Vlog 21. DIY campervan: gas piping installation plus 12V electrics
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- An overview of the internal gas pipework I fitted to the campervan to run the Smev 9722 dual-burner hob and the Propex HS2000 heater, plus details of the 12V electrical system.
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The gas piping is 8mm copper with compression joints, including isolator valves to the appliances. The pipe feeds into the metal gas locker and a 30mbar regulator off the cylinder. The pipe from cylinder to regulator is the permitted flexible type.
For the electrics I have a 160Ah AGM battery feeding through a 100A main fuse then a main isolator switch. This feeds a 70A fuse to the inverter and a 30A fuse to the 12V fusebox which in turn contains separate fuses for each device (eg fridge, lights etc).
The solar charge controller and mains charger feed the battery directly as they have their own internal fuses. The incoming mains for the charger runs through a consumer unit with an RCD and two MCBs, a 6A one for the charger and a 16A one feeding a standard UK mains socket in the van (the inverter feeds a separate socket, this is just so as not to bother with having to wire up a selector switch or any auto changeover system)
As with all of my videos, this is very definitely NOT a "how to". If you don't know about gas or electrics or are unsure, don't do it yourself. This is just a document of how I chose to do it.
An eagle-eyed viewer has found a link to the CO/LPG alarm I bought (I just found it on a shelf in a chandlery). It's www.omnitron.c... which I can't find o Amazon but a similar item is this one geni.us/Van_Ga...
Tools and parts used (Amazon affiliate links)
DeWalt jigsaw: geni.us/Van_De...
DeWalt drill: geni.us/Van_De...
DeWalt mitre saw: geni.us/Van_De...
The portable toilet is this one: geni.us/Van_To...
Sink unit is: geni.us/Van_Si...
Heater unit: geni.us/Van_Pr...
Inverter: geni.us/Van_In...
Mains charger: geni.us/Van_Ma...
Solar charger: geni.us/Van_So...
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I am a retired electrician (from Texas) and I commend your installation. For an ex TV reporter, you have done an admirable job with the electrical installation. I can tell it was well thought out (which fact you have alluded to ) and it has been well installed. I think that your years living and working on the narrowboat have paid you well in this van build. Congratulations, sir.
Thank you, Jerry
It’s mind boggling that you can do this kind of thing self taught but seemed phased by cooking! I think it must be what some people call motivated learning. All credit to you, it’s great that you get to enjoy the benefits of your talents.
Yeah, I've no interest in cooking!
All look good not long before you are on the road 🚌 great video 👍🏻
Dave please ignore any negative comments about your wiring skills. Believe me if people could see whats underneath their car dash boards they may be horrified at the quality and neatness of the wiring. I should know, the motor trade was my profession . You have done a brilliant job and you should be proud of it. Keep them vids coming you are brilliant. *******
Thank you. I did intend to make it slightly neater, in terms of each cable being exactly the length to reach its position but wanted to allow for me making a mess of the crimps and having to cut it off and do it again hence each one's a bit longer and more spaghetti-like than wished for!
“Fuse the Hell out of it...”....wiser words never spoken !!!!
Made me laugh also!
:-D
"I think it'll be fine..." would make a great t-shirt
David! What a professional looking setup! Thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to the next vlog. Cheers!
That's an incredible job completed D! Now we know why you were asking for one rubber grommet a few weeks ago! Looking forward to seeing the completed van- can't be much left!! ;-)
I wouldn't say that box is crude whatsoever , but rather utilitarian in build - a damn good job you've done !
I think it’s amazing how much you’re doing yourself! All those electrical things and wires. You must be so chuffed to be getting all this done!
I am pleased and also immensely surprised at myself, I'm normally so lazy!
Well done! your van is coming along nicely.
Again fantastic job. Well explained.
Be glad when you are done...So you can take us along on your first trip. Thanks for sharing
Excellent work on your power and control panel. I have seen many professionally made boxes like yours that are nowhere near as well organized and neatly put together. Well done David.
Thank you!
