Vanny Van
Cargo Van → Camper Conversion
A work-in-progress van build. Solar on the roof, battery in the back, and a bed somewhere in between. Named with love. Built with chaos.
⚡ Electrical & Solar
| Component | Spec | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Panels | 2× 100W mono (22.79Voc, 5.31Asc) | Installed |
| Panel Config | Parallel (2P) — ~22.8Voc, ~10.6Asc | Installed |
| Panel Disconnect | 550V DC / 63A PV disconnect (IP65) | Installed |
| Charge Controller | Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 | Installed Jun 16, 2026 |
| MPPT Breaker | C65H-DC 2P C63A (poles in series) | Installed |
| Battery Bank | Super Empower 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 (1280Wh, 100A BMS, low-temp protection) | Installed Jun 20, 2026 |
| ANL Fuse | Windynation ANL 150A fuse | Installed Jun 23, 2026 |
| 12V Outlets | USB-C + USB-A | Installed |
| Inverter | BougeRV 2000W 12V Pure Sine Wave w/ Bluetooth | Installed Jun 19, 2026 |
| DC Distribution | Lights, fan, outlets | Installed |
| Head Unit | Sony XAV-AX210SXM — 6.95", wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, SiriusXM, 5V preouts | Installed |
🔌 Wiring Notes
- Panels parallel → combined current doubles, voltage stays put
- 550V disconnect is overkill but properly rated for PV circuits
- C65H-DC breaker: both poles wired in series for clean DC breaking
- LiFePO4 battery has low-temp cutoff — won't charge below freezing (saves the cells)
- 100A BMS means battery can deliver up to ~1280W continuous before it trips
- Battery side = 12V, so 63A is generous headroom on a 30A max MPPT
📊 Solar Math
- Array wattage: 200W (2× 100W)
- Voc (parallel): 22.79V
- Isc (parallel): 10.62A
- Max charge current: 30A (MPPT limit)
- Battery voltage: 12V nominal
- Estimated daily yield: ~600-800Wh (sunny day)
🛠️ Build & Layout
Interior
- Insulation — Havelock wool + deadening matting (walls, ceiling, doors) — Done
- Flooring — Lloyd Mats Rubbertite floor mats — Installed (bed platform covers rest of floor)
- Bed platform — 8020 aluminum extrusion frame with two slide-out drawers — Installed
- Ceiling — Reclaimed pallet wood — Installed
- Walls — Plywood + felt covering — Done
- Cabinetry — Not installed (drawers in bed frame handle storage)
- Window covers — Sun shades — Done
- Cab divider — Curtain separating rear from front seats — Done
- Seat covers — Coverking Spacer Mesh custom seat covers — Installed
- Floor mats — Lloyd Mats Rubbertite — Installed
Systems
- Water supply — 3× RotopaX 5-gallon water — portable, mountable, no plumbing
- Emergency fuel — 1× RotopaX 1-gallon gasoline
- Fridge — Not installed (cooler / icebox approach)
- Sink — Not installed (no fixed plumbing)
- Vent / fan — Dometic 1450 Vent Roof Fan — Installed Aug 2019
- Solar monitoring — Raspberry Pi running Venus OS (Victron Remote Management), connected to SmartSolar MPPT and shunt — Installed Jun 16, 2026
- Environmental sensor — Ruuvi Tag — Bluetooth temp/humidity/pressure beacon, integrated into Venus OS MQTT — Added Jul 1, 2026
- Mounts — 2× RAM No-Drill seat-rail mounts (phone/tablet holders) — Installed June 2019
- Heater — TBD
🚐 Exterior
- Awning — Ironman 4x4 Delta Wing 90° Awning — Installed Nov 2021
📅 Build Log
| Date | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | Named her Vanny Van. Confirmed solar layout: 2× 100W parallel, 100/30 MPPT, C65H-DC breaker, 550V disconnect ordered. Sony XAV-AX210SXM head unit installed. Insulated with Havelock wool + deadening matting. |
| 2026-06-04 | Installed Super Empower 12V 100Ah LiFePO4 battery (1280Wh, 100A BMS, low-temp protection). Battery sits in van, wired into the 12V system. Planned loads: inverter, Fan-tastic fan, USB devices, LED lights. |
| 2026-06-17 | Wired 12V outlets: USB-C + USB-A installed and powered. Skipped the cigarette socket. Wired DC distribution: LED lights and Dometic fan connected and running. Ordered BougeRV 2000W 12V pure sine wave inverter with Bluetooth. Decided against fixed fridge/sink/plumbing — going with 3× RotopaX 5-gallon water containers and a 1-gallon gas can for water/fuel instead. Interior: bed platform is 8020 extrusion with two slide-out drawers, ceiling is reclaimed pallet wood, no cabinets (drawers handle storage), sun shades on windows, curtain divider between rear and front seats. Exterior: Ironman 4x4 Delta Wing 90° awning installed Nov 2021. |
| 2026-06-19 | Installed BougeRV 2000W 12V pure sine wave inverter with Bluetooth. Inverter is live and ready for AC loads. |
| 2026-06-20 | Battery bank wired into bus bars. All connections routed and organized. Waiting on ANL fuse to complete battery-to-inverter run. Disabled always-on LED on fan/lights switch to save power. |
| 2026-07-01 | Added a Ruuvi Tag to the van for temperature, humidity, and pressure monitoring. It broadcasts via Bluetooth and is picked up by the Venus OS Pi over MQTT at 192.168.1.140, appearing on the Venus OS overlay. |
| 2026-06-23 | Installed Windynation ANL 150A fuse today. Battery-to-inverter run is now complete and fully protected. |
🔗 Follow the Build