Van Conversion Guide
Van Conversion Guide
Van Conversion Guide
sergiobm96@gmail.com
Version 8
by
Unique download ID 183102A1029b Copyright N.Murphy 2018 All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4
Choosing a type of van ...................................................................................................... 5
Layout and Design ............................................................................................................. 8
Regulations ....................................................................................................................... 15
Installing a window ........................................................................................................ 22
Fixings and Wiring set-up ............................................................................................ 25
Preparation block-work ............................................................................................... 29
Insulation .......................................................................................................................... 31
The bulk head .................................................................................................................. 40
Bed types ........................................................................................................................... 44
Fridges; the three options explained ....................................................................... 58
1. Thermoelectric Coolbox .............................................................................................................. 58
2. Compressor Fridge ........................................................................................................................ 58
3. Gas Fridge ......................................................................................................................................... 58
Thermoelectric Cool boxes .......................................................................................... 59
Compressor fridges / 2 way ........................................................................................ 60
Absorption refrigerators / 3 way .............................................................................. 61
Heating System ................................................................................................................ 67
Battery system ................................................................................................................. 71
Batteries and Venting .................................................................................................... 75
Wire Sizes and Type ....................................................................................................... 76
Mains power; MCU, RCD, Charger & Invertor ........................................................ 85
Split Charger ..................................................................................................................... 87
Electronics & Circuitry .................................................................................................. 88
Lighting .............................................................................................................................. 92
Flooring .............................................................................................................................. 97
Window sills & Black out blind ................................................................................ 100
Slider panel image ........................................................................................................ 103
Bed-side Cupboards ..................................................................................................... 106
Above the Cab & Bathroom Cabinet ....................................................................... 109
Fabric panels and Side Lights ................................................................................... 113
Bin & Door Light ............................................................................................................ 119
Chair & Upholstery ....................................................................................................... 121
Introduction
Thank you for buying this ebook!
I have written this book to share the learning and thinking behind my van
conversion. Not all the design decisions will be right for you, but for the functionality
that people like me require, what is included in this guide should go a long way to
help you convert your own van.
I hope you find it really useful, I am confident that the ideas and tips in this book will
save you a many hours of work, inspire some of your own thinking and, perhaps
importantly, save you making some costly mistakes.
My van conversion:
I recommend watching this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wksm1xI1Ms0
alongside this book to help you get a better feel for how I build this camper van. I
have also recently added a van tour which might give some more context;
https://youtu.be/wksm1xI1Ms0 (sorry for how often I say ‘like’ in this video, it was a
phase!)
Harriet’s van conversion - free supplement eBook
I converted a new team-member’s van. It was a much smaller van but I wanted to try
a few different things.
Alongside buyin gthis ebook you can download a guide that includes added sections
for ‘Harriet’s van’ and has different variations for finishing, kitchens and insulation (I
would recommended considering the insulation method – it was incredibly fast to
install).
Also check out her build video here: https://youtu.be/GH8u9ELlvBA
Updates for life!
I will update this book periodically with more information, and other improvements,
based on feedback. On that basis, feedback on this book is welcome, it can be hard
to see which areas need more information when you are so close to the project.
Whenever I release a new version, I will send you a link so you can get the update
free of charge.
Either way, I hope this book inspires you and saves you money and time!
Good luck!
Nate
My choice of van size came down to the fact that I planned to live in the van for
extended periods of time - and therefore a bigger van, ideally where I can stand up,
was the obvious choice.
If it was just a weekend van, which maybe I used for other driving/commuting to
work, then I would probably go for something much smaller and more fuel-efficient.
§ Long Wheelbase; I wanted to have a full size bed so to leave room for other
things it made sense. I decided against the Jumbo size van just for driving and
parking effort.
§ High Top; I am 6ft/183cm and do not fancy having to stoop every time I want
to cook - people say parking is an issue, but as mostly I will be living in natural
areas not in underground car parks - this has not been a problem
§ Ford Transits are pretty ubiquitous, they are fairly easy to find and buy at a
reasonable price - plus you can find them all over Europe and, on that
basis, you can get parts for them anywhere if you need to.
o There are other vans of a similar size that I would have considered if
they came up - but having one van type to search for just make life a
bit simpler
o The same goes for many other panel vans in fairness and most brands
of similar vans would probably be completely suitable
§ Stealthy; in the UK at least, they are probably the number 1 builder’s van.. no
one will suspect!
Ford Transit LWB High Top
This obviously depends on your budget but for my van I ended up spending more
than I initially hoped - but this was based more on economics than mission creep.
My general aim was to spend no more than half the cost of the van on the
conversion – or alternatively – to spend about twice the estimated cost-of-
conversion on the van. This is based on the premise of the vehicles millage-based
depreciation.
As an example; if I spend £4k converting a 10 year old van with 200,000 miles on the
clock, that cost £2000 then, after a few years, regardless of the condition quality of
the interior components the van will be coming to the end of its natural life. People
will not want to spend too much on a van with an engine that might die soon.
Certainly not £6000!
It is not based on any particular depreciation formula, but it seems to fit fairly well,
and I think if you did some further asset depreciation analysis it would probably be in
that sort of ball park.
My aim is to use my van for a few years and then sell it on, hopefully for about the
same amount I spent on it, ideally a bit more if I look after it! Hopefully, the value I
add with a really nice fit-out, will offset the depreciation of the vehicle.
To do this the millage must not be too high (mine was round 80,000) and in general
the vehicle must be in reasonable condition.
What I spent
I spent £7000 on the base van (2012 model 4 years old at time of conversion) – in
total it cost £8400 with VAT. Unfortunately it is hard to find non-commercial sales so
most of the time you get stung for VAT. I could probably have spent a few months
looking for a deal and perhaps paid £1000 less but I had a trip schedule and wanted
to go climbing.
So based on my £8400 van - my approximate max cost for the kit-out is £4200.
£4200 is a lot! But, if the aim is to sell it on at the end, without it actually ‘costing’
too much then I might as well live in comfort for that period.
I have provided a (nearly) full breakdown of my spend at the end of this book.
For the main part it will be one to two people travelling in my van. The van can take
three people legally so I wanted to have the potential to sleep three if I really
needed it.
The Bed
To start with I was looking at a fold-away beds but, I changed my mind and decided
on a fixed bed for the following reasons;
§ A fixed bed means I can just buy the same Ikea double mattress I used to
have - I really liked the firmness and its not too expensive. A proper mattress
- what a luxury!
§ The van is primarily for sleeping, therefore my main aim is to have a van good
for sleeping
Under bed storage – apart from the battery and electronics area it gives a significant
amount of space.
Bed configuration
If you are shorter you can probably go for a side-to-side bed, but mine has to be long
ways as I am too tall. I also wanted to put ‘lean on’ cupboards down the side of the
bed. Some panel vans are wider so it is an option depending on what you choose.
Windows
Where you put your window/s will define some of the other elements of your
design. As I wanted to keep my van stealthy I chose to only put in one other window.
This is opposite the sliding door meaning that I can see out both sides of the van
when it is open.
I chose not to put windows in the back doors - it is just tell-tale of a camper van so I
decided not to go there. plus I wanted it to feel really cosy in the sleeping area.
§ Filling LPG; having the kitchen unit by the slider door means I can easily put
the LPG filler nozzle on the side where I fill up with diesel.
§ I wanted to have the recliner chair beside the window - it is nice to sit there
with the view!
§ I can have the kitchen unit over-hang the step by a couple of inches - making
a little more out of the space I have in the van (note you cannot have it too
close to the slider door or you cannot get to the handle!)
Bulkhead
The bulkhead is the bit that separates the body of the van and the cab. Most
builder’s vans have one made of sheet metal in place.
One of the more ‘discussed’ aspects of my layout is the fact that I have separated the
cab out of the van interior. Many people keep this open and have a swivelling
‘captains’ chair (or two) giving them more seating and giving the van a larger area.
When done well this can make the whole van feel more spacious and can be a good
option for a van conversion.
That said, this does come with some downsides;
§ The front of the van gets really hot. It is basically a mini greenhouse and the
effect of this can make the whole van much hotter in summer and colder in
winter.
§ To counteract this people put big foil things in the window to reduce the
heat.. but they only work partially
§ The big foil things are not stealthy at all
§ You have to put big foil things in the windows every time you park in the sun
(which will be required for the solar panel)
§ Blocking out the light coming in during the mornings when you want to sleep
and stopping light getting out when you are stealth camping is much harder
The downsides are just to do with the overall space and seating - but the efficiency it
allows, and the position in which I can put the kitchen pretty much makes up for it in
my eyes.
Plus, I really do love that it does not feel like a van when you are inside.
