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How To Install A Power Inverter In A Camper Van (With Diagrams)

Looking to wire an inverter in your own camper? We'll discuss everything you need to know to get 120v AC power flowing through your van. Keep reading below!

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Looking for information on how to wire and install an inverter in a camper van? If yes, then you’ve come to the right place. Power inverters are critical to install in campervans because you will need these devices to power all your 110V (or 220V) devices. This includes charging laptops, powering blenders, and many other normal household appliances.

In this post, we will show you how to connect an inverter to your leisure batteries. This is a step-by-step tutorial that includes helpful wiring diagrams and we will detail all the little products and components you will need to complete this installation process.

Specifically, this post will teach you how to connect an inverter to:

We will discuss how to build the very same inverter wiring system that you see in the diagram below. It may look complicated, but we break down the below diagram so that you can understand the entire system.

Complete Inverter Wiring Diagram

Inverter Wiring Diagram For Camper Vans & RVs (Complete)
Complete inverter wiring diagram
Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    Confused where to start with DIY electrics? Check out our comprehensive camper van electrical system guide to start from the very beginning.

    But First...

    Anatomy Of An Inverter

    Before beginning the installation process, it’s important to know all the connection points into and out of an inverter. You’ll need to become familiar with each of these points on your own inverter because you will be connecting wires to each of them.

    Different inverters will look slightly different when you check their connection points. But no matter what, the vast majority of inverters have the following three (and sometimes four) connection points.

    1. Connection to 12V leisure batteries: These are usually two large studs capable of accepting thick wires.
    2. AC Out: This is the supplied 110V (or 220V) power generated from the inverter to power your devices.
    3. Ground point: For safety, you will need to connect this to an appropriate ground point along your vehicle’s chassis.
    4. AC In: If you have an “inverter/charger” model*, you can connect this section to shore power so that you can charge your leisure batteries.

    *What Is An “Inverter/Charger”?
    A standard inverter can only take 12V power from your batteries and convert it to 110V power. And inverter/charger combo can do the same thing but ALSO take 110V shore power to charge your 12V leisure batteries. However, inverter/chargers tend to be more expensive.

    Let’s look at two popular examples and locate these four connection points.

    Example 1: Victron Multiplus

    We use a Victron 2000VA Multiplus inverter/charger. Below you can see the four connection areas.

    Victron Inverter Installation Image

    Example 2: Aims Inverter/Charger

    The AIMS inverter/charger [Amazon] is another popular inverter model for camper vans & RVs. You can see they also have the same four connection points, although they look slightly different. But the concept remains the same.

    AIMS Inverter Installation Image

    Now, let’s wire the whole inverter system together.

    Download our electrical eBook (with diagrams) to learn how to wire an electrical system in a camper van.

    Step 1:

    Choose Your Inverter

    The first step is to select the inverter that best fits your needs. Below is a simple calculator to help you determine what size inverter you need. Just answer a few questions and the calculator will return a recommended inverter for you, and even provide several alternatives below.

    Inverter Sizing Calculator

    Inverter Size Recommendation

    Low: Up to 600W of AC usage. Just to charge a couple laptops, a camera, or power a small blender.

    Medium: Up to 1200W of AC usage. Includes powering an espresso machine, hair dryer, Instant Pot, or rice cooker.

    High: Up to 2000W of AC usage. Includes powering an electric hot water heater, microwave, or air conditioner.

    Recommended Alternatives

    None

    Step 2:

    Connecting Inverter To Batteries

    The first step when installing an inverter in a camper van is to connect the inverter to the house batteries. Technically, we won’t be wiring the inverter directly to the batteries. Instead, we will be wiring the inverter to the bus bars, which in term will be wired to the batteries.

    By the way, if you haven’t already, you should absolutely pick up a pair of bus bars. They make the entire wiring process easier and cleaner. This is because instead of wiring every single device (like inverters, solar charge controllers, and 12V panels) directly to the batteries, you just connect them to the bus bars instead.

    Sale
    Red & Black Bus Bars (3/8-in Posts)
    • High quality, secure, and safe connections to the batteries and all downstream devices
    • Perfect for high current situations
    • Nickel plated brass contact plates
    • Made in the USA

    * Read our bus bar page for more product information and installation guidance.

