CHEAP EASY 12V Camper Van ELECTRICS (REUPLOAD) - How To
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- Опубликовано: 28 дек 2020
- I wanted to revisit camper van 12v electrics. This how to video is to help new comers get started with a cheap, simple and easy to maintain system that would provide you with everything you need to get started and off grid. From this base knowledge you can massively expand your system to be more and more complex, there is so much more you can add to a 12v setup like this. Please remember to be safe around electrical items, I am not a qualified electrician and I would advise you get one to check over your system before use or even have one fit your system if your very un sure.
PARTS:
CABLE: www.autoelectricsupplies.co.u...
CABLE ABOVE 70A: www.autoelectricsupplies.co.u...
FUSING: www.autoelectricsupplies.co.u...
TERMINAL KIT: www.autoelectricsupplies.co.u...
OR
bit.ly/36GnRPe
ROCKER SWITCH: bit.ly/3iFDYPl
VSR: www.simplysplitcharge.co.uk/i...
240V KIT: www.jacksonsleisure.com/campe...
CONDUIT TUBE: Google 'cable conduit tube'
LED: I use www.wholesaleledlights.co.uk/ BUT most are good
Most other parts just search for on ebay, Auto Electric Supplies or google to see different styles and prices etc.
Camera Kit Used Throughout My Series:
BODY: Panasonic GH5
LENS: Panasonic 7-14mm 1:2.8
OTHER: My Phone
Please like share and subscribe as this will be a series of videos showing the full transformation and use of my camper van!
For more info about what I am up to subscribe to my channel! Get on board with my VanLogs and keep up to date with all my progress.
Website: www.hugh-tube.com
Instagram: hughtubevlog 
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As an auto electrician of 30 years experience.. I can tell you that's the best video on camper electrics I've seen. One "camper Conversion specialist" I watched was advacating disconnecting the positive terminal of the battery first ..... 😂
I was an Electronics engineer, but van wiring confused me because I saw way too many ways of wiring a system in. This video made me realise the best way to wire things up. One thing I noted. Don't suggest all those extra switches to isolate devices. Unnecessary. Use the breakers. I would NEVER use a wire-fuse in a van, because when they trip in the middle of the night! Who's got a spare and how do you get to it? Just use 12VDC thermo-breakers and disconnect the offending device when tripped and reset afterwards. That way you can worry about it in the morning! Vans are subjected to an enormous amount of 'jiggling' on the road, so I would crimp AND solder connectors where possible. If you go off road, I would put a drop of Loctite on the main connectors.
This is exactly how I'm building mine. I was going to go down the road with an automatic transfer switch. But as my inverter is IT grounded and new regs on bidirectional protection devices, I popped my head into the rabbit hole and thought stuff this. Without making the system to test each possible fault and protection for safety I thought it was better just to keep the two systems separate.
Good to see you have a 2 pole MCB 💪🏼
Loved how you instantly reverted to a 6 year old boy when the ice cream van arrived.
Great videos I am on my first van build and your videos are a must go to. The electrics was explained so simply. Never even heard of smart alternators till now so an education.
Great informative video. I had a very similar setup in my first build, nice to see a few extra options and the information about the new alternator types is priceless. Thanks
What an absolute brilliant video, suuuper useful! Thank you so much for investing the time to explain it so well!
Hey "HugeTube" your electrical set up videos are the best I've seen on RUclips. The detailed explanations you give and the time, effort and cost of your easy to see and understand board layouts are the dogs doo dahs. Many thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Keep them coming and best wishes for the future to you Hugh.
Thank you for such a clear and simple video, I am literally following it step by step at the moment, till I go to my friends to get everything checked and finally connected. It is very empowering to feel I have done 'most' of my electrickery myself.
Very helpful and clear to understand. I have been searching a long time on internet wondering if my 240 hook up was charging my leisure battery or not.. I bought the camper van privately and I was unsure. I think this is very helpful you have covered so much for me who has little knowledge about the electrics but a bit more savvy now. Thank you
By far the most useful video I have come across to help me install a DIY 12V solar system
Excellent video! Simple, clear and easy to follow 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant. And again, Brilliant........
Absolutely outstanding information , a huge huge Thank You for putting together a very comprehensive detailed video , this must have taken quite a bit of thought and effort to organise - we have all benefited from your experience and knowledge and definitely deserves a round of applause 👏👏
Thank you. The most detailed explanation yet a level directed to the layman.
Thanks for taking the time to run down everything... Awesome job!! Just surfing the web for the fun of it. Now, you make me want to play with my toys... hehhehe
Great video. As I do commercial electrical and don’t touch auto electrical it was good to see how basic it was. I think good kit is a must. Ty.
