Mobile solar systems for camping holidays
Flexibly recharging solar power while standing on your own
To be able to stand self-sufficiently for a longer period of time, an external energy supply is needed. Solar systems are the perfect solution here. Here you can find out everything about mobile modules and permanently installed solar systems?
Table of contents
How does a mobile solar system work?
Basically, a mobile solar system works in exactly the same way as a permanently installed solar system on the vehicle roof.
Here you can find out everything about permanently installed solar systems for caravans and motorhomes.
To be able to use the electricity generated by your mobile solar system, you first need a solar charge controller. This is located at the end of the solar cable and is usually connected to the leisure battery using crocodile clips. The red clamp is connected to the positive terminal and the black clamp to the negative terminal. The solar module is connected to the controller when it is supposed to generate electricity. When the sun shines, current flows into the battery until the controller detects that the battery is fully charged. This means solar power charges your batteries and you can operate electrical 12-volt appliances in your camping vehicle. If you also use an inverter, you can also operate household appliances with 230-volt power.
You can find out exactly how an inverter works in detail in this blog post.
Advantages and disadvantages of a mobile solar module
can be easily aligned with the sun
higher yield possible than with a permanently installed module
can be taken along when changing to a new vehicle
can be stored away to save space
no roof feed-through required
must be secured against theft
only charges 12-volt battery systems
constant setup and dismantling when changing pitches
can tip over in the wind and become damaged
Mobile solar system as a bag
Some vehicles are difficult to equip with a fixed solar system. This may be due to the shape of the roof, but also to roof-mounted elements such as roof windows, a satellite system or a roof box. For this situation, there are mobile solar systems that can be stored in solar bags. Here you can find out more about these systems.
- consist of two or three smaller solar modules
- are integrated into a fabric bag, folded and closed
- are made of GRP and a plastic film
- often have a frame or feet for setting them up
- can be bent
- can break if dropped
Some solar bags also serve as insulation and blackout mats for the windscreen. Here you can find all mobile solar systems in the Berger online shop.
How much does a mobile solar system cost?
You can get a system with 100 W for less than 100 euros. Systems with up to 300 W cost less than 300 euros. This puts them in a similar price range to permanently installed modules with the same output.
Solar modules in numbers
If you place your mobile solar system with 100 watt peak (Wp) perfectly in the sun, it will reach 100 W within one hour, meaning 100 watt hours (Wh). Once this output is reached, however, that is the limit. Even if the sun could provide more energy, the system cannot absorb any more. A solar module with a higher wattage would generate more power over the same period of time.
However, since you cannot always position your solar module perfectly in the Spanish midday sun, the modules are also designed to deliver power in poorer weather conditions. This includes factors such as clouds, indirect light and the angle at which the rays hit the surface of the solar module. This is when you can really see which system is truly effective.
The charge controller also plays an important role here: PWM charge controllers are very simple in design and interrupt the power supply when the battery is fully charged. MPPT charge controllers, on the other hand, continue to supply the battery with optimised power even in poor weather conditions thanks to sophisticated technology, delivering up to 30% more yield. Some solar charge controllers come with an app that allows you to view the current power generation.
Systems mounted flat on the roof reflect more sunlight, meaning they release more energy again without being able to convert it. More energy can be stored with systems set up at an angle. That is why a flat-mounted module uses a different solar technology than one that can be set up. The optimum angle at which a system should be positioned is – depending on your location and the time of year - 30 to 40 degrees.
How much power does my mobile solar system need to provide?
In principle, a solar system can generate four times the stated Wp per day. A mobile solar system with 100 Wp will therefore generate roughly 400 Wh on a day of your holiday.
To know how many watts your mobile solar system must produce so that you can camp self-sufficiently, you should calculate or measure your power consumption during your camping holiday.
In your camping vehicle, you use around 5 kWh in summer and slightly less in winter, as the fridge needs to cool less. In summer, the fridge alone requires at least 2 kWh. If you want to be self-sufficient, the fridge should therefore definitely be operated with gas, as a solar module cannot provide that much power. Special appliances such as a camping coffee machine, lighting or charging mobile phones or laptops, on the other hand, are not a problem. However, caution is required with household appliances such as capsule coffee machines, kettles or induction hobs. These appliances require a lot of power, around 2000 watts each, and can only be operated on the move with large, permanently installed energy systems.
Example: It takes around 10 Wh to fully charge your mobile phone. Assuming we use the previously mentioned solar system with 100 Wp, which stood in full sun for 1 hour and generated 100 Wh, this fully charged module could charge your phone 10 times under ideal conditions.
In this blog post, you can find out more about the efficiency of solar panels.
Conclusion: solar module for bad weather
Solar cases and foldable solar bags are particularly recommended if you camp off-grid. As the mobile solar system can be placed directly in the sun, the yield is higher than with a flat-mounted solar module with the same output. Thanks to the higher energy intake, these modules are therefore recommended if you expect poorer weather at your destination.
