OUR CAMPERVAN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Mercedes Vario | 12V & 24V explained Victron Haul | Van Build Ep25

How do we power our van? This week we are getting technical with the electrical and talking you through our whole electrical system. We explain which components we have chosen to build our system with, how our choice to run in 24 and 12 Volt effects the system and how it all fits together.

We bought all our electrical equipment from BSPK Solar - give Chris a shout, he's a lovely guy!

We are talking through our choices for our electrical system. We have 4x 12V 170Ah Victron Super Cycle AGM Batteries wired in series-parallel providing us with 340Ah of 24V. These are protected from uneven charge/discharge with a Battery Balancer. The batteries are charged from a range of sources; 5x Victron Mono 175W solar panels through 2x Victron 100V/20A MPPT charge controllers; a Victron 24V/24V/17A DC to DC Charger to make use of the excess power generated from the vehicle's alternator; and a shore hookup point running through a Victron 24V/1200W/25A Multiplus (Inverter & Charger) which also outputs a 4A trickle charge to the vehicle's batteries and our 230VAC power. We then have a 24V Blade Fuse Box between the batteries and all of our 24V appliances and also have a Victron 24V/12V Voltage Dropper running to a 12V Blade Fuse Box for our 12V appliances.

After this week it feels like we are well on our way to making our very own tiny house on wheels with our Vario Van Conversion! Getting the electrics correct is going to be such an achievement! If you want to keep right up to date please follow us on Instagram! @maxandsophieinavan

Here are some links to items we have used or are similar to what we have used in this video, some are affiliate links so we do get some pennies (at no extra cost to you!) if you follow the link and make a purchase.


We need as much help as possible! Please add any comments, hints or tips about our van build below...

We're Max and Sophie and in 2020 we bought a Mercedes Vario to turn into our very own home on wheels. We've done the saving, so now we are starting our dream of building our diy camper van. Join us for our full time van build...

#VANLIFE​ #VANBUILD​ #MERCEDESVARIO​ #VANLIFEUK​

Van spec:
Mercedes Vario 614D
2006 plate
7.2m long
2.5m wide
3.0m high
Air Brakes
Double Fuel Tank

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[darrenbemrose]

Hi Max and Sophie, thanks for the recommendation, Had a great phonecall with Chris. Cheers Daz

[phillipjknight]

Looks mad all that guys i bet its going to be fun fitting all that behind your driver seat 😂 wait until the wiring arrives 😂 but seriously I’m jealous because i have to wait until c19 goes away here in Ireland. We love your adventure. ❤️🇮🇪

[BusOffwithJosie]

Guysss !!!! Soooo well explained ! I’m defo guna have to re watch this when I am figuring this out !!!

[RustyRoseAdventures]

Wow what a beast of a system👍 very useful can’t wait for the installation!!

[WanderbusAdventures]

Amazing update guys. So very excited to see this all installed. Ooooh I can’t wait to see your crimps and wiring - I’m about to nerdgasm

[nosaltiesandrooshere]

👍 Danke fürs Hochladen!
👍 Thanks for uploading!
👍 Very good and beautiful, thank you!

[marcanyon]

So nicely done both of you, well done! It all made sense to me. I have a renault business box bread van thingy to convert and I dont like washing up, so its getting a dishwasher!!

[richiebainbridge]

Simply incredible. That’s a lot of weight hanging of the seat back with heavy duty cables. Wonderful.

[ourroaminghome]

Another fab video guys- we were thinking of converting everything to 12V so you're making us have a rethink :) look forward to seeing that all come together xx

[The_Mitchells]

Very informative! We also chose 24v for our bus (well, Russ did - I’m a bit clueless when it comes to electrics!) Layla xox

[ian_morg]

Wow! Looks a fab setup! Have fun installing it 😎👍🏼

[gdrsolutions]

Fab video team. Fully met my nerd needs x

[catandgareth]

Love the video guys, that's a lot of blue kit. Victron rules :) 🌞

[TheCaptainbarnacles]

Thanks for putting this together, it was very informative and now I understand the popularity and purpose of the multiplus. It's a lovely bit of kit. Brilliant that it works as a trickle charger / maintainer for the starter batteries alongside charging the leisure batteries and working as an inverter. I want one!

[RyanPhallen]

Great video. I'm about to upgrade my system from 12v to 48v.

I'm surprised you didn't go Lifepo4 though after spending all that money.

[TwoHumansBeing]

wow, thats definitely made my head hurt!! 😂😂 all the electrical bits is something we are not looking forward to, it all seems so hard! you guys do such a good job of explaining things though! looking forward to the next one!

[gavinrussell]

Great job both 👏 you both put it a cross very well 👍😋

[EdTurner.]

I knew from your first episode that this was going to be a serious build and a proper job, but even by your standards that is a serious investment in elastic trickery...I have watched all your episodes over the last 2 weeks and am enjoying your efforts both build and film production wise, so thanks very much Ed.
p.s we got our VW Transporter that had been professionally converted because i was too busy to do one at the time and at a cost of £15000 (just for the conversion with pop top and engine map and front body kit etc) but over the last 18months i have just about redone the entire thing the electrics were a very dangerous joke 1.5mm cable running the entire 12v system, no fuses between house battery and start wrong type of split charge system etc etc. Hopefully this may put your minds at ease over the amount you are spending ...yes its expensive but it will last forever and work safely and properly plus you look like your having a laugh doing it.

my last question will the work seats, sofa, cinema chairs, dinette guest bed, configure to cot / childs bed .
thanks for your fims Ed. Yorkshire

[albertmorton]

Just a quick “Add-on” to my comment, I think the pair of you are doing a bloody good job 👍👍👍

[naughtysquirrelontheroad]

Well done guys 😁 another great video 😁 good luck wiring up!