Updated: 23 September 2026 · EuroVan Shop
In short: A campervan inverter turns 12 V from your leisure battery into 230 V for mains appliances. To size it, take the wattage of your most power-hungry appliance and multiply it by 1.25 to 1.5: an 800 W appliance needs a 1000 to 1200 W inverter. Choose pure sine wave, and pair 1500 W or more with a 314 Ah battery, as in our VANPOWER kit.
See the VANPOWER kit with inverterIs it worth having an inverter in a campervan?
An inverter is worth it if you want to use 230 V mains appliances away from hook-up. If a 12 V fridge, lights and USB charging cover your needs, you can do without one.
An inverter converts the 12 V direct current of your leisure battery into 230 V alternating current, like a household socket. That lets you run a laptop charger, a coffee machine, a kettle or a microwave off grid.
Many vans manage fine without one. A 12 V compressor fridge, LED lights, a water pump, a roof fan and USB sockets all run directly on 12 V, with no conversion losses. In the VANPOWER kit you can choose "No 230V inverter": the Victron Blue Smart IP22 15 A charger still recharges the battery on hook-up, and you can add an inverter later. See every part of the campervan electrical system range.
VANPOWER kit
LiFePO4 battery, Victron charging and an optional 600 to 2000 W inverter, with wiring diagram.
What is the best type of inverter for a campervan?
A pure sine wave inverter is the best type for a campervan: it produces the same quality of current as mains power and is safe for all 230 V appliances, including sensitive electronics such as laptops.
Cheaper modified sine wave inverters produce a stepped approximation of that waveform. Some appliances accept it; others may run hotter, hum or not work properly. With a pure sine wave inverter you do not have to wonder.
Our pure sine wave inverter comes in 600, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 W. It is CE marked and ECE R10 certified, the certification conversion approval asks for across Europe; check your national rules (DVLA/VCA, TÜV, RDW).
What size inverter do you need for a campervan?
Read the wattage on the label of your most power-hungry 230 V appliance and multiply it by 1.25 to 1.5: that is the inverter size you need.
Example: an 800 W appliance needs a 1000 to 1200 W inverter; a kettle of about 1200 W needs 1500 W. The margin keeps the inverter from running at its limit. If you want to use two appliances at the same time, add their wattages before you multiply.
| Inverter | Typical use | Size and weight | Leisure battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600 W | Laptop and small appliances; supplied with a remote control | – | 100 Ah or more |
| 1000 W | One small appliance such as a mini-oven or microwave | 40 × 15.1 × 7.5 cm, 2.8 kg | 100 Ah or more (200 Ah for more headroom) |
| 1500 W | One powerful appliance such as a kettle (~1200 W) | 38 × 22 × 8 cm, 3.9 kg | 314 Ah recommended |
| 2000 W | Several appliances at once (coffee machine + microwave) | 44.5 × 22.1 × 9 cm, 4.6 kg | 314 Ah recommended |
| 2500 W | The most power-hungry set-ups | – | Ask our team |
The VANPOWER kit offers 600, 1000, 1500 and 2000 W. Need more than 2000 W, for an induction hob or air conditioning? Contact our team for a custom kit with a more powerful inverter.
Pure sine wave inverter 12 V to 230 V
600, 1000, 1500, 2000 or 2500 W. CE and ECE R10 certified.
Terminal lugs and fuses pack
Lugs, MEGA fuses and resettable fuses, sized to your inverter power.
How much current does an inverter draw from a 12 V battery?
Roughly the appliance wattage divided by 12, plus conversion losses: a 1200 W kettle pulls in the order of 100 A or more from a 12 V battery.
| Appliance power | Approximate current on 12 V (estimate, before losses) |
|---|---|
| 300 W | about 25 A |
| 800 W | about 67 A |
| 1200 W | about 100 A |
| 2000 W | about 167 A |
That is why an inverter needs heavy cables, a fuse close to the battery and a battery able to deliver the current. Cable sections and fuse ratings depend on the inverter power: they are given in the VANPOWER wiring diagram, and our terminal lugs and fuses pack is sized to each inverter power. If you design your own system, have them sized by a qualified person.
It also explains the battery recommendation. Our LiFePO4 battery has a built-in BMS rated 100 A on the 100 Ah version and 200 A on the 200 and 314 Ah versions. A 1500 or 2000 W inverter at full power needs more current than the 100 A version allows, and the 314 Ah battery gives the capacity to use it for longer.
How big a battery do you need for your inverter?
