
This blog post is going to teach you how to add an Inverter, Alternator charging via DC-DC Charger, and Solar charging to your OEM camper or RV that came factory installed with 30 amp shore power hookups.
This diagram features:
- 3000W Inverter Charger
- 400+ Amp Hours of Battery Storage Capacity
- 400W-1200W 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
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
History of Changes to this Page (Click to Expand)
Published: September 8, 2020 – Any changes made will be listed above.
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.
30 Amp OEM Camper Electrical Upgrade Wiring Diagram

30A 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.
30A 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 – 12V Battery Bank (Click to Expand)

600 Watts – 6x100W Solar Panels – 12V Battery Bank (Click to Expand)

600 Watts – 3x200W Solar Panels- 12V Battery Bank (Click to Expand)

800 Watts – 4x200W Solar Panels- 12V Battery Bank (Click to Expand)

1000 Watts – 5x200W Solar Panels- 12V Battery Bank (Click to Expand)

1200 Watts – 4x300W Solar Panels- 12V Battery Bank (Click to Expand)

Typical 30A RV OEM Wiring
Here is a quick look at how MOST stock OEM RV’s are wired:

- The diagram above shows the typical bare-bones OEM RV/Camper with 30A shore power service.
- Shore power flows into the breaker box, powering the breaker box protected by a 30A breaker where 120V AC power is then distributed to the various circuits.
- One circuit is generally the Converter. The converter is usually built into the same enclosure that houses the breaker box (as shown) but is sometimes external. Either way, it’s wired in the same method.
- The converter converts the 120V AC power to 12V DC power which feeds the DC Fuse Block which powers the various DC devices around the camper (Lights, Fans, Etc..).
- From there, a positive and negative wire continues on to the house battery bank; usually two 12v batteries wired in parallel. These wires charge the batteries from shore power, and allow 12v devices to run when not connected to shore power.
- At the batteries, there are usually 2+ additional positive and negative wires heading off under the RV somewhere that are going to power additional DC circuits around the camper. These may be slide-outs, powered leveling jacks, and other ‘chassis’ items like that. These wires will likely have fuses in line to protect these wires coming from the battery.
- One of these wires is also likely the wire coming from the alternator to charge the house battery bank.
- When the camper is NOT plugged in to shore power, all of the 12V DC appliances will run due to them still being connected to the batteries, but the 120V AC appliances will NOT operate because the converter is a one-way-street and will not convert 12V DC back to 120V AC. The charging from alternator is typically very slow (less than 10 amps) and should, generally, not be relied on to provide adequate power for recharging deeply depleted house battery banks.
How to Integrate a DIY Camper Electrical Upgrade with the OEM Wiring
In addition to wiring the components together, here is a breakdown of how the flow of power to the above diagram works.
WIRING THE INVERTER/CHARGER To Shore Power.
When connected to shore power or generator, power flows from shore power (or generator) to the Victron Multiplus inverter charger. This charges the batteries which feeds the DC fuse block and allows 30A shore power passthrough to power the 120v appliances. You will take the 10/3 wire that goes from the shore power inlet to the back of the AC distribution panel and instead, run that wire from the shore power inlet to the input of the Victron Multiplus.
Wiring the Inverter/Charger AC Distribution Panel
The wire from the Multiplus Inverter/Charger to the AC Distribution panel should be replaced from the 10/3 OEM installed wire to a 6/3 wire and the 30A main breaker should be replaced with a 50A main breaker to accommodate for the additional capabilities of the Victron PowerAssist function.
Wiring the Solar Panel Array to your Camper Electrical System
When charging from solar, the solar panels & charge controller charge the batteries. The batteries are connected to the DC fuse block allowing use of the 12v devices around the camper. The Inverter takes the 12V DC power stored in the batteries and converts it to 120V AC power to power the 120V AC items around the camper.
Replacing Stock Camper Batteries with Busbars
A positive and negative busbar take the place of the stock batteries in the stock battery location (assuming that upgrading batteries means you will not be able to store your new battery bank in the stock location). From the Lynx Distributor, power flows to these two busbars where power is then sent to all of the OEM installed components like the DC distribution block, power jacks, slides, etc.
30A Camper Converter
The OEM installed converter must be completely disconnected. It can remain installed, but the wires must be disconnected from both the AC and DC side of the power distribution center. These wires can usually be bundled up and stuffed next to the converter.
30A Camper Alternator Charging
You will likely have a wire charging your OEM batteries from the alternator. This wire will likely be somewhere in the 12 AWG range. This will either run directly from your starting battery isolator if this is a motorhome or from your 7-pin connector if this is a trailer. This needs to be disconnected completely. This diagram uses a 30A DC-DC Charger and the OEM installed wire will be too small. The 6 AWG wire in the diagram will take the place of the OEM wire you are to remove. In the case of a trailer, 6 AWG wire will need to be run all the way to the truck starting battery if alternator charging via DC-DC Charger is desired and disconnected by the hitch by means of an Anderson connector.
Dan Smith
Wednesday 7th of April 2021
Nate,
Do you see any issue using this system with 6V Royal batteries in series to 12V? I am going this route because our bus has the weight capactity and room to handle the extra size.
Nate Yarbrough
Wednesday 7th of April 2021
Given you you properly wire your 6v batteries into a 12V battery bank, this setup will indeed work.
ROLAND CHUNG
Tuesday 6th of April 2021
Hey Nate, Getting ready to do the 30A OEM RV Solar upgrade. When using the Orion 12/12/30 DC to DC, Thinking about routing the 6 awg wires between the Crew Cab and the pick up bed. Seems like a good idea to shorten the runs and to enter the lower front of the truck camper with an Anderson connector. Only concern would be remembering to disconnect the 7 pin at the rear, but forgetting to disconnect the Anderson at the front end. Do you have a video/blog describing that sort of connection near the front of the truck camper? Also, looking for recommendations for some sort of bracket or Anderson connector for this.
Ken O'Brien
Monday 5th of April 2021
Outstanding information here, thank you. In your wiring diagrams you show 2 AWG wire connecting the lynx distributor to the charge controller, but nowhere is that wire included in your items list. Also, it seems that 6 ga wire is about the maximum the 100/50 amp victron can handle. Can you clarify the recommended gauge of wire between these components?
Stan H
Sunday 4th of April 2021
Hi Nate,
I currently have a Furrion 10 amp Solar Inlet, but have 3 Group 31 batteries on my RV. I need to upgrade from the 100 watt 10 amp Solar to 300 watt 30 amp. How can I find & upgrade my Inlet from 10 amp to 30 amps to fully support my larger battery bank?
Stan
Ryon Downs
Tuesday 30th of March 2021
I have a 1991 Ford E350 Airstream B190 with the stock electrical system installed by Airstream, house battery under the hood, 30amp shore/generator to a switcher to the breaker/converter box. I'd like to retain the shore hookup to run the rooftop a/c when there are hookups and the generator for backup, but switch to primarily solar to run the fridge, lights and other things off of and install an inverter to run some 120v appliances off the batteries. I'm trying to decide if it makes any sense to try and retrofit into the existing system or just start from scratch seeing as its all 30 years old at this point.