I love this tech installation, makes me want mine so bad. I have the money but all the showrooms are closed......until the morning. Yay.
Wow! You certainly know what you’re doing with those electrics! Really well explained too. Thank you🙂
nice wireing job. looking good . not to far away now..
With all that you have put into this van not only should it last a long time but be very safe and functional also. Great thought has been put into each part of the build. All the best Bro
Love the Dr Frankenstein message.
Nice electrical system! I did the 12v system in my old, now sold smaller sailboat. But you did give me some new ideas for my coming camper conversion =)
WELL you can never have to many redundancies in my book either. That's a good thing to me... lol... I really like your box you made for all your control boxes. It's a better job then I could of done... lol...
You done a fine job explaining it also. I'm so glad your a good teacher, bc I'm not a good student. But I did make an A+ in electronics @ a Jr. Collages while in high school.
Well anyways I thing your doing a very very very fine joy sir.
Take care, Chris from Missouri
Great, I just got 'Tainted Love' out of my noggin, only to be replaced with 'Electric Avenue'! lol.
I really like the system design, I can't wait to see it all working.
This is amazing! You’ve done an incredible amount of very technical work here, and it all looks very professional.
I’m really looking forward to the next phase.
Best Of Luck
Thanks Allen
Great job on the wiring. Blimey, I wouldn't know how to wire up all those unit thingies in the electric cupboard, if I had to do that. Going back to the inverter on the last vlog, the manufacturer were definitely stupid putting the socket that way around. You would think they would of put it on sideways or upside down. I got one myself but not used it for a few years. I got it from Machine Mart, it was just one I used with my van or tractor if I needed to use electric tools too far from our house or workshop. I'd have to check, but I think mine came out a different direction.
Great work, well done! Very informative as ever, interesting to see the inner workings of all that electricity stuff, I wouldn’t know where to start!
Nice work! With what appears to be plenty of space for them, I'm a bit surprised that you don't have two leisure batteries. That said, I suppose that your live-aboard boat life has taught you very well what your power needs are.
The only thing that's going to draw any substantial power is the fridge but yes I have plenty of space left for a second battery if I want to add it later :-)
Vandemonium The Propex draws a fair amount of Leccy.
1.6A so I've got 50 hours battery life for continuous heating before a recharge (if nothing else was running)
Great progress and really impressive! Your electrics box is fantastic! Looking forward to see all this stuff in use.
Cheers Doug
Milliput is a two putty substance which goes rock hard when mixed and is a brilliant sealant
Another great video your getting on very nicely. If I was installing those wires I would use fully insulated crimp connectors on the switches and an IP67 rated mains hookup socket mounted underneath.
I toyed with heatshrinking the crimps but the whole lot is inside a wooden box with lid so nothing should accidentally catch and if it did, the fuse would short so it should be OK. Also (and I shouldn't admit this!) I just happened to have those terminals handy so I used them for convenience!
I am a subscriber to your CRUISING THE CUT. I would like to compliment you for your presentations of both of your blogs and your willingness to tackle your DIY projects.,,and do a very good job.
Good Luck, and safe driving. Oh, Happy Belated New Year!
If you haven’t done so already then I would suggest making a good electrical schematic and having it laminated and stored in the van. With no labels on the wires it will help you remember where everything goes when you have to troubleshoot an electrical gremlin when it pops up down the road in the future.
I have labels on the wires :-)
Every comment for the past twenty hours has been as clean as your electrical box build, David. Every one is a positive note of encouragement. You have properly tamed the beast within us by your utter perseverance with smart replies. I really like you! Are you looking forward to the test run through the tube to France?
I delete the abusive comments!! ;-)
My worry is being extraneous. I hope it qualifies for admission, not only here but in all instances of submission. I hope the abusive don't work you too hard. You are an enjoyable chap!
Haha, thank you!
Great job, with an electrifying presentation.
That electrical system looks amazing!!
