Last year I made a top 10 list of van projects I wanted to complete in 2024. Adding shore power to the van was one of those projects. It seemed like an easy win and once I got around to doing it, it was.

“Shore power,” for those unfamiliar with the term, originated with boats and ships and referred to connecting to and receiving electricity “from the shore” while docked. Over time the term was adopted by any kind of vehicle that connects to an external power source while not traveling, including airplanes, tour busses, 18-wheelers, RVs, and camper vans.

The main reason I wanted to install a shore power port is for convenience. Up until now, I’ve been recharging my power stations by either carrying them into my garage and plugging them into the wall there, or by leaving them in the van, dragging an extension cord out to the driveway, and trying to cram it through the seal underneath my van’s rear door. If nothing else, this shore adapter will extend the life of my door’s weatherstripping. A shore power port would allow me to connect an extension cord somewhere to the outside of the van to power things on the inside while parked.

There are really only two questions when it comes to adding shore power to your van: what size of power adapter to add, and where to put it. For port sizes, there are three options: 50 amp, 30 amp, and 15 amp. While each of these connectors are physically different, adapters can be purchased. 50 amp outlets are mostly reserved for RVs equipped with large appliances like air conditioners and heaters; you’ll most commonly find these connections in RV parks. 30 amp outlets are a middle sweet spot; they still deliver a lot of juice, and are pretty common in RV parks. 15 amp outlets are the same size and shape as the 110v outlets found in your home. Deciding which size to install depends on your use needs. I opted for a 15 amp outlet and picked up a 30a-to-15a adapters, Just in case I find myself at a park without a traditional 110v outlet. Mostly I’ll be using my shore port for connecting an extension cord to the outside of the van to charge my power station batteries while parked at home. I don’t plan on camping too often at RV parks, but if I do and they don’t have a 110v outlet for me I can use my 30a-to-15a adapter.

While 110v adapters are the most common, its limiting factor is its 15 amp limit. It’s essentially duplicating the performance of a single wall outlet in your home. Most phone chargers use one amp, and my microwave only uses 7. The problem becomes when you daisy chain too many things together, especially when adding an appliance that draws a lot of amps. My Keurig coffee maker uses 12 amps and my heater uses 15. There’s no way I could use both of these at the same time with this solution.

One thing to consider is the thickness (or gauge) of the wire your adapter used in your electrical system. The shore power adapter I purchased has 12 AWG wire on the backside of the port which splits into two 18″-long 14 AWG pigtails. According to Amazon this adapter can handle up to 1,875 watts. That’s about what a typical home outlet can deliver, so I can’t imagine this adapter being the weakest link for any application.

The other decision involves figuring out a place to install the port. The one I purchased required cutting a 2″ hole “somewhere,” and the more I thought about it the less I felt like adding another hole to the outside of my van. After a bit of poking and prodding I came up with a solution; I drilled a hole in the top side of my plastic license plate holder on the rear of the van. The box is roughly 2 1/4″ deep, which gave me just enough room to drill the 2″ hole and clear both sides. The port is on the top facing down and is invisible while driving.

To drill the hole I used these hole saw drill bits from Amazon. For less than $20 I got 11 bits of pretty much every size I could ever need and a hard plastic case to store them in. I bought a different set a couple of years ago that was a bit more complicated to use and didn’t last very long. I like these much more, and anything that’s bright orange is a plus as it’s much less likely to get lost on my workbench.

The shore power port/adapter I purchased from Amazon cost about $20. It has a male end with a waterproof snap-on cap for the outside of the van and two female ends on pigtails for the inside — no wiring required. I may eventually plug the female ends into the backside of one of those 6-outlet adapters, but for right now all I have connected is a single power strip with several 110v outlets and a few USB ports. That being said, this solution requires no electrical knowledge. Once you feed through the female ends, it’s ready to go.

Things like heaters and air conditioners don’t make sense for most vanlifers using power stations. I recently purchased a small, portable heater from Walmart (“Safety Energy-saving Mini Portable Heater”) that barely warms my toes and draws 600 watts/hour, meaning it would drain any 600 watt Jackery in an hour and a 1,000 power station in less than two. Shore power is a way you can run those power-thirsty devices when parked and power is available. Just don’t forget to unplug and grab your extension cord before driving off!

I’m glad I installed this port on the rear of my van. It’s super convenient and I’ve already used it multiple times.

Here are Amazon links to the adapter I purchased and the drill bits I used. This was a super simple installation that anyone can do.

Shore Power Port (110v/15a): https://amzn.to/49HfVtL
11 circle round drill bits: https://amzn.to/3Jlz9dX
Ryobi Drill (P215BN): https://amzn.to/3STuJB8