Director-turned-vanlifer Mike from the YouTube channel SmartyVan shows how he turned a bare Mercedes Sprinter into a fully automated, off‑grid smart RV powered by Home Assistant and ESPHome. We cover DC power realities, alternator charging vs solar, Starlink on the move, Bluetooth presence, wired vs Zigbee sensors and PoE cameras with Frigate. Perfect for vanlife, RV, and tiny home builders.
Chapters
00:00:00 – Intro, sponsors, Mike arrives
00:05:00 – From Sprinter shell to smart RV
00:10:00 – Power: solar, alternator, efficiency
00:16:00 – Home Assistant in a DC world
00:22:00 – Pi 4, microSD, backups
00:28:00 – Internet, Starlink, offline logic
00:35:32 – Van automations that matter
00:41:00 – Service mode and shop visits
00:47:00 – Presence without motion sensors
00:53:00 – OBD-II, WICAN, vehicle data
00:59:00 – Wired sensors vs Zigbee
01:05:00 – Cameras, Frigate, PoE control
01:09:00 – What’s next and where to find
00:05:00 – From Sprinter shell to smart RV
00:10:00 – Power: solar, alternator, efficiency
00:16:00 – Home Assistant in a DC world
00:22:00 – Pi 4, microSD, backups
00:28:00 – Internet, Starlink, offline logic
00:35:32 – Van automations that matter
00:41:00 – Service mode and shop visits
00:47:00 – Presence without motion sensors
00:53:00 – OBD-II, WICAN, vehicle data
00:59:00 – Wired sensors vs Zigbee
01:05:00 – Cameras, Frigate, PoE control
01:09:00 – What’s next and where to find
