We are all going to work hard this weekend. Shona and Jessica have an array of cleaning products to freshen the van’s appearance. I am going to continue with fitting the gas and electrical parts. The day is now starting to get light and hopefully the forecast for sun will be right
We took the framework from the workshop yesterday and for the first time put it all into the van and it looks great, just like the plans showed us it would..we are really pleased. We made a platform for the water to sit onto. This is initially to give us room underneath to put the outlet of the blow heater under it so we can direct the airflow straight down the van, ultimately we will build some useful drawers under there. Will take some photographs later to show you
Loads got done today. The framework for the L shaped lounge / double bed was made and fitted, the kitchen frame work was fitted after the water pipes and gas pipe was laid under the floor. Glad I check things, for some reason reason I had connected the red water pipe to the cold water supply, lol. Obviously I had done it on purpose (not) to see if Norm would notice.but has he hasn’t today I put it right.
The sliding door was also finished which included insulating it, putting the boards on and the silver screen and fly screen.
A great day
The biggest window went into the sliding door yesterday and it was the easiest. Was this was just luck or whether we are now getting proficient? lol We started off by cutting the horizontal beam that went across the door. This beam stops the booming sound on vans, obviously this will not be a problem now as there is no sheet of metal to boom!
We then cut the metal as we have before and fitted the window in our now tried and tested way (see earlier posts). The sliding door has been giving us problems in that it was not fitting correctly but we also managed to fiddle and get it to work. It takes a bit of a slam and we are going to have fit a grab handle but overall I think we made vast improvements.
Norm’s wife has her brother and sister down for a few days so today we are hoping to get the L shaped seating arrangement in at the front and then I am going to bring it home to do the wiring up over the weekend whilst Norm entertains. We are working towards getting it ready for the end of March. Shona wants to use her van over Easter!!!!
Is Jessica dreaming of her new motorhome
Norm finished fitting the Smev hob yesterday to the kitchen unit. Its a nice hob with a sink and double burner and then smoked glass, hinged tops. Really looking forward to seeing it in the van. Once it goes in though, since it goes across the sliding door we will then not have access to work on the door, so today, if the weather is good we are going to fit the window and finish the door off.
Meanwhile yesterday I fitted the water pipes, the propex heater and the water pump. The propex needed two holes drilled through the floor, one 40mm for the exhaust and a smaller one for the air intake. Through these holes I then put the .75metre stainless steel pipes and then attached them first to the propex and then to the underside of the van using P clips. The face opposite ways so the air intake does not suck in the fumes.
Once we have the kitchen installed I can fit the gas pipe. To bend the gas pipe I spotted a pipe bender in a local discount store for £6. The when we have fitted the seating frame I can fit the electrics to power everything. Its all starting to take shape
We have an electrician lined up to check our work but we want to actually do the work ourselves and its a few years since we have done any electrical stuff.
We have purchased a PMS 3H
the wooden box is simply something we have made as a temporary surround to protect it. What I am planning to do is to take the inlet hookup cable to a fused spur and then to the white mains cable of the PMS 3H. There are three AC outputs, one 10A and two 5A ones. I am having a socket ring and I also have a truma water heater with electric facility, I guess it would make sense to use one connector for the sockets and one for the heater. Would you use 5amp for both or the 10amp for one, or would you use all three?
I remember that to wire the sockets you simply take the cable into the relavant holes and then take a new cable out of those holes to the next socket. When you get to the furthest socket you then stop, no need to take the cable back to the PMS 3H?
Then there are the DC outlet sockets. On the back I have a DC output for the pump so the positive cable for the pump will go there. There are also 4 DC -VE connectors so I will then put the pump neg cable there. On the front there is a 10a fuse holder marked pump so I am assuming this will protect the pump and so no further fuses are needed.
Next socket is for DC+ lights so I am assuming that my positive cable for my lighting ring is going there. Light the sockets I assume I simply take the cable to the first light, then out and to the second light. At some point prior to the lights I will put a switch unless the lights I buy all have individual switches. I will then put the neg cable to another of the DC-VE connections.
Then there is two aux sockets and one of these or maybe both will be used for 12volt sockets. I am going to use mainly car cigar lighter style sockets but also put in one of the two pin ones in case its needed. Same system for wiring as the lighting.
Not bothering with a fridge, just a cooler box
Then I have two DC Inputs, car+ and van+. I am assuming I put the positive from my leisure battery to the van one and then the neg to another DC-VE connector. I am not going to use the car battery as I do not want to flatten it.
Whilst Norm worked away in the furniture dept making the kitchen I fitted the vents. If there is ever a gas leak its important the gas leaves the motorhome rather than kills its occupants. Gas is heavier than air and so sinks to the floor. In the three locations we have gas fittings we also now have a vent in the floor for it to fall out of. This entailed drilling 40mm holes. I then lined these with plastic drain pipe, sealing them in against damp and then putting a grill on the top. The pic shows th ebit at the bottom. You can just see its cut at a slant to enable gas to escape but to try to stop water getting in
Look at all that lovely sealent squeezing out
I have nearly got my mind around how it all works. Diagrams have been drawn and a list of questions to be asked prepared eg why spend £10 on a caravan double socket when a household one is under £2
After a morning of making final decisions on layout and equipment we got stuck after lunch. I cut a hole for the water inlet and fitted the part and Norm got on with making the first bit of furniture. ALthough it was only a frame to go around the wheel arches it was really exciting to see wood going together. Norm has spent all weekend rearranging his workshop ready for the furniture building and it looks great.
Its van converting day today. After consulting Norm we have changed our days to Mon, Tue, Wed which will help me with leaving the other days to shoot portraits. Of course its snowed again