What Makes a Good Electrical Diagram for Campers and Boats?

Planning your electrical system is one thing. Understanding it later — or showing it to someone else — is another. That’s where a good wiring diagram makes all the difference.

A messy, confusing sketch can turn even the best-designed system into a nightmare to troubleshoot. A clean, consistent diagram, on the other hand, can save you hours of guessing and even prevent costly mistakes.

So what exactly makes an electrical diagram “good”? Let’s break it down.

1. Clear and Easy to Read

Minimize wire crossings — The fewer lines that crisscross the page, the easier it is to follow your system.
Recognizable components — A fuse should look like a fuse. A battery should look like a battery.
Essential details at a glance — Wire gauges, fuse ratings, and approximate lengths should be visible.

2. Consistency Matters

Every diagram in a certain context should follow the same visual language. Once you learn one, you can understand the rest.

3. Scalable: From Thumbnail to PDF

A good diagram works in two formats:

Small image or thumbnail — recognizable at a glance.
Detailed PDF — zoom in, see every fuse, and trace every cable.

4. Friendly, Not Intimidating

A diagram should look inviting, not like something only an engineer could read.

5. Graphical and Realistic

Victron sets a great example by using diagrams that look like the real world:

Connectors match actual hardware.
Inputs/outputs are in the right places.
Cables end where they should.

6. Accuracy Above All

A clean diagram that misleads you is worse than no diagram at all. Correctness is non-negotiable.

7. The VoltPlan Challenge

VoltPlan can’t yet match the hand-drawn aesthetics of Victron diagrams — but our mission is to combine the readability of hand-crafted visuals with the power of automation.

⚡ Takeaway

A good electrical diagram should be:

Readable (minimal crossings, clear details)
Consistent (same style across diagrams)
Scalable (thumbnail + PDF)
Friendly (inviting, not intimidating)
Graphical (recognizable components)
Correct (always accurate)

That’s the standard we’re chasing at VoltPlan. And while we’re not all the way there yet, every update brings us closer to diagrams that make your camper or boat electrical system clear, safe, and easy to build.

👉 Want to see how VoltPlan diagrams look today? Try the configurator and start designing your own system.