[Probes]

Holy shit Adam, nice job/boudvoure, prime  vaggen.

[Andy B]

We have a drive away awning for our van which we have hardly ever used, because to use it securely you need to be on a campsite, which defeats one of our reasons for having a van, ie. not being limited to camp sites or paying camping costs.

I agree, but as we will be spending a little more time on camp-sites given my new found status as a family man, bring on the big tenty thing to store all our crap in whilst on a climbing/biking/schmooling tour of southern France in September. If you don't use yours and want rid of it, I'll buy it off you Andy!

I suspect you already have an awning by now, but as our van has been nicked, the awning is now for sale to anyone who wants it. I've no idea how much they cost so make me an offer and it'll probably be yours.

[account_inactive]

Worth speaking to Ben P.  He'll want for his van now that we have bought one

[RichK]

Hi all, advice needed. I'm wanting to power/charge a laptop in the van, it has a leisure battery & a few 12v cig sockets. There are inverters out there that will do the job (i think) but I'm wondering how safe they are with a laptop & I'm wary of blowing van fuses etc. Yep,my electrics knowledge is rubbish. This sort of thing seems to get good reviews;
 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-AC-Anywhere-Power-Inverter/dp/B000HEYTR4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It'll be mainly for long trips/rainy nights watching the odd DVD when spirits are low. Wondering how much juice a 2 hour charge(Film length) would use. I guess it will depend on how much driving/re-charge time the aux battery gets when driving??

Any words of wisdom?   




 

[Paul B]

I used a Black and Decker 400W inverter without issue for 6 months, didn't blow a fuse once and I used it on the leisure battery and through the cig lighter.

[account_inactive]

Try to avoid using inverters as much as possible as they drain the battery fast stepping up the voltage to 230/240 and then back down for the computer etc.  I have a leisure battery and an relay to keep it charged but run most things off 12v.  Most laptops and phones will have a 12v charger so buy one of those and then plum in some new cigarette 12v's from the leisure battery

[ben]

as Dylan says, no point converts 12v up to 230v with an inverter and then using a laptop mains adaptor to bring it back down to 9v or so, just convert DC-DC.  If you have a read on your laptop adaptor it'll tell you want voltage&current output it is. I have one of these for a tenner >>
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=228639
Set your voltage output and it has a range of plug types to fit different latops/radios/etc.  ideal for van usage

[Paul B]

Try to avoid using inverters as much as possible as they drain the battery fast stepping up the voltage to 230/240 and then back down for the computer etc.  I have a leisure battery and an relay to keep it charged but run most things off 12v.  Most laptops and phones will have a 12v charger so buy one of those and then plum in some new cigarette 12v's from the leisure battery

the problem is if you go down this line you need a tonne of different chargers that all add up to extra dosh.

Ben's suggestion sounds much better to me. However like I said I didn't have any problems keeping things charged just using the inverter and I don't think I drained my leisure battery completely, once.

[account_inactive]

A decent 400w inverter is around £70.  You can get a laptop 12v charger for about £10 max.  How many devices do you have!

[Paul B]

oh come on if you're paying that for an inverter then you're a mug. I had it from the old van where I'd wired the electronics so that the sockets (already in) could work with either the hook up or the inverter. It cost me 19.99 and I've got at least two devices that I used it with. Phone, DSLR battery charger, Laptop etc. Plus if you use McD's wifi then you'll want the mains plug while you're in there...
By limiting the amount we took with us I think we made the van infinitely more comfortable and easy to live in for extended periods of time. Do you really want to carry two of every charging cable?
Like I said before Bens suggestion seems spot on, cable klepto Dylogs does not.

[account_inactive]

whatever girlfriend

[Andy B]

The awning is still available if anybody wants one.

[SA Chris]

Anyone got any innovative ideas for sleeping space for a little one in a "snug" campervan? 3 months now, but will likely be a couple of months older before we start using the van for sleeping.

[RichK]

Thanks for your tips chaps.

Think this is the way I'll go;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kensington-Ultra-Portable-Power-Inverter/dp/B000HEW0KM/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

[ChrisC]

Have just finished insulating and carpeting a T5, and now have a Cannons Forge RnR bed installed - they seem excellent by the way.. 

The one nagging thing I can't decide on is whether I should have put a vapor barrier between the ply and the insulation.    Opinions seem to be divided. 

I've used a layer of foil bubble wrap against the metal, followed by recycled plastic bottle insulation, then the carpeted ply panels.  On the one hand a vapor barrier is going to prevent moist air from getting to the colder surfaces and condensing, how ever its also going to prevent air flow from traveling through the insulated cavities and out the vents at the rear which also seems important for getting moist air out of the van.  Currently I've not bothered, but now's the time to put one in if required, before I get fitting the kitchen.  Anyone got any real experience either way of this, in particular bad experiences of not putting one in?