My designs
I used Illustrator and some pictures of transit vans to work out my basic plans. It was
not perfect but, by making them to-scale, I could also work out some basic
estimations for material needs and spaces required for furniture units.
The side profile turned out to be fairly accurate in terms of what I built. The only
error was not realising that the seats project back in to the van so I had less space
than first imagined. It also meant that I put the shelf over the bulkhead.
By making a roughly to scale version of my van I could plan a lot of the practicalities
before I had even bought the van. It was really useful!
On the below design, the pink dotted lines on the image below show the
approximate workings for how the fabric panels and cupboards will work.
As you can see, not everything I designed I included into the design. Especially in this
back-view!
Some parts changed based on practicalities for the build and others because, once
you can see things coming together, it is clear that some ideas on paper do not quite
work as well in practice.
The top view shows the basic simplicity of the design I was aiming for. In reality
nothing is nearly as simple as it looks – but the end result does feel reasonably
uncomplicated.
As you can see I was counting on the ability to store most of my things either beside
the bed (clothes and personal effects) or under the bed (everything else). It is also
worth mentioning that there is also a good amount of storage over the cab.
The top 3 kitchen drawers are used mostly for kitchen utensils – the fourth (bottom)
draw is mostly used for tools, spares and other useful things.
Regulations
I would really recommend finding out what relevant regulations exist in your
country. Especially regarding vehicle classification, gas, electrics and insurance.
In some countries you have to get the van checked by the authorities and if it does
not comply to the standards you have to change it! This could be really expensive
and demoralizing. I cannot give information for every country – but it should be easy
enough for you to find out (especially as you will speak the right language!).
If you do find out for your country – and would like to send me the details – I can
add the information to my blog for anyone to see.
UK (Where I am)
In the UK there is a set of requirements for a camper van if you want to register it as
such – you can find them here;
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data
/file/522756/converting-a-vehicle-into-a-motorhome.pdf For those from
other countries this gives an insight to what you may have to consider.
Below are the DVLA minimum features to be classified as a camper (October 2016).
This can make insuring it more easy and cheaper.
In order for a converted vehicle to qualify as a motor caravan it must have certain
minimum features, as
follows:
§ a door that provides access to the living accommodation
§ a bed, which has a minimum length of 1800mm or 6 feet. This can be
converted from seats used
§ for other purposes during the day but must be permanently fixed within the
body of the vehicle
§ a water storage tank or container on, or in, the vehicle
§ a seating and dining area, permanently attached to the vehicle. The table
may be detachable but
§ must have some permanent means of attachment to the vehicle. It is not
good enough to have a
§ loose table
§ a permanently fixed means of storage, a cupboard, locker or wardrobe
§ a permanently fixed cooking facility within the vehicle, powered by gas or
electricity
§ at least one window on the side of the accommodation
§ If the vehicle has all of these features present, permanently fixed and
installed properly, then it is a legal
§ requirement to have it reclassified as a motor caravan on the V5C.
Note: I did not really make a table, but I can use my slide out ‘art drawer’ which sits
above the food trays as a table if I need to. It is a bit dumb but it is enough to fit the
requirements.
Colour scheme
Having a background in design makes you go a little over-the-top in the planning
stage. I had to wait a few days for my van to be ready to pick up and I spent a lot of
this time playing with ideas.
As the primary colour in the van essentially the pine – I looked for inspiration from
ski chalet designs to find what sort of colours worked well.
I noticed the use of neutral colours with a tendency to have a warm, but slightly
muted, colour as an accent.
This is my mood-board with various chalet interiors and the basic colour schemes.
I liked the warm lighting effects – so when it came to my design I went for a yellow
accent and a grey neutral colour system.
I played with lots of colours in the design file – it seemed right. The hard bit was
finding reasonably priced and suitable upholstery fabrics to fit my design ideas. I
could not quite get it right, but it was close enough and I am happy with the finished
effect.
Feature choice
The main features and systems are essentially where a lot of your build costs go – I
chose the following key features to go in to my installation;
§ Kitchen: SMEV sink, electric tap and extraction fan
§ Water: Simple 20ltr fresh/waste water system
§ Gas: 11kg refillable LPG tank
§ Solar: 300W solar panel, 40Amp Solar Charge Controller & remote monitor
§ Batteries: 2x 140AmpHr sealed leisure batteries
§ Heater: Heatsource with external inlet/exhaust LPG powered heater with
Thermostat
§ Lighting: Two ceiling lighting rings (kitchen and bed areas), LED side lights
and door light
There was quite a bit of thought behind each of the choices above – and there is
more detail about component choice in the relevant sections.
Ceiling LED configuration during construction
Do you need a heater?
A family friend who converted a van assured me that adding a heater would be a
waste of money. That said, I do not really see myself as being part of the ‘just put on
another jumper’ generation. I like to be warm.
Also, on a more practical level, I have never really dated a girl who is warm all the
time and I just imagined being somewhere a cold for a month or so with a cold
grumpy girlfriend wearing every single layer she owned 24/7.. and then imagining
that the world could just be a better place with the flick of a switch.
That image quickly added a few hundred pounds to the build cost.
What I didn’t install
What is almost as important as what I put in, is what I decided to leave out..
No toilet
Do I really want to poop in the small enclosed space of a van and then have to
dispose of it again later? Nope!
So the reality is, there are toilets pretty much everywhere that you can use for a
poop – even if, especially in cities, you might have to think ahead. If you are in
nature you can just go in the woods and bury it.. as a climber I do this fairly often in
wild spots so it is just not an issue.
I keep a couple of pee bottles in the van (under the sink) for when you cannot be
bothered to leave the van – one is an old naglene for those of us not equipped with
a hose.
Portapoty option..
When I was building the van I always thought that if I had to, I could use a small
portable toilets but, actually, I have found out that these things tend to have a hard-
to-contain chemical whif about them. Plus you still have do empty them!
So far, in over 3 months of living in the van full-time it has been totally fine.
No shower
If you add a shower into your build you add a whole level of complexity and cost to
your build. You will need a much bigger water tank (probably 70ltr), you will need to
install a water heater, which means a more complicated gas system, and a water
pump to power it. It really messes with your space too!
Alternatively I just wash in lakes, rivers or when these are not available I have a solar
shower which I heat up in the cab of the van during the day.
I made a shower curtain set-up which I fix to the back of the van doors using a few
neodymium magnets. This gives a spacious private shower cubical and the flow is
not so strong you spray the van interior (you are low in comparison anyway).
The paneling is treated so you can just wipe it down with your towel if you are
worried about the damp.
Simple and effective shower system
I know two people who installed a shower in to a van, in one something broke and
she never got around to fixing it and the other just uses his shower as a storage
cupboard!
No fridge.. (at least not built in)
Waeco style fridges are generally super expensive – and therefore I originally just
planned to get a 12v powered cool box but actually, now, I probably will not bother.
The food storage area (below the bed) is pretty cool during the day and you only
really need cold storage for meat, milk, cheese and beer!
I do not eat very much meat, milk is UHT/long-life so does not need to be kept cool –
this just leaves beer and cheese. Buying harder cheese works, in Europe the wine is
good and Red wine, obviously, shouldn’t be cold.
If I change my mind I can get a powered cool box for about £80 – and the solar
system can handle it quite easily, but for now I will make do without.
Your needs might be different to mine – just make sure you spec out your electric
and solar systems to match the energy usage.
No TV
Owning a TV is so 1990’s, I mean it’s just such an inefficient use of time.
I have never owned a TV and it is possible that I never will. That said, I do have a
laptop on the rare occasion that I want to watch a movie with friends.
No day-to-day vent
I did not put in a ‘fantastic fan’ style ventilation system. I travel for climbing so tend
to look for place which are cooler and ‘in season’.
After nearly two years I am happy with this decision but if I liked really hot places it
would be a different matter. For example, I was a surfer or hunting hot beach
seasons – then I would definitely include a fan-driven vent. These are easy to find
online and, if you put two in (one putting air in, the other taking air out) you can
create a really effective system of cooling down you van.
I would recommend putting one vent above the sleeping area so that, if you are
somewhere hot and humid, you can actually sleep.
Installing a window
I decided to go for just one window – in part to keep it stealthy, easier to keep
warm/cool - and also to keep down costs.
The window I installed is a privacy style window with no opening. Opening windows
would not really be as stealthy – but they obviously have their advantages for a
camper! They tend to cost about twice as much too.
Note: Not all windows have the same installation process. You can usually get
adhesive kits from the window supplier – these tend to include instructions which, if
followed correctly, will work. Do check the suppliers recommended method - the
following is just to give you a basic idea of the process.
The process was fairly straight forward for my bonded window – but there is a lot
that can go wrong.
