This DIY camper solar wiring diagram and parts list is perfect for ground-up electrical installs into campervans, skoolies, or expedition vehicles. This system is most suitable for systems that do not have a pre-existing house electrical system installed.
This diagram features:
- 2000W Inverter Charger
- 200+ Amp Hours of Battery Storage Capacity
- 200W-700W Solar Array Capacity
- Alternator Charging
- Shore Power Charging/Passthrough
Not quite what you are looking for? Check out other system setups here: https://www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams
History of Changes to this Page (Click to Expand)
Post Published August 10, 2020
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
HOW TO USE THIS PAGE – VIDEO
This orientation video will show you how to best use this page to build your DIY Camper Solar Setup. It’s a quick watch but I think it’s pretty important.
DIY Camper Van Wiring Diagram
DIY Camper Solar Parts – Shopping List
The list below is a consolidated parts list for this entire system (Minus the solar charging leg, which is listed at the bottom of this blog post).
For the ‘Quantities’ in the below shopping list, each singular component is listed a quanty per each, wire is listed a quantity of feet, and heat shrink is listed as qty 1 = 2.25″.
For Example:
Qty 1 – Inverter Charger means you need to purchase 1 Inverter Charger
Qty 3 – 4/0 Wire means you need 3 feet of 4/0 wire. This may mean you need to buy 5ft from the product page
Qty 5 heat shrink means you need 5 pieces of 2.25″ heat shrink. This means you’ll need 5 x 2.25″ pieces of heat shrink for a total of 11.25″ of heat shrink.
Camper Solar Parts Detail
The section below will tell you where each of the parts from above fits into the wiring diagram. This is quite lengthy, but if you are having trouble seeing the diagram or just want more clarification that the diagram above doesn’t deliver, hopefully this will help:
Solar Charging Parts List & Wiring Diagrams
The following section provides you with several different options for solar charging. The above parts list can remain completely unchanged and the diagram above can remain mostly unchanged except for the alterations noted by the diagrams below, but whatever solar array setup you choose below for your needs, these parts will need to be added to your shopping list. These are broken up by total solar wattage. As a general rule, you want to have twice as many watts of solar as you do amp hours of batteries. So, 300Ah Batteries = 600W solar. 400Ah Batteries = 800W solar. 600Ah Batteries = 1200W of solar. This is just a rule of thumb. Not a law.
400 Watts – 4x100W Solar Panels (Click to Expand)
600 Watts – 6x100W Solar Panels (Click to Expand)
600 Watts – 3x200W Solar Panels (Click to Expand)
Order of Operations for DIY Camper Solar Install
This list is a rough guideline of what order things need to be connected for systems using this wiring diagram. THERE IS MORE TO KNOW about this process, though, in the user manual for each component. READ THE USER MANUAL FOR EACH COMPONENT as this ‘order of operations’ does NOT supersede anything in the user manual.
- Arrange all parts & components where they will be mounted
- Mount & secure all components to the wall/enclosure as necessary (EXCEPT Lynx Distributor)
- Wire battery bank together
- Assemble Lynx Distributor, master disconnect switch & shunt assembly
- Mount Lynx Distributor to wall/enclosure
- Verify Main switch is in the “OFF” position
- Wire Positive wire from Lynx Distributor to Main fuse
- Wire Positive Wire from Main fuse to Battery Bank
- Wire Negative Wire from Shunt to Battery Bank
- Connect negative wires from Lynx Distributor to Inverter/Charger, Charge Controller & 12V Fuse Block
- Install fuses inside of Lynx Distributor
- Connect Positive Wires from Lynx Distributor to Inverter/Charger, Charge Controller & 12V Fuse Block
- Connect Positive Wire from Lynx Distributor to B1 Terminal on Shunt
- Verify dual-pole disconnect switch for solar array is ‘off’
- Connect Charge Controller to Dual Pole Solar Disconnect
- Connect wires going to solar array to dual pole disconnect
- Cover Solar Panels with Cardboard
- Connect solar array together (Order does not particularly matter)
- Remove Cardboard from Solar Panels
- Verify proper solar array voltage at dual pole solar disconnect
- Remove ‘wire bridge’ on Victron Orion DC DC Charger
- Connect positive & negative wire from Orion to Starting Battery pos & neg (as per user manual)
- Adjust Orion Output Voltage Setting as appropriate in Victron Connect app
- Connect 10/3 wire from shore power inlet to Inverter/Charger
- Connect 6/3 wire from Inverter/Charger to AC Breaker Box
- Verify all 120V breakers in breaker box are ‘off’.
