New to Motorhoming as well as a new member

Use a boat deck gland to bring solar cable from roof into the van, this should be placed under the panel and not seen, dont use surface mount panels, go for rigid units, if moving most days 100w will do ok for one battery.
 
trevskoda said:
Use a boat deck gland to bring solar cable from roof into the van, this should be placed under the panel and not seen, dont use surface mount panels, go for rigid units, if moving most days 100w will do ok for one battery.
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My 100w panel and 120ah AGM battery with MPPT controller from April to the end of September generally allows me to stay in one place without moving the van ever. Certainly in summer we can stop for weeks off grid without moving.
 
Hello and welcome from Kent, looks like most advice has been said, enjoy your travels.
 
Can't help with the checks - I'm maybe a bit far on the other side of Scotland, however I can suggest a couple of local(ish) places to do some test drives and stays - as we visited them ourselves recently.

One is Caerlaverock corner campsite where we spent 2 nights (it's a suggested £10 donation, but while no public toilets, has fresh water and black & grey water disposal facilities). It's on the B725 going south out of Dumfries. Fantastic cafe at Glencaple just up the road.

The other is on the other side of the Nith at New Abbey (Sometimes called Sweetheart Abbey). It's a public car park with toilets and offers free overnight parking.

If you've already bought the van, I think the best thing to do is just go out and use it. then you'll find out what works and what doesn't and if you stick local then you should be able to run home quickly if something goes a bit too wrong to handle.

When I bought ours (DIY van conversion by the previous owner), I had a longish drive home and did the first overnight in it on the way home - took a sleeping bag with me. Then we just went out in it to a quiet local place we knew for an initial shake-down to see what worked for us and what didn't.

As for off-grid - you'll get lots of advice and so-on - big solar panel(s) and big battery(s) would be the key and it'll soak up as much money as you can throw at it. I recently (Late Jan/early Feb.) did 6 days and 5 nights in our van in/around Newcastle without any issues - made sure the battery (240AH lead acid) was fully charged before setting out and made sure I parked to get the most out of the sun at this time of the year (2 x 130w panels). I did a little driving most days, but only a few miles so it didn't really charge the battery up much - main electricity use was the diesel heater - didn't need the fridge as it was cold enough to keep milk fresh. Lights are minimal and I cheekily charged my laptop in the place I work a couple of times... It seems the inverter I have draws more than I'd like it to even when idle, so I kept that off almost all the time. (cooker is a domestic gas version which needs 240v for the spark igniters, but works just fine with an ordinary gas lighter thing) biggest short-term draw is the diesel heater when starting and stopping. I did occasionally start the engine for the few minutes that takes.

You work out funny little things, like parking nose or tail to the sun is fine, but open the vent and it shades the panel by a noticeable amount... Won't be an issue in the summer but this time if the year every little thing you can do helps. (Short of having tiltable panels!)

-G
 
I was wondering if there are any members around Carlisle ? the south / south west of Scotland
 
frendlered said:
Where are you based - sorry i dont know your name - i wish i could find someone near me in south Scotland or Carlisle way?
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Hi. I am in the Eastern Scottish Borders.

Now I know the following person/business is someone who a fellow forum member does not like (understatement!), but I have in the past suggested a chap with a Motorhome electrics issue to drop into BC Motorhomes in Ayr town, run by a chap called Callum. In their case, they went there at very short notice on a Saturday and BC Motorhomes sorted them out and got them on their way and they were very happy with the result as I recall.
They are a Servicing company as well as a Dealer, so depending on what you want you are after, this might be an option?
 
Upgrades required depend on what the van already has upgrade wise and on the wildcamping plans.

We do a lot of European touring so for us a must have upgrade was a refillable LPG arrangement. If you have health issues then this also avoids having to exchange gas bottles which can be heavy. Off grid and you will be using a lot of gas for heating and refrigeration. It is probably also essential for the U.K. as Calor 6kg exchanges at £30 a time are expensive. Hopefully the van permits the use of 11kg bottles but not all do. A U.K. issue are limited LPG filling stations which is not an issue in France and Spain. Basically this can be done immediately with the largest tanks your van will take. You will need an external filler point which should not be in the LPG cabinet door.

You can get an extension pipe which will permit you to use an external Calor bottle if you run out of refillable LPG and there are no LPG stations nearby.

As an aside make sure all the gas systems work on the van. Fridge and cooker gas ignition systems can be problematic on pre owned vans.

A solar panel with MCCT control is also essential. You could fit a 100w solar panel immediately. Make sure it’s a high quality Monocrystalline as these provide some power even on cloudy days.

If you find in time that you need more power you can always add to the initial set up to expand solar.

Maybe the dealer could fit a solar panel and MCCT controller as part of a deal.

And then there is security. A good alarm and some form of visible security such as a steering wheel disc lock or wheel clamp are worth considering. We also have the Milenco window alarms fitted which are highly visible and very loud if a window is opened when they are set. Some insurance companies insist on a tracker but I guess this may depend on the age and value of the van.
 
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witzend said:
I'd suggest not doing any upgrades until you've used the van a few times then you'll know what really needs doing to suit your needs
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I disagree.

Vans are basically camp site and hook up ready and don’t need refillable lpg or solar panels if this is 100% of what you do. Security is still worthwhile as daytime you may be parked up somewhere.

If you already know this will be a minority use and wildcamping is the main use then the above upgrades (refillable LPG, a solar panel, and security) are a bare minimum before even first use (in my view anyway).

