Starting with the 2023 model year, Airstream changed the rooftop solar panels installed at the factory. After four years of Zamp Solar factory packages (model years 2019–2022), new trailers now ship with 100 watt Merlin panels. If you own a 2023 or newer Airstream and want more charging power, your options look a little different than they used to — but the good news is that your trailer is still fully compatible with the portable solar ecosystem Airstreamers have relied on for years. Here's what changed, and how to add capacity without waiting on a dealer appointment.
What Changed in Model Year 2023
- New rooftop panels: Factory solar packages moved from 90 watt panels to 100 watt Merlin panels — flexible panels on the Basecamp lineup, and special-order rigid panels on the travel trailer (Silver Bullet) lineup.
- Bring-your-own batteries: Instead of factory-installed AGM batteries, most models now let you choose your battery chemistry at the dealership on delivery — lead acid, AGM, or lithium.
- Smarter converter: A multi-stage, auto-detecting power converter handles any of those battery chemistries without system changes.
One practical note for owners: the factory Merlin roof panels are available exclusively through Airstream dealers rather than retail channels, so expanding your roof array panel-by-panel generally means a dealer visit and dealer pricing.
The Part That Didn't Change: Your SAE Solar Port
Every Airstream travel trailer still includes the front-mounted SAE solar port on the A-frame near the propane tanks — the same “Zamp-style” plug that has shipped on trailers since 2017. It's wired directly to your battery bank and fused at 15 amps, and Airstream's owner documentation requires that any portable kit you connect be regulated — meaning it has its own built-in charge controller, set to match your battery chemistry.
That one carried-over port means every 2023+ Airstream can add roughly 200 watts of portable solar today, with zero installation.
Plug-and-Play Portable Kits for 2023+ Airstreams
Our DuraLite portable kits are regulated, Zamp Solar Ready compatible, and connect straight to your factory SAE port:
- DuraLite 100W Portable Solar Panel Kit with 30A Controller — a lightweight option for topping off batteries between hookup stays.
- DuraLite 200W Portable Solar Panel Kit — the most capacity we recommend pushing through the 15 amp factory port, ideal for extended dry camping.
Stay at or below about 200 watts through the factory port — its 15 amp fuse is the limiting factor. Larger arrays are best connected directly to the battery bank as part of a custom setup. Browse the full lineup in our portable solar kits collection.
Three Tips Before You Plug In
- Set your charge controller profile to your battery chemistry. Since 2023+ batteries are chosen at the dealership, your trailer might have AGM, lead acid, or lithium — the kit's controller needs to know which.
- Check polarity. The Airstream port uses a reverse-polarity SAE configuration relative to some aftermarket panels. Our kits include the right connections, and adapters are available in our parts and accessories collection if you're mixing brands.
- Touring coach owners, read your manual first. The exterior solar ports on Interstate and Atlas touring coaches are wired to the coach's onboard charge controller — portable kits for those ports should not include their own controller. The regulated-kit guidance above applies to travel trailers.
Want Rooftop Expansion Instead?
If your roof cap uses the SAE connection format, the OBSIDIAN® Series 9 100W Slim Expansion Kit plugs into an open roof port and adds 100 watts per kit — just verify your roof cap's connection type before ordering. And if you own a 2019–2022 Airstream with the original Zamp factory system, our complete guide covers every factory option: Airstream Trailer Factory Solar Options Explained.
Airstream travel trailers allow people to “go” in a way that no other manufacturer has been able to replicate. Whatever's on your roof, our goal is the same: helping Airstreamers get further off the beaten path with batteries charged and ready for whatever comes next.