What size solar panel for camping should you choose?

The best morning at camp is when the cooler is still cold, the coffee can be made, and your phone has power – even when the nearest outlet is many miles away. But how big a solar panel for camping do you actually need? The answer depends less on how long you dream of being away, and more on how much power you actually use every day.

A panel that is too small quickly creates limitations. An unnecessarily large setup takes up more space, costs more, and isn't always necessary for a weekend trip. By taking a realistic look at your consumption, the season, and the way you camp, you can find a solution that offers freedom without weighing down your car with technology.

Start with your daily power consumption

Before choosing the wattage of your solar panel, you need to know your consumption in watt-hours, abbreviated Wh. Watts tell you how much power a device uses right now. Watt-hours tell you how much energy it uses over time. It's the watt-hours that determine how much power your battery and solar panel need to be able to handle.

A mobile charger typically doesn't use much power, but a compressor cooler can be the biggest consumer in a camping setup. This is especially true on hot summer days when the cooler works harder. A power station, lights, fan, tablet, cameras, and perhaps a laptop can also add up, even if each item seems modest.

You can calculate consumption like this:

Device's wattage x hours in use = consumption in Wh.

For example, if you use a 45 W laptop for three hours, it uses approximately 135 Wh. A 5 W lamp that is on for four hours uses 20 Wh. For a refrigerator, the calculation is more indicative because the compressor turns on and off. Here, the manufacturer's stated daily consumption is often a better starting point.

Add up all your devices for a typical camping day. Then, it's a good idea to add 20-30 percent extra. There is always some loss during charging, variations in weather, and the extra phone that needs to be charged after a long day of photos and navigation.

How big a solar panel for camping suits your needs?

For most car campers, 100 W, 200 W, or 400 W are the most relevant sizes. This doesn't mean that one number fits all. A weekend trip in Danish summer weather has completely different requirements than a week in the shoulder season with a cooler, working remotely, and several people in the car.

100 W for the simple weekend setup

A 100 W solar panel is a good place to start if you primarily want to keep phones, headlamps, cameras, and a small power station running. It can be a good solution for short trips where you also drive every day or every other day, and thus can charge via the car's 12 V outlet.

On a bright summer day, a 100 W panel, under good conditions, can provide enough for smaller electronics and a little extra for the battery. But don't expect it to constantly deliver 100 W. Panel angle, shade, clouds, temperature, and time of day all have a big impact. If you have a cooler, 100 W is often on the low side, unless your power consumption is otherwise very limited.

200 W for coolers and several days of freedom

A 200 W solar panel is for many the most versatile size for camping in a car, rooftop tent, or campervan. It provides better opportunities to power a compressor cooler, charge phones and cameras, and use lights and smaller electronics without having to think about power every hour.

It's an obvious choice for couples and small families who want to stay put in nature for several days. In good summer weather, 200 W can often recover a good portion of the day's consumption. On overcast days, there is still production, but much less, so your battery needs to be able to take over.

If your trip typically consists of two to four nights at the same spot with a cooler and general comfort, 200 W in combination with a suitable power station or leisure battery will often be a strong starting point.

400 W for more comfort and longer stays

400 W makes sense when power is an important part of camp life. This could be if you are traveling for a long time, using a large cooler, charging e-bike batteries to a lesser extent, working from the car, or if there are several people with many devices. It's also an advantage if you want to be less dependent on driving the car to charge.

However, a larger panel setup doesn't generate power by itself during a Danish autumn week under heavy cloud cover. It increases the chance of recharging the battery, but the battery capacity must still match your consumption. If you have a large panel but too small a battery, you cannot store enough solar energy for the evening and night.

Solar panel and power station must match

The solar panel is the producer, while the power station or leisure battery is your energy storage. Both must be sized correctly. It's a classic mistake to only focus on the panel's wattage.

For example, if your daily consumption is around 500 Wh, a power station of 500 Wh is rarely enough for several days without charging. In practice, you use the entire capacity in one day. A model with around 1,000 Wh provides much more peace of mind and flexibility, especially when the weather changes.

Always check how many watts your power station can receive via the solar input. Some smaller models may only be able to receive a maximum of 100 W or 200 W. If you connect a larger panel, you won't necessarily get more charge than the unit can handle. Panel, cable, connectors, and input must match so that the system is both safe and makes the most of the sun.

Fixed or foldable panel?

A fixed panel on the roof, roof rack, or campervan is practical because it charges while you drive and while you are stationary. You don't have to set it up, and you get continuous power throughout the day. On the other hand, it lies flat, and flat panels do not always utilize the sun optimally. Shade from trees, a rooftop tent, or a roof box can also significantly reduce performance.

A foldable or portable solar panel can be placed directly towards the sun while the car is in the shade. This is a real advantage on hot days when you want to keep the cooler and sleeping area out of the sun. You can continuously move the panel to catch the light better.

The practical downside is that it needs to be unpacked, secured against wind, and monitored. A loose panel is not something you leave by the car when you go for a hike. Many therefore choose a foldable panel for flexibility or combine a fixed panel with an option for extra, mobile solar energy on longer trips.

Danish weather requires some leeway in calculations

The manufacturer's stated wattage is measured under ideal test conditions. On a perfectly sunny day, a 200 W panel can perform well, but in reality, the result varies. Summer is clearly the easiest, while spring and autumn require a larger energy margin. Winter camping with solar panels alone is possible for very sparse consumption, but rarely the most reliable plan if the cooler and comfort need to run stably.