Jazzing up the "Old Girl"

pokerking

Guest
We were going to get a newer motor but have decided better the old devil we know.
So, we are going to add the following

1. new blinds
2. solar panel
3. digital aerial
4. fly proof door screen/blind
5. roof lights

I need assistance in sourcing all of the above, have you bought anything similar recently and can give me the necessary info (or even who to avoid). I am based in Bedfordshire but can go anywhere within reason to pick things up. Any assistance appreciated, cheers, Alan
 
Hi there,

Best of luck with the update.

As Firefox has mentioned, I got the 90 watt panel. I have not been anywhere yet to give it a full trial but I have been experimenting with it in poor light conditions.

So far, I am impressed and expect more power from it in overcast conditions than I expected. In good sunshine it works very well.:)
 
What are the dimensions of your 90W panel, Maingate, cos I was thinking of getting one of those ?
 
Interesting

Firefox said:
Recently I also bought rooflights from Rainbow in Wisbech.

Rainbow Conversions - Fiamma, Heki rooflights for your motorhome

I got a Midi Heki and a Fiamma Turbo vent but they do all kinds from budget range upwards. Mail order or you can call in at Wisbech which is not a long run from Bedford.
Click to expand...

Cheers for this. I have emailed the lady Sarah and I was a little put off by her "offhandedness". I will be spending neck end of a grand and she couldn't even be bothered to tell us where she is, she just said its on Ebay!

Have you dealt with them much and what do you think?
 
Will it?

maingate said:
Hi there,

Best of luck with the update.

As Firefox has mentioned, I got the 90 watt panel. I have not been anywhere yet to give it a full trial but I have been experimenting with it in poor light conditions.

So far, I am impressed and expect more power from it in overcast conditions than I expected. In good sunshine it works very well.:)
Click to expand...

Cheers for that, what will 90 watt do, I realise everything has a rating but the two don't often match. For example will it boil the little kettle, run a TV or do you just charge the leisure B?
 
I must have spent about a grand with them. Got 90l three way fridge, rooflights x2, 240v Hook up socket, consumer unit, water level gauge, and mini zig.

The lady is a bit of a sourpuss so far as I can remember, but they are reliable and OK prices. I both visited them, and got mail order on the fridge.

She should have mailed you back the URL of their contact page:

Rainbow Conversions - for all your motorhome and campervan needs

Some people don't know how to do business they'll lose customers with that attitude!

Edit: 90w is actually quite big as panels go. You don't use it to run things direct, just charge the battery(s) which then supplies the peak loads for appliances for shorter times. For a 90w panel you probably need 220Ah or generally two batteries to take full advantage.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi there,

Firefox has eloquently answered your query regarding the 90 watt panel and saved me the bother.:D

The dimensions of it are 120 cm x 540 cm. What struck me was how light it is. I have a small 12 watt Maplin panel and they both weigh about the same.

In perfect conditions, the panel should be able to put about 6 or 7 amps back into the battery. Maybe more in theory but I will have to find out with use.
 
Great that sounds just right for me dimension-wise (I'm assuming 1200mm x 540mm :D ). I wanted to fit it transversely between the roof rack rails.

I was hoping for 50-60 Ah recharge during the day.
 
Hi Firebox,

I take it you mean a charge of 50 to 60 amps per day.:confused:

If you need 50 to 60 amp hours rate of charge then Caterpillar make some good industrial generators.:D I would go for the one powered by the 16 cylinder Detroit Diesel.:p. It might affect your payload though.:)
 
Yep 50 amp hours during the whole the day - 5A x 10h maybe - could not afford the payload for the Cat :D , heehee.... I've got to make another visit to the weighbridge soon and could get a nasty surprise :eek:
 
pokerking said:
1. new blinds
4. fly proof door screen/blind
5. roof lights
Click to expand...

Our Westfalia has roll down blackout blinds and roll up fly screens that join/clip together to keep them in position on the windows and roof vent. Very handy to have them half/half with the window open. There was an option to have the blackout blinds "silvered" to reflect heat, we just have some insulators that tuck in behind the blinds. I've seen plenty of ads for magnetic fly screens to fit the large side openeing doors, but they could easily be made to fit any door/window.

Roof lights - there have been plenty of threads about LED downlights and that seems to be the way to go nowadays if you can match the existing cutouts (if any).

I've also seen some really smart looking makeovers with the Formica panels/bench tops being painted with a special epoxy type paint - name escapes me - but it gave a twenty plus year old camper that new look and feel with some new upholstery as well.
 
Roger said:
Our Westfalia has roll down blackout blinds and roll up fly screens that join/clip together to keep them in position on the windows and roof vent. Very handy to have them half/half with the window open. There was an option to have the blackout blinds "silvered" to reflect heat, we just have some insulators that tuck in behind the blinds. I've seen plenty of ads for magnetic fly screens to fit the large side openeing doors, but they could easily be made to fit any door/window.

Roof lights - there have been plenty of threads about LED downlights and that seems to be the way to go nowadays if you can match the existing cutouts (if any).

I've also seen some really smart looking makeovers with the Formica panels/bench tops being painted with a special epoxy type paint - name escapes me - but it gave a twenty plus year old camper that new look and feel with some new upholstery as well.
Click to expand...

Yes, this is exactly what I am looking for but I need to source the items, preferably at a shop/store where I can go and view/haggle so that whatever I buy I know will fit
 
pokerking said:
Yes, this is exactly what I am looking for but I need to source the items, preferably at a shop/store where I can go and view/haggle so that whatever I buy I know will fit
Click to expand...

I cant help with the store - being on the other side of the globe!! But the blinds are basically just roller blinds which run in aluminium U tracks and have male/female catches so that they can be clipped together when the blinds are down. I'd assume that any competent blind shop would be able to knock up the required lengths in a few minutes. The issue will be where and how you would fit them and hide away all the workings to make a professional looking fitment into a current vehicle.

Here Interior Gallery - James Cook about 6 photos down shows how its done.

LED lights - every solar power shop has bucket loads of them.
 
think the blinds you want are by seitz and are really dear. like their windows but nobody else comes close for quality. reimo are the people to speak to,the last reimo people i spoke to and bought off weremotor caravan conversions ltd reimo.tel 0161 839 1855. dont know if they are still going but they were helpfull.they are based in manchester. .also cak tanks are good aswell also helpfull
 
Just dipping my oar :) If you're fitting solar power give the cabling a little thought prior to fitting. Maxing out the cable cross section will minimise the resistance en route to the leisure battery/s.

Bigger in this case is definitely better.

D.
 
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