How Much Solar Power Do I Need for My Camper? | How to Calculate Camper Solar System Size

[@EXPLORISTlife]

*Blog Post (With Spreadsheet):* www.explorist.life/what-size-of-solar-system-is-needed-to-power-a-camper/ *Interactive Solar Wiring Diagrams:* www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams

[@georgefenrich4119]

WOW, I had no idea that I would need (want) 600 AH of batteries! ! ! $,$$$ :(

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah. It can add up in a hurry. What was your biggest energy demand?

[@derekraisor8451]

Nate, you are the man. Thanks for all the info and taking the time to explain the process and how do it right. I have a dumb question. If I need 300 watt solar panel why can't I buy (1) 300 watt panel and not (3) 100 watt panels? I was just thinking of (1) set of wires to run on the roof and into the van. I am sure you have addressed this before but I am looking for a reason to not buy (1) panel. Thanks and keep up the great work and helping people like myself Be safe and stay healthy

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! Glad this has all helped. If you can fit a 300w panel; That's a fine choice. With 3x100w panels you gain a bit of extra voltage but I'd speculate those gains wouldn't be worth the hassle given most 300w panels are already 40+ volts anyway.

[@NickGled]

THANK YOU! This has to be the best explanatory video on electrical usage and solar power requirements. I have downloaded the spreadsheet but, ask do I need to change anything for the UK and 230v standard appliances?

[@deerob7956]

This dude is a rocket scientist.

[@BryanKrauss-u7y]

I can't see the chart what website is this

[@kelliebeckham952]

Sir, you deserve some kind of metal for putting this spreadsheet together and making it available like this. Fantastic help!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@fastway007]

What kind of metal would you recommend, steel, iron or perhaps some aluminum. I on the other hand would maybe suggest a medal to show appreciation of his work…..just sayin

[@VinceBadovinatz88]

Gosh you are totally right 100%

[@ThisNomadicIdea]

Thanks for putting in the hours to provide the RV community with a spreadsheet that is actually easy to use. Really appreciate all the hard work.

[@litawolf1684]

Dude. This is the best video I’ve seen on KZbin. Thanks

[@gsftom]

This video and spreadsheet are “friggin awesome”. There is no telling how many people u have helped, but I bet it a ton. Thanks for the video and the resources!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Tom Freer, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@ROCKNROAD4X4]

Nate, you sir are a legend for creating and sharing your spreadsheet. I cannot thank you enough for the time and money you will be saving me when calculating and then deciding on my build components. Living in the UK where the sun is more like a UFO, solar efficiency is definitely not something i want to guess at. Top man, top channel, Happy Subscriber. Cheers.

[@howardcagle9295]

Thanks!

[@garfiale]

I'm an overplanner, and love to go through all the aspects of these builds to ensure I'm maximizing my space, time, value, and money spent. So far your videos are head and tails above the rest, are far more informative, and really well done. Those spreadsheets are incredible, and they save people a bundle of time. It would take me hours to go back, re learn basic electrician formulas, and prepare and set up a spreadsheet just like you did. Thank you for providing this service to people for free, it truly is incredibly generous! Cheers!

[@onemansthought]

Dude this is the greatest video ever! That spreadsheet makes it so easy, THANK YOU!!!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!

[@loganvendrix6332]

Hey, I just wanted to let you know this video and your excel sheet really helped me figure out how much solar power and batteries I need in my campervan. There are so many numbers and things to pay attention to, but you made it easy. Thanks a lot!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@cjmiles7]

Man this video is so helpful! He work you put into this with the spreadsheets is amazing. An extra step you didn’t have to do for us. Much appreciated!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey cjmiles7, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@tanja8907]

Great video thank you. It's guys like you that make society so much better.

[@andreajaquelinearellanodia6250]

I'm so impressed on the super valuable information and the staright to the point explanation! I appreciate this and keep up the good work

[@CristofferTartamella]

Haven't used this table but from watching this video, I apreicate the acsess to this and the video, thank you.

[@lennieunderscoreboy]

Very informative, concise, not too fast not too slow , easy watching and clearly described thanks!

[@EvaMonteiroevamonteiroalmeida]

Best spent 9 minutes of my day. Thank you for doing this.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@TBSWORLD77]

Your channel has been so fun to watch and learn. Thank you for your help!

[@jaykaydee5772]

Great job Nate! Good editing from your partner getting it down to 9 minutes! Very informative and hopefully I’ll use this soon . . .

