Crazy German Van! (1 Viewer)

Armytwowheels

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Aug 10, 2012
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For those of you that know us, this is Sandra talking, himself is away working. I feel I have to clarify this when there is anything technical involved!

The new (to us ) van has a few oddities that have been defying my logic (female brain).

1. There are two leisure batteries but they are not connected, one powers the hab, the other is solely wired to a small inverter.

2. The 125w solar panel is wired solely to the battery that powers the inverter.

3. This one is very strange - the controller box for the solar panel is fitted in an outside locker. I mean crazy or what, how is one supposed to check it 50 or 60 times a day and don't deny that most of you techie types do that!?

4. Mr Deffleths saw fit to put the bathroom mirror over the window meaning I have a good view of the top of my head! If I stand in my tip toes I can see my eyebrows too. :doh:

4. Mr Deffleths also thought triangle shaped cupboards where are good design, nothing fits........arrrrrr!

Other than that Nessy the Monster Van to fab. :clap2:
 

Johnnyb

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Jan 21, 2015
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Could the mirror possibly angle down from the top if pulled? Don't blame me if you rip it from the wall though :whistle:

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Les

Apr 18, 2008
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Like look of new van,guess that the solar charged battery is wired so that if inverter flattens battery then you still have power from other one charging via 240v on hook up and van when running.
Opportunity for Colin when he's back.
Les
 
Feb 22, 2008
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All German vans are made for giants!! us shorties have to carry a footstool. June ( my adored wife) calls them chuck and duck vans!! she throws things in the cupboards and ducks when they fall out!! :Eeek::Eeek::Eeek:

Dont totally agree, our Hymer B544, oldie but goodie is brilliant, we were quite surprised with the design and fit following the space and facilities in our RV , which has to go :crying:
 

Popeye

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For those of you that know us, this is Sandra talking, himself is away working. I feel I have to clarify this when there is anything technical involved!

Sandra me dearest sweetest (Blondest) luuurver, those that know you do NOT need you to explain that if it is Techie problem then it is you that is posting......:imoutahere:
 
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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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All German vans are made for giants!! us shorties have to carry a footstool. June ( my adored wife) calls them chuck and duck vans!! she throws things in the cupboards and ducks when they fall out!! :Eeek::Eeek::Eeek:
I like that - Chuck and Duck - definitely describes my method of storing stuff in the overhead lockers, keeps you on your toes when you first pitch up!
 
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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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Sandra me dearest sweetest (Blondest) luuurver, those that know you do NOT need you to explain that if it is Techie problem then it is you that is posting......:imoutahere:
I only have one thing to say to you - in fact no you will have to visualise it - winding up my middle finger to you! :lips::moon2:

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Ethle the wondervan

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You have one of the bestest MH's ever made with everything designed to perfection and you find things to moan about!?

You wouldn't want the bathroom mirror on the floor would you?

Would You!!!!?? :)
 

Movinon

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I've had several utterly different (layout, manufacturer, base vehicle) motorhomes in my time, and every one of them suffered from unnecessary faults which could have been spotted early on if the people designing them had actually had any practical motorhoming experience instead of simply working to a brief which was clearly aimed at saving money and making them look good in a showroom. Dangerous lighting, sharp edges, poor ground clearance, inadequate insulation, switches badly positioned, poor ventilation, inaccessible equipment. The perfect motorhome hasn't yet been built, at any price. Nowadays I tend to buy cheap and spend some of the savings on the inevitable necessary improvements.
 

scousebird

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4. Mr Deffleths saw fit to put the bathroom mirror over the window meaning I have a good view of the top of my head! If I stand in my tip toes I can see my eyebrows too. :doh:

I can think of 2 possible solutions:

1. Buy a pair of stackies and leave them in the bathroom for mirror use
2. We'll put you on the rack and stretch you a bit (y)
 

scousebird

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I have to say that our bathroom mirror is so close to the outside wall that i have to open the window to comb my hair! Other wise i come out of the bathroom and comb my hair using the reflection in the microwave door :D
 
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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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You have one of the bestest MH's ever made with everything designed to perfection and you find things to moan about!?

You wouldn't want the bathroom mirror on the floor would you?

Would You!!!!?? :)

I could admire my new shoes if it was on the floor, but still not do my hair or put my lippy on!

