Motorhome Electrics and Leisure Electrical Repairs
A motorhome lives on its habitation electrics: the leisure battery, the charging from the engine, the hook-up when you are on a pitch and, more and more, solar on the roof. We look after that leisure side, finding faults, upgrading batteries and fitting new charging equipment, with the same marine-grade approach we bring to boats and a written quote before work starts.
Motorhomes differ from self-built campervans. Most arrive from the factory with a habitation control panel, a built-in charger and a distribution unit already fitted, so the job is usually working with that system rather than starting from bare metal. Upgrades have to fit around it, and faults are often in the connections between the original equipment and things added later.
Our work is the leisure electrical system. Base-vehicle engine management, dashboard and chassis electrics remain a job for a vehicle auto electrician or the dealer, and we will say so if a symptom points that way.
Common motorhome electrical repairs
Motorhome electrical faults usually show up as a symptom: the leisure battery is flat after a night off hook-up, the habitation panel shows the wrong voltage, the fridge will not run on 12V while driving, or sockets work on a campsite but not on the inverter. The cause is traced through the circuit before anything is replaced, because a tired battery, a loose crimp and a charger set to the wrong profile can all look the same from the habitation panel.
- Leisure battery not charging from the engine while driving
- Batteries flat quickly when away from hook-up
- Hook-up supply tripping or no 230V at the sockets
- Habitation panel readings that do not match the battery
- Lights, pump or fridge circuits that cut out
Lithium leisure batteries for motorhomes
Swapping lead-acid leisure batteries for LiFePO4 gives far more usable capacity for the weight, which matters on a vehicle with a payload limit. The battery is only part of the change. The built-in charger, any solar controller and the charging from the engine all need lithium-appropriate settings, and many modern base vehicles have smart alternators that need a DC to DC charger to charge a leisure bank properly. We supply and fit Fogstar LiFePO4 batteries and Victron charging equipment, and we can work with a battery you have already bought.
Lithium battery upgrades · Fogstar battery installation
Solar, inverters and hook-up
Roof solar with an MPPT controller keeps the leisure bank topped up when the van is parked or off-grid. An inverter lets you run 230V equipment without hook-up, and needs heavy DC cabling, a fuse close to the battery and a clear arrangement with the existing hook-up so the two supplies are never connected together. Where Victron equipment is used, monitoring lets you see battery state of charge and solar yield on your phone.
Campervan and motorhome solar installation · Victron installation
How a motorhome job runs
Tell us the make and model, the year, what is fitted and what is going wrong or what you want to add. We look at the system first, then give you a written quote setting out the scope. When the work is finished we explain the settings and what any new monitoring is telling you, so you are not left guessing on your first trip away.
Frequently asked questions
Do you work on motorhomes as well as boats?
Yes. We work on the leisure electrical side of motorhomes and campervans: batteries, charging, solar, inverters and hook-up. Engine and chassis electrics are for a vehicle auto electrician.
Why is my motorhome leisure battery not charging when I drive?
Common causes are a blown fuse or failed relay in the charging link, a smart alternator that the existing setup cannot use, or a battery that has reached the end of its life. It needs testing to know which.
Can I put a lithium battery in my motorhome?
Usually, yes, but the charger, solar controller and engine charging must suit lithium. We check the existing equipment before recommending the change.
How much do motorhome electrical repairs cost?
It depends on the fault and what needs replacing. We assess first and give a written quote before any work begins.
Talk to us about your motorhome electrics
Send the make, model and what is going wrong or what you would like fitted, and we will come back with the next step and a written quote.