12V Solar Panels

12V Solar Panels: Rigid, Flexible and Folding Panels for 12V Battery Banks

A 12v solar panel is the standard building block for charging a 12V battery through a charge controller. Sizes here run from 50W for a boat or trickle-charge duty up to 250W for a van roof, and formats include rigid glass panels, a flexible panel that conforms to a curved roof, and folding briefcase kits with the controller built in. This is the collection for RV owners replacing a factory panel, van builders planning a roof array, and cabin owners who want a cheap, proven way to keep a battery full.

There are 14 products from Rich Solar and EcoFlow, priced from $69 for the MEGA 50 to $430 for a 200W briefcase kit. Nine are in stock today; the EcoFlow 100W rigid panel, the MEGA FLEX 80W CIGS and the black MEGA 100 portable are sold out.

How to choose a 12V panel

• Rigid, flexible or folding. Rigid panels such as the Rich Solar MEGA 200W 12V Monocrystalline Solar Panel are the durable choice for a permanent roof mount; the MEGA 200 is rated for 35mm hail, 2,400Pa wind and 5,400Pa snow load. The Rich Solar MEGA 100W FLEX weighs 4.8 lb and bends to sit flush on a curved fiberglass roof or boat deck. Folding briefcase kits are for people who park in shade and carry the panel into the sun.
• Wattage per square foot. Roof space is the limit on most rigs. The Rich Solar MEGA 250W 12V uses N-type TOPCon cells at up to 25.1% efficiency in a footprint 10% smaller than a standard 250W panel. The MEGA 150 reaches 25.3% cell efficiency for the same reason.
• Shape. The Rich Solar MEGA 100W SLIM is a narrow 50 x 15.7 inch panel that fits between a roof fan and an AC unit on a Class B van where a square panel will not.
• Controller included or separate. The MEGA 100 and MEGA 200 briefcase kits have a waterproof 10A or 20A controller built into the panel and plug straight into a battery. Bare panels need a separate controller sized to the array.
• Smallest option. The Rich Solar MEGA 50W is the smallest 12v solar panel here, sized for a boat, a gate opener or a trailer that sits between trips.

Popular picks in this collection

Setup and usage tips

• Work out the panel count from your daily load and location with the Solar Kit Calculator. A 12v solar panel kit that is one panel short leaves the battery low every morning.
• Match the controller to the array. Two MEGA 200 panels in parallel need a controller rated well above the combined current; do not reuse the 10A unit from a briefcase kit.
• Small 12v solar panels wired in parallel keep working when one is shaded; a series string drops with the weakest panel.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a 12V panel with a 24V battery? Not on its own. Two identical 12V panels in series feed a 24V bank through an MPPT controller. The briefcase kits are 12V only because the controller is built in.

How many 100W panels does an RV need? For a fridge, lights and a fan, two to three 100W panels on a 200Ah lithium bank is a common setup. Add more for a sustained laptop or TV habit.

Which is better for a boat, the 50W rigid or the 100W FLEX? The MEGA 50 is enough to keep a house battery topped up between outings. The MEGA 100 FLEX is for a boat where you draw power daily and need a panel that fits a curved deck.

Panels ship free to the mainland US from our brand partner warehouses, usually within a few business days, with 30-day returns. Call us with your roof dimensions and battery size and we will sort out the panel count and controller.