Recommendations?

[Herbyventures]

Hello everyone, we have our Transit to convert, and it's about to go away to have cab air con fitted, so that's one decision made, we looked at air con for the van as a whole and decided we'd generally want the door and windows open anyway. My question is, are there any firms selling motorhome building supplies that you would particularly recommend for online purchases, firms that deliver promptly, let you know if things are not in stock and have good customer service?

We need everything from carpet to windows to lights, solar panels and so on. My OH is planning to make the cabinets from plywood and install all the plumbing and electrics, he has found a place to make underslung water tanks. We are going gas free, electric only, (double ring, as per regs, though we understand you can only ever use one ring at a time!) with some solar panels. Planning to do outdoor cooking when off grid. And looking at a simploo composting loo.

We are a bit bamboozled by the various insulation solutions. Stick on silvery stuff or rockwool? Or both? MY OH has studied Youtube videos of how to insulate a van and is thinking of using stick on silvery stuff and then a dacron insulation stuff on top, as he dislikes using rockwool. How thick does it need to be? We're not intending year round adventures, but then again it can be blimming chilly in June! What do members recommend?

 

[autorouter]

Hello and welcome to the madhouse. There's a whole forum called Self build Motorhomes where they discuss everything you've mentioned. Also some more specialized forums like Tech/mech, fridges, solar, etc.

Just one consideration when insulating. In general, it's a good idea to have a 'vapour barrier' on the warm side of the insulation. If you have just rockwool, with a metal body, the temperature reduces between the warm inside and the cold metal, and at some point condensation occurs. Inside the insulation. That reduces the insulating effect, causing even more condensation.. you get the idea. If you have a vapour barrier (such as metal foil) on the warm side, the warm moisture-laden air can't get through, so there's no condensation.

 

[34127]

Magnums of Grimsby is my first choice for conversion bits and pieces. very helpful and good delivery

Also, sister forum to this one

Self-Build Motorhomes

DIYers talk about Self builds here.

www.diymotorhome.co.uk

 

[peterc10]

Hello everyone, we have our Transit to convert, and it's about to go away to have cab air con fitted, so that's one decision made, we looked at air con for the van as a whole and decided we'd generally want the door and windows open anyway. My question is, are there any firms selling motorhome building supplies that you would particularly recommend for online purchases, firms that deliver promptly, let you know if things are not in stock and have good customer service?

We need everything from carpet to windows to lights, solar panels and so on. My OH is planning to make the cabinets from plywood and install all the plumbing and electrics, he has found a place to make underslung water tanks. We are going gas free, electric only, (double ring, as per regs, though we understand you can only ever use one ring at a time!) with some solar panels. Planning to do outdoor cooking when off grid. And looking at a simploo composting loo.

We are a bit bamboozled by the various insulation solutions. Stick on silvery stuff or rockwool? Or both? MY OH has studied Youtube videos of how to insulate a van and is thinking of using stick on silvery stuff and then a dacron insulation stuff on top, as he dislikes using rockwool. How thick does it need to be? We're not intending year round adventures, but then again it can be blimming chilly in June! What do members recommend?

You will definately not be able to run one, let alone 2 electric rings using solar. You will also not be able heat water or the van using solar. The only way to cook and heat water and van is either on an electric hook-up or use gas.

 

[autorouter]

I agree about the electric rings. However some motorhomes don't use gas for water heating and space heating. They use diesel-powered heaters, and an all-electric compressor fridge. The fridge needs plenty of solar and a big battery bank, but it's feasible. Also microwaves are possible, from an inverter, if used in short bursts.

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[HandyAndy]

induction hob uses a lot less energy than a conventional "ring" cooker..
depending on heat setting you would be looking at anything from 200w to 2Kw..
and to support that sort of power draw would require "quite" a hefty battery bank..

Lets do some calcs..
Lets say you want to use the cooker on a high setting for 30 mins each day
2000watts x 0.5hours = 1000watt hours required to support that need.
Now 1 single 100amp hour lead acid battery has 1200 watt hours of energy in it (12 volts x 100ah = 1200 watt hrs)
BUT.. you can only discharge it to 50% of it's capacity so that brings us down to 600 watt hours.
So in THEORY it looks like you need at least two 100Ah batteries to have enough energy to deliver the 1000 watt hours required to use the cooker once a day for 30 minutes (with 200 watts spare)..
BUT...
It's not that simple as the energy capacity of a lead acid battery is determined on a very slow discharge rate (the 20 hr rate) 1200watts divided by 20hrs = 60 watts..
And you want to discharge it at 2000 watts.. Ooof..

Using Peukerts law and an "average" battery efficiency of 1.2 (all batteries are different)
A 100ah (2 x 100ah batteries at 50%) battery discharging at 158 amps (2000watts divided by 12.6volts) will leave you with an available 36 amp hour battery.. oopsie this isn't going to work with just 2 batteries.
Your batteries will be flat before you've even finished cooking in the 30 minute window we allowed at the beginning. (officially flat in 0.23 of an hour)

And I need to get to bed before I go insane..
Maybe we can go the full distance to see how many batteries we really do nede to power an induction cooktop tomorrow as it is actually something I want to do and need to work it out properly anyway..

Edit.. remind myself tomorrow even that calc is inaccurate as I've allowed 158 amps for 1 100hr battery when it should be distributed evenly across the two 100 hr batteries so I think I should be calculating the peukerts exponent with 79 amps instead.. Argh it's too late to do this.. LOL..
Bed........

