feet
Click "Calculate Wire Gauge" after the system calculator has run.
Fuse/breaker recommendations appear after calculation.
Size your camper van solar system in minutes. Enter your appliances below and get exact recommendations for panels, batteries, inverter, and charge controller.
Pre-loaded with typical van life appliances. Adjust wattage and hours to match your actual setup.
Pick a preset to load typical appliances, or skip and add your own below.
The duty cycle accounts for appliances that don't run at full power continuously. A refrigerator compressor cycles on/off (~35% of the time); a lamp stays on 100%.
| Appliance | Peak Watts | Duty Cycle % | Hours/Day | Wh/Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Total: | 0 Wh | ||||
Most cargo vans (Sprinter, Transit, ProMaster) have 60–120 sq ft of usable roof space. That typically fits 400–800W of solar depending on panel size and roof fan/AC placement. Flexible panels fit better on curved van roofs but are slightly less efficient than rigid panels.
Unlike RVs and cabins, vans have a major advantage: alternator charging via a DC-DC charger. A 30–60 minute drive can push 30–50A into your house battery. Most full-time van lifers combine 200–400W of solar with a DC-DC charger and rarely run out of power.
Nearly all van builds use a 12V system because wiring runs are short (under 15 feet), appliances are available in 12V, and a single 12V LiFePO4 battery (100–300Ah) covers most needs. Only go 24V if you need more than 5kWh of battery or plan to run heavy loads like an induction cooktop.