gustavo Moré Sica

Joined: November 5, 2025
Articles: 84

ELECTRICAL, solar-climate

12V Fridge Power Consumption: Why the Wattage Isn’t the Number That Matters

Almost every article on this answers the wrong question. They tell you a 12 V compressor fridge draws 30 to 60 watts. That’s true, and it’s nearly useless on its own — because that figure barely changes. A fridge in…

BATTERIES, solar-climate

Solar Panel Not Charging the Battery? Find the Fault in Five Measurements

When solar stops charging, the panel is almost never the problem. Panels are the most reliable component in the system — no moving parts, sealed, and warrantied for twenty-five years. The fault is usually in the twenty feet between the…

BATTERIES, ELECTRICAL

AGM vs Lithium in a Camper Van: What the Difference Actually Looks Like

Two batteries labeled “100 Ah” can behave so differently that comparing them by that number is close to meaningless. One of them will give you 50 amp-hours before you should stop. The other gives 90. One will feed a 1,000…

ELECTRICAL, solar-climate

Why Your Inverter Keeps Shutting Off: 7 Causes and How to Tell Them Apart

Inverter display showing real power draw in a camper van

If your inverter keeps shutting off, it’s almost never broken. In most cases it’s doing exactly what it should: protecting itself because something in the installation isn’t giving it what it needs. Which means replacing it won’t help. What helps…

ELECTRICAL

Undersized Wire in a 12V System: The Symptoms and a 10-Minute Test

Initial messy wiring of the electrical panel in a 2005 camper van conversion, before cleanup

Undersized wire is the most expensive fault in a 12 V system, because it rarely gets blamed. Everything works at first. Then the inverter starts cutting out, the fridge cycles strangely, and the battery seems to be dying — so…

ELECTRICAL

Wire Gauge Calculator for 12V Systems: AWG by Amps and Cable

12V cable of different cross sections for a camper installation

Undersized wire is the most expensive mistake in a 12 V build, and the hardest to spot. Everything works at first. Then the fridge starts cycling oddly, the inverter reports a low battery that isn’t low, and you end up…

ELECTRICAL

Inverter Size Calculator for Camper Vans — Including Surge Power

inversor 1000w instalado en autocaravana historica

Most guides tell you to add up your watts and add 20 %. Do that and your inverter will shut down the first time the fridge compressor kicks in. The reason is startup surge. A compressor, a pump or a…