Camping Solar Panels

The truth is that no two people will demand the same amount of power, so it all boils down to personal preferences. If you're going camping with solar panels,  wie are here to help you figure out how many you'll need and how big they should be. Camping solar panels come in a variety of forms, sizes, and outputs, therefore at Outback Equipment, we carry the best solar panels for camping, as well as the largest selection of camping solar panels, so you can be confident that you've made the right decision. This is the part where you start to ask yourself how you intend to power all your gadgets and devices.. so what size solar panel DO you need for camping? It all boils down to what your trip plans are. Do you intend to drive there? Is it possible to camp there? Is it better to hike or ride there? First and foremost, attempt to limit down exactly what you'll be taking and how you intend to camp. Choose from our choice of portable tiny camping solar panels if you're aiming for superlight trekking, or head to our fixed solar panels page if you're decking out your dream 4x4 with camping solar panels.

How to set up solar panels for camping:

In order to charge any device from a 12v source at the very least, have the following:

• An additional battery
• Your chosen camping solar panels
• A solar controller

Using electricity to run a refrigerator:

Assume you'll be travelling by car and have decided to bring camping fridge with you for convenience's sake. Because this is an appliance that will most likely operate 24 hours a day, determining the correct output required to keep your camping fridge operating is the most important step. Thanks to new and emerging technologies, camping solar panels have made it much easier to travel to more isolated locations. Outside factors on your camping fridge, such as the operating temperature, how often you cook and open it, and if it is insulated, must all be considered.

A good 12V camping fridge draws about 3 amps per hour, which translates to between 30 and 45 amps per hour over the course of a day. Now, depending on the time of year you'll be travelling, the place you'll be visiting, and the season, the amount of daylight hours varies from as few as 2 to as many as 15 hours of solar energy harvesting. Consider the following variables: filthy solar panels, foggy or rainy weather, soaring temps, other appliances, battery size and quality.

How to choose solar panels for camping:

Understanding how electrical gadgets work will assist you in calculating how much electricity is required to power appliances. Amps are the rate at which current flows into a device and can be defined as such. To put it another way, an 85W panel produces roughly 5 amps per hour in ideal sunny conditions, so you'd need at least 7 hours to generate 35 amps. This would be sufficient to run your refrigerator for the entire day. Now that you know this, you can add more gadgets to the mix, such as lighting or a 12v USB outlet for charging your phone. We recommend upgrading to at least a 120W / 150W camping solar panel for the essentials to be on the safe side, given all the variables. To compensate for things like charging camera batteries, speakers, and headphones, you might want to go for a 200W or 250W camping solar panel. Solar panels for camping are much larger after you reach this size, so keep that in mind if you don't have the space.

Getting the most out of your camping solar panels:

• Keep in mind that LED lighting is the most energy-efficient option.
• Purchase a high-quality refrigerator with advanced compressor technology and thick insulation.
• When not in use, keep your fridge completely closed and locked.
• Blocking the vent causes your fridge to work more, so keep it well ventilated in the space it's in.
• Parking your car in the sun is not a good idea.

Knowing how amps are drawn and produced can assist you in determining which supplementary battery will suffice. It also makes more sense to bring only the size of camping solar panels you can physically carry rather than the largest ones you can buy or carry. When it comes to design, sometimes less is more. If you're camping in an area where the temperature dips below 10 degrees at night, for example, many campers turn off their refrigerators overnight to save energy. If you don't open your fridge, it will keep your food at a safe temperature. As a result, understanding how to manage your energy rather than opting for the overkill option is clearly the more practical alternative.

Most campers will face the problem of how to charge a laptop while on the road, and will come to the conclusion that they will need to instal an inverter to have access to 240v power. It is strongly suggested, as an inverter uses a significant amount of power, making it unfeasible to use an inverter alone to charge a laptop. Instead, buy adapters to charge your laptop from a 12v or USB connection to reduce the amount of amps drawn over an hour. However, you may not always be able to obtain this adaptor and will be forced to install an inverter anyway, so a 200w camping solar panel is highly recommended. This will also necessitate changing your solar regulator from PWM to MPPT mode.

Another way to calculate watts to maintain your auxiliary battery fully charged is: You'll need about 75 amp hours (Ah) of charge to keep your secondary battery operating all of your additional external equipment like your refrigerator and lights. Anything that uses your 12v system to charge will be affected. Assume you can get your camping solar panels in the sun for at least 6 hours.

Let's do the maths:

900 Watt Hours = 75 Amp Hours X 12 Volts

150 Watts of solar panel power = 900 Watt hours x 6 daylight hours

It's a good idea to leave a buffer of roughly 20% of the amperage draw. So, add 30 watts to that number, for a total of 180 watts. For a simple setup, you'll need camping solar panel or blanket that has a high output even when it's cloudy. Choose from our great range of camping solar panels and solar blankets below!

Why shop with Outback Equipment?  

• We’re Australian owned and operated – We’re based right here in the south of Brisbane. If you ever need help with an order or a product, you can call straight through to our friendly local team.  

• Plenty of payment options – You can pay via PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, zipMoney, Afterpay, and direct deposit – whichever is most convenient for you.  

• Delivered to your door – You don’t have to worry about darting across town to grab your order. We deliver your goods straight to your door to save you time and energy.  

Order Your Camping Solar Panels Today  

Stay in complete control of your power needs. For the best camping and caravan solar panels Australia has to offer, shop online to find the final additions to your recreational vehicle today.