As you may know, I have recently bought an LDV Convoy. However, I have no idea about electrics at all. Does anyone know anywhere decently priced that would fit a similar system to Mikes in the UK?
Leisure Battery, 12v Fuse Box, Lights, Inverter etc
Cheers!
You could always ask a local auto electrician but really it's not difficult, look on Youtube for tutorials and save yourself some money.
From elsewhere on the forum:
Quote from: Camper Van Travels on February 12, 2015, 01:05:51 AM
Solar panels? Get as many of the roof as you can reasonably fit and the higher the wattage the better. I use 3 x 80watt solar panels. Two are wired in parallel. The other one is a standalone solar panel to aim it straight at the sun to charge up the 12V batteries in the back.
The 80watt solar panels you can buy on eBay for about £75 each last time I looked. Mine were fitted to the roof with some 4" aluminium angle (brackets) and those brackets were then Sikaflexed (Sikaflex 921i) to the roof of the van.
I say 'were' because I haven't yet put them on this 'new' van (the last van I lived in for 4 years, yet another LDV Convoy. Even in 100mph+ winds they were not going anywhere, they were on there like you wouldn't believe stuck down absolutely solid.
I'll post up some photos soon, so you can see how I'll be fitting them to this van I bought 12 months ago, only I've still not got around to putting them up on the roof yet.
Next you'll need one or two charge controllers, again these are available on eBay for about £10 each.
I use a 300watt (600watt maximum surge) pure sine wave inverter for my laptop so I can carry on writing and also plug in the TV/DVD player or fridge or whatever else I fancy, for example, an electric fan to keep me cool on very hot summer days.
I'll be putting up a post about this very shortly on my own blog btw. Link below.
CVT- do you know when you will be putting an electrics guide on your blog? Really hoping it'll help me out alot!
Don't look to me for guidance on a full blown electrical system, follow my advice (which I wouldn't give anyway) and you'd likely blow your van up to join the rest of the LDV's in LDV heaven. I'm a bodger at best.
If on the other hand you want to fit a few solar panels for some free electricity which will be adequate for most people's electrical needs, sure I'll pop up a post on my blog shortly.
AS said by Mark, it's really difficult to give advise on electrics, they can be complicated. It all depends what you want them to do.
Have a look on Youtube, there is of course some comprehensive advise on other Forums, you would probably have to pay a sub to join.
A good place for self builds is SBMCC.CO.UK
You can register as Forum Guest for free & ask 10 questions. I think it's the Encyclopedia Britannica for self builds. There are lots of active members who live self build. I joined 4yrs ago, theres just so much stuff there. I'm on my second build & still go for back for info. If you have two email addresses, you may register twice!
Good luck with the conversion.
Yeah agree with Roman, I'm a member so I don't wanna nick pictures from other members, it is a good site for self build info.
Cost you £15 to join, they are a bit stuffy and there's not much banter. But plenty of members picture galleries and details on all sorts of stuff. Patrick.
Ive just signed up. Waiting to be accepted. Sounds good! Thanks again for all your help everyone
Put a hello up on the Forum and as soon as your signed in I will guide you to the gallery.
I'm on there as Tiachikid.
On there as JakeLeeYes as we speak!
Where about are you - i've done all my electrics, i'm an electrical engineer - so would willingly help if you're anywhere near peterborough - you could always look over my van and take any info you need / omit what you don't, but it's a pretty tidy job.
Stephen
I'm in Oxfordshire so I'm a good 100miles from you! How long did the electrics take you?
Obviously I know it'll take me alot longer given your profession haha