Electrics for Camper Conversion (for beginners)

[Al Gibby]

Brand new to camper conversions, just bought a MWB high roof transit to convert for family travels next year.

Looking to find a reasonably priced leisure battery and all the electrics required to run some basics, ideally a minimum of a fridge, some lighting, a small heater and 4 phone chargers. Would prefer a kit with everything included but not opposed to something used so long as it still have plenty of life.

I'm sure I'll be on here quite often over the coming months (and maybe years) and appreciate any advice and help.

Cheers

 

[pappajohn]

I'm sure I'll be on here quite often over the coming months (and maybe years) and appreciate any advice and help.

Only if you subscribe.
At the moment you get 5 free posts or a FEW days then you can only read the forums.

As to your question..... Everything will need to be obtained individually.
Nobody to my knowledge sells a 'kit' of parts.
If you intend using campsites a single battery should suffice plus you'll need a charger and hookup cable and socket plus a 230v consumer unit which will also power sockets, fridge, some water heaters etc.

 

[Figaro]

 

[GeoffnDee]

Have a look at www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk self build section to give you an idea of what is available also www.vanconversionshop.co.uk is worth a look at .

 

[Jo662]

Yes you need to subscribe to get the best out of the forum,will be the best £20 you will spend.
You can get a electric kit,but way to expensive imo

EcoFlow Power Kit - Modular Power Solution (2-15kW) | Climbingvan

The EcoFlow Power Kit contains a 3600W inverter charger, MPPT charge controller, AC DC distribution and a lithium battery bank up to 15kW.

climbingvan.co.uk

If you search Raul Lenny HB or autorouter they have the knowledge of electrics to help you

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[CAB96]

12volt planet do kits.

 

[CAB96]

12volt planet do kits.

And welcome to the forum!

 

[The Wino]

I think the fridge and heater are things out of those that you mention which are going to determine the likely system needed.
Is the fridge is one that uses gas off grid or you intend to only stay on sites you could get away with a pretty low capacity system. If you want a compressor fridge and staying off grid it's going to be a bigger demand.
On the heating if it's on grid and electric heater there's no battery usage it's just a mains hookup. If it's gas blown air quite a low demand on 12v. If it's diesel a higher demand on start up.
It's the way you intend to use the van in terms of what time of year and on or off site that you need to think about

 

[autorouter]

Have a look at www.olearymotorhomes.co.uk self build section to give you an idea of what is available also www.vanconversionshop.co.uk is worth a look at .

O'Leary are good for many motorhome parts, I think, but the electrical systems they list are not what I would choose, they seem to be more for caravans and spares replacements than full systems. The motorhome manufacturers buy in systems from specialist electrics companies, and three names you are likely to see are Sargent, CBE and Nordelettronica.

They do integrated systems with mains input consumer unit, 12V switching, fuses and distribution, control panel and mains battery charging, that all work together with the leisure battery and the vehicle alternator and starter battery. Sure, you can roll your own system if you want, but one of their systems makes it a lot easier. When you first look at the systems, they seem very complicated, but trust me, implementing all that functionality without them is infinitely worse.

For example, from the mains inlet socket, the mains goes straight to a small consumer unit, which should have a 2-pole RCD and one or more 2-pole MCBs. Domestic MCBs in the UK are nearly all single-pole, and it's practically impossible to buy a 2-pole MCB in a big DIY store. And if you don't know what I'm talking about you definitely need to be asking more questions on here.

 

[Raul]

Brand new to camper conversions, just bought a MWB high roof transit to convert for family travels next year.

Looking to find a reasonably priced leisure battery and all the electrics required to run some basics, ideally a minimum of a fridge, some lighting, a small heater and 4 phone chargers. Would prefer a kit with everything included but not opposed to something used so long as it still have plenty of life.

I'm sure I'll be on here quite often over the coming months (and maybe years) and appreciate any advice and help.

Cheers

Welcome to the forum, best advise I can give you is, subscribe and stick around. You will never regret it. Specially at the beginning of the conversion. I never had the luxury to be here, when I converted mine, and some things I would done different to what I know now.
Battery, best you can afford, at the moment best bang for the buck is fogstar 280ah lifepo4, and will do what you said, less the heater. Heating it has to be gas or diesel, or both.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[GeoffnDee]

Al Gibby , If you are able (paid up member) have a look at Resources , found at the bottom of this page , there is Transit conversion information to be found in its miscellaneous section along with a lot of other information that may be useful to you in the future.
Also,in case you are not aware, the Motorhome mechanical and technical in the forum list has a Self build Motorhomes sub-section .

 

[Al Gibby]

Thankyou for all the replies, amazed at how quickly people have responded!

 

[pappajohn]

Thankyou for all the replies, amazed at how quickly people have responded!

That's the good thing about FUN.
No waiting day or even weeks for an answer.
Practically 24 hours a day here

 

[berni109]

Look on YouTube there are lots of 'how to' van electrics on there. Get some ideas of how self-contained you want to be where you want to site the stuff. Get an idea of what your budget needs to be. Come back for a critique of your design.
Don't think you can search unless a paid up member but there are a lot of answers already here to your question.

 

[Speve]

Worth taking a look at www.climbingvan.co.uk they will even do you plans etc if you purchase equipment from them

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}