What Size Solar Generator Do I Need to Run My RV?

After food and sanitation, a reliable power source is a fundamental necessity for sustainable RV living. While various options are available to serve the purpose, the solar generator for RV could be the best. They are free from noise and environmental pollution and do not require a continuous supply of fuel to run their operations.

However, there are concerns about the size of the solar generator required to run an RV. It simply depends on factors like your wattage consumption, what appliance you want to run, and the size of your RV.  

To understand this comprehensively, here is a detailed guide. By the end, we will also recommend 3 top-tier products to facilitate you further.

How much power is required to run your RV?

RV living offers valuable experience, but it could be a menace without a proper power supply. From charging your gadgets to running your everyday appliances, a reliable electricity supply is inevitable for an enjoyable RV experience. 

The power requirement of your RV is dependent on three factors that are

• How many devices are running? Understanding your power needs is crucial to determining what solar generator size will align with your needs. With more heavy devices, a large solar generator will be required compared to small appliances that could be powered through a small generator. To determine each appliance's power needs, you can check the Watt requirements on their labels.
• What are your consumption patterns? Consumption patterns are your appliance usage for any specific period. For example, if you are camping in hot and dry areas, you will need more power to run your AC compared to cold areas. Understanding this will help you know what size solar generator can fulfill all your power needs.
• What is the surge power of your appliances? Surge power is the power that any appliance requires while starting. This is higher than the normal electricity requirement of electronics. Simply put, if your electric heater consumes 100W for normal functioning, its surge power will be around 700-800W. Knowledge about the maximum surge power of your machines is pivotal to choosing a solar generator that can support all the appliances.

How much power do common RV appliances consume?

RVs are small homes away from home and include all appliances of everyday use. Information about the power requirement of these appliances can help you understand which generator can meet your needs. 

The table below includes the power consumption patterns of all the common RV appliances. However, these are approximate values. The exact watt requirement of these devices is given on their labels. If the values are in Volts and Amps, you can multiply them to get the value in Watts.

How much power is required to run an RV air conditioner

Air conditioners are appliances that require high wattage to run their functions. Their normal watt requirement varies between 1200 and 2400 Watts. But what's more important here is their surge power. 

You see, a normal RV AC requires 15000 BTU, which is around 2000 Watts of power, but its surge power could be around 3000-3500 Watts. Thus, if you want to run an RV air conditioner, it’s recommended to check its running and surge power prior to buying a solar generator for the RV. 

How much power is required to run the RV heater

Similar to air conditioners, RV heaters are also high-wattage appliances. Their watt requirements are between 1000-1500 watts. 

However, they are not only limited to heating your RV. Instead, they can also be used for cooking and drying. Due to their multi-pronged applications, their use time can increase significantly which makes it important to check their power requirements before opting for solar generators to run your RV.

What size solar generator do you need to run your RV?

As a common rule of thumb, the bigger the solar generator, the more power it will produce. However, when buying a solar generator for an RV, the most crucial consideration is its compatibility with all your devices. Its power output should be enough to run all your appliances. 

Other than this, It's important to understand Watts, Volts, and Amps to choose what size of solar generator will suit your RV.   

Watt, as discussed earlier, is the power required by any appliance, and solar generators are classified according to their power production capacity in watts. Volts, on the other hand, are the maximum current that can flow through a wire. In the case of RVs, their plugs are usually 120 volts. Lastly, amps are the amount of current that an RV can cater to at any specific period. Depending on amps, RVs are usually classified into two types 30 amps and 50 amps. To understand what size of solar generator will best fit your RV, use the equation below to calculate your power requirements in watts.

Volts(V) X Amps(A) = Watts (W)

What size of solar generator should be best for a 30-amp RV? 

A 30-amp comes with a 120V plug that consists of three wires. That is hot, neutral, and ground. The size of the solar generator required to power a 30-amp RV could be calculated using the above equation. 

120 Volts X 30Amps = 3600W

A 3600-watt generator like BLUETTI AC300 could be a reliable source to power your 30-amp RV. However, in case your appliances are limited and small like laptops, coffee makers, and blenders, a 2500-watt solar generator could also fulfill your needs. 

What size of solar generator should be best for a 50-amp RV?  

