The van is internally a 12V system fed by solar panels, with some 110V outlets powered by an inverter. Only the battery charger needs access to an exterior power source. For this, a 15A power inlet is installed next to the rear door, on the passenger side of the van. ParkPower 150BBIWRV 15… Continue reading 110V Power Inlet
Category: Electrical
12V Cooling Fan
The compartment under the bed that will hold the charger, controller, inverter, etc. is a small enclosure and needs some form of cooling. I choose a 5” computer fan with thermal control, that automatically adjusts its speed as the temperature rises. Other considerations were low noise level (<18dB), high airflow volume (up to 42cfm) and… Continue reading 12V Cooling Fan
Wiring(4)
Having batteries, doesn’t automatically mean access to 12V. Thus, two access points are planned in the van. One 12V socket is located at the solar components (controller, charger, inverter, etc.) compartment, under the bed. It’s immediately next to the pull-out shelf and serves to power my laptop. 12V Power Socket It’s a standard 12V… Continue reading Wiring(4)
Wiring(3)
Another post on wiring of the van. Two heavier wire gauges will support the appliances to be installed on the driver’s side. Appliances Most of the wiring has now been done on the passenger side, except for the #4. The focus is now on the appliances that will be featured in the row of… Continue reading Wiring(3)
Wiring (2)
Continuing with the wiring of the van, gives me the opportunity to search for and order some of the materials, needed in the coming weeks. My list currently consists of wire connectors, heat shrink, 12V outlets and power inlet. I still haven’t found decent and affordable 12V LED light fixtures either. LED Lights Several… Continue reading Wiring (2)
Wiring
While working on the multi-use cabinet, I started with some of the wiring. Before I can continue building new cabinets, the majority of the electrical wiring has to be installed. Battery Monitor The monitor will be located on the wall next to the side doors and connected to the batteries with 4 small… Continue reading Wiring
Power Monitoring
The introduction to off-grid power (upgrading to off-grid power, power storage and power generation) is concluded with a post about monitoring and maintenance. With all this knowledge we can finally begin with the installation. Daily monitoring the off-grid system is crucial for the longevity of the system. Maintaining a sufficient battery charge will extend… Continue reading Power Monitoring
Power Generation
After upgrading to off-grid power and power storage, this post elaborates on the available power generating tools for a small RV. The electrical calculations are comprised into a detailed schematic overview, that serves as the basis for the installation. Alternator The extra power from the alternator can be directed to the battery bank, to… Continue reading Power Generation
Power storage
Now that the different parts of the electrical system have been established, the first thing to do is calculate the number of batteries needed to support the daily energy use. Here a lot of time goes into researching all appliances that will ultimately be installed. Adding up their amperage use, will yield our daily… Continue reading Power storage
Upgrading to off-grid power
As I am struggling a bit to finish the multi-use cabinet, the next phase of the van conversion will entail some of the wiring for the off-grid electrical system. Before any new cabinets are built, cables have to be laid. At the same time, buying a battery charger, inverter, some batteries and an induction cooktop,… Continue reading Upgrading to off-grid power