Going off-grid in Australia requires understanding your power needs before buying any solar equipment. This guide cuts through the marketing noise to explain what you actually need.
How Much Solar Do You Need?
A typical two-person caravan setup uses approximately 50-70Ah per day without air conditioning. A 200W solar panel in good Australian sunshine generates approximately 60-80Ah per day.
Recommended Setup: 300W Panel + 200Ah Lithium
For genuine off-grid capability with a margin for cloudy days, a 300W panel paired with a 200Ah lithium battery provides comfortable camping for two people.
Top Performing Solar Panels Tested
- Enerdrive 200W Rigid: Best value rigid panel. $280-320 retail.
- Baintech 200W Flexible: Best flexible option for curved roof installations. $380-420 retail.
- Redarc 200W Fixed: Premium price but exceptional build quality. $450-500 retail.
Solar Controllers: MPPT vs PWM
Always choose an MPPT controller over PWM for caravan use. MPPT controllers are 20-30% more efficient and pay for themselves quickly.
Protect Your Camping & Landowner Journey
Whether you camp, host, or operate – COA.Camp connects you with Australia’s trusted cooperative insurance programs for campgrounds, caravans, landowners and rural properties.