FREE RV Solar Calculator 2025 | RV Travel Life
In the first part of the calculator, for every appliance you intend to power on board your motorhome or travel trailer, enter the quantity of each one and the amount of time you
Four hundred watts of solar power in an RV can typically run small appliances such as lights, fans, and small electronics. How much solar do you need to run RV AC? You will typically need a minimum of 1,500 to 3,000 watts of solar power to run an RV air conditioning unit.
A 300 amp-hour camper battery, for instance, would need around 300 watts of solar power. Also keep in mind that solar panels experience a 75-90% drop in efficiency on cloudy days, so it's good to have slightly more than you need when it comes to solar power (about a 20% cushion, if possible, to account for less-than-ideal conditions).
It's become increasingly popular with campers, and especially RV travelers. Not only is it “Green” but modern solar panels are also efficient enough to reduce or sometimes eliminate an RV's need for a traditional gasoline or diesel-powered generator. This might leave you wondering, just how much solar power do I need to power my RV?
To calculate the amount of solar power you need for your RV, you can follow this formula (the process that we use in our calculator above on this page): Determine your daily energy consumption in watt-hours (Wh). Include all the appliances and devices you'll use, such as lights, refrigerator, TV, etc.
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