on shore power converters for vanfolk

from this reddit post:

I don't see why more van folks don't use [rv converters]

The majority of vandwellers don’t have a formal setup for shore power so a converter isn’t much use to them. It’s a good idea, though, requiring very little work, expense, or exterior modification. If one is around shore power very often the setup has a tremendous ROI.

[later OP noted:  “I think most people think that to have “RV” type shore power you need those special 30/50 amp plugs. I have a 115v plug. The male end of an extension cord (heavy gauge) that I have cable tied to the inside of my receiver hitch so it’s hidden.”  True, I hadn’t thought about the common conception of RV plugs.}

Some more thoughts, possibly enhanced by intake of (uhhh… let me check) Dogfish Head sea quench:

The main drawback to smart (three stage) converter charging IMO is the general lack of user-adjustable voltage setpoints. Some converters do have them, but those tend to be much more expensive (see workaround below).

Folks who have solar could buy an even cheaper single-voltage converter because their solar will do the Absorption charging in tandem with the converter. Because I installed the rest of the house power system before I bought panels I made a little diy converter out of a 20A 24v power supply and a 10A mppt controler during the build. It kept the bank properly charged while I trolled ebay and craigslist for high-voltage panels I could pick up locally…. :-)