How much power you actually need, which system to buy, how fast it charges, and every component — costs and weights. Decision up top, full reference below.
Your power need is modest for a single person (~9.5 kWh on a max day). The right system depends on one upstream choice: how tall your van is, because that decides how you ship and whether lithium can stay aboard.
The van can't fit a container, so it ships RoRo — and RoRo won't take installed lithium happily. So: build electrical-light, ship lithium-free, buy a plug-and-play all-in-one in Europe (warranty starts on day one). Best fits:
It fits a container, which ships installed lithium fine — so build a DIY 48 V Victron system with a new battery (cheapest, most repairable, serviced in AU + EU). Bonus: a container-able van saves ~A$8–18k in shipping over a round-the-world trip. Trade-off: standing height (a pop-top gets you both).
Edit the watts or hours, untick what you won't have, or hit a preset. The daily total and the battery/inverter targets update live. Defaults are a heavy single-person day.
| Appliance | Watts | Hours/day | Wh/day | On? |
|---|
Fridge is shown as average draw (compressors cycle). "Comfortable" battery = daily ÷ 0.8 × 1.5 for depth-of-discharge + a margin. Induction/kettle/microwave are big but brief — they drive inverter size, not daily kWh.
From the calculator's three presets, what to actually buy.
| Day type | Daily use | Battery if shore-charging | Battery for ~2 days off-grid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max (A/C + 6 h gaming + Starlink) | ~9.5 kWh | ~10–12 kWh | ~18–24 kWh |
| Typical (no A/C, 2 h gaming) | ~5.5 kWh | ~6–8 kWh | ~12–14 kWh |
| Light (minimal) | ~3 kWh | ~4 kWh | ~7–8 kWh |
| 12 V | 48 V | |
|---|---|---|
| Current to run ~4.8 kW | ~400 A (impractical) | ~100 A |
| Cable + busbars | Huge, heavy, costly | ¼ the copper — thinner, lighter, cheaper & safer (¼ the current = far less heat where DC fires start) |
| A 5 kW inverter | No (~450 A) | Yes |
| 12 V loads (fridge, pump, fan, lights) | Native | Need a 48→12 V DC-DC converter |
| Touch safety | Safe | Safe — still under the 60 V extra-low-voltage line |
All-in-one boxes vs a piecemeal Victron build, sized to ~12–15 kWh / ~5 kW. "AU support" matters because you're commissioning in Melbourne.
| System | To ~12–15 kWh | Inverter | Shore charge | Warranty | AU support | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eberspächer Zeliox NEO | ~$16k (9.6 kWh max) | 4 kW / 8 kW pk | ~2.6 kW | 5 yr | ✅ Yes (Wacol QLD) | Sealed 48 V all-in-one |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra | ~$11.5k (12) / ~$14.8k (18) | 6.9 kW ✅ | 3.0 kW | 5 yr | ✅ Yes | Portable all-in-one |
| Bluetti Apex 300 + B500K | ~$10.8k (13 kWh) | 3.84 kW (×2 for 5 kW) | 3.84 kW | 5 yr | ⚠️ Partial (verify 230 V) | Portable all-in-one |
| EcoFlow Power Kit | ~$22.4k (15 kWh) | 3.6 kW | 3.0 kW | 5 yr | ✅ Yes | Van-native (12 V panel built in) |
| Clayton Power LPS II 3000 | ~$6k+ (2 kWh, expand) | 2.3 kW | 0.75 kW (slow) | 2 yr (5 via reseller) | ❌ No AU distributor | 12 V all-in-one (serviceable) |
| DIY Victron 48 V (new battery) | ~$11–14k | 4–5 kW (MultiPlus-II) | ~3.4 kW | 5 yr | ✅✅ Deep AU + EU | Piecemeal (most repairable) |
In the Zeliox NEO vs Clayton vs EcoFlow video: Clayton for small vans (compact, mature, proven 12 V), Zeliox NEO for bigger vans that need real 4 kW + a 48 V backbone, and EcoFlow as the budget option with a firmware/reliability question mark. (Bias note: Ahoy sells Clayton + Zeliox, not EcoFlow.) For your build, the deciding factor Clayton fails is no Australian support — and its 12 V / 2.3 kW ceiling + slow 750 W charging make it a small-van system.
