Campervan Electrical Hook-Up Installation
Campervan electrical hook-up lets you plug the van into a campsite supply, run 230V sockets and charge the leisure battery overnight. Getting it right means a proper inlet, an RCD-protected consumer unit, sensible socket positions and a charger that suits the battery. We plan and fit that mains side as part of a van build or as an addition to an existing one.
Hook-up brings the same voltage into the van as the sockets at home, inside a vehicle that vibrates, gets damp and is often wired by its owner. That is why we treat it with the care we give shore power on a boat.
We work from Shoreham Airport and cover the South Coast between Brighton and Southampton.
Do campervans need electric hook-up?
No, and plenty of vans manage without. If you mostly stay off-grid, a good leisure battery with solar and DC to DC charging from the engine may cover everything. Hook-up becomes worthwhile when you use campsites, want to run a heater, kettle or laptop charger on mains, or need a reliable way to fully charge a lithium bank in winter when solar is weak. We talk through how you travel before suggesting it.
What a hook-up installation includes
A recessed inlet is fitted in a sensible place on the body, sealed against water, and cabled to a consumer unit with RCD and MCB protection. Sockets are placed where you will use them and protected from knocks. A mains battery charger is set to the leisure battery chemistry so the bank charges whenever you plug in.
- External inlet, sealed and secured
- Consumer unit with RCD and circuit breakers
- 230V sockets positioned for how you use the van
- Battery charger set for lead-acid or LiFePO4
Hook-up alongside an inverter
Many vans have an inverter as well, so sockets work both on a pitch and off-grid. The two supplies must never feed the same circuits at once. A Victron inverter/charger handles this with an internal transfer switch; with separate units a changeover arrangement is needed. We design that switching so the mains and inverter outputs stay apart.
Campervan lithium and split charge · Marine inverter installation
How the job runs
Tell us the van, how far the build has got and what you want to power. We look at the layout, agree positions for the inlet, consumer unit and sockets, and give you a written quote. When it is finished we test the installation and show you how the protection works.
Hook-up cables and campsite supplies
Campsite bollards vary in how much current they allow, and an overloaded pitch supply simply trips. Knowing roughly what your heater, kettle and charger draw together helps you stay within it. We label the consumer unit and explain which circuits are which, so a trip on site is quick to sort out.
Frequently asked questions
Do campervans need electric hook-up?
Not always. Off-grid vans can run on battery, solar and engine charging. Hook-up is useful if you use campsites, run mains appliances or need to charge the battery fully in winter.
Can you add hook-up to a van I have already built?
Usually, yes. We look at where the inlet, consumer unit and sockets can go within the existing build.
Will hook-up charge my lithium leisure battery?
Yes, through a mains charger set to a LiFePO4 profile. We check the charger suits the battery as part of the job.
Do you work on the base vehicle electrics?
No. We work on the leisure side. Engine and chassis electrics are for a vehicle auto electrician.
Planning hook-up for your van?
Send the van details, how far the build has got and what you want to run, and we will come back with a written quote.