Author: Off Grid Man

Air Suspension V Sumo Springs

Should I upgrade? I wasn’t going to upgrade the suspension, the van wasn’t low at the back and it looked and seemed to handle quite normal. However, after inspecting the Leaf Springs and the Rubber Bump Stops I found that the Bump Stops had started to corrode. It was time to make a change and perhaps upgrade my suspension.

Check your suspension

Picture A (above) shows the Van before it was converted into a camper-van. Note how high the Bump-Stop sits above the Leaf Spring, this is because no weight has been added to the vehicle.

Picture B (above) shows the camper-van after completion. Even though lightweight materials have been used in its construction note how much lower the van now sits. The Bump Stop now sits permanently on the Leaf Spring, thus probably causing increased wear, in fact the Bump Stop has started to split and break. The age of the van is 4 years old and the mileage is 40,000.

Above: The Bump Stops are in poor condition (4 years old and 40K miles). Was the wear caused by constantly being compressed onto the leaf spring? I dont know but it is time to change them.

Air Suspension or Sumo Springs?

Air Suspension: This is a good solution to increasing the height of a vehicle and also helping to “firm up” the ride. Having air suspension means that you can often adjust the height of the vehicle when parked on uneven ground.

Be careful: Having too much air pressure can damage the chassis and can cause small cracks to appear in the chassis (the van cannot be repaired if this happens in Germany and it is not allowed back on the road ). Also be careful if the compressor is wired directly into the vehicle without a voltage relay. Permanently wired compressors have been known to overheat and sometimes catch fire should the voltage drop below 12v and the compressor is left switched on.

What is the difference between Air Suspension and Sumo Springs?

Airbags and SumoSprings are types of air springs. The main difference between an airbag and SumoSprings is how the air is captured/controlled. With a traditional air bag, a compressor with hoses and valves is used to fill up the balloon inside of the airbag. This requires maintenance so the air bag does not crack and/or leak. The air inside of SumoSprings is captured in millions of air pockets inside the micro-cellular urethane material. You could drill a hole through SumoSprings and they would still work.

So which type did I use?

I decided to install Sumo Springs. They are fast and easy to install (about 20 – 30 minutes if no problems). Sumo Springs are often less expensive than an air suspension installation and never need maintenance, they offer a “fixed ride height or firmness” and cannot damage the vehicle chassis.

How to fit Sumo Springs

Image Above: Look for the recesses (see red arrows) place a screwdriver into the recess and strike with a hammer to turn the Bump Stop. Check which way they rotate (some have left-hand threads).

Its as easy as that.

Lift up the van, unscrew and remove the old Bump Stop, then screw in the Sumo Springs and lower the van, thats all there is to do.

The Sumo Spring Kit

Using both Spacers was not necessary (see image below). The height was sufficient using one spacer (two are supplied) and the vehicle would have been too high had I fitted them both.


Where to buy (UK)

Rhodes Vans LTD
Land Line: +44 1202 422385
Facebook: facebook.com/rhodesvans
Web shop: http://rhodesvans.co.uk
Instagram: @rhodesvans

Lots of YouTube Stuff on how to fit

https://youtu.be/uw3dAWDRXko

https://youtu.be/jHE-NrCJ7Q8

https://youtu.be/iaYPKI-TOo4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U1Ta8C5V5Q

WiFi and Antenna (without drilling holes)

“I doubt this antenna will improve the signal”

How wrong I was. The antenna is superb, it actually works, and works very well indeed. One of the best purchases for the van.

I purchased a Huawei E5577 4G LTE Mobile Broadband Wi-Fi Router Mi-Fi Hotspot a great little unit.

The Huawei E5577 is a very capable tri-band 4G LTE Mobile Broadband device.  A Cat 4 LTE device, the E5577 is capable of 150Mb/s downloads from a Fast 4G network.

The inclusion of 800MHz and 850MHz frequency bands allow the device to work in most international territories including the Americas where many other mobile broadband devices cannot operate. 

A dedicated charger is not required as the device can be recharged from a USB2 port on your PC or Laptop, or from ant 5V USB phone charger.

The E5577 is so light and compact that you really can carry the internet in your pocket when you are out and about.  The OLED display keeps you informed on the connection status and data consumption.  There are two TS9 antenna sockets so an external antenna can be connected for use in poor signal areas.

The E5577 can send and receive SMS text messages and there is an added bonus too in the E5577’s ability to accept a Secure Digital (SD) card to store files and share them with the Wi-Fi connected devices.

