Portable solar is an essential way to add more capacity to your camper’s existing solar system. It’s also a great introduction to clean, unlimited electrical power. Portable solar can be very expensive but it doesn’t have to be. For less than half the price of commercial systems, I can show you how I built a 200-watt system with a lot of capabilities.
Here are the links to some of the products discussed in the video.
Ready-Made Portable Solar Panels:
Jackery SolarSaga 100W
GoalZero Nomad 100
Affordable Flexible Solar Panels for DIY build:
50-Watt Flexible Solar Panel
2 Comments
Amanda · January 19, 2022 at 6:55 pm
Hi! You’re articles and videos are amazing and SUPER helpful to me as a first time DIY Van Lifer. I am still in the planning phase for my van and am trying to determine my solar/battery set up. I am considering a set up similar to yours where I have solar panels permanently mounted to the roof, but also having portable panels for days when I want to find shade to park in to reduce the heat. How much more complicated does the panel to battery set up become when you add something like this?
Dan Lin · January 21, 2022 at 1:31 am
Thank you! They take about 5-10 minutes each to set up. So definitely takes a bit of time but it does save a lot of space and money for good quality panels. However, they can also be used instantly without any set up by just simply laying the panels on the ground or against another object if you are just needing them for short periods of time. I only go through the full set up process if I know I am going to leave them out for awhile.