    In this section, we will discuss how to connect the inverter to the bus bars. To learn more about how to connect the bus bars to the batteries, check out our post on 12v wiring for camper vans.

    Wiring Diagram: Inverter To Bus Bars

    In the wiring diagram below, you can see how the inverter is connected to the bus bars. And the bus bars and then connected to the 12V leisure batteries.

    Connecting An Inverter To Camper Van Batteries
    Connecting inverter to batteries

    Materials List

    To complete this wiring step, you will need the following materials. You can locate each of the materials listed below in the above diagram.

    • An inverter
    • Red & black wire: Preferably 2/0 AWG size
    • 3/8″ Copper lugs: To attach the wires to the inverter and bus bars. Heat shrink sleeves are included.
    • Bus bars

    Tools List

    Below are the tools you’ll need to complete the wiring process. These are common tools that you’ll need to install your entire van’s electrical system.

    • Hydraulic crimping tool: This is used to crimp the copper lug onto the red & black wires.
    • Cable cutter: You will need this heavy duty cutter to cut through the thick 2/0 AWG wires.
    • Utility knife: Use this knife to cut away the red & black protective jackets.
    • Heat gun: Use this to activate the heat shrink over the copper lugs after the crimping process is complete.

    Installation Instructions

    After activating the heat shrink on your 2/0 wire ends, the final result should look similar to the image below.

    00 Wire End With 3/8

    Following the above process, your inverter should now be connected to your bus bars.

    For information how to connect the bus bars to the batteries, check out our 12v wiring installation guide.

    Step 3:

    Wiring Inverter To Shore Power

    In this section, we show about how to connect an inverter to shore power. This is only required if you specifically purchased an ‘inverter/charger’ model that is capable of charging batteries from an outside power source. Below are three inverter/charger models that we recommend.

    Recommended Inverter/Chargers

    Note: If you opted for a non-Inverter/Charger model, you can skip this step and go straight to step 3.

    Wiring Diagram: Inverter To Shore Power

    In the wiring diagram below, you can see how the inverter is connected to a power inlet plug. You can then connect the power inlet to a shore power socket with an extension cord.

    Inverter Wiring System For Camper Vans & RVs (Part 2 Connecting Inverter To Shore Power)

    Materials & Tools List

    To see the required materials and tools list, select your inverter/charger’s wattage rating. The recommended parts are tailored to the size of the inverter.

    Inverter Install Post (Shore Power Materials List)
    • AC In Wire: We recommend using 12 AWG size wires. This wire can handle up to 20A of current, which is perfect for a 1000W & 2000W inverter.
    • Power Inlet - Wires directly to an inverter/charger and can accept an extension cord that is plugged into shore power. This 15A inlet is sufficient for this inverter.
    • Extension Cord: Make sure to get a high-quality 12-gauge cord so that it can handle the appropriate current (amps).
    • Wire Stripper: This tools helps to cut and strip the 12 AWG wire.
    • AC In Wire: We recommend using 10 AWG size wires. This wire can handle up to 30A of current, which is perfect for a 3000W inverter.
    • Power Inlet - Wires directly to an inverter/charger and can accept an extension cord that is plugged into shore power. This 30A inlet is perfect for this larger inverter.
    • Extension Cord: Make sure to get a high-quality 10-gauge cord so that it can handle the appropriate current (amps).
    • Wire Stripper: This tools helps to cut and strip the 10 AWG wire.

    Installation Instructions

    Following the above process, your inverter/charger should now ready to connect to shore power to charge your house batteries.

    Good To Know!
    Get a high-quality 12AWG extension cord [Amazon]. Cheap cords come with thinner wire strands, which may not be safe to support large wattages for long periods of time.

    Step 4:

    Wiring Inverter To Power Outlets

    In this section, we show you how to connect your inverter to power outlets so that you can plug in and run your 110v devices.

    Good To Know!
    Our tutorial shows how to wire an inverter to standard household wall sockets. But many inverters, like AIMS model, already have built-in sockets, which is much simpler, DIY-friendly, and cost-effective.

