Stay Powered Off-Grid
The problem
Day three at the trailhead, the fridge alarm goes off at 5 am because the battery is at 10.8V. The solar is "300W" but it's been cloudy, the tow vehicle isn't charging the trailer properly, and nobody knows how much is actually being used.
What fixes it, in order of payoff
1. See what's happening. A Victron SmartShunt, $99.99 tells you real state of charge and how many hours you have left. Most "my battery is bad" calls turn out to be "my battery was never full".
2. Charge properly while driving. An Orion XS DC-DC charger, $324.99 or Orion-Tr Smart, $170 puts real current into the trailer bank from the alternator, which a 7-pin plug never will.
3. Harvest what the roof makes. A SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 or 100/50, from $109.99 gets up to 30% more from the same panels than a PWM controller, and shows it in the app.
4. Store it in lithium. A Victron LiFePO4 NG battery, from $622 gives usable capacity twice that of an AGM of the same size, at half the weight — see the lithium guide.
5. Run 120V when you need it. A MultiPlus, from $274.99 or MultiPlus-II, $879.99 covers induction cooking, a coffee machine and charging from shore power in one box.
Start small or buy the system
- Off-Grid Solar Starter Kit — MPPT 100/30 + BMV-712, $269
- Off-Grid Power Starter — Victron collection
- Victron Expedition Power Kit — complete 12V system, $8,499
- HQ19/HQ21 owners: Pre-Fit Solar Panel Kit, $1,820
Sized by a person, not a chart
Send your loads and roof space, or run the RV Solar & Battery Calculator, then book a sizing call. We stock the full Victron range, handle warranty claims on gear bought from us, and we install and commission at the shop for $349.