Is it worth adding an antenna?

Yes. I was sceptical at first and didn’t believe that by adding an antenna would make any real difference. To be fair if there isn’t a signal adding an antenna will make no difference. However, if the signal is weak then a good antenna can really improve things.

I want a WiFi antenna but I dont want to drill holes and add new cables.

I believed in order to get a good signal when the WiFi signal is poor that I would have to fit something on the roof of the van which meant drilling holes (again). However, I was advised by another motorhome user that I should try the Panorama Ultra Wideband 2G 3G 4G MiMo 700-2700MHz Antenna as it really does work.

He told me he had tried them all

Well perhaps he didn’t try every antenna but what he meant was he had tried enough and found one that actually works really well.

So I gave it a go, I purchased the Panorama Ultra Wideband Antenna.

Stand it on your desk or fix it to a window with it’s suction pad.  Equally suitable for use on 2G, 3G and 4G networks and frequency bands including 700, 800, 850, 900, 1800, 1900, 2100, 2300 and 2600 MHz .  This flexibility enables the antenna to perform well almost anywhere in the world where a mobile phone signal can be found.


This Ultra Wideband MIMO dual antenna has 2 x 2m high quality RG174 UHF cables terminated with 2 x TS9 male connectors making it ready to plug into a wide range of Mi-Fi devices such as Huawei E5573, E5577, Vodafone R216, R216-z ZTE MF971and many others equipped with dual TS9 antenna ports.  There are also 2 x SMA adaptors to suit many CPE routers.

Below: The Huawei is showing No Service but to be fair it did flick between three bars on 3G to No Service. In other words there was some network service but its was poor.

Below: I have now fitted the Panorama Antenna and within seconds there is a noticeable difference

Below: The Huawei has gone from No Service (and sometimes 3G) to Full 4G

Below: The Phone is also showing full signal strength

LithTech LifePo4 Battery with Bluetooth

LithTech (also known as Shenzhen Lithtech Energy Co Ltd) is a LifePo4 battery manufacturer. I wanted to find two large reputable suppliers that make a quality product and this was one of the companies I contacted and also purchased batteries from.

I was not paid by LithTech to write this article nor did they provide the batteries free. The batteries were purchased from my own funds.

Note the red text at the bottom of the image below

Quality Problems Replacement for Free

Bluetooth Battery Status Monitoring: Like other batteries of this quality the LithTech 100Ah Battery comes with a built-in BMS and a downloadable Bluetooth App. Its very easy to use and install. I assume that the software is generic (used by other companies) however, this doesn’t mean that it is in anyway less superior.

The Bluetooth App works superb. In fact as soon as the batteries arrived I was able to monitor them before I opened the boxes!

Below shows some of the internal parts that make up the LithTech 100Ah Battery. The BMS is shown first, the NTC (temperature sensor) are the black cables (usually only one is used). The rest are the cells and the testing facilities.

How good is the battery and the service?

The LithTech batteries appears to be excellent although I haven’t had them long enough to fully say. Only after a year or two will I know. The batteries worked perfectly from the moment they arrived. All that was required was that I install them in the vehicle and download the App (which I did previously before they arrived).

Fast Shipping door to door with no duty to pay on arrival. This doesn’t mean duty is free. LithTech offer a prepaid duty service which is processed by DHL, this makes shipping very easy. You pay your country’s import duty when you pay LithTech, this is built into the shipping costs that you pay. For example I paid LithTech only one payment and they paid UK Duties to DHL in China (Worldwide) on my behalf so that when the batteries arrived in the UK they were immediately shipped to me without delay. Very fast and very simple.

If you use Whatsapp then LithTech will keep in close contact with you. This is an excellent service feature that keeps you informed day by day.

Below: The batteries have arrived, the image shows the shipping carton and how well they were packed (very well protected and packed)

LithTech: Room 711,Building B, Zhihui Innovation Center, Xixiang Street, Bao’an District, Shenzhen. +86-755-23772509 / 86-15013751033 

Click this link for The LithTech Website

Meritsun LifePo4 Battery with Bluetooth

Having good Lithium cells are not enough.

The importance of a good LifePo4 Battery is often related to how the battery is constructed internally.

I was not paid by Meritsun to write this article nor did they provide the batteries free. The batteries were purchased from my own funds.

