How many days can I stay off-grid in my camper van?

This depends on your power and water supply. With 200Ah lithium, 300Wp solar panels and an 80L water tank, you can easily stay 5-7 days off-grid in summer in Southern Europe. In winter, power is the limiting factor.

Are solar panels alone enough for off-grid?

In summer in Southern Europe, often yes. In shoulder seasons or Northern Europe, you need supplementation via a B2B charger (charging while driving) or shore power when available. A pure solar setup is not sufficient in winter in Northern Europe.

What is the difference between off-grid and wild camping?

Off-grid means you don't use external facilities (power, water). Wild camping means staying outside a campsite. You can be off-grid at a campsite (without hooking up) or wild camp with shore power (at some stellplatz). Note: wild camping is not allowed everywhere.

Off-grid with your camper van: become self-sufficient

Going off-grid — free camping without shore power, water hookups or other facilities — is the ultimate goal for many camper van converters. But how much power, water and preparation do you need to truly be self-sufficient? In this guide we help you plan.

Plan your off-grid setup

Electrical Planner→Energy Timeline→Charging Time Calculator→

The three pillars of off-grid: power, water and heating

Self-sufficient camping revolves around three systems: Power: you need a combination of generation (solar panels), storage (batteries) and smart consumption. Without shore power, everything must come from your own system. Water: a sufficiently large fresh water tank and the discipline to use water sparingly. Plus a way to refill. Heating: on cold nights you need an independent heat source. Diesel heating is the most popular for off-grid. How well you size these three systems determines how many days you can truly stay off-grid.

Power: how many solar panels and battery?

For off-grid you need more capacity than for campsite use. Plan for: Solar panels: 300-400Wp for average use in Southern Europe. 400-600Wp for Northern Europe or shoulder seasons. In winter in Northern Europe, solar panels alone are insufficient. Battery capacity: minimum 200Ah lithium (or 400Ah AGM). This gives you 1-2 days buffer in cloudy weather. Backup: a B2B charger (charging while driving) is essential. If you drive little, consider a small generator as emergency backup. Saving power: the best way to go off-grid is to use less. LED lighting, an efficient compressor fridge and charging your laptop via 12V makes a huge difference.

Water: how long can you last?

Water is often the limiting factor for off-grid stays. With conservative use (8-10 liters per person per day) and an 80 liter tank, two people can last 4-5 days. With a 120 liter tank, 6-7 days. Tips to save water: • Use a foot pump or low-flow faucet • Wash dishes in a basin, not under running water • Shower briefly or use a solar shower • Collect rainwater for dishes (not for drinking) Refilling water: look for public taps, cemeteries, sports parks or camper service points. Apps like park4night show fill points.

Heating and cold nights

Without shore power you need an independent heat source: Diesel heater (e.g. Webasto, Eberspächer, or cheaper Chinese alternatives): by far the most popular. Uses 0.1-0.3 liters of diesel per hour and draws 1-3A from your battery. You can heat for hours on a few liters of diesel from your driving tank. Gas heating: works well but gas bottles are heavy and running out in remote locations is inconvenient. Wood stove: romantic but impractical as sole source. Requires lots of storage space for wood and a chimney pipe. Passive: good insulation is the foundation. A well-insulated camper van loses much less heat, meaning you need less heating. Invest in insulation first before buying a bigger heater.

Plan your off-grid setup

Use our free tools to calculate your power consumption, solar panels and battery capacity for off-grid living.

Electrical Planner→Energy Timeline→Charging Time Calculator→

Frequently asked questions

How many days can I stay off-grid in my camper van?: This depends on your power and water supply. With 200Ah lithium, 300Wp solar panels and an 80L water tank, you can easily stay 5-7 days off-grid in summer in Southern Europe. In winter, power is the limiting factor.
Are solar panels alone enough for off-grid?: In summer in Southern Europe, often yes. In shoulder seasons or Northern Europe, you need supplementation via a B2B charger (charging while driving) or shore power when available. A pure solar setup is not sufficient in winter in Northern Europe.
What is the difference between off-grid and wild camping?: Off-grid means you don't use external facilities (power, water). Wild camping means staying outside a campsite. You can be off-grid at a campsite (without hooking up) or wild camp with shore power (at some stellplatz). Note: wild camping is not allowed everywhere.