Van Life Electrical Systems Explained: Solar, Batteries & Wiring

Understanding Your Power Needs

Before buying anything, figure out what you'll actually power. Add up the wattage of everything you plan to use and how many hours per day. A typical full-time setup: mini-fridge (40W, 24hr), laptop (60W, 4hr), phone charging (10W, 2hr), LED lights (20W, 5hr), fan (15W, 8hr) = roughly 1,600Wh per day.

Batteries: Lithium vs AGM

Lithium (LiFePO4): More expensive upfront ($800-1,200 per 100Ah) but you can use 80-100% of capacity, they last 3,000-5,000 cycles, charge faster, and weigh half as much. Worth it for full-timers.

AGM: Cheaper ($150-250 per 100Ah) but you should only use 50% of capacity, they last 500-800 cycles, and they're heavy. Good for weekend warriors and budget builds.

Solar Panels

Roof-mounted rigid panels are the standard. Figure 200-400W for a full-time setup. Use monocrystalline panels for best efficiency. Mount with VHB tape and Z-brackets — drilling through the roof creates potential leak points.

Charge Controllers

MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) controllers are 20-30% more efficient than PWM. The Victron SmartSolar line is the go-to — Bluetooth monitoring from your phone is a game-changer. Size your controller to your panel array.

Inverters

A pure sine wave inverter converts 12V DC to 120V AC for running household electronics. 2000W is the sweet spot for most builds. Victron and Renogy make reliable units. Modified sine wave inverters are cheaper but can damage sensitive electronics.

Wiring Basics

Use marine-grade tinned copper wire. Fuse everything. Keep wire runs as short as possible between batteries and inverter. Use a bus bar for clean connections. If you're not comfortable with electrical work, pay a professional — a bad electrical setup is a fire hazard.