SOLAR WIRING

eBOOK
FOR DIY CAMPER VANS

Detailed Diagrams & Clickable Products

 Van Life Solar Systems Made Easy

Solar wiring got you feeling lost and confused? If so, you’re not alone. With so many
components to buy and considerations to make, it’s impossible for a single wiring
diagram to show you exactly how to build your unique solar system.

In this solar eBook, we combine detailed diagrams with links to our blog to help you
answer the following questions:

1. How much solar wattage do you need to power your camper van?

2. What size wires, solar charge controller, fuses, and circuit breakers do you need?

3. Should you wire multiple solar panels in series or parallel?

4. How to mount solar panels on a van roof?

Custom Solar Diagrams eBook

Solar system builds are heavily dependent on your budget. Because of Download
this we created a second eBook, Custom Solar Diagrams, that feature Now
4 different solar builds for 4 different budgets (from $450-$6000).

Our goal is to make this complicated topic easy to understand with actionable guidance.
So, if you’re ready for the challenge, we are, too. Let’s dive right into it!

- Eric & Yuko

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

> Solar Wiring Overview 3

> Part 1: Connecting Solar Panels

Product List 4
Part 1A: Series Wiring Diagram 5
Part 1B: Parallel Wiring Diagram 6

> Part 2: Wiring Through The Roof

Product List 7
Roof Wiring Diagram 8

> Part 3: Solar Charge Controller To Bus Bars

Product List 9
Charge Controller Wiring Diagram 10

> Part 4: Mounting Solar Panels To Roof 11

> Essential Tools & Accessories 12

Safety Disclaimer
The following solar system and diagrams are based on our own build and research. But we are not
licensed electricians. For full safety, we recommend consulting a professional prior to installation.

Amazon Associates Disclaimer

This free eBook contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra
cost to you. Visit our disclaimer for more information.

For our full van build guide, CLICK HERE.

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 Solar Wiring Overview
Click Product Images To Purchase!

Wire & Ring

Connector
Size Guide
⑩ ⑩
Solar Panel Solar Panel
2/0 10AWG

2/0AWG 10AWG 10AWG

3/8” M10 M6

⑪MC4
Connectors ⑭ Entry
Gland Rubber
Gasket

⑯ Charge Controller

⑰ Circuit
Breaker

⑮
⑥ Bus Bar ⑥ Bus Bar DC Solar
(+) (-) Breaker

Want to learn
more
about this
section?

Click Here
To
Download

① Deep Cycle Batteries

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 Part 1:
Connecting Solar Panels
(Product List)

⑩ Solar Panels
Charges leisure batteries
from the sun.
Solar Wire
CLICK HERE to read our
These marine-grade wires are
article to learn how to
great for solar. But sizing
calculate the ideal solar
depends. CLICK HERE to
wattage for your camper
calculate the right thickness
van.
wires for your solar system.

BUY NOW
BUY NOW

⑪ MC4 Connectors ⑬ Branch Connectors ⑫ Solar Fuse

You’ll need a few of these
to complete your solar
wiring project.
You’ll need these branch
connectors if connecting solar
panels in parallel. Branch
numbers depend on total
number of panels.
Fuses multiple panels
wired in parallel. CLICK
HERE to read our solar
fuse guidelines post.

BUY NOW BUY NOW BUY NOW

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 Part 1A:
Connecting Solar Panels (In Series)
Click Product Images To Purchase!

Best Solar Panels

For Camper Van How Much Solar?
⑩ ⑩
We identify several of Unsure how many watts
the most popular types of Solar Solar of solar you need?
solar panels used in the 100w? 200w? More? To
camper van communities Panel Panel calculate how much
today and disucuss which solar you require, click
type we prefer the most
to read our article.
and why.

Click To Read Click To Read

Installing Series vs Parallel

Solar Panels MC4 Connectors
⑪ This diagram shows two
We mounted our panels solar panels connected
directly to our camper’s in series. Read our article
roof with a super strong to learn more about
bond and water-tight seal. series vs. parallel solar
To learn how we did this, connections
click to read our article. (and their pros & cons)

Click To Read Click To Read

Part 2
Wiring Through
The Roof

Do You Need This?

This is a solar fuse. If you decide to connect your solar Click To
⑫ panels in parallel, you MIGHT need one of these. Click to Read
read learn our solar fuse & circuit breaker guidelines post.

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 Part 1B:
Connecting Solar Panels (In Parallel)
Click Product Images To Purchase!

⑩ ⑩ ⑩
Solar Solar Solar
Panel Panel Panel

⑪ MC4
Connectors

⑪ MC4
⑫ Solar Fuse
Connectors

⑬ Branch Connectors Do You

⑫
Need This?
This is a solar fuse.
If you decide to
connect your solar
⑪ MC4 panels in parallel,
Connectors you MIGHT need one of these.
Click to learn about solar fuses
& circuit breaker guidelines.

Part 2
Wiring Through Click To Read
The Roof

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 Part 2:
Wiring Through The Roof
(Product List)
The next step is to bring your solar wires inside the van.
To do this, you will need to drill a small hole in your vehicle’s roof and thread the wires through it.
This part shows you what components you need to keep the wires protected and to eliminate leaks.

