Understanding Your Portable Solar Folding Modules
Welcome to our comprehensive 6-part education series on RV solar systems. In this series, we will provide you with all the information you need to know about RV solar and how it works. If you find yourself bewildered by wattage, voltage, amperage, battery banks, and wiring sizes, then you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into the first part of our series, where we draw a parallel between your RV solar system and the fuel system in your car, helping you better grasp its functioning.
Demystifying Wattage, Voltage, Amperage, Battery Banks, and Wiring Size: If you’ve ever felt confused by the technical jargon surrounding RV solar systems, this segment is tailor-made for you. We’ll break down the concepts of wattage, voltage, amperage, battery banks, and wiring sizes, ensuring you have a clear understanding of their significance in your RV solar setup.
Drawing Parallels: Your RV Solar System and Your Car’s Fuel System: To simplify the complexities of your RV solar system, let’s compare it to the fuel system in your car. This analogy will provide valuable insights into its functioning and highlight crucial aspects to consider.
The RV Battery: Your Car’s Gas Tank: Think of your RV battery as the equivalent of your car’s gas tank. Similar to gallons of fuel, your RV battery is rated in amp hours. Just as your car’s engine consumes gasoline, your RV appliances, such as the water pump, refrigerator, or TV, utilize amp hours. When your battery is depleted, it’s essential to replenish those amp hours, and that’s where your portable solar folding modules come into play.
Voltage： Analogous to the pump pressure at a gas station, voltage plays a vital role in RV solar charging. Imagine refilling your gas tank at a station. If the gas pump doesn’t provide enough pressure, your tank won’t be completely filled, limiting your driving range.
Similarly, many standard RV solar chargers fall short on voltage, only charging your RV battery to 13.7 volts, which is much less than the required 14.4 volts for a full charge. Without a complete charge, your “gas tank” won’t be full, reducing your ability to stay off-grid and run on battery power for extended periods.
At Sungold, we design our solar solutions to charge to the right voltage, ensuring you always achieve a 100% charge.
Wiring: In your RV solar system, wiring is like the fuel line in your car. Just as a too-small fuel line can’t deliver enough fuel to power a big V8 engine, using inadequate, thin-gauge wires in your RV solar system will impede the flow of power. This can result in sputtering or even complete failure of your appliances.
Not only that, improper wiring can also pose safety hazards as the wires may overheat. At Sungold, we prioritize both safety and performance. That’s why we use the correct, heavy-gauge wires in our solar solutions. This ensures that all components and appliances receive the right amount of power for optimal operation.
Solar System Components
Your RV solar power system consists of several key components that work in harmony to collect, regulate, store, and deliver power to your RV appliances. These components must be compatible in type and capacity to ensure the safe and optimal performance of your solar system. Let’s take a closer look at each component:
Part 5 – Power Inverters
Part 6 – Power Converters/Transfer Switches/Battery Chargers
