Campervan and off-grid electrics guides
Plain English guides to batteries, solar, charging and 230V for campervans, motorhomes and cabins, written by the electricians who design and fit them.
28 guidesWritten and checked in our Cumbria workshopFree to read
Start here
Four reads before you plan anything
Planning & basics21 min readHow to Plan Your Campervan Electrical SystemStart with a power budget, then size the battery, charging, inverter and protection around how you really travel.Published · Updated Read the guide- 02
Planning & basics9 min readCampervan Electrical Basics ExplainedVolts, amps and watts in plain English, and how batteries, chargers and inverters work together.Published · Updated - 03
Batteries & fusing12 min readCampervan Leisure Batteries Explained: Lithium, AGM, Gel and FloodedLithium, AGM, gel and flooded batteries compared on usable capacity, weight and life, and which suits how you travel.Published · Updated - 04
Batteries & fusing15 min readLithium leisure battery fuse sizing: how we protect every cableHow we size the main battery fuse to the cable, check it against the manuals and make sure it can break a lithium short.Published · Updated
Planning & basics
New to van electrics, or planning a build? This is the place to start.
21 min readHow to Plan Your Campervan Electrical SystemStart with a power budget, then size the battery, charging, inverter and protection around how you really travel.Published · Updated Read the guide9 min readCampervan Electrical Basics ExplainedVolts, amps and watts in plain English, and how batteries, chargers and inverters work together.Published · Updated Read the guide
8 min read12V and 230V Campervan Electrical Systems ExplainedWhat runs on 12V, what needs 230V, and how hook-up and an inverter charger fit into one system.Published · Updated Read the guide
11 min readCommon Campervan Electrical Mistakes to AvoidThe faults we fix most often in the workshop, and the simple ways to avoid them in your build.Published · Updated Read the guide
7 min readCampervan LED Lighting: 12V Design and Installation GuidePlanning LED lighting circuits, switching and dimming so the van feels right and the wiring stays tidy.Published · Updated Read the guideBatteries & fusing
Choosing a leisure battery, protecting every cable from it, and keeping lithium healthy all year.
12 min readCampervan Leisure Batteries Explained: Lithium, AGM, Gel and FloodedLithium, AGM, gel and flooded batteries compared on usable capacity, weight and life, and which suits how you travel.Published · Updated Read the guide15 min readLithium leisure battery fuse sizing: how we protect every cableHow we size the main battery fuse to the cable, check it against the manuals and make sure it can break a lithium short.Published · Updated Read the guide
8 min readHow to Choose the Right DC Fuse for a Lithium Campervan SystemClass T, MRBF and MEGA fuses explained: breaking capacity, sizing and where each one belongs.Published · Updated Read the guide
10 min readBattery Monitoring for Campervans: Victron SmartShunt, BMV and BMS ExplainedWhy a lithium battery needs proper monitoring, and how to choose the right battery monitor for your system.Published · Updated Read the guide
20 min readWinterising campervan electrics: lithium storage, cold charging and hook-upLaying the van up for winter: storage charge, cold charging limits, standby drains and safe hook-up.Published · Updated Read the guideCharging on the move
Getting charge from the alternator into a lithium battery, and what to check when it stops.
12 min readDC-DC charging in a campervan: how battery to battery chargers workChoosing and sizing a DC-DC charger for a smart alternator and a lithium leisure battery.Published · Updated Read the guide
22 min readLithium not charging while driving? Split charge relays, sizing your DC-DC and the Orion XS ‘no amps’ fixWhy a split charge relay and a smart alternator stop lithium charging while you drive, and the fix we use.Published · Updated Read the guide
20 min readDC-DC charger not charging: checks before you call it faultyWork through these checks, in order, before you decide a DC-DC charger is faulty.Published · Updated Read the guide5 min readOrion XS reverse charging: charge a flat starter battery from your leisure batteryHow to top up a flat starter battery from your leisure battery, step by step, and the limits to know.Published · Updated Read the guideSolar
Panels, charge controllers and the wiring and isolation between them.
15 min readSolar panels for a campervan: how to size and fit themSizing and fitting panels for a campervan, from small top-up arrays to full off-grid builds.Published · Updated Read the guide
8 min readSolar Charge Controller for Campervans: MPPT vs PWM ExplainedMPPT or PWM? How each one charges your battery, and how to size the controller properly.Published · Updated Read the guide
12 min readSeries and Parallel Wiring: Solar Panels and Batteries ExplainedSeries or parallel for panels and batteries: shading, voltage limits and wiring a bank that charges evenly.Published · Updated Read the guide
8 min readDC Isolator for Solar Panels: Do You Need One?Whether your solar needs a DC isolator, what the regulations say, and why we fit one on every system.Published · Updated Read the guideInverters & 230V
Mains power on board: inverters, hook-up, RCDs and the consumer unit.
12 min readCampervan inverter guide: what size you need and how we fit onePure sine wave, sizing for real appliances, and when an inverter charger makes more sense.Published · Updated Read the guide
8 min readInduction Cooking in a Campervan: Induction Hob, Inverter and Battery SetupHow the inverter, battery and charging were sized around an induction hob in a full-time van.Published · Updated Read the guide
5 min readWhich RCD Do You Need for a Campervan? Type A vs Type AC ExplainedType A or Type AC? Choosing the right RCD protection for hook-up and inverter circuits.Published · Updated Read the guide
8 min readMiniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) in Campervan ElectricsHow breakers and trip curves work, and why the breakers in a van need to be double-pole.Published · Updated Read the guideWiring, testing & regs
Doing the work properly and proving it, plus the rules that apply to your build.
9 min readCampervan Cable Termination: Crimping Lugs, Ferrules and Ring TerminalsCrimping lugs, ferrules and ring terminals properly, with the checks we use on every job.Published · Updated Read the guide
10 min readHow to Correctly Earth and Bond Your Campervan’s Electrical SystemChassis and gas pipe bonds, earthing the inverter case, and why the chassis is never a 12V return.Published · Updated Read the guide
11 min readCampervan Electrical Testing Guide: Basic 12V DC Safety ChecksSafe isolation, visual checks, tug tests and continuity on the 12V side, written for self-builders.Published · Updated Read the guide
29 min readBS 7671 Amendment 4 is live: what changes for campervan, motorhome and off-grid cabin electricsWhat the latest amendment to the wiring regulations changes for campervans, motorhomes and cabins.Published · Updated Read the guide
10 min readDVLA motorhome conversion: what changed on 19 October 2026The October 2026 guidance change: pop-tops now count, refused owners can ask for a review, and why safety proof matters.Published · Updated Read the guideCabins & off-grid sites
Power for cabins, glamping pods and sites away from the grid.
11 min readOff grid solar system UK guide: how to power an off grid cabinHow panels, a lithium battery, an inverter charger and monitoring power a cabin, sized to your loads and site.Published · Updated Read the guideFor sites and operators
Running cabins or a glamping site as a business?
We design, fit and remotely monitor off-grid systems across a set of cabins, so every unit works the same way and problems get spotted early.
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