Giving the Van a Brain: Installing the ROAM IQ Hardware: Part 1
If you’ve spent any time in a modern custom campervan, you know the struggle: one panel for the solar generator, a separate remote for the roof fan, another gauge for the water tanks, and three different phone apps just to dim the lights. It’s cluttered, fragmented, and frustrating.
In Part 1 of our Sprinter build, we teamed up with Zach from ROAM IQ to solve this exact problem by installing a central brain into our rig. Here’s a breakdown of the hardware setup and how ROAM IQ unifies every system into a single interface.
Why Give Your Van a Central Brain?
The primary goal of a smart system like ROAM IQ is simplicity, but it also brings critical safety features especially for pet owners.
If you leave pets in the van while going on a hike, getting a temperature alert on your phone is only half the solution. If you're hours away from the trailhead, you need to be able to take immediate action. With ROAM IQ connected to an onboard router (like Starlink or Peplink), you can remotely log into your van from anywhere to turn on the air conditioner, kick on the vent fans, or even autostart the vehicle engine if the battery runs low.
Navigating the Languages: The Control Hub & Modules
The biggest challenge in van automation is that different devices speak completely different technical languages some use Bluetooth, while others rely on CAN bus, RVC, RS485, or Wi-Fi.
The ROAM IQ Control Hub acts as a multilingual translator for your entire rig. Depending on the device, it communicates directly or uses specialized chips:
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Maxxair Vent Fan: Standard roof fans are typically "dumb" devices. Adding a ROAM IQ chip allows the hub to control the fan wirelessly while still letting you use the original manual remote control.
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Velit Air Conditioner: Communicates directly with the hub, though an optional interface chip can be added to guarantee a bulletproof connection.
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Bluetti Power System: A small adapter plugs into the back of the Bluetti screen, sending system power and state-of-charge data wirelessly to the main ROAM IQ display.
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PoE Ethernet Switch: Connects the hub to your onboard router, providing both power and data to wired devices through a single cable.
Smart Relays & Tank Monitoring
To control standard 12V and 110V components, ROAM IQ utilizes wireless Shelly Smart Relays:
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Water Pump & Appliances: Simple single-channel relays act as smart switches for 12V loads like water pumps.
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Water Heaters: Dual AC/DC relays integrate directly into water heater control boards to manage both 1000W AC heating rods and 200W DC elements.
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Lighting Control: 5-channel RGBW DIN rail relays handle multi-zone lighting, allowing you to dial in exact color temperatures or full RGB accent lighting.
Pro-Tip: Installing Ultrasonic Tank Sensors
For real-time fresh and gray water levels, we installed MoPeka ultrasonic tank sensors underneath the vehicle.
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Clean a smooth spot on the bottom of the holding tank with isopropyl alcohol.
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Apply the included surface primer in a loop around the mounting area (keeping the center clear).
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Apply sonic grease directly to the rubber sensor pad—this grease allows the ultrasonic signal to travel cleanly through the plastic tank wall.
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Mount the sensor, press the sync button, and pair it directly to the hub.
What’s Next?
With all the physical hardware, smart relays, chips, and sensors mounted under the hood and throughout the cabin, the heavy lifting is complete.
In Part 2, we jump out of the tool belt and onto the laptop to set up the software, customize our dashboard, and program custom lighting scenes and climate automations!
Check out the video of this install here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTYIsjn-npk
