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<\/a><\/p>\nA typical selection of Victron Energy components needed for vanlife. Selecting and installing the correct components usually requires professional help.<\/p>\n
And here\u2019s what a bespoke installation looks like after wiring everything together. It would then be hidden inside cabinets.<\/p>\n My wife and I like to take our dog far from civilization for weeks at a time, so we need a system that can be easily and quickly charged no matter what; when parked in vineyard, farm, or campsite or when driving deep down a fire road or remote beach. We still have to log in to our 9-to-5 jobs Monday through Friday and our kitchen is powered by electricity, not gas.<\/p>\n Most van conversions in need of so much capacity and charging flexibility opt for a bespoke system built around batteries and electrical components from Victron Energy<\/a>. If you\u2019ve ever been sucked into a #vanlife hashtag, then you\u2019ve seen the company\u2019s myriad of signature-blue modules. Victron systems are complex but rock solid and considered state of the art for van builds. A Victron power system typically requires professional expertise to design and install.<\/p>\n I originally requested a Victron battery system but my builder talked me out of it, citing advances in all-in-one power stations. He was absolutely right. What we came up with is a cost-effective and relatively simple design, where a power station slots into the custom electrical system wired into my living area.<\/p>\n But first I had to select the right kind of power station.<\/p>\n A solar generator combined with some custom wiring allows me to place USB-C charging outlets exactly where I need them, like near my bed.<\/p>\n Here I installed an AC wall outlet and two USB-C jacks for use when cooking or working on an outside table.<\/p>\n An all-in-one SoGen like this one from EcoFlow replaces all those little blue Victron boxes and can be used in a home after vanlife season ends and hurricane season begins.<\/p>\n Power stations are some of the most expensive gadgets we cover at The Verge. You could easily spend thousands of dollars on one only to have it, like a Victron System, sitting unused for much of the year. But power stations are portable, opening up a wide range of use cases.<\/p>\n Imagine this: Instead of sitting idle, your power station is connected to a simple DIY plug-in balcony solar system<\/a> that saves you a few bucks each day by feeding a modest amount of stored energy back into the home as energy prices peak. During an outage, you can still use the battery to power your fridge and other critical devices, or lug it to the beach, shed, or fishing cabin whenever the mood strikes. And when that wanderlust returns, you shut down the home and hoist the battery back into your van to power life on the road, once again.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how I use power stations. But not every power station will suffice \u2014 only a subclass commonly called \u201csolar generators,\u201d or SoGens, can also optimize energy transfer from solar panels.<\/p>\n A SoGen contains everything you\u2019d otherwise have to install separately: the battery, an MPPT solar charge controller, DC-to-AC inverter, battery management system, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, a display, controls, and various AC and DC inputs and outputs with protective circuitry. It\u2019s analogous to an all-in-one iMac, whereas a bespoke electrical system built around Victron components is akin to Tom Warren\u2019s custom gaming rig<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lots of vanlifers get by on the cheap with just a SoGen and no custom wiring at all. They make do with whatever inputs and outputs it comes with and move the heavy unit around as needed to power devices or recharge its battery. In a bespoke Victron installation, all the electrical components are wired together in fixed locations out of sight, with the power outlets and controls placed in convenient locations to avoid catastrophes caused by long cables in small living spaces.<\/p>\n My hybrid installation is a marriage of the two: a plug-and-play electrical system for the SoGen to slot into that\u2019s relatively easy to install and makes all those power outlets convenient to access. And because it\u2019s brand agnostic, I can quickly drop in the latest SoGen from companies like EcoFlow, Anker, Jackery, DJI, Pecron, or Bluetti by swapping four cables.<\/p>\n Looking through my van\u2019s back doors, my electrical cabinet is on the left. You can see the MC4 solar connector and shore power AC outlet that plug into the SoGen. We later added wide grommets to both sides of the cabinet for more cabling flexibility.<\/p>\n Standing in the kitchen, you can see inside the cabinet. The yellow Anderson connector on the side connects to the high-amperage DC output on the SoGen to power my 12V lighting system, USB-C jacks, etc. The black cable below it is the AC input that connects to any AC outlet on the SoGen to power all the AC outlets in the van. <\/p>\n The AC circuit breaker to the left of the EcoFlow alternator charger.<\/p>\n The fused DC distribution panel at the heart of my 12V electrical system. (That yellow cable has since been rerouted.)<\/p>\n In my hybrid system, the giant SoGen never has to be moved and feeds power to all the USB-C jacks, 12V sockets, and AC outlets strategically placed around the interior. It can also be recharged without having to snake long cables through open doors and windows. It charges off the van\u2019s alternator<\/a> when the diesel motor is running, from solar panels fixed on the roof and portable folding panels placed on ground, regular wall outlets offered by farms, or shore power provided by RV parks. Many SoGen makers even offer adapter cables to charge it at an EV charging station in a pinch.