Skoolies
Unlike typical motorhomes or campers, skoolies come as empty shells, without a pre-existing electrical system beyond the starter battery. To simplify the design process we have created a step-by-step skoolie solar system builder with kit recommendations for all five subsystems: Battery Bank, Alternator Charging, Solar Charging, AC Input/Output, and DC Distribution. At the bottom of the page, you can find some popular pre-configured solar setup options.
1. Select a battery bank: The battery bank is the heart of the solar power system. We recommend LifeBlue lithium batteries over AGM batteries because of their ease of install, high quality, Bluetooth monitoring and ability to expand over time. Because of the input and output current limits of lithium batteries, we recommend starting off with at least three 100Ah batteries to handle high current alternator and shore power charging, and to be able to fully support a 3000VA inverter.
We sell LifeBlue batteries as a base solar kit, which includes one battery, a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor, cable, lugs, and heat shrink, plus expansion kits, which include one battery and parallel cables. For three batteries, select one base and two expansion kits.
LifeBlue batteries come in three size configurations, choose what will fit best for your application.
100Ah: H 9.4" x W 12.5" x D 6.5" 28lbs
200Ah: H 10.8" x W 20" x D 6.9" 57lbs
300Ah: H 9.5" x W 20.25" x D 11" 83lbs
If three batteries is more than you were looking for, you will need a lower current alternator charger. Although a 3000VA inverter/charger will work with less than three batteries, it will not supply the full 3000VA output or be able to accept the full 120A of shore power charging current. A smaller inverter/charger system might be a good option.
Estimated Installation Labor
300Ah LifeBlue Lithium System with BMV-712
6 hours / $870
This is a complete LifeBlue lithium RV battery base kit with a Victron BMV-712 Bluetooth battery monitor. The monitor is included to provide cumulative battery bank data, compatible with Victron VRM monitoring. When expanding the battery bank, do not mix battery models and limit the battery bank to four batteries.
This kit is designed to be an add-on to an existing LifeBlue battery system.
For larger systems, Victron lithium batteries are recommended because of their extremely compact footprint. Or, if you only need one battery, a monitor is not required for single LifeBlue battery.
2. Select an Alternator Charging kit: If you expect to drive at least half an hour per day, the alternator charging system is likely to be the primary source of energy for your Skoolie. These alternator charging kits work on the stock alternator.
If you have an alternator rated for 160A or more, and you have two or more LifeBlue batteries, or a lithium battery system that can handle 150A of charging current, get the Battery Cominber kit. If not, get the DC/DC Charging kit.
Within the Battery Combiner kit, there are several options. The boost feature allows you to push a button to manually combine your lithium battery and your starter battery for times when your starter battery is dead. The boost can only provide the total surge current of the house battery bank (600A for three Life Blue batteries) this may or may not be enough to crank your ignition.
The Battery Combiner kit can only charge your batteries up to about 80% State of Charge. The DC/DC Charging kit can take your batteries all the way up to 100%, but does it much more slowly than the Battery Combiner kit.
We have witnessed 129A of charging current at idle with the high current kit on a Mercedes Sprinter with a 220A alternator.
Estimated Solar Installation Labor
Battery Combiner kit
8 hours / $1,160
Enable alternator charging to a drop-in lithium battery bank. An optional boost feature lets your house batteries start your ignition when your starter battery is dead. Not for use with alternators rated less than 160A, Smart Alternators, or rigs with regenerative braking.
Enable DC/DC charging from your alternator to a secondary Lithium, AGM or Flooded battery bank. This kit is ideal for van conversions and skoolies with older alternators or lithium batteries with input current limits under 100A.
Ideal for: Vans, skoolies, motorhomes
*Please note that cables length needs may vary by application. Please email info@amsolar.com if you would like to customize the cable lengths to better suit your needs.
Other popular alternator charger components and kits:
3. Select solar charging system: Skoolies tend to have a lot of roof space which allows for a wide variety of solar array configurations. One of our favorite systems is 4x 200W solar panels on an 85A solar charge controller. This gives you room to add more panels in the future if you find you need more energy.
For a complete explanation of everything you would want to know about how to design a solar charging system, check out our Solar Charger Design Guide.
