibilities not only seem endless, but overwhelming! When we first purchased our Airstream, it came with a single 45-watt portable solar panel and two 100Ah lead acid batteries. (What is Dispersed Camping? Read more here!) How Do I Know If I Need Solar for My RV? ![]() It’s time to upgrade to solar power, my friend! ![]() Tired of lugging around that obnoxious generator when trying to camp off-grid? Or want to dispersed camp for longer periods of time without having to cut your trip short? You’ve come to the right place. ![]()
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