- Connect AC Branch Circuits to AC Breaker Box if not already connected
- Connect DC Branch Circuits to 12V Fuse Block if not already connected
- Connect RJ-11 cable & BMV-712 Monitor Gauge to Shunt
- Verify proper voltage between main fuse & shunt (Approximately 12V-14V)
- TRIPLE CHECK THAT ALL WIRES ARE CONNECTED, POS (+) TO POS (+) & NEG (-) TO NEG (-) (except series wired solar panels) AND CONNECTED TO THEIR PROPER PLACES IN THE COMPONENTS AS PER THEIR USER MANUAL
- Turn on Master Disconnect Switch
- Turn on Dual Pole Solar Disconnect
- Replace wire bridge in Orion
- Turn Inverter/Charger ‘On’.
- Turn on Main AC Breaker in Breaker box & Branch Circuit breakers
- Configure system charging through the parameters as per user manual of each component
Victor
Wednesday 4th of August 2021
Hi Nate, it's Victor here.
Thank you so much for all of this. It is amazing to be part of such a cool cumunity.
I just finished the part list (European version)- 2000w inverter/charger, 340ah lithium, 200w or 400w solar panels depending on space - and I have two questions please.
1. Everything is pretty much identical with your list apart of the batteries (we can't get battleborn ones here) and the inverter/charger. They're both renogy (SKU: R-INVT-PCL1-20123S-UK and SKU: RNG-BATT-LFP-12-170-UK ) - and the 300AMP fuses, they're not blue sea, they're a different brand. Q: Do you see any compatibility issues here please? should I consider different equipments?
2. Safety concerns. Although I try my best to carefully work and learn as much as posible about electricity, there are still some concerns I have about things that I have to be very carefull when instaling such a system in order to not be in major danger. I picked up some your advices such as covering the panels once they're up, making sure the master switch is off etc. Q: Are there other critical advices one should cosinder when it comes to safety, or do you plan in making on short video highlighting these safety advices?
thanks a lot
Kate
Sunday 1st of August 2021
Hey Nate! I'm planning out how I want to allow for an additional 'portable' module setup. So, when we camp in the shade, I don't have to rely on the module on the roof. The roof module is a Commercial Mono 340w and the portable modules would be something much smaller: (2) 100's or 170's. If I'm going this route, I also want to have the ability to boost the roof mod if I need to. Currently, I'm planning to install another MPPT in parallel with the 340w module's MPPT since the portable modules' specs won't really fit well with the V curves of the roof module. That parallel MPPT will be attached to a quick disconnect (likely outside the van) so I can detach the portable modules and store them when I don't need them (maybe an SAE port maybe an MC4, haven't decided). What would you do?
Timothy
Wednesday 21st of July 2021
Hi Nate,
Thanks for the diagram, going to be following this closely for my next build. Couple of questions.
1) Do you know when the VICTRON LYNX ADAPTERS (PAIR) will be back in stock? If not soon, is there something you could recommend as a stand in for this diagram?
2) Its not clear to me where the fuse/breaker is for the shore power --> inverter charger. Is that function contained in the shore power outlet?
3) I plan on having only a few 120V outlets and not running a ton of appliances (just charging a few laptops or something else on occasion. I already bought a Blue Sea Fusebox for my 12V loads, any recommendation for a small breaker box for my AC loads?
Thanks so much!
Timothy
ERIC VAILLANCOURT
Monday 19th of July 2021
I am looking at the Victron Wiring Unlimited book you mentioned. PDF page #19 states there are 4 ways to wire batteries. You also mention you prefer the busbar method. You are very thorough so I am guessing you have a good rationale for it. My guess is that there is less resistance in the busbar than the battery itself so the batteries charge/discharge more balanced? That makes sense to me, If that is the reason.
My real question is what would a battery busbar set up look like?
Thanks again for all the amazing content and videos!
-Eric
Don condit
Saturday 10th of July 2021
Looking for 200ah-400ah battery- solar panel size ? And wire diagram