Nice job so far, I realise that this comment will be after all the work is done, but this applies to both your camper and boat. If you are going to terminate any 12v wiring in a crimp, then spend the extra penny and buy Insulated cripms no fear of any shorts that way.
Yep, too late ;-) cheers though
yay! your becoming a real bright spark (groan! lol) with all this! great work!
Looking very good there. Only thing I would change myself is the spade connectors on the switches, whenever possible I prefer the insuated ones, less chance of a shorting out and turning something on which in a van bouncing down a country road is a possibility. Now that you have done it though, a quick wrap of electrical tape will do the job.
Yeah, those were the ones I happened to have conveniently to hand in my big box of electrical miscellany...
You did a great job on your cupboards. Be proud !
Nice video :) - You should have fuses in the solar controller / mains charger leads close to the +ve battery terminal to protect the cables should there be a short. The fuses that are already in the charger / mppt controller won't protect the cable running from the battery. You could use one fuse for both - just size it for the thinnest cable. This means that there will be a fuse at each end of these wires which is correct.
Looking forward to the finished article :)
It'll be finished soon!
It's looking great !! Your electrics is looking SHOCKINGLY good. ;-) . As a first trip you could drive to Ireland. "kidding, it would be a very neat trick though." But I've always liked videos about Wales and it's country side and it's villages look quite interesting
Wow, I couldn't begin to do my own wiring like that. Well done! Also that knockout gas thing sounds ghastly...
Opinions are divided, it seems from reading the comments, as to whether the knockout gas threat is real or overstated...
Hmm, interesting, it certainly isn't a thing I had heard of before. I'm pretty sure you'll be safe!
I hope we get touring videos at the end of all of this! Even if you’re going to the local shop haha!
Also are you planning on just touring around the UK or further a field?
Don't know yet!
You are getting there! The wiring looks great, some labels on the switches would be a nice finishing touch, trust me at some point you will forget what they are for. My first reaction when I saw the underbody plug was that is going to be a (American euphemism for terribly difficult that is what a female dog is properly called) to get at, if you don't mind that all that maters. I really like the Gas monitor, I feel a lot better know you have one. As fro teh gas lines, you mentioned why you routed them that way, but it looked obvious to me that you routed teh heater line the way that you did so that you could properly mount the shutoff valve. Can't wait until the solar panels go on and you hit the road.
There will be labels, oh yes!
Bloody hell, you’ve certainly stuck to the best stuff when it comes to your electrics etc. Nice to see ! I’m assuming you’re keeping the van for a very long time
I hope so; it wasn't bought with any eye to flogging it on.
That's a monster mains charger! You must be on the Christmas card list of the local Victron dealer by now ;-)
Ray
Haha, I'd hope so too ;-) It's not that massive mind you, only 30A
very well done sir.thank you for sharing.
Maybe in the Electrical Box you should have installed a mini 12 volt fan to blow air around in the box
Method man you think of everythin keep up the good vids
14:05 My main concern about electrical sockets underneath would be in winter when there is lots of salty spray from the roads making a rather good conductor.
There's no power on that socket and it has a lid that flips down over it when the shore connector is unplugged.
@@Vandemonium Thanks for the clarification. I must say you did a fantastic job on the conversion overall
It’s getting there but be careful if you go though a Ford or big puddles with that socket under your van !
Regards Dave,Jo and Louie 👍😀🐾
It shouldn't matter, I won't be plugged in to shore mains at the time! (Obviously)
Vandemonium Give it a quick squirt of WD40, before and after use to keep it protected.
Almost perfect :D
Great job.
Greetings,, Kitty.
Have you the space somewhere on one of the walls of the electrical box to fit a 12v computer tower system cooling fan(s), just in case the box gets too hot? (convection cooling may not be enough, and may need 'forced' cooling). Seen this done on the back of caravan absorption fridge vanes, to assist with their cooling....
Possibly ... so far the solar controller has remained very cool as did the mains charger when I tested it. The inverter's quite a little one so hopefully won't get too warm. I'm going to keep an eye on it and see how it goes.
