One of my favorite roles as the founder of Limitless Van is that initial phone conversation with a potential client. These calls can range anywhere from twenty minutes to two hours. What I love about these conversations is how they always start with fun, lighthearted banter, slowly winding their way down to the truly important questions. Questions of the heart such as…to shower or not to shower? What type of toilet should you get? And...do you feel comfortable pooping in front of your loved one? But the conversation truly takes on depth when we address one of the most essential questions: how much power do you really need?
In all seriousness, this is the most common question I receive during these initial calls, and it begs a somewhat long and detailed answer as there are many variables to consider. Hopefully by the end of this post you will have the information you need to make an informed decision, whether you are building out a van yourself or hiring a professional upfitter.
Let's tackle the primary concern first: price. Naturally, increased battery power comes with a higher price tag. If you're working within a strict budget, beefing up battery capacity can bust that budget quickly. However, it's still a discussion worth having for several reasons which we'll explore.
How do you plan to use your van?
When determining how much power you need the first consideration is how you intend to use your van. Are you a solo traveler living out of your van? Are you a family of four that intends to do long weekends with the occasional two-week-long adventure? Are you a photographer who will park in one spot for several days at a time and use your van as a base camp? Do you have pets that travel with you?
Why so many questions? Your answers are building a blueprint for the foundation of your future freedom vessel. The person living out of his or her van will likely be doing a lot of cooking. He or she may be driving it to all different climates and exploring the wonders of this continent. That person will likely want air conditioning and at least one way to cook efficiently, maybe even a microwave.
The family of four may be using their van for weekend trips to the beach or mountains. They will probably want a fridge/freezer to store drinks, lunch, and popsicles, but their power needs may not be as robust as the dog parents. Why? Well, Fido gets only the best. While his parents are off running marathons or kite-surfing the Columbia River Gorge, Fido needs to be comfortable, safe, and cool while alone in the van.
As you can see, how much power a person needs is dependent on multiple factors. So, I’m going to give you a fun little quiz to help you assess your power needs.
One last comment before we jump into your quiz. All Limitless Van builds and most other van conversions come with batteries, solar power, shore power, and a form of DC to DC charging (taking the energy your vehicle’s engine produces and storing it in your auxiliary batteries). The amount of solar you need is dependent on several factors including what type of DC to DC charging you will get. We will cover solar power & alternator recommendations in a future post, but for now, I generally see solar as a trickle charger for your auxiliary batteries, compared to the supercharger a custom-made Nation’s alternator can be. There are exceptions to this, but this is the general rule. Below, we will focus primarily on battery power.
THE VPAT - Van Power Assessment Tool (Because acronyms make it legit, right?)
Here is my general metric and a fun little exercise for you to complete to help determine your power needs. It’s obviously not scientific, but it will get you thinking about the right questions.
To each of the questions below assign a numerical value:
0= Never 1 = not likely 2 = possible 3 = more than likely 4 = Duh, big time.
Will you use the van for three or more days at a time off-grid?
Will you ever be traveling for two plus weeks at a time without access to shore power?
When traveling for extended periods, will you be parked in one place for multiple days?
Will you be using a microwave?
Will you be staying in areas that exceed 80-85°F?
Will you be bringing a dog/cat/ferret/partner that may sometimes be left in the van?
Will you work remotely in the van or need Wi-Fi connectivity?
Now, total your score.
If you scored between 0-7, maybe consider a Subaru Outback or a Toyota Tacoma. Kidding!! We’re glad you’re considering the van lifestyle, and your score indicates you have low power needs and may have access to consistent shore power. If this is you, I would recommend a 5kWh Package (in 12V terms - approximately 400Ah of lithium battery) as this is the lowest power package I ever recommend. A word of caution: if you are in this range, I would not recommend operating a microwave or AC unless you’re plugged into shore power. If you have adequate solar as well as a Nations alternator, you may be able to use these sparingly, but you won’t be able to be off-grid for more than a few hours at a time as microwaves and ACs drain battery power quickly.
If your score was between 8 - 14, now we’re starting to get somewhere. This is where traditionally I would recommend a 5kWh Package (in 12V terms - approximately 400Ah of lithium battery). This is the lowest battery package I recommend, but it can be paired with solar and a secondary alternator to increase input. If you’re in this range, you are committing to no air conditioning and no microwave, except for a couple hours or when plugged into shore power. This is something that needs to be considered seriously as an AC is an expensive add-on, and one that you probably want to be able to use without limitation.
