I've rebuilt most of the electrical system in an RV I recently bought. It started out with a basic "shore power" system as the dominant source of electricity along with a couple lead acid batteries. I've replaced the old batteries with LiFePO4 (lithium) batteries, swapped out the AC->DC charger/converter with one that can charge lithium, extended the main AC power cable into a central electrical bay, installed a 2000W inverter, installed a hardwired EMS/surge protector, and a transfer switch to automatically switch main power to the inverter whenever it's powered on. Next is to install dual 400W solar panel systems (it could have been a single 800W system, but it was actually cheaper with a dual 400W system).
Ultimately I'm going to live in this RV and work remotely as I travel.
I'm interested in learning how to do this kind of work. I ultimately plan to install it in a van or trailer, but I'm thinking of starting with some kind of portable solar system to use while camping. Do you have any recommendations for resources to learn about these types of systems?
Renogy is a popular brand for solar systems, and they have some great resources. Also lots of YouTube vids that walk through solar installation on RVs and vans. Once you know what you need (panels, charge controller, batteries, inverter), it starts to come together pretty quickly. I’d just make sure to scope out your typical watt usage so that you size the system to what you need. For me, I can run everything for a remote work setup _except_ the air conditioner and things like the microwave (I’m on a 800W system with 200ah of battery). My fridge can run on propane, otherwise that would be a non-starter for off-the-grid remote life/work.
Ultimately I'm going to live in this RV and work remotely as I travel.