4 Tips to Optimise the Power of your Camping Solar Panels

By: Joe, Product and Customer Service Expert

2 Minute Read

 

There is only a limited amount of usable sunlight a day so in order to help you get the most out of your solar panels we have listed a few tips to make life easier.

Solar Panels need sunlight to be effective and the more direct the sunlight is, the more power that it can generate. There are a few things you can do to ensure that your solar panels are generating their maximum output possible-

 

1.  Direct Sunlight

It is a given that throughout the day the sun will be moving around and although not always convenient, a slight re-adjustment of your solar panels so they are facing directly at the sun can make the world of difference if you are short on solar power. It is also important to make sure that there is nothing obstructing your solar panels view of the sun, solar cells can be very temperamental in the sense that if 1 cell on the panel is shaded the remaining cells will not function or output any power.

2.  Keeping Your Panels Clean

Your panels will be exposed to various conditions and elements living in Australia and more often than not gather sand, dirt, sap and all the other annoying ones. Over time this can cause decreased efficiency in your panels if it starts to affect the cells, so we recommend giving your panels a once over from time to time.  All you will need is warm water, a soft brush, a squeegee and some elbow grease.

3.  Correct Size Cabling

While all of our cables are heavy duty and remove as much risk of voltage drop as possible, it is always smart to keep any runs of cable as short as possible. This will give you even more assurance that you are not losing power across a length of cable. When extending any cable beyond the provided lengths, you must ensure that the cable is thick enough for the length you are wanting to run.

4.  Regulators

Another way of increasing your solar panel output is to upgrade your regulator. There are two types of widely used regulators; PWM and MPPT. PWM regulators are more commonly used in smaller camping applications when cost is an issue and performance isn’t everything. MPPT regulators are slightly more expensive but are much more efficient in converting the solar power to usable battery power. It is more commonly used in caravans, motorhomes and larger solar applications.

 

Pairing these tips with the correct option from our superior Solar Range will ensure you happy travels all the way!

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