Hi,
I have found your videos really helpful so thank you for that. Currently working on my 12v system in my conversion. I have 8 12v 3w LED spotlights. I have wired them in two sets of four in parallel using some wago connectors. I am struggling with a lot of flickering on a few of my lights. I have tried to re crimp connections, increase wire size and different fuse sizes but nothing has worked. Just wondering if you have any suggestions on what may be going wrong. Many thanks!
great video, super helpful and possibly the best one out there currently.
Absolutely brilliant video. So much covered in a simple ,informative format. Concise,without repitition.
The backboard layout is brilliant,as its easy to see,without the business of a van layout.
When you cover 'wires', could you add a basic arrow graphic pointing at the wire, that says the size of wire- gauge size, especislly battery wire etc. Thank you so much.
THIS! I don't know which guage cable to go from switch to 12v/lighter port. The cable I have isn't wide enough and doesn't supply enough power to the fridge.
@@4RingsRetro Don't think I'm violating any 'laws' by forwarding this - in the notes below vid there's a dropbox chart - ruclips.net/video/rVkDPzrA-zw/видео.html - props to Greg Virgoe.
Not sure if there's a B.S. advising the size against power used (amps) or if it's advice from the cable manufacturer?
I'm starting a build so I need info too. Don't want to be frying cables or worse, the van 🤔. Cool is cool, hot is not 👍
This is exactly the video I was looking for. The CTEK dual charger is also exactly what I wanted but until you know the name of something it’s nearly impossible to find! 😅 Thank you
I am.a newbie to DC/DC charging; your video is the #1 in terms of explanation. A BIG thank you.
This is a superb video mate. Thank you
Hugh! From the Netherlands, well done! for the first time in months it is completely clear how this system is supposed to work! Keep it up!
Thanks so much!
You explain and demonstrate brilliantly. Thankyou so much Hugh. Am doing my first 12v project of upgrading my caravan from just 2 x 100Ah AGM and 2 x 100watt solar panels as it came to:
Adding 2 x 300W solar and replacing the batteries with 4 x 100Ah LiFePO4 a new extra MPPT solar controller a new 40A lithium programmed AC to DC plus a new DC DC to feed from cars Anderson plug to batteries. Finally a 2000W pure sine wave inverter plus all wires fuses busbars etc.
Having watched this video I feel I can cautiously proceed and will rewatch video.
Wayne from sunny South Australia
Oh wow a hell of a setup there Wayne! And thanks for the nice comment! Best of luck but please remember that if you’re feeling unsure please consult an electrician.
New here.... But I love love love the commitment to only spreading good safe information. That's dedication man. Subbed and followed good day
Thank you so much Its clear easy to understand even for a french 57 years old blond woman as me :)
Probably the most helpful camper electrics video out there. Thanks.
Thanks!
Thankyou Hugh very responsible and informative video x Delica owner in Bunbury western Australia x
Big thanks Hugh, great video - so straight to the point and clearly done.
Thanks!
@@HughTube hey maybe u can help me i have a 200ah batterie i have 100ah fuse braker but when i connect mt lights the small fuse blow 30ah i dont get it thanx
Cheers mate. Very clear explanations!
I love how you paused to get ice cream 😁 Your channel has been very helpful and I just found it and subscribed today
HI Hugh, thank you for this great upload, can i please ask, will the VCR charge both my leisure batteries or would i need 1 for each battery, thanks ever so much
Awesome, Thank you very much ✌🏽
Thank you very much. Your video was very informative and I will apply this to my enclosed trailer build.
Massive thanks, this is brilliant !
Great video. Really appreciate you doing this for me and others in the process of converting a van
Thanks dude, just what I was looking for. Great info.
Utterly brilliant...nice one Hugh, great video. I'm just a keen viewer tempted by the vanlife/perhaps forced following covid times, and while the topic was timed perfectly, I absorbed it which is key so thank you. Absorbed it as in listened, just don't test me! ;) I don't supose you do consultancy/supervised builds or full conversions by chance!? Wow that progressed fast from being a keen viewer to asking about builds...haha! Thanks again for making the video
thank you so much, for any custom work or info contact me at contact@hugh-tube.com
Fantastic video, very clear and practical
YES I LIKE HOW YOU HOOK THINGS AND ORGANIZING THINGS UP FANTASTIC! JOB SIR
Clear, concise,detailed and extremely well explained. I will definitely be using this during my van build. Many thanks!
This my pedigree chum was friggin awesome. Thanks bro lot of knowledge gained. Hefty amount of time you put into this I can imagine. Thank you 🤘🤙🍀
Hi Hugh! Dare I say it but this most excellent 'simplicity ' vlog of yours has given me multiple light bulb moments of inspiration as a newbie with that normal fear of electrics. Many thanks. Be safe, Be well my friend.👍👍
Thorough and clear with well paced explanations.