Your right, there is no "r" in daft!
👏👏👏👏👏 here's your applause 👏👏👏👏👏 your electric wiring and boxes and fuses is beyond my comprehension,😐 how in the world did you figure it out? You must have prior knowledge, I'm guessing ...
Just research plus stuff I've picked up over the years plus it's not that dissimilar to the boat!
Nice job!
But you should still fuse the wires running from the solar and main chargers to the battery, even though those devices have fuses. These are fuses to protect the device, the wire itself is left unfused and directly connected to an enormous power supply (the battery).
If one of these wires were to short, you've got an electrical fire. On boats these have to be fused within 15cm of the battery post.
All the best!
Fair point, cheers!
I if you get tired of running a boat or running a boat, you can't get a second job wiring police cars. You did a very good job, the biggest mistake people make wiring 12 volt is the want to solder the connections together instead of using connectors. Is soldered the wire will break at either end of the solid mass of weight you add to the wire over time. Also get some vacuum like or gas line and split it to put around you holes you have cut in the sheet metal and wood. You can also do it around your gas connection to the outside world the tabs are not really there to stop it from spinning but to just add some grip when you tighten down with the screws. they will form to whatever shape they are compressed against. They do make grommets for around the inside of holes but it more expensive than the cheap and easy vacuum line the trick and you can make any size you like. the key is to make your cut in the like the same or bigger than the material you are putting in the gap of the line. I owned my own car stereo shop and installed alarms, stereos, and systems for years. I would hire you as an installer. My best is you cheated a little bit as we didn't see you wire it on camera. (have a friend do we) the magic of cinema we will never know. One last thing if you do make any connections outside the van, but the jelly filled connectors they will seal out the water and explode when you crimp the wire to fill the cavity with lithium grease or silicone. I'm sure there is an envelope of a napkin with lost of connections on it written down in your handwriting. You might want to use SketchUp its free and make up a schematic and attach it to the door for later reference. After many miles and not touching it, it print will we very value for the conversation with yourself on "how did I wire this?' If you don't have any laminate sheets a good second is box tape to cover it all to attach it. Shipping Envelopes work great also but don't look the best.
Thank you
Wow...very technical..over and above my understanding, but impressive in all respects accept hidden electric hook up? A bit mucky sir when grovelling in the wet mud...However stealth in the name of the game I understand why...Looking forward to your stealth 🏕️ camping vlogs...?
Keep up the vlogs I love um..thank you...😀😀😀
I would think "muddymarvellous" would be completely in tune with crawling in the muck!
Wellies to you..lol
Quite neat.... Keep it up
Now Young Dave; You gotta stop reading those Heath-Robinson books before you make your boxes ;-)
Having said that - I reckon you'd have BamBoozled even 'Him' ...... #AARRGGHH!!! ..... all that pipework and wiring would fry my brain ...... Well Done! .... Gold Star Sir :-)
Awesome 👍
curious, why not go all electric? Induction cooking, and radiant heat? I guess money and easy of putting it in?
gas seem just so messy.
great job!
It's recharging that's the issue; there's only space for so much solar on the roof yet induction hobs etc do rather eat up the power so unless you always park in powered campsites, it could be a problem.
Having said all that ... several years later now, I am considering taking it out and re-fitting as all electric (albeit with diesel heating)
Love your mini rants. Quality is not what it used to be. Electrical wiring Con-"fuses" me ?
One question and a small comment :-) How do you access the 12V DC switch? It looked like it was going to be in a cupboard. The only thing I would worry about is the siting of your mains socket it will be subject to vibration and lots of water getting thrown up as you drive along. This could lead to two problems: 1. Corrosion of the contacts due the the salt spray from the road and 2. On wet days the socket is going to be rather wet and it might be interesting when you plug it into the mains!
The socket's got a little flappy sealed lid over it
I was thinking with a 130 AH AGM battery you have 65 AH you can use each day. Now with 200 watts of solar on a good day you may get around 100 AH which is 35 AH wasted on a good day. Perhaps you could consider another battery for any excess power to have a place to go. You could always get a couple of 12 V fans to move air at night and not worry about the power not being used.
