@EXPLORIST life Mobile Marine & Off-Grid Electrical
— · 44 videos curated
Mobile and off-grid electrical systems for vans, RVs, boats, and cabins with household preparedness applications.
44 videos in Energy
What comes after 1 gauge wire? How wire sizes use zeros instead of negative numbers
39-second primer on electrical wire gauge sizing: how the numbering system works beyond 1 gauge and when you need 0 or multiple-zero gauges for high-amperage DC circuits.
Overloading a circuit can overheat wiring. Here's how fuses and breakers help prevent it.
46-second explanation of how fuses and circuit breakers protect against electrical overload in mobile and off-grid systems.
AC Wire Colors: How to Identify Hot, Neutral, and Ground Wires
53-second guide to identifying AC wire colors and their functions—essential safety knowledge for anyone building or troubleshooting camper, RV, boat, or cabin electrical systems.
Solar Panels Turn Sunlight Into Electricity to Charge Your Batteries: Why Panel Size Matters
Fifty-three-second explainer on how solar panel size affects battery charging in off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
Adding a Second USB or 12V Outlet: Extending Your Wiring and Connecting Multiple Outlets
55-second walkthrough on wiring and connecting multiple USB and 12V outlets in a camper, van, RV, or cabin electrical system.
How to Choose the Right Ring Terminal Size
One-minute guide to selecting correctly-sized ring terminals for reliable electrical connections in camper and off-grid wiring systems.
How do you know if your inverter or battery bank is going bad?
Diagnostic walkthrough: spotting early warning signs of inverter and battery bank failure in mobile electrical systems.
How do electrical fuses actually work?
One-minute explanation of electrical fuses: what they are, how they protect circuits, and why they matter in off-grid systems.
Using a Plug-In Surge Protector for Easier Electrical Troubleshooting
One-minute explanation of why plug-in surge protectors simplify diagnosis and maintenance in camper and off-grid electrical systems.
What Are Ohms and What Does Resistance Mean in an Electrical Circuit?
47-second primer on electrical resistance and ohms, foundational for anyone designing or troubleshooting off-grid power systems.
Rerouting Shore and Generator Power Through the Transfer Switch for a Clean 120V Feed
57-second walkthrough on wiring a transfer switch to route shore power or generator safely to a camper or off-grid cabin electrical system.
Choosing Between 2kVA and 3kVA Inverters: Battery Size and Off-Grid AC Considerations
Technical walkthrough of inverter sizing for off-grid systems, covering power requirements, battery capacity, and AC load matching for mobile and fixed installations.
Drill solar panel frames slowly and back them with wood to control the bit and protect the panel
46-second walkthrough: how to safely drill mounting holes in solar panel frames using wood backing to prevent bit slippage and panel damage.
Wire lug crimping tips
Quick walkthrough of proper wire lug crimping technique for building and upgrading camper and RV electrical systems.
SmartShunt or Lynx Shunt? If Bluetooth Matters, the Choice May Already Be Made
Comparison of two battery-monitoring shunts for off-grid electrical systems: when Bluetooth connectivity should drive your component selection.
Battery Monitors: Using Voltage, Current, and Charging Behavior to Calculate State of Charge
How battery monitors use voltage, current, and charging behavior to accurately determine remaining charge in off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
How Do Voltage Ratings Work in Wire?
Explanation of voltage ratings in electrical wire for RV, van, boat, and cabin systems — essential knowledge for safe system design and installation.
Solid vs. Stranded Wire: Pros and Cons for Electrical Systems
One-minute comparison of solid and stranded wire—when to use each, trade-offs in reliability, gauge selection, and common mistakes in mobile and off-grid electrical builds.
Solar Sizing Rule of Thumb: Battery Bank Amp-Hour Capacity
Quick primer on the 2:1 solar-to-battery sizing rule for designing off-grid electrical systems in vans, RVs, and cabins.
How Does Wire Insulation Affect Wire Choice?
56-second explanation of wire insulation types and how they influence electrical system design decisions for campers, RVs, and off-grid setups.
Chassis Ground on the Wrong Side of the Shunt? That's Why Your Numbers Don't Make Sense
Two-minute troubleshooting guide: why incorrect shunt grounding causes inaccurate power monitoring in mobile and off-grid electrical systems, and how to fix it.
