How to fit a solar panel to a caravan (step-by-step)

With the cost-of-living crisis looming over the UK, there's no better time to learn how to fit a solar panel to your caravan.

Solar panels cut energy bills by £330 per year on average, and they could help you bring down the cost of owning a caravan by saving money on electricity.

Luckily, they're relatively easy to install. Before we take you through how to install a solar panel to your caravan, let's ensure you have the right equipment, know where to install it, and have the right size solar panel for your needs.

 

 

What do I need to fit a solar panel to a caravan?

The first essential piece of equipment is a quality caravan solar panel kit.
A 100W solar panel is ideal for your average caravan, but you can purchase them with a higher capacity if you have greater energy requirements.

This 100W 12v caravan solar panel kit includes everything you need for fitting a solar panel to a caravan, alongside the extra equipment we’ve listed below:

• cleaning equipment
• solvent cleaner
• a safety knife
• an electric drill
• a selection of screwdrivers
• wire strippers
• wire cutters

 

Where should I install the solar panel on the caravan?

Knowing where to fit a solar panel to your caravan is difficult if this is your first time doing this, but the best starting point is to consider the cable route.

You’re creating a circuit between the panel itself, the solar charge controller, and the caravan’s battery by fitting a solar panel to your caravan.

It would help if you made sure this circuit is as seamless as possible and that the cables are tucked out of sight and harm’s way—you may want to incorporate them into your caravan’s existing trunking.

While you should fit the solar panel to the caravan’s roof, the solar charge controller and fuse should be located somewhere accessible for maintenance. You should also ensure the cable running from the controller to the battery is long enough before you cut it.

Once you’ve decided on a location for your controller and fuse, you can decide where to install the solar panel on the roof. It’s typically just above wherever the controller sits.

Remember—if you take the time to plan your route properly, you can’t go far wrong.

 

How long does fitting a solar panel to a caravan take?

It should take around one to two hours if you take your time with each step, which isn’t bad considering the money you can save by installing one.

Try to get someone to assist you during the process, as it makes it faster and less tedious, and mistakes are less likely.

 

 

What size solar panel should I use for a caravan?

Caravan solar panels range in size from 20W to 200W panels generally, but the size you'll need depends on the amount of power you use.

To ensure you get the right solar panel size, you'll need to know how much power your leisure battery can store, your daily power usage, and how much power a solar panel can generate over time. To help you get started, take a look at how you can carry out these calculations below:

  1. Your leisure battery storage capability

To work out the capacity of your leisure battery, you need to multiply the Amp Hours by the Voltage of your battery which will give you the Watt Hours that your battery is able to store.

  2. Daily power usage

You'll also need to work out your Watt Hours for your daily power usage. Look at each appliance you have in your caravan, find the number of Watts required to power it and multiply this by the approximate number of hours you'll use this appliance daily.

This will then give you the Watt Hours for each appliance, which can be added together to give you the total Watt Hours that you'll require on a daily basis.

  3. Daily power supply of your solar panel

Your solar panel should come with a power rating in Watts, so to work out how much power it can generate per day, you need to multiply the Watts by the hours of daylight in a day. Of course, the amount of sunlight you'll get will change depending on the time of year, so remember to factor in the time you travel in your caravan to get an accurate result.

 

Can you run a caravan off solar panels?

It is possible to run a caravan solely on solar power. However, there are several factors you'll need to consider to ensure that this is possible for you and your set-up, these include:

• The time of year you’ll be travelling and how much sunlight you’ll have
• The number of appliances you use and how often you use them
• The size of your leisure battery

If you want to be able to go off-grid with your caravan, the best approach is to conserve as much energy as possible by leaving some non-essential appliances at home and conserving as much power as possible when you don't need to use them.

This is especially important if you're travelling in winter, as you will likely be using electricity more frequently to power light or to keep your caravan warm, and you'll have less sunlight during the day for your solar panels to charge.

 

Installing a caravan solar panel: step-by-step

1. Clean the roof

Give your chosen area of the roof a thorough clean with warm, soapy water before attaching the solar panel. It’s best to clean your caravan roof regularly to keep it in good condition, so ensure you make this part of your cleaning routine if you haven’t already. You can also use a caravan cleaner specifically designed to be used on the exterior of your caravan. Once it’s dry, use the solvent cleaner for good measure.

 

2. Double-check the entry point

You probably have an idea of where you’re installing the solar panel on your caravan at this stage, but it’s crucial to double-check the logistics before starting work. It’s a good idea to unbox your panel and try it in your chosen place on the roof.

