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Converting a camper van comes along with many decisions. What layout should you do? Do you need a shower? Do you want a convertible bed or fixed bed? And, so many more. Today we are going to address all the questions that come with selecting the right batteries for your camper van. Arguably, one of the more important decisions you will make for comfort in your camper van!
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Before we get into the weeds of battery types and brands, let’s first determine how much battery capacity you need. What is battery capacity? Battery capacity is the amount of power you can store. You need power to do anything with electricity in your camper van. This includes everything from lights, to charging your phone, and cooking. Determining your battery capacity begins with gathering a realistic picture of what your power needs are per day as a van lifer. From there, we recommend having at least 2 full days of battery capacity on board for rainy, or winter days. There will be days where you aren’t able to drive to charge, or there is no solar energy. Don’t worry, a detailed calculation is coming.
There are two types of loads you will use in your camper van when pulling electricity: DC and AC.
DC power is anything hardwired into your system. Most camper van electrical systems DC power is 12V, or 24V. DC power is the most efficient power as it does not need to be converted prior to use, therefore, you should utilize this wherever possible! AC power is simply anything that plugs into an outlet. This is slightly less efficient power because it must be converted through an inverter to a higher voltage prior to use.
To learn more about Camper Van Electrical specifics, visit out Complete Guide to Camper Van Electrical.
We said a more detailed calculation was coming, so here it is! Below are the steps for determining your daily power needs in a camper van.
There are two main types of batteries in camper van systems: Lithium-ion and AGM. The decision of which one you should use is often brought down to a combination of budget, weight, and battery life.
Lithium-ion batteries are:
Let’s say your power audit from above suggested 200ah of battery capacity. For this, you would only need 200ah of Lithium batteries; however, if you choose AGM batteries, you need 400ah of batteries to achieve the 200ah of usable capacity.
All lithium batteries require careful monitoring and management for safety and longevity. For this, your electrical system should have a BMS, or Battery Management System. For some brands, like Battle Born Batteries, the batteries come with an internal BMS. While other brands, like Victron Energy, require an external BMS. Below we outline some pros/cons of internal vs. external BMS so that you can make the right decision for your camper van electrical system:
Now that you know how much battery capacity you need, what type of battery, and if you want an internal, or external, BMS, you just need to find a battery that meets all of your requirements. As the years of van life go on, more and more options arise. You can find some pretty cheap options; however, batteries are one portion of your van build that we recommend investing in fully. A reputable battery brand will last longer, be more efficient space wise, and if something does go wrong, the brand will stand behind you.
Victron Batteries are by far one of the best choices for camper van batteries in terms of efficiency, quality, and configurability. Of course, this comes at a slightly higher price point. Additionally, Victron Batteries all require an external BMS.
Battle Born Batteries is a very common option if you would like to go the internal BMS route. We really like their different shapes, like the GC3 pictured, that make fitting more capacity into small spaces easier.
Battle Born Batteries also has heated battery options.
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Budget friendly AGM batteries are more easier to come by. Two brands that we recommend are Universal Power Group and Renogy. However, if you find another one you like and the reviews make you confident, there are lots of good options here.
We often see camper van electrical systems stacked with an array of 3+ 100ah batteries. However, from our experience, once you pass the 200ah mark, it is much more space efficient to purchase larger batteries. The two best options are the Victron 330ah battery and the Battle Born GC3 270ah battery. We compare them below.
When it is below freezing (0C / 32F), charging lithium-ion batteries is not recommended. In fact, some BMS will stop them from charging when the temperature is too low. This is the case with Battle Born Batteries.
As powder chasing van lifers who prefer to be in sub zero temperatures most of the winter, we have not yet needed heated batteries. The reality of full time van life is that the interior of your camper van is heated, so your batteries should never be exposed to sub zero temps.
However, if you are a part time van lifer, or your batteries are isolated in your camper van in a way that doesn’t allow heat to reach them, heated batteries might be a good idea.
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