Powering a Home Office from a Campervan
Working from the road is the dream, but a laptop, monitor, and router draw more power than you think. Here is how to size your electrical system for a full home office in a UK campervan.
What a Home Office Draws
| Device | Power Consumption | Daily Usage | Daily Ah (12V) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 14" (charging) | 60-96W | 6 hours | 30-48Ah |
| Dell XPS 15 (charging) | 90-130W | 6 hours | 45-65Ah |
| External monitor (22-24") | 25-40W | 6 hours | 12.5-20Ah |
| 4G/5G router | 8-15W | 24 hours | 16-30Ah |
| USB hub / peripherals | 5-10W | 6 hours | 2.5-5Ah |
| Desk lamp (USB LED) | 3-5W | 4 hours | 1-2Ah |
| Printer (occasional) | 10-15W standby, 300W printing | 10 minutes | 5Ah (one-off) |
| Phone charging | 5-15W | 2 hours | 2.5-7.5Ah |
| Total daily consumption: 75-170Ah depending on devices and usage. |
Battery Sizing
For a work-ready van, the minimum usable battery capacity is 200Ah of LiFePO4. This gives you:
- 160Ah usable (LiFePO4 can be discharged to 80% DoD without damage)
- 1-2 full working days without charging (if you are conservative)
- 3-4 days if you charge from solar during the day Battery options: | Battery | Capacity | Price | Weight | Working Days (no solar) | |---------|----------|-------|--------|------------------------| | Votronic LiFePO4 100Ah | 100Ah | £320 | 11kg | 0.5 | | Fogstar Drift 200Ah | 200Ah | £480 | 16kg | 1-2 | | Victron Smart Lithium 200Ah | 200Ah | £880 | 20kg | 1-2 | | Fogstar Drift 460Ah | 460Ah | £1,050 | 29kg | 3-4 | | Custom DIY cells (280Ah) | 280Ah | £400-500 | 18kg | 2-3 | Recommendation: Fogstar Drift 200Ah for most van office setups. 460Ah if you work full-time and spend extended periods off-grid.
Inverter Requirements
Most office devices run on mains voltage (230V AC in the UK). You need a pure sine wave inverter to power them:
| Device | Power | Inverter Size Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop only (charger) | 60-130W | 300W minimum |
| Laptop + monitor | 85-170W | 500W minimum |
| Laptop + monitor + router + printer | 100-500W (printer spikes) | 1,000W recommended |
| Best office inverter: Victron Phoenix 1200VA (1,200W continuous, 2,400W surge). It is quiet, efficient (93%), and has a low idle power draw (7W). At £270 it is expensive but it will last 15+ years. |
The 12V Alternative
You do not need an inverter for everything. Many devices work on 12V directly:
| Device | 12V Solution | Saving vs Inverter |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop | Car lighter charger (12V-20V DC-DC, £15) | Saves 10% inverter loss |
| Monitor (small) | USB-C monitor (powers from laptop) | No separate power needed |
| Router | 12V native (most routers are 12V input) | Direct from battery |
| Phone | 12V USB charger | Direct from battery |
| Lights | 12V LED strip | Direct from battery |
| The 12V approach: If you use a laptop with USB-C charging and a USB-C monitor, you can run your entire office from 12V. A laptop charges at 20V (boosted from 12V via the car charger) and a USB-C monitor draws power through the laptop. Total system: no inverter needed, efficiency >95%. |
Solar Requirements
To replenish your battery and work indefinitely off-grid, you need solar. For a home office setup:
| Solar Capacity | Daily Generation (June, UK) | Daily Generation (December, UK) | Works For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200W | 80-100Ah | 10-20Ah | Summer office, minimal usage |
| 400W | 160-200Ah | 20-40Ah | Summer full-time, winter light usage |
| 600W | 240-300Ah | 30-60Ah | Year-round full-time office |
| The reality: December solar in the UK is dismal. If you work full-time from your van in winter, you need 400W+ of solar plus the ability to plug into EHU once a week or run the engine for 1-2 hours daily. |
Connectivity
| Option | Speed | Monthly Cost | Data Cap | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three 5G broadband | 100-500Mbps | £22 | Unlimited | Full-time office |
| Vodafone GigaCube | 50-300Mbps | £30 | Unlimited | Rural areas |
| EE 4G+ | 20-100Mbps | £25 | 100GB | General browsing |
| Starlink Roam | 50-200Mbps | £85 | 50GB priority | Remote Scotland |
| Hotel / café WiFi | Variable | Free | Variable | Backup |
| Best setup: Three 5G broadband (£22/month, unlimited) with a Huawei B535 or ZTE MC7010 router. Add a Poynting aerial (£40) for weak signal areas. Starlink is overkill unless you work in the Highlands. |
Practical Tips for Van Office Life
- USB-C everything: One cable charges your laptop, phone, tablet, and headphones. Carries power and data.
- Ventilation: A laptop running all day in a small van heats the space. Open a roof vent or crack a window.
- Monitor arm: A gas-strut monitor arm (£30, Amazon) mounts a monitor on the wall or cabinet. Saves desk space.
- Desk setup: Plan a dedicated desk surface (not the kitchen table). A fold-down desk 50x60cm is enough for a laptop and small monitor.
- Battery monitoring: A Victron BMV-712 battery monitor (£100) shows exactly how much power you have. Essential for office work.
Verdict
A 200Ah LiFePO4 battery, 400W of solar, and a 1,200W inverter give you a full home office capability from a campervan. Use 12V chargers where possible (laptop, router, lights) to avoid inverter losses. Three 5G broadband at £22/month is the best connectivity value. In winter, expect to need EHU once a week or run the engine for an hour each day.