For a 1500 or 2000 W inverter we recommend the 314 Ah LiFePO4 battery; for 600 to 1000 W, 100 or 200 Ah is usually enough, depending on how long you use your appliances.
| Battery | Nominal energy (12.8 V × Ah) | Size and weight | BMS | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 Ah | about 1,280 Wh | 260 × 168 × 209 mm, 9.6 kg | 100 A | Weekends: 12 V fridge, lighting, USB |
| 200 Ah | about 2,560 Wh | 483 × 170 × 240 mm, 18.5 kg | 200 A | Several days off grid, a few small 230 V appliances |
| 314 Ah | about 4,020 Wh | 483 × 170 × 240 mm, 32 kg | 200 A | Full-time van life, 1500 to 2000 W inverter |
Most of that energy is usable with LiFePO4. Worked example (estimate): a 1200 W kettle used for 5 minutes takes about 100 Wh, a little more with inverter losses. A 60 W laptop charger for 4 hours takes about 240 Wh plus losses. Divide the usable Wh by the load in W to estimate runtime.
What about a 3000 W inverter? At roughly 250 A before losses, it needs a battery bank and protection sized for that current. Talk to our team rather than guessing.
LiFePO4 lithium battery
12.8 V, 100 / 200 / 314 Ah, built-in BMS, up to 6000 cycles, Bluetooth.
Battery isolator switch 275 A
Cuts the battery circuit completely when the van is parked.
Will an inverter drain my leisure battery?
Yes, if you leave it on: an inverter uses some power even with nothing plugged in, and it empties the battery quickly when it runs a powerful appliance. Switch it on when you need 230 V and off afterwards.
The 600 W version comes with a remote control, handy if the inverter is fitted out of reach. A battery isolator switch cuts the circuit completely when the van is parked for a while, and the Bluetooth monitoring of our LiFePO4 battery shows its charge on your phone.
On hook-up, the inverter options of the VANPOWER kit include a 20 A AC/DC charger and an automatic bypass: plugged into mains power at a campsite, the inverter powers your appliances and recharges the battery at the same time, with nothing to switch. Your 12 V fridge keeps running from the battery without an inverter; see how long a 12V fridge runs on a leisure battery.
What should you not plug into an inverter?
Do not plug in any appliance whose power, as shown on its label, is higher than the inverter's rating. In practice, that usually means high-wattage heating appliances.
- Check the label first: appliances that turn electricity into heat are the most power-hungry, so compare their wattage with your inverter before use.
- Add up simultaneous loads: two appliances that are fine on their own can exceed the rating together.
- Think about the battery: even when the inverter is big enough, heating appliances empty a battery fast off grid.
Never connect the inverter's 230 V output to the van's hook-up inlet, or to a circuit that can also be fed from mains, unless the installation is designed for it; the VANPOWER kit inverter handles hook-up with its automatic bypass. Have any 230 V installation in a van checked by a qualified electrician.
Adding an inverter to an existing campervan
You can add an inverter later, provided the battery, cables and fuses are sized for the current it will draw.
- Battery: check its capacity and the maximum current its BMS allows (see above).
- Space: compare the dimensions in the size table with the space you have.
- Location: a dry, ventilated spot close to the battery keeps the high-current cables short.
If you start with a VANPOWER kit without an inverter, you can add one later; the terminal lugs and fuses pack exists for each inverter power (no inverter or 600 W, 1000, 1500 and 2000 W). Our team gives free technical support while you install and can build a custom kit. For the bigger picture, read our campervan electrical system guide and 12V wiring diagram guide.
Not sure how to size your 12 V system?
Send us your appliances and how you travel (weekends, several days, full time). Our France-based technical team answers within 24 hours and can build a custom kit.
Ask our technical teamFrequently asked questions
Is it worth having an inverter in a campervan?
Only if you want to use 230 V mains appliances off grid, such as a coffee machine or microwave. A 12 V fridge, lights and USB charging run without one.
What size inverter do I need to run a kettle?
Multiply the kettle's wattage by 1.25 to 1.5. For a kettle of about 1200 W, that means a 1500 W inverter, and we recommend a 314 Ah battery with it.
Will an inverter drain my leisure battery?
It uses some power even with nothing plugged in, so switch it off when you do not need 230 V. A battery isolator switch cuts the circuit completely when the van is parked.
What is the best type of inverter for a campervan?
A pure sine wave inverter. It produces the same quality of current as mains power and is safe for all 230 V appliances, including sensitive electronics.
How big a battery do I need for a 2000 W inverter?
We recommend the 314 Ah LiFePO4 battery for 1500 and 2000 W inverters. At full power a 2000 W inverter draws roughly 167 A plus losses from 12 V.
Does the inverter charge the battery on hook-up?
The inverter options of the VANPOWER kit include a 20 A AC/DC charger and an automatic bypass: on mains power they run your appliances and recharge the battery at the same time.
Choose your battery and inverter power together, with a pre-sized wiring diagram.
See the VANPOWER kit