1. First mark out the window placement on the outside of the van. Measure it about
three to four times for your marking out. I used a marker pen to draw the hole to be
cut out.
2. Put the window up against the van to check the lines you are drawing make sense
with the actual window area!
3. Once you are 100% sure, drill a 10mm hole to put in your jigsaw blade, put on
some ear defenders and eye protection (it is very loud) and cut your hole!
Cutting the window hole (notice the crossed out line – I changed the marking after I
put the window up against the van to check)
I recommend finishing the cut at the top, this way when you get to the end it does
not twist off and buckle the metal work.
Finishing the cut – the top middle section was the last to go. This meant with a gentle
push the metal panel (with sharp edges) dropped inside the van not on to my feet.
5. Take a file and run it around the edges to take off the sharp edges
6. Close up any panel work with pliers or molegrips. Just be sure to protect the shape
of the outer panel with some wood.
Using wood behind the metal panel I used some mole grips to close these sections
that would stop me putting the window edging on neatly.
Unique download ID 183102A1029b Copyright N.Murphy 2018 All rights reserved.
7. Apply the edging, tap it around so it is pressed fully in to the corners, then when
you are sure you have it right, cut the edging so the ends fit neatly together.
8. Paint on primer to frame (for my kit it was a kind of matt black paint). Clean the
window adhesive area – this was in the form of some wipes – it removes grease and
other dirt that could stop proper adhesion.
9. Apply the glue to window. It seems like you have to put on a lot of glue, and you
do. It has to fill in the whole gap between the glass and the panel. There is a gap
because of the thickness of the rubber edging.
If you do not put on enough, especially at the top, it will leak. I made this mistake
(thinking that too much on the thinner top edge would squidge out) there was a gap
and it leaked when I tested it with a spray hose. I had to carefully squeeze in more
adhesive to the top of the window to fid this problem.
10. As soon as you have applied the glue, place the window on to the van – get
someone to help!
I had this masking tape pre-stuck to the van (and tacked up) so, as soon as the
window was on, I could place them on the window.
11. Hold it there for a while, support it with tape. I used some bits of wood to help
incase it would slide down while curing.
On that basis I bolted six stainless-steel load bearing points to the roof; four over the
bed and two at the front. I got mine from a yacht supplier – they only cost a few
dollars each.
These were long enough to stick through the paneling and were rated for 300kg or
something.
I used stainless steel countersunk machine bolts, and using the powered screw driver
made them super tight to the metal work. This way they are unlikely to ever get
loose!
The hammock and a fixing point showing through the cladding – it means the van
can sleep three if needed – which can be nice
Wiring preparation
I used conduit for my wiring – you do not ‘need’ to, but it was really handy. It also
meant I could add extra wires later if I needed to.
Conduit is pretty cheap, I used some spare from a building site near me – so it was
free.
Gluing conduit over the celling – you could also use gaffa tape
First I drew out my electric wiring and LED positions on to the van using a marker
pen. Once done, and once I was happy with where the batteries and electronics
were going, I pushed the conduit through the metal box section (sides of the van)
and glued it to the ceiling where necessary.
This was used for each main set of lights, the fan and the side LEDs. I also put conduit
going to the kitchen unit to power the tap and for wiring to go to the van battery for
the split charge.
Pushing in the cables
Once done I pushed my electrical cables through the conduit. I left a bit extra on
each cable just to be sure.
I labeled the conduit at the battery end (and the cables) so I knew where each one
went.
Mains-in, MCU and Invertor are in position. This is also where all my conduit ends up.
Notice the labeling – this makes things much easier when wiring up the van!
I used standard 1.5mm2 three strand wire for all my 12v wiring and pushed it
through the conduit ready for future use. I bought 50m, I needed slightly more, but
not much!
Note: I should probably have used two-core flex (not solid) for most of the van – but
there is no harm in thicker-than-necessary wire and it was pretty cheap for me to get
hold of. Some people think the solid core wire would rattle in the conduit (it doesn’t)
or that it will break with movement – it would but the wires are well fixed down, I
really do not imagine this will be a problem (2 years in, it is fine). Either way, if you
can get two core flex cheaply enough – it is probably worth using for your 12V wiring.
Where the conduit needed it, I cut a slot in it so that the lights could be connected in
the right position.
Preparation block-work
Block-work preparation
If you are going to attach paneling to the van you will need to have a way to attach it
to the van. You can go directly in to the metal work – but in some places there are
holes and it is not really possible to screw it in anywhere.
I also planned on using cladding clips – these mean you can avoid having screws all
over your nice panel work, these are nailed in, so cannot go into the metal work. To
enable this I decided to set-up a set of wooden blocks at each rib in the van.
The ribs however are not square and have tapered sides. To manage this I drilled
holes in each side of the rib, then bolted the block work to that.
This made the block-work square to the outside of the van and very well attached.
Side pieces of block work – annoying to make as they are all different sizes.
Note, I put block work at each end of the van, and one each of the three
ductings/ribs.
To keep to the curve of the van’s roof I cut some slots along the wood to allow it to
flex a little.
Now this is complete, when it comes to attaching the cladding, we are prepared!
Insulation
Although you can use a spray foam to do a whole layer of insulation (that coats the
entire inside of the van) I decided that a more standard method would be easier,
probably cheaper and easier to add more layers to.
Insulation is pretty important if you want to have a good living space. Some people
go super nerdy on it, and there is so much technical information out there but to a
large extent it depends on your budget and what method suits you and your needs
best.
Note: See the ebook supplement for another insulation method that is very easy and
fast to install – if a little more expensive.
I installed:
§ Walls & doors: 50mm Celotex foam board + Insulation foil (meant to be
equivalent of 40mm of foam) + Cladding/Panels
§ Roof: 30mm Celotex + Insulation foil + Cladding
§ Floor: 30mm Cleotex foam + 9mm ply/flooring
§ Ducting: Filled with spray foam
§ Remaining metal work: Auto carpet
In general I did not want to loose too much height so there is a bit less on the ceiling
and floor. As it is, if I stand straight my hair just brushes the roof – It would not have
been good to loose another inch.
For the floor I put in wooded block and glued it down, with the shape of the base of
the van it left just the right space to put in insulation board. I screwed the plywood
down on top of it (a new ply base came with the van).
For the walls and the roof the shapes tend to be a bit awkward but my general
process was as follows;
1. Measure and cut the shape out using a jigsaw
2. Place it in, ideally it is just a little too big so it wedges in
3. Use spray foam as ‘cement’ and fill in any gaps (using the gun grade foam)
This also worked on the ceiling, which saved having to prop the insulation panels
against the roof for ages while glue dried. Wedging it in and using the spray foam
was really quick.
Using the expanding foam as a fixant worked really well and was quick to do. The
box work (at the top of the photo) needed various pieces to be cut, slid in and
tessellated until it was full. I then used foam gun to fill in any gaps.
Gluing in the foam board insulation with the spray gun
Note: there are some areas of ducting, especially around the doors, which have
functional mechanisms in (locks/access to lighting etc) – just check you are not filling
something that one day you will need to access.. or you will have to spend half a day
trying to dig-out because the door no longer locks!
This is the van 70% insulated. At this point I have half applied the foil to the van.
Notice the slots in the foam around the electrical conduit. This could probably have
been less, but I eventually just filled it will foam gun in the end anyway.
The van is looking a bit of a mess at this time but don’t be disheartened – this is a
major preparation stage and, once finished, everything you do starts to make it
prettier!
An easy way to put up the foil insulation layer..
I used some old screws, pushing them through the foil and into the foam insulation
behind it; its super fast.
A whole load of these and the insulation is quite effectively attached. I then used
gaffa tape to seal up the edges.
Extreme cold insulation
Celotex (or similar polyiso insulating board) is not ideal for vans where the average
temperature will be lower than around 5°C (41°F).
About polyiso board: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyisocyanurate
In reality the key benefit of insulation is to prevent the van getting super hot and to
prevent condensation build-up on the metal; if you are operating in cold
temperatures for long periods then a heater is essential for your comfort – it also
prevents the van damping-out and allows your stuff to dry.
From personal experience I found that if the weather is cold outside and you do not
use a heater – eventually the van is going to get nearly as cold inside than out.
Insulation and its efficiency just slows the cycle-rate the heater has to come on and
off.
Better cold-weather insulation
XPS (extruded polystyrene) is a better performer (as are some others – see link
below) when it come to cold weather performance. XPS is not the most
environmentally friendly product to produce – however in a life-cycle analysis it may
be beneficial.
Insulation performance in cold weather:
http://www.owenscorning.com/NetworkShare/EIS/10019950-FOAMULAR-XPS-vs-
Poly-FAQ.pdf
Applying the cladding to the window side. I first screwed plywood strips to each end
(see where the cladding is screwed) and also in the middle. The cladding is fixed at
both ends with screws, and in the middle using cladding clips.
