Adventure Van Man Powers His GMC Savanna with Battle Born Batteries

Meet Brian Poirier of Adventure Van Man. He’s been on the road since 2014 and needed a reliable power system to get him on his travels. That’s where our lithium technology comes in – and the rest has been smooth travels for Brian since.

Introducing Brian:

Born and raised in San Diego, Brian’s adventures in full-time van life began in 2014 where he built a camper van himself. At the same time, while thankful for the chance to run his own landscaping business, he felt that being able to travel and get more out of life was what he needed to break out of the monotony.

It was less than a year before he decided to pursue seasonal work and travel around the country. In 2015, van life wasn’t as prolific as it is now, so online resources were a struggle. Brian enjoyed embarking on routes based on the jobs he found and feels that the first travels he ever embarked on were the most memorable. With visits to National Parks like Yellowstone and Bryce Canyon, Brian loves finding free camping on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land and loves outdoor activities like photography, hiking, biking, and kayaking.

Here’s what Brian is running in his 2010 GMC Savanna cutaway van with a 10 foot Morgan Mini Mover box:

• 4 BB10012 Battle Born Batteries
• 1 Victron 2000W 12V Multiplus Inverter/Charger
• 1 Victron SmartSolar 100/50 MPPT Solar Charge Controller
• 1 BMV-712
• 1 VE Bus Smart Dongle
• 1 300A Fuse Kit
• 1 Battery Isolation Manager

Brian also is running 570 watts of Grape solar panels and can charge via the alternator. He doesn’t have any major power draws but instead uses items all at once, mainly for audio and video production purposes.

“For me, it’s fun to see the history and graphs of the amount of power that I’m using on the monitor,” he said.

Check out Brian’s install video at the link here, as he outlines how the process went for him. With a background in electrical work, Brian knew that he wanted to take his time with the install and learn about the process. With his last van, the smaller system was hastily installed and problematic. The installation of our batteries took a total of two days, with trial and error and making his own cables factored in.

“I’ve learned a lot and want to help other people with the electrical aspect of it all, and even purchased specialty tools for it,” he said. “I’ve also got more solar than ever, and I’m pretty much topped off all the time. Maybe it’s overkill because of the good weather, but the batteries charge so much faster too.”

It’s quite a difference when compared to the times in the past where Brian would have to work during the day instead of exploring and getting to utilize his music and content creation studio.

“I can run the heater without any worries, and before I’d have to keep the lights off and really monitor my battery usage at night,” said Brian.

Brian’s running a couple of basics, such as a 12V Dometic fridge, a 12V system for lights, fans, a camera, drone, the batteries to power up those devices, and his laptop.

If you’re interested in a system similar to Brian’s, check out our Battle Born Energy 400Ah van kit, which has everything you need to get out there and stay out there.

When it comes to advice, Brian wants people to know that the van lifestyle isn’t always easy. It involves a lot of fear and excitement, so people should be aware of the ups and downs of it all.

He wants to make more content that’s even more personal by sharing what it means to live a nomadic lifestyle and the freedoms you can have. He says that being so personal on the internet and vlogging about his life has been such a change. With the internet steadily evolving over time, the ability to create communities with legitimate connections has been a highlight of Brian’s time on platforms like YouTube.

“At first, vlogging felt so awkward and strange because you’re just talking into the camera. All my friends and family were surprised by it because of how I’m not like that at all in real life,” he said. “A lot of people are curious about how to do it since they see it as being lonely. I mainly do it now so I can share all of the knowledge that I’ve gained while on the road.”

All in all, Brian says it’s about living outside of your comfort zone and taking care of your system to ensure that it can last you on plenty of trips. With Battle Born Batteries, having peace of mind on the road is all Brian needs for his adventures.

What’s Next?

Brian is planning to make his way to the Southwest for warmer camping opportunities this winter. He plans to really push the limits of his system to see how long he can boondock, in addition to potentially exploring the option to venture internationally.

Follow Adventure Van Man on his Instagram and YouTube channel.