50 amp hours in a day is significant for an RV. At 13 volts, that's about 50 amp hours in a day. A 100 watt panel with high efficiency solar cells will produce up to 30% more power in a 24 hour period or 100 watts x 6.5 effective hours or 650 watt hours of power in a day. At 13 volts that's about 38 amp hours in a day.

A 100 watt solar panel with average efficiency solar cells may produce 100 watts x 5 hours or 500 watt hours of power in a day. The average is computed based on the seasonal sun angle and the sun angle from morning through evening. Let's say you cruise in an area that receives an average of 5 hours of full sun a day. An important consideration in determining how much solar power you need is how many watt hours or amp hours of power you can expect to generate in a 24 hour period.

High quality high performance solar cells will produce more power at various sun angles than lower quality solar cells up to 30% more power.

The Importance of Solar Cell Quality - Not All 100 Watt Solar Panels Are Created Equal - Though more expensive, our customers have reported that our solar panels often outperform the performance rating on the panel label. Less expensive Class B and C panels are often used on land based solar farms where space is not an issue. We at CMP specify only the best Class A-9 (A+) solar cells for use in our panels which results in a panel efficiency of 16-24%. Solar cell quality follows a bell curve there are many more Class B solar cells than Class A. Class A (and A+) solar cells are grades 8-10, Class B solar cells are grades 4-7 and so on. Solar cells are passed under a standard light source and graded as to their output (1-10). The quality of the solar cells used in solar panels is a key factor in determining the panel output. Panel Solar Cell Quality - Because RVs have a relatively confined space, maximum power output per surface area is very important. The premium monocrystalline SunPower cells used in our solar panels provide the best all around performance of any solar cells on the market. It is important to note that today's newer high quality polycrystalline panels perform within 5% of monocrystalline panels in full sun. Polycrystalline panels tend to have a lower output per square inch in direct sun but are not as sensitive to being shaded. They can be sensitive to shading and output may degrade faster on cloudy days. Monocrystalline panels have a higher output per square inch in direct sun. There are pros and cons to each type of panel. Polycrystalline panels are made using silicon wafers that have a multiple crystalline structure. Monocrystalline panels are made up of single crystal silicon wafers. Panel Type - There are many articles written on the two types of solar panels also referred to as photovoltaic panels (PV) monocrystalline and polycrystalline.

Walkable roof panels