12 Volt? 24 Volt? 48 Volt? Which Solar Panels for a DIY Camper Electrical Build

I only watched this because I've never seen a solar panel rated as 12v, 24v, or 48v. Glad to see I was right in my thinking they don't actually exist

Need your expert opinion. These days people are commonly using a 12v DC setup where battery is charged by a MPPT charge controller while the load is put parallel to the battery (MPPT chargers here don't have a load/output option) via a PWM controller ( to avoid over discharge). In my view the charger will be over charging the battery as the load running is in parallel. Your view please.

Nate, Can you number your videos in the title (i.e. part 1 of 11) so we can get our ducks in a row sequentially? thx

Brilliant ...that why charge controllers are awesome - they make different voltage components (solar panels are batteries) work together. And as you stated - as long as the solar panel voltage is above the battery voltage AND the solar panel voltage is under the charge controller max Voltage, then its Bob's your Uncle.

a single solar cell has about 0.5V
A module with 36 cells has 18V enough to charge a 12V battery via the controller.
A module with 48 cells has approximately 24V.
A module with 72 cells comes to approximately 36V. That's enough for a 24V battery

The biggest think that people don’t understand is most of your things run on DC power . Your cell phones, TVs , computers . Charging small batteries , lights ,fans water pump. ,All DC .

Hi , As you said any panels array will work if array voltages are higher than battery bank voltages and under the maximum voltage limit of charge controller.
In that context what will happen if array voltages are lower than batter bank (voltage can be low the way array has been designed or when voltage start decreasing towards night).
My understanding is that as I learnt from your other videos that panel array will work fine if it is compatible with charge controller voltage limitation. If voltages are lower than battery bank, charge controller will regulate it to desired battery back voltage.

If this understanding is wrong, then how charge controller charge battery bank when there are less voltages in those days when there is no enough sun light or sun light available for limited time (winter days).

How do I know if my charge controller can handle 24 or 48v panels?

Nice video need asked questions i have 3000 watts 48V inverter ok i have solar charger controller 48V 30A am in Toronto they only sell 12V solar panel how panel need or how watts of panel i need can used 4 12 volt panel just asking

I went to a junior college and I was taught it was ohm's law not watts law. A man by the name of ohm came up with the law. Just a suggestion😊

Okay I got a question... Please answer with your best suggestions... I get what you're saying because the ratings really aren't what they are... However, I'm thinking about a smaller array and a higher voltage battery small mobile food cart... Thinking of using a 48V 100ah golf cart battery 48V EG4 MPPT 3kW Off-Grid Inverter with a 500 VDC input capability... "way more than I can possibly need" The battery for its size and durability of construction, And the EG4 Mppt inverter for its features and small compact all in one size. The problem is the total area for the array has to be No Bigger than 5'x10'... I want the highest possible amp output so it will charge quickly and use less of my battery through the day. If I use 12 volt So called panels i'm going to have to run it in series correct because I have to have at least 48V if not a little bit more in order to charge my forty eight will battery right? And if I do so, I'm only going to be able to get maybe what a 200W of an array for that size... I figure i'm going to need at least six hundred watts if I want to run on solar alone... That's my dilemma Highly confused on this, Any suggestions??? All i'm running by the way... Is a small frigerator of 150W @ 120v or so and a lot of lighting, I am wanting the cart to run standalone at least 10 hours off grid. I also plan on putting in a DC Dc charger for when the cart is in mobile tow. I'll need minimal twelve volt so I'll need to deal with that as well. (Water pump, Possibly the led lighting, and maybe a small stereo)
Thanks again please leave any suggestions on a recommended solar array for it...