[@sausagefingers714]

i simply purchased a plug-in power meter to monitor just how much power my caravan is consuming over a 2 week period while running on mains electric, living normally after 2 weeks i ended up with a true numbers of my power consumption.. heaters, hot water and the cook run off gas :) lasts a long time and works out pretty cheap.

[@SaMiChi]

For a beginner trying to get electrical system together, this is really helpful, thanks!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Very welcome!

[@EricPollarrd]

I want to power a 300w pc system 8-12hrs a day, what set up do I need? How often would I need to run the van and how long running to charge up? Also how many batteries can u run off the panels? Is it a case of the more batteries the longer time you get? Does one battery switch automatically over to the next when one runs out? Can one battery be getting charged while another is being used so that you’re not using and recharging at the same time? Surely that helps the health?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We've made a video about PC usage, specifically: Search: EXPLORIST.life How Much Power does a Computer Use?

[@Networkprofessor]

One stop portal for solar system information.

[@ds4050]

Thanks guys, I can't express how much your build, the solar information and all the tips you guys provide help me!

[@westisthebest4221]

Nate yarbrough you made me understand something which I could have naver understood. Although English is not my first language. Well done bro

[@WULFWERKS]

Man, thank you so much for making these videos. I am an electrical dummy, which is doubled when addressing solar, making me a dum dum pertaining to that subject. Seriously though, you’re helping me get this broke ass airstream working, thank you.

[@tangerinedreamer50]

This guy makes it so easy to understand and is really fantastic at his job thank you sir its very much appreciated 🙏

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@hammer8809]

Outstanding!! Now I can get to work. Best video I’ve seen by far on the subject, thank you heaps 👍🏼🇦🇺.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it helped!

[@mikegreb9766]

outstanding. The spreadsheets are exactly what I have been looking for. Its like the missing link for all things solar

[@donaldcarbone2073]

Very helpful. Great not having bad background music. Going to subscribe.

[@lakishabaldwin3972]

Thank you so much, this is going to help me so much for my mini bus conversion!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@MariaSilva-rz1xd]

A God among men! Thank you!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it helped

[@danteishearer9126]

Brooooo I've never subscribed so fast. So so helpful👍🏼

[@E-Sangiovanni]

Hi Nate! - Awesome Video- THANK YOU. The Power Audit Spreadsheet is not loading. Could you please take a look? It would really help me -Thank you

[@nelsoncasamalhuapa1554]

Great job on the spreadsheet, thank you for that. It will save me lots of time!

[@justintrussell7739]

I'm going to use a 48 volt solar power system on my skoolie. This is a great vid

[@simoping]

Man.. I love your approach and thanks for helping us all out here... its appreciated

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Happy to help. Thanks for watching!

[@jommalana4966]

I learn a lot from this man

[@mannab2975]

I am thankful for your help and appreciate your videos!! You are obviously very competent and geared to master this difficult topic!! Your videos are great and complete!! Need not to watch anything else!! Thank you, great work!!

[@happycamper5193]

This was a incredible idea. This will help me alot when I get to our build.

[@user-vt5hx1kz7l]

What a great video! Nate, you sir are a legend. We have just started our van build and I've been watching KZbin videos all day, and yours are by far the best, most concise and easy to understand. Thank you for providing such great content.

[@fishhuntadventure]

things often are very hard to understand when being explained by people who regurgitate but don’t actually know what they’re doing. This guy has useful info as opposed to most others

[@scott4fire]

So stoked I found this series of videos to help guide us thru our project. Amazingly well done. Thank you!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Scott Dailey, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@Jennanyree]

Awesome spreadsheet! Thank you for your time creating and sharing it!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Jenna Brown, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@frogz2006rule]

Dear god im so happy to have found this. Youre amazing.

[@johnplyler7054]

I feel so lucky to have found your video's.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@shellieneubauer8490]

You're amazing. Best 10 minute s of my year. Seriously, thank you!

[@heathshaw1563]

Nate Great video. You guys always make videos that are great! Thanks for making our life easier on the DIY projects.

[@ericstewart8993]

This is so thorough! Awesome.

[@brianlisec2509]

With all the new solar/battery generators seems would work for the occasional user and to possibly power my travel trailer excluding the air conditioner of course.

