How To Get Reliable Solar Power For RV

By Sandra Brooks


An RV is basically a home on wheels. In any home, you need to have electrical energy to run your appliances, which may include the AC, refrigerator and TV and among other things. In that regard, you may want to install solar power for RV. This should not be difficult because recreational vehicles have a flat roof, which is perfect for panel installation.

If you own an RV, you can either choose to install a generator to provide the electrical energy needed by the RV, or you can install photovoltaic panels. Generators normally produce a lot of noise and they are costly to maintain because you have to buy fuel for the generator. Photovoltaic panels, on the other hand, are quiet and do not have any running costs, so they are perfect for your home on wheels.

Before installation, an assessment or audit must be done on the energy consumption of the RV. This will ensure you buy a battery pack that can store enough energy to power the RV throughout the night as well as a solar panel that can charge the battery pack fully after being exposed to direct sunlight for a few hours. An experienced installer can help you with this.

Since photovoltaic panels are costly, proper sizing is crucial in keeping the costs low. You do not want to spend too much money on the panels and end up producing more energy than you need in your mobile home. Similarly, you do not want to produce less energy than your RV needs as this can be inconvenient.

Experience is one of the best teachers that professional service providers can ever get. That is why it is important you give priority consideration to firms that have been in the industry for several years and have handled dozens of similar jobs. You can go through their portfolio to confirm that a firm has enough experience to handle the job.

When shortlisting potential installers, be sure to check whether or not they are licensed. You want to hire a licensed installer because they have met all the professional and legal requirements needed to offer services to the public. The validity of the license should also be checked. You want to hire a firm that has licensed electricians who have been certified to handle solar installation jobs.

The best contractors are usually properly insured to handle the job. This is important because you do not want to be exposed to unnecessary liabilities. Imagine getting sued by the installer just because their technician sustained injuries while working on your RV. To protect yourself from this and other liabilities, be sure to hire an insured installer.

The cost of installation needs to be compared. Once you have narrowed down the search to three or four firms, you will need to request quotes from those firms and do a comparison. The most affordable contractor should be given priority consideration. When comparing costs, however, be sure to check the specifications of the battery pack, solar panels, voltage regulator and inverter that comes with the system. This will enable you to make the right decision.




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