Cladding clips. They usually come in packs of 50 and include little nails. The spiky
projecting section shares the slot in the cladding’s groove and the nail goes in the
hole behind it as the fixing.
For the top of the van, as we have fixed points to fix the cladding to, (the block work
across the ceiling) you need to ensure the joins are on one of these bits of block
work.
The cladding I had was 3 long, about 40cm too short to go the full length of the roof.
For that reason I cut the cladding down to two lengths.
- One length from the Front to the Second-to-last block-work
- The other half the length from the Back to the Front join block-work
I started on one side of the van and worked my way over to the other. The way
cladding clips work mean you can only work one way!
Along the tongue of each piece of cladding I put a thin line of sealant glue. The idea
was to reduce any creaking and make it more solid. Either creaking sounds is not an
issue from the cladding, or it worked!
As I went I measured and cut holes for the roof eye-plates, lights and for the
extraction fan. This was done BEFORE I fixed the cladding up.
At the front of the van the curve the joint had to go through was a little too much so
I had to put one line of screws (on the non joined ends) to support the paneling
better.
I used some nice brass screws for this.
The front ‘end join’ of the cladding. I mostly screwed the non-joined cladding which
was enough to support the end-to-end joined cladding as it went through the curve.
Once done, I sanded the cladding down. I used P150 sandpaper.
Danish Oil
To finish the cladding I used Danish Oil. It is pretty good stuff.
Danish Oil protects the wood without making it too glossy. It makes it slightly darker
– but on the pine, not much.
I used Ronseal Danish Oil, I bought two 500ml cans. These two cans were enough for
my whole build.
To apply it, once you have given the cladding a rub down with sand paper, you just
use an old rag and wipe it on.
Leave it 6 hours, and repeat this until it has three coatings.
I unbolted this and took it out. It is pretty heavy so be careful when doing this.
I then cut it along a straight section (before it bulges in to the van to accommodate
the seats) – this is indicated by the pink dotted line above!
Then I bolted the bottom half back in to the van.
This gave me a useful structure to build my ‘new’ bulk head and sider unit to. I
started by bolting a piece of wood to the top edge of the bulkhead (living space
side).
This gives some extra space for the seats to go back in to. I made it so the driver seat
could slide back as far as it could and was moderately reclined. This should mean
that even if someone really tall drives the van it is still comfortable.
Above the bulkhead I built a shelf – this matches the added distance of the wood
bolted to the back of the bulkhead and, on these two parts I was able to build the
slider unit.
This is the basic construction of the slider unit. I over-ordered on the cladding so used
it for other parts of the build. This includes holding the sider panel – this panel will
open and close to allow access to the cab from inside the van.
This shows the van with most of the cladding finished. The wiring has been left
hanging out ready to be connected up to LEDs.
The new bulkhead is a little more completed.
Also, at the time I was working out the angles and sizes for the bed-side cupboards-
hence the wood and clamp on the right hand side.
Bed types
Aside from a fixed bed which has the advantages of maximizing storage, reducing
your daily admin but does remove a lot of ‘proper’ seating area.
Slide out bed
This popular and easy-to-build system uses two mattresses which serve as a back-of-
seat as well as the other half of a mattress.
To construct put the parts together you can put the slide part in before you screw
down the slats on the static section.
You can see an interesting implimentation of this system here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0elTKz5qhU
The finished kitchen unit. The cooker’s lid has been closed.
It features a solid mahogany kitchen top, redwood pine front, four draws with
limited oak flooring fronts.
My kitchen unit over hangs the step a little, people criticized this as being a bit
strange but I am really glad I did it. It has given me a couple of inches extra width in
my cupboards and, importantly, on my work top. Without this cooking would be that
little bit harder. It also means that the big recliner chair is, well big and you do not
feel squeezed against the kitchen unit.
The space it takes is essentially dead space.. but you cannot have it too close to the
door else you cannot reach the handle to open it!
Two 20 litre water containers, fresh water and waste, waste in to the Jerry can. Also
the big yellow LPG tank. The bungees work well keeping the water tanks in place.
I used a ratchet strap fixed-in to secure the LPG tank to the frame; a good idea from
the vandogtraveller website.
Water pump
There are a whole range if water pumps available.
I ordered this one – manufactured by Reich and it sits inside the tank to pump the
water out.
Using the gas canister and the two 20ltr containers I was able to precisely workout
how much space I could get away with using for my drawers.
Once done, I added panels to the back and sides to give it structural support.
Door
I made the door using 9mm ply and some old hinges I had from a previous project.
These were easy to adjust to make sure that the door swung correctly.
The door was just painted with some grey paint I got from Ikea, it turned out I should
have primed it, and it took about 8 coats to look good. It did the job, it looks good,
and I was not in the mind to loose time to go shopping for primer.
Kitchen top
I wanted a nice hardwood kitchen top – the sort you might have in a nice kitchen at
home! Fortunately I was able to find some reclaimed mahogany which used to be
part of some school book shelves.
I used two layers of these and after sanding them down, glued them together using
lots of G-clamps and a few screws for good measure.
Glueing!
Clamping!
Once done I cut the sides down to-size and cut the hole for the sink unit.. and then
spent a long time sanding.
I also used a scraper (cabinet makers use it for furniture) to get out some of the deep
scratches that unruly school children had left in the surface.
I saved some of the wood dust from sanding, mixed it in to some wood glue, and
used it as filler for any holes in the wood.
Treating the kitchen top
I used Danish Oil, the same oil I used for the rest of the van to treat the kitchen top.
A bit of online research suggested it is safe enough for food. Do check yourself based
on whatever you buy!
As the kitchen top is often wet I went to town on the Danish Oil – until it would no
longer take any more. It has worked really well so far!
The oil made the kitchen top quite a bit darker than the untreated mahogany, but it
works well with the tone of the redwood front and oak-flooring drawer fronts.
Two burners are useful, three would be unnecessary for my needs. The empty burner
space leaves a good area to leave a sponge! The electric tap is great – definitely
better better than getting a hand pump – these are apparently prone to failure
anyway.
Drawers
I found making the drawers really boring – but I liked the effect they had when
finished.
The photo below shows the basic drawer structure. Back, sides and a base. These are
glued and screwed to four blocks in the corners. The front is screwed on and is made
from wooden flooring.
Lastly the handle is an IKEA-bought handle I simply screwed on.
I got 45cm drawer runners and attached them to the bottom edges.
The drawer-side runner sits about 5mm from the front of the on the draw.
Inside the kitchen unit I added another upright to allow me to attach the drawer
runners and just spent some time attaching and adjusting them so they ran nicely.
To stop them sliding around when driving I use a bungee from the bottom to the top
drawer. This does not work perfectly but well enough.
Bungee to keep drawer still
I used Ikea drawer handles – they simply screw in and look super modern awesome
cool and stuff. I like them.
Extraction Fan
I cut a hole in the roof for the extraction fan – it has to sit within the runnels else the
rubber seal will not work. On a transit this means it is quite going to be central – but
that is OK the cooking unit is to the left a little anyway.
The extractor fan simply has to fit in to the hole and be screwed to the vent part. I
had to find some longer screws for it to reach. The added insulation and cladding
meant the screws that came with the unit were not quite long enough.
This was the mushroom vent I used:
I got it http://www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk/mushroom and it cost about
£30 / $45
It is one of the few 12V vents I could find online – and to be honest it is not the best
product. It is however quite discrete and aids the stealthy aspect of the van – most
other extraction fans look distinctly ‘caravanesque’ and therefore were not suitable.
They also tend to be a little on the expensive side.
It is quite loud however – there might be a way to dampen the noise it creates
against the woodwork – but for now I will just put up with it.
A fridge is fairly essential if you eat a lot of fresh meat, want to store soft
cheeses, fresh milk or require a cold beer at the end of the day. That, or if
you spend a lot of time in very hot places!
1. Thermoelectric Coolbox
2. Compressor Fridge
3. Gas Fridge
Which you choose will largely depend on your power system and what the
van is for. If you are living off-grid full time you will have different
requirements to use as a weekend van.
Thermoelectric cool boxes that run on the 12V system can be good
budget alternative to the more expensive options that follow. If you turn it
on in the day while the van becomes warmer (and you have plenty of
solar) it can just stay cool enough throughout the night.
If you have a decent solar & battery system (around 200W, 200AmpHours
or more) then you are probably good to run a fridge like this. A long spell
of warm & cloudy weather could be difficult to keep it running though.
This is probably the happy medium for most people who need a fridge; it
is easy to install – does not need external ventilation and has a reasonable
price point.