Ensure there are no obstructions, and consider where you’ll need to drill through the roof to connect it to the interior solar charge controller. This is best placed inside a cupboard where it’s out of sight.

Consider marking where you want the solar panel to go with a pen before lifting it to apply the adhesive.

 

3. Attach the solar panel to your caravan

Once you’ve found an ideal spot and everything is lined up, generously apply the adhesive to the solar panel. You can place this on the brackets (if included) or along the undersides of the panel itself.

Hold the panel down firmly for at least thirty seconds, then use a paper towel to remove any excess sealant.

 

4. Carefully drill the roof

This is the most nerve-wracking step in the process, but if you take your time and ensure you drill the right spot, you shouldn’t have an issue.

It is helpful to ask someone else to assist you by standing inside the van and making sure everything is properly aligned.

They could also help prevent damage to the van’s interior by holding a piece of timber up to the ceiling as you drill. Remember to proceed slowly and keep a steady hand to get a nice finish.

Typically, most kits for fitting a solar panel to a caravan come with two cables, so you might need to drill two adjacent holes.

 

 

5. Thread the cable through

Once the scary part is over, you can thread the cables running from the solar panel to the caravan’s interior, ready to be connected to the battery and solar charge controller.

Ensure the power is off throughout the process, as you don’t want an electric shock.

You can use trunking to protect the wiring or a cable entry gland if there's one included in your kit.

Remember to use the adhesive to install this, and be generous with it to keep your caravan watertight despite the holes you've drilled.

 

6. Install the solar charge controller

The solar charge panel is an important piece of kit, as it regulates the current so the battery isn’t overcharged. This happens if the solar panel is connected directly to the battery.

You’ll want to mount it near where you threaded the cable through from the roof, as you’ll know if you read our section on where to fit a solar panel on your caravan. Mounting it inside a cupboard is a good way to keep it out of sight.

Using a drill and the supplied screws in your solar panel kit, carefully mount it on the wall before connecting it to the cables—this is best done at the end.

 

7. Cut your cable, and route it to the caravan’s battery

At this stage, you must carefully cut the cable leading down from the solar panel so it has enough slack to connect to the solar charge panel.

The longer section will run from the solar charge panel to the caravan’s battery, completing the circuit. It would help if you routed it accordingly, preferably inside trunking, to keep it tucked out of the way.

Leave the cables disconnected for now, but make sure there’s enough slack to connect them neatly before moving on.

 

8. Install the inline fuse

Before you connect the cable to the battery, don’t forget to install a fuse for added safety. This breaks the circuit if the current becomes too high due to an electrical fault.

If your kit doesn’t include one, the manufacturer’s instructions should include which rating you need.

Use a safety knife to penetrate the cable sheath and cut out the required section of live cable. Then, fit the fuse correctly according to the +/- symbols.

It’s a good idea to install the fuse somewhere accessible, such as underneath your caravan’s bench seating, so you can replace it if it becomes damaged.

 

9. Connect your solar panel to the caravan’s battery

Once the inline fuse is installed and the cable is properly routed, it's time to connect it to the battery.

The difficulty of this stage will differ depending on what you're working with. If you've previously drilled through to your battery compartment, or there are already holes installed, it will be much easier.

If this isn't the case, you'll need to drill a hole to thread the cable to the battery compartment.

You then need to bare the ends of the cable, expose the separate wires, and attach them to the battery terminals, making sure the polarity is correct on either side. But don't attach the terminals to the battery yet.

 

10. Connect the caravan’s battery to the controller

Finally, it’s time to complete the circuit and finish fitting the solar panel to your caravan.

Before connecting the terminals to the battery and making the circuit live, head back inside and connect the cable from the battery to the solar charge controller.

You can then reassemble the terminals to the battery and place it back inside its compartment, ready for the final stage.

 

11. Connect the solar panel to the solar charge controller

This simple step involves using a screwdriver to wire the cable from the solar panel to the controller.

Once everything is connected, the controller should have power and be fully functional. This means your solar panel is installed and ready to save you some money on your energy bill.

 

 

Specialist caravan insurance through Ripe

Whether you’re powering a static or touring caravan, you might want to consider insurance to protect your holiday home and its contents.

Specialist caravan insurance through Ripe covers touring caravans up to the value of £75,000 and statics up to £175,000. Theft, loss, and damage are covered as standard—even fire, storm, and flood damage.

You can also opt for additional cover to protect your contents and awnings, so you never have to worry about your holidays being spoiled.

Learn more about specialist caravan insurance, or get an instant online quote today.