Good video, gives me ideas for my Sprinter stealth van. Already ordered some stuff for next upgrade on electronics. Here in Finland we call these white terminal blocks 'suger cubes'
Thank you for making this so darn simple! Everything else is like a darn physics lesson
Brilliant video. My only recommendation would be to use a fully insulated terminal for those rocker switches. Nothing wrong with the ones you've used but I just feel they give you that little bit of extra protection. Like I say great video and I'm in no way criticising you 👍
Cheers Moose no you're totally correct, not sure which timestamp you're referring to but I add about insulating the terminals to prevent potential shorts etc.
Loved it. Very clear. Thx man
Great video- I’ll be referring back to this a fair bit once I start running cables👍
Maybe an add on video about actual location of all the components in an ‘average’ van?
Very useful video. Thank you. I notice you do not have a main battery fuse, so there are some pieces of thin wire potentially exposed to the full output of the battery. For instance the wire going to the solar controller. Maybe the chances of something happening are remote.
Wow, great information thank you
Thank you for the great straightforward info! Best video on the topic! Did I get it right: if I get the CTEK D250SE I do not need a seperate solar controller? Thanks again!
Hi Hugh , quick point. The best way to isolate your solar is to use a DC rotary isolator to interrupt pos and neg between your panel and your solar controller. Please advise people to check is their Circuit breaker (MCB) is DC rated as many are not..
Cheers
Excellent video. Ideal for someone starting out. Many thanks for your work in educating us.
thank you too Gareth!
Very simple and helpful 🙏🙏👍🏻
Thank you so much for the video, it was a big help as I’m approaching an electrical update to my new caravan. I have a question if possible, and sorry if it’s a stupid one: the caravan is connected to the car with a cable, that cable it’s supposed to control directional lights, brake light and more. I think that it also charges the leisure battery when the car is on (you showed that in the video) how do I know which cables I can use to charge and which one are going straight to the lights? Are the break lights and so on separated from my rv circuit?
Brilliant hugh, thanks
So helpful! Thank you 😊😊
Excellent tutorial. Thank you so much!!
such a good video!!!
Love the videos Hugh! Just a quick question ... how do we cable size the grounding from the battery to chassis? Not sure if this is a stupid question and we are really over thinking things 😅? Thanks anyway
I depends on usage so as an example if you use an inverter your ground cable may come with your inverter and it would be much thicker. With the ground cable there isn't really any issue going too big so I would oversize, I use cable that can handle 140a
Awesome video. Great stuff. Thank you.
Excellent, very comprehensive video. Thank you.
Great intro into the topic, thanks!
Awesome info lad ✌🏻🇬🇧
Thank you first video that really explains every detail
Excellent really helpful video. Thank you mate
Very good video definitely 1 of the best Ive seen thank you
Hi . Fantastic clear understandable video. Helped me immensely. Thankyou.
Cheers John
Hi there great video. Something I am wondering that I haven't seen covered in videos is is there any clear way if knowing how much charge is left in a 12v battery?
The best video I've ever watched you explain everything in simple terms
Thanks a lot Hugh 😊
Great video, thank you very much. Just one question, if I am on hookup how does the system know whether to charge the batteries via the charger or the solar panels?
Great video mate love it.I have bought a converted van which I want to upgrade the electrics because there isn't any fuse box just inline fuses which isn't very practical or tidy also the main power cable from the van battery is very thin..A couple of questions I have are my leisure battery is a AGM 95ah what would you suggest the fuse/circuit breaker from the starter battery?.....I would prefer to have circuit breakers rather than fuses and my 2nd question is what gauge cable did you use in your video? Could I use 16mm2 ?
Cheers
Andy
Fabulous explanation and details..thanks.
I’m not a leccy expert but an engineer so educate myself before pressing ahead.
Looking at the 3x different charge input to leisure battery, if all 3 are active is it possible that the battery “gets it from all angles” so to speak voltage wise ?
You're brilliant! Thank you!
incredibly detailed video, really helpful. just a quick, stupid question: if you've got a smart alternator and go down the CTEK route, do you still need a voltage sensing relay inline afterwards? or does the CTEK do the same job and take the relay out of the equation all together?
Hi Paddy, so the CTEK will mean you DON'T need a vsr which is why I like the CTEK system. Compact and simple to use
Hi, thank you for a great insight into this. We are in the process of upgrading the living in a horse truck. How would I overcome the 24v charging system to allow a 12v leisure battery. Thanks in advance!
Great explanations !
FANTASTIC video, very informative and I didn't even realise how long it was, great work 👌. ONE QUESTION to clarify......having a CTEK unit for my smart alternator van means that I DON'T need to purchase an MPPT charge controller?¿?¿ Cheers 🙏🇦🇺
The blue shore power socket is correct. The extension lead to a bollard has male and female at each end. The bollard has the flap too. It's so that the cable when attached to the mains does not have exposed pins.