If you like to camp off-grid or away from campsite electricity, these fridges
offer you an alternative to compressor fridges. On the downside this type
of fridge requires ventilation through the external sidewall of your
campervan and needs to be level to work correctly.
Gas powered fridges do run silently – this is a big pro for those who sleep
lightly but they do have a more complicated installation process and
should be installed (or at minimum checked) by a qualified gas fitter.
If you need a fridge and have the budget these do allow you to run off-grid
long-term pretty effectively and if you are using refillable LPG then it is a
good value way to keep your food cool.
Best used for: Long-term van living, those with refillable LPG systems
Search for: 3 Way, Absorbtion Fridge, LPG/Propane fridge
Powered by Gas, 12v/24v DC and sometimes or 230v AC
Cools to: Below freezing – down to about -18°C
Power consumption: 50 – 75W
Price: Ranges from $400 to $850
Gas System
WARNING: Your gas system could kill you. I am not an expert so do not take this
advice without additional expertise. Get your gas system checked by a qualified gas
fitter. It is really worth it. Regulations in different countries will probably define
your system – find out what they are before starting!
ADVISORY: Install a Carbon Monoxide alarm and ideally a gas leak detector too.
Again, it is worth it.
My gas system is essentially as follows:
I used an 11kg refillable LPG gas tank. It is amazing!
Why LPG?
If you use propane/butane tanks you have to swap them to get them refilled. In
Europe at least, they can vary from country to country, meaning you have to have
more than one type in the van. Also, if you go further afield, you can end up with a
bashed up tank which you cannot swap when back home.
LPG however, is basically Autogas – some people power their cars on it and you can
fill it up at many garages throughout the world. Not all garages – but considering
how infrequently you will need to fill it up this really not a problem.
It cost me £11.50 ($16) to fill up my 11kg tank, and in the first three months I
estimate that I used about £1.50 ($2) of fuel. It is really cheap!
Regulator
Unique download ID 183102A1029b Copyright N.Murphy 2018 All rights reserved.
If you get a regulator like mine, to fit the regulator to the Gaslow tank you need a
thread adaptor piece adaptor like this.
I also used Gas PTFE Tape on all my screwed joints.
Filler hose
I bought the official filler hose for the Gaslow LPG tank. It is expensive but you know
it is going to do the job!
This is the position of the LPG filling point on my van. It is just above where I fill with
diesel which is convenient.
Shown is the UK LPG filler type, you can buy adaptors for other locations fairly
cheaply online.
What I bought:
§ Gas pipe (4 meters)
§ Pipe clips
§ T-joint
§ Elbow joint
§ Jubilee clips
§ Floor vent
Floor vent
You need a hole in the floor under your gas tank/system to allow any leaking gas a
chance to escape. If you want to be safety-conscious make the whole gas-area
sealed/air tight so that any leaking gas has only the drop-vent as a place to escape.
I drilled a hole through the van and used one of these vents, they are fairly widely
available if you search online for ‘campervan gas drop out vents’ or similar.
Heating System
You essentially have three options for heating your van; Gas, Diesel or Wood.
Heating takes a lot of energy and you won’t get enough from a solar system (that
you can fit on your roof) to heat your van – especially considering that on cooler
weather often you have less sun. So – electric heating is not an option.
Gas heaters; these work well in combination with a refillable propane or LPG tank.
They are not too expensive ($500 ish) and not to hard to install – ideally this is
installed by someone qualified to do so an at minimum checked by a gas engineer.
Diesel heaters: These generally need to be installed by someone who knows what
they are doing and cost around $1000 or more.
Both proper Gas and Diesel heater options takes air from outside, burns fuel and
vents the exhaust outside the van. Gas heaters that don’t can be dangerous!
Wood burners: Some care needs to be taken to avoid fire risk & carbon monoxide
poisoning but can be a cheap option that takes up quite a bit of space.
Diesel heater pros & cons
- Runs from diesel tank and on that basis you will not really run out of fuel
- Can be mounted entirely outside of the van so saving space
- Runs on thermostat
- Uses more electricity to run
- Needs servicing from time to time
- Fairly expensive
Gas heater pros & cons
- Cheap to run if using refillable LPG/Propane
- Fairly easy to install
- Runs on thermostat
- Fan can be a little noisy
Wood burner pros and cons
- Can scavenge to get free feul
- Takes up a lot of space
- Requires storage of wood inside the van (to keep dry)
- Requires finding/buying wood for burning
- Takes time to light/get going
- If in very cold weather, either you need to keep feeding it overnight or wake
up to a cold van
- Can make your entire life smell of wood-smoke
- Zero stealth
My heater
This is the heater I purchased;
It is a Heatsource HS2000, 12V, Single Outlet 2KW Gas Heater.
I got it as part of a full installation kit - this was handy as it came with all the fixings
necessary and I did not have to think too much when it came to installation!
Why this heater?
I wanted a heater that ran off the LPG gas and had an external flue. This Heatsource
2000 comes with a thermostat so it will cycle on and off overnight.
The heater is located under the plywood beside the LPG tank. You can just see the
ducting for the hot air.
The heater firstly needs to be connected to the 12V – so that goes through my fuse
box as normal.
The heater needs two holes going through the bottom of the van.
You cannot put it anywhere – under the van there are structural and functional
elements that mean you have to measure in from the edge of the van to work out
where it can be placed.
I first drilled a pilot hole to check I was in the right place. I wasn’t, so based on that
hole drilled another, marked out the final two holes for the heater inlet and exhaust.
These are the pipes (black inlet, chrome; exhaust) coming from the heater. As you
can see you cannot just put it anywhere!
I did not have a hole cutter for metal so you can see my style of hole cutting largely
revolves around drilling lots of holes in a circle! I spray foamed these holes once done
After connecting the inlet and exhaust pipes (as per the heater’s manual) attached
them under the van – making sure the inlet and outlet were, as instructed, not inside
a cavity under the van. I zip tied them in to place – drilling holes where necessary to
do so.
The ends are screwed in using clips that came as part of the fixing kit.
Battery system
What size battery?
Basically I aimed to be able to run off batteries, assuming no solar input, for 3 days.
No particular reason but I imagined that three days of really bad weather, parking in
the shade or whatever would be the most likely where I am going.
Basically the first thing you need to know is that you must not run your batteries
down under 50% of charge. This essentially shortens their useful life or, if you run
them right down, can destroy their ability to hold charge.
The size of the battery you need essentially depends on what you will be running off
it. To work out how much power you will need you just find out out the Watts for
each appliance and how long you will use it for.
A simple example:
LED lighting array = 5Watts
Hours used = 6 hours per day
Watt hours = 5 x 6 = 30
To convert this in to Amp Hours (which the battery is specified in) just divide it by
the voltage of your system; which will probably be 12V.
Therefore; 30/12 = 2.5 Amp hours.
If you had a 100 Amp Hour battery, based on using no more than 50% of charge:
(100 x 0.5) / 2.5 = 20 days.
If all you were running were these LEDs you could go 20 days without charging the
battery. However, you will probably be powering more than just some LEDs. Here is
the calculations I used.
Component Watts Hours of a day Watt Hours
LED Strip 3m 5 6 30
LED Lights 7.5 8 60
12v Cool Box 35 8 280
Laptop charger 79 1 79
Heater 16.8 5 84
533 Watt Hours
533 Watt Hours / 12V = 44.4 Amp Hours will be used per day
So if I want to be able to run for 3 days without any solar power coming in, I would
need to have 44.4 x 3 = 133 Amp Hours.
Based on going no lower than 50% of charge I just multiply this by two. On this basis
I will need 266 Amp Hours of battery.
I found a good deal on 140Amp Hour leisure batteries – so I got two of them. This
gave me 280 Amp Hours in total.
What type of battery?
I went for two Sealed Leisure Batteries. Leisure batteries are have a longer discharge
cycle to normal car batteries. Yes, they tend to be a bit more expensive but they are
the right batteries for the job.
Personally, I would not bother considering non-sealed batteries. Lithium Ion
batteries are super expensive – but also pretty cool if you have lots of cash to burn.
Keeping check on your batteries
Here is a useful table to tell you how charged your battery is based on it’s voltage.
Voltage Charge %
12.7 100%
12.5 90%
12.4 80%
12.3 70%
12.2 60%
12.0 50%
11.9 40%
11.75 30%
11.5 20%
11.31 10%
10.5 0%
Note that the voltage that displays on your voltmeter (or remote solar monitor)
tends to be inaccurate in the following circumstances;
§ Your solar panel is charging it (it will sometimes show as high as 14V in this
case)
§ You are drawing power to lights or other things
§ You have been doing the above in the last 20minutes or so
It basically takes a little while for the battery to ‘settle’ so you can get an accurate
idea of the charge.
