Possibly a stupid question, but my wife asked and I couldn't say for certain. We're planning a long cross country trip this summer, I'm planning on 1,365 watts of solar for our travel trailer's roof. Will those panels charge our batteries while we drive? It seems like they obviously would, but I thought I'd ask. Reason for asking: If we're driving for 8 hours a day, it'd be nice to arrive at the next camping spot with fully charged batteries. TIA!
I don't have any solar but, my thoughts are the panels would not care if they are sitting still or moving down the road. As long as they are getting some sun light and you have the unit switched to charge the battery, it would be charging.
If your trailer is properly wired, your vehicle's alternator will charge the battery in the trailer as you drive. Additionally, there should be no reason for solar panels not to work during movement
there are other factors of solar panels to consider , 1365 watts of panels sound good , but what efficiency are they producing considering they are pointing straight up , they will definitely lose some efficiency compared to directly facing the son , and depending on the amount and type of batteries you have , lithium charge much faster and deeper than flooded batteries , but they will be charged by the panels when traveling and depending on how much they are initially discharged , but as another pointed out , your batteries would be charged by the truck that is towing the rv as well , assuming hooked to power to charge from truck
Absolutely not a silly question! Your solar panels should indeed charge the trailer's batteries while driving, thanks to sunlight absorption. While the charging rate might vary due to factors like panel positioning and efficiency, it's a smart way to maintain battery levels during your 8-hour drives. For optimum battery health, consider occasional full charges through shore power or a generator.
Your question isn't stupid at all, and it's important to understand how solar power works on a camper or travel trailer. Solar panels mounted on the roof of a camper can charge batteries while driving, but there are a few important things to consider: Efficiency: Charging efficiency depends on several factors such as the amount of sunlight, the angle of the panels and the condition of the batteries. While driving, solar panels can charge batteries, but the process can be slow.