The Victron SmartSolar MPPT charge controllers are compatible with any battery type, can work on 12V or 24V battery systems, and communicate status via Bluetooth.
Estimated Solar Installation Labor
4x 200W on an 85A Controller
10 hours / $1,450
Communicates battery voltage and solar charge rate to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, Expandable up to 700W, Advanced MPPT charge controller delivers approximately 20% more energy than PWM, Combiner box covers roof penetration and allows for easy upgrades, Panel(s) can be tilted
Communicates battery voltage and solar charge rate to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, Expandable up to 1200W, Advanced MPPT charge controller delivers approximately 20% more energy than PWM, Combiner box covers roof penetration and allows for easy upgrades, Panel(s) can be tilted
Communicates battery voltage and solar charge rate to a smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, Expandable up to 1400W, Advanced MPPT charge controller delivers approximately 20% more energy than PWM, Combiner box covers roof penetration and allows for easy upgrades, Panel(s) can be tilted
Add panel kits ending in Cable to connect to the AM Solar combiner box.
4. Select an Inverter/Charger System: The Victron Multiplus inverter/chargers combine an inverter and a charger in one unit. They also offer PowerAssist, which means that they can combine shore power with battery power when necessary. Our kits come with everything you need, from the shore power cord to an AC outlet.
For a vehicle like a skoolie, with no existing shore power connection or AC distribution panel, get the “Empty Shell Kit” variant. If your van is partially built out with a shore power connection and AC panel, get the “RV Upgrade Kit” variant.
The 3000VA inverter/charger is only slightly more expensive than the 2000VA and shaped differently. The 3000VA inverter/charger gives you the option of running an air conditioner or running multiple appliances at the same time, like a coffee pot and a microwave. Installation time is the same for both inverters.
In order to fully support the 3000VA inverter, you will need a battery bank that can handle 300A of current outflow, or three Life Blue batteries.
If you plan on running an air conditioner, get an Easy Start kit.
Estimated Installation Labor
Multiplus Inverter (Empty Shell Kit)
17 hours / $2,465
The MultiPlus is a powerful true sine wave inverter, a sophisticated battery charger that features adaptive charge technology and a high-speed AC transfer switch in a single compact enclosure. Rated at 3000VA.
Note: Some Keurig coffee makers are known to be incompatible with inverters. In some cases, this will just result in a loud buzzing noise while operating, and in other cases, it will result in inverter overload and failure to operate. This doesn't mean your inverter will be damaged or that trying to use your coffee maker is dangerous; however, AM Solar cannot support compatibility issues resulting from a Keurig coffee maker. We recommend doing some research and purchasing a different coffee maker if you find yours to be incompatible with your inverter system.
If you have a 50A coach, we recommend looking into our MultiPlus-II 12/3000/2x 120V VE.Bus Inverter/Charger kits for 50A coaches.
Please note there is currently a nation-wide shortage of Duplex AC breakers (primarily 15/20). Our kits are designed to include these, but we may need to make substitutions due to stock level. Please email info@amsolar.com if you have any questions about this.
Steady State: 2400W
Surge: 6000W
Voltage Output: 120V AC
Voltage Input: 9.5-17V
No Load Draw: 8-20W
Waveform: Pure Sine
Frequency: 60hz
Charger: 120A
Passthrough: 50A
Efficiency: 93%
Dimensions: H 14.3" x W 10.2" x D 8.6"
Extra: PowerAssist
The MultiPlus is a powerful true sine wave inverter, a sophisticated battery charger that features adaptive charge technology and a high-speed AC transfer switch in a single enclosure. Rated at 2000VA.
Note: Some Keurig coffee makers are known to be incompatible with inverters. In some cases, this will just result in a loud buzzing noise while operating, and in other cases, it will result in inverter overload and failure to operate. This doesn't mean your inverter will be damaged or that trying to use your coffee maker is dangerous; however, AM Solar cannot support compatibility issues resulting from a Keurig coffee maker. We recommend doing some research and purchasing a different coffee maker if you find yours to be incompatible with your inverter system.
Please note there is currently a nation-wide shortage of Duplex AC breakers (primarily 15/20). Our kits are designed to include these, but we may need to make substitutions due to stock level. Please email info@amsolar.com if you have any questions about this.