 

[Campervan_man]

6L or 10L Propex 240V water heater using an Inverter / Solar Panel / twin 100A leisure batteries.
Truma 14L 240V Elektro water heater as above.
Celotex 1" thick foam / silver foil insulation { has handy gridlines to aid cutting / marking out.
Saniclad 2.5MM thick hygenic cladding for wet rooms.
Veltrim Carpet for walls, lots of colours.
5KW Chinese diesel air heater for heating.
Note DVLA new rules for the external appearance of Motorcaravan classification.
Don't forget to provide ventilation.
Jackson's Leisure Bromborough have a website and huge warehouse of parts and post items large and small.

Jacksons Leisure Supplies UK

Jacksons Leisure Supplies for van conversion kits, equipment for caravans, motor homes, swimming pool supplies and accessories Wirral

www.jacksonsleisure.com

Saniclad Suppliers are based in Bromborough but also post out rolled up sheets, corner trims etc.

 

[peterc10]

induction hob uses a lot less energy than a conventional "ring" cooker..
depending on heat setting you would be looking at anything from 200w to 2Kw..
and to support that sort of power draw would require "quite" a hefty battery bank..

Lets do some calcs..
Lets say you want to use the cooker on a high setting for 30 mins each day
2000watts x 0.5hours = 1000watt hours required to support that need.
Now 1 single 100amp hour lead acid battery has 1200 watt hours of energy in it (12 volts x 100ah = 1200 watt hrs)
BUT.. you can only discharge it to 50% of it's capacity so that brings us down to 600 watt hours.
So in THEORY it looks like you need at least two 100Ah batteries to have enough energy to deliver the 1000 watt hours required to use the cooker once a day for 30 minutes (with 200 watts spare)..
BUT...
It's not that simple as the energy capacity of a lead acid battery is determined on a very slow discharge rate (the 20 hr rate) 1200watts divided by 20hrs = 60 watts..
And you want to discharge it at 2000 watts.. Ooof..

Using Peukerts law and an "average" battery efficiency of 1.2 (all batteries are different)
A 100ah (2 x 100ah batteries at 50%) battery discharging at 158 amps (2000watts divided by 12.6volts) will leave you with an available 36 amp hour battery.. oopsie this isn't going to work with just 2 batteries.
Your batteries will be flat before you've even finished cooking in the 30 minute window we allowed at the beginning. (officially flat in 0.23 of an hour)

And I need to get to bed before I go insane..
Maybe we can go the full distance to see how many batteries we really do nede to power an induction cooktop tomorrow as it is actually something I want to do and need to work it out properly anyway..

Edit.. remind myself tomorrow even that calc is inaccurate as I've allowed 158 amps for 1 100hr battery when it should be distributed evenly across the two 100 hr batteries so I think I should be calculating the peukerts exponent with 79 amps instead.. Argh it's too late to do this.. LOL..
Bed........

But how are the batteries going to be recharged on a rainy day in Bradford (or anywhere else)

 

[HandyAndy]

But how are the batteries going to be recharged on a rainy day in Bradford (or anywhere else)

I'll get to that later

 

[Wild Brambles]

The only way to cook and heat water and van is either on an electric hook-up or use gas.

Or on a wood burning stove. It can take two hours to cook a couple of potatoes in a cast iron pot, but they taste wonderful.

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[the1andonly]

Wall insulation, vapour barrir required. Use a 50/50 mix of sheep / mineral wool, best of both world interms of insulation and structural resistance to condensation.
Suppliers: o'Leary's and magnums. Dont go to magnums, youll find all sorts of stuff you didn't know you needed and an empty wallet.

 

[Wild Brambles]

I'm full time at the moment, and regrettably I have to recommend Amazon. Often their prices are low, and they offer click and collect on many items. They have given me a free Prime membership, and I can order things at 3pm, and often collect them from a box outside Morrisons ( or some other collection point ) by 11am next day. Obviously it doesn't work for very large items, but tools any many other items are readily available.

 

[peterc10]

I'll get to that later

I am waiting with baited breath

 

[tacr2man]

Dont forget to build in extra lightness , as it soon adds up

 

[Herbyventures]

Hello and welcome to the madhouse. There's a whole forum called Self build Motorhomes where they discuss everything you've mentioned. Also some more specialized forums like Tech/mech, fridges, solar, etc.

Just one consideration when insulating. In general, it's a good idea to have a 'vapour barrier' on the warm side of the insulation. If you have just rockwool, with a metal body, the temperature reduces between the warm inside and the cold metal, and at some point condensation occurs. Inside the insulation. That reduces the insulating effect, causing even more condensation.. you get the idea. If you have a vapour barrier (such as metal foil) on the warm side, the warm moisture-laden air can't get through, so there's no condensation.

Thank you, that's a very good point! Shiny metal stuff it is!

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[Herbyventures]

You will definately not be able to run one, let alone 2 electric rings using solar. You will also not be able heat water or the van using solar. The only way to cook and heat water and van is either on an electric hook-up or use gas.

Our plan is to cook using electric if we have electric hook up and cook the old fashioned way using a cobb bbq and/or small gas camping stove outdoors if no electric hook up. The solar panels are mainly to top up the leisure battery for lights/charging phones. My OH does electrics etc on Outside Broadcast vehicles so I have faith in his planning, in this department. As for heating water, again, if we have hook up we'll heat water, but that will mainly be for washing up, as as we'll use the on site shower facilities. And if we are not on a nice camp site, then it's back to a quick wash in a bowl of water with a flannel and go home if it's too cold! We are coming at this from the stand point of being tent campers for years and years (and on a motorbike, so no frills!) so... as long as it's more convenient and comfortable than being in a tent and having to go home, tired and damp, on a motorbike....