Portable solar for limited current draw

ohhell10339 wrote:
I want to be able to generate enough power to run my laptop and keep a couple of lights inside the RV lit.

1. Will a 100 watt portable solar array do it? Or will I need 200? (Let's assume that I'll usually have sunlight.)
2. What's the easiest way to use the DC output of the panel(s) to light the interior of the rig (and maybe run things like a fan and/or the water pump)? In a rig that doesn't have a generator, where would the interface be? (I assume it would be horribly inefficient to run the output through an inverter and then connect the inverter to the shore power plug.)
3. Likewise, what would be the mechanism I would use to charge the house batteries with the panels' output? Keeping in mind I want all this to be portable, so no permanent hard wiring.

100 watts would be about minimum assuming the lights are LED and the laptop is not running 18 hours a day. Could be 200 is not enough but start with 100 and see what goes.

The interface is a solar controller. You connect the controller output to the RV battery, then connect the solar panel to the controller input. You can use battery terminal clamps and other quick connectors to make it all plug and play. Controller should be close to the battery.

To power the laptop a small 200 to 300 watt inverter can supply 120v to the OEM brick or you can get a DC/DC converter specific to your laptop. This will draw from the RV battery to keep the laptop charged and/or running.

https://www.solarblvd.com/product-category/solar-panels-systems/
( I like the 320 watt for $369 as a best value ;) )