Hi all.... Have a folding camper but will be going off grid a few weekends this season.... The battery usually only lasts the one night..... Trying to figure out solar panel... Is it basically put the panel out in the sun and hook it up to the battery??.. Is it this simple??
Basically yes.
We use suitcase style folding panels which just hook onto the battery.
Total power of our panels is 150 watts and we go weeks off grid. Run your water heater, fridge, any heating on gas and forget about the 230v sockets.
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Pretty much as simply as putting panel in the sun and hooking up to battery, BUT the panel MUST have a charge controller to avoid damaging the battery. Some portable panels have them, some don't (to be bought as an extra!)! Need to check when buying.
A typical caravan/absorption (3-way, 240v/12v/Gas) NEVER works off the onboard 12v leisure battery for refrigeration, it only works on 12v supplied by the tow vehicle (with engine running) via the tow bar electrics! Although they usually do require 12v power from leisure battery to power the controls for ANY refrigeration power source.
A stand alone 12v fridge is only viable if it's a COMPRESSOR fridge, Absorption (3-way, 240v/12v/Gas) and Thermoelectric/Peltier types draw far too much current to run off a decent sized battery for more than an hour or so before seriously depleting it.
Heating will NOT run from the 12v leisure battery, although controls and fans usually do, but electric heating element is strictly 240v, same goes for water heater.
The fridge, heating and water heater can often be run on gas when no 240v EHU, so long as the 12v leisure battery is available to power the controls. Heating and water heating can exhaust a gas cylinder alarming quickly! - judicious use and/or a standby cylinder or replacement cylinder outlet nearby is wise. Not generally too much of an issue in warmer summer months when heating rarely used, but cooler months can give heavy usage. As an example, my heating on gas can use 1Kg of gas in 3 hours at max consumption!
With Solar panels you only get about max 8 hours a day of actual power generation when the Sun is at it's brightest and shining on the panel, outside those times, you are ONLY running on the battery! You're Solar panel needs to be large enough to replenish 24 hours of battery use in only 6-8 hours of worthwhile sunlight.
How big a battery and Solar panel you need is very much down to the demands of the equipment you are running, so difficult to speculate on.
Heating - depends on the set up. Our current set up works on EHU or gas or both. When we are not on ehu the leisure battery runs the 12v while the heat come from gas.
Quote: Originally posted by Dudser on 17/2/2026
As always Monty thanks for all that information... Trial and error I guess... Thanks again
Usage is always a bit trial and error, as varies between people and circumstances, but you can stack the odds by looking at the demands of appliances on the rating plate/documentation and calculating the max total demand.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Solar panels
via mobile 16/2/2026 at 6:46pm
thanks for all that information... Trial and error I guess... Thanks again