[@BryanKrauss-u7y]

How much solar can I fit on on class b RV and how much solar/battery do I need to run off grid full time

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yep! That is indeed the topic of this video and what the video will help you figure out if you watch it and apply what you learned.

[@Michael-zp9kl]

This just saved my life. Thank you.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@terrydou7938]

It really Bums me out that you guys don't get more views. You provide really useful info and real life views of van life, but don't get the views that "Van lifers" get where a lot of what they show is just the trendy side of living in a van, and tend to lean on the sexy side of the thumbnails (bikinis, tight pants, etc etc), which I have nothing against, its just more clickbaity. I think I have watch your van build series 3-4 times in preparation for our van build, and I don't think I'll take other information as seriously as I take yours.

[@TheBlackSheepChronicles]

Great comment. I agree with ya for sure

[@CheeseOnEverything]

That's the yt algorithm for u...but with content like this, they'll grow fast.

[@fishhuntadventure]

People generally don’t actually want to think these days, so they tantalize themselves with kewl videos and either copy other people (not necessarily useful), over-buy the need cuz they’re guessing, or - buy cheap, inadequate equipment with lots of reviews that tickle their ears. Or pay some solar place to install a bulky, mismatched snd often overpriced system that provides power with ancillary compromises the uneducated won’t have the ability to immediately see. What he described here doesn’t take a lot of work but it involves work. Way to many people these days are averse to work. And thinking. But this is very solid advice.

[@thepoorblackman]

We're at 100k views and over 100k subs..good content wins!

[@simonmorter9341]

Idk I think this thumbnail is pretty sexy… 🤣

[@flyingdutch9818]

Nice one; there’s a noticeable step up in quality since the rebrand

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! And thanks for that. Before we were trying to pump out quantity. Now, it's all about the attempt at being genuinely helpful/useful.

[@micahharris1398]

God bless you for making these videos dude. You’re awesome as such a big help.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Micah Harris, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@Thebluelandy]

Hey Nate, really good and informative videos! We're since one and a half years on the road and I just calculated our installed solar system and our consumption with your table. I gotta say in our case, it fits pretty well with your recommendation. The only thing is our inverter that's only 250VA instead of 1000VA

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Nice work!

[@sander620206]

thanks mate, very usefull, nice voice to listen to, great sense of humor ;-)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Sander Bremmers, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@PompeyBoy66]

Wow. A scientist.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Just a guy who likes spreadsheets.

[@tonyflanagan5682]

Cracking stuff Nate

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! 🙂🙌

[@someoneelse7629]

There was nothing new to me in this video, I am fully capable of sizing a solar setup, and still this is the best video I have seen on the topic so far, your spreadsheets is pure gold (I usually do my own on paper). Then you also learn how to live on solar, you wake up, look out, if it is sunny you might start the day by cooking porridge on the induction cooktop, if it is cloudy, you might go for a yogurt, if you have a gas stove, you might opt for cooking your coffe instead of using the electric coffemachine. On a sunny day, charge everything up, vacuum, start a washingmachine if you have one, on a cloudy day, sweep the floors instead. And so on. it becomes second nature to determing things based on how sunny it is. That said, it is nice to have a too big setup that always is fully charged by lunchtime

[@BEAdventurePartners]

You just earned our 👍@EXPLORIST life - DIY Campers AND we hit the bell! Dude! We made a spreadsheet, but it was not organized as good as yours. Right now, we're converting a school bus into a tiny home on wheels, and have no prior experience with electrical stuff (like most people, right?) We're checking out your other vids now and your guide on your site to gather the links and get our system pieced together. Thanks so much!! - Brian + Erin

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@hugoscreations]

I'm so glad I found you! I'm about to start my van conversion, this is great info Thank you!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Hugo's Auto Clinic, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@thisdaveisforyou]

Fantastic video! Short, digestible, and informative. I'll be sure to use your Amazon site when ordering.

[@brucebryan2806]

this is awesome thank you just saved me a major headache

[@MrJoshuadh81]

Wow, great spread sheet! Very user friendly. Thanks for sharing that! DEFINITELY deserves a 'Like' and 'Subscribe' 👍👍

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey, Joshua D! I appreciate that. Thanks for watching! 🙂😀

[@ourhomeontheroam3352]

Just wanted to say thank you for all your awesome content. We just started our van build out today and we've already found so many of your videos helpful for us! Thank you thank you!