The inverter (or the inverter section of each all-in-one), head to head. Continuous is the number that matters for running appliances; surge is for motor start-up.
| Inverter | Cont. | Peak/surge | DC in | AC charge | Efficiency | Idle | Weight | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeliox NEO 4000 | 4,000 W | 8,000 W | 48 V | ~2,600 W | ~95% | n/p | 43 kg* | 5 yr |
| EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra | 6,900 W (EU) | ~7,200 W | 102 V | 6,900 W | ~93–95% | low | 31.7 kg (inv) | 5 yr |
| Bluetti Apex 300 | 3,840 W | 7,680 W | ~51 V | 3,840 W | n/p | n/p | ~30 kg* | 5 yr |
| EcoFlow Power Kit Hub | 3,600 W | 7,200 W | 48 V | 3,000 W | n/p | n/p | 14 kg (hub) | 5 yr |
| Clayton LPS II 3000 | 2,300 W | 13,000 W | 12 V | 750 W | 94% | <1 W | 27.5 kg* | 2 yr |
| Victron MultiPlus-II 48/5000 | 4,000 W | 9,000 W | 48 V | ~3,400 W | 96% | 18 W | 30 kg | 5 yr |
| Victron MultiPlus-II 48/3000 | 2,400 W | 5,500 W | 48 V | ~1,700 W | 95% | 11 W | 19 kg | 5 yr |
| Victron Quattro 48/8000 | 6,400 W | 16,000 W | 48 V | ~5,300 W | ~95% | 60 W | 41 kg | 5 yr |
*All-in-one weights include the battery + chargers, not just the inverter. n/p = not published by the maker. Bluetti Apex / EcoFlow DPU are primarily US split-phase — confirm the 230 V (EU/AU) variant before buying. Victron + Zeliox have proper Australian distribution.
How long to refill ~13 kWh from each source. These units auto-throttle to the socket, so they won't trip a campsite hookup.
| Source | Power | Fill ~13 kWh | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU campsite hookup, 16 A | ~3 kW | ~4–4.5 h | Fast everyday case — an afternoon |
| Motel / house socket, 10 A | ~2.3 kW | ~5.7 h | Full overnight, easily |
| EU budget pitch, 6 A | ~1.4 kW | ~10 h | Common in FR/ES/IT — overnight |
| USA / Mexico socket, 120 V | ~1.6 kW | ~8 h | The slow one — budget more shore time |
| Solar, 600–800 W roof | ~3–4 kWh/day | top-up | Covers a modest day, not a heavy one |
| Alternator while driving | ~0.6–1.5 kW | ~2–4 kWh / 3 h | Travel-day top-up |
Why electrical and van height are one decision. A 40 ft container door is ~2.58 m — only a standard roof fits, and only a container ships installed lithium happily.
| Sprinter roof | Height | Containers? | So it ships… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (H1) | 2.35 m | ✅ Yes (~22 cm spare) | Container (lithium OK) or RoRo |
| High (H2) | 2.62 m | ❌ No | RoRo or flat-rack |
| Super-high (H3) | 2.83 m | ❌ No | RoRo or flat-rack |
| Round-the-world (4 crossings) | Lifetime shipping | vs small van |
|---|---|---|
| Small, container-able (std roof) | ~A$21,500 | — |
| Tall van, best case (always RoRo) | ~A$23,500 | ~$2k |
| Tall van, realistic (some flat-rack) | ~A$30–40k | ~$8–18k |
| Tall van, worst case (all flat-rack) | ~A$50k | ~$28k |
The exhaustive electrical bill of materials (AUD, indicative 2026; many Victron lines are heavily discounted now so budget toward RRP). Weights matter for your ~800 kg GVM headroom. The build page's component table has the cheap/medium/luxury picker with weights.
