Service Guide
Batteries not charging. Solar reads zero. Inverter cuts out at night. Here is how we find the real fault.
The 30-Second Answer
Sequoia + Salt diagnoses and repairs camper van electrical systems on any van from any builder, including DIY builds. We are a Victron Certified installer and a Mercedes-Benz eXpertUpfitter, and more than 1,000 vans have been through our Manasquan, NJ shop. Diagnostics start at $250. The repair cost depends on your van's condition, and you get a written estimate before any repair work begins.
What We See Most
Electrical diagnosis is one of the most common service jobs in our shop. It shows up on Sprinter, Transit and ProMaster vans alike, and on factory Class B vans, other builders' conversions and home builds. These are the symptoms we hear on almost every call.
Usually the DC-DC charger (often a Victron Orion), its fuse, or the cable run from the starter battery. Sometimes the charger was never set up for the battery type.
A loose roof connector, a failed roof entry gland, or a solar charge controller set to the wrong battery profile. We test the panels and the MPPT controller one at a time.
Low battery voltage, an overload from an air conditioner or induction cooktop, or undersized cable that drops voltage under load. The inverter is often fine. The wiring feeding it is not.
A hidden draw that never turns off: a fridge, a 12V air conditioner, a diesel heater, a Starlink, or a bad switch. A battery monitor tells us where the power is going.
How We Diagnose
Swapping parts until the problem goes away is expensive. We test the system in order, from the battery out, so you pay to fix the real fault once.
Brands We Work On
As a Victron Certified installer, we know the MultiPlus inverter chargers, Cerbo GX controllers, SmartSolar MPPT chargers, Orion DC-DC chargers and battery monitors inside and out. We often pick Victron for new installs because its service network reaches across the country.
But plenty of vans come in with other gear. We also work on Epoch and other lithium banks, Renogy, Xantrex and Lithionics systems, plus the 12V air conditioners, Velit and diesel heaters, Maxxair fans, Isotherm fridges and Starlink setups that hang off the house battery.
What Drives the Cost
Diagnostics start at $250. After that there is no flat price, because two vans with the same symptom can need very different work. These are the things that move the number.
Wiring behind finished cabinets takes longer to reach than an open electrical bay.
A labeled system with a wiring diagram is fast to trace. An unlabeled DIY system takes longer.
Undersized cable or missing fuses may need to be replaced to make the system safe, not just working.
A bad crimp is cheap. A failed lithium battery or inverter charger is not. We tell you which one it is before you spend.
Before You Call
Common Questions
Yes. Most of the electrical work we see is on vans from other builders, factory Class B vans and DIY builds. Any van, any builder. More than 1,000 vans have been through our Manasquan shop.
Diagnostics start at $250. The repair cost depends on the van's condition: how the system was wired, whether the wiring is labeled, how hard it is to reach behind cabinets, and which parts have failed. We give you a written estimate before any repair work begins.
Yes. We can diagnose the issue and give you a written report you can take back to the original builder. If that builder is unresponsive or out of business, we can quote the repair directly.
We are a Victron Certified installer, so Victron inverter chargers, Cerbo GX controllers, MPPT solar chargers, Orion DC-DC chargers and battery monitors are our core. We also see Epoch, Renogy, Xantrex and Lithionics systems, plus 12V air conditioners and diesel heaters wired into the house battery.
Most lithium batteries protect themselves by refusing to charge below freezing. If your van sits in a cold driveway, the battery can look dead even when it is fine. A heated battery, a warmer storage spot or a correct charger setting usually solves it. We check this first in winter.
Want more charge while you drive? Read Secondary Alternator, Explained. Have a factory Class B van? See our power upgrade guide.
Tell us what the van is doing. Shop visits are by appointment in Manasquan, NJ.