Finally may question answered. Thanks

I LOVE your videos and gave learned a lot.
I hope someone can help me, I have 8 used good shape commercial solar panels 36.77V 220w each. Model CHSM6610P-220 (220W). I want to install them on my 16' cargo trailer vto have complete power off grid to use it as a toy hauler / travel trailer. Being off grid for a week at a time. I also want to use the trailer as an emergency power system for my mobile home when the power goes out so I plan on having a connection to power my mobile home in those cases. I already have a 5,000 watt 12v sine wave inverter with 8 to 10k surge. Will be installing a 14k HVAC system in the trailer to keep cool and heat when needed during hunting season. What would be the best way to connect my solar panels together and a good solar controller should I use. Also how many batteries do you think I would need to accomplish this?
The trailer will have water and a on demand propane tankless water heater and small fridge with led lighting as well.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Here are my solar panels spec:
Electrical Characteristics
STC Power Rating 220W
PTC Power Rating 199.5W 1
STC Power per unit of area 12.4W/ft2 (134.0W/m2)
Peak Efficiency 13.4%
Power Tolerances -3%/+3%
Number of Cells 60
Nominal Voltage not applicable
Imp 7.38A
Vmp 29.7V
Isc 8.12A
Voc 36.77V
NOCT 47°C
Temp. Coefficient of Power -0.46%/K
Temp. Coefficient of Voltage -0.129V/K
Series Fuse Rating 15A
Maximum System Voltage 600V
Mechanical Characteristics
Type Polycrystalline Silicon
Output Terminal Type Multicontact Connector Type 4
Frame Color Clear
Backsheet Color data not available
Length 65in (1,652mm)
Width 39.1in (994mm)
Depth 1.8in (45mm)
Weight 44.1lb (20kg)
Installation Method Rack-Mounted
Warranty and Certifications
80% Power Output Warranty Period 15yrs
90% Power Output Warranty Period 10yrs
UL Fire Classification data not available
Compliances UL 1703
CSI Listed

I finally got it! THANK YOU 😊😊😊😊😊

hi there, I have bought 4 solar panels 340w ,Max Current (Imp) 9.82A

Max Voltage (Vmp) 34.6V

Short Circuit Current (Isc) 10.51A

Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 42.5V

Weight 18.7KG

Dimension 1664x992x35mm

Cell Technology Monocrystalline but I didn't parallel yet I need help before somethings goes wrong LOL, my system run by 48v do I need to do parallel them?

Hello I have 5 panels of the EPTECH Solar Panels EP156P/72 - 285 Watts they are about 36.37V I want to use them with battery bank, how many batteries do I need and would you recommend series?

Okay yes I am confused lol. I have a 100/30 Victron Smart MPPT Controller with an SOK 12v 206ah battery and have it attached to a rich solar 190 solar panel with open circuit of 24.3V max power current of 9.31A. I was looking at some panels that are Ying Li Solar that are 255 W 24V (yes I have disregarded the 24V) with an open circuit of 37.7. I think this is okay to install. I do need to go back to your other video to see if using the 190 will provide any more power to the battery. I just wanted to run it by you to check. Hopefully you have time to respond. Thanks and I love the videos. Thanks Kevin and by the way we don't get super cold in the winter we are usually in northern Arizona in the Hualapai Mountains

If you have a 48v 100 watt panel will that be putting in 8.3 amps at 12v or 2 amps at 48v. When figuring out what your charge controller is rated to?

You are a genius, I've been looking for this information for long time. I wasn't sure if it was possible before. Thank you

Is the mentioned temperature of -40 degrees C or F?

Ha ! Ha! Ha! So funny , the guy didn't realize that the 48 volt panel was made out of the cells of 4 12 volt panels wired in series in one frame , it was probably a 400 watt panel and all that did was save you having to wire 4 panels together to get the same thing. Big systems can handle 500 volts input and the large panels save wiring.

OK, here's a question; What is more efficient ? ?
3 x 100w 12volt solar panels or 1 x 36v or 40v (basically one large house panel) on an RV instead of 3 x 12v ones?
I have for a few years been running just the 1 x 100w 12v panel through an Mppt charge controller to 280a/h of agm's but an upgrade on my roof space means I now have the room to either add 2 more 100w 12v panels to make 300w or am I better off buying one large higher voltage panel for what I expect will be more efficient (knowing I also have to upgrade the charge controller which ever way I go) Any input would be great & thanks for the info!