The image below shows the internal construction of the Meritsun 100Ah LifePo4 Battery. Unlike most Lithium battery suppliers the BMS (circuit-board) is designed and built by (or built for) Meritsun as well as the Meritsun bluetooth App. The BMS is shown below situated at the top of four LifePo4 cells which are linked together with sturdy Busbars (solid copper with nickel plate). Each 3.2 volt cell is individually monitored and if you look closely you can see the small black wire (NTC) in the centre of the battery, this is the temperature sensor. Lithium iron phosphate cells (LifePo4) are much more stable than Lithium-ion cells, they are less likely (almost impossible) to combust.

BMS: If you look carefully you will see a small PCB, its green coloured, this is the Bluetooth circuit-board (its quite small). At the bottom left hand corner there is a tiny gold button (you need to look carefully). This gold coloured button is the “re-set” button. The white plug at the very bottom are were the battery monitoring cables connect one from each cell plus the black NTC wire (temperature monitor).

What you cannot see: The cables bolts shown on this battery are made firm with silicone before final assembly. This is to prevent any bad connections later.

The LifePo4 Battery has its own Bluetooth App that shows the battery status as well as the staus of each cell.

Hidden Feature: (not visible on the app – shown below)

Hold your finger down on the Menu Page for about 10 seconds and slide to the left or right and it will reveal the Cell Voltage Display

Below: The batteries have arrived

You cannot be serious! You are going to cut a brand new LifePo4 battery open?

I want to see inside and the only way is to cut the battery open. Fortunately I have a brand new empty battery case with screw-on top so I will be able to build the battery and it will be like brand new again.

Below: The cutting begins

Below: Its very well sealed and not easy to open

I am finally inside the 100Ah Meritsun Battery: As you can see the construction is very well made. The blue flashing led is the Bluetooth/Power status (its switched on). I noticed the circuit board is a little different to the factory issue image above, it may have been upgraded. It looks like the separate green bluetooth PCB has been moved to another location on the PCB perhaps the BMS has been redesigned. Also each bolt or screw is sealed with white silicone to prevent them coming loose, a nice small feature. Another tiny feature is that Meritsun have even used clear heat proof tape on the NTC temperature sensor instead of normal tape. Cable ties have been placed around many of the cable groups and the cells sit inside a Plastic Framework which stops any movement and keeps them very secure. All Power Cables are a good thickness and sturdy.

Below: all the cells are factory balanced before shipping.

Removable Top Battery Case:

Another feature that is available from Meritsun is that you can specially order a LifePo4 Battery with a Battery Case that has a screw-on top and can be opened. Not everyone will want this but anyone with some electrical knowledge may want to access the inside of the case should there be a fault or problem. For example if a cell was to fail then it can be replaced.

Now its time to put the battery into a new case.

How good is the battery and the service?

The battery appears to be excellent although I haven’t had them long enough to fully say. Only after a year or two will I know. However, the service from Meritsun is also excellent. Placing the order and payment is easy either by transfer, credit card or Meritsun will invoice you via Alibaba (safe and secure). Shipping (at the time of writing) did take a little longer than expected, I had to wait for almost 3 weeks before the batteries were shipped using air freight (DHL). However the batteries were very well protected in the box and once they were on route everything went smoothly.

Fast Shipping door to door with no duty to pay on arrival. This doesn’t mean duty is free. Meritsun offer a prepaid duty service, actually is all processed by DHL which makes shipping very easy. You pay your country’s import duty when you pay Meritsun, its built into the shipping costs that you pay. For example I paid Meritsun only one payment for everything and they paid UK tax duties to DHL in China (Worldwide) on my behalf so that when the batteries arrived in the UK they were immediately shipped to me without delay. Very fast and very simple.

If you use Whatsapp then Meritsun will keep in close contact with you. This is an excellent service feature that keeps you informed day by day.

The Video below shows the factory where many of the components are manufactured including Battery Cells. Unlike many other battery suppliers Meritsun manufactures most of their own components themselves

Guangzhou Meritech Power Co.Ltd.
Address:Room B213, B215, Building 196-208, Xin Guangcong Rd., Guangcong 2nd Rd., Baiyun Dist, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Click this link for The Meritsun Website

LifePo4 Batteries (Where to buy?)

Question: Should I buy from my home country (UK) or is it worth buying from overseas for example China where most Lithium batteries seem to be manufactured these days.

I was not paid by any of the companies mentioned in this article nor did they provide the batteries free. The choice was entirely my own and purchased from my own funds.

It seems like a good idea to “cut out the middle man” is it worth it?

The main issue is the price. Buying from China has to be cheaper “like for like” or it isn’t worth doing. The risks you take mean that if something goes wrong then it can be costly to return especially if the supplier isn’t supportive or helpful.

