There are two ways to power a van conversion. The traditional route is a leisure battery with separate components wired together. The newer route is a portable power station that puts most of those components in one box. Both work. They suit different builds and different people.
What a traditional build involves
A leisure battery setup is a collection of parts, each chosen and wired by you or an installer:
- the battery itself, lead-acid or lithium
- an inverter for 230V sockets
- a mains charger for hookup
- a solar charge controller
- a DC-DC charger for the alternator
- a battery monitor, fuses, busbars, isolators and cable
Done well, it can be tailored exactly to the van. Done badly, it has a lot of joints, fuses and settings that can go wrong.
What a power station replaces
A power station combines the battery, battery management, inverter, solar controller and mains charger in one tested unit, with sockets and USB ports on the front. Most of the units we sell use LiFePO₄ cells, which handle thousands of charge cycles and are well suited to daily use.
Where a power station wins
- Install time: far fewer parts to mount and wire.
- Fewer failure points: the components inside were designed to work together.
- One warranty: a fault goes back to one manufacturer, not four.
- It isn't tied to the van: take it camping, use it on site, or keep the house running in a power cut.
- Resale: it comes with you when the van is sold.
Where a traditional build wins
- Flexibility: you choose the battery size and inverter size independently.
- Weight distribution: batteries can be split and placed low and central.
- Very large systems: at the top end it can work out cheaper per watt-hour, although units like the Apex 300 close that gap by adding expansion batteries without rewiring.
Things a power station still needs
- Alternator charging is usually an add-on, such as a Bluetti Charger 1 or Charger 2.
- Secure mounting. Strap it down properly. An unsecured power station is a serious hazard in a crash.
- Ventilation. Leave the vents clear so it can shed heat while charging and running heavy loads.
- Proper 230V work. If you wire the van's sockets into the power station's output, have it signed off by a qualified electrician.
How to decide
If you want a system that is quick to fit, easy to live with and useful outside the van, a power station is the simpler choice for most conversions. If you enjoy the build, want every component to your own spec, or are building something very large, a traditional setup gives you more control.
Either way, start with what the van uses in a day. Our guide to sizing a power station walks through it, and the complete systems pair a power station with the charging it needs.