Thanks for the great video, I must have watched it 20 times! I'm still a bit confused about whether to go with single or twin core for my 12V wiring though. Is there a benefit of one over the other?
There are some cases where you may just be using positive or negative line on its own but dc twin core cable is so nice to use. Looks so much neater and is a doddle to get around a van
Single core involves more work in twisting the individual wires into a harness run.
I do stereo work and have to run 4 pairs of speaker wires from the amp in the trunk back to the stereo location in order to reuse the factory wiring for the factory speaker locations. I use 9 core wire for a neater factory looking harness install.
Dual core is great for let's say the roof lights you can start off with one pair of leads from the fuse box, instead of 6 or 8 wires from the fuse box.
Great video thank you👍
Good morning great video in regards to the smart alternator charger i don't suppose if you know if the ctek charger will charge a lead crystal battery ?
Thanks for information
Nice video Hugh really good and well priced where did your prices come from for equipment many thanks I will look at it again great watch thanks for sharing 🍻👌💡💯👍
Thank you. Fantastic
A great way to connect wires are the American wire nuts, fast, secure and used extensively on everything electrical. Don't know why we haven't accepted them on this side.
Not sure are they secure, as in how much tension can be put on the lines before pulling apart?
Excellent!!!
This may have already been covered and I’ve missed it. How do you add a second battery to the 12v relay set up? Thanks for the video very helpful 😊
Hi Hugh, i was wondering I am looking to run one cable to feed 4 lights along the roof (in paralell) of the van. Can i use those wago clips to connect the cable 3 ways if I was to split it?
Thanks great video as usual!
Hi mark they do have 3 and even 4 point clips but they must all be the same polarity
Hi Hugh, could you specify what size cables you use for this system? Thanks for the great video!
Hi Richard it depends on whats being used for each port or switch. If you have a control panel with 20a rocker switches I would use 2.5mm2 cable for each switch. As most things like phone chargers and led would only sap a few amps at a time then the switch and cable will always be safe from burning out but remember to fuse the switches, if on a 20a switch then fuse at 15a.
if you need more specific help please email me at contact@hugh-tube.com
Great explanation nice and easy, keep it simple 👍
Hi Hugh,sorry to disturb your break!.but have a question I brought a 120w solar kit, can I connect it together, and instead of connecting it to the battery, to my c.tec solar points??. Great video and Happy new year!
Hi, if you have a solar kit then I am guessing they have also provided a solar charger? the CTEK doesn't need a solar charger between the panels and itself you can connect the solar panels directly to the CTEK solar ports, just remember to add a fuse on the positive line between the solar panel and the CTEK
Brilliant!
Dude THAT was a good video. We run a generator with our trailer because of the big A/C we use but I learned from your video that we'll need a storage battery and a means to charge it so we can have 12v. lighting and a 12v. source for the A/C thermostat. Is there a way to integrate the 7 pin connector from the truck to the 12v./charging system or is that not really a thing. BTW the 7 pin connector is what we use to connect the trailer to the truck here in the US.
Would you use a breaker switch instead of shut of switch between fuse box and battery? How do you determine what amperage if so? Or are these the same thing? Cheers for the layman's guide keep up the good work.
to simplify the setup you could 100% use a breaker switch:
www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/1258/category/60
this would knock out two jobs with one stone. The amperage takes a bit of consideration, on the distribution board you need to add together all the fuses to find the total and then your breaker should be a little higher in amperage than this. so as an example:
If I was using 6 ports, two with 15a fuses and the other four with 10a fuses then the total of all those is 70a so I would get an 80a switch breaker and use cable between the battery, switch and distribution board that can handle at least 90a.
You also need to know what the max amps that the dist. board can handle but this one shown can handle 100a: www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/1052/category/63
so we would never overload it
ok Hugh...i have a stupid question...maybe i am missing something...i have a battery...connected to a bus box...then i added a switch panel with 6 rocker switches and usb and 12v plug. If i then want to hook up my led lights...do i hook it up to my bus box or to my switch panel or both. Whatever i did...i seem to have power to the led lights but they are always on and not able to turn on and off with the rocker switch. Any help is greatly appreciated. Your video was simply awesome!
Hi ya! Loved the simplicity of your video, BUT, any mains work should be done by an electrician as the mains board connections must be tightened up to the correct torque and Rcd must be tested to ensure safe operation.
Also the cable from your 12v board to the neg bus bar is not rated for the 20a fuse.
The battery fuses also need to be as close to the batteries as close as possible. Your set up has no safety fuse between the leasure battery and switch, so if there is a fault between this battery and the solar charger you have a fire in your van/boat/caravan.
Hi David, thank you very much for sharing your knowledge!
Concerning smart alternators, is that relevant if I’m doing a trailer build and the source of charging power is the 12v-pin in the hitch harness?