The first problem you may find.

“But the Alibaba Price is only to get your attention sir”

There are numerous locations were you could find a supplier. One of the easiest is Alibaba. However, be warned! I contacted a few suppliers and found that the prices shown on Alibaba are NOT the prices you will be asked to pay. As one supplier said to me “our price on Alibaba is to catch your eye” meaning, its not real its only to get your attention. At the time of writing I would say almost all listings were not genuine prices.

How to find a reputable Chinese supplier?

There are many small companies in China buying cells and making Lithium Batteries. Basically they buy the cells from a supplier (grade A and sometimes grade B cells) add a generic BMS (Battery Management System or circuit-board) to build a battery, its not too difficult. Some are good some are not good.

So how do you know which supplier to select? Look at the size of the company, number of employees and also the manufacturing capabilities. I found one company that manufactured their own cells and also produced their own BMS circuitry. This level of manufacturing is far out of reach of the smaller companies. In fact I found most lithium battery companies were using a generic BMS circuit-board ie one that is for sale to various battery manufacturers. I ended up finding two large companies, both looked very capable but I couldn’t decide which was best, so I bought from both companies.

How do you know if the battery is going to be any good?

To be honest you dont know until it arrives and you have used it for a period of time. You can reduce the risk of buying overseas by buying a battery from a reputable supplier and a battery that has good cells, however, its just as important that the internal construction is of the highest quality ie the area you cannot see!

These are the companies that were selected

I have a friend that was also building a camper-van and required batteries. The original idea was to buy the batteries from one supplier but then we had an idea. Why not buy from two suppliers and see which is best?

Here are the suppliers we used: Meritsun (Guangzhou China) and LithTech (Shenzhen China).

Guangzhou Meritech Power Co.Ltd.
Address:Room B213, B215, Building 196-208, Xin Guangcong Rd., Guangcong 2nd Rd., Baiyun Dist, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. +86-20-3659 5615

https://www.meritsunpower.com/

LithTech: Room 711,Building B, Zhihui Innovation Center, Xixiang Street, Bao’an District, Shenzhen. +86-755-23772509 / 86-15013751033 

https://www.ltc-energy.com/

More information about Meritsun and LithTech can be found on this website, see the column on the right-hand side to view each company or click the links below.

Meritsun 100Ah LifePo4 Battery

LithTech 100Ah LifePo4 Battery

Batteries Which Type?

Its now time to upgrade the batteries in the vehicle. I had been using 2 X 100Ah AGM Batteries the manufacturer claims they can be discharged by 80% which sounds great when compared to Lead Acid as I would have 80Ah X 2 (160Ah) of useable power, but I didn’t, all is not what it seems, I will explain below (see Peukert’s Law futher down this page).

I wanted to upgrade to Lithium here are a few Positives and Negatives

Lithium Positives

  • A “like for like” Lithium battery will have more useable power that Lead Acid or AGM.
  • The Life cycles of Lithium (Life of the battery) is much longer, probably as long as the vehicle.
  • Lithium batteries are much lighter

Lithium Negatives

  • Lithium Batteries cost a lot more to buy
  • Unlike Lead Acid Lithium Batteries fail suddenly when depleted (Lead Acid – your lights will fail gradually with Lithium they suddenly stop working).

Useable Power Comparison  

  • 100Ah Lead Acid – 50Ah usable power
  • 100Ah AGM Acid – 50Ah usable power although the manufacturer of my battery claims up to 80%
  • 100Ah Lithium – 80Ah – 90Ah usable power

Life Cycles (rough guide as other factors will affect the cycles)

  • 100Ah Lead Acid (deep charge) up to 200 life cycles before it starts to decline
  • Lithium 1,000 to 10,000 cycles

Should  I buy  Lithium-Ion  or should I buy lithium iron phosphate?

Lithium-Ion  OR  Lithium Iron Phosphate? (Courtesy of epec / Anton Beck)

  • Highest energy density: lithium-ion
  • Good energy density and lifecycle: lithium iron phosphate
  • Stable chemical and thermal chemistry: lithium iron phosphate
  • No thermal runaway and safe when fully charged: lithium iron phosphate
  • Portability and lightweight characteristics: lithium-ion
  • Long life: lithium iron phosphate and lithium-ion
  • Low costs: lithium iron phosphate

Peukert’s Law; what the AGM Battery suppliers don’t mention.

