Fridges & Coolers2 min
12V Fridge Power Consumption: How Many Amp-Hours a Day?
From the maker's Ah per hour to a daily battery budget.
Camper van build buying guides
Van build gear,sized for your van
Which heater, fan, toilet and fridge suit your van, how much insulation pays off, and how much weight the build can carry. Every guide shows the makers' figures, the rules that apply and the safety steps that come first.
The specs behind every pick
- 0.24 L/hWebasto at 2.0 kWWebasto's top fuel rate for its Air Top 2000 STC. Budget '8 kW' heaters list up to 0.62 L/h, which cannot make 8 kW.
- 60 to 80uses per solids binNature's Head's figure: about a month for two people, with a 2.2 gallon liquids bottle.
- UL 2034CO alarm standardThe CPSC says to install a CO alarm that meets UL 2034 and never to run portable fuel-burning gear in a vehicle.
- 8.33 lbper gallon of waterUSGS's figure. Every gallon you carry counts against the payload on the door placard.
Start here
The guides most readers need first.
GuideCamper Van Build Guide: The Gear That Makes a Van Livable
Start here: what each system needs and where to read more.
Read the guide
Buying guideBest Diesel Heaters for Camper Vans in 2026
Installed diesel air heaters for van builds, with the fuel math checked.
Read the guide
Buying guideBest Composting Toilets for Vans in 2026
Urine-separating toilets for vans without a black tank.
Read the guide
CalculatorVan Heat Loss Calculator: Size Your Heater and Insulation
Area, R-value and temperatures in; heat loss and heater size out.
Read the guideWhat are you building?
Start from the job. Each row names the usual gear and the guides that size it.
Staying warm in winter
An installed diesel heater, insulation and a CO alarm
Venting heat and condensation
A 14 in roof vent fan
A toilet without a black tank
Composting or cassette
Keeping food cold off-grid
A 12V compressor fridge
Insulating walls and roof
Thinsulate, wool or foam board
Internet on the road
Starlink Mini, a mount and 12V power
Gear on the roof
A rack and a rear door ladder
Staying under payload
Weigh the build against the placard
Browse by topic
Heat & Air7Diesel heaters, roof vent fans and heat loss.Toilets5Composting and cassette toilets, and coco coir.Fridges & Coolers512V compressor fridges, dual-zone models and plug-in coolers.Insulation3Thinsulate, wool, foam board and reflective foil.Racks & Mounts5Roof racks, ladders, swivel seats and Starlink Mini.Planning & Safety5CO alarms, payload and the order to build in.
Makers' figures first
Fuel use, cutout size, liquids capacity, amp-hours, R-value and load ratings from the makers' own pages and manuals.
A clear pick
Each guide names what we would buy, for which van, and when a listing's claim does not add up.
Sources on every page
Every guide links the maker documents and safety sources it was built from.
Latest guides
New and updated buying guides, comparisons and explainers.
Fridges & Coolers2 min
Best 12V Fridges for Camper Vans in 2026
Compressor fridges that run from the van's 12V system.
Fridges & Coolers2 min
Best 12V Plug-In Car Coolers in 2026
Thermoelectric coolers that plug into a car's 12V socket.
Planning & Safety3 min
Best Carbon Monoxide Detectors for Vans in 2026
CO alarms for vans with heaters, stoves or generators nearby.
Toilets2 min
Best Coco Coir for Composting Toilets in 2026
The carbon cover that keeps a composting toilet dry.
Fridges & Coolers2 min
Best Dual-Zone 12V Fridge Freezers in 2026
A fridge and a freezer in one 12V unit.