You will notice I already have space for another if I choose to add it ;-) As for the fan, I already have one in the vent in the roof!
Love the video
I had exactly the same issues with my Gaslow box. Big mistake buying it.
Seriously? Your locker was crap too? I'm staggered, I assumed mine was a random duff one!
I bought one for my conversion but sent it back. I made a better one myself.
Be careful with the fridge supply, some need a direct coinnection to battery in 6mm2 cable
Love How laid Back your vids are always make me smile...One question have you a link for that Carbon Monoxide/ Knock out Gas/ Gas detector....Cheers
Sadly no, as I just spotted it on the shelves of a chandlery. However, the chandlery was Onboard Energy at Springwood Haven marina so maybe give them a call?
Thank You
2:25 and a noble prize.
Old fashioned batteries, then not Star Trek dilithium crystals. ok yes I know they blow up every week, but apart from that they are very good.
B&Q £9.99 a box.
all looking rather splendid - you might even get to use it before the summer's out at this rate :)
have you had your little chat with the DVLA yet?
Oh yes, it's officially a campervan :-)
How did you learn all this stuff? , still a fan , love the channel. Thanks
Just picked it up over the years. Helps to have the boat already as much of it is similar.
When does the rocket ship blast off (did NASA Engineers help) ?
Nice electric box, would done that exactly like that! I like the airflow concern, there surely will be some heat to dissipate with all that devices in there!
Looks like an ad for victron, do they pay you?
:-)
Thx for the vid!
50kg battery? Good workout lugging that around 🙂
Yes it was!
@@Vandemonium Any particular reason you went with one big battery instead of two smaller?
Smaller and cheaper to have just one. Less wiring too.
Shame the electrics set up wasn’t like a ‘how to’ it’s a good set up that, cheers 👍
Definitely not a "how to", I don't pretend to be experienced enough to instruct anyone how to do it, just show what I chose to do!
Vandemonium I’ve seen a hell of a lot worse ‘how to’ campervan electrics vids, your set up looks very good anyway and the campers coming along very nicely, first cup of tea parked up in it somewhere nice will taste so good! Take care
Query on the dropout vent - is it recommended to make the vent at the back or does it not really matter? (I think my box is smaller so there might be more room at the front away from the cylinder...)
(thanks for the video)
Strictly speaking there should be a drop vent underneath any points where a gas leak might occur and where any escaped gas would otherwise be unable to flow (downwards) to another location with a vent. In practical terms I had a vent near enough under the heater and also some space where the air inlet pipe came in.
LOVE your videos 👍
Do I have to Ground/Earth ...
Inverter..
Controller..
Batteries...
INDIVIDUALLY...???
Or can I run them to a bus bar then just Ground that...????
Thanks 🙏
Generally, grounds can be run to a common point such as a bus bar I believe (for example, my battery is grounded to the chassis and all the other gear in the electrics cupboard that needs a ground runs to that same point but the 12V stuff (lights, pump etc) all go to a common ground inside the cabinet and then that ground goes to the chassis where the battery is grounded. Hope that makes sense.
@@Vandemonium
I get ya...
Thank you 👍
Now all you need is to install small LEDs with a resister to light when a fuse is blown...hehehe Cheers, and as always, God bless
The 12V fuse distribution box already has LEDs doing that!
Yes I know that, I was referring to large fuses that link the system... cheers
Great wiring. But I wondering why you used compression fittings, instead of flare fittings.
Because this is "the UK standard" apparently.
Soldered joints suffer from vibration in a vehicle and can fail so the standard is compression fittings that do not have the same problem.
Just couriouse. Over in the states they require flare fittings. Ironic in a way. But you still did a great job.
Electrics are all fairy dust to me - glad you know what you are doing. The van must almost be ready for use now. Any thoughts where you will go to first?
Not really although I'll be going to visit a mate of mine in Surrey in the van at the end of this month.
