Something of a slow grind since we got back from our first trip. We’ve both been very busy with work, so not much time to spend on the van.

Amy has been insulating the rear and side doors. Since these cavities hold loose wires that connect to the central locking and door catches, we don’t want to install insulation that can’t be removed if we need to fix any problems. So we’re using left over closed cell foam sheets (about an inch thick) which can be friction fitted without using any glue or expanding foam.

I’ve been drawing more layouts in Sketchup, trying to iron out all the little niggles, and figure out what we can pin down now so we can continue the build. It’s a constant struggle between getting stuff done, so we can test whether it does work, and planning things out, so we know that it will work.

At this stage, while we’re trying to maintain maximum flexibility, that means a lot of shifting sand.

So we’re trying to make some decisions on the electrical system:

• What battery technology to use
• How much capacity we need
• How much solar we need
• What arrangement of panels will work best on the roof (in combination with other components like a fan or a rooflight)
• How to run wiring through the van
• How to charge the battery off the alternator, and what system will work for our van (voltage sensitive relay, or battery-to-battery charger)