REDARC SOLAR FAQ
WHAT SIZE SOLAR PANEL DO I NEED?
To work out what size solar panel you need, you must find out these three things:
- The number of electrical loads to be run and their current draw in amps
- The duration of each item to be run over a 24-hour period
- The size of your battery
The solar panels you need will be determined by the amount of charge that needs to be returned to the batteries during sunlight hours each day. It is recommended that you overrate your requirements by at least 20%.
Learn more: How much solar do I need for camping?
WHAT TYPE OF SOLAR PANEL IS BEST FOR CAMPING?
This depends on where you plan to go and what you plan to do. Folding solar panels are a great option for camping becasue they are easy to use and put away. However, you might decide that fixed panels are an ideal solution for the roof of your caravan or camper trailer. REDARC has both in a range of outputs and sizes.
WHAT WILL A 200W SOLAR PANEL RUN?
A 200-watt solar panel is ideal for running small appliances, like a toaster, laptop, LED lights and microwave. For camping, a 200W solar panel should also be fine to run a small fridge.
WILL A 200W SOLAR PANEL RUN A 12V FRIDGE?
Yes, a 200W solar panel is capable of running a 12V mini-fridge on a camping trip.
HOW LONG WILL A 100A BATTERY RUN A FRIDGE?
There are various factors which contribute to this answer, such as ambient temperature, what your fridge temperature is set to, how many times you open the fridge. Based on customer feedback you would get 1-3 days on 100Ah battery.
Fridges only draw power when refrigerating and as required will cycle throughout the day. As a guide, if the fridge was to draw power full time it will use 5A current draw, 100Ah battery capcaity divided by 5A per hour is 20hours of run time.
CAN I CONNECT A SOLAR PANEL DIRECTLY TO A BATTERY?
It is recommended that you always connect your solar panel to your battery via a solar regulator to avoid damaging the battery. Check out our solar wiring guides to find out more.