[@leroijr407]

Love this channel! Can I get access to edit the spreadsheet

[@moroccobama]

You're doing a wonderful service.

[@jimmyc15]

Wow, thanks so much for this! Makes things much clearer!!

[@a64738]

The size and number of panels in my case is very simple, all you have room for :) Battery size, pretty much depend on what you realistically can charge with 1260w of panel per day in this case.... Will have to save on electricity anyway and sometimes if cloudy for long time start up the engine because in the end what limits me is the amount of panels I can fit on the van. (here it can be cloudy for weeks at a time).

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad you got it figured out!

[@garrys9153]

Does the Spreadsheet work with 240v appliances?

[@A.P.L.O.]

Thank you bro this is the best !

[@jamesm4435]

Amazingly helpful video. Thank you for taking the time to make that spreadsheet.

[@garymclay9885]

Nice informative video my friend. What size controller would be required for 700w solar power? ie:- 4 @ 175w each?

[@compumatterllc]

Awesome content ! Will bookmark that one

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@mrrey8937]

Awesome video!! cant find the spreadsheet........must be my age.

[@Mark2790]

I just followed the link to your site. Brilliantly explained and answered my question perfectly. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@xavierandresmunozlarrea4812]

Thank you very much, know i know kow much electricity do i need. how much it costs a sistem for approximately 500 amp hours used per day? in total. thanks

[@sonyacolomer]

This is a super informative and very clear video, so useful... Thank you so much!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@bradheward140]

Great information and very helpful. Straight to the point video! Thank you.

[@BryanKrauss-u7y]

The question of the day how about an incinerator toilet

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Sure! Find the one you like and Put it into the calculator.

[@chrisrea7347]

You are amazing, clear and helpful; thank you.

[@tristanmartel503]

Great video.

[@jamesdean0885]

Subscribed and leaving this comment because even though I'm not at this stage yet, was a great video. And man, am I going to be watching the lot and annoying the hell outta ya. 😅 If I remember I'll try and record my journey too 😊

[@DIYMoMUniqueCreations]

this will be so helpful.

[@tonymorrison578]

Cool calculations the first thing you do take your calculations and X between 2 and 10 times to be more realistic

[@EXPLORISTlife]

This calculation will give you an accurate amp hour estimate. It's then up to each person to see how much extra they like. Suggesting x10 battery bank would be a bit irresponsible on my part, but feel free to add as much cushion as you like. If you're adding x10 battery bank capacity, be sure to use my affiliate links, though. lol That'd be a lot of extra.

[@cardinhamkilligrew9712]

If I have two sets of solar panels, each set is2 panels in parallel going to their own solar controller. The mppt controllers go to the positive and negative of the battery bank. 3X AGM. Do they ALL need to go to the same positive and negative posts or can I have each MPPT go to different + and - Posts?

[@craiglenz758]

Could you do a video on how to supplement solar, with a wind turbine as add on. Thanks!

[@rebeccadavitt5448]

Wow, THANK YOU!!!

[@alexvelez2141]

I definitely need to do this. I fell asleep watching it last night. I'm trying to figure this out so I can go full-time while I still work. My question is is it possible to run ac around the clock on solar? I have pets that will be with me. I get hot easy and I worry about the pets especially while I'm at work. Trying to get away from renting

[@johnniethomas8369]

It's just called a water heater, not a hot water heater. Or maybe it's called a "really hot water heater". LoL. J/k. Love your channel.

[@leroijr407]

Subscribed!!

[@henrikm4657]

Great info as usual!

[@leopreston1]

Quick question: in countries with 230V AC does your power audit spreadsheet still hold true for Table 1.1? Thanks VERY MUCH for this super useful help!

[@EphraimKiptiony]

you are Awesome man

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Ephraim Kiptiony, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@giuliobaecker5476]

Thank you - Gracia Mille - Merci

[@rozefit]

SAVED ME HOURS. THANK YOU

[@elmonik]

Hey Nate Love the Video, have watched it twice now, got to it and downloaded the spreadsheet then realised its for 110v, im in AUS and we use 240v. Is there a basic calculation in speadsheeet that i can alter to accommodate this. im not very well versed in spreadsheet

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The spreadsheet will work as-is for 240V.

[@bruceboyles1895]

On the 120V wire do you use #12 stranded or remex?

[@davekelly8230]

So helpful. Thank you so much 💪🏻

[@Nikitafrom233]

Amazing work done, many thanks for the content)