| Item | Example | AUD | kg | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power core | ||||
| Inverter-charger | Victron MultiPlus-II 48/5000 | ~$2,000 | 30 | Or 48/3000 (~$1,200) for one big load at a time |
| Solar array | ~600–800 W rigid | ~$700 | 33 | Add rack feet; flat for container clearance |
| Solar MPPT | Victron SmartSolar 100/50 | $209 | 1.3 | |
| DC-DC alternator charger | Victron Orion XS 50A (12 V) / Wakespeed for 48 V | $399 / ~$2,200 | 1.8 | 48 V engine-charging is the fiddly bit |
| 48→12 V converter | Orion-class 30–50 A | ~$450 | 1.5 | Feeds the 12 V sub-bus |
| Lynx distributor + busbars | Victron Lynx Distributor | $259 | 1 | |
| Class-T fuse + holder | Victron Lynx Power In | ~$260 | 0.5 | Main battery protection |
| Battery monitor | Victron SmartShunt 500 A | $120 | 0.2 | Accurate SoC |
| Main isolator | BEP 275 A switch | $192 | 0.5 | |
| Cable, lugs, MEGA fuses | 50 mm² tinned + terminals | ~$300 | 8 | 48 V = thinner cable than 12 V |
| 12 V distribution & charging ports | ||||
| Fused distribution panel | Blue Sea ST-Blade 12-circuit | $130 | 0.5 | Essential |
| USB-C PD 100 W outlet | Dual USB-C PD flush mount | $50 | 0.1 | MacBook Pro + Steam Deck PD |
| USB-C PD 60 W + USB-A | Combo flush socket | $50 | 0.1 | Phones, smaller devices |
| USB-A QC ports | Dual QC3.0 | $30 | 0.1 | Optional extras |
| 12 V sockets | Cig / DIN accessory | ~$15 | 0.1 | For 12 V appliances |
| 240 V AC outlets | RV GPO ×2–3 | ~$20 ea | 0.2 | PC, monitor, microwave |
| Shore inlet + RCD | AU 15 A inlet + RCBO / EU CEE 16 A | $175 | 1 | Sparky check the changeover |
| Lighting | ||||
| 12 V LED puck/spot lights | Recessed swivel (pairs) | ~$30/pair | 0.2 | High-CRI warm white |
| LED strip + dimmer | 12 V warm strip + PWM dimmer | ~$60 | 0.3 | Ambient / under-cabinet |
| Switch panel | Carling/Narva rockers | ~$40 | 0.3 | |
| Appliance electrics | ||||
| Compressor fridge | Bushman DC130-X 130 L (~60 W avg) | $1,618 | 26 | Or Dometic CRX 65 (~$1,200, 21 kg) |
| Roof fan | MaxxFan Deluxe | $568 | 4.5 | Cuts the A/C need |
| Diesel heater | Autoterm 2D (heat) / Truma Combi (heat + water) | $700 / ~$2,900 | 3 / 15 | Combi also makes hot water |
| Induction cooktop | 2 kW (runs via inverter — no true 12 V) | ~$150 | 5 | Drives inverter size |
| Microwave | 20 L 700 W (~1,200 W draw) | ~$200 | 10.5 | One big appliance at a time |
| Water pump | Seaflo / Shurflo 12 V | ~$120 | 2.3 | + accumulator stops cycling |
| Connectivity & extras | ||||
| Starlink Mini + 12 V adapter | ~17 W; 12 V DC feed (no inverter) | $599 + $92 | 1.2 | The remote-work enabler |
| Electric awning | Fiamma F45s + 12 V motor kit | ~$980 + awning | 23–39 | Brief motor draw; adds stowed width/height |
| Reversing + dash camera | Wired AHD + monitor | ~$250 | 0.5 | Near-essential on a 6 m+ van |
| Sound system | 12 V BT amp + speakers | ~$300 | 3 | Optional |
| Control & monitoring | ||||
| System display | Victron Cerbo GX + GX Touch 50 | $599 | 0.5 | Or the all-in-one's own screen/app |
Electrical sub-total (DIY Victron core, excl. battery + appliances) ≈ A$4–6k; with fridge/fan/heater/induction/Starlink added it's the bulk of the "power & climate" budget. Electrical components add ~50–60 kg before the battery (28–133 kg) and water.
You're seeing good reviews, so here's the honest read after digging in.
The catches: it's an early product (launched 2025, thin long-term reviews; the expansion battery ships ~Summer 2026); it's sealed — repairs/module swaps go through an authorised partner, not you (so confirm EU service coverage for your travels); 9.6 kWh is the hard ceiling (no room to grow); and at ~A$16k for the full 9.6 kWh (base ~A$8.7k + 3 × ~A$2,440 add-ons) it's dear per kWh vs DIY. Make any purchase conditional on (1) a firm AU quote, (2) confirmed EU service, (3) expansion-battery availability.
| If you value most… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Simplest install + AU support, tall van | Zeliox NEO | One supported box, fits your day, fast charge — accept the ceiling + sealed design |
| Most inverter power + portability | EcoFlow Delta Pro Ultra | 6.9 kW from one box, 18 kWh, lift it out to ship lithium-free |
| Cheapest all-in-one to true 5 kW | 2× Bluetti Apex 300 | ~A$11–13k, more DIY integration; verify 230 V AU variant |
| Lowest cost + repairability | DIY Victron 48 V | Cheapest if the van is container-able (a container ships an installed battery) |
| A small van, modest needs | Clayton Power | Great box — but no AU support is a real strike here |