Photo provided by REDARC

SOLAR SET-UPS FOR BEGINNERS

Solar power has never been more popular in overlanding setups as travelers strive to get as much power as possible to charge up their batteries and run all those camping essentials and luxuries. To run an efficient solar setup there are a range of components that need to be present and working, we’re here to run you through the basics to get your solar setup up and running.

With smart phones, tablets, laptops, air conditioners, and fridges, people are realizing that having power while overlanding is more important than ever. Overlanding power means something different for everyone, whether it’s plugging into power at a campsite or having a bank of secondary batteries in the back of your truck. One thing is for sure though: if you want to truly get off grid without losing all the creature comforts of home, solar power is a great tool to have.

*This article is property of and was originally featured on REDARC. It has been repurposed with permission for use by etrailer.com.

Why Choose Solar?

When your vehicle is running, it provides power through the engine battery and alternator. This means that while your engine is running, you can easily recharge phones, tablets, or batteries, and run accessories such as lights, and fridges without any issues. The problem with this setup comes when the engine is turned off and can't be used as a charger.

An easy solution to this is to camp at powered campsites, but for many overlanders this limits the potential of their adventure. Introducing: the dual battery system. By running an auxiliary battery, overlanders realized that they could draw power for all their accessories from a second battery while their vehicle was turned off—without draining their engine battery.

By incorporating an In-Vehicle Dual Battery Charger into this setup, overlanders were able to recharge their secondary battery while their vehicle was running, meaning they were never left with a flat starter battery or without power.

This solution worked well for overlanders who had their vehicle running often. But for people who preferred to be camped up for longer periods of time, running accessories from a second battery without putting charge back into it meant that they’d only be able to use your accessories for a finite amount of time.

To be able to continue to run accessories from your second battery you’ll need something putting charge back into them. This is where solar comes in. Through solar panels, you can utilize the power of the sun to recharge your batteries to keep all your off-grid necessities and luxuries charged on the road.

Infographic: Solar and vehicle power flow to battery charger, which charges battery, which charges devices

Photo provided by REDARC

Solar vs Generators

Another common option for longer term off-grid power is a generator.

Probably the biggest advantage over solar power is that a generator is not affected nor dependent on the weather. That’s the one thing going for generators – reliability – as they’re not dependent on anything other than you remembering to fuel up to keep it going.

The main downfall of generators is that the weight of the generator plus fuel can often mean you’re adding upwards of 40 lbs to your setup while also taking up valuable space. Compared to this, solar is a lightweight and space-saving alternative.

Photo provided by REDARC

Will My Vehicle Run Solar?

Solar can be set up anywhere. The type of panel you choose will affect where you setup your system, be it in your vehicle or on your trailer. Fixed panels are perfect for mounting on the roof of cars, vans, or caravans. Portable panels and blankets are best for situations where space is at a minimum.

Photo provided by REDARC

Types of Solar Panels:

Fixed Panels

Fixed panels are possibly the simplest option when it comes to a solar setup. They can be secured to the roof of cars, vans, or camper trailers and require no setup once you reach your destination. Fixed panels are also often more cost effective than portable panels or blankets.

The major downfall of fixed panels is that they are fixed. This means that you need to park or setup in a position of full sun to get the most out of your panels. It also means that they cannot be angled towards the sun, so the amount of time you can get maximum charging from your panels is more limited than that of portable panels or blankets.

Portable Panels

With adjustable legs, folding panels can be set on the ground, angled toward the sun, and moved as necessary. Being able to move and angle the panels towards the sun means you can utilize more hours of sun than you could with a fixed panel. Portable panels are also foldable, so they are easy to pack away and travel with.

Though they fold down to a compact size, this does make them heavier than fixed solar panels or blankets. This can be an issue if you’re going on the road long term and need to take car, van, or trailer weight into consideration. They also must stand on the ground, meaning they take up campsite space and need to be manually moved and adjusted to catch the optimum amount of sunlight.

Solar Blankets

Solar blankets are the most portable and lightweight option of the three. Being somewhat flexible and easy to move, they can be positioned to catch the most sunlight, so less thought needs to go into where you decide to setup. Solar blankets are also made to be used more effectively in shade or low-light conditions.

The major downfall of solar blankets is that they are often more expensive than solid panels. This is due to the more complex technology involved. This means that solar blankets might not be within the budget for people looking to go on the occasional weekend trip.

Photo provided by REDARC

Why You Need a Solar Regulator

An MPPT – or Maximum Power Point Tracking – regulator is critical for efficiently generating solar power Regulators ensure that the power supplied by solar panels is at the right voltage and protects batteries from overcharging.

The power output from an MPPT solar regulator is optimized by using the maximum current at the required voltage to constantly extract all the power available form the panel. It is particularly useful in varying or low light level solutions - such as sunrise, sunset or on a cloudy day – as it will automatically adjust and find the new point at which the solar cell can deliver maximum power output.

MPPT regulators also convert the voltage of power coming in from the solar panel to the required battery output voltage, meaning maximum power is generated by the panel even if the battery being charged is severely depleted. The result of this is more charge going into the batteries and an ability to spend more time off-grid overlanding, boondocking, and camping.

Photo provided by REDARC

Converting Solar Power to Battery Power

To be able to use your solar panels to charge your second battery, you’ll need a battery charger. Battery chargers are used to convert the power coming in from the solar panel to usable power and charge the auxiliary battery from it. Depending on the battery charger you choose it may or may not have a built in MPPT solar regulator. Both the REDARC Dual Input In-Vehicle Battery Chargers and the Manager30 Battery Management System have inbuilt MPPT solar regulators, meaning that a separate regulator is not needed.

REDARC’s Dual In-Vehicle Battery Charger range has attracted a reputation for charging batteries to 100% by using both DC and solar power inputs. Both the In-Vehicle BCDC Chargers and the Manager30 are equipped with Green Power Priority, meaning they will always choose to charge first from solar power when it’s available.

In conclusion, solar is an effective way to charge an auxiliary battery while off grid to keep all your accessories and necessities working. With several different panel and charger options, there’s something for almost every budget and setup.

Photo provided by REDARC

How Much Solar Power Do I Need?

Powering Vanlife: How to Design the Perfect Power System

How to Set Up a Vehicle for Overlanding & Off-Grid Camping

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Updated: 12/2/21

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