Van Life Solar Calculator

Complete camper van electrical system designer. Solar + alternator + shore power, per-circuit wire and fuse sizing, wiring schema, and 24-hour battery simulation.

Built for Sprinter, Transit, ProMaster, and any cargo van conversion. Pre-loaded with realistic van life appliances.

1Choose a Profile (or Build Custom)
System Configuration
2Charging Sources

Toggle each source you'll have. Combining sources lets you safely reduce battery size.

Solar Panels
Alternator (B2B)
Common DC-DC chargers: Renogy 30A, Victron Orion 30A/50A.
Shore Power
Only counts on days you're plugged in at a campsite.
3Appliances
ApplianceWattsQtyHrs/dayWh/day
ApplianceWattsPeak WQtyHrs/dayWh/day
Your Van System
Daily Energy
Battery Bank
Inverter
MPPT Controller
Daily Charging
Solar: 0 Wh
Alternator: 0 Wh
Shore: 0 Wh

Total in: 0 Wh
Daily Consumption
DC loads: 0 Wh
AC loads: 0 Wh 1.09 for inverter losses)

Total out: 0 Wh
24-Hour Battery Simulation

Hourly battery state-of-charge with current charging sources and loads.

Wiring Schema

Conceptual diagram showing busbars, charging sources, and circuits with cable/fuse sizing.

Per-Circuit Cable & Fuse Sizing

Each load needs its own properly-sized fuse and cable. Based on 3% voltage drop @ 4m wire length.

CircuitTypeWattsAmpsCableFuse

Van Solar System Tips

Roof Space Is Limited

Most cargo vans have 60–120 sq ft of usable roof. That fits 400–800W of solar depending on panel size and roof fan/AC placement. Flexible panels fit curved roofs but lose ~5% efficiency vs rigid.

Alternator Charging Is Key

Vans have a major advantage over RVs: DC-DC alternator charging. A 30–60 minute drive can push 30–50A into your house battery. Most full-timers combine 200–400W solar + 30A DC-DC and rarely run out.

12V Is Standard

Nearly all van builds use 12V: short wire runs, plenty of 12V appliances, and a single 100–300Ah LiFePO4 covers most needs. Go 24V only if your bank exceeds 5kWh or you run heavy AC loads.

Setup saved to My Setups!