Tag: vanconversion

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Solar Systems

Solar and electrical can be one of the most intimidating parts of a van build. The big question is “How much solar do I need?” The first step would be to use an energy calculator, we recommend the one from RV Solar Connections which can be found under ‘Resources’. Once you get an idea of how much you’ll need to power everything, you’ll want to start designing your system. There are tons of guides online but if you are feeling intimidated you may want to hire it out. A lot of our clients tell us how relieved they feel to have us design and install their systems. If there’s any part of the build I would suggest hiring out it is definitely electrical. Making sure your system is safe, with high-quality components and the correct wire sizes is crucial. We’ve learned from experience as well as seen other builds that have used more budget-friendly Amazon “knock-off” components which can lead to melting and fire hazards. So we will always suggest using Victron energy components, marine grade wire, and Blue Sea Systems fuses. 

photos by @valerienoell

Another key part before purchasing your electrical system is making sure you are buying your components through an authorized distributor to ensure you will have tech support. A lot of times buying Victron components on Amazon leaves you with no support. That’s why we work with RV Solar Connections, certified Victron specialists & distributors for all of our builds and client builds to ensure you’ll have lifetime support! It’s great peace of mind knowing if something were to come up on the road you have a team of people who can tap into your system and help diagnose any issues/ change settings. We only recommend Victron to our clients for their high quality, reliable products as well as being user-friendly, with Bluetooth compatibility. In our opinion, it’s worth it to invest in a better system upfront rather than pay for it down the line and risk safety. 

Need help designing your solar system?

Need someone to check if your wire sizes and fuses are sized correctly?

Please reach out for consulting or if you’d like to hire us for design or installation at thehuntersvanlife@gmail.com.

If you are planning to order from RV Solar Connections please send us a message before placing your order so we can send you a little gift! 😉 

*As an affiliate for RV Solar Connections, we earn a commission off qualifying sales.

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Electrical

Continuing off of our solar setup here is everything we used in our electrical system.

AIMS Power 2000 Watt 12 VDC Pure Sine Inverter Charger w/ 6000W Surge

*The Aims Power is great it just has trouble running our Bosch hot water heater. So if you are installing that water heater we recommend getting a larger inverter like the Victron 3000 watt inverter.

2 – VMAX XTR8D-350 8D 12V 350Ah Deep Cycle AGM SLA 12 Volt 350Ah Battery

These batteries have been great no complaints on their performance. They are just super heavy and bulky, take up a ton of room in our garage and I am not even sure they make the 350 amp anymore. At the time of our build lithium was out of our price range but we’ve installed these in clients builds and were very impressed so in a future build we would definitely go with Battleborn lithium batteries.

Blue Sea 5026 ST Blade Fuse Block w/Cover – 12 Circuit w/Negative Bus

2 – Dream Lighting LED Recessed Ceiling Light for 12volt DC Automotive Interior

Wall Mounted Glass Touch Panel LED Dimmer Switch

ANJOSHI 100A Auto Car Protection

Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor

Blue Sea Systems 300 Amp m-Series Battery Switches

AC Infinity AIRPLATE S1, Quiet Cooling Fan System 4″ with Speed Control, for Cabinets

TopstrongGear Solid Brass 0/2/4 Gauge 100Amp ANL Fuse Holder with 100Amp Fuses(2 Pack) (100 Amp)

TopstrongGear Solid Brass 0/2/4 Gauge 250Amp ANL Fuse Holder with 250Amp Fuses(2 Pack) (250 Amp)

Blue Sea Systems Common BusBars (100A-250A)

12V 140 Amp Dual Battery Smart Isolator by KeyLine – VSR – Voltage Sensitive Relay

Midnite Solar Circuit Breaker, 100A 150VDC, 1-Pole, Din Mount, Model MNEPV100

MidNite Solar Photovoltaic DC Circuit Breaker – 20 Amp, Model# MNEPV20

USB Charging Ports

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DIY Promaster Roof Rack

Yup that’s right. We made our own rack for our solar panels for under $300! And we didn’t put ANY holes in the roof!

What you’ll need:

[ 8 ] Vantech® H45-46S – Top and Bottom Adaptor Kit

[ 4 ] 2-Hole Flat Straight Strut Bracket

[ 2 ] 4-Hole Flat Straight Strut Bracket

[ 8 ] VPC 3/8 in. Galvanized Spring Nut

[ 16 ] 1/4 SAE Stainless Steel Flat Washer

[ 16 ] 3/8 in. Stainless Steel Flat Washer

[ 16 ] 3/8 in. Stainless Steel Split Lock Washer

[ 2 ] 10 ft. 14-Gauge Silver Electro-Galvanized Strut Channel

Home Depot

Rustoleum matte black finish for auto 

Instructions for Installing Rack:

  1. Prime one coat on each side of all components.
  2. Apply two coats of paint on each side of all components.
  3. Insert bolts, provided with your van tech roof mounts, into your bottom brackets pointing upwards.
  4. Slide mount bottoms on to the first, second, third, and fourth knobs located on the roof of your promaster.
  5. Place mount tops on to the mount bottoms.
  6. Place strut channel onto your brackets (There will be 4″ of over hang on the front or back depending on which end you choose to flush your strut with).
  7. Place washers onto each bolt, then tighten nuts down with socket wrench.

Instructions for Installing Solar Panels onto Rack:

*Note: We use these Renogy Solar Panels

  1. Mark out, on your solar panels, where they are going to land on the strut channels.
  2. Drill each mark on you panels with a 1/8″ drill bit, then drill again with a 1/4″ drill bit, and finally drill once more with a 1/2″ drill bit.
  3. put locking washers then flat washers onto the carriage bolts.
  4. Fasten two of the 2 hole square washers to the back most holes of the rear solar panel using the 3/8″ carriage bolts and nuts. (Each square washer must be fastened to the bottoms of the panel)
  5. Fasten the last of the 2 hole square washers to the forward most holes of the front solar panel with 3/8″ carriage bolts and nuts.
  6. Carry your solar panels to the roof and plug in your positive and negative connections.
  7. Fasten the 4 hole square washers to the front most holes of the rear panel, and the back most holes of the front panel connecting them together.
  8. Line up the spring nuts on the inside of the strut channel with the center of each hole of you square washers.
  9. Place a locking washer then a flat washer onto each of the 3/8″ hex bolts.
  10. Fasten the panels down running the 3/8″ hex bolts through the square wasters into the spring nuts with a socket wrench.
  11. Give yourself a high five; you now have one of the main components of solar power!
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