Four Wide Storage

RV Solar Power Installation

Four Wide Storage installs RV solar and lithium power systems built for Northeast Ohio weather, so you can camp quietly without a generator. Serving Copley, Akron, and all of Summit County.

RV Solar Power Installation in Copley OH near Akron

Solar should make your RV quieter and more independent, not cost you a season waiting on a dealer. Four Wide Storage in Copley installs solar panels, lithium battery conversions, Victron energy equipment, and inverters for travel trailer, fifth wheel, and motorhome owners across Akron and Northeast Ohio. We're an eTrailer certified installer, next-day parts keep your project moving, and you talk directly with the technician doing the work.

Going to a third-party installer instead of the dealer

It's a fair worry. Will an independent shop do the job as well as the dealer, and will it cause trouble with your warranty? RV owners ask this all the time, and the answer comes down to who is doing the work. If you own a Forest River, Four Wide Storage is a manufacturer warranty dealer, so going independent doesn't mean giving that up. You deal with the technician installing your system, not a string of service writers passing messages along. And you get a clear estimate before any work begins, with no upselling once your rig is in the bay.

Not sitting on a dealer lot for months

“Sitting on the lot for months” is the complaint RV owners repeat most about dealer service. Some have watched an entire camping season slip by while their rig waited for a technician to touch it. An upgrade that's supposed to give you more freedom shouldn't start by taking it away. The average dealership service wait runs 34 days. We order through the NTP Stag vendor network, which gives us next-day parts availability, so your project isn't stuck on back order. Your rig gets worked on, and you get back to camping while the weather is still good.

Drilling holes in your roof without starting a leak

“Drill a couple of holes” is how one RV owner described a solar install, and that's exactly the part that worries people. Every opening in your roof membrane is a spot where water can get in. Slow roof leaks are behind some of the most expensive damage RV owners deal with: rotted floors, soft walls, and mold you don't find until it's too late. Four Wide Storage doesn't just install solar. We also repair, reseal, and replace EPDM, TPO, and PVC RV roofs, and we fix the water damage that follows a failed seal. The shop mounting your panels is the same shop that handles what happens when a roof seal goes wrong.

An RV solar installer who knows Akron and Cleveland weather

A system that runs air conditioning in a desert video can leave you short here. Akron averages about 198 cloudy days a year and only 68 fully clear ones. The cloudiest stretch runs from November through January. Your panels still charge under cloud cover, but they make far less power. That's why your battery bank matters as much as your panels in Northeast Ohio. Lithium batteries let you use more of their stored power than standard batteries do. On a gray weekend at a Summit County campground, that difference keeps your lights and fridge running. Balancing panels against batteries is what separates solar you rely on from solar you regret.

Running your AC with no generator or hookups

This is the part that gets people excited. One RVer described running air conditioning in the desert on solar and lithium alone, with no generator and no hookups. Others want to pull the generator out entirely and switch to a 12-volt fridge. They picture quiet nights, no fuel runs, and no hunting for a powered campsite. We install complete off-grid systems. That includes solar panels, lithium battery conversions, Victron energy equipment, and the inverter that turns battery power into regular household power. We also repair and replace 12-volt refrigerators. Walking into a rig that runs on its own power is a great feeling, and you'll notice it on every trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth having the dealer install solar, or should I go to a third-party installer?
For most owners, an independent installer makes more sense. The average dealership service wait is 34 days, and that's time your rig isn't camping. Four Wide Storage is an eTrailer certified installer and a Forest River manufacturer warranty dealer, and you get a clear estimate before any work begins.
Will solar actually work with all the cloudy days in Northeast Ohio?
Yes, but it has to be sized for our weather. Northeast Ohio gets far more gray days than the sunny places most RV solar videos are filmed, and the cloudiest months run from November through January. Panels still charge under clouds, just at much lower output. That's why battery capacity matters so much here. A strong lithium battery bank carries you through gray stretches that would drain a smaller system.
Can solar run my RV air conditioner without a generator?
It can, with the right setup. Air conditioning pulls a lot of power, so it takes enough panels, a large lithium battery bank, and an inverter big enough to start the unit. One RV owner runs two air conditioners in the desert on a system with 800 amp-hours of lithium and a 5,000-watt inverter. We install complete off-grid systems, including Victron energy equipment, built around the loads you want to run.
Should I switch to lithium batteries when I add solar?
In most cases, yes. Lithium batteries let you use far more of their stored power than standard lead-acid batteries, and they recharge faster from your panels. That makes a real difference on cloudy days or when you want to run bigger appliances. We do lithium battery conversions alongside solar installs, so your batteries, panels, and charging equipment are set up to work together from the start.
Can lithium batteries handle Northeast Ohio winters?
Akron sees lows below freezing on about 125 days a year, so it's a fair question. Lithium batteries can sit through cold weather, but they generally shouldn't be charged below freezing without protection. If your rig stays outside over winter with solar panels connected, that's a detail to settle when your system is designed, not after the first cold snap.
What affects the cost of RV solar installation?
Three things drive it: how much power you want to use off-grid, the size of your lithium battery bank, and whether your inverter needs to be big enough to run your air conditioner. A setup that keeps lights and a fridge running is a much smaller project than one built to run AC without hookups. You get a clear estimate based on your rig before any work begins.

Related Services

Electrical Air Conditioning Roof Repairs, Replacement & Resealing Appliance Repair & Replacement