Wiring the battery
Two ways to wire up your batteries. Series and parallel.
§ Parallel means you will use your two batteries at 12 Volts.
§ Series will double the voltage and the system will operate at 24 Volts.
Parallel battery wiring
I would generally suggest keeping to a 12V system. You can easily buy 12V lights
adaptors and appliances.
To wire the battery to the solar charge controller, and other charging it is better to
run across the two batteries not just one.
So drawing power, or inputting charge connect to the batteries as follows;
This means that the charge is added more evenly across the two batteries prolonging
their combined life-time.
Basically, because I have no appliances over 18 Amps (4.5 Amps is the most I have
seen go through the entire system – across lighting and appliances) so my cabling, at
1.5mm2 is a bit of over-kill. But that is OK, no harm in that!
Note; you will need much thicker wires for your split charge systems and linking up
the batteries (6mm2 or 8mm2). I would just buy a kit and fit it as instructed -
installation requirements depends on the type of split charge system you get.
Solid or Multicore?
Go for multicore, mostly because it will be easier to work with, and maybe it will be
more reliable in the long run. You can do most of your system (anything that does
not need an earth wire using twin multicore wire.
I used Solid as I could get 50m of it cheap. I did use flex for linking up to my switches
and a few other things that may get more movement.
Wiring Colours
Typically it is Brown for (+), Blue for (-) however in automotive wiring this is not
always the case.
I used Blue as (+) because at the time it seemed to be more of a positive colour J, it
does not make much difference – but I did write it clearly by my electronics panel
incase someone else needs to do work on the van.
Regulations
The UK is fairly chilled with regulations for your wiring (and gas) unless you plan to
hire it out.. for which it all needs to be certified. However if you are outside of the
UK it is likely be different.
It will be well worth checking the regulations in your country and what standards
your conversion will have to meet to be deemed insurable and safe.
It would be awful to have to rewire (or worse) re-do an entire van because of a
simple error!
Solar power is AMAZING. This single panel on the roof of my van easily gives two
people all the electricity that we need and, apart from the set-up, it is essentially
free forever.
Solar Basics
The solar system comprises of the following key components;
§ Solar panel
§ Cables
§ Solar Charge Controller
§ Batteries
§ Remote monitor
The solar power goes in to the panel, to the solar charge controller – which
intelligently distributes this power, either to the battery, or to your appliances that
you may be using.
The Solar Charge Controller (if you get a good one) also does a few other clever
things – like intelligent battery charging, preventing over voltage and maximising the
usable energy from your panel.
Types of panel
You could go into crazy amounts of technical detais – but there are two main types;
poly-crystaline and mono-cyrstaline.
Honestly, I did not care to research enough in to the difference, I do not think there
is enough of a difference to worry about and, in reality, for your van conversion it
does not matter too much. Just get something with enough Wattage and from a
reputable supplier.
Unique download ID 183102A1029b Copyright N.Murphy 2018 All rights reserved.
This is my one:
This panel is really designed to go on a roof. They assumed I wanted to order by the
pallet load.. but when I said I only needed one the supplier kindly posted one for
about £30 postage.
You can get all sorts of different panels; flexible glue on ones, a set of smaller panels
for an array… but I like simplicity and to have just one big panel works well in my
mind. It cost about £190 (including shipping).
How big do I make the solar panel array?
Basically, based on the calculation of Watt Hours of your power needs – just work
out how many useable sunlight hours you might have and divided the Watt Hours by
that. This will give you what you need for your solar system.
Sunlight hours 5 hrs
< Amount of output required per hour to
Energy required 533 Wh deliver Watt Hours
Div by sunlight <Watts delivered per hour - needed based
hours 106.6 W on above sunlight hours
So technically I need a 100W panel to serve my needs. However you sometimes get
cloudy periods, end up parking under trees and in winter, with shorter days and a
lower sun – you get harvest less power.
On that basis I want my panel to deliver 3x the above Wattage. Hence getting a
300W panel.
This means even if there is a week or so of bad weather, where only 30% of the
normal sunlight reaches the panel through the cloud my batteries will stay nice and
charged.
My system
I have a single 300W solar panel on the roof this is linked up to a 40Amp charge
controller. I use 2x 140AmpHr batteries.
Originally I bought a 10Amp charge controller – but I was quickly getting an ‘over
voltage’ warning. Over voltage is essentially damaging to your batteries.
When I bought the charge controller I had no idea that you have to get a charge
controller that matches the Wattage of your solar panel system. I didn’t realise there
would be such a variation in size for smaller systems.
Solar Charge Controller
Beware there are some cheap 'MPPT' solar charge controllers.. which just are not.
This is my one;
§ EP SOLAR Solar Charge Controller; 40 Amp MPPT
§ I think this is not a bad alternative; SOLAREPIC Solar Charge Controller, 40
Amp MPPT
In the US I think the Morning Star is a pretty popular choice – but best to do your
research based around which brands are available to you.
What size Solar Charge Controller?
To work out the Ampage solar charge controller you need you can use the following
basic formula;
(Solar-Panel-Wattage / Voltage) x 1.25 = Charge controller Ampage
The ‘x 1.25’ bit is just a bit of margin for safety.
For my system:
(300W / 12V)*1.25 = 31.25
I decided to just get a 40Amp charge controller. Perhaps more than I need but at
least I know for sure that it can easily handle my panel and prevent potential over
voltage.
I bolted the panel to the roof using four 6mm stainless steel bolts. Once tight, as the
nuts would be behind my gladding work, I used glue/sealant and spread it over and
around the nut inside the van to help keep it secure.
Hinge side – double nuts to make it more secure. I put a couple of stainless washers
between the two hinging ends.
Lift side (bolt holds bracket in place)
Bringing the cables inside
I used a junction box with a hole cut in the bottom to take the cables from the solar
panel into the van. This actually sits underneath the solar panel and I glued this on
with ample amounts of sealant.
The cables follow down one of the areas I left with a gap in the insulation for the
lights.
2 year update: I have not had to prop up the panel to get more sun.. but the hinge
has been useful for jet-washing/cleaning under the panel which got quite dirty.
Additional Cables
I needed to buy a couple extra cables to reach my solar charge controller. The cable
type you will probably need to search for is 'MC4' cables.
I bought a 3m pair of cables with the connectors already attached.
MC4 connectors
Invertor
This is my Pure Sine Invertor.
If you want to runs mains appliances off your 12V battery system you will need an
invertor.
The better invertors are ‘Pure Sine’ invertors. These supposedly have a better output
for sensitive electronic devices. My electronics; MacBook etc – are expensive so it
seemed worth it to have a decent invertor to reduce the chance of them becoming
damaged.
I simply connected the invertor directly to my main socket.
I got a nice chrome socket too – it looks good!
Split Charger
Another back-up power system I have not used!
I bought a split charge kit, wired it all in, apart from the bit where I just connect a
wire to the battery. Again the solar system is just too good.
That said, it is good to have it as a back up!
This is the basic circuit for the split charger:
I just bough a suitably sized split-charge kit from amazon and followed the
installation instructions.
Note; different split charge kits will have different installation requirements – do
check yours!
Some split chargers need connecting to the alternator or ignition line in the engine – I
would recommend (for your life simplicity) that you get one that just attaches to the
starter battery.
Depending on what you have, you will need different configurations – but this
should give you most of the information that you need to work out your own circuit.
A couple of notes on the above diagram;
§ It is recommended to have two fuses (one for each battery) I only put in one
for both
§ The Split charge set-up may differ depending on what you buy, if you buy a
kit it will normally come with instructions.
o Make sure the relay you buy is heavy weight enough for your van’s
alternator and battery set-up.
o I recommend getting a split-charge that does not need ignition or
alternator connection (i.e. it goes straight to the starter battery
positive and nowhere else on your engine). These are a little more
expensive but much easier to install.
§ I have not included the mains controller unit and breaker circuitry, this is very
easy to find online and, as it is mains power, and I am not an expert, I do not
feel comfortable giving too much hard advice
My circuit board. Note the Charge controller was too small and needed to be
changed for a 40Amp one in the end.
This is my 12V circuit board. Note that this is the 10Amp charge controller.. it was
too small (and it did not seem to work with the MT-50 remote monitor unit).
I used 1.5mm wire for most of the circuitry. For wires that needed more flexibility I
used multicore.
Ground
I drilled a hole in a bit of the metal work in the base of the van, sanded down around
it and bolted my earth wires to it.
Lighting
This is the lighting set-up I have used;
Essentially four lighting choices; front, back ceiling lights, side lights and a door light.
They are low profile so do not take more thickness than the 8mm wooden cladding.