    Wiring Diagram: Inverter To Power Outlets

    In the wiring diagram below, you can see how the inverter is connected to a 15A circuit breaker and then to the power outlet.

    Connecting Inverter To Power Outlets

    Materials & Tools List

    To complete this step, you will need the following materials. You can locate each of the below listed materials in the above wiring diagram.

    • AC Out wire: We recommend using 12/3 AWG wire, which will safely carry the current (amps) required to power all standard 110V devices.
    • Circuit breaker box: This will house the 15-Amp circuit breaker.
    • 15-Amp circuit breaker: This breaker ensures your 12/3 wire and all downstream devices stay safe during over-current situations.
    • Electrical socket

    Installation Instructions

    Download our electrical eBook (with diagrams) to learn how to wire an electrical system in a camper van.

    Step 5:

    Wiring The Inverter To A Ground Point

    In the final step, we connect the inverter to a ground point. But because we are installing this power inverter system in a camper van, we don’t have the same traditional ‘ground’ point as in a house. Instead, we can attach the ground wire to a designated point on our vehicle’s chassis.

    We explain how to find these ground points further below in this section. But first, we will explain how to do the wiring, as shown in the wiring diagram below.

    Step 4 Wiring Diagram: Inverter To Ground Point

    Materials List

    To complete this step, you will need the following materials. You can locate each of the below listed materials in the above wiring diagram.

    • Ground wire: We recommend using 4 AWG wire
    • Copper lugs: You will need to identify the size of the ground posts on your inverter and chassis, but M8 sized lugs should work.

    Installation Instructions

    How To Locate Your Vehicle's Ground Points

    You can locate your vehicle’s designated ground points either in the van’s handbook or by doing a quick search online. Below is an image we found online with all the designated ground points for our Ford Transit van. We grounded our inverter by connecting to point #31 in the diagram below.

    Ford Transit ground points on the chassis

    Were Our Inverter Diagrams Useful? There are more electrical diagrams in our eBook.

    Alternatives To Heavy-Duty Inverters

    Installing a large inverter in your camper is a big decision. Inverters aren’t cheap, they take up valuable space in your van, and they can take time to wire everything correctly.

    If your only reason for installing an inverter in your camper is to simply power a laptop or other similarly low-wattage devices, getting a heavy-duty inverter may not be the right decision for you.

    If that’s the case, there are several great, portable alternatives available on the market. Below are three portable inverter recommendations. They’re easy to set up, take up minimal space, and can be stored away when not needed.

    What We Like

    1. No wiring needed: Simply plug in or clamp to your batteries and it’s good to go.
    2. Portability: Simply pack the inverter away when you’re not using it. No wires, no fuss.
    3. Price point: Significantly less expensive than a larger inverter.
    4. Pure sine technology: Safe for your more expensive devices, like laptops & cameras.

    What We Don't Like

    1. Cannot charge batteries: Meaning you cannot connect these inverters to shore power to charge your 12v batteries.
    2. Power limitation: Not suitable for anything above 1000-1200W.

    Was This Article Helpful? We have more useful articles to help you build your van Electrical System!

    Conclusion: Installing An Inverter Is Just One Piece Of The Electrical Puzzle

    If you’ve gotten this far then congratulations on successfully installing an inverter in your camper van!

    If you did it while also installing sockets into your van walls then that’s a fantastic achievement. The whole inverter installation process took us more than a week to complete and wasn’t easy!

    But setting up the inverter is just one piece of the puzzle when putting together your camper van electrical system. For more, check out our other posts below.

    Happy building!

    Thank You For Reading!

    We’re Yuko and Eric! We both grew up in Asia ( Japan & Hong Kong ), we left our jobs and homes in 2018 and started traveling full time from Canada to Argentina in our self-converted camper van since end of May 2019. “Asobo” means “Let’s play” in Japanese. We named our site “Asobolife” because the life is always uncertain and we live only once so it’s important to always keep positive, playful mind and enjoy the moment you are in the present. We also want to use this website to share our road trip and van building experiences to inspire our readers. We hope you enjoy!

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