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hilldweller

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1. There are two leisure batteries but they are not connected, one powers the hab, the other is solely wired to a small inverter.
2. The 125w solar panel is wired solely to the battery that powers the inverter.

If that is the way the owner wanted it, why not. Are you sure there is no linked charger module that charges the leisure battery from the invertor battery ?

Maybe they had medical uses for 240V, as some FUNsters do, and dedicated the invertor to safe medical supply.

You rewire to suit yourself, it's not rocket science.

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JeanLuc

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As it's a Dethleffs, would I be right in thinking that it has a Schaudt EBL charging system? If so, they may have followed the Schaudt advice which is to supply an inverter from a dedicated battery. Not what I have done but mine has the earlier EBL99. I have wired the inverter directly to the two in-parallel leisure batteries as most people do. Later EBLs may be more sensitive to the issue of the inverter taking current from the leisure batteries (when one is wire direct) which the EBL is unable to monitor. This can lead to unexpected shut-down of the 12v system by the EBL so I understand.
Read the attached for the explanation in the Schaudt catalogue. You will note that this installation normally requires an additional charger to charge the inverter battery when on 230V. A Schaudt LAS1218 would be the item used. Perhaps the previous owner decided to forego the extra charger and rely on a solar panel instead?

upload_2015-7-22_13-37-1.png
 

ojibway

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Our 2004 Westfalia James Cook is the result of many years development and improvement since the original came out way back. Design wise it is as good as you can get - almost.
A visual design improvement to the over the kitchen cupboard, using a sliding up tambour door results in loss of depth behind to accommodate the door - about 50mm!:(
On the other hand, the bathroom sink has had a large cabinet added below (with a tambour door) which is great.(y)
Oh, and there is a huge mirror, sink to ceiling and full width!:whistle:

However

The James Cook was completely redesigned in 2006 on the new Sprinter base and was a design disaster (IMHO)!
Don't get me wrong, it looks gorgeous and is no longer U-boot grey inside. Instead it has white leather upholstery and wall covering.
But all that has been learned over the years has been chucked out the window. Amongst other things, the bathroom is tiny and the loo cassette is very difficult to get at if you have stuff stored in the back. It only takes Campingaz bottles (stored in the bathroom)!
It even had a TRIANGULAR fridge:rollingeyes::rollingeyes::rollingeyes: - for your Toblerone?::bigsmile:

Westfalia has since changed hands and no longer does a James Cook.
 
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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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Thanks JeanLuc. I will pass this on to Colin when he is back. I expect he is going do as you have done and rewire the batteries inline. The solar control is not big enough to cope with the extra solar we will be adding anyway (or so I am told).

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JeanLuc

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Thanks JeanLuc. I will pass this on to Colin when he is back. I expect he is going do as you have done and rewire the batteries inline. The solar control is not big enough to cope with the extra solar we will be adding anyway (or so I am told).
Don't forget, if the van does have a Schaudt system, that there are advantages in using the Schaudt solar regulator. Indeed, Dave Newell has reported problems when using non-Schaudt regulators with the newer Elektroblocs / control panels. The relevant solar regulators are models LR1218 (PWM model) or LRM1218 (MPPT model).
 

makems

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@Techno100 has a similar system he has installed hi,self. But Andy being Andy he has multiple batteries for the jab and multiple batteries for the inverter and I think his fridge.
There is a thread on it somewhere but I've tagged him so no doubt he will be along in a moment to correct me.

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Armytwowheels

Armytwowheels

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Thanks guys. I am passing this all on to Colin to read up on, he may decide to stick to the original system but boost it with extra batteries. We do want to double the solar input though.
 
May 3, 2008
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Oh Sandra, if only Woolies were still open you could have bought a stand-alone mirror and done your P & Q like I do sitting in comfort by the table in your new to you camper, just saying ;);)
 
Aug 27, 2014
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All German vans are made for giants!!

Hurrah! A van made for us proper-size people! ;) Now if you can just fix the space we're given on buses, trains, airplanes, cinema seats, theatre seats.........

My Italian van is designed for short @rses. The mirror in the bathroom requires me to stoop by a good six inches. The hab door requires both stooping and twisting to get through. The driving position is just about OK with the seat set as far back and up as it will go. And at 6' 2" I'm not even *that* tall ! :LOL:

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cruiser

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my other halve is as tall as me. it means she can get into all the overhead lockers. so I don't have to chuck and duck.
 

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