The Mistakes I made Trying to Power My Van
And the simple setup that finally worked
When I first started figuring out how to power my van, I thought I had to do it the “right” way.
You know the way I mean—the full solar setup.
Panels on the roof.
Wires running everywhere.
A system that made you feel like you were building something serious.
So I did what most people do.
I went down the YouTube rabbit hole.
I watched hours of videos explaining how to build the perfect setup. One creator I trusted broke it down simply: connect a battery, a charger, and rooftop panels. His reasoning made sense—if one part failed, you could replace it.
It sounded smart.
But it also sounded expensive. And complicated.
And honestly, a little dangerous for someone like me with no electrical experience.
Buying Before I Was Ready
Instead of slowing down, I rushed.
I bought Renogy equipment thinking I would “figure it out later.”
It’s still sitting in a box.
That was my first mistake.
The Mistake That Cost Me
Then I tried a different approach.
I bought a portable power station—a 1000W lithium battery generator. It worked well in the beginning. It powered my small devices, helped me write, and gave me a sense of independence.
But I made one critical mistake:
I didn’t pay attention to the battery level.
While I was focused on writing on Substack, the power slowly drained… until it hit 0%.
And once it did—it wouldn’t turn back on.
That moment taught me something I won’t forget:
In van life, your power is your lifeline.
What Finally Worked
After all that trial and error, I found something that actually works for me.
A simple, reliable power station.
No complicated wiring.
No stress.
No guessing.
Just something I can plug in, charge, and trust.
Now I can power:
My kettle for coffee in the morning
A hot pot for simple meals
My phone and laptop
Lights, fans, and even a small fridge
It’s not fancy.
But it’s enough.
The Truth No One Tells You
You don’t need a perfect system.
You don’t need to build a full solar setup right away.
And you definitely don’t need to risk your safety trying to figure out electrical work you’re not comfortable with.
You just need something that works for your life right now.
What I Wish I Knew
If I could go back, I would tell myself this:
Start simple.
Pay attention to your power usage.
And don’t let YouTube convince you that there’s only one “right” way.
Want the Full Breakdown?
I put together a simple guide showing exactly what I use, what I wasted money on, and what I would do differently.
If you’re trying to figure this out too—you’re not alone.
And you don’t have to get it perfect.
You just have to get started.
I like Jackery for portable power. Is that what you got Carol?