The editorial bench
Guides
Reviews carry the measurements. Guides carry everything else: buying frameworks, system-planning walkthroughs, and The Verdict series, where the forever-debates of van building get arbitrated with standards citations instead of vibes. Same rules as the lab: dated, disclosed, and updated when reality changes.
Running a Diesel Heater All Night: What It Actually Costs Your Battery
What a diesel heater really draws overnight, the power-station port trap at startup, and why a frozen lithium bank heats you all night but won't recharge.
Last verified Aug 29, 2026The 12V Van Office: Monitors, Power Draw and the Desk Problem
A second monitor is a power problem before it is a shopping problem. The draw math for a van work setup, the regulated-12V trick, and what to buy.
Last verified Aug 27, 2026Your Diesel Heater Won't Hold a Temperature. It's Probably Too Big.
Cycling between too hot and too cold is usually not a fault. It is an oversized heater on its lowest setting, a thermostat reading the wrong air, or a controller that only does power levels.
Last verified Aug 26, 2026Webasto vs Espar vs Chinese Diesel Heater: What $1,200 Buys
The same combustion architecture at $96 and $1,295. The premium brands sell documentation and diagnosis, not heat, and the real question is whether you can be your own support network.
Last verified Aug 26, 2026Wiring a DC-DC Charger to the Factory Alternator: CCP, D+ and the Ground
How a DC-DC charger actually connects to a factory alternator: the vehicle-side pickup (Transit CCP explained), the D+ ignition signal, grounding, and the fuses that make it safe — with the wiring order that protects the parts.
Last verified Aug 26, 2026One Bedding System for a Van That Swings Hot and Cold
Vans swing 30 degrees in a night and storage allows one bedding setup, not four. A layered system that covers sticky coastal nights and freezing pre-dawn hours, the under-mattress condensation problem, and what the sleeping-bag ratings actually mean.
Last verified Aug 26, 2026Winterizing a Van Water System: Drain, Antifreeze, or Heat
Three ways to survive a freeze, and the right one depends on whether the van is occupied, parked or stored. Plus which antifreeze is safe in a potable system.
Last verified Aug 25, 202612V Fridges for Vans: The 2026 Buyer's Guide
12V compressor fridges compared on claimed specs: what they really draw per day, why the 12V port is the hidden limit, new versus used price anchors, and sizing.
Last verified Aug 20, 2026Van Condensation: Why a Roof Fan Is Usually the Answer
Wet walls after a cold night are a moisture balance problem, not a bad-luck problem. What actually removes water from a van, and what to do when a 14x14 fan will not fit.
Last verified Aug 18, 2026Carbon Monoxide Detectors for Vans: What a Home Alarm Misses
Does a home CO detector work in a vehicle? Mostly, with three real gaps: the UL 2034 low-level blind spot, temperature and humidity limits, and mounting height.
Last verified Aug 16, 2026Diesel Heaters for Vans: The 2026 Buyer's Guide
Diesel air heaters compared on claimed specs: 2kW vs 5kW sizing, the exhaust routing that carries all the real risk, power draw, altitude limits and true cost.
Last verified Aug 13, 202612V Triage: Everything Is Off and Nothing Is Broken
A van 12V system that goes completely dead usually has not failed. Work the triage ladder in order — BMS cutoff, fuse, breaker, switch, charger, connection — before you buy a part.
Last verified Aug 11, 2026How Many Amp Hours Do I Need? Sizing a Van Battery Bank
Add up your real daily loads, convert watt hours to amp hours, then check you can put the energy back. The arithmetic behind van battery sizing, with worked examples.
Last verified Aug 6, 202612V or 48V for a Van? And Should the Inverter Stay On?
48V saves copper and wins on big inverters, but every device in the van still wants 12V. Where the cutover really is, and what an always-on inverter costs you per day.
Last verified Aug 4, 2026Power Station or DIY Battery Bank? The Van Build Call
All-in-one power stations cost more per watt-hour and cannot be repaired part by part. DIY banks cost less and ask for wiring work. How to tell which one your van actually wants.
Last verified Aug 1, 2026What a kWh From Your Alternator Actually Costs
Charging while driving is nearly free. Idling to charge is the most expensive electricity in the van. The estimated per-kWh math, and why the gap is so wide.
Last verified Jul 30, 2026Do 12V Air Conditioners Need a Separate Power Source?
The short answer depends on which kind of 12V AC you mean. Portable units carry their own battery; 12V mini splits need a dedicated house bank sized for startup surge and sustained overnight draw.
Last verified Jul 29, 2026EcoFlow Wave 3 Review: The Claims, the Measurements Owners Actually Took, and the Sun Problem
A research review of the EcoFlow Wave 3 portable air conditioner: claimed specs vs independently measured runtimes, real July 2026 pricing, drainage truths, and where it fails in a van.
Last verified Jul 22, 2026Zero Breeze Mark 3 Review: The Battery Costs $859
Zero Breeze Mark 3 review built from field reports, not our bench: 22 lb, 5,280 claimed BTU, and a realistic van cost near $1,900 once the $859 battery lands.
Last verified Jul 22, 2026EcoFlow Wave 3 vs Zero Breeze Mark 3: Which Wins for Vans
On paper the Wave 3 wins for van use: 6,100 BTU, heat pump, about $1,500 with battery. The Mark 3 costs $600 more and earns it only if you carry it.
Last verified Jul 22, 2026Budget 12V Mini Split vs Dometic RTX 2000 vs Velit: The $450 vs $2,400 Question
A Vevor-class budget mini split, the Velit 2000U and the Dometic RTX 2000 compared on claimed specs, power draw, install reality, and what the gap buys.
Last verified Jul 18, 2026The Power Station 12V Ceiling Every Van Build Forgets
Power stations are sold on watt-hours, but van fridges, fans, and 12V AC draw DC amps. Why the 12V output ceiling is the spec that decides your build.
Last verified Jul 18, 2026Van Air Conditioning Options 2026: $386 to $3,950
Every van A/C option compared, from $386 budget 12V mini splits to $3,950 rooftop systems. Nobody has independently measured the BTU claims, including us.
Last verified Jul 29, 2026Pre-Charged 12V Mini Split: 3 Things It Can Mean
Pre-charged means three different things on a budget 12V mini split: connect-and-run, condenser only, or no refrigerant at all. Check the paperwork first.
Last verified Jul 18, 2026How We Chose Our First Test Categories
Why VanTested is starting with 12V air conditioning, then fridges, diesel heaters, and vent fans, and why the biggest-ticket gear in van building is deliberately not first.
Last verified Jul 17, 2026Vevor 12V Mini Split in a Real Van: Install Notes and First Field Test
We installed one of the first pre-charged 12V mini splits sold in the US on a Ram ProMaster and ran it off a 100Ah battery in Tennessee summer heat. Field log #1: what the install took, what powered it, and how long it ran.
Last verified Jul 18, 2026