Van Life

It depends on whether you're driving regularly or sitting still. As a rough guide:

- 1000Wh–2000Wh: fridge, lights, phone and laptop charging, moving every few days
- 2000Wh–2200Wh with 200W–400W solar: full-time living, working from the van, staying put for longer stretches
- Dual battery system: best if you drive most days, since the alternator does the charging for free

Tell us your fridge model and whether you work from the van and we'll size it properly rather than guess.

A power station needs no installation, comes out of the van when you need it, and moves to your next vehicle. A dual battery system charges automatically every time you drive and keeps the space tidy, but it needs installing and stays with the van. If you're renting, borrowing, or still working out your layout, start with the power station.

Not for a solar generator kit. The blanket unfolds outside, plugs in via an Anderson connection, and packs away. That's the main reason they suit hire vans, leased vehicles and anyone who doesn't want to commit to a permanent fit-out.

Yes, and that's usually the biggest single load in a van. A 12V compressor fridge typically pulls 100–130Ah a day depending on ambient temperature and how often you open it. That's what your solar input needs to replace each day, so pair the battery with enough panel to keep up.

Yes. A laptop, monitor, phone and router are modest loads, and the pure sine wave output is safe for all of them. The thing to plan for is a run of overcast days — that's when solar input drops and your battery capacity has to carry you. Size for the bad week, not the good one.

Depends on panel size and sun. A 400W blanket can deliver up to around 20.8A in good conditions, so a 170Ah station takes several hours of solid sun from low to full. Cloud, angle and heat all reduce that, which is why chasing the sun with a blanket beats a fixed panel.

Different jobs. A power station runs your appliances; it won't crank an engine. A jump starter delivers the high burst of current a starter motor needs. When your van is also your home, being unable to start it is a much bigger problem than a flat fridge.

Yes. Power stations charge from the 12V socket while you drive, though that's slower than solar or mains. A dual battery system charges much faster off the alternator via a DC-DC charger, which is the main reason people eventually wire one in.

Yes. Lithium power stations produce no fumes and next to no noise, so they're safe inside the van overnight. That's the practical difference from a petrol generator, which must always be run outdoors.

A power station and solar blanket come with you, which is a genuine advantage over a wired system. If you've fitted a dual battery system, the battery and DC-DC charger can usually be transferred, but you'll be paying for the install a second time.