Would a inverter be something worth investing in for electrical needs in a van? I know truckers use them for their little microwaves, fridges, tvs, etc, but I've never heard of anyone using one for their van.
Would a dual battery set up with a isolator (and maybe a bigger alternator depending on what size is in the van already) be a good idea for my needs then?
The only thing is to get nice panels that fit to your roof securely enough for driving and that are still somewhat aerodynamic is expensive and they're less efficient if you can't angle them at the sun, so you either have to pony up for nice fitting aerodynamic but less efficient or keep putting them up and taking them down, storing them and risk theft
There's a guy on youtube by the name of Cyclecruza that built up a bug out van for his motorcycle and he used I think 4 of these 100w panels that are flat/bendable and stick to the top of the roof. He seems pretty happy with them.
Edit: for some reason the amazon link won't show up when I post. They're called
HQST 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Flexible Solar Panel
Would a dual battery set up with a isolator (and maybe a bigger alternator depending on what size is in the van already) be a good idea for my needs then?
Solar city recently was bought out by Elon Musk but before they were they invented a Solar Panel that's a huge improvement on older models ...if I remember correctly it was a 30% increase in performance for same size of older model'sYes that'd be more than enough and I doubt you'll need a bigger alternator for LEDs, phone and a laptop. If you're driving it's easy to charge your phone and laptop as you drive and need very little power once you stop. And you should definitely be using 12v for that stuff. Check eBay for 12v car charger for your laptop and USB charger for other stuff.
I've never wanted for a fridge in a van or anything, I just have experience from setting up solar panels off grid that were running a fridge, washing machine and oven. Unless you're staying in wilderness for a while its not a huge benefit.
@quad8 Solar power is great if you're in one place for some time, with 100w and a deep cycle battery you can charge phone laptop and run lights no problem.
The only thing is to get nice panels that fit to your roof securely enough for driving and that are still somewhat aerodynamic is expensive and they're less efficient if you can't angle them at the sun, so you either have to pony up for nice fitting aerodynamic but less efficient or keep putting them up and taking them down, storing them and risk theft.
Sinewave is like a can of worms. Not all modified sinewave are made equal. Best thing is to go off reviews for specific models. I hope soon it will get to the point modified gets phased out as pure prices fall