How To Set Up Solar Panels On A Van

I have installed solar panels directly to the roof of my van.

How to set up solar panels on a van.

Do not hook up your solar panels to the charge controller until the batteries are connected. Without solar panels your van s system will be useless. Eg the grounding of the panels is directly connected to the chassis of the vehicle and therefore connected to the starter battery. Van solar panels came in a variety of wattages but most vanlifers use multiple 100w panels for their systems.

Renogy unboxing of our 300 watt solar system and the install of the panels on the van. They have been installed using metal brackets with no insulation between the frame work of the panels and the van. Mount and wire the solar panels. Won t be able to charge with solar when running errands.

If you ve just stumbled on this article directly without seeing that there are likely. Quick note before we get started. Update as a result of new information from renogy you do not n. This is just one part of a overarching how to install a diy camper van electrical system series.

Solar panel cell type monocrystalline vs. Cons of portable panels. The first thing we did was mount our solar panels to our van s roof and wire them together in parallel using a signstek y branch wiring connector. In another post i talk about how to figure out and set up your electrical system.

Solar panels take the energy from the sun and send it down through a charge controller where it will eventually recharge the batteries in your camper electrical system. Given excellent conditions a. Polycrystalline vs amorphous solar panels. Not great for city dwelling.

Obviously the solar panels are part of that electrical system but i wanted a separate post just for actually installing the panels on the roof of the van.