RICH SOLAR 200-Watt Solar Panel
This rigid 200W solar panel has a rectangular frame and rear cable connections.
View on AmazonElectrical system / supporting guide
My Camper Van Roof Solar: Four Rich Solar 200W Panels
Four Panels on the Roof
I used four Rich Solar 200W panels on the roof of the van. Multiplying the four panel ratings gives 800W of panel nameplate capacity. The solar controller in the build is a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/60.
The roof wiring also uses BougeRV solar connectors and a Link Solar double cable-entry gland.
Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/60 Controller
This SmartSolar controller manages charging from a solar array into a battery system. The 150/60 model designation identifies its 150-volt PV input limit and 60-amp charging-current class.
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Link Solar Double Cable-Entry Gland
This black cable-entry housing brings two cables through separate compression glands. The curved ABS cover sits over the cable entry point.
View on AmazonPanel Ratings and Everyday Generation
The 800W total is the combined panel rating under specified test conditions. Daily production is an energy total, measured in watt-hours or kilowatt-hours.
Shade, panel temperature, orientation and time of day affect generation. An open campsite and a shaded parking space can produce different results from the same roof array.
What MPPT 150/60 Means
The SmartSolar 150/60 designation describes two different limits: 150V maximum PV voltage and 60A maximum battery charge current. The first number is not a watt rating.
The voltage limit applies to the PV input, while the current limit applies to battery charging. These labels describe opposite sides of the controller’s conversion process.
The Roof-to-Controller Equipment
The BougeRV connectors join the solar wiring. The Link Solar gland provides the housing where the cables enter the roof, with separate compression glands for the two cables.
Solar and the Other Charging Sources
The van also has two Victron Orion vehicle chargers and external AC charging through the MultiPlus. A battery-current reading can include the effects of these sources and running loads; it is not a solar-production total.
A Useful Solar Log
For a solar-production log, record the date, energy total and period covered, location, weather and shade conditions. Note charging from other sources and the battery state at the start and end.
Those entries make day-to-day comparisons more useful. The monitoring guide explains how solar-controller readings differ from battery measurements.
My Roof Solar Equipment
| Component | Build detail |
|---|---|
| Panels | Four Rich Solar 200W panels on the roof |
| Combined panel nameplate rating | 800W, calculated as four × 200W |
| Charge controller | Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/60 |
| Roof cable entry | Link Solar double cable-entry gland |
| Solar connectors | BougeRV connectors |
Technical References
Related Electrical Guides
Battery storage
The two Lossigy 400Ah batteries I used, their storage role, and the charging and monitoring equipment around them.
Monitoring and interfaces
The SmartShunt 500A, Raspberry Pi and Victron USB interfaces in the monitoring equipment.
Distribution and protection
The bus bars, switches, fuse holders, breakers, wiring and junction box I used.