Whether you’re a van lifer, grey nomad, or just make avid use of your caravan on weekends, we can guarantee you are missing a whole other level of freedom if you don’t have solar panels installed on your vehicle.
Producing your own power with solar panels is the best decision you could make if you are truly wanting to detach from the grid and explore off-road. After all, isn’t that why you bought a caravan in the first place?
The addition of solar panels to your caravan enables you to run appliances such as air conditioning, fans, lighting, fridges, and more from clean, renewable energy that you generate yourself.
No need to worry about setting up next to a power point at the next bustling campground - solar removes the need to follow power, so you can head as off-road as you like while maintaining all the same conveniences and luxuries.
"Solar enables you to detach from the grid and explore off-road."
Benefits of Installing Solar Panels to your Caravan
1. Save Money on Power
With the flexibility to camp on remote or unpowered sites, investing in a caravan solar system will save you money on expensive powered campgrounds. Powered sites can be notoriously costly, especially for what they’re worth - unless bustling camper crowds are your style, then the thought of having to pay a premium for access to power might make you shudder.
Truth be told, installing solar on your caravan can be a costly venture, but it is an investment in lifestyle. Solar enables you to break up with powered sites and choose more remote locations or sites that are far cheaper or even sometimes, free.
In Australia, powered sites can cost anywhere from $50 a night up to $200 a night if you stick to large, commercialised holiday parks. In comparison, unpowered sites generally run anywhere from $10 a night up to $50. Let’s compare these costs if you were travelling Australia for a year:
Powered site for 365 nights at $100 per night: $36,500
Unpowered site for 365 nights at $35 per night: $12,775
The cost to install a caravan solar system ranges anywhere from $1,000 to $15,000, so the investment can be worthwhile depending on your travel style, budget priorities, and length of your journey. Click here to find out how to choose the best solar panels for your caravan.
2. Freedom to Travel Remotely
Solar power gives you the gift of freedom - without it, you are tethered to powered sites. By creating your own power from solar, you can travel as off-grid as you desire without needing to worry whether your fridge will stay cool.
With solar powering essential appliances like your lighting, temperature control, fridges, and more, you can travel off-grid for extended periods of time without sacrificing those simple luxuries.
Watch the video below to see how we transformed our customer's motorhome off-grid so she can travel remotely while working.
3. Solar is Silent
Nothing beats a campsite that is totally silent, save for the sounds of nature. Solar allows you to enjoy the outdoors as it operates silently. No noisy generators to ruin the serenity of your site, and you have the freedom to travel far from crowded powered sites. Generators are also smelly and expensive, harming the environment you visit more than it benefits it.
Solar, on the other hand, is an incredible alternative to producing silent, clean, renewable energy that doesn’t impact your outdoors experience.
4. Easy to Store and Clean
Solar panels can be easily mounted to the roof of your caravan to reap the benefits of the sun for the entire day. As long as you don’t park in heavily shaded areas, the solar panels on your roof will generate power from the moment the sun rises to when it sets.
Mounting the panels on the roof is a space-efficient option that won’t require much maintenance. They can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth or soft brush if they get dusty or salty - doing this once every couple of weeks will protect the longevity of your panels and ensure you are reaching optimum performance.
Want to receive a quote for a caravan solar system? Use the Contact Us form below to get in touch with our solar and battery system experts - we design and install systems custom to your vehicle to ensure your solar meets your energy requirements.
Benefits of a Caravan Solar System