This is an old revision of the document!
a longer-form answer to https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/igjleu/cheapest_build_brag_here/this thread
building out a camper on the cheap
Building a functional camper on a big budget is easy - pay someone to do it. Doing it on a budget requires research, patience, and work.
> Tips and tricks to being a cheap o?
tl;dr
If you read nothing else: avoid flexible solar panels, AGM batteries, and solar generators. They are all niche products with niche (ie, doubled) prices, and very few vandwellers need them.
expectations
power
loads
avoid heating/cooling with electricity you make offgrid. Use propane or similar for heating and cooking.
avoid using power-hungry PCs or laptops. Use a tablet, chromebook, phone, or other low-power device.\
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solar
Buy larger/higher-voltage panels which are cheaper by the watt.
1)
if you are using PWM controllers, choose poly panels vs mono due to their higher Imp rating. When choosing between poly panels at the same price point, pick the one with the higher Imp (and thus lower Vmp)
if you are going to be deep-cycling the batteries every day
2) consider using a dirt-cheap
shunt controller rather than PWM.
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charging
alternator charging
batteries
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use 6v deep cycles in series rather than 12v singly or in parallel
use flooded rather than AGM. If you need massive current, use lithium rather than AGM. LFP lithium and 6v deep cycle have very similar costs in the long term. AGM costs 2-4x as much per lifetime kAh.