Hopsie
Hopsie motorhome tracking
Solar & energy
For Hopsie, power supply is an important part of the whole build concept. We want to be able to stand freely without thinking about electricity every day. So from the beginning, the plan was clear: put as much solar power on the roof as reasonably possible.
A lot of roof for a lot of solar
The roof was planned so that as little usable area as possible is lost. There is one roof fan at the rear, but otherwise we deliberately avoided roof windows. For us, autonomy matters more than additional openings in the roof, so the space is used for solar modules.
Five JA Solar modules are installed. Together they provide 2.925 Wp. The modules are connected in series and reach roughly 255 volts open-circuit voltage. That was intentional: the inverter should reach enough voltage early, even in weaker light, and start producing as soon as possible.
Inverter and 48-volt system
The central unit is a Victron Multi RS Solar 48/6000/100-450/100. It handles solar charging, inverter operation, and integration into the 48-volt battery system.
Choosing 48 volts was important to us. At the same power level, currents are much lower than in a 12- or 24-volt system. That keeps cable dimensions more sensible and makes the larger system easier to keep clear and manageable.
The Multi RS Solar is mounted on the right-hand side of the utility space under the bed, where it remains easy to reach. That keeps the central energy unit checkable without being visible in the living area.
Storage in the rack
At the moment, one Pylontech US5000 battery with 4.8 kWh is installed. For now, that is enough for us. At the same time, everything is prepared so two more batteries can be added later.
The rack is already designed for three Pylontech modules. One US5000 is installed now, while the two free slots are prepared for later expansion. Toward autumn, the 4.8 kWh may become tighter, so the expansion is already part of the plan.
Distribution and protection
Alongside the inverter, battery, and Cerbo, the distribution is part of the energy system. It brings together the protection and disconnect elements for shore power, solar, the 48-volt side, and the 230-volt line towards the sub-distribution.
The distribution remains accessible and understandable in the utility space without being visible in the living area. That matters for checks and maintenance.
Controls and overview
The battery and inverter communicate through a Victron Cerbo GX MK2. The Cerbo is the central interface between battery, inverter, and later the display inside the motorhome.
The energy data should become visible in Home Assistant. That lets us see the current status on a tablet inside Hopsie, and also on a phone while away or remotely via the internet. We want to see what comes from the roof, how full the battery is, and how much energy is being used.
Utility space under the bed
The Multi RS Solar, Pylontech battery, and Cerbo GX are installed in the utility space under the bed. This area was deliberately planned as usable technical space, not as a hard-to-reach installation shaft.
It was important to keep water and energy equipment clearly separated: pump and boiler sit on the left, the energy system with inverter, battery, and Cerbo GX on the right. The fresh-water tank remains accessible in the middle.
That keeps water and electrical equipment orderly while still easy to reach for checks, maintenance, and later upgrades.
Why this setup?
The system is not planned to be as small as possible, but to fit how we travel. We travel slowly, like quiet places, and do not want to depend on shore power all the time. Solar, storage, and controls should support exactly that: arrive, stay, and let everyday life continue as normally as possible.
The technology is not meant to be an end in itself. It should work quietly in the background, remain easy to monitor, and grow step by step with our experience.
Components
The links point to the manufacturer pages. We do not copy product images; this section is only about the installed components and matching data sources.
How it connects
Solar, water, and the wider build are closely connected. The detail pages grow with Hopsie and only become more specific once the information is reliable.