What did you do to your van today?

[Ditcha]

I thought I would post on the club site the works that I have recently had carried out on my new to me (July 22) motorhome a 2015 Hymer MLI 580. The plan was to increase the solar PV capacity and install an inverter and new leisure battery to improve the ability of having Power in the van, when not on electric hook up.

After discussions around my design brief with club members, Wildebus and Admin it was decided to remove the Oyster self-seeking satellite dish and the old existing 100 watt solar panel and replace these with three new solar panels. Total of 750 W. The existing 2× Bosch 100 ah lead acid leisure batteries were to be replaced with one Fogstar drift, 280 ah lithium battery (my choice). This would be supplied by the new solar panels via two Victron MPPT controllers.

A Victron, 12v/1600 VA compact, Multiplus unit was installed to provide the battery charging and inverter function other bits of kit that were specified for the install included a battery shunt from Victron which sends my mobile phone state of charge information and the Victron Cyrix battery combiner managing the charge to the starter and leisure battery with the addition of a new fused distribution block and appropriate fuses. The equipment was all hooked up and after a final chat and guidance from Admin (Phil) various functions on the EBL electro block were disabled. i.e. the B2B battery charger and the solar power controller.View attachment 65040View attachment 65041View attachment 65042View attachment 65043

After commissioning and a brief introduction to the Victron connect app. Everything in the van seems to be working as expected, bearing in mind the limited UK sun available at this time of year.

The installation was carried out by Bruce Lauderdale with me acting as his enthusiastic (interfering) apprentice.

Bruce’s work is of an extremely high standard with an exceptional attention to detail. He was very patient over the four days of the installation as we were constantly being interrupted by sporadic rain showers. We filled this time with preparation work in my garage, together with copious cups of tea, and interesting chats about various aspects of van life and my pre-retirement career as an electrical engineer in the distribution side of the Electrical Supply Industry.

I am very pleased with the outcome and can’t wait for warmer weather to get on the road and start my first foray into vanlife.

I really can't thank enough those of you who have facilitated these works and look forward to chatting at future meetups in person.



Ray ( Cooperman)

Just done done the same upgrade 6 months ago.

 

[trevskoda]

Went out to look at the solar charge and a bit of a leak at the bottom left windshield where I place a few tissues, anyway batts sitting at 13.4v float.

 

[marchie]

Went out to look at the solar charge and a bit of a leak at the bottom left windshield where I place a few tissues, anyway batts sitting at 13.4v float.

30Wh Solar today. Ablemail App reported LB 13.4v and VB 13.24/13.27v with the latter receiving the current transfer from the LB for 9 seconds out of every 10, hence the fluctuations [as I said to the Japanese man who asked why he had received 75p less for his currency exchange compared with the previous day. His reply 'Fluck you bruddy Eulopeans too' was, I felt, a wee bit rude ... ]

Steve

 

[Burge]

Pulled van out of storage going for a couple of nights to Chester Fairoaks in mid wk so Sue can have a couple of days round Cheshire Oaks & Chester

 

[number14]

Fitted a thermostatic valve to the shower feed. Will stop us wasting loads of water trying to find that sweet spot on the manual mixer or either scalding or freezing when accidentally nudging said mixer mid shower.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

Fitted a thermostatic valve to the shower feed. Will stop us wasting loads of water trying to find that sweet spot on the manual mixer or either scalding or freezing when accidentally nudging said mixer mid shower.

That sounds interesting, as my wife does tend to knock the tap by accident. If you could find a moment, I'd be very interested to know which thermostatic valve you fitted please?

 

[trevskoda]

Popped out to change some tissues at the bottom of the windshield stopping any water from getting down the back of the dash to electrics, solar still giving a good charge from about 11am to 1pm at 14.4v and floats at 13.4/6 ish.

 

[number14]

That sounds interesting, as my wife does tend to knock the tap by accident. If you could find a moment, I'd be very interested to know which thermostatic valve you fitted please?

You need one like this:-

Bathroom Thermostatic Mixer Valve Bidet Spray Water Mixing Shower Faucet G1/2" | eBay

G1/2" Solid Brass Thermostatic Mixer Shower Valve for hot and cold water system. Type: Bathroom Water Thermostatic Mixer Valve. Water Thermostatic range: 20 - 55â. 1 X Thermostatic. Safety 38â water temperature design.

www.ebay.co.uk

or search 'thermostatic valve bidet' on ebay.

My van has a truma heater/boiler with 12mm distribution pipes and John Guest fittings. The detail of everyone's installation will be slightly different but this is what I did on mine:-

The valve is fitted in the same compartment as the truma.
Break into the hot feed from the truma to the shower and connect to the hot inlet of the valve.
Tee off the cold feed to the shower and connect to the cold inlet of the valve.
The mixed outlet from the valve now connects to supply the hot side of the shower mixer.

