The most common mistake in RV solar is buying panels before doing the math. The second most common is doing the math for the wrong rig. A 30-amp travel trailer and a 50-amp fifth wheel need completely different systems, and a van build is different again.
This page pulls together every sizing guide on rv.energy into one place, organized by rig type and use case. Find your situation, read the guide, then run your specific numbers through the RV solar calculator to get a panel, battery, and charge controller recommendation dialed in for how you actually camp.
By RV type
30-amp rigs (travel trailers, Class C, smaller fifth wheels)
How many solar panels do I need for a 30 amp RV?
Most 30-amp rigs need 400–800W of solar paired with a 200–400Ah lithium bank. This guide walks through the watt-hour math step by step and explains why "30 amp" describes the shore connection, not your daily energy use.
Best solar panel size for a full-time travel trailer
Full-timers burn more power and can’t afford to run short. This guide covers what changes when solar has to carry you every single day, not just weekends.
Class A motorhomes
How many watts of solar for a Class A motorhome?
Class A coaches are the biggest energy consumers on wheels. This guide covers sizing for residential fridges, multiple AC units, large inverters, and the batteries needed to back them up.
Class B camper vans
What size solar system for a Class B camper van?
Small roof, serious ambitions. Van solar systems have to be efficient because you don’t have the roof space to brute-force it. This guide covers compact, well-optimized builds that actually work off-grid.
50-amp fifth wheels
How much solar do I need for a 50 amp fifth wheel?
Fifty-amp fifth wheels have massive roofs and massive loads. The good news: the roof space is usually there. The nuance: battery sizing matters more than panels in these builds, and this guide explains why.
By use case
Boondocking
How much solar do I need to boondock for a week?
A full week off-grid without hookups is the benchmark most serious boondockers plan around. This guide does the panel and battery math for a realistic week of dry camping.
Running an air conditioner off-grid
What size solar system to run an RV air conditioner off grid?
Running AC off solar is possible, but it’s expensive in panels and batteries. This guide breaks down what it actually takes, and where the common misconceptions are.
Powering a residential refrigerator
How many watts of solar to run an RV residential refrigerator?
A residential fridge is the single largest constant load in most full-time builds. This guide covers the solar and battery requirements to run one reliably without shore power.
By component
Already know your battery size?
How many solar panels to charge a 200Ah lithium battery?
If you already have, or are planning, a 200Ah LiFePO4 bank, this guide works backwards from the battery to tell you exactly how many panels you need and how to wire them to a charge controller.
By conditions
Winter and cloudy climates
Sizing RV solar for winter and cloudy conditions
Summer solar math falls apart in winter. Shorter days, lower sun angles, and overcast skies can cut your production by 50–70%. This guide covers how to size your system so it still works when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
Start here: the calculator
All of these guides feed into the same tool. The RV solar calculator takes your rig type, your appliances, and how many days off-grid you want, and sizes the panels, battery, and charge controller in under a minute. Use the guides to understand the reasoning; use the calculator to get your number.