I'd also echo the thoughts about using 12v instead of an inverter where possible, especially if parked up in one place for a while.

[Paul B]

One thing our van doesn't have is good insulation. I retro stripped all the panels I could get to but in reality that probably came to around 1/3rd in total. Consequently we don't have a great deal of insulation. What we did have was window insulation which I think made a big difference. Just sat in it before we left you could feel the diference these made to the van, they also made it very dark.
We didn't really suffer from condensation. Even with the roof up, we only got enough condensation on the Alu frame to cause a problem i.e. drip once or twice. The majority of the condensation seems to occur in the cab and there's not a lot you can do about that.
I'm not completely convinced by van insulating after this as I was umming and ahhing whether or not the van was worth buying because it appeared the previous owners had skipped what I saw as the first thing to do.
In reality it seemed no worse  (temperature wise) than others vans in which we had coffee etc. We weren't even in sleeping bags, just an ikea thick winter duvet!

[ChrisC]

Cheers Paul.  That makes sense to me, basically given enough time then a van with no heat in is going to cool to the temp of the air outside (assuming its colder), insulation is only going to slow that process down.  Similarly with the sun I guess, it'll help keep it cool in the morning sun, but given long enough then its going to get warmer...  Stick a gas / diesel heater in there and I guess it'll be of much more use then though.  Either way it has had the added benefit of making the ride much quieter now

My main worry is condensation getting 'stuck' in the fluffy insulation and going manky and starting to smell.  Dunno if that can happen with the plastic bottle stuff or not.  Also I guess damp insulation and metal are not ideal, but its not like its bare untreated metalwork so I 'm thinking that should be ok.

[Paul B]

I think its got its place but it needs to be done to the level of Bonjoy to make it worthwile IMO.

One thing Dan mentioned is that his diesel heater made the air very dry. I used to have a propex in the previous van which was great. I was thinking of fitting one to this van, it would have made it more comfortable for just sitting around in but with the van already being fitted out etc. there was nowhhere appropriate left to do so.

[butters]

I haven't bothered with a vapour layer on my install - just put in 25mm Celotex under the floor, 25\50mm Celotex board in the sides and multiple layers of silver bubble wrap for the roof. As you say opinions are divided on this matter but I really can't see that there is going to be that much of an issue with vapour getting trapped. As Paul said the main area that you are going to be losing heat is via the windows which is also where you get the majority of the condensation issues and you can soon resolve those by getting a few packets of Silica Gel and leaving them on the dash board overnight.

[El Mocho]

Anyone got any innovative ideas for sleeping space for a little one in a "snug" campervan? 3 months now, but will likely be a couple of months older before we start using the van for sleeping.

Hey Chris,

We have snug camper van, kid and a dog so its pretty tight!

We bought a 'hamock' thing for May off some VW camper website (dont remember which though sorry) cost bout £50. It is 2 telescopic poles which (after screwing on 4 brackets) goes across the van (above our bed) and between the poles is a canvass sheet. May is then suspended directly above us so it is pretty easy when she wakes in the night. They are designed to go in the cab (across van above the seats/stearing wheel) so if you have tall cuboards in the back you can fit it in the front (also claimed they can sleep adults in them)

If you struggling to find info on web can send you pics or maybe find who we bought it from...

[SA Chris]

Cheers Ben, sounds good. What age was May using that from and until?

Is it this type?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Volkswagen-T4-Kids-Campervan-Cab-Bunk_W0QQitemZ220564771231QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxq20100304?IMSfp=TL100304214002r11455

or more like this

http://www.justkampers.com/shop/type_2_bay/type-2-bay-vehicle-accessories/interior-accessories/beds-bunks/cab-child-bunk-storage-j11825.html

[SA Chris]

Price of this one is quite amusing
http://www.swcampers.co.uk/index.php/camper-t4-vw-t5-van-styling-customising/t4-vw-t5-camper-van-cab-bunk

[butters]

Just found this link on the Brickyard re: hammock things - I haven't investigated further but it might be of use.

[SA Chris]

excellent. And considerably better priced than the SW campers one. Cheers.

[El Mocho]

Looks like the one in the second link, but as the first link has gone I can't be sure. May is still using it now (coming up to 4) and first started using it around 6 months? I think we rigged some way that she couldn't fall out of it.

The justcampers one is better than bluebrads link for us as we don't have a vw (so might not fit) and because we use it in the back of the van, also it looks a fair bit wider so May can tun over easier and hopefully keep using it for plenty more years (although we may move it to the cab to give her and us a bit more headroom now she is a little older)