Tips for Choosing the Right Solar Panel for Your Trailer

Young people around the world are turning to the open road, searching for adventure. Nobody wants to work boring jobs anymore. The internet has given an entire generation the ability to work from anywhere, doing things they love and are passionate about. Working in an office is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Trailers are most people’s preferred accommodation on the road as they are spacious and affordable. However, powering trailers can be difficult. Solar energy is by far the most efficient and this post will tell you how to arrange it for your trailer:

Considering Cost

Whenever you are planning on making a purchase of any kind, the first consideration that should be made is cost. Most people are struggling financially right now. Solar panels are not cheap, even if they are being added to enclosed trailers with living quarters as opposed to houses. That being said, adding solar panels to your trailer will be significantly cheaper than it would be if you were installing them at home; it’s a lot faster to mount solar panels on a trailer than it is on a house too.

Portable Panels

The kind of panels you need for your trailer are not the same ones you would mount on a house; this is something you need to understand before beginning your search. A panel-providing company won’t give you the chance to specify the fact you want panels for a trailer when making an online quote request. You need to find a company that’s already offering trailer panels so you can save yourself the trouble of having to explain it to an agent when they are dispatched to your property and discover it is a trailer, not a house.

Panel Quality

The quality of the panels fitted on your trailer is another consideration that you need to make. Not all solar panels are of equal quality; some are far better than others. Generally, it is the more expensive ones that are best. Considering the fact that you will be saving a fortune on solar panels by fitting them on your trailer and not a house, you may want to go ahead and buy the most expensive, highest-quality panels that you can. The better the quality of your panels the more use you will get out of them.

Local Sunlight

How much sunlight do you get in the area where your trailer is situated? If it’s not a lot then solar panels might not necessarily be the best idea. Solar panels are powered by the sun’s rays and therefore need direct sunlight. If you are going to be traveling however, then solar panels are fine because whilst you may not get sun in some areas, you will in others. If you are unsure how much sun qualifies as enough then reach out to the company you are planning on buying panels from and ask them for help.

Reliable Brand

Consumers have lots of choices no matter what they are buying. The internet is basically just a giant mall. If you are planning on buying solar panels for your trailer then it is a very good idea to stick with a reliable brand, rather than buying them from a company that’s not very well known. Sticking with reliable brands prevents you from getting scammed. One of the main advantages of shopping with reliable brands is that when product defects are identified, they are usually quick to offer returns or refunds. Any complaints can reflect poorly upon their reputation so such brands are quick to bring about resolutions to disputes.

Temperature Durability

It might seem counterintuitive to suggest that some solar panels are not built to withstand high temperatures, but that’s just how it is. Just because solar panels sit under the sun all day does not for a second mean that they are all able to endure scorching temperatures. Some panels are made for this type of weather, however; if you live in a part of the country that experiences extremely hot weather or you will be traveling to or through one, buy solar panels that can stand the heat.

Unit Stability

If you know anything about solar panels, you will know that poorly made or cheap units tend to be very unstable and don’t provide a lot of energy. As somebody who is living on the road and doesn’t have the luxury of using the main power grid when your solar panels aren’t working you need to make sure you are always able to use electricity. The only way to do this is by buying a stable and high-quality unit that collects a lot of energy throughout the day and then allows you to use it whenever you want.

Use Frequency

How often are you planning on using your new solar panels? If you will only be using them once or twice a week or you won’t be living in your trailer full-time then you don’t necessarily need to buy the most expensive panels you can find. In fact, it would be a bad idea to waste money on panels if you aren’t going to be using them much. Spend some time thinking realistically about how much your panels are going to be used so that you can identify what you need to buy and how much you can reasonably set aside.

Mounted Unit

The very last consideration you need to make is whether you want a mounted unit or one that’s detachable. Most trailer residents advise the latter as they are more flexible. You can easily fix detachable panels to a trailer’s roof so you don’t have to worry about not having anywhere to put them when you do want to collect energy. You cannot unfix mounted panels from a trailer, however. If you are going to be driving a lot then it’s a good idea to get detachable panels so you do not damage them when you are on the road. If you drive with a mounted unit attached to the roof of your trailer it could fall off and break or damage somebody else’s car. It may not be legal to tow a trailer with a solar panel attached in your state.

Individuals living nomadic lifestyles, traveling the country in trailers and not staying in any one place for more than a week, can benefit greatly from having their own solar panels. Solar panels are a renewable and sustainable source of energy that can power trailers, ensuring residents have energy throughout the year. Living in a trailer does not mean that you go without the luxuries of a house, like electricity and heat.