RV Solar InstallationWatch complete RV power installations and focused lessons on lithium batteries, solar panels, inverter/chargers, and alternator charging. Each selection links directly to the video and identifies the equipment it covers.
Use these demonstrations alongside the manuals for your exact equipment and a plan suited to your RV.
Complete RV installations
Start with the whole system: see how batteries, solar, shore power, and monitoring fit together in two real RV builds.
EXPLORIST.life
We added 2400W of Solar to this 5th Wheel RV! (Full Battery/Inverter/Solar Installation)
Follow a fifth-wheel retrofit from bench wiring to installation and testing, combining roof solar, lithium storage, inverter/chargers, and alternator charging.
50A fifth-wheel RV; a 24V battery bank, 2,400W solar array, and Victron equipment.
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EXPLORIST.life
How to Install Solar & Electrical in a DIY Camper (A Complete Walkthrough)
Walk through an Argosy travel-trailer electrical installation, including battery distribution, solar connections, shore power, monitoring, and startup.
1976 Argosy travel-trailer restoration using Victron components.
Watch on YouTubeLithium batteries & monitoring
Understand battery protection, track the energy in your bank, and see how a heated battery handles cold weather.
EXPLORIST.life
BMS (Battery Management System) Basics for LiFePO4 Batteries | Battery Basics Ep: 2/7
Learn why a lithium battery may stop accepting charge or supplying power. This lesson compares internal and external battery-management systems and the voltage, current and temperature conditions they monitor.
LiFePO4 BMS examples from Victron, Battle Born, SOK, and Epoch.
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Victron Energy
How to install the Victron Energy SmartShunt IP65
Victron demonstrates where its SmartShunt IP65 connects and how it is configured in VictronConnect. See the monitoring information available on a phone, including state of charge, remaining time and battery history.
Manufacturer installation and setup tutorial for the Victron SmartShunt IP65.
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Battle Born Batteries
How Battle Born Heated Batteries Work – Battle Born Battery Design & Safety
A short manufacturer explanation of integrated battery heating and cold-weather charging. It introduces the relationship between temperature protection and heating on Battle Born's heated lithium models.
Battle Born heated-battery models; heating behavior varies by battery.
Watch on YouTubeSolar panels & charge controllers
Follow the path from panel connections to the controller and its battery-charging settings.
EXPLORIST.life
What does a Solar Charge Controller Do in a DIY Camper Electrical System?
Understand what sits between the solar panels and the battery bank. This introduction explains how a charge controller turns variable panel output into charging power the batteries can use.
Camper solar charging concepts; useful before comparing MPPT models or choosing an array layout.
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EXPLORIST.life
How to Wire Solar Panels in Series Parallel
See how individual panels form series strings, then how those strings join in parallel. The demonstration makes the physical connections easier to follow when discussing your roof layout with an installer.
PV connectors, series strings, and parallel branches; match array voltage and current to the selected controller.
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EXPLORIST.life
How to Program a Solar Charge Controller in a DIY Camper Electrical System
Follow the charging-profile setup on a Victron SmartSolar controller using a Battle Born battery bank as the example. The lesson also explains how to obtain the correct settings for another battery brand.
Victron SmartSolar and VictronConnect, with Battle Born LiFePO4 example settings.
Watch on YouTubeInverters & shore power
See what an inverter/charger does, how PowerAssist supplements a limited hookup, and where the key settings live.
Victron Energy
Inside the Victron MultiPlus & a Detailed Explanation of How It Works
A manufacturer-led look inside a MultiPlus, explaining how its inverter and charger work and discussing power-saving behavior.
Manufacturer explanation of the Victron MultiPlus inverter/charger.
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EXPLORIST.life
How Does VICTRON POWER ASSIST work?
Explains how PowerAssist can supplement a limited shore-power connection with energy from the battery bank.
Victron PowerAssist demonstration using a limited shore-power connection.
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EXPLORIST.life
How to Program a Victron Multiplus/Quattro Inverter Charger (easy/cheatsheets)
Walks through inverter/charger configuration, including AC-input limits, PowerAssist, charging current, and battery charging settings.
Victron MultiPlus/Quattro setup; battery specifications and the local AC supply determine the settings.
Watch on YouTubeAlternator & DC-DC charging
Compare two DC-DC options, then follow specific installation examples for Victron Orion XS and REDARC Alpha100 R chargers.
EXPLORIST.life
Best DC-DC Charger for Alternator Charging | Victron vs REDARC Compared
Compares the Orion XS and REDARC Alpha100 R by output, physical size, system communication, solar integration, and installation complexity.
Victron Orion XS versus REDARC Alpha100 R. The creator is a retailer for both brands.
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EXPLORIST.life
Victron Orion XS DC DC Charger Installation/Upgrade Tutorial
Shows a Transit camper-van upgrade from an Orion 12/12 30A charger to an Orion XS 12/12 50A, including connections, programming, and an engine-running check.
Transit camper-van retrofit from an Orion 12/12 30A to an Orion XS 12/12 50A.
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EXPLORIST.life
How to Wire a REDARC BCDC Alpha 100 R (Step-by-Step Install Guide)
Demonstrates Alpha100 R wiring with the creator's kit, covering cable terminations, a Lynx Distributor connection, starting-battery wiring, and data leads.
REDARC BCDC Alpha100 R installation using an EXPLORIST.life kit and a Victron Lynx Distributor.
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