When I bought my two 100Ah AGM batteries (200Ah in total) the manufacturer stated that they could be discharged down to 80%, I thought this meant I had 160Ah of useable power, but I didn’t.

Lets assume I have 1 X 200Ah AGM battery, the battery will produce 200Ah over a constant period of 20 Hours. Simply put, the battery was designed to discharge at the rate of 10 Amps for 20 Hours. Amps (10) times Hours (20) equals Amp Hours (200).

Since everyone sees battery capacity as somewhat likened to water in a glass, one might want to think that the A·h capacity of a battery would remain constant while the Time and Discharge rate remained connected in a linear fashion. This is not the case.

Given this same battery under a load of 20A you would think that it would operate for 10 Hours, but it will not, it will operate for only 8.1 Hours. The resulting Ah rating falls to 162.5Ah. An apparent loss of 37.5 Ah or 18.75%. This is the effect of Peukert’s law on this particular battery chemistry and structure.

Next Stage –  Where to Buy?

Parts Suppliers

How to find the parts you need: This section shows many of the parts used in the build. Alongside each image there is a Web Search Description. Instead of posting web-links I have instead given a Search Description because web-links or suppliers often disappear or products are no longer available. Use the Search Description in Google, EBay or Amazon.

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

1m Black Battery Welding Cable 25mm² 170a Flexible 4 Gauge Earth OFC
1m Red Battery Welding Cable 25mm² 170a Flexi 4 Gauge Power OFC
LED Reading Light 12V 24V Spotlight Touch Switch USB Caravan Lamp
2.8mm x 5.5mm DC Male Power Plug Jack Connector Laptop Jack
12V LED Touch Sensitive On/Off Light
12V 24V 4 Way Power Distribution Bus Bar 4x5mm STUDS 100A RATED

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

12V Car Cigarette Plug Adapter Power Socket 5V 3.1A Dual USB
12V Waterproof LED Awning Strip Light Campervan Lamp Cool White
20-100AMP Trip 12V DC Car Audio Solar Energy Inline Circuit Breaker Fuse
60A-300Amp Universal Circuit Breaker Audio Fuse Holder Switch
5050 LED Strip Light 12V Caravan White Blue Red Green 10 30 cm
Automotive 12V 24V Stranded 2 Core Flat Twin Thin Wall Auto Cable

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)


Black Heat Shrink Car Electrical Tube Sleeving Cable – All Sizes & Lengths
Blade Fuse Box 12 Way Distribution 12V32V UK
Blue illuminated Round Rocker Switch SPST 12V 20A R13-112B-02
Caravan Mains Leads Adapter Set
CBE PC 180 Power management system

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

CBE SPDT 12v Two Way Switch Graphite Frame Lights Power
Copper Tube Terminals Terminal Battery Welding Cable Lug Ring Crimp
Heat Shrink Tubing 560 Pc Electric Insulation Tube Heat Shrink Wrap
Illuminated LED Dot Circular Round Rocker Switch 12V SPST Auto
JOHN GUEST Semi Rigid 5 Meter 12MM OD Fresh Water Hose Pipe
Maxxair Maxxfan Deluxe Roof Vent Fan With Remote Control

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

Rear Brake Light Reverse Camera Kit 7 LED Monitor For Fiat Ducato Citroen
Reverse Polarity Test Plug
Round Metal Ring Waterproof Push Button Switch 12mm
SHARP 300W Mono SOLAR Black PANEL MPPT CHARGER Bluetooth Kit
Stainless Steel Rubber Lined P Clips Wiring Hose Clamp
Sterling Power Battery to Battery Charger

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

VICTRON ENERGY Phoenix True Sine Inverter 12V 800 VA 230V UK Socket
Victron MPPT Control Panel LCD Display for VE.Direct BlueSolar SmartSolar
Victron Phoenix Inverter Remote Switch VE.Direct REC040010210R
Victron VE.Direct cable (3m) MPPT Control to VE.Direct controllers
Victron 800W Inverter
WaterProof DCDC (12V to 20V 3A 60W) Power Converter Regulator DC

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

4 X 2400mm Anodised Aluminium Curved Corner Profile 15mm Boards
4.5M Car Door Boot Edge Protector Strip Trim U Shape Rubber Black
35mm Forstner Hinge Hole Boring Cutter Wood Drill Bit Drill Wood Hole Bit
50 x Medium Grey Plastic POZI Screw Push in Cover Caps 6g 8g Screw Heads
62mm stick pinsinsulation hangers (camper van conversion) box of 50
Concealed Hinge & Mounting Plate Drilling Jig – 26mm & 35mm Cup Template