Love the kick at Karen 😂😂

Hopefully this gets seen, so say if you have 4, 460 watt panels and want to wire them in series parrellel you have 1800+ watts are there any good charge controllers for that kind of load or should I split the system into 2 separate power lines of about 940 watts, going to the batteries?

i have a bus that im making M class to motorhome
EPEVER MPPT Charge Controller 40A 12V / 24V
can run 3 Parallel for 4 panel there 12v 100w
the make on the my changer is a max of 1040 watts at 24 vot and 150 vot
if i do 12 panels they would be 80 volt at 15 amp but 1200 watts
will this be ok to run like this
battery bank are 24 volts
thanks for any help you can tell me

It would almost be worse to use a bunch of 12v panels in parallel with very high amps going threw thin wire most people use 12g solar wire. I have always used 8g

Panel voltage should not matter if you have the right charge controller. Especially for RV setups you want a 60amp or higher controller 80amp or 100amp really. You get 150v and 100amps 12v so 1300w solar intake.

Thank you so much for making this video. You have helped me hugely. I was very confused about panels outputting 37v but then the system being referred to as 12v. You have cleared it all up for me.

So how many panels do I need to pump a 130 Meters deep well and also which controller

I have been using 2 house solar panel 48 v on mppt 12/24/36/48 and never had issue but I have 3 batteries and will charge faster then ctex 25 a

if the voltage could be so high which is it misleadingly called 12V / 24V etc.?

Thank you for the video I will love to follow u on other social media sites, will love to be a friend.

i have been looking for this answer all day thank you!!!!!

hi , im new to solar power , my question is ,,, i have 24v solar panels and a 12 volt battery bank , my charger controller is a eco worthy with the option on 12v or 24v , do i select 12v to match the batterys or 24v to match the solar panel

I like um simple you make your case, very objective! After I find you made my project easy!

With the charge controller regulating the voltage down from 24v to a 12v output for the batteries, would that mean the amps would go up slightly? Eg. 100w/24v= 4.16A
100w/12v= 8.33A

love yor videos

I have a 48 volt ebike, what do I need for a solar panel

Great video

Very helpful. As a beginner I was asking myself that question and its not usually explicitly mentioned. Thank you!

thank you so so much, really cleared all my doubt, now i can again work on what i started...

Does the rule that the "maximum voltage a solar array can send an MPPT charge controller MUST BE below the maximum threshold the MPPT charge controller can handle" also apply to PWM charge controllers?

Very well done. Motorcycle camping solar builds with both 24v and 12v use’s. Many of us have 34v 90w sleep machines. Without heat and humidity around 20 watts. Another video idea. Thanks

Great video Nate. On my last van, I used a single 275 watt panel with about a 39 VOC wired to solar charge controller connected to 3 ea 200ah 12 volt AGM Batteries wired together in parallel. I used this to power a 48 quart Engel refrigerator and lights and to charge cameras, laptops phones. It worked fine 6 months of the year, but poorly in the winter. I wanted to add a DC to DC charger to use the alternator, but the cost sort of held me back. The large cables alone for 12 volt was both expensive and seemed a bit of a challenge to run so I never did it.
I'm now about to do a new van. I understand much better how to do it and maybe do it much better. i decided to spend the extra money and use lithium batteries and a single 440 watt panel (52 VOC). I'm wondering if I could or should make my battery bank 24 or 48 volt? I think I could use 10 guage instead 2 or 4 guage that I would need for the 12 volt alternator. Is there a reason I shouldn't?

How do we get hold of you for one on one help ??

Thanks for putting out these informative videos. Those of us going off grid need help as it can be so confusing what to buy.

Honestly I am asking for help....I have a DC 48v 1800w ebike controller and need to change the 4 12 12 batteries and don't want to blow it...lol

I have six 48volt 450 watt panels they confuse me as I am a 12volt guy. Please do a video on wiring and components.