Solar Panel Size Calculator for Campervans & Off-Grid Systems
Use this calculator to estimate daily energy usage and recommended solar panel size for campervans, vans and off-grid systems. Add your appliances below, choose your system settings and get a practical solar panel recommendation with a simple cable suggestion.
Enter your system details
Based on your selected appliances, a practical solar array size is around 300W for a typical campervan setup.
Recommended MKGT solar cable products
After estimating your solar panel size, choose a suitable PV cable for the panel to controller run.
Good fit for smaller campervan arrays and shorter cable runs where current is lower.
View 4mm solar cable →Better suited to longer runs or larger solar arrays where reducing voltage drop matters more.
View 6mm solar cable →Typical solar panel sizes for campervans
These examples give a quick sense of what different solar array sizes are commonly used for.
| Setup type | Typical daily use | Typical solar range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fridge only / very light use | 300–500Wh/day | 150–200W | Best for simple weekend setups and light charging. |
| Weekend van | 500–800Wh/day | 200–300W | Suitable for lights, fridge, USB charging and light extras. |
| Full campervan | 800–1400Wh/day | 300–500W | More suitable for regular fridge use, fan, laptop and daily living loads. |
| Heavy off-grid use | 1400Wh+/day | 500W+ | Useful when long autonomy and higher daily demand matter. |
You may also find these tools useful
Solar sizing is often only one part of the system. These tools help with battery planning, cable sizing and fuse selection.
Frequently asked questions
What size solar panel do I need for a campervan fridge?
That depends on the fridge power, duty cycle and the rest of your daily electrical usage. For lighter setups, many vans start around 150W to 200W, while fuller setups often move into the 250W to 400W range.
Is 200W of solar enough for a campervan?
It can be enough for lighter weekend use, especially with a fridge, lighting and phone charging. For heavier daily use, more solar is often needed to keep up consistently.
Should I choose 4mm or 6mm solar cable?
4mm² is often suitable for smaller systems and shorter runs. 6mm² is usually the better choice for longer runs or higher-current arrays where voltage drop matters more.
Why does UK weather matter for solar sizing?
Peak sun hours change a lot with season, cloud and panel angle. A conservative sun-hours setting usually gives a more realistic result for day-to-day UK campervan use.