Hey Jim and Shirley,

Planning an extended off-grid adventure in your RV is exciting, but it also requires meticulous preparation, especially when upgrading your 12V system. Ensuring that your RV’s electrical system is robust and reliable is crucial for comfort and safety while exploring remote areas, as nothing worse than when you can’t get that coffee machine fired up to kickstart your day.  This month we have put together a list of critical components to ensure a well  powered adventure.

Assess Your Power Needs – Bigger is better!  Start by evaluating your power consumption and considering have you been running out of power? If your current trips are leaving you with say 50% power each night, consider how many more nights you may wish to spend off grid at one time and also the location and season.  For example – heading to areas that you know are going to be heavily treed will mean less chance to charge from roof mounted solar panels during the day.  Also give consideration to what additional power requirements you need.  Are you aiming to power up the AC for a short period to cool the van after being in the sun all day or is the hairdryer now super important? This will help you determine the overall energy demand and plan your power accordingly.

Upgrade the Battery Bank – Your RV’s battery bank is the very heart of your 12V electrical system. For extended off-grid stays, consider upgrading to Lithium (LiFEPO4) batteries – a popular choice due to their high energy density, long lifespan, and lightweight. Ensure you have enough battery capacity to store the energy you need, typically aiming for at least 200-400 Ahr, depending on your usage. For the same space as a lead acid battery bank it will weigh less than half and run for double the length of time.

Solar System – Probably not too much you can do here as most RV’s when sold in Australia are already equipped with 2-3 panels on the roof and the accessible roof “real estate” has been taken. Check your power management system as good ones will have an additional input available so that you can add another string of solar to portable panels.

Power Management System – If you are upgrading your battery bank in either chemistry to Lithium or the size you most likely need to consider upgrading or replacing your power management system.  Contrary to some commentary, LiFEPO4 batteries are unlikely to fully charge with a standard AGM charger and additionally if the charger is too small comparative to the battery bank it may timeout before fully charging.

Inverter (Pure Sine Wave) – converts DC power from your batteries to AC power, allowing you to run household appliances. A 2000-3000 watt inverter is typically sufficient for most RV setups.

Battery Monitoring – Accurate monitoring is essential for managing your power usage and ensuring you don’t over-discharge your batteries. Install a high-quality battery monitor with a shunt, which measures the current flowing in and out of your battery bank. This provides real-time data on battery voltage, current, state of charge, and estimated runtime. Inverters especially can drain battery banks very quickly.

Upgrading your RV’s 12V electrical system is a significant investment, but it pays off by providing the freedom to explore off-grid destinations with confidence and new levels of comfort. By carefully understanding your power needs and upgrading your battery bank, solar power system, and power management system, you can ensure a reliable and efficient power source for your adventures. Of course you can always rough it and get by but in today’s world you don’t have to – enjoy.