They are have a rubber plug and simply push in to the wood. They are kind of small,
but they actually fit pretty well into the van design. They feel appropriate for the size
of the space.
Note: The second set of LEDs (from the front) are off-set to the side so they are not
directly over your head when cooking. If you are tall you might keep casting an
annoying shadow on what you are doing.
For the LED side lights I used these;
3M Warm Light LED Strip LEDS (5m roll)
You can find strip LEDs for van conversions online for extortionate prices! However
these cost £30 ($45) and 5 meters was more than I needed.
They do use quite a bit of power, perhaps more expensive ones use less, but the
solar system can easily handle them. Plus the feel of them in the evenings, compared
to the ceiling lights are so worth it!
The LED side lights in situ – I have pulled back the fabric panel to show them.
The reel of LEDs comes with a connector – but only one. I found I was able to
connect my strip LED to a chocolate box by splitting the contact and screwing the
chocolate box on to it. So far, so good!
Flooring
The useable flooring space was pretty small for my van design. I bought some Oak
laminate flooring and some Gorilla (strong) glue in a tube.
This stuff is really easy to lay, you just measure the length, cut it, lay it down and use
the offcut as the start of the next section.
I needed just under 2m2 for my build, including the draw fronts! It only cost £35 (well
it would have if I did not accidently order twice as much as I needed).
The depth of the oak flooring acts as a stop for my food drawers.
Notice the wear on the laminate flooring, this was because the edges of the bottom
of the crates were quite rough – I have now rounded them off and they do not seem
to mark the laminate too much. Either way I am careful when sliding the, in and out.
If I was to do it again I might get solid wood flooring, or the type where there is 5mm
thickness of real wood so wear is not so much of an issue.
Aluminum Edging
I bought this aluminum edging and cutting it to size created a protective edging. I
glued and screwed this down to the flooring (it is screwed into the original block
work I put down when I insulated the floor).
The edging. I also put some wood at the back of the step – it just hides some of the
white metal work.
Door matt
I got a simple design door matt from Ikea and cut it down to size. This I glued down
with ample amounts of Sikaflex to the metal step.
The doormat (one cut in to strips) looks great and fits nicely with the colours and
design of the van.
Mug on redwood pine sill
Sides
The sides, at each end these are angled – to work it out was tricky – but when you
get it right and they fit in it looks great.
At the top outside corner I cut a profile to match the blind when it is installed. The
blind will run behind the side piece.
I cut profile at the bottom of both sides to allow the blind to run behind it and allow
it to ‘lock’ in.
Top
The top part, as you cannot really see the under-side I simply screwed it in to the
woodwork above it.
Black out blind
There is no point in making a stealthy van if lots of light escapes and clearly shows
off your presence! Plus I like darkness in the mornings if I want to sleep in.
By sheer coincidence the width I needed was 123cm and Ikea sells a suitable black
out blind of that exact width!
I screwed the blind onto the top of the window frame, after I glued the two sides in
and the window was finished!
The black out blind (not all the way down) it works well
I spray glued and staple gunned the insulation to the wooden panel. It is 1.5cm
narrower than the slider area to make it easier to use.
Then I applied the canvas image – this is a photo of Yosemite – where some of my
longer term climbing goals are. Using a liberal amount of spray-glue on the wood
and carefully, from one side smoothing and rolling the image on to the wood.
The canvas photo was purchased online and it was bought without a frame for about
£50.
I then put on the auto carpet – also stapled on the sides and glued.
Adding the handle was pretty easy (the holes in the wood were pre drilled). I used a
scalpel to cut the hole in the canvas for the bolts to go through.
Fixing the slider in the ‘up’ position
The slider is fairly heavy and I originally added two push-fit clips to the top of it.
These mostly holds it up, but not with vibration of driving. So I just have a bolt that I
slide in - behind the recliner seat which locks the panel in place.
I leave a neodymium magnet on the back of the bolt so I can just attach it to a screw
when it is not in use.
Bolt that stops the slider moving, and right – a magnet holding it to a bolt so it does
not get lost.
I was really happy with the slider aspect of the design. It has worked really well and
being able to use the cab as an isolated place to dry towels or to heat the solar
shower has been useful.
I broke my leg and the plastic boot I had to walk in got fairly smelly – it was nice to
be able to get it out of the living space at night! Same goes for climbing shoes
sometimes!
Slider handle – just bought from a DIY store. Screws in from the back. See push fit
clips above the handle.
Bed-side Cupboards
They rise above the bed (about 3 inches on the bed-side edge) and include the full
height of the mattress. It is easily enough for two people’s clothes (assuming they
know how to pack) and more.
The design is actually pretty awesome; it means you can put a pillow against it and
turn it in to a comfortable place to sit.
I have actually had four people sitting comfortably along this to watch a film. I used
mahogany – just because I had it – it presented some added challenges. I think using
22mm birch-faced ply (or similar) would have been easier – and you could get a nice
effect.
I originally planned on having four flap lids but in the end I went for two. It is better
this way as you can see more inside. I did not put dividers in the cupboards. I use it
for clothes and I used cheap Ikea fabric dividers which have worked well so far.
At the ends of the unit I used some bent-open brackets to secure it – before
screwing on the end-pieces, and glueing the edges together for structural support.
The handles, from Hefele, were kind of pricey (£40 delivered) but they look great.
The cupboard also has my main light switches. This is nice as you do not have to
leave bed to turn them on. I tend to just use my toes to do so! The switch layout is
designed to avoid needing labels.
Switches. Front LEDs, Back LEDS and, separated; side light LEDs.
In the middle, and at the end of the cupboard I have put double USB plugs.
This means you can have your phone or other device charging at a place you can
easily reach it to kill that damn alarm..
This photos shows the end piece. This adds to the structural support of the metal
brackets I fixed inside the cupboards. Another USB point is fitted here.
It took a while to find a suitable cabinet – in the end I found this one on Amazon.
It works really well, to open the cabinet you push the button, and when you close it,
it locks shut on a magnet. It is nice to have a mirror directly above the sink.
This I screwed into two uprights (each side of the unit) and, in turn, screwed these in
to the wooden block work.
I added these two pieces of work to the bottom of the cupboard areas. This is
because the doors need to be a little higher than the shelf to stop them getting
blocked by stuff on the shelf.
Wood under the doors giving clearance for the shelf
Using cladding and spare wood I made the doors to fit – cutting out the hinge profile
to keep them tidy.
Cut out hinge profile. The wood the hinges are screwed into was offset to the right of
the edge of the cladding.
Cupboard door construction – basically using left over wood!
Although you can find all sorts of fancy push-button cupboard door handles I just
went for a couple of locking slider bolts.
I think the brass looks good on the pine and I aligned them to the push button on the
bathroom cabinet.
Some have thought the yellow under side part to be a strange colour choice, but this
creates a nice warm glow when reflecting the side lights.
To hold the panels first I attached some upright batons to the van. These were
screwed in directly to the metal work.
Upright batons
I then screwed on a narrow strip of wood for the LEDs to sit on and created a way to
attach the panels to the wall.
The length of the overlap of the top panel over the bottom panel was based on the
eye-line angle. I did not want you to be able to directly see the LEDs without really
going to some effort.
This also means that the light is all reflected off the yellow fabric - it is amazing!
Below shows the panels in place (as I checked them for size). I just screwed them up
- temporarily - to do this. It is always good to double check things!
Spray glue, apply foam, turn over.
Staple down, cut off excess.
Srapy glue on to foam, put on the fabric/smooth down, turn over
Staple fabric (evenly) and cut off excess.
The yellow panels either slotted behind the cupboard unit, or were screwed on
(screws where they would be not seen).
Note: Be careful when screwing these on if going through the fabric/foam; I found
that one time the screw bunched up and ripped the foam inside – making it uneven
and a bit messy. It was hard to sort out!
Plastic pipe clips & electrical pipe. The pipe is screwed in through the ply in to
the dowel inside the pipe. The pipe can now just ‘pop’ on to the clip. A
maintenance dream!
Unique download ID 183102A1029b Copyright N.Murphy 2018 All rights reserved.
It has a flap lid that stops odors escaping. It is not too big which means you will
empty it often enough to stop it smelling too bad.
Simply I made this slot for it in the corner. I screwed a couple of blocks of wood in –
tight to the bin. Now the bin push-fits in and does not move.
I do not tend to put big bits of rubbish in this bin – just finding a bin for them during
the day. It is most used during cooking for food waste or other bits and pieces.
Bin in situ and, right, the blocks that wedge the bin in to place.
Door light
I had a spare LED due to an over-ordering mistake.
I decided to add a door light – basically a light by the door that you can easily switch
on if you need to see in to the van. It has turned out to be a useful light for watching
movies or other activities where the main lights can feel a bit bright.
