We are starting our research into what it will take to do the van camper conversion, and the first stop is electrical. The best place to conduct this research is, of course, YouTube. We have been watching a lot of videos, and these are the best ones we have found so far.
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Van Camper Electrical Explained
My first stop was this video that gave an excellent overview of a van camper electrical system, and it has a great explanation of AC/DC power and parts of the system that draws the most energy (refrigerator, heater, etc.). It also talks about using a battery system that they use and what can go directly from the battery versus what needs to use the inverter. I found this a great start to understanding what is required and using shore power and solar power to charge the batteries.
Complete Beginner Van/RV Electrical Tutorial
This video really goes in depth on the tools that are required and their uses. Details such as the best type of wires, circuit breakers, recommended 2000 Watt inverters that are needed for the system and how to install them. It doesn’t go into solar panels or batteries, but more
Solar Installation Tutorial
This was a great tutorial on installing a 400 Watt solar panels on a small camper. It starts out with a good explanation of 12V versus 110 volt powered devices and then goes into
Wiring the Lights
Once you have the information you need on the electrical base system, the next step is organizing the wiring/cables and connecting them to the lights. This video tutorial has great information about how to run the wiring around the van with organizational information and the type of wiring needed. He also goes into the different outlets he is using, LED lights and hooking up a wifi system to control through smart phone.
Installing Shore Power into the Van Camper
Battery systems and solar panels are great for power, but when you are at a campground, you may want to connect to shore power. This videos is a tutorial about installing the right kind of input to the van and wiring it to the battery system.
Installing the Split Charge Kit to the Electrical System
This video explains how to install the split charge kit so you can charge the van/RV batteries while the engine is running and then cut off the connection when the engine is stopped.
Walk-through of a Van Camper Electrical System
If you are looking through a simple walk-through of the types of electrical devices that you may need or want in your van conversion, this video is a simple and quick overview of what is needed.
These are great! My husband and I have been taking on a van camper project possibly next year, so I will bookmark this to look back on when that time comes!