Van Life Glossary

Absorbent Glass Mat battery. A type of lead-acid battery that's sealed and maintenance-free. Cheaper than lithium but heavier and less efficient. Good for budget builds or occasional van use.

See also: LiFePO4 Battery

Charging your house battery via the van's alternator while driving. Requires a DC-DC charger (also called a B2B charger) or a VSR/relay to protect the starter battery.

See also: DC-DC Charger

Battery-to-Battery charger. Another name for a DC-DC charger. Intelligently charges your house battery from the starter battery while driving, preventing damage to either battery.

See also: DC-DC Charger

Wastewater from toilets. Most van builds avoid black water systems entirely, using composting toilets or public facilities instead.

See also: Grey Water

Battery Management System. Electronics built into lithium batteries that protect them from overcharge, over-discharge, and temperature extremes. Essential for safe lithium battery operation.

A measure of how quickly a battery can be charged or discharged. A 1C rate means full charge/discharge in 1 hour. LiFePO4 batteries typically support 0.5C–1C charging rates.

A 12V refrigerator using a small compressor, like a car AC unit. Far more efficient than thermoelectric (Peltier) coolers. The standard choice for van life — brands include Engel, Waeco/Dometic, and ARB.

A device that intelligently charges your leisure battery from the vehicle's starter battery while driving. Unlike a simple relay, it provides a proper multi-stage charge profile and protects both batteries. Also called B2B charger. REDARC and Victron make popular models.

How much of a battery's capacity you use before recharging. LiFePO4 can be safely discharged to 20% DoD (80% usage). AGM batteries should only be discharged to 50% DoD to preserve lifespan.

A forced-air heater that burns diesel fuel (often drawn from the van's main fuel tank). Very efficient and safe for use while sleeping. Chinese brands (Vevor, Autoterm) offer budget options; Webasto and Espar are premium German brands.

Living in a van as your primary residence. Requires a more robust build than weekend use — typically larger solar, more battery capacity, water storage, and a composting toilet or shower solution.

Wastewater from sinks and showers (not toilets). Many states require proper grey water containment. A grey water tank or filter system is important for responsible van life.

The secondary battery (or battery bank) that powers your van's appliances — fridge, lights, inverter, diesel heater. Separate from the starter battery that starts the engine.

See also: LiFePO4 Battery

A device that converts 12V DC power from your battery to 240V AC power (Australian standard). Allows you to run normal household appliances. Pure sine wave inverters are preferred for sensitive electronics.

Lithium Iron Phosphate battery. The most popular battery chemistry for van life — much lighter than AGM, longer cycle life (2,000–5,000 cycles vs 300–500), and can be discharged to 80–90% DoD. More expensive upfront but cheaper long-term.

Long Wheel Base. The longer version of a van model (e.g. HiAce LWB). Provides significantly more living space. A HiAce LWB is the most popular van choice in Australia.

A brand of powered roof vent fans popular in van builds. Provides ventilation, reduces condensation, and makes summer sleeping more comfortable. Essential for most builds.

Maximum Power Point Tracking. A type of solar charge controller that optimises the power extracted from solar panels, typically 10–30% more efficient than PWM controllers. Recommended for lithium battery systems.

See also: PWM

The average daily solar energy available at a location, expressed as hours of full-strength sun. Australia averages 4–6.5 PSH depending on location. Used to calculate solar panel requirements.

Pulse Width Modulation solar charge controller. Cheaper than MPPT but less efficient. Suitable for small starter systems but MPPT is strongly preferred for full builds.

See also: MPPT

A van build with its own water supply, waste storage, and power — not reliant on external hookups. Many free camping areas in Australia and NZ require self-contained certification.

240V AC power supplied by a campsite or caravan park power point. Many van builds include a shore power inlet so the battery can charge from a power point when available.

How full your battery is, expressed as a percentage. A battery monitor (like the Victron SmartShunt) tracks SoC in real time so you know exactly how much power you have left.

3M Thinsulate is a synthetic insulation material popular in van builds for its thin profile and excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. More expensive than foam alternatives but fits into tight cavities.

The process of converting a bare cargo van into a liveable vehicle — adding insulation, flooring, a bed, kitchen, electrical system, and storage.

Voltage Sensitive Relay. A simple device that connects the starter battery to the leisure battery when the alternator is charging, then disconnects them when the engine is off. Cheaper than a DC-DC charger but less efficient and not suitable for lithium batteries.

See also: DC-DC Charger

A unit of energy equal to one watt of power used for one hour. Used to measure battery capacity (e.g. 100Ah × 12.8V = 1,280Wh) and daily power consumption.