Steady State: 1600W
Surge: 4000W
Voltage Output: 120V AC
Voltage Input: 9.5-17V
No Load Draw: 3-9W
Waveform: Pure Sine
Frequency: 60hzCharger: 80A
Passthrough: 50A
Efficiency: 92%
Dimensions: H 19.70" x W 9.21" x D 5.75"
Extra: PowerAssist
Other popular inverter/charger kits and components:
5. Select the appropriate DC Distribution Kit: In order to safely draw power for DC loads, you will want a DC Distribution kit.
The 6-circuit option is usually fine with most skoolies, but a 12-circuit option is available. If you plan on using a 12V DC air conditioner, get the High Current
Estimated Installation Labor
12V DC Distribution Kit
1 hour / $145
This kit includes everything you need to connect DC loads to a battery bank. A Victron Battery Protect prevents the batteries from being overly discharged.
This kit includes everything you need to connect DC loads to a Victron Lithium battery system.
Other DC Distribution kits and components:
6. Optional components and tools: You may consider including these items in your purchase.
Custom Drawings and Programming Instructions are free for any kit. Just let us know at check out, or add this to your cart.
Here’s an example of a custom drawing. 200Ah 400W 30A 3000VA
Tools - Make sure you have something equivalent to everything on the top row of this page.
Conduit - If you plan on routing an alternator charging cable under the van, get some 5/18” conduit.
Complete System Monitor - The Victron Cerbo with Touch 50 GX can log data and communicate over the internet.
Tech Support - Each kit comes with a set amount of free tech support, if you feel you may exceed that, you can purchase more here.
PreConfigured Complete System Examples (Obsolete kits)
This system is designed to give you some general ideas on your options and pricing. We’ll design a custom quote for you with the most up-to-date technology to fit your needs.
- 2x 170W Solar Panels with mounts and wire harnesses
- 30A Victron SmartSolar MPPT Charge Controller with Bluetooth Communication
- Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth Communication
- 2x Lifeline 220Ah AGM 6V Batteries
- 200A Battery Combiner/Alternator Charger kit with manual disconnect and boost
- 500W Victron Phoenix pure sine inverter with AC outlet
- 60A DC Battery Protect with remote disconnect prevents over discharge
- 6 position DC fuse block with DC outlet offering dual USB and standard 12V
- Lugs, heat shrink, cables, etc. All included
- $7,300 when installed by AM Solar with an estimated 30 hours of labor
This system is designed to give you some general ideas on your options and pricing. We’ll design a custom quote for you with the most up-to-date technology to fit your needs.
Features:
- 4x 170W Solar Panels with mounts and wire harnesses
- 50A Victron SmartSolar MPPT Charge Controller with Bluetooth Communication
- Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth Communication
- 2x Lifeline 400Ah AGM 6V Batteries
- 200A Battery Combiner/Alternator Charger kit with manual disconnect and boost
- 2000VA Victron Multiplus pure sine inverter / 80A charger with hybrid 30A shore power
- Sub panel with multiple breakers and AC outlet
- 60A DC Battery Protect with remote disconnect prevents over discharge
- 6 position DC fuse block with DC outlet offering dual USB and standard 12V
- Shore power cord, inlet, lugs, heat shrink, cables, etc. All included
- $12,975 when installed by AM Solar with an estimated 45 hours of labor
This system is designed to give you some general ideas on your options and pricing. We’ll design a custom quote for you with the most up-to-date technology to fit your needs.
- 4x 170W Solar Panels with mounts and wire harnesses
- 2x 90W Solar Panels with mounts and wire harnesses
- 85A Victron SmartSolar MPPT Charge Controller with Bluetooth Communication
- Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Bluetooth Communication
- 600Ah Lithium System with AMS V4 Victron battery protections
- Integrated alternator charging with manual boost
- 3000VA Victron Multiplus pure sine inverter / 120A charger with hybrid 30A shore power
- Sub panel with multiple breakers and AC outlet
- 100A DC Battery Protect with remote disconnect prevents over discharge
- 6 position DC fuse block with DC outlet offering dual USB and standard 12V
- Shore power cord, inlet, lugs, heat shrink, cables, etc. All included
- $25,825 when installed by AM Solar with an estimated 75 hours of labor