Mats is the founder of Generator Decision, a website that helps people choose generators and how to get the most out of them. His outdoor experiences include 14 years in a Boy Scouts equivalent organization and many family caravan vacations.
Having extra RV power on the road can make your trips a lot more fun and allow you to stay out longer. But which type fits you best. Here we share the top four “c”s’ – cost, capacity, convenience and compatibility – to help determine the right choice between solar and traditional generators.
Basic Differences
Solar generators tend to be better for RVs if you regularly travel in sunny locations, want quiet noise levels, don’t need big bursts of power, and don’t mind making the high initial investment.
On the other hand, portable generators will be better for occasional RV travelers who want to keep costs down, people who travel in less sunny locations or periods of the year, and people who need the extra power for something like an RV AC.
Of course, you can also invest in a hybrid setup where you use the best combination for your situation.
Cost differences between RV solar and a generator
Being able to enjoy the free sunshine while this sunshine is charging your battery too sounds great in principle. And while you will see some of the other pros of solar systems too, it is important to keep in mind that this RV power source requires a hefty initial investment. For example, at the time of writing, one popular brand of solar generators is $6100 for a 3.6 kWh battery and three 400-watt solar panels.
On the other hand, there are regular gasoline inverter generators that produce 3.4 kWh and only costs an initial $700. The issue is that this type of generator uses fuel thus an ongoing cost. At the time of writing, the retail price of a gallon of gasoline is $3.66. The 3.4 kWh regular RV generator above uses about 0.26 gallons of gas an hour at 50% load (so while producing 1.7 kWh) so can be costly more over time than free sunshine.
Not everyone will need three 400-watt solar panels to satisfy their RV power needs, but it is important to know the up-front investment should be clear.
Power Capacity
When it comes to pure power capacity for your RV, regular generators have the benefit over solar generators for a variety of reasons.
The three 400-watt solar panels above can only produce 1200 kWh – when the weather conditions are good. Of course, for solar generators to be empowered, they need the sun. On the other hand, many portable generators easily go above that no matter the weather.
Of course, not everyone needs this much power. It depends on how you camp. If you only want a warm cup of coffee in the morning and cook a belly full of warm food in the evening, a solar panel system on your RV could be good enough.
When in doubt about your power needs, you want to check an RV wattage chart or even better – your specific electronic devices.
Some rough power need estimations of popular RV devices are:
- Laptop: 250 watts
- Coffee machine: max 600 watts
- Electric grill: 1500 watts
- Microwave oven (1000 watts): 1500 watts
- 13.5K BTU RV air conditioner: 2900 peak watts, 1350 running watts
As you can tell, how many watts you need during your RV journey can vary. In turn, this can influence your choice of solar panels vs a portable generator a lot.
Convenience
After the initial installation, solar panels on your RV are generally more convenient than using a portable generator. You simply plug in your favorite electrical devices to use them. Maintenance typically requires only cleaning your solar panels or removing built-up snow.
While RV generators are not necessarily super heavy, you will have to set it up with each new location. Placed outside, you will need to lift it out and in the RV for every power-generating session. Maintenance requires tasks like replacing the engine oil, doing test runs, and making sure your fuel does not get stale. Portable generator parts also tend to break more easily than a solar setup even if you follow the maintenance guidelines. Of course, you also have to ensure you always have enough fuel and carry extra fuel as necessary.
On the other hand, solar power can only be used in or close to your RV while you have more flexibility as evidence by just the name portable generators.
Compatible weather conditions
As implied by the name, solar generators will function best in the sun. This means that if weather is cloudy or you park amid the trees, you can see issues with your power. Regular RV generators allow more flexibility in terms of compatible weather conditions and the hours of the day you can use them.
If the wind is not too bad and you have a good generator cover, you could potentially even run your machine in the rain.
How much of a pro or con these things are depends on where you want to take your RV and when.
Additionally, what hours of the day you plan to be the most active will influence your preferred RV power sources too.
RV solar vs generator noise levels
An RV solar system has the benefit of being a lot quieter than a portable generator.
While there are relatively quiet models too, your portable generator may even be too loud to follow the rules of certain campgrounds.
Solar systems basically don’t make any noise. Unless you are dealing with a situation of unusual RV noises.
Installation effort
Before deciding whether solar should be in your RVing future you want to think about the installation effort involved too. You need to safely attach the solar panels to your RV roof. Additionally, the wiring needs to be done well if you want to avoid accidents and rain leaks. While it is possible to do it yourself, help from an electrician may be necessary and this would require an extra investment.
On the other hand, installation of a RV generator simply requires taking it out of the RV, laying out an extension cord, and putting it away when your trip is complete.
So is solar or a generator better for RVs?
Solar power is generally better than a generator for RVs if you plan to travel a lot, stay in sunny locations, want quiet noise levels, and have relatively small power needs.
Generators tend to be better if you want to keep costs down, need a lot of power, and want flexibility in terms of location and what times of the year you travel with your RV.
It is worth noting that you can also consider a hybrid setup to get the best of both worlds. Your solar power could charge the battery on sunny days for quiet power.Then on the days when you need an extra burst of power for something like an RV AC or if the weather is suboptimal, you can use a generator.
Leave a Reply