Did you buy a wireing kit for the split charger and to power the 12v sockets? If so what kit did you buy and from where? Watching these videos has got me thinking about converting my expert on to a camper.
I didn't buy a kit, I just wired it up to my own spec from the individual elements. I don't have a split charger though; solar and shoreline only.
Wow! What a job! Well done! Did you ever find the cap fitting to plug the hole in your bumper?
Haven't got around to it yet; just one of the many things on the to-do list
Vandemonium What is the size of the hole in your bumper ?
Do you need to secure the copper gas pipe ? I thought in a mobile application the pipe had to be clamped to the vehicle structure at regular intervals to prevent movement and fatigue in the pipe work and fittings ?
It should be secured. In my case, the run is extremely short and the pipe is held by the isolator valves (screwed into woodwork) and the hole in the locker. If the pipes were longer, I'd have added extra securing clips.
Hi, I'm looking to do a conversion on a Peugeot Expert, I didn't notice you mention a split charger, do you know if this range of vans uses a smart charging system so requires a 12v to 12v charger? (expensive) .
Nice informative videos thanks..
I didn't install one and trying to get the information you're after from Peugeot or Toyota (I asked both, since they're essentially the same van) was quite trying. In the end, Peugeot said that generation of van (mine's 2013) does *not* use a smart alternator so a straight VSR would do. But I'm not totally convinced they were 100% on the ball, sorry, so best to ask elsewhere as well, to be safe.
You talk about front and back lights here, aren´t they part of the original electric system of the van or are you taking that out too? In that case I guess you´ll have feeding for wipers, radio and so on too...
I'm not touching the original electrics
What size piping 15mm
The electrical stuff is just way beyond my comprehension. I've ordered a Poweroak.
I'm shocked to my core! Using the word *access* without preceding it by *get* or *gain.* The walls are tumbling, I need a lie down and a nice cup of tea to recover. (probably not in that order, it would not end well)
I'm not sure why. Access as a verb is quite normal.
It has become so now, but when one's pedantic feet are stuck firmly in the mud of traditionalism it is, and always will be, a noun. I fear I am becoming Sisyphus.
Where did you find your 8mm grommet for the gas locker? 😁 I'm about to do a similar build and struggling to find just 1!
With apologies, I don't remember but I do know I had to buy 100!!!
then well take it higher
How did you run from the van battery to the charge controller?
I didn’t, the two are not connected. The leisure battery charges purely from solar at present.
@@Vandemonium ok thanks for your reply, I am currently pulling my dash apart ready to install my split charger.
👍 thanks again !
👍
Looking good. Will there be a display for battery condition and the charge controller?
There's a voltage display and the solar controller has an app controlling it via Bluetooth.
Oh okay, sorry if you already answered that in a previous video.
I haven't (!) but was going to show it in the next one :-)
Okay cool :)
Are you going to put dymo labels by all the switches with names of which switch does what?
Ah, I keep meaning to and then forget!
Is your inverter switch up to the job? Looks like a 6 A switch at best but inverters take much more....
The switch doesn't carry the inverter current, it merely switches a relay in the device so it can be pretty much anything.
Vandemonium Sorry for doubting!
I hope you sent a nasty-gram to the makers of your electric power components. The marketing group did not talk to the engineers or vice versa. What were those dead brained people thinking or not thinking.!
Very impressive electrical installation! Have you perhaps trained as an electrician at some point in your life? You definitely seem to know your stuff!!
Cheers. No, no training.
@@Vandemonium I am surprised! The whole system is very neat and well constructed😃
Hi Dave, Great vlog, didn't realise that rogues & vagabonds were still up to that knock out gas trick. They used to do it in the south of France, especially with camper vans. When you bent all that copper pipe, did you use one of those gizmos's that you shove inside the pipe and stops the pipe splitting when you bend it? I am going to put up a small solar panel so I can power lights etc, so your wiring explanation has come in handy, now I will be fused to bits. Regards.
I just bent them very gently...