Is Solar Prep for RVs a Marketing Gimmick?

If you’ve been in the market for a new or more recent trade-in model RV, you may have encountered the phrase “solar prep.” Solar power is among the hottest and fastest-developing technologies in the RV world, but you may not have much knowledge or experience with it. 

So we’re taking a closer look at what solar prep really means for you, your rig, and its electrical system. Let’s get started!

What Does RV Solar Prep Mean?

Solar prep can mean a few different things depending on the manufacturer. In general, it means that wires have been run either to the roof or side of the RV for future solar panels to be installed.

However, solar prep does not include solar panels in any case. You’ll need to purchase your own panels that will work with the system and install them on your camper. You may also need to buy other equipment, including charge controllers or inverters, depending on your solar prep. 

Pro Tip: We crunched the numbers to uncover How Long Do Solar Panels, Batteries, and Components Last?

Types of Solar Ready Connections & How They Work

Solar-prepped RVs have two primary types of connections. The first is roof ports, located on top of your RV. They primarily work for permanently mounted panels which can sit atop your RV all the time, generating energy. 

On the other hand, a sidewall port works with portable solar panel systems you take up and put away at every stop. These systems plug directly into the sidewall port, making them easy to integrate into your solar-prepped rig. 

Why Is Solar Prep Good from a Marketing Perspective?

Now that you know what solar prep is, you will see it used in marketing a lot. Solar is a hot commodity on RVs and the sales teams know it. Solar and RV’s really go hand in hand.

Better RVing Experience

Solar power can be a massive benefit for those who like to get off-grid and boondock. You’ll no longer need to rely solely on your charged batteries. No matter where you camp, you can recharge your batteries and extend the available power as long as you have sunlight. Because RV’s have batteries built in it makes them excellent off-grid capable machines, as long as they have a way to recharge.

In addition to being an off-grid benefit, solar has the advantage of keeping batteries topped off when in storage. This can help keep them healthy and charged when you are ready to roll.

Pro Tip: Want to use camping solar panels while boondocking? We broke down the best options for your next off-grid experience.

Don’t Worry About the Wiring

Installing the wiring for solar can be a time-consuming and challenging process. Plus, hiring professionals to do it can get expensive. They’ll likely need to drill some holes, open up walls, or make other significant modifications to your current RV.

With a solar-prepped RV, all of that work is already done, saving you time, expense, and hassle.

Limitations of Solar-Prepped RVs

Unfortunately, solar prep isn’t a perfect solution. Here are some of the limitations you need to know. 

How Many Solar Panels You Can Actually Use

Most solar prep systems will limit how many panels you can use. This can be a problem for those who want to camp off-grid, as you likely won’t be able to generate enough energy unless you keep your power needs fairly low.

The reason for this is that the wiring size run to the roof or side of the RV is usually small and can only handle limited current. For better or worse, the manufacturers complete all of the wiring. This means that you’ll have to live with whatever wire size they used. Smaller wires can carry smaller loads than larger diameter ones, limiting your overall power. 

Modifying an already solar-prepped RV to add additional panels can be expensive, time-consuming, and somewhat defeats the purpose of solar prep. 

You can sometimes get around these limits by running a higher voltage solar system. You can do this by using higher voltage panels or putting multiple in series. You will need to run a high voltage MPPT charge controller.

Pro Tip: We uncovered How Much Solar Power Do You Need for Your RV so you can decide if a solar prep system has enough solar capacity for you.

Component Quality

Sometimes equipment is included with factory-installed solar prep. This can be great but you will have to rely on the equipment choices of the installer. Unfortunately, you may not find the best quality hardware throughout your system. 

Inverters, charge controllers, and other pieces of equipment may not work right for your needs or, in the worst cases, be poor-quality items that need fixes or replacement. While you can generally swap out parts with your preferred ones if necessary, it can be a frustrating expense considering buyers already pay a premium for solar prep. 

Are All RV Solar Ready Systems the Same?

As you might gather from the previous section, the answer is an emphatic no. Systems will vary in their choice of components, whether some are included or not, wiring size and style, amount of panels they can accept, and other ways. 

That’s why it’s crucial to dig deeper than the “solar prep” label to determine what it entails and how it compares to other solar-prepped rigs. 

Can You Install RV Solar Wiring Systems Yourself?

While it’s certainly possible to install RV solar wiring yourself, whether or not it’s feasible in your RV will depend on your experience and confidence level. Those familiar and comfortable with electrical wiring and RV maintenance and construction could tackle the project. 

However, the installation process could lead to severe issues like water leaks, damage to your rig, or even electrical fires if done incorrectly. The generally complicated nature of the installation and the potential risks from things going wrong lead many to opt for a professional installation, despite the additional cost. 

Is Solar Prep a Huge Gimmick?

Solar prep is undoubtedly a popular feature in newer RVs, and there’s no doubt that some new owners don’t quite understand exactly what they’re getting and the limitations of the systems. 

Those looking for entirely off-grid solar systems may find the term a bit gimmicky. They’ll likely need to substantially rebuild their solar system anyway to get the capacity they need.

But for many other more casual solar users okay with a system limited to a few hundred Watts, a solar-prepped RV can be an affordable, simple entry point into renewable, off-grid power. 

Did your RV come with solar prep and do you use it? Tell us in the comments below!

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