If your score was between 15 - 21, you’ve hit the sweet spot, aligning with about 95% of our clients. If this is you, we typically recommend a 10kWh power package (in 12V terms this is approximately 800Ah of lithium battery). This setup is ideal if you plan to use AC and/or a microwave and anticipate being off-grid for more than a couple days. It ensures you can fully enjoy your van and travel comfortably without being limited by the weather or what you want to cook, especially during summer months. This package provides ample battery power for your needs. From here you will want to consider options like a secondary alternator, how much solar you require, etc. Concretely, this package enables you to run your high-efficiency AC throughout the night and wake up with approximately 60% power. You can then recharge your van using sunlight or an alternator, reaching full capacity by the day's end, allowing you to enjoy another night of comfortable AC use.
21 and up, by the power of Thor’s magical hammer, Mjolnir, you too will be set free to explore not just different states, but continents! You will be in such great company as renowned explorers Lewis and Clark, Daniel Boone, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard. This is when you can get creative with your power package, space and weight management, and the additional requirements needed for a power package this large: 20kWh and up (+1600Ah Lithium 12V). In the words of a great American hero, “To infinity, AND BEYOND!”
Future Proofing Your Van Conversion
Something that often comes up in my consultations is future proofing the van. If you’re like most people about to embark on a van build, you will want to use your van for years to come. You may now be traveling solo or with a partner but will you always? If you’ll be adding to your family in the form of life-partner, baby, or fur baby, will you have to sell your van and start from scratch? Maybe trade it in for a minivan? Ohhh, please no.
Additionally, consider the resale value if you find yourself needing to sell your van. In my experience, the primary concern when reselling a modern adventure van is its lack of air conditioning. A van equipped with AC carries a higher price tag, yes. Typically, the combined expense of installing AC and a bigger battery bank amounts to roughly $10,000. Besides all the benefits it brings during ownership, having AC can significantly boost the resale value. In my experience, you're likely to recoup that $10,000 investment when it comes time to sell.
Can I buy a smaller battery package now and add on to it later?
Great question, but unfortunately no, not really. Adding a new battery to an existing battery causes issues. An older battery discharges at a quicker rate than a new battery. Batteries discharging at different rates reduce the life of both batteries a lot quicker. Besides this, it may void the warranty of both batteries. If the space in your battery cabinet allows, adding more power to your power bank will require replacing all existing batteries with all new batteries, which is expensive.
And while it’s possible to add AC down the line, it is much more expensive (and difficult) in an already built-out van. It typically requires removing cabinets and ceiling and wall panels. Then you’ll need to rewire everything. The cost of adding more power and AC later can easily be upwards of $20K! Yikes! However there is a caveat to this as you can add a portable AC like the EcoFlow. It has an option to add a battery pack to the AC unit itself!
If you’ve made it to the bottom of this blog post, well done. And as a reminder, no two people use their van conversions the exact same way, so what might be best for one person might not be best for you, and that’s okay. We still hope you’ve found this introductory guide helpful–or at least amusing.
For those considering a build with Limitless Van, I hope this post has given you a glimpse into the culture of our company and how passionate we are about what we do. We also want you to keep reading for an exciting update on the future of power for all Limitless Van builds.
Limitless Van and the future of Private Self-Sustaining, Semi-Autonomous, Exploratory Craft (or PSSSAEC)
Limitless Van is currently transitioning from a 24V-based system to a 48V system. This is exciting news, and I’d like to clarify how this change will affect our future clients:
Our new base package offering will be the 10kWh battery package, as 95% of our clients have opted for this option. While you can choose to upgrade from this base package, downgrading will no longer be an option.
All power packages will come with a secondary Nation’s Alternator and Wakespeed Regulator. The charging speed is unrivaled. This will be twice as fast as our previous 24V power package with alternator, which was already fast. In fact, it will be even faster than shore power charging–this is a BIG plus.
We will be adopting the Garmin CORE system, consolidating controls onto a single, user-friendly 10-inch screen. This means no more juggling multiple screens; everything from lighting and 12V appliances to heating and cooling, along with battery and water system monitoring, will be conveniently accessible on ONE screen. Booyah!
The price?! Well, the equivalent power package in the previous 24V format was over $1,200 more expensive. With our new 48V system, you're getting a superior, more user-friendly product at a lower cost.
As always, we remain committed to sourcing the highest quality components from vendors known for their exceptional customer service. If all this sounds exciting to you, and you want to learn more about a Limitless Van build, let’s schedule an initial call. I’d love to find out what you’re dreaming!
Got questions? Comment below!
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