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RV Solar & Battery Calculator

Estimate daily electricity, battery storage and solar before shopping.

View energy estimate682 Wh/day from the inputs below. Edit examples for your devices.

Your appliance estimates

Example loads, not measurements of your devices. Replace them with measured or manual values and add any omitted loads.

For a cycling fridge, hours means equivalent hours drawing the entered running watts, not simply time plugged in.

Appliance 1

Appliance label

Running watts (W)Hours per day (h)Power source

Appliance 2

Appliance label

Running watts (W)Hours per day (h)Power source

Appliance 3

Appliance label

Running watts (W)Hours per day (h)Power source

Appliance 4

Appliance label

Running watts (W)Hours per day (h)Power source

Appliance 5

Appliance label

Running watts (W)Hours per day (h)Power source

5 / 24 rows

Days without charging (days)Peak sun hours per day (h)

Peak sun hours are equivalent full-strength sunlight, not daylight hours.

Assumptions

Editable assumptions, not measured efficiency. Default usable capacity leaves a 20% reserve.

Inverter efficiency (%)Usable battery capacity (%)Solar yield factor (%)

Appliance inputs stay on this page. They are not saved, sent or included in the URL. We record usage actions and optional feedback without those inputs.

Your energy estimate

Battery-side daily energy: 682 Wh/day; Includes AC conversion loss. DC: 540 Wh; AC before conversion: 120 Wh.
Nominal storage for 1 no-charge day(s): 852 Wh / 67 Ah; At 12.8V nominal, using 80% of capacity.
Panels to replace one average day of use: 228 W; Not sized to refill several depleted days at once. Required sizes are rounded up.

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Educational energy planning, not circuit design or a fit guarantee. This omits startup surge, simultaneous watts, inverter idle draw, other loads and actual weather. Energy sufficiency does not confirm inverter rating, wiring, battery BMS, controller or vehicle compatibility. It does not guarantee air conditioning will run.

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Energy comparison only

Two existing catalog examples. Even a passing number is not an installation recommendation. For larger needs, ask a qualified RV installer, rather than buying multiples based on this estimate.

Falls short of the energy estimate

Renogy 200W 12V Starter Solar Panel Kit

200W estimates 600 Wh/day. Daily balance: -81.2 Wh.

Two 100W panels and a 30A PWM controller for a compatible 12V battery system. Confirm roof space and installation needs.

Catalog notes

$290 reference (Oct 2026)

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Meets the energy estimate only

Renogy Core Mini 12.8V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery (1 pack)

One 12.8V 100Ah battery estimates 1,024 usable Wh, about 1.5 days at this usage. Compared with 1 no-charge day(s).

A 12.8V 100Ah LiFePO4 house-battery example for a compatible 12V system, not an engine-starting battery.

Confirm a lithium-compatible converter/charger, battery-bay fit, cable/fuse ratings and the 100A continuous discharge limit. Charging is blocked below 32°F (0°C).

Catalog notes

The Core Mini measures 9.02 x 5.43 x 8.39 in. Its smaller case is not a guaranteed drop-in fit; check mounting and terminal clearance. Do not mix battery models in a bank.
No self-heating. Renogy lists a 5-year prorated warranty; the Battle Born alternative lists 10 years. Confirm current terms before buying.
About $308 for one battery, checked October 15, 2026. Charger upgrades, cables and installation are extra; the Battle Born range is the earlier October reference snapshot.

$308 reference (Oct 2026)

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Method and sources

Daily energy uses watts × equivalent running hours, with inverter loss applied only to AC loads. Nominal battery storage uses the selected no-charge days and usable fraction; Ah uses 12.8V nominal. Solar replaces one average day using peak sun hours and the yield factor. The 85% inverter efficiency, 80% usable battery capacity, 75% solar yield factor, one day and four peak sun hours are our adjustable defaults, not sourced measurements or product testing.

Renogy: System sizing
Daily watt-hours, solar-sizing losses and battery-storage planning.
US Department of Energy: Measuring standby power
Measure variable and standby loads rather than relying on examples.
Renogy Core Mini battery specifications
Manufacturer specifications for the catalog battery example, not evidence of hands-on testing.

rvkitcheck.com
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Your RV energy budget

These are your current calculator inputs and adjustable assumptions. They are estimates, not measurements or an installation design.

Appliance inputs

For cycling appliances, hours means equivalent time drawing the entered running watts.

Appliance	Running W	Hours/day	Source
LED lights (example)	10	4	DC
USB charging (example)	10	2	DC
Vent fan (example)	20	4	DC
Laptop on inverter (example)	60	2	AC via inverter
12V compressor fridge (example)	50	8	DC

Assumptions

1 day(s) without charging; 4 peak sun hours/day; 85% inverter efficiency; 80% usable battery capacity; 75% solar yield factor. Battery calculations use 12.8V nominal.

Energy estimate

Daily battery-side energy: 682 Wh each day
Nominal storage for 1 no-charge day(s): 852 Wh nominal / 67 Ah at 12.8V
Solar to replace one average day: At least 228 W

Required sizes are rounded up. Solar is not sized to recover several depleted days at once.

Energy comparisons, not installation recommendations

200W array: about 600 Wh/day, a daily balance of -81.2 Wh. This does not cover the estimated daily energy.

One 12.8V 100Ah battery: 1,024 usable Wh at your selected fraction, about 1.5 days at this usage. This covers the selected time by energy only.

Before buying: This omits startup surge, simultaneous watts, inverter idle draw, other loads and actual weather. It does not confirm inverter rating, BMS, wiring, controller, charging or vehicle compatibility, or guarantee air conditioning. Follow equipment manuals and consult a qualified RV installer.

Method: watts × equivalent running hours, with inverter loss applied only to AC loads. Nominal battery Wh = daily Wh × days ÷ usable fraction. Solar W = daily Wh ÷ peak sun hours ÷ yield factor. The adjustable defaults are planning assumptions, not product test results. Calculator and sources: rvkitcheck.com/power-planner.