We’ve been considering getting solar panels installed on our motorhome for a while now. We were hesitant because they looked a little big and intimidating, and we didn’t know that much about a solar system or if they were worth the cost.
Since we reviewed a solar panel kit from BougeRV, we’ve become pretty knowledgeable about solar panel kits. So when we heard about a solar panel kit that was created by Renogy, we were super excited to review it. Take a look at the outline below and see what you find. You may be surprised by what we found.
200 WATT 12 VOLT SOLAR PANEL STARTER KIT
One of the most affordable solar panels with great output. They are a great option if you’re looking to add solar to your RV or van. If you just need solar panels, these are a great option.
About The Bougerv Solar Panels
BougeRV started sometime around 2007, and they sell an array of different solar power kits and options. As we started to learn more about what these apps do, we started to learn more and more what they can do for us.
Amazon sells solar panels, solar kits, solar controllers, and all the accessories needed for your solar setup. They currently sell solar starter kits that range from 400 watts to 100 watts, and have fantastic customer service.
Getting Our Bougerv Solar Panel
Once we’d selected the solar kit, we were interested in the kit being shipped and arrived very quickly. We usually order directly from Amazon because we get so many incredible deals on their fast shipping. BougeRV shipped our panels very quickly, and they arrived in good shape.
We were very impressed with the quality of everything in the kit. Not only was it well made and built-to-last, but we especially liked the solar panels. I don’t know what to tell you, other than to say that, when it comes to solar panel kits, I’d rather have the Renogy kit. This is a high-quality kit that comes with both black and red cables, as they should.
The Renogy kit came with black wire. This might not seem like a big deal, but when you’re on the roof of your motorhome, it’s very easy to get confused about which wire to use for the positive and which for the negative terminal.
It had a nice little backlit screen that would display the charging status. It comes with USB ports so you can charge your phone, use the USB port, or use the charger.
My first Renogy LED light was very simple to set up. It had no screen or USB charging option that would have enabled it to display more detailed information. I would recommend this device to those looking for basic and easy to use lighting solutions.
Our last observation, the BougeRV screws and hardware are all stainless steel. This is how they should be because they won’t rust over time. The other Renogy kit screws weren’t made of stainless steel.
Bougerv Solar Panel Sizes
There are a couple of different sizes of solar panels. The three panels of the solar power system provide approximately 3.6 kilowatts of energy. We had a solar panel installed which gave us up to 200 watts of solar power. This allowed us to charge our phones and keep our devices powered up, even when the sun went down.
You don’t need a bunch of solar panels. We just had one 200-watt solar panel to start off with. The solar setup was so much easier with the addition of these solar panels. It makes it easy to add additional panels to the system later. We added four more panels, bringing the total up to 400 watts.
If you’re looking for portable solar panels or flexible solar panels to charge a power station, BougeRV is another great option. Check out BougeRV’s website. You’ll find a wide range of high quality products that includes a portable power station, a solar generator, a foldable solar panel, and portable refrigeration units.
Benefits of Solar Panels
Solar panels are great for any RV that you want to make more energy-efficient. They’ll keep your batteries charged. This is a big deal. I know of several RVers who have had a similar problem and their batteries died. It happens more than you might think. We had our solar system installed, but it didn’t seem like it was charging our batteries at night.
It’s easy to take for granted what the little black square on your phone or tablet is. But we didn’t. We took a look inside and found it filled with lithium-ion batteries. We got the solar panel installed and we’re super happy about it.
If you know anything about RV batteries, you know that it’s important to keep them charged and to avoid fully discharging them. We’ll save a lot of money on RV batteries by installing the BougeRV kit.
Installing Our Bougerv Solar Panel
Installing our 200-watt BougeRV solar panel was surprisingly easy. Your solar panels are easy to install. Don’t let your fear of installing them keep you from making a change in your. Finding the bolts on the roof that would ensure the solar panel wouldn’t move was the most challenging part of installing the panels
We put a small piece of angle iron on the panel to ensure everything would be fastened to the roof. The following are the steps that you need to take to install your BougeRV solar panel kits.
Installation Steps
Step 1: Determine where to place the solar panel and the solar controller.
We moved the wires above the batteries because it made running them easier.
Step 2: Attach the solar panel to the roof and connect the included solar panel wires.
After step 2, you’ll have to drill the holes through the roof of your car.
You can either drill from the inside or roof of your motorhome. We drilled holes in the walls to allow for wires to run through so that you’ll know exactly where to put your products and accessories If you go through with the wire, make sure you use a good lap sealant to protect any small holes. Step four is drilling through the plastic to put the wires in place.
Attach the controller to the RV, and connect the wires. The first step to connect these two together is the easy one because the connector is easy to see. The solar panel plugs into the solar panel side of the controller.
Then the battery cables connect to the battery side of the controller. We chose to mount the solar controler on the inside of our motorhome by the driver’s seat. Mount the controller anywhere you’d like in your RV.
Don’t worry about the fact that your batteries are dead. It’s time for you to go, now. We added an inverter to our solar system so we could charge our laptop when the battery is flat. This is the sixth and last step of setting up your solar system.
Make sure you add lap sealant in all the places where you drilled. You can also screw things on top of your RV. This will make sure you don’t have any leaks and that the roof is sealed properly.
Review: How Our Bougerv Solar Panels Perform
We are very happy with the BougeRV solar kit. You can buy one of their solar kits, solar panels, or other products with confidence because we’ve had a great experience using their products. We’ve got all kinds of stuff now that we couldn’t do without electricity.
For example, we can run the TV and DVD player. We can cook a camping crockpot meal while we are out exploring. It’s not possible to charge electronics or use an extra monitor while we’re working remotely. We don’t need to worry about running out of battery power after a week of boondocking.
The BougeRV solar panels are definitely worth buying. They’ve been a great product and we’re excited to use their products in the future. We have already recommended you use BougeRV to do your energy needs.
200 WATT 12 VOLT SOLAR PANEL STARTER KIT
One of the most affordable solar panels with great output. They are a great option if you’re looking to add solar to your RV or van. If you just need solar panels, these are a great option.
Conclusion: Bougerv Solar Panel
With BougeRV, from our experience, you will be able to get your solar system up and running easily.
This product is excellent. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast looking for solar outdoor equipment, someone who is going on an extended road trip, or just someone who wants to keep your batteries charged, a solar kit from BougerV is going to be one of the best ways to make it happen.