Total novice with some questions about a proposed set up for a truck camper

Something about this thread really resonates with me. I came to all of this the same way — flat on my back with nothing but time and a rabbit hole of YouTube videos and forum threads to disappear into.

My situation was a shepherd's hut project rather than a truck camper, but the learning curve felt identical. You start off thinking it's just "panel, battery, inverter" and then suddenly you're three weeks deep into the difference between MPPT and PWM controllers, debating whether Victron's SmartSolar is worth the premium over a Renogy unit (it is, in my experience), and questioning every decision you've ever made.

A few things I'd say to anyone starting from zero:

• Don't size it on what you think you'll use — size it on what you actually use. A power audit before you buy anything is worth its weight in gold.
• Victron's ecosystem is genuinely brilliant once it clicks, especially if you want everything talking to each other via the app.
• Fogstar for lithium if budget is a concern — solid UK supplier, good cells.

The truck camper setup does throw up some interesting questions the hut didn't, mind you. Alternator charging, vehicle electrics, space constraints — it's a different puzzle.

What's the proposed setup looking like so far? Even rough sketches help the conversation along. Plenty of knowledgeable folk on here who've done exactly this — would be good to get some of the truck camper veterans chipping in too.

What's your recovery going like? Hope you're getting there steadily.

@NoPlanB that's honestly how half the people on here got started — myself included. Ended up down a Victron rabbit hole at about 2am and somehow came out the other side with a full 400Ah lithium setup in a garden office and a motorhome.

Fair warning though: the "research phase" never really ends. You think you've got your head round inverters, then someone mentions MPPT charge curves and you're back to square one.

What's the actual proposed setup you're looking at? Truck camper loads and battery sizing is where most people go wrong first — undersizing the bank because the inverter calculations look fine on paper but they haven't accounted for sustained draw.

@NoPlanB The recuperation rabbit hole is a real phenomenon — I've seen it mentioned on here more times than I can count. Worth saying though: not everything you'll find on YouTube translates directly to UK regs and available kit. A lot of the popular content is North American, and things like inverter sizing, cable standards, and even what batteries are readily available differ quite a bit. When I was planning my shepherd's hut system I wasted weeks going down US-centric paths before finding forums like this one. Victron is genuinely as good as the YouTube consensus suggests, thankfully — that bit translates fine. But always cross-reference against UK suppliers and Part P considerations where relevant.

Flat on your back is practically the official onboarding process for this hobby — I designed my entire cabin solar setup from a NHS waiting room on my phone.

@NoPlanB Ha, welcome to the club! I ended up here after a knee operation a few years back — six weeks off work and somehow emerged the other end with a complete off-grid setup planned to the last cable run. My wife still hasn't forgiven the hospital for giving me that much unsupervised internet time. There's something about being forced to slow down that makes your brain suddenly have the patience to actually understand this stuff properly rather than just skimming the surface. By the time you're back on your feet you'll know more about inverter sizing and battery chemistry than most electricians. Stick around and ask everything — no question is too basic here.

@NoPlanB Same here — van conversion started during a long stint off work. Ended up down a Victron rabbit hole at 2am wondering why I needed to understand the difference between MPPT and PWM controllers before I'd even bought a single panel.

One thing I'd say though — did you actually settle on a spec for the truck camper setup yet? Noticed the thread title mentions proposed set up but I couldn't see a parts list anywhere. Curious what battery chemistry you're considering, and whether you're planning shore power hookup as well as solar. That changes the inverter/charger equation quite a bit in terms of whether a Multiplus-style unit makes sense versus keeping things separate.