<\/p>\n Look how much simpler this hybrid configuration is next to a comparable Victron system:<\/p>\n Perhaps my favorite customization is how the solar is wired. It allows me to combine rooftop solar panels with portable panels placed on the ground to maximize charging while parked off the grid. Start driving, and the solar charge coming in from those rooftop panels can be combined with the output of the alternator charger<\/a> (aka, a DC-to-DC charger) to quickly refill the SoGen\u2019s battery. But only if the SoGen has the right specifications.<\/p>\n Bluetti puts all the USB-C ports and 12V sockets into this optional Hub D1 box. It keeps the Apex 300 SoGen small, but adds a bit of mess. This 12V\/50A Anderson output powers all my 12V devices. <\/p>\n EcoFlow adds a 12V \/ 30A Anderson output on the Delta Pro 3 SoGen, but the result is a bigger unit that limits placement in my van.<\/p>\n My hybrid system is designed to work with any SoGen, you just need to connect four cables routed through either side of my electrical cabinet.<\/p>\n My van is designed to work with SoGens from any company so long as they meet common specs found on most portable models with a 3kWh to 4kWh capacity. Here\u2019s what to specifically look for if pursuing a hybrid setup like mine.<\/p>\n Having unlimited electricity by plugging into shore power at this campsite in Croatia felt like such a luxury.<\/p>\n One SoGen feature that\u2019s absolutely critical is a 12V DC output of at least 30A. Most high-end portable SoGens offer this type of high-amperage DC output, but not all. It\u2019s required to efficiently power USB gadgets like laptops, phones, drones, action cameras, and a Starlink Mini; and portable appliances like a fridge and air compressor that plug into 12V \u201ccigarette lighter\u201d sockets. It also delivers power to 12V devices integrated into the interior like LED lighting, a water pump, and rooftop Maxxfan that meet in a fused distribution panel \u2014 in my hybrid installation, this is located inside a cabinet over a wheel well where all my electrical wiring terminates for easy access.<\/p>\n And for power-hungry AC appliances, the SoGen needs to produce about 3500W of sustained AC output to feed the handful of traditional wall outlets I\u2019ve installed. I try to only use DC appliances since all my energy is stored in batteries. But sometimes I need to convert it to AC by turning on the SoGen\u2019s battery-draining inverter to power a water boiler, Nespresso coffee machine, induction cooktop, Instant Pot, compact Crispi air fryer, or to charge an e-bike. I need enough headway to do about three of these things simultaneously.<\/p>\n I consume about 1.6kWh a day on average and like to stay off the grid for a full work week \u2014 weekends are for exploring and driving to the next spot. That requires a SoGen with at least 8kWh of capacity, split across the main inverter unit and an expansion battery or two. By going modular, I can more easily manage the size and weight of each portable component which must be maneuvered into the limited space available.<\/p>\n My rooftop solar panels can be augmented with ground solar when parked.<\/p>\n I plug the 400W folding panel into this bit of custom wiring for up to 820W of total solar input.<\/p>\n Matching solar panels to your SoGen is one of the more complicated tasks you\u2019ll have to do \u2014 Tutorials like this<\/a> can help. I have three 140W rooftop solar panels installed in series so the SoGen needs to support 420W (at 72V) of input at a minimum. I can connect a 400W portable panel to the chain via an MC4 connector pair tucked under my rear bumper. That works out to just over 800W (at 120V) on a single solar input for my mix of panels \u2014 a voltage that\u2019s too high for some SoGens to handle. Spending extra time with the planning here could avoid disappointments down the road.<\/p>\n Here I was testing EcoFlow\u2019s alternator charger (wired to the starter battery up front) with an older Delta Pro SoGen, prior to finalizing the installation. <\/p>\n Lastly, you\u2019ll want an alternator charger capable of delivering more than 500W to the SoGen\u2019s battery. Buying this charger from the same brand as your SoGen (they\u2019re often sold in bundles) can make installation and management easier and often results in a more powerful (aka, faster) charge using a proprietary connector. Regardless, the SoGen should be able to accept charging inputs from both the solar panels and the alternator charger simultaneously for the fastest charge possible when on the move. On sunny summer days, I\u2019m able to generate nearly 1200W \u2014 enough to bank nearly a day of off-grid power for every hour driven. I might eventually install a second alternator in my engine bay for even more dedicated charging power, but so far I haven\u2019t needed it.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve recently been testing two flagship portable SoGens from EcoFlow and Bluetti. Both have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to size, solar capacity, and the way they handle 12V DC outputs.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what my van looks like with EcoFlow\u2019s Delta Pro 3 system configured with one external battery for 8kWh of capacity:<\/p>\n EcoFlow\u2019s Delta Pro 3 is too tall to fit under the shelf I recently had installed. That limits placement in my van. The 4kWh expansion battery is slim enough to fit just about anywhere.<\/p>\n I can run the cables out the other side of my cabinet to stack the expansion battery on top of the main inverter unit. That gives me some extra USB-C and AC jacks in the living room to use. (Pictured before my shelf was installed.)<\/p>\n And here\u2019s what it looks like with Bluetti\u2019s smaller Apex300 configured with two external batteries for a total of 8.3kWh of capacity:<\/p>\n Bluetti\u2019s Apex 300 is much smaller, allowing it to fit neatly under my shelf. But that means I need two expansion batteries to meet my 8kWh capacity threshold.