Frequently Asked Questions

Three questions size any system: (1) What will you be powering? List everything that draws power. (2) How long do you need to run it without the engine, generator, or shore power? (3) How will you charge — solar, alternator, shore power, or a mix? Answer those three in our Power Guide and it will point you to a right-sized system, or send them to us for a free system review.

If you’re building or upgrading a system, start with a kit: every component is selected to work together — correct voltages, charge profiles, cable sizing, and protection. Individual parts are best when you’re replacing a known component in an existing system. All our parts remain available individually.

Lithium gives you roughly twice the usable capacity per rated amp-hour, charges faster, weighs about half as much, and lasts 3,000+ cycles — but costs more up front and needs a lithium-compatible charging setup. AGM costs less, tolerates cold charging better, and works with older chargers. For most RV, van, and marine house banks we recommend lithium; we’ll tell you honestly when AGM is the better fit.

Rule of thumb: most RVs, vans, and boats stay at 12V for compatibility with existing equipment. Larger systems (5,000W+ inverters, big solar arrays, off-grid cabins) benefit from 24V or 48V — thinner cables, less loss, lower cost at scale. We carry 2V through 48V systems and will match the voltage to your loads.

Sometimes — and we’ll tell you plainly when you can’t. Heavy loads like A/C need a large battery bank and inverter; running A/C full-time on a small system isn’t realistic, and we won’t sell you a setup that pretends otherwise. Tell us the load and the runtime you want, and we’ll spec what it actually takes — or route you to a system review.

Yes — that’s the point of our kits. Every kit is specced by our engineers so chemistry, charge profiles, voltages, and protection match, and our pros confirm your configuration works before you order. You can build it yourself, with our team behind you.

Yes. Custom design is our specialty — fire/EMS, telecom, military, and specialty vehicles are a large part of our business. Submit the custom solution request form with your loads, space, and recharge sources, and we’ll come back with a design, wiring diagram option, and quote.

Estimate your daily usage in watt-hours, then divide by realistic sun-hours (3–5 depending on season and region). As a rule of thumb, 1,000 Wh/day of usage needs roughly 300–400W of panels. Roof space is usually the limit on vans — that’s where high-efficiency panels and alternator charging make up the difference.

Yes — with a DC-DC charger sized to your alternator, or a high-output alternator with a smart external regulator for faster charging. Never connect lithium directly to a stock alternator; uncontrolled charging can overheat it. This is one of the most common mistakes we fix.

Only if it has a lithium charge profile. Many older RV converters are set for lead-acid voltages and will chronically undercharge (or in some cases mistreat) a lithium bank. We’ll check your existing charger model as part of any kit purchase — send us the model number.

Plan for solar output to drop 50–75% under clouds and for shorter winter sun-hours. A properly sized battery bank plus a second charge source (alternator or generator/shore) keeps you running. Note: lithium batteries need to be above freezing to charge — heated batteries or low-temp cutoff protection handle this.

Usually yes, and it’s our most popular marine upgrade — but it’s a system change, not a battery swap. Charging sources (alternator, shore charger, solar controller) must be lithium-compatible, and an alternator protection strategy is required. Every boat is a bit custom: our kits get you about 90% of the way, and one of our pros finalizes the details for your boat before you order.

Often not by itself. Lithium’s low resistance makes alternators run at full output continuously, which can overheat a stock unit. The fix is a DC-DC charger, or better, a high-output alternator with a smart external regulator (our Balmar and Arco lines) that manages temperature and charge profile.

Yes — keep engine starting on its own battery (lead-acid is fine there) and run house loads on the lithium bank, with proper isolation between them. We spec this separation into every marine kit.

Yes, with a charger that has a LiFePO4 profile. Set-and-forget float charging designed for lead-acid isn’t ideal for lithium; a proper charger or a Victron inverter/charger handles shore power correctly.

They solve different problems and pair well. Batteries are silent, instant, and maintenance-free for daily cycling and overnight power; a generator is cheap bulk power for extended cloudy stretches or heavy loads. Most cabin systems we design are solar + battery with a generator as backup, sized so the generator rarely runs.

Add up the watt-hours of what you must keep running (fridge, lights, comms, pumps), then divide into the bank’s usable capacity. Example: a 5kWh lithium bank runs a typical 12V fridge, LED lighting, and device charging for roughly 2–3 days without sun. We size backup systems to your actual loads, not averages.

Yes — if the backbone is sized for it. We design systems so you can add panels or battery capacity later without replacing the core. Tell us your 2–3 year plan and we’ll spec the inverter, controller, and wiring so expansion is plug-in, not rip-out.

Yes. We offer off-grid remote system monitoring — see battery state, solar production, and faults from your phone, even for remote sites. Ask us about adding monitoring to any kit.

Most customers with basic hand-tool skills can — our kits arrive with everything matched, and you can add a wiring diagram for your exact system. If you’d rather not DIY the final connections, a local marine/RV electrician can install from our diagram.

Yes — custom wiring diagrams for your exact system are available as a paid add-on with any kit or custom design. It’s the single best insurance against installation mistakes.

Pre-sales questions and kit-selection help are free — that includes the Power Guide and a system review of your configuration. For hands-on troubleshooting and installation support, we offer dedicated engineer sessions; contact us for current options.

Every product carries its manufacturer’s factory warranty, and APS follows the manufacturer’s warranty terms. Victron Energy: a 5-year standard warranty on power products; batteries carry 2 years (lead-acid) or 3 years (lithium), and can be extended to 10 years under Victron’s official warranty upgrade program. ARCO: when properly installed, 12 months for leisure use, or 90 days for commercial and racing applications. Warranty claims typically require the part to be returned (an RMA), so contact us before sending anything back. Full terms live on each manufacturer’s own warranty page — the links are just below this section.

There is no separate APS kit-level warranty. Every component in a kit carries its own manufacturer’s warranty, exactly as if you had bought it on its own. What the kit adds is verified component compatibility, installation tech support, and access to the worldwide Victron dealer network.

Call us first. Testing and diagnosis come before any claim: in a self-installed system it is often not obvious which part — if any — has actually failed, and we would rather find that out than have you ship back a working component. Once we know what failed, we direct the next step, either an RMA processed through us or a claim made directly with the manufacturer, whichever gets you running sooner.

Victron products can be serviced by any Victron dealer worldwide, so the warranty travels with you. ARCO claims can also be made directly with ARCO. Either way, call us — we will tell you who is closest and what to ask them for.

Lithium batteries ship ground within the continental US under hazmat rules, so expect ground transit times rather than air. We handle the compliance; you just allow a few extra days. For Alaska, Hawaii, or international destinations, contact us before ordering.

Our kits are specced and reviewed with you before you order precisely so returns are rare. If something isn’t right, contact our team and we’ll work it out — including warranty claims, exchanges, and returns on unopened components.