Skoolie (bus conversion) Solar Calculator
A skoolie changes the math: roof space is nearly unlimited, so the constraint becomes battery bank size and budget. Families full-timing in a bus often run residential fridges, air conditioning, and full kitchens, pushing daily loads past 3–5 kWh. Size the array to your winter location and build the biggest LiFePO4 bank your budget and floor can carry.
Roof space: A school bus roof is huge — 120–250 sq ft — so panels rarely limit you; battery and budget do.
A representative Skoolie (bus conversion) build
Based on the preset loads below (3,510 Wh/day at 4.5 peak sun hours).
- Daily energy
- 3,510 Wh
- Solar array
- 1,040 W
- Battery (LiFePO4)
- 732 Ah
- MPPT
- 100 A
- Wire & fuse
- 2 AWG · 175 A
- Est. cost
- $3,141–$9,461
Adjust the preset below for your exact appliances, location, and cold-weather needs. The calculator recomputes everything live.
Quick start with a profile:
Your daily loads
Add each device with its watts and hours per day.
No loads yet. Add your fridge to start, or pick a profile above.
Solar array
—
Add loads to size your array.
Show the math
Battery bank
—
Show the math
Charge controller (MPPT)
—
Show the math
Inverter
—
Show the math
Battery-to-inverter wire & fuse
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Show the math
Estimated cost
—
Budget street price → premium brands.
Itemized breakdown
Embed
Next steps for your Skoolie (bus conversion)
- Compare battery chemistry in the LiFePO4 vs AGM guide.
- Check your region's sun with the location pages.
- Get the wire right with wire gauge sizing.
- Work through the full pre-purchase checklist.