Jake Mercer
Full-time van lifer since March 2022. Converted a 2019 Ford Transit High Roof myself.
Miles Driven
41,200
Nights in the Van
820
Days Off-Grid
614
Countries
2
Solar Output (Wh/day avg)
1,840
Total Build Cost
$14,650
$14,650Build Cost
820Nights in the Van
The Build
400W Renogy Monocrystalline Solar (2x 200W panels)
Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 Charge Controller
200Ah LiFePO4 Battery Bank (Battleborn)
Victron MultiPlus 12/1200 Inverter/Charger
Dometic CFX3 45 Compressor Fridge
Webasto Air Top 2000 STC Diesel Heater
15-gallon fresh water tank + Shurflo 2.8 GPM pump
Composite cork flooring (DIY install)
Thinsulate SM600L full van insulation
Custom bed frame (8020 aluminum extrusion)
Maxxair 00-07000K roof fan
Shore power inlet + 30A hookup
External shower setup (in progress)
Second 200Ah battery for 400Ah total
Roof rack + awning (Fiamma F45s)
Solar Setup — Full Breakdown Running 400W of Renogy mono panels wired in parallel on the roof. Parallel keeps voltage low (12V system) and handles partial shading better than series — learned that the hard way with my first config. Charge controller is the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30. Worth every penny over a PWM. On a good Southwest day I'm pulling 90–100A peak into the batteries, averaging 1,840Wh/day over the full year. Battery bank is 200Ah of Battleborn LiFePO4. I can actually use 95%
"Your build post made me quit my job and buy a Transit. I'm 6 months in and it's the best decision I've ever made. Thank you for showing the real costs and the real mistakes — every other build post made it look too easy.
"Steph31st of May 2026
Follow the build
Jake Mercer — collabs & build questions
jake@jakesrig.com