<\/p>\n Bluetti offers a long cable option to connect the inverter unit to the expansion batteries. This allows for more flexible placement. That small grey box (the Hub D1) is needed to provide 50A of 12V DC output to my van. <\/p>\n Everything stacked and turned around to show the short cables that Bluetti ships standard (and limit placement).<\/p>\n Despite being wired into the van, the SoGen\u2019s AC, USB, and other built-in ports are still available to power nearby gadgets and appliances. All the inputs and outputs \u2014 including those feeding my van AC and DC power \u2014 can be monitored and controlled on the built-in display or my phone over Bluetooth. Most flagship portable SoGen\u2019s can also be connected to Wi-Fi for truly remote monitoring when I leave my Starlink running. Vendors like EcoFlow offer a dedicated display that can be centrally mounted in the van when the SoGen is in the rear garage.<\/p>\n EcoFlow offers the option to have a dedicated wired display and control panel. It\u2019s more convenient than launching the app to turn on \/ off AC and DC power or to monitor charging and battery percentage.<\/p>\n SoGens that support this hybrid setup start at roughly $3,000, but that\u2019s before adding the expansion batteries, solar panels, alternator charger, and all the custom electrical components needed for the installation. You can expect to pay between $7,000 and $8,000 for a complete system I\u2019ve described. You\u2019ll also have to factor in labor if you\u2019re not comfortable installing the electronics.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not cheap, and it\u2019s comparable to a bespoke Victron installation offering similar capabilities. But again, that Victron system is likely idle for much of the year unless you\u2019re living in the van full-time. A SoGen can also be taken inside the home to lower utility bills, act as a UPS for critical gear, and provide relief during a blackout to provide value year round.<\/p>\n The heavy-duty cables that connect expansion batteries to the SoGen can severely limit placement. EcoFlow offers this long cable that increases your options..<\/p>\n My approach to powering vanlife with a SoGen isn\u2019t without its downsides, but I consider these minor tradeoffs. You might feel differently.<\/p>\n For starters, the main SoGen unit and expansion batteries are heavy \u2013 weighing anywhere from 70 to 120 pounds (32kg to 55kg) in the 3kWh to 4kWh class I\u2019ve been discussing. I live in a tall skinny house in the center of Amsterdam and that usually requires two people to hoist the main SoGen unit up three flights of stairs to plug into my rooftop panels. And in the event of a blackout, I have to take them down to the ground floor to be near the fridge and server closet. And while balcony solar systems are safe and increasingly popular in Europe, they\u2019re still a no-no in the US outside of just one state: Utah<\/a>.<\/p>\n The heavy-duty cables that connect bulky SoGens to their external batteries are thick and unwieldy thereby limiting placement in a van. Some vendors offer different lengths and connector options that allow the batteries to be stacked or placed on the ground at a variety of angles. Victron systems are comprised of many smaller components that can be easily distributed into every nook and crevice available to make better use of space.<\/p>\n And unlike Victron components that are securely fastened inside the van, portable SoGens and their expansion batteries have to be tied down to prevent them from becoming projectiles in the event of a sudden stop or crash. Your vehicle may not have lashing points exactly where you need them.<\/p>\n The all-in-one nature of a SoGen means that if any individual component fails then the entire unit will likely have to be sent in for repair or replacement. Bespoke installations can simply swap out the failed component with a new module. This extreme modularity also makes it easier to upgrade a Victron system down the road.<\/p>\n The Victron ecosystem is also broad enough to provide central visibility and control over things like pumps, waste tanks, and the amount of fresh water remaining. SoGen makers like EcoFlow are making inroads here but they still have a ways to go.<\/p>\n The last downside only affects people like me who swap in SoGens from different companies. Sometimes I need to have adapters on hand to plug things in. This varies by brand with some preferring barrel plugs for solar and others using the more common XT60 connector. High amperage DC output is usually carried over Anderson connectors, but even those can vary.<\/p>\n The best advice my van builder gave me when it came time to start the build was \u201cgo slow.\u201d The summer was coming and years of research \u2014 aka, watching vanlife videos on Youtube and Instagram \u2014 made me think I knew exactly what I needed. I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n Fortunately, I took his advice and started with off-the-shelf products from Solo Interiors<\/a> and Dutch Van Parts<\/a>, alongside a basic hybrid power system. I tested it on the road, then returned to refine everything after multiple little adventures spanning a few days to a few months, covering more than 16,000km (10,000 miles) over the last year and change. My electrical system has evolved alongside my interior and exterior into what I describe above \u2014 it has served me well, so I figured I\u2019d share. Hopefully others can benefit, myself included as I incorporate feedback.<\/p>\n This hybrid solution won\u2019t fit everyone, but I think it\u2019s a good baseline to consider for people like me with heavy-duty, off-grid power needs looking for maximum capabilities and maximum value for money without maximum complexity. 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