12V or 24V: which should your campervan be?
For most straightforward camper builds, 12V is the sensible default. 24V starts to make sense once you are running high power — big inverters, induction cooking, large off-grid systems — which is why gasless and expedition builds increasingly go that way. Neither is simply better; they suit different jobs. Here is how to tell which fits yours.
Why does system voltage matter?
For the same amount of power, a higher voltage means lower current. Lower current means thinner, cheaper cable, smaller losses over a run, and less heat. As the power going through a system climbs, high current becomes the enemy — fat expensive cable, bigger connections, more heat to manage. Raising the voltage from 12V to 24V roughly halves the current for the same power, which is why heavy systems lean that way.
The case for 12V
- It is the native voltage of most vehicles and the vast majority of camper accessories — lights, pumps, fridges, fans, sockets.
- The widest choice of plug-and-play 12V kit, with no converters needed.
- Simpler and usually cheaper for modest systems.
- Ideal for lighter builds: weekenders, smaller vans, hook-up-based use.
The case for 24V
- Far more efficient once you are moving serious power — large inverters, induction hobs, electric heating and hot water.
- Thinner, cheaper, cooler cabling for the same power, which matters in a big system.
- Better suited to larger battery banks and high continuous loads.
- The natural fit for a gasless van, where cooking, heating and hot water are all electrical and the peak loads are high.
The trade-off with 24V
The catch is that many camper appliances are still 12V. On a 24V system you either choose 24V versions where they exist, or fit a converter to run 12V items from the 24V bank — a common, well-proven approach, but one more thing in the design. So 24V buys you efficiency at high power, at the cost of a little more thought about the 12V loads.
How to decide
It comes down to how much power you will move. A light, hook-up-based build with modest loads: 12V, almost always. A serious off-grid build with a big inverter and electric cooking and heating: 24V deserves real consideration. A gasless build pushing high loads: 24V is often the right answer from the start — and it is far cheaper to design in at the beginning than to convert to later.
How we would help
This is a decision best made at the design stage, from your energy budget — what you run, how hard, and how it is all charged. Get it right early and the whole system is cleaner and cheaper; get it wrong and it is costly to undo. Tell us what you are planning and we will tell you which voltage genuinely suits it.