A caravan solar panel is a handy thing to have when you’re camping outdoors.
By powering necessary camping equipment, such as light bulbs, phones and air conditioners, it can increase comfort and reduce your anxiety, which will go a long way towards enriching your camping experience.
Consequently, it will allow you to live off-grid with ease, as you’ll have the best of both the modern and natural world.
But, did you know that unlike battery packs and propane tanks, solar panels can support your energy needs easily?
Caravan solar panels are:
- Inexpensive
- Portable
- Customizable
- Efficient
- Durable
Even so, not all caravan solar panels are made equal. Some are much better at meeting certain needs than others because of their unique designs and innovative features.
Today, we’re going to explore three types of caravan solar panels that might be suited to your needs.
Types of Caravan Solar Panels
There are many types of caravan solar panels. Off Grid Direct offers three high-quality portable solar panel brands.
- 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel: An ultra lightweight portable monocrystalline 1,030 × 715 × 25 mm panel from REDARC with an output power of 120 Watts (W) and maximum power current of 6.0 Amperes (A).
- Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W: This high-quality monocrystalline 15.5 kg 1,350 x 783 x 40 mm solar panel is made of durable aluminium frames and has a maximum power output of 160 W.
- 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel: An ultra lightweight unglazed monocrystalline 9.5 kg 1,350 x 790 x 25 mm solar panel with a maximum output power of 200 W for extra juice.
Let's go through a few caravan solar panels and their features in more detail.
1. 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel
Investing in a 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel is a surefire way to generate enough electricity for light energy needs.
This device can generate a maximum power output of 120 W; as such, it can support basic camping devices, such as phones (5 W when charging), incandescent LED bulbs (100 W) and Bluetooth speakers (15–30 W).
Important Features of 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel
- Ultra lightweight: This device weighs only 6.3 kg. This makes it easy to mount on your caravan’s roof, or move around to get maximum sunlight during light-limiting periods, such as in the evening.
- Monocrystalline solar cells: Its cells harness energy using cylindrical ingots that are made from single crystal silicon. This makes it very efficient as electrons from solar energy can flow easily.
- Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) coating: The monocrystalline cells are coated with ETFE, a strong polymer that protects them from damage by external elements, such as pressure.
- Plug-and-play portability: The panel comes with Anderson™ SB50 connectors to link the two system modules. This ensures maximum convenience and portability, as they’re compatible with most PV devices, including inverters.
How 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel Compares With Traditional Caravan Panels
- Non-fragile: Most solar panels have glass coatings, which are very fragile. However, this panel uses strong ETFE polymers, which constantly protect its cells from the elements, including extreme weather. For this reason, they’re well suited to outdoor environments.
- Efficient: Unlike other devices that use polycrystalline and thin-film solar panels, the 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel is made from monocrystalline cells, which are the most efficient on the market.
2. Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W
Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W is a highly durable and efficient solar panel made for campers with average power consumption needs.
This bad boy generates an output power of 160 W, which is sufficient for powering moderate electronic devices, such as a laptop (100 W), 25” LED TV (150 W) and a satellite dish (35 W).
It can also generate an average daily current of 35+ Ampere hours, which is enough to run a typical 50 litre portable camp fridge for at least three days.
Therefore, you can be assured of adequate power generation when using this device.
Important Features of Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W
- Battery protection: The kit comes with a 20 amp solar regulator that can regulate up to 20 amps of power to protect flooded and sealed lead-acid batteries from overcharging.
- Two-year product warranty: Warranty insures it against failure during the usage period. If failure occurs, you can return it if you suspect that it’s damaged.
How Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W Compares With Traditional Caravan Panels
-
Adjustable: Most caravan panels have fixed frames since they’re meant for mounting.
However, Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W comes with sturdy legs made with durable high-quality 35 mm double-channel aluminium frames. This allows you to adjust the panel to get the sun’s best angle.
- Extra pouch bag: The Enerdrive solar kit includes a free, strong and durable canvas bag that you can use to carry its 20 amp solar regulator, battery leads and other accessories. This is important as it will protect all your accessories from damage while you travel the world.
3. 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel
If you’re looking for a high-performance superior quality solar panel that can support most of your equipment for a long time, then REDARC’s 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel is the one for you.
With an output power of 200 W, this beast of a machine is perfect for off-road campers who have multiple power consuming camping gadgets, like humidifiers (200 W), electric blankets (180 W) and stereo systems (140 W).
Important Features of 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel
- Foldable: This panel includes two joint 100 W panels, which can be folded out into a 1,350 x 790 x 25 mm area. You can rest assured the panel will tuck away neatly in your vehicle but open up to capture sufficient sunlight.
- Unglazed: This panel does not include a glass covering because it’s coated with heavy-duty ETFE. As a result, it’s very efficient at converting solar energy into electricity.
How 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel Compares With Traditional Caravan Panels
- Resilient: Unlike traditional caravan panels, which use glass coatings, this panel uses strong ETFE polymers to coat its monocrystalline solar cells. This protects it from the elements, including extreme weather and high temperatures caused by power generation.
- Extra 1.5 m Anderson™ to battery clip cable: This kit includes an additional cable you can use to connect the solar regulator directly to a battery terminal. These high quality plugs have no screw terminals, therefore, you run no risk of suffering electrocution from frayed wires or loose terminals.
Advantages and Benefits of Caravan Solar Panels
Affordable Power Generation
Unlike traditional power generation methods, such as battery packs and propane tanks, caravan solar panels are quite affordable.
This is partly because they’re made using silicon products, which maximise power output over a long period of time.
For a few hundred Australian dollars, you can get a caravan solar panel that will fit your power needs and last an average of 25 years.
Comparatively, propane tanks and battery packs require constant refilling and replacement, making them much more expensive than panels both short and long-term.
Portable
Most modern caravan solar panels weigh less than 15 kgs.
This means they’re easy to transport, as they won’t strain your car and lead to higher fuel consumption.
What Is the Difference Between Rigid and Flexible Caravan Solar Panels?
Rigid caravan solar panels have sturdy immovable frames and are meant to be mounted on the roof of your car.
Comparatively, flexible solar panels have additional features, such as legs, that allow you to adjust the panel in the direction of more sunlight.
For this reason, they’re much better to have in power-limiting periods, such as during the evening.
Invest in Affordable Caravan Solar Panels
A high-quality and affordable caravan solar panel can make the difference between a good and a great camping experience.
These bad boys can enrich your camping experience by providing power for your necessary camping gadgets, allowing you to enjoy both the beauty of nature and the modern world.
Here’s what one reviewer had to say about them:
"Solar energy is clean and silent, unlike the noisy generators that seem to fill some campsites these days. If you regularly use your caravan, solar panels are a fantastic investment."
Of the many caravan solar panels on the market, the 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel, Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W and 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel are the most suitable for any camper’s needs.
Here’s a table showing how the three caravan solar panels compare to one another:
| Feature | 120W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel | Enerdrive Folding Solar Kit-160w SPF-EN160W | 200W Monocrystalline Portable Folding Solar Panel |
| Maximum output power | 120 W | 160 W | 200 W |
| Dimensions when open (mm) | 1,030 × 715 × 25 | 1,350 x 783 x 40 | 1,350 x 790 x 25 |
| Foldability | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monocrystalline cells | Yes | Yes | Yes |
You can purchase these pocket-friendly devices at Off Grid Direct.
Off Grid Direct is a modern eCommerce platform that specialises in selling efficient and sustainable portable power solutions and electronic devices for your off-grid systems.
Share on Facebook:
