5 Reasons Why Portable Solar Might Be Right For You

Are you looking to add more solar capacity to a rooftop system you already have?

Or shopping for your first solar power system? 

Portable solar is a simple, powerful, and cost effective option for either situation. 

Here are 5 reasons it might be right for you:

1. You want to add capacity to an existing rooftop installation, because you want to camp unplugged longer.

A portable solar system adds capacity to an existing rooftop solar system. Both systems contribute to charging the batteries, increasing your effective charging capacity.

2. You don't want a complex installation that involves wiring and drilling

Portable solar is an incredibly simple option that requires no wiring, no drilling, no service appointment, and no technician.

Simply unfold and set the panels in the sun, plug them into a charge controller, and plug that into the Airstream's solar port. Seriously, that's it. Plug in the system when you need it–store it when you don't.

And despite the solar plug sticker that says "Use Zamp panels only," you can absolutely plug in and use other brands of portable solar–such as the AIR GEAR Portable Solar Kit. Our kit was specifically designed for Airstreams.

If your Airstream doesn't have a solar port, no problem. There's an inexpensive adapter to connect the panels to your Airstream's 7-way power cord. We offer it as an add-on to our Portable Solar Kit.

3. You don't want to spend a fortune.

Rooftop solar has its advantages. But once you've got a rooftop installation, adding capacity requires thousands of dollars in hardware and labor. 

If you'd prefer to spend less, portable solar is a great choice. For cost effectiveness and efficiency per watt, it's really hard to beat. For example, our AIR GEAR Portable Solar Kit will only set you back $599.

3. You want to keep your Airstream in the shade when it's hot, but still use solar to charge the batteries

With a rooftop installation you can't do that. But with portable solar, you can.

For example, at Chiricahua National Monument in Southern Arizona, nearly every campsite is shaded. And, there are no hookups. This is a campground where portable solar beats rooftop solar, because the panels can be placed/moved to places where the sun shines through, like this:

Because portable solar panels are well, portable, they can be deployed in a sunny spot away from the Airstream–and be moved throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky.

The ability for your Airstream to stay in the shade while the panels capture solar gain in the sun why you might want to augment a rooftop solar system, which only works when the roof of the Airstream is in full sun.

5. You want the option to reposition the panels to achieve the highest solar gain

Rooftop solar panels always point straight up, which does not maximize the amount of solar energy they collect.

Portable solar panels can be angled higher or lower to take advantage of the angle of the sun. Add that to the fact that the portability allows you to move them with the sun's trajectory and you've got a combination that optimizes solar gain in ways stationary, rooftop solar systems can't.