The mixer tap in your shower compartment now has a thermostatically controlled flow to its 'hot' side and the original cold supply to its 'cold' side.

To operate, set your mixer tap to max hot and adjust the thermostatic valve as you prefer. Your max temp is now permanently set. If you want colder just adjust the mixer in the usual way.

Hope this is clear. It's tricky to describe in words.
Just one thing. The supply to the shower and the wash hand basin in our van is from the same pipes so the thermostatic valve controls the temperature to both. It was just too complicated to try and separate them but it's not really a issue.

Also, I left the feed to the kitchen sink separated from all this so it still receives max boiler temperature.

 

[HurricaneSmith]

Thank you so much for your comprehensive reply, and I'm really grateful.

Sadly, after a couple of sherbets, I'll need to read it again tomorrow to better understand the nuances.

 

[marchie]

Booked Brunhilde in for MOT for next week. Not due until 1st week in February, but, fingers crossed, we will be in Spain then. My plan is to move both car and M/home MOT to early November [within the '1 month before expiry' Rule] so that we can get repairs etc out of the way before we leave for Spain around 20th November, and not have to worry about getting back home before the February MOT deadline

Learned my lesson the hard way in Jan 2020 when we had booked an early February Ferry to get home in time for the end of month MOT. My heart attack and the 1 month prohibition on driving made it a very close run thing, arriving in Scotland the day before the MOT Test, after driving for longer each day than the Surgeon recommended ...

Steve

 

[Scotia]

Booked Brunhilde in for MOT for next week. Not due until 1st week in February, but, fingers crossed, we will be in Spain then. My plan is to move both car and M/home MOT to early November [within the '1 month before expiry' Rule] so that we can get repairs etc out of the way before we leave for Spain around 20th November, and not have to worry about getting back home before the February MOT deadline

Learned my lesson the hard way in Jan 2020 when we had booked an early February Ferry to get home in time for the end of month MOT. My heart attack and the 1 month prohibition on driving made it a very close run thing, arriving in Scotland the day before the MOT Test, after driving for longer each day than the Surgeon recommended ...

Steve

I read that on my fresh mot for the pickup this morning ( one month before), when I sold my van early on in the year I told the folk that purchased it I would put a fresh mot on it in time for them picking it up as It only had three months left, there was no problem with that at the mot station.

 

[marchie]

I read that on my fresh mot for the pickup this morning ( one month before), when I sold my van early on in the year I told the folk that purchased it I would put a fresh mot on it in time for them picking it up as It only had three months left, there was no problem with that at the mot station.

I know that there's no problem with the process, provided that I'm happy to accept the forfeit of 3 months off the present MOT. The trick will be to move the car and M/Home MOT to no later than mid-December [will be tight for the car!]. to allow time for any repairs before we leave home no later than 2oth November for at least 3 months during what passes for a 'normal' year. A November Test Date [incl the '1 month before expiry' period] should get us clear of late Summer trips away, whilst leaving time for servicing & MOTs before the Winter Trip

Steve

 

[trevskoda]

Wnt out to find brake flued on the drive and inside of back tyre, yep w cyl busted, so off with the 2 rear wheels, half shaft out and spec tools to remove the hub which is torqued up, this is because the brake drum is on the inside of the hub/drive unit on older Iveco busses.
New cyc in and tomorrow will be building up day & bleed if the weather holds.

 

[2cv]

Filled water and loaded up ready for our last trip preparing our new house. The van has been worth its weight in gold providing accommodation on the drive this year. Just a quick trip whilst carpets and blinds fitted and we’re set to be in before Christmas.

 

[Exwindsurfer]

Fitted new cab lights that not sure if they are bright enough lolol

 

[Wully]

Turn that aff your blinding me. You better watch a plane doesn’t try and land on ye.

 

[motorhome-suzy]

Well, we (actually I) added 2 Solar panels totalling 350W and added an extra AGM battery to our Motorhome.

Looking forward to going off grid for longer, and travelling further afield.

 

[mistericeman]

Removed the guts of the gas fire and made a start on replacing it with a eberspacher d2 ....
Been meaning to do this since we got the moho BUT never gotten around to it lol .

Old fire innards out and hole enlarged in floor for turret kit .
Sender/pump out of fuel tank out and ready for fitting stand pipe ...

Just waiting on standpipe and other bits y piece to connect into existing ducting etc etc .
Should all look standard when it's finished BUT cheaper to run/more controllable and less temperamental if its windy etc .

 

[trevskoda]

Well, we (actually I) added 2 Solar panels totalling 350W and added an extra AGM battery to our Motorhome.

Looking forward to going off grid for longer, and travelling further afield.

Lead carbon would have been a better bet, cycle down lower and can site with psoc for a while.

 

[trevskoda]

Fitted new cab lights that not sure if they are bright enough lololView attachment 65112

They say green light is better for night vision.