How to Calculate the Power Consumption of Strip Lights
47-second walkthrough on calculating electrical load for strip lighting in camper and RV electrical systems.
AGM Charging Issues May Be Simple: Check the Converter, Battery Health, and Connections First
Quick troubleshooting guide for AGM battery charging problems in off-grid and mobile systems: converter settings, battery health testing, and connection verification.
A lithium battery may fit, but your RV's current draw determines if it'll work without shutdowns
How to match lithium battery capacity to your RV's actual power demands to avoid system shutdowns during use.
How do you size wire for 120V loads?
Quick walkthrough on selecting the correct wire gauge for 120-volt electrical circuits in mobile and off-grid systems.
Building a system with solar, alternator, and shore charging? Here's what to prioritize first.
Guidance on prioritizing components when building or upgrading a camper electrical system using solar, alternator charging, and shore power.
A 2:1 solar-to-battery ratio is ideal, but what if your roof can't fit enough solar?
Technical discussion of solar-to-battery sizing trade-offs for camper and RV electrical systems when roof space is limited.
Is a 24V Air Conditioner Truly Better than 12V? Lower Amps Don't Necessarily Mean Better Efficiency
Technical comparison of 24V vs. 12V air conditioning for camper and RV electrical systems: how amp draw, efficiency, and system design interact.
Skipping a Fuse to Save Money Can Lead to Melted Parts, Costly Repairs, or Fire
40-second safety warning on why bypassing fuses in electrical systems creates fire and equipment failure risks, with applications to off-grid and mobile power setups.
Copper vs. Aluminum Wires: Differences and Applications
Brief comparison of copper and aluminum conductors: electrical properties, cost trade-offs, and when each is appropriate for off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
12-gauge wire under 30A: Wago lever nuts for joining different wire types
25-second demonstration of using Wago lever nuts to join 12-gauge wires under 30A in off-grid electrical systems.
How Do You Apply Heat Shrink?
One-minute walkthrough of heat shrink tubing application for electrical connections in DIY solar and off-grid systems.
What do wire sizes and gauges mean?
Two-minute explanation of electrical wire sizing and gauge standards for off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
Wiring Batteries in Series vs. Parallel: What's the Difference?
42-second explainer on the electrical and practical differences between series and parallel battery configurations for DIY systems.
Small solar array? Top off with shore power, your alternator, or a generator
How to combine a small solar array with shore power, alternator charging, or generator backup to maximize energy independence in mobile or off-grid setups.
Diagonal battery wiring uses less wire while maintaining proper battery balance
46-second electrical technique: how to wire batteries diagonally to reduce wire gauge and cost while preserving balanced charging in multi-battery systems.
What Happens When You Undersize Wire?
Why undersized electrical wire creates fire hazards and system failures in off-grid installations, and how to size wire correctly.
Battery disconnect switch placement matters for safe electrical system service
55-second walkthrough on where to position a battery disconnect switch in a mobile or off-grid electrical system for safe maintenance and emergency shutdown.
Understanding the Different Colors for DC Wires
49-second overview of DC wire color coding standards for off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
Troubleshooting Battery SOC and Charging Phases
92-minute live troubleshooting session on battery state-of-charge monitoring and charging phases for off-grid and mobile electrical systems.
First Friday Live Stream: Off-Grid Electrical Systems Q&A
Live technical Q&A on off-grid and mobile electrical systems, featuring product updates, installation services, and expert troubleshooting from the Explorist team.
Victron Orion XS 70A DC-DC Charger
Walkthrough of Victron's new 70-amp DC-DC charger: specs, upgrade path from the 50A model, alternator and battery compatibility, and pre-order availability.
Old vs New: The Smartest Way to Upgrade an OEM RV Electrical System
82-minute live comparison of original equipment versus aftermarket upgrades for RV electrical systems, covering design trade-offs and installation approaches.
RV Battery Selection and Off-Grid Electrical Systems Live Stream
Eighty-minute live Q&A on choosing and sizing batteries for RVs, vans, boats, and off-grid cabins; covers system design fundamentals.