This week we explain how to choose the correct wire size and fuse size for your campervan electrical system. This is critical to ensure a safe electrical system and prevent electrical fires due to overheating wires.
Starting from the appliance maximum current rating, multiply this by 1.25 to get to the minimum recommended fuse size (size up if needed). Then ensure your chosen wire has a higher current rating than the chosen fuse size so that in the event of an over-current situation the fuse will blow BEFORE the wire has time to overheat and break or catch fire.
Always remeber, the fuse is there to protect the wire!
Following on from this we discuss Voltage Drop which is significant in van conversions due to the low (often 12V DC) starting voltages and provide some options for how to overcome these issues. You need to keep this below 3-4% maximum otherwise your appliances might not work as expected!
Voltage Drop Calculator - [ Ссылка ]
Disclaimer: We are not professional autoelectricians but we do both have a solid background in physics and therefore understand electrical systems. If you do not feel 100% confident installing your own electrical system then please speak to a professional. We accept no liability for your installations.
––––––––– About Us –––––––––––
We're Alex & Ayesha (AKA MountainAdvantures) and together we're building an off grid camper van to tour Europe and maybe further afield! We're complete beginners at DIY and van conversions so follow along to see all the mistakes and the good times as we convert our trusty VW Crafter, Wilson, into our own off-grid tiny home on wheels and head off on a vanlife adventure.
Stay tuned for the future where we hope to take Wilson with us on some snowy adventures in lots of remote places around the world. We enjoy skiing, ice climbing, mountaineering, rock climbing and walking to name a few so there are plenty of adventures on the horizon.
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