Adding Solar Power to Your Camper Van Setup

So, you’ve got a leisure battery setup in your camper. You’re loving the freedom of having power on tap for lights, phone charging, and all the creature comforts. But here’s the problem: that battery only charges when you’re driving.

What if you want to park up for a few days? What if you’re wild camping in a stunning spot and you don’t want to move the van just to charge the battery? Enter solar power. And before you think “that sounds complicated and expensive,” let me stop you right there. Adding a basic solar setup to Jenny was honestly one of the easiest upgrades I’ve done.

Why Solar Makes Sense for Campers

• Battery stays topped up without driving — Perfect for long weekends parked up
• Stay off-grid longer — No need to find campsites with electric hookups
• Free energy — After the initial cost, the sun doesn’t send invoices
• Peace of mind — Even if you’re only using a bit of power, it’s being replaced all day

The Kit I Went With

Eco-Worthy 120W Solar Panel →

This was my starting panel—120 watts of monocrystalline solar goodness. Good power-to-size ratio, quality build, and affordable. The panel is super thin and flexible, which is perfect for a campervan. For storage, it just sits under the spare cushion at the rear of the van. Just slots in there and takes up no room at all. So you can just grab it and plug it in when you park up — and start harnessing the power of the sun straight away!

The package also included a charge controller (essential—you can’t just wire a panel straight to your battery), cables, and connectors. Basically, everything you need to get started.

Future plans: I’m seriously considering getting a second identical panel for the summer months. Two panels would double my charging capacity, which would be brilliant for longer trips or running a fridge.

My Approach: Keep It Simple (and Portable)

I didn’t permanently mount the panel to Jenny’s roof with brackets, sealant, and cables running through the pop-top. Why?

1. Flexibility — A portable panel can be positioned in the sun even if the van’s in shade
2. Security — I can bring the panel inside when parked up
3. Simplicity — No drilling holes or permanent modifications to my freshly restored van
4. Testing first — Wanted to see if solar worked for my needs before committing to roof holes

So my setup is beautifully, wonderfully simple: When we’re parked up, I just grab it from under the cushion, plug it in, and leave it out to soak up the sun’s rays!

How It All Connects

Solar Panel → Charge Controller → Leisure Battery

The Charge Controller

This is the brains of the operation. It sits between the panel and the battery and does three critical jobs:

1. Regulates the charge — Makes sure your battery gets a steady, safe charge
2. Prevents overcharging — Stops or reduces charge when battery’s full
3. Prevents reverse drain — Stops power flowing back from battery to panel at night

The controller that came with the Eco-Worthy kit is a PWM type, which is perfectly fine for a single 120W panel. If I go bigger in future, I might upgrade to MPPT for better efficiency.

Installation: The Actual Process

Step 1: Mount the Charge Controller

Mounted inside the van on the sidewall panel near the leisure battery. Small unit (about the size of a paperback book), screwed to the panel. Five minutes, maybe.

Step 2: Wire the Battery First

Connect the battery to the controller before the solar panel—this lets the controller detect battery voltage and configure itself. 2.5mm² cable, positive with an inline 15A fuse near the battery.

Step 3: Connect the Solar Panel

The panel has pre-fitted MC4 connectors that just click together with the controller cable. Literally plug and play. Carried the panel outside, laid it in the sun, went back to check the controller.

What I Learned in Practice

• ☀️ Works even on cloudy days — Not as well, but even on overcast British days, 1-2 amps going into the battery
• 📐 Angle matters — Angling the panel towards the sun can double output. I reposition throughout the day
• 🔌 Portable is genuinely convenient — Can put the panel wherever the sun is, even if the van’s in shade
• 🔋 Battery stays healthy — Slow, steady trickle charge is ideal for AGM batteries
• 📊 Monitoring is addictive — I check that charge controller way too often
• 🌧️ Bring it in when you leave — Takes 30 seconds to unplug and slide back under the cushion

Real-World Performance

• Full sunny day: ~40-60Ah back into the battery over 8-10 hours. Covers daily use and adds charge
• Partly cloudy: ~20-30Ah. Still useful
• Properly overcast: ~5-10Ah. Extends battery life, slows the drain

In practice: I can comfortably wild camp for 3-4 days without driving, running lights, charging devices, and using a small 12v fridge, and the battery stays above 50% charge. That’s the sweet spot for battery health.

What I’d Do Differently

1. Buy a battery monitor sooner — A little display showing voltage, current, and amp-hours. Wish I’d had it from the start
2. Get longer cables — The supplied ones are fine for roof-to-controller, but a 5m extension is handy for positioning flexibility
3. Add the second panel from the start — Two 120W panels would be perfect. Still, starting with one was a good way to learn

Is Solar Worth It?

Absolutely, unequivocally, yes.

For the price (the Eco-Worthy panel and controller cost less than two nights on a campsite with hookup), the improvement in freedom and convenience is massive. I’m no longer tied to driving every day or seeking out campsites. I can park up somewhere beautiful and just be there for a few days without worrying about the battery.

If you’ve already got a leisure battery setup and you’re thinking about solar, my advice is simple: just do it. Start with a single portable panel, learn how it works, and expand from there.

The sun might not always shine in Britain, but when it does, you might as well make the most of it. ☀️🚐⚡

— Mike & Jenny

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