Luckily, because I installed conduit, I was able to push another wire through (over
the roof – which was now fully clad) and was able to have an independently
controlled light.
The recliner chair, not the best photo!
The base of the chair is in two parts. They can be removed independently to access
various areas for potential maintenance reasons.
I simply stapled the fabric to the base parts. Perhaps not the best solution and in the
future I may re-upholster the chair with separate cushions – but for now it works.
Not my best work.. but it is effective!
The back is an independent cushion with a shape that works in a reclined position. I
have a sleeping bag I store behind it to keep it in place. It’s a good place to put the
sleeping bag and serves a purpose.
Sound system
I looked in to fancy sound systems but it got fairly complicated and expensive;
needing amplifiers, speakers, Bluetooth modules.. and honestly I do like music but
adding this technology was going to cost about £400 if it is was going to be of good
quality.
On top of that there is a space aspect, where will the speakers go? Where will they
even look good in my ‘simple and clean’ design?
In the end I decided not to bother. I did not really want to put in technology that
might just go out of date – or require more maintenance.
The simple solution is simply to buy some USB charged Bluetooth speakers. I think
this is better for the following reasons;
§ They can deliver great quality sound
§ You can use them on your adventures
§ Powered by USB – simple is always good!
§ Can connect to your phone
§ If it breaks – it does not affect the van build
§ You can move it around the van as you wish
§ Technology goes out of date? it doesn’t matter
For me it was a relief not to have to think about an inbuilt sound system and this
solution is by far better.
I got these Taotronic speakers for about £40 ($55) and they work well!
I can also recommend the JBL Clip4 (waterproof) – amazing sound & portability.
The total cost is less than just the amplifier component of an inbuilt sound system –
and these are more than enough for the space of the van.
Safety
Safety is cool kids!
I recommend having a gas leak detector, a carbon monoxide detector and a fire
extinguisher at minimum.
I put my Carbon Monoxide detector under the chair.
Under the chair, with some of my plug sockets.
My fire extinguisher has it’s own little alcove – it feels out the way (but easily in
reach) and does not affect the over all look of the van very much.
I say it again; get your systems checked by people who know what they are doing!
Your life is worth it.
Gas leak detector; these cost around $10-15 and is a sensible investment!
Finishing touches
Here are a bunch of my finishing touches!
Redwood details
The head end of the bed has this redwood piece I cut to make a nice shape.. perfect
for lounging over while looking at a nice view!
The other end has a red-wood plank too – as does the shelf, the window sill and the
front of the kitchen unit. It is a nice touch that accentuates key parts of the build
away from the standard pine colour.
Aluminum edging
I had a spare bit of this edging, putting it at the back protects the wood from sliding
things in and out
Unique download ID 183102A1029b Copyright N.Murphy 2018 All rights reserved.
Fake plants
I got some fake plants from Ikea.. they look nice (people are often fooled) but at the
same time they do not increase the humidity of the van.
Retro style fan switch
I got this chunky toggle switch for the fan – it looks cool and feels nice to use.
I used an off-cut of the Aluminium floor edging for the plate the switch sits on. I had
to sand it down to give it the brushed appearance.
Pull handle
I got rid of the ugly plastic handles that came with the doors long ago, however the
second door is really hard to close without a handle.
I used some climbing sling folded over and screwed in to make a simple handle to
shut the door from the inside with.
Bulkhead table store
I put auto carpet in to this space instead of just covering it up, then I found this table
– it is good for doing work while in the van. It also fits perfectly in the hole behind
the kitchen unit.
Table storage!
Hammock
Because, hammocks! (You can also use these points inside the van to attach to a tree
outside the van)
Edging
It is hard to make everything match up precisely on all edges with the shape of the
van.. so you can use this edging material to tidy up or cover up screws. Mostly I just
tacked it on with panel pins or glued it on.
The aesthetic difference is subtle but it adds up to improve the over-all effect.
Extraction fan
It is a bit noisy – perhaps there is a better solution – without losing too much stealth
element.
*2 YEARS-IN UPDATE* It is fine! Quite happy with this solution despite it’s noise.
Electronics
UK
USA
Fuse box https://amzn.to/2pCaiJM https://amzn.to/2pLST1H
LEDs https://goo.gl/G6fDM1 https://amzn.to/2C2UHe2
LED Strips https://amzn.to/2ODcT4B https://amzn.to/2pEaqZm
USB Sockets https://amzn.to/2OFcxdK https://amzn.to/2RxYmG2
Three in one socket https://amzn.to/2OF4ayD https://amzn.to/2pHirg1
Invertor https://amzn.to/2OIUx26 https://amzn.to/2BXeoDX
Pure Sine Invertor
(recommended) https://amzn.to/2O7EM5j https://amzn.to/2C01yoc
Isolation switches https://amzn.to/2O7F9gd https://amzn.to/2pLTgJD
Best bluetooth
speaker https://amzn.to/2OHESjx https://amzn.to/2BZeXwY
Vents & other UK
USA
Roof vent https://amzn.to/2OG7IR9 https://amzn.to/2PlcbpP
Windows https://amzn.to/2RwCvOT https://amzn.to/2RCdFxo
Monoxide detector https://amzn.to/2OIIphr https://amzn.to/2Pekqnn
Gas detector https://amzn.to/2OFAstr https://amzn.to/2C08oKv
Extinguisher https://amzn.to/2PmvqiM https://amzn.to/2zVRStP
Battery charger https://amzn.to/2PhsN1y https://amzn.to/2Rwfn3g
Heating
UK
USA
Heater Deisel https://amzn.to/2ODZY2g https://amzn.to/2pGmpFX
Heater Propane https://amzn.to/2OHG2LV Not avail on amazon
Cooking UK
USA
Cooker https://amzn.to/2OITrTK https://amzn.to/2zVuxbp
Tools
UK
USA
Cross cut https://amzn.to/2OJg7Ds https://amzn.to/2yioDz1
Drill https://amzn.to/2y5rfRz https://amzn.to/2pE1SSh
Power screwdriver
+ 2 batteries https://amzn.to/2OIVHdR https://amzn.to/2PiNv18
Jig saw https://amzn.to/2OEYeWu https://amzn.to/2C053eu
Respirator/mask https://amzn.to/2yjt3Ws https://amzn.to/2RuHkZ4
Foam gun https://amzn.to/2O98xmm https://amzn.to/2RtCwDo
Note; I have tried to find near-product alternatives where possible for the US. Also,
these are affiliate links so using them might send a few $ my way.
Cladding shorter (sides & doors) 94 x 1800 (5 pack) x11 £81 Wickes
http://www.harrisonstrimsupplies.co.uk/easyline
Autocarpet Grey 6sq meters £49
r-van-lining-carpet-10-c.asp
Sikaflex 221 4 x 300ml £35 uksealants.co.uk
Stainless steal bolts & solar fxing Various £20 Hardware store
Foam covering of boards 5mm foam £20 https://www.anyfoam.co.uk/
Corner
Metal fixings plates/brackets £10 Trago Mills
More wood - 2 sheets thin ply, 1
sheet 9mm, battons and planks £90
Blue/grey Fabric Upholstry Fabric 4m £90 textileexpressfabrics.co.uk
Yellow Upholstery
Yellow Fabric Fabric FM4840 4.5m £77 FabricMills.co.uk
Ikea £60 Various bits and pieces
Home base - box, hinges, wood £30 Homebase
More Blockword wood £40 Travis Perkins
Redwood pine, Slats, Other wood
baton & edging £150 Travis Perkins
Screws / Nails £25 Travis Perkins
More wood £60 Travis Perkins
Yet more wood £75 Travis Perkins
Fire extinguisher, bungee, tube
of, glue, ratchet strap, various
bits £80 Trago Mills / Easy to find online
Sub Total £1,666
Total £4,332
Wood
You are probably going to need a couple of times more wood than you think.. every
time I went shopping for the bock work or other wood supplies I bought more than I
thought I would need.. and yet I still have to do a few more trips.
Tools
The main power tools I used were;
§ Jig Saw (Wood and Metal Blades)
§ Power drill & drill bits; full range, plus spade drills and hole cutters
§ Battery drill; for the endless amounts of screwing
§ Circular saw: not really necessary
§ Disc sander: again useful, but not necessary
Other tools that you pretty-much need;
§ Ear defenders, eye protection & dust mask – (not handy, essential)
§ Hammer
§ Foam gun
§ Metal file
§ Pliers
§ Wire Strippers
§ Wire Cutters
§ Volt Meter
§ Tennon saw (not really necessary)
§ Sand paper 150 grade
§ Screw drivers (electrics)
§ Needle nose pliers (to hold little nails for hammering through cladding clips)