Stop watching 30 conflicting YouTube builds — design your own
Every YouTuber has a different opinion on "the right" van electrical. PowerLab gives you the one that matches your gear, your budget, and where you actually drive.
Vanlife loads dialed in
DC fridge, Maxxair, diesel heater, induction, laptop, e-bike charger — all with realistic duty cycles.
12V vs 24V, settled
Clear recommendation based on your total Ah draw and wire-run distances. No more Reddit threads.
Honest shoulder-season math
Peak-sun-hours by region means your solar budget reflects February in Oregon, not brochure marketing.
ABYC-quality wiring plan
Same wire-sizing rigor marine electricians use. Protects your investment; satisfies your insurer.
Typical loads we already model
These are realistic watt draws and duty cycles pulled from the PowerLab appliance catalog. When you start a design, you pick from this catalog and customize \u2014 nothing to re-type.
| Load | Watts | Hrs/day | Wh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12V DC fridge | 50 | 12 | 600 |
| Maxxair roof fan | 30 | 8 | 240 |
| Diesel heater (startup cycle) | 100 | 2 | 200 |
| Induction burner | 1,800 | 0.3 | 540 |
| LED strip lighting | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Laptop + monitor | 90 | 6 | 540 |
| Starlink Mini | 35 | 6 | 210 |
| Sample total | 2,430 Wh/day |
Typical real-world band for this niche: 1,200\u20133,500 Wh/day (midpoint 2,350). Your actual number depends on your gear and how you use it; PowerLab calculates it exactly.
Ask these once your design is loaded
PowerLab Co-Pilot sees your exact design and can answer questions in plain English. Starter prompts for this niche:
- \u203aIs my alternator big enough to run a DC-DC charger for 400Ah of LiFePO4?
- \u203aWhat if I go 24V instead of 12V — does my inverter still work?
- \u203aCompare my current design with and without the diesel heater.
Frequently asked
Should I run 12V or 24V in my van?
Under ~3kW inverter and ~400Ah bank, 12V is simpler — every DC accessory lives on it natively. Above that, 24V halves your wire gauges and makes runs to the alternator much easier. PowerLab recommends based on your actual totals.
Can I charge from my alternator while driving?
Yes. PowerLab has an alternator-audit tool that sizes the DC-DC charger you need, warns on amps-per-hour limits, and flags when you’d exceed the OEM alternator’s sustained rating.
What about the Victron + Battle Born combo everyone runs?
That’s one valid pairing. PowerLab’s component matcher shows it alongside Renogy, Li Time, and other real options — with current amazon.ca prices so you can make your own call.
Design yours in the next 10 minutes
Free tier gets you load + battery + solar sizing for up to 3 designs. No credit card required. Upgrade when you need the Co-Pilot, live BMS monitoring (Victron live today), or permit-ready PDFs.
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