⑭ Entry Gland Lap Sealant Rubber Grommet

Protects solar wires as Adds a waterproof Protects solar wires

they enter through the seal between entry from chafing against
roof. gland & roof. camper roof.

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Click Banners To Download Our E-Books Series!

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 Part 2:
Wiring Through The Roof
(Diagram)
Click Product Images To Purchase!

Part 1
Connecting
Solar Panels What Solar
Wire Size?
10AWG wire is the most
common wire size for
solar systems. But make
sure you select the right
thickness wire for your
specific system. Correct
wire size is critical for
electrical safety.
To learn which is the
best wire size for you:

Click To Read

⑭ Entry
Gland
This rubber gasket fits
snuggly inside the hole
you drilled through the
roof.

Rubber
Gasket

Part 3
Wiring To Solar
Charge Controller
& Batteries

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 Part 3:
Solar Charge Controller To Bus Bars
(Product List)
The last step is to connect the solar panels to the charge controller,
and finally to the batteries (through the bus bars).

⑯ Solar Charge
⑥ Bus Bars ⑮ Solar DC Breaker Controller* ⑰ Circuit Breaker*
Power distribution blocks Protects wires and Regulates voltage Protects wires and
that help keep your disconnects system from panels to devices from
wiring neat and orderly. for maintenance charge batteries overcurrent
A must have.

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Marine-Grade Wire* 10AWG-M10 10AWG-M6

Ring Connectors Ring Connectors
Connects charge controller to
bus bars. CLICK HERE to learn Connects solar wire Connects solar wire
how to size your wires. to bus bars to circuit breaker

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* Size depends on total wattage of solar array. CLICK HERE to download our solar system calculator.

Additional Resources
・Solar Wire Size Guide >READ MORE
・Why You 100% Need A Solar Charge Controller > READ MORE
・Victron Charge Controller Review > READ MORE
・Sizing Fuses & Breakers For Solar System> READ MORE

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 Part 3:
Solar Charge Controller To Bus Bars
(Diagram)
Click Product Images To Purchase!

Part 2
What’s A Solar ⑯ Wiring Through
Charge Controller?
The Roof
You 100% need a solar
charge controller.
To learn what a charge
controller does and how ⑮
to select the right
model, read this post.

Click To Read

What Wire Size?

Victron Charge
⑰* Though 10AWG wire is the
Controller Review most common wire size,
We review our Victron make sure you select
Solar Charge Controller. the correct thickness for your
It’s Bluetooth enabled and specific system. Correct wire
pairs seemlessly with our thickness is critical for
smartphone app. Learn electrical safety. To learn
why we love our charge more:
controller in this post.
Click To Read
Click To Read

⑥ ⑥

12V Wiring Setup

*Circuit Breaker Note
The amp rating of your circuit Want to learn how to
set up your camper’s
breaker depends on the wire
12v system and wire
size, which depends on the your batteries to
amp rating of your charge the bus bars?
controller. In the diagram, To Batteries Click below to read our
the charge controller is rated 12V wiring article.
for 30A, so a 40A circuit Read Our Camper
breaker is used. 12v System Post Click To Read

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 Part 4:
Mounting Solar Panels To Roof

Mounting Z-Brackets 3M VHB Tape Lap Sealant

Whether you’re mounting
directly to your vehicle’s roof or
onto a roof rack, you’ll need
these Z-bracket mounts.
One set per panel.
We use this tape to This sealant is viscous
keep our panels and makes applying
firmly bonded to our around the z-bracket
mounts quick and easy.
van’s roof.

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How To Mount Solar Panels?

With a combination of Butyl Tape & 3M VHB tape, we ensured a Click To
super strong, water-proof connection between the solar panels Read
and the roof. To learn how we mounted our solar panels:

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 Essential Tools & Accessories
The following tools are instrumental to assembling an electrical system in a camper van.

Wire Cutter MC4 Assembly Tool Heat Gun

Cuts 2/0, 4, & Important tool to help Activates
6 AWG wire affix MC4 connectors to heat shrink over
solar wire ends. wire ends.

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Wire Loom Wire Multi-Tool Ratchet Crimper

Protects wires Cuts, strips, and Better crimping tool
from abrasion. crimps 10, 12, & 14 for thin wires
AWG wires

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Additional Resources
・Useful Tools To Build A DIY Camper Van > READ MORE

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 Thank You For Reading!
We hope you found this eBook useful and an inspiration for your own solar system build.
Building your own photovoltaic system can feel daunting at first,
but if you take your time and are organized, you can absolutely put together a system yourself.

If you have any questions or comments,

please let us know by contacting us at hello@asobolife.com

Thank you, again, for reading through out solar wiring guide eBook.

Help Buy Us A Coffee!

If this guide saved you time and hair-pulling frustration, a

donation of any amount would be super appreciated!

Even if it’s just enough to buy us a coffee, any little bit

helps us continue our van journey and motivates us to
keep publishing valuable van build content on our blog.

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