Image provided by REDARC

Powering Vanlife: How to Design the Perfect Power System

*This article is property of and was originally featured on REDARC. It has been repurposed with permission for use by etrailer.com.

Power is critical to vanlife, there’s no question about it. Without a power system you wouldn’t be able to run fridges, heaters, water pumps, fans—any of the necessities that make vanlife comfortable. But trying to set up a power system can be daunting, and without the proper knowledge or equipment, potentially dangerous. That often brings people to their first question: how do I set up a vanlife power system?

What to Consider When Choosing a Vanlife Power System

When photographer Mark ‘Sticks’ Croker first started searching for a setup for his new van build, he needed a setup that would support all his power needs and not leave him stranded without power. Sticks had a list of essentials he wanted in the van, including a 65L fridge, 240V 32" TV, hot water pump for the sink and shower, downlights, external lights, 240V power points, 12V USB ports, a wall-mounted fan, and a diesel heater. With this list of necessities, he had to then figure out his power requirements and what size system he would need.

Sticks' needed enough power to run the TV as well as lights, fridges and accessory sockets. (Image provided by REDARC.)

To figure out what size system you need, there there are a few simple equations you can do. Firstly, figure out how much electricity you plan on using in Watt-hours (Wh). Determine how many Watts each of your gadgets draws (this information can be found relatively easily, either in the device’s manual or with a quick Google search). Next, estimate how many hours you will be using each item per day and multiply this number by the Watts.

Watts x hours = Watt hours (Wh)

Once you’ve determined the Wh for each item, add them all together. This your total Wh.

Next, determine the battery capacity you will need. Battery capacity is measured in amp-hours (ah). To find the ah you need, divide the Wh by your system voltage (12V).

Total Wh / 12V = ah needed

Choosing a battery

This calculation will tell you how many ah of battery you need to be looking for, though choosing a battery isn’t quite as simple as finding a battery with that exact amount of ah. There are two main types of batteries that need to be considered: "regular" batteries (including flooded-lead-acid, AGM and gel batteries) and LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate batteries).

Regular deep cycle batteries should not be depleted below 50% of their capacity, as you risk shortening their lifespan and damaging them. When looking at a 100ah battery, for example, the recommended usable capacity is only about half of this, or 50ah.

LiFePO4 batteries, however, are rated in usable amp hours, meaning 100Ah battery will provide 100Ah without affecting the battery life, and though they are more expensive than a regular battery, they are lighter and tend to last longer.

While there is no right or wrong choice when it comes to battery selection, usable ah do need to be considered.

Sticks put his panels on the cabin roof. (Image provided by REDARC.)

What about solar?

Sticks decided to support his power system with solar panels above the driver’s cabin of his van. To determine how many Watts of solar you need for your setup, you can use another simple calculation.

Take the total number of Wh needed across all your devices. Divide this number by the average amount of full sunlight your panels will receive per day (for example, 5 or 6 hours).

Wh / sunlight hours = solar panel Watts needed

This is the total amount of solar panel Watts that should, in theory, fully charge your batteries and accommodate your power consumption each day. However, it does pay to round up and overcompensate, as you never know what is going to happen. Take into account overcast days, shade, rainy days, and days where you might just consume more power than usual.

With all this in mind, Sticks used this equation to determine he needed two 150W (300W) slim line solar panels.

The Manager30 and wiring tucked away neatly under the bed. (Image provided by REDARC.)

Which System to Choose?

When Sticks was deciding on a setup to tie his battery and solar setups together, REDARC was the only system the internet was talking about. With endorsements from respectable 4x4 companies and well-known outdoorsmen, the REDARC Manager30 Battery Management System seemed like the only way to go.

A complete battery management system, the Manager30 incorporates AC, DC, and solar inputs to provide the best charge for an auxiliary battery. Able to charge lead-acid, gel, calcium, AGM, or LiFePO4 batteries, this system ensures all your batteries are always fully charged and ready to go. Paired with a 350w REDARC inverter, the whole setup can be neatly wired up and tucked away under the bed in the back of the van.

After a few months of having the setup installed, Sticks couldn’t be happier: “I now understand why there is so much hype over REDARC and the products they’re creating.” The Manager30 system has given him and his family the freedom to travel off grid without assistance. It has provided him the power to charge all his camera gear while shooting remote weddings, as well as the assurance that he won’t miss any special moments.

Travelling with a family, including two sons under the age of four, meant that the van needed to be fitted with all the luxuries of home. This included a fridge to keep beers cold, a TV to entertain the kids after long days on the road, and a heater for chilly winter nights. Sticks' Manager30 setup handles all this and more with ease.

“REDARC has given my family the opportunity to hop straight in the van and escape at any point without worrying about the power system failing on us,” says Sticks. “I spend two nights a week in the van when I work, and after a long day having the freedom to jump in the back, open the fridge, flick on the TV and chill out in a well-lit space is awesome. I 100% back the REDARC.”