Lithium + Solar + Inverter: A Complete RV Power System
These three upgrades work as one system: lithium stores the power, solar replenishes it every day, and the inverter turns it into household electricity anywhere you park. We design and install all three together — sized to how you actually camp.
Solar Panels That Refill Your 12V Power Daily
Roof-mounted solar quietly replenishes your 12V house batteries every daylight hour — even while you drive or the rig sits in storage. Paired with an MPPT charge controller, a properly sized array keeps fridges, lights, fans and pumps running for days off-grid with no generator noise, no fuel and no hookups. In Southern California sun, it's the cheapest power you'll ever own.
Inverter Power: Household Outlets, Anywhere
A pure sine wave inverter converts your 12V battery bank into clean 120V AC — the same power as home. Run the microwave, coffee maker, CPAP, laptops and TVs without shore power or a running generator. Inverter/charger combos also recharge your bank the moment you plug in, and switch over automatically so you never think about it.
Wet Cell vs. AGM vs. Lithium — What's Really in Your RV?
All three store 12V power — but how much you can use, how long they last, and how much attention they demand couldn't be more different.
Wet Cell (Flooded)
- • Cheapest up front — costliest per cycle
- • 300–500 cycles (2–3 yrs typical)
- • Monthly water refills & terminal cleaning
- • Off-gasses — must be vented, kept upright
- • Loses power fast in heavy loads & cold
- • Heaviest per usable amp-hour
AGM (Sealed Lead-Acid)
- • Sealed — no water checks, no venting
- • 400–700 cycles (3–5 yrs typical)
- • Handles vibration better than wet cell
- • Charges faster than flooded, slower than lithium
- • Still lead — still heavy
- • Deep discharges shorten its life
Lithium (LiFePO4)
- • 3,000–5,000 cycles (10+ yrs typical)
- • Zero maintenance — truly install & forget
- • About half the weight of lead-acid
- • Charges up to 5× faster
- • Steady full voltage until nearly empty
- • Built-in BMS + Bluetooth monitoring
Not sure what's in your battery bay right now?
Bring your RV by — we'll check your batteries, charging system and loads, and tell you straight whether an upgrade makes sense. No pressure, no obligation.
How Your Power Upgrade Works
No pushy sales, no guesswork. Three steps from your first call to pulling out of the lot with a modern power system.
Free Consultation
Call or send the form. We talk through your rig, your appliances and how you camp — hookups, boondocking or both — and inspect your current batteries and charging system.
Custom System & Written Quote
We size the battery bank, solar array and inverter to your actual usage — never more than you need — and give you a clear written quote before any work begins. No surprises.
Install & Walkthrough
Our technicians install and test the complete system in our indoor facility, then walk you through it — monitoring, charging, what to expect — before you drive away.
The Shop Orange County Has Relied On Since 1989
A power upgrade is a big decision. Here's why customers keep bringing their coaches back to El Toro — many for over a decade.
37 years of RV electrical experience
We've wired, repaired and upgraded RV power systems since 1989 — from vintage coaches to today's all-electric rigs. Customers who found us decades ago still bring us their new coaches.
Full indoor service facility
Your coach is worked on inside — clean, secure and out of the weather — with the specialized tools electrical and solar installs demand.
One shop, bumper to bumper
Batteries, solar, inverter, converter, wiring — and everything else on your coach. One work order, one team, no runaround between an electrician, a solar installer and an RV shop.
Transparent, written quotes
You approve a clear written estimate before any work starts. Quality, transparency and exceptional service — it's how we've kept customers for decades.
Why Maintenance-Free Batteries Solve the Modern RV Power Problem
Today's coaches are all-electric RVs in everything but name: residential refrigerators, induction cooktops, electric fireplaces, multiple TVs and rooftop A/C — all pulling from a 12V house bank that, in many rigs, is still 1990s wet cell technology. The result is a familiar cycle: dead batteries, corroded terminals, water refills, and weekends cut short.
A maintenance-free lithium battery upgrade breaks that cycle. Deep discharges don't damage lithium, high loads don't sag its voltage, and its built-in BMS quietly manages every cell — so the power system finally keeps up with the coach. Add solar to replenish it and an inverter to distribute it, and your RV runs like the modern machine it was built to be.
(949) 337-1352No more battery chores
No water levels to check, no terminals to clean, no equalizing charges to schedule. Lithium ends the maintenance routine entirely.
Power that keeps up with demand
Run the A/C, microwave and fridge together without voltage sag. Lithium holds steady output right up until it's nearly empty — lead-acid fades halfway through.
Cheaper over its lifetime
One lithium bank typically outlasts four to six sets of lead-acid batteries. Higher up front — significantly less per year of camping.
Safer by design
LiFePO4 chemistry is the stable one — no acid to spill, no hydrogen off-gassing, and a BMS that shuts things down before a fault becomes a problem.
Orange County's RV Electrical & Solar Upgrade Shop
Searching for an RV lithium battery upgrade near me? El Toro RV Service has served Orange County since 1989 — and we install complete power systems, not just parts. From RV solar panel installation to inverter installation and full lithium battery conversions, one shop handles the design, wiring, and testing.
Every install is sized to your coach and your camping style — weekend hookups, full-time boondocking, or anything in between. Quality, transparency and exceptional service, bumper to bumper.
Schedule a Power ConsultationCan I upgrade my RV from lead-acid to lithium batteries?
Yes — most RVs convert well. We verify your converter/charger is lithium-compatible (or upgrade it), configure charge profiles, and confirm alternator and solar charging all play nicely with the new bank.
How much solar do I need to keep my 12V batteries charged?
It depends on your loads: a weekend rig running lights, fans and a fridge often does well with 200–400 watts, while boondockers running residential appliances typically want 600 watts or more. We calculate it from your actual usage before recommending anything.
What can I run on an inverter in my RV?
With a properly sized pure sine wave inverter and lithium bank: microwave, coffee maker, TVs, laptops, CPAP machines and residential refrigerators. Larger systems can even run rooftop air conditioning for limited periods.
Are lithium RV batteries really maintenance-free?
Yes. There's no water to add, no terminals to clean, and no equalizing charges. The built-in battery management system balances the cells and protects against over-charge, over-discharge and temperature extremes automatically.
How much does a lithium or solar upgrade cost?
It depends entirely on your rig and your goals — a single-battery swap is a very different job than a full boondocking system. That's why the consultation is free: we inspect your setup, size a system to how you camp, and give you a clear written quote before any work begins. No surprises, no obligation.
Schedule Your RV Power Upgrade
Tell us about your rig and how you camp. We'll call you back with a system recommendation and quote — bumper to bumper, we do it all.