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

Flexible Plywood Sheets – 5mm Flexi Ply Bendy Plywood Flexi Board
Furniture T TRIM Router 3MM SLOT Cutter for knock on edging Tungsten
Gas Strut Fixing 50NM TO 150NM
Heavy Duty Sound Deadening Mat 2.5mm 10 XL 300mm x 400mm Silver
Iron on Pre-Glued Veneer Melamine Edging Tape 22mm DUST GREY GLOSS
Kreg SK03 112874 Pocket-Hole Self Tapping Screw Project Kit 675pc Jig Joinery

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

LED Aluminum Channel Profile Transparent 6 Pack 1M
Mastic Sealing Sealant Strip 19mm x 5m Caravan & Motorhome
Nova Faux Leatherette Artificial Leather Upholstery Vehicle Fabric
Cushion and Fabric Makers
Plastic Non Slip 5 Compartment Utensil Cutlery Tray
Silver trim 15MM Double Lipped 10 Metre Furniture Knock-On Edging

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

Solway Campervan Panels
Stanley Double Edge Laminate Trimmer 12mm-25mm Twin Blades
Wide Bow Door Drawer Cupboard Handles Aluminium UA219

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

3/4 ” Sink Waste with Plug Chrome Caravan Camper Motorhome
8 Metres Convoluted Waste Water Pipe 20mm (3/4) ID – Caravan
12mm push fit half inch BSP female water pump connector
360° Rotation Caravan Boat Motorhome Galley Faucet Tap with Switch
Shurflo Accumulator Tank 0.7lt – 20 psi
Caravan Push-Fit Straight Adaptor 12mm – half inch Barb Stem

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

Shurflo Water Pump Inline Water Filter 1/2″ BSP Wing Nut to 1/2″ BSP Male
Jabsco Shurflow water pump connector, 12mm push fit to 1/2″ BSP Female
John Guest 12MM Stop Tap – Caravan Motorhome Boat Camper
John Guest Tube Inserts Pipe Support 12mm
Shurflo Water Pump 30psi 12V 2.1 Bar Auto Trail King 7
Truma Cold Water Elbow Fitting 12-10mm

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

Truma Ultrastore John Guest 12mm Push Fit Non Return Valve
Truma ULTRASTORE Water Heater Elbow Fitting
Whale Cheap GP1002 Water Pump Submersible 12v

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

16″ Alloy Wheels Off Road Inter Action Alloys Gloss Black
16 BF Goodrich All Terrain Tyres
Adjustable Fuel Pump Lid Tank Cover Remove Spanner Tool
Damar Towingstrap UK
Draper Mini Folding Camping Spade Shovel & Pouch
Indel Webasto Marine Cruise Elegance CR49 Compressor 49L Fridge Freezer

Search Descriptions Below (for the above products)

JP Combi Diesel Heater
Sika Sikaflex 512 Sealant 300ml
Webasto Diesel Cooker X100

Maxxfan (how to fit)

Where to fit: I decided to fit my Maxxfan in an area at the front of the van, a raised section in the roof panel, it was ideal for fitting a vent or fan and probably designed with this in mind. This same area is on the Peugeot Boxer, Fiat Ducato and Citroen Relay. The plan is to have a Maxxfan at the front, which is away from the bed so its silent at night and to have a second roof vent (no fan) over the bed. This is so fresh air can circulate throughout the van, especially important when the weather is hot. Another reason to fit at the front of the van is because this fan is fairly close to the cooking area.

Roof Hole Sizes: The cut-out hole is 356mm X 356mm (14″ X 14″) or 400mm x 400mm. See your instructions or Maxxfan type.

Maxxfan Deluxe Roof Hole 356mm X 356mm

Maxxfan Deluxe Roof Hole 400 X 400mm

Which size roof hole? I have the larger Maxxfan but instead of cutting the 400 X 400mm roof hole as the manufacturer suggests I cut my roof hole to 360 X 360. See below.

Method A: If you are only using Sikafkex 522 to seal the base of the Maxxfan then it’s likely you will need to cut your roof hole to 400 X 400mm this is because the fan will need to sit fairly flush to the surface of the roof. This method is fine. Tip: Make sure you use plenty of Sixaflex if it’s too thin and the fan is screwed down firm then it could push out and leak over time (sunlight, vibration and too small amount of Sikaflex). A well known YouTube camper-van builder did just this and six months later his roof started to leