12V, 24V & 48V POWER SYSTEMS 

LEGEND CARAVANS | BUILT FOR YOUR JOURNEY 

Power designed around the way you travel

Modern caravans use more electrical equipment than ever before. Lighting, refrigeration and water pumps remain essential, but many travellers also want to operate induction cooktops, coffee machines, microwaves, washing machines, air conditioners and communication equipment while away from mains power.

At Legend Caravans, the right system is not chosen simply by selecting the highest voltage or largest battery. It is matched to the caravan model, expected appliance load, touring style, available solar, weight, installation space and budget.

What Legend Caravans uses 

Home-style comfort away from mains power depends on a balanced combination of storage, charging and realistic appliance use. 

12V, 24V and 48V - what changes? 

A system is normally described by the nominal voltage of its main house battery bank. A caravan can still contain several voltages at once. For example, a 48V Groundbreaker uses a converter to supply ordinary 12V lights, pumps and controls, while its inverter produces 240V AC for household appliances. 

Voltage, current and power 

Think of voltage as pressure and current as flow. Higher voltage can deliver the same power with less current. For the same load, 24V needs roughly half the current of 12V, while 48V needs roughly one-quarter. 

*Simple theoretical comparison before inverter losses. Actual current is normally higher. 

Why lower current matters 

Current moving through cable resistance produces heat and voltage drop. High-current circuits need heavy cables, short runs where practical, correctly rated fuses and isolators, and carefully secured connections. Doubling current can produce approximately four times the resistive heating when resistance stays the same. 

Battery capacity: compare kWh, not Ah alone 

Amp-hours are useful when comparing batteries at the same voltage. Kilowatt-hours provide a clearer comparison across different voltages because they describe stored energy.

Battery voltage x amp-hours / 1000 = approximate kilowatt-hours 

Legend Caravans 12V systems 

 Example of a professionally integrated Legend Caravans 12V electrical installation.

All Legend Caravans outside the Groundbreaker range use a 12V electrical system as standard. These systems can include lithium storage, roof solar, DC-DC charging, mains charging, monitoring and a suitably sized inverter. 

Well suited to 

• Lighting, water pumps and refrigeration
• Television, device charging, Starlink and communications
• Coffee machines and occasional microwave or air-fryer use
• Moderate inverter operation
  
• A combination of caravan park and off-grid touring 

Advantages  

•  Proven, dependable caravan technology
• Wide availability of compatible equipment
• Generally lower initial cost
• Familiar to many automotive and caravan technicians 

Considerations 

Large inverter loads create very high battery current. Heavy cabling and protection may be required, and sustained use of several household appliances together can become impractical. Battery and solar capacity must still match the owner's real usage. 

24V systems - available by request 

A 24V electrical system is available from Legend Caravans by special request, but it is not a standard system within the model range.

For the same power output, 24V requires approximately half the current of 12V. This can reduce voltage drop, cable requirements and thermal load in the main high-power circuits. 

When Legend may consider 24V 

• A specific battery or inverter package operates at 24V
• Longer cable runs make reduced current useful
• The customer has a particular technical or equipment requirement
• More high-power capability is required, but a complete 48V package is not necessary 

What to keep in mind 

AMany lights, pumps, fans and caravan accessories still operate at 12V, so a 24V-to-12V converter is normally required. The system is more complex than a conventional 12V installation and does not reduce current as significantly as 48V.

Groundbreaker 48V power systems 

 Example of a Legend Caravans Groundbreaker 48V installation with integrated inverter, solar control, distribution, protection and ventilation.

Every Legend Caravans Groundbreaker is equipped with a 48V electrical system as standard. The range is designed for serious off-road and off-grid travel, supporting larger battery banks, higher inverter output, substantial solar capacity and regular household-style appliance use. 

Typical capability 

•  48V lithium battery bank
• High-output inverter/charger
• Large roof-mounted solar array with MPPT charging • Tow-vehicle charging
• 48V-to-12V conversion for caravan equipment
• Integrated monitoring, protection and isolation

Depending on model, layout, space, weight and customer requirements, Groundbreaker storage options can be configured at approximately 5kWh, 10kWh, 15kWh or 20kWh. Selected layouts may allow roof solar capacity of up to approximately 1400W.

What makes up the complete power system? 

Lithium battery bank 

Stores energy collected from solar panels, the tow vehicle and mains charging. Usable capacity largely determines how long appliances can operate before recharging is required. 

Solar panels and MPPT controller  

Solar panels generate DC power. An MPPT controller regulates and converts this energy to suit the battery bank. Actual production varies with sunlight, shade, temperature, weather and panel orientation. 

DC-DC charger 

Uses power from the tow vehicle to charge the caravan while travelling. In a 48V system, the charger increases voltage from the vehicle's 12V supply. Vehicle load depends on the charger's input demand, not simply the caravan battery voltage. 

Inverter/charger 

Converts battery DC into 240V AC for household appliances and can recharge the batteries from mains power. The battery, BMS, cabling and protection must all support the required output. 

Voltage converter 

A 24V or 48V bank needs a step-down converter to supply standard 12V equipment such as lighting, pumps, fans and controls. 

Monitoring, wiring and protection 

Monitoring measures energy entering and leaving the bank. Correctly sized cables, fuses, breakers and isolators protect the caravan during overloads or electrical faults.

A strong system is not a collection of impressive component ratings.

It is a coordinated installation in which storage, charging, conversion, distribution, protection and ventilation are designed to work together. 

Choosing the right Legend power system 

Safety at every voltage 

No large lithium system is automatically safe because of its voltage. A 12V, 24V or 48V battery can release very high fault current. Higher voltage reduces normal operating current, but DC arcing can become harder to interrupt as voltage rises. Cables, fuses, breakers, isolators and connections must be correctly rated, installed and protected. Any inverter-produced 240V output must be treated as mains power. 

A higher voltage does not automatically mean more stored

energy 

A 48V architecture transfers high power more efficiently, but operating time still depends on usable kWh, solar generation, charging opportunities and appliance consumption. Air conditioning, induction cooking and electric hot water can consume significant energy, especially overnight or in poor solar conditions. 

The Legend Caravans approach 

Our 12V systems provide a proven solution for the majority of touring and are standard across all models outside the Groundbreaker range. Every Groundbreaker receives 48V as standard because it is designed for a higher level of off-grid capability. A 24V system remains available by special request where it suits a defined customer requirement. 

The best system is not simply the one with the highest voltage.

It is the system correctly matched to the caravan, its appliances, available storage and solar, weight limits and the owner's travelling lifestyle. 

BUILT FOR YOUR JOURNEY.

DESIGNED AROUND YOUR LIFESTYLE.

For more information about the electrical package available in your preferred model, speak with the Legend Caravans team. 

General guide only. Final electrical specifications vary by model, layout, options, component availability and engineering requirements. Legend Caravans reserves the right to update specifications without notice.