It’s an awning. It’s a giant solar panel. And we’re told it’s also a world’s first. Australian RV has secured the exclusive rights to distribute in Australia what could be a bit of a game-changer when it comes to living off-grid, with more solar input to your van’s lithium batteries than you could shake a stick at.
The Flexible Solar Awning by overseas company Luxury Awnings certainly takes solar power to the next level. Imagine all of the real estate offered by your van’s awning, and now picture it as one giant solar panel. Effectively, that’s what we have here.
Let’s look at the specs. The Flexible Solar Awning is so far available in two sizes: 12ft and 16ft, though Australian RV is aiming to offer it in a 19ft format soon. The 12ft awning weighs 63kg, while the 16ft unit weighs 77kg. That sounds like a lot, but as Australian RV’s Rod Francis said, for anyone intending to use the Solar Awning as a replacement for roof-mounted panels, you may be able to achieve a net weight gain of just 10kg, noting as well the weight saved by not fitting a conventional awning.
That said, there’s absolutely no reason that you can’t use the Solar Awning in conjunction with your van’s existing solar panels. In fact, I saw the Solar Awning fitted to a Jayco (as seen in the images) that also had about 700W of roof-mounted solar panel. Though the sun wasn’t particularly strong, I saw the digital readout inside the van peak at 1700W of solar input. Impressive. When the direct sun became obscured by clouds, the solar input dropped to around 800W – still very good.
SOLAR AWNING SPECS
It is fully electric, too, with a brushless motor actuating gas struts that open the awning, providing 2.3m of coverage out from the van. Just push a button on a remote control and the motor will do the rest. A button to open and close the awning can be permanently mounted inside the van, too.
Another neat feature: it incorporates dual LED strips in three colours: a cool white light, a warm white, and an anti-insect amber light. Each lighting colour can be controlled by the remote.
The Flexible Solar Awning also features a built-in wind sensor. When it detects wind of a certain strength, it will automatically retract the awning. This means you can be off enjoying your travels without worrying about the state of the awning back at the van should the wind pick up.
According to Rod Francis, annexe walls can be fitted to the Solar Awning, and it’s worth pointing out that rafters are available as a separate purchase. These rafters will help to tighten the slack in the awning fabric; however, because of the wind sensor, it’s important to remove the rafters in wind. The motor is so strong, apparently, that it will potentially bend or even snap those rafters!
That said, you can turn the wind sensor off, which would be a good idea if you have fitted awning walls or the rafters. In case you’re wondering, yes, the Solar Awning is also compatible with existing anti-flap kits.
The Flexible Solar Awning is sold as a separate system intended to run independently from your van’s battery management system; however, it is compatible with all popular systems. Australian RV recommends the Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 150/85 regulator (sold separately).
Heterojunction Back Contact (HBC) solar cells are used for the awning, a type of solar technology that offers improved efficiency over traditional solar technology, while energy loss caused by heat is minimal. The cells are encapsulated in a special polymer film known as ETFE, providing the cell flexibility. ETFE is designed for high strength across a wide temperature range.
TESTING
Rod Francis said he and his staff had conducted extensive testing on the Flexible Solar Awning in Australia, including a 10-day outback trip. This included towing the van to which it was fixed over lots of corrugations and remote tracks.
“On our last trip, over 10 days, the lowest our batteries were ever depleted was to 86 per cent, and that was with the fridge running overnight and with us running the air-con off the van’s lithium batteries during the day, not to mention other appliances, such as a TV,” Rod said.
The awning has been in development for about six years. In total, Rod and the team at Australian RV had the awning in high use for eight months before releasing it to the Australian market. As Rod said, “We’re very happy with the way it works.”
Asked about the durability of the Flexible Solar Awning, noting that it would be rolled and unrolled countless times by the customer, Rod pointed to the warranty on offer: three years.
The big question: can it be retrofitted to older vans? The answer is yes, in time. In 2025, Australian RV intends for it to be able to be swapped with Dometic and Carefree awnings, though there’s still a bit of development to be done before that becomes available.
Meanwhile, there’s no doubt that this is an innovative product. Next to fresh water, power is the one thing that can limit your stay off-grid. Imagine parking your van in the shade, extending the awning into the sun, and letting technology take care of the rest. With up to 1000W going back into your batteries (in good sun, between 10am and 2pm, or thereabouts), and more if you already have roof-mounted panels, it’s hard to believe that you’d ever run out of juice again.
• Pricing starts at $5700 for the 12ft Solar Awning and $6399.95 for the 16ft Solar Awning.
More info: https://www.austrv.com.au/solar
