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The Utility Of Rv Solar Panels

The functionality and advantages of an rv solar panel is still a new concept to many RVers. Most of them believe that and that a rv solar panel system either is not practical or that the systems are too complex and expensive. However after you'll experience the concept of solar power generation you'll agree that it is a tool of great use.

The concept through which solar energy works isn't an overly complex one. The solar panels convert the sunlight into energy through a process which is knows as a photovoltaic process, hence the name photovoltaic cells or solar cells. A large majority of solar cells are made up of semiconductor silicone. As light hits the cells, the semiconductor absorbs it and electrons on the semiconductor are excited, excitement which in turn causes them to move and to create an electrical reaction in the form of a DC charge. The DC current will then be either used immediately or routed to batteries for storage.

After this little intro into the technology of a solar panel, here are the components one may need to set up an rv solar panel system: of course a solar panel, a charge controller, a storage battery and a power inverter.

You can wire together more than just one rv solar panel in order to generate enough power for the needed output. The crucial factor one must take into consideration for choosing the right type of rv solar panel is the semiconductor material used in the production of that particular rv solar panel. You need to know that crystalline panels produce power more efficiently and also have a longer life span that the other semiconductor materials. In order for your rv solar panel system to work you'll also need a charge controller; this will monitor the batteries and when current is needed it will supply it in the right amount. The charge controller has a voltage regulation to ensure that the batteries will not be damaged by excessive voltage since 12V solar panels can produce voltages up to 19-21 volts depending on the amount of sunlight.

The energy produced by an rv solar panel has to be stored in batteries for future use. These types of batteries are called "Deep Cell" batteries because they are designed to be discharged and recharged over and over again. The amount of power needed will of course determine the amount of batteries you need.

The lights in RVs usually work on DC and they can be operated directly form the storage battery; however the rest of the appliances run on AC power, and in this case you'll also need a power inverter to convert the DC power into standard AC current. Inverters will usually come in two types, "True Sine Wave" and "Modified Sine Wave". The modified sine wave inverters are usually cheaper and can be used to power basic AC power devices. The true sine wave inverters are best for sensitive electronic equipment like laptops.

If you'll need a higher voltage, you can of course connect more rv solar panels together. Connecting two 12 Volt 5 Amp rv solar panels together in series will give you 24 Volts 5 Amps; connecting them in parallel will give you 12 Volts 10 Amps.

The rv solar panel or panels are then connected to the charge controller. The controller will then be connected to the batteries. And then the batteries will be connected to the power inverter. The power inverter can then be connected to route AC power to the RV's electrical outlets.

Having an rv solar panel system will prove invaluable when your camping or on the go.

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