Solar power for a tent might not be the first thing on your mind when imagining a tent setup. If I don’t even have solar power on my house, why would I consider it for my tent? However, the truth is that solar power at the tent-scale is not actually a very expensive or cumbersome setup to install. That’s because you ultimately need less electricity in a tent, especially with low-wattage LED lights.
This especially makes sense in terms of eco-glamping, the emerging trend of eco-friendly luxury camping. Does it get more eco-glamping than a solar powered tent, if you really think about it? You can’t really claim to be eco when you’re running off a generator burning gas into the atmosphere and making all that noise.
If you’re considering an eco-glamping business venture of renting out high quality canvas tents with an eco-luxury angle, then a solar powered tent setup is definitely a no-brainer.
Solar Light Tent Setup
Even if you’re just using your luxurious canvas tent as a home base for hunting and fishing trips, at the very least a solar powered LED light setup can make a lot of sense. It’s something you can simply install and then not have to think about through your whole trip. It charges in the day, and comes on at night, and you always have light in the tent.
This is the minimal level of solar powered setup, but for many it will suffice. If all you’re looking for is a hassle free light without having to deal with all the pesky batteries, this has you covered.
Full Solar Power Setup for Canvas Tents
If you want to take it to the next level, you can have a power bank that is fed by multiple folding solar panels hanging on your roof. These types of solar panels are easy to find online, and while they’re a big more than the tiny one just to power lights, they still won’t break the bank. They’re also very portable if you do frequently pack things up.
A setup like this will allow you or your guests to enjoy even more of the luxury comforts of civilized life without a generator or tapping into the grid. With enough panels, you’ll be able to charge a laptop, phones, run a small stereo, energy efficient mini fridge, maybe even a few hours viewing time per day on a flatscreen TV.
This upgrade will bring significant value to your eco-glamping business, or your own personal camping lifestyle, it’s probably worth looking in to. Check out Davis Tent’s awinings with built in solar panels
Electrical Routing
If you’re really going for the luxury vibe and would like to have several outlets around the tent, it shouldn’t be too difficult to run some extension cords around. However, you probably don’t want it to just look like, well, a bunch of extension cords laying all over the place, so you can think of some aesthetically pleasing ways to keep them out of sight.
Some PVC pipes running along the inside edges of the tent are a good way to get power distributed around, without hazardous ugly cords laying everywhere.
You may also want to install some switches for your lights, and it’s not too hard to find sets of switches that will work in conjunction with extension cords (i.e. that don’t require electrical wiring like the ones in your house).
You’ll probably also need a DC connector to connect that actual solar panels to your power bank, check the instructions for the panels, they should have the relevant information about what’s required.
