Van electrics & power: batteries, solar & staying charged
Power is what turns a van into a home — lights, fridge, heater, charging, maybe a coffee machine. It's also where most builds go wrong, usually by guessing instead of sizing. This guide explains how a van electrical system actually works, how to size yours, and the honest choice between a wired build and a plug-and-play power station.
You don't need to be an electrician to get this right, but you do need to understand the shape of the system before you spend money. Get the order wrong — buying panels before you know your load, or a battery that's half the size you need — and you'll either run flat by day two or pay twice. So we'll start with how the pieces fit together, then size it properly, then look at the two routes most travellers take.
How a van electrical system works
Almost every van power system is the same chain of parts, whatever the scale:
Charge sources → Leisure battery → Distribution (fuses) → Your 12V circuits
(+ optional inverter → 230V mains sockets)
- The leisure battery is the heart of it — a deep-cycle battery designed to be drained and recharged daily (unlike your starter battery). Everything is sized around it.
- Charge sources top it back up: solar panels (via an MPPT controller), your engine alternator (via a DC-DC / B2B charger while you drive), and mains hookup (via a charger) when you're plugged in.
- Distribution sends power out through correctly-rated fuses to your 12V circuits — lights, fridge, water pump, USB.
- An inverter (optional) converts 12V battery power to 230V mains so you can run normal plugs — a laptop charger, induction hob, etc. Pure sine wave is the type you want.
Sketch it before you spend
Even a rough diagram of that chain — what charges the battery, what draws from it — saves more money than any single component choice. The classic mistake is buying kit piecemeal and discovering the pieces don't match (an undersized DC-DC charger, a battery too small for the load). Plan the whole chain first, buy second.
The battery: lithium vs AGM
This is the decision that defines the system. In 2026 there are two realistic choices, and the gap between them is large:
| LiFePO4 lithium | AGM lead-acid | |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | ~100% (100Ah ≈ 1.28 kWh usable) | ~50% (100Ah ≈ 0.6 kWh usable) |
| Weight (100Ah) | 12–14 kg | 28–30 kg |
| Lifespan | 3,000–5,000 cycles (8–15 yrs) | 300–500 cycles |
| Charging | ~100% efficient, any state of charge | ~85%, dislikes partial charging |
| Upfront cost (100Ah) | ~£150–£250 / €175–€290 | ~£80–£120 / €95–€140 |
The honest summary: for any van you plan to use seriously, lithium (LiFePO4) is the right choice. Yes, it costs more upfront, but you get double the usable energy per amp-hour, half the weight, and roughly ten times the lifespan — so it's cheaper per usable kWh over the life of the build. AGM only makes sense if your budget is genuinely tight and your use is light and occasional.
Sizing your system (the part people skip)
Don't pick a battery by gut feel — work it out. It takes ten minutes and it's the difference between reliable power and a flat van.
- List every device and its power draw in watts, and how many hours a day you'll run it. Fridge, lights, water pump, laptop, phone, fan, heater controls.
- Watts × hours = watt-hours (Wh) per device. Add them up for your total daily load. (A modest van often lands somewhere around 0.5–1.5 kWh/day, but yours depends entirely on your kit — a compressor fridge and a laptop dominate most builds.)
- Multiply for autonomy. Aim to go at least two days without charging, so double it. With AGM, double again because you only use half the capacity. With lithium you skip that second doubling.
- That's your battery size. Convert to amp-hours if you like (Wh ÷ 12.8 for a 12V lithium) — but the watt-hours figure is what matters.
Then size charging to match
A big battery with weak charging just runs flat slower. Match your charge sources to how you travel: lots of driving favours a good DC-DC charger (charges fast from the alternator); staying put favours solar; winter or cloudy regions mean you can't rely on solar alone (see our winter van life guide for how cold and short days hit your power). Most serious builds use all three: solar, alternator and hookup.
The big decision: wired system or power station?
Here's the choice almost everyone faces, and there's no single right answer — it depends on how you travel.
🔧 A wired (installed) system
The traditional build: components wired permanently into the van. Best for full-time or heavy use — you get the most capacity, it charges automatically as you drive, and it's the cheapest power per kWh once installed. The downsides: it costs more upfront, takes real planning and installation (or paying someone), and you can't take it with you. This is the route for a serious, long-term van.
🔋 A portable power station
A self-contained unit with the battery, inverter and charging built in — you charge it by driving (12V socket), on hookup, or with a fold-out solar panel, and it powers your devices through normal sockets and USB. Best if you want no installation, you're renting or borrowing the van, you don't want to modify it, or your power needs are modest. Many people start here and add a wired system later — it's the low-commitment way in.
Choosing a power station
If the power-station route fits you, size it the same way as a battery: cover at least a day of your real daily load (from the sizing step above) with margin, and check it has the outputs you need (enough 230V sockets, USB-C with decent wattage for laptops, a 12V output for a fridge). For winter or off-grid stretches, lean toward more capacity than you think you need — solar input collapses on short, grey days, so the station has to carry you through.
A capable mid-to-large LiFePO4 power station from a reputable brand is the sweet spot for most van travellers — enough to run lights, charging and a fridge through a day or two, rechargeable fast while you drive. EcoFlow is one of the established names here, with a range that spans from compact units to large-capacity, expandable systems suited to van life. See EcoFlow's current range and pricing →
A note on this recommendation
WiseTrip may earn a commission if you buy through the EcoFlow link above, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we'd consider ourselves, and a power station is one option among several — a wired system or another reputable brand may suit you better. Always size and choose based on your own power needs, not on any single product.
Safety & the European angle
- Fuse everything. Every circuit needs a correctly-rated fuse close to the battery. This is the non-negotiable safety basic — it's what stops a fault becoming a fire.
- Gas and electric are separate systems — if your van has a gas system too, keep its safety checks current (relevant for some countries' inspections; see the country guides).
- Hookup varies across Europe. Campsite electrical hook-ups (EHU) differ in plug and amperage; a European campsite hookup lead and adapters are worth carrying.
- Gas bottles don't refill cross-border. If you rely on gas as well as electric, note that UK bottles can't be refilled in mainland Europe — a refillable LPG system (e.g. Gaslow) solves it. Less relevant if you're going electric-heavy.
Plan a trip that fits your setup
WiseTrip routes for your van's exact size and finds verified overnight spots — including ones with hookup and services to keep your batteries topped up. Free, no account.
Plan your trip →The bottom line
Van power isn't complicated once you take it in order: understand the chain, size your battery from your real daily load (not a guess), match your charging to how you travel, and choose lithium unless budget forces otherwise. Then pick your route honestly — a wired system if you're in it for the long haul, a portable power station if you want power without the install. Get those right and your van's electrics simply work, quietly, in the background — which is exactly what you want from them.
This is a planning overview, not an electrical-installation manual — mains and high-current wiring should be done or checked by a competent person, and you should follow each component maker's guidance. This guide is not professional or safety advice.
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