The only question mark might be that after a few weeks you find the van you purchase is unsuitable for your needs and you need to exchange for another. But how often does this occur?

Normally buyers have done the research, narrowed the field down to 2 or 3 models and a single layout, worked out what they require before purchasing, and then going for the best deal available.

An option before doing anything of course is to park up the van on campsites and get used to van life and how it all works before making upgrade plans. This may be the most sensible course of action.

We already knew what we wanted being former caravan owners so for us immediate upgrading LPG, solar and security was essential even before first use.
 
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Moped said:
I disagree.

Vans are basically camp site and hook up ready and don’t need refillable lpg or solar panels if this is 100% of what you do. Security is still worthwhile as daytime you may be parked up somewhere.

If you already know this will be a minority use and wildcamping is the main use then the above upgrades (refillable LPG, a solar panel, and security) are a bare minimum before even first use (in my view anyway).

The only question mark might be that after a few weeks you find the van you purchase is unsuitable for your needs and you need to exchange for another. But how often does this occur?

Normally buyers have done the research, narrowed the field down to 2 or 3 models and a single layout, worked out what they require before purchasing, and then going for the best deal available.

An option before doing anything of course is to park up the van on campsites and get used to van life and how it all works before making upgrade plans. This may be the most sensible course of action.

We already knew what we wanted being former caravan owners so for us immediate upgrading LPG, solar and security was essential even before first use.
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The OP has already stated that he will be wilding as much as possible and avoiding campsites unless essential for services.

New to Motorhoming as well as a new member

I was so impressed with wild camping, i think i am going to find it so useful. If there is anyone near Dumfries or even Lochfoot, i could do with anyone who will be able to give me some pointers when when Motorhome arrives next week. If someone feels they would like to call me to offer any...
wildcamping.co.uk wildcamping.co.uk
 
From a practical point of view, for the two of us we use between 15 and 20 litres water a day, in winter 2-3kg gas daily, and around 25 to 30ah of power from the battery daily. Toilet needs emptying every 2 to 3 days.

Depending on the capacities of the van this will give you some idea how long you can wildcamp before you need a water tap and a gas bottle exchange. Battery can be topped up by running engine for 30-45minutes.
 
It's really interesting to read about the different points of view
It's all extremely helpful anyway.

I think I would be quite keen on getting a refillable gas system for convenience, can these be bought two size to fill the existing area where the gas tanks are kept, Or do they have to be installed in another area?
Or, Or is it good to have both?

I was wondering if there is an LPG tank that would fit neatly into the area where am I my normal gas cylinders are kept?

note:
Due to the after affects of having TB, i only have one lung so carrying heavy gas cylanders is difficult for me
 
frendlered said:
It's really interesting to read about the different points of view
It's all extremely helpful anyway.

I think I would be quite keen on getting a refillable gas system for convenience, can these be bought two size to fill the existing area where the gas tanks are kept, Or do they have to be installed in another area?
Or, Or is it good to have both?

I was wondering if there is an LPG tank that would fit neatly into the area where am I my normal gas cylinders are kept?

note:
Due to the after affects of having TB, i only have one lung so carrying heavy gas cylanders is difficult for me
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I have an 11kg Gaslow refillable cylinder with the filler on the side skirt of the van which means I dont need to open the locker to fill up at the pump which can sometimes lead to a refusal for LPG I gather. I also however carry a standard Calor 6kg propane (The red ones). This is mainly for use in the UK as LPG pumps can be few and far between but you can always get a Calor bottle. Using this method I can in theory never run out of Gas. Not so much of an issue in say France as LPG or GPL stations are everywhere.
 
Yes, that's what i was thinking, so that i always have a backup, i can top it up occassionally when i come across an lpg supplier
Can i ask how much it was to buy and install?
 
frendlered said:
Yes, that's what i was thinking, so that i always have a backup, i can top it up occassionally when i come across an lpg supplier
Can i ask how much it was to buy and install?
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Now your asking! I cant remember as it was 2008 but I think it was about £250 for the 11kg Gaslow bottle installed with the filler on the side. I suspect they are probably double that now. Not sure. There are a few other options now on the market as well as Gaslow. underslung tanks are another one or you can get tanks fitted into your gas locker but I like my system as its dead simple and allows me a Calor backup. I literally just whip the hose off one and put it on the other or just swap the regulators over.
 
barryd said:
Now your asking! I cant remember as it was 2008 but I think it was about £250 for the 11kg Gaslow bottle installed with the filler on the side. I suspect they are probably double that now. Not sure. There are a few other options now on the market as well as Gaslow. underslung tanks are another one or you can get tanks fitted into your gas locker but I like my system as its dead simple and allows me a Calor backup. I literally just whip the hose off one and put it on the other or just swap the regulators over.
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I have the same setup as barryd and would recommend that setup 99% :)

except for one thing .... I decided to have a double connection so I don't even have to move the regulators over to change between Calor and Gaslow, but just turn one regulator off and the other on. I can be even lazier (and go to 100% ) :D

(FWIW, I bought a used Gaslow 11kg Bottle and a filler kit - setup under £200 in 2020)
 
wildebus said:
I have the same setup as barryd and would recommend that setup 99% :)

except for one thing .... I decided to have a double connection so I don't even have to move the regulators over to change between Calor and Gaslow, but just turn one regulator off and the other on. I can be even lazier (and go to 100% ) :D
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Thats interesting. Is this something you can buy off the shelf? My regulators are the old style flying saucer type.
 
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