The 50-amp RVs have a specific 4-pronged design and come with 2 hot wires. This means they have two plugs of 120 Volts each and have a higher wattage handling capacity. 

120 Volts X 50 Amps = 6000W

6000W + 6000W = 12000W

The 50-amp RVs are usually large homes that need more power for all the devices to function properly. Though some campers may need this much power to run heavy appliances like furnace fans, heaters, and air conditioners, a power supply between 6000-7000 Watts would usually be enough to meet all your needs. 

Important considerations while buying a solar generator for your RV

Multiple solar generator variables are available in the market depending on their shape and size. Some are specifically built to fulfill the power needs of RVs, while others could have multi-pronged functionalities. 

Whatever the case, to ensure the compatibility of solar generators with your RV needs, here are some important considerations to mark.

Output capacity

First and foremost is the generator’s output capacity. This is the electricity your solar generator can produce at any given time. Check the wattage requirement of all your appliances, add them, and see if your generator can handle them simultaneously. 

Recharge options and recharge time

Next to output capacity are the recharge options and recharge time. Solar generators work by utilizing solar radiation and are available for only a specific time. So, a solar generator with multiple charging options like AC, solar, batteries, etc, could be a perfect choice. 

For this, BLUETTI solar generators are special as they support 6 to 15 recharging options depending on their type and model. Additionally, their recharge time is also extraordinary. BLUETTI AC200P can charge from 0-80% only in 45 minutes.

Weight and size

Lastly, the weight and size of solar generators are crucial. Size here does not refer to the power production capacity. Instead, it's the space the solar generator will cover. You see, RVs have small space, so a lightweight generator, small in size, and has high power generating 

capacity would be perfect for your RV.

Solar Generator Size Guide For RV

The generator size you need for your RV depends on factors like your power needs and energy consumption patterns. For a better understanding of what size would be enough for your RV power needs, here is a quick guide. 

RVs with low to medium power needs, like campers, could easily rely on a 2000W generator. Meanwhile, travel trailers that have high power needs could opt for a solar generator with an output capacity of 4000W. Lastly, for RVs with appliances like refrigerators, ACs, heaters, and other heavy-duty appliances, a 6000W solar generator is recommended.

Best solar generator recommendations for RV

The solar generator market is brimming up with many versatile options, making choosing a generator that can fulfill all your RV’s power needs difficult. Thus, here are our top 3 recommendations that can make your choice easy. All these units are reliable, compatible, cost-effective and come with a 4-year hassle-free warranty.

BLUETTI AC200L+3*PV200

With its 7 ways of recharging and 10 plus output streams, AC200L is the solution to all your RV power needs. The system comes with a powerlifting mode of 3600W. With its groundbreaking charging speed, the unit requires only 45 minutes to recharge its battery from 0-80%.

It comes with a 2048 Wh LiFePO4 battery that can be extended up to 8192Wh with 2 B300 batteries. What sets this product apart is its battery management system, which ensures its reliability for all power-sensitive devices.  

Additionally, with this unit, you will have a price match guarantee. This means if you find any product with the same capacity cheaper than this, you can claim the extra amount within 30 days of your purchase, 

BLUETTI AC300 + B300

BLEUTTI AC300 comes with a 3000W pure sine wave inverter and a surge power of 6000W to support all your RV appliances. Its built-in battery capacity is 3072Wh, which can be expanded up to 12,288 Wh with 4 B300 batteries. 

This LiFePO4 battery has 3500+ charge cycles which means the system has a shelf life of more than 10 years with one charge cycle per day. AC300 has 7 different recharging streams to ensure you are not relying only on solar rays. 

This smart system can be operated through Bluetooth and the BLUETTI smart app. Its compact size, with a height of 14.1 inches and a length of 20.5 inches, makes it highly suitable for RVs.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right size solar generator for your RV could be overwhelming yet crucial for effectively working all your RV appliances. You can make an informed decision by taking into account factors like your wattage requirement, consumption patterns, and surge power of your devices. 

Additionally, with multiple solar generators available on the market, it's difficult to opt for the best one. In such a scenario, BUETTI products could be your way to go. They are reliable, cost-effective, and have a greater shelf life. You only have to consider your RV wattage needs and choose a solar generator from their vast product list that suits you best.