Category: Campervan
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2017-07-02: Starting the electrical install
This weekend, we started running cables and mounting components so we can get the electrical systems hooked up. We already have the solar panels on the roof, and the battery fitted under the passenger seat. We also have a fair amount of conduit routed through the side panels of the van so we can run…
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China Is About to Bury Elon Musk in Batteries
Interesting report from Bloomberg: as demand for Li-Ion batteries increases, we should expect to see affordable Li-Ion become much more widespread and available for other uses – such as portable power in camper vans, etc. While this is on the 5–10 year horizon, it’s interesting to keep tabs on. We’ve already seen a similar effect with GPS…
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Locknuts (nyloc nuts)
Locknuts have an unthreaded nylon insert which takes the thread of the bolt when tightened. This holds the nut more securely against vibration, which is exactly the sort of thing you have to think about in a van, but doesn’t crosss your mind when building more stationary objects. £3.50 for 100 from Screwfix.
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2017-06-25: Solar panels
Another big job done this weekend, and one we faced with some trepidation – installing the solar panels. While they’re not yet wired up, they are now mounted on the roof. It’s a very tight fit up there, as we want to fit 2 large panels (1m x 1.3m) as well as a roof…
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2017-06-21: Shopping
This shouldn’t warrant an entry in the build diary, but we’ve spent so long researching equipment to fit out the van that I need to get it off my chest. We’ve been focusing on the electrical systems, so we can get all these installed before we do any more insulation, or start on cladding or…
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2017-06-17: Fitting the leisure battery
We’ve put a hold on installing insulation because we’re concerned about how complex it’s going to be to run wires for the electrical systems. So we’re trying to get some of that in place so we know where we stand. First step, installing the battery. It needs to be somewhere safe, accessible, but not ‘everyday-accessible’,…
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175W 12V Monocrystalline Used Solar Panels
We bought 2 of these used 175w panels from Bimble. They seem to be in good nick, and a lot cheaper than the new alternative. Given the frequency with which we get scraped by low-hanging branches, I’m also not so keen to invest in something super-pricey on the roof. We also bough various extras including…
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30A MPPT Solar charge controller
We’re relying heavily on our solar panels for power, and I wanted the most efficient controller possible – so MPPT wins out over the cheaper PWM option. This is the MPPT controller that Bimble sell, and it seems to be OK, from what I can find online. We got the 30A Tracer3215BN version, with the…
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110Ah 12V Leoch Gel Battery
I’ve spent more time than I care to remember researching battery technology. In summary, we decided to go for a sealed battery (not a cheaper wet lead acid design), and of the two options (gel or AGM), we went for gel, which is more compact – we want to mount this in a small space…
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Floor underlay foam
This is 5mm rigid foam in sheets. We used it underneath our plywood floor. It’s designed for laying laminated flooring in houses, and we’re solving a very similar problem. We taped across the seams with Duck tape. It’s easy to work with, cheap, and the result seems to be good so far: the floor is…
Andrew Sleigh 