Camping in your new RV or camp trailer during the summer can create lasting memories for your family. However, depending on the location you are camping and whether or not there is shade, can be the deciding factor between happy and unpleasant memories. 

Because only some campgrounds offer electrical hookups, as well as the fact that many campers love boondocking (camping in middle of nowhere without any type of RV hookups), being able to run your RV or trailer’s air conditioning unit becomes a fairly important endeavor. 

How Solar Panels Work On Your RV

Solar power has experienced a surge lately in the residential world, with more and more homeowners installing solar panels on the roof of their homes. It is no secret that solar power is sustainable, and cost-cutting. But how does solar power work on your RV or camp trailer? 

In order for solar panels to properly work and produce electricity there are a few key things that have to happen: 

1. Solar panels need to be installed either on the roof of your trailer or RV, or you need to have a solar panel on a stand close to your trailer with access to direct sunlight. 

2. The power generated from the solar panel(s) has to have somewhere to go. In the case of your camp trailer or RV, the power from the solar panel is sent to your trailer/RV batteries. 

3. The power from the batteries is then transferred to the power sides in your RV/camp trailer - there is an AC and a DC power side. 

4. There is also an inverter in your trailer/RV. The battery bank also supplies power to this inverter (12 volt DV electricity from the battery), which then transfers that energy into AC energy. 

5. Once the energy is transferred from the inverter to the AC side of the RV, there is electricity that can be used to power a variety of things, such as the air conditioner. 

While, yes, this is a somewhat complicated process, it works without issue in both RV’s and camp trailers. This system allows for almost anything electronic to work if plugged into an outlet in your trailer. 

The Size Issue

With solar panels on your RV or camp trailer, there are essentially three sizing issues that you will run into when trying to run an air conditioner from solar power: 

1. Battery Bank - The battery bank serves as the power bank here, so in order to run your air conditioner most of the day, you would need a significant amount of batteries. You would need to have about 2.5 more power stored than you use during hours with direct sunshine in order to power your air conditioner during the day as well as any other device requiring power. 

2. Solar Array - If you planned to run your RV air conditioner for 5 hours each day, you would need approximately 750 Ah from your batteries. This does not include any other device or appliance that would require power to function. In order to power just the air conditioner (roughly a 13,5000 BTU unit), 1,500 watts of power is the bare minimum you would need. 

3. Inverter - You would need a fairly large inverter in order to keep up with this power draw. 

What does all of this mean? Essentially you would need more than one typical sized solar panel, multiple batteries, and a larger inverter. Yes, it is possible to do, but it would require a substantial amount of costly modifications to your RV/camp trailer - modifications that take up already limited storage space as well as add weight to your setup. 

Conclusion

While powering your air conditioning unit with solar panels is technically possible, it requires a substantial amount of work, and a fairly large investment to make it work. For those looking to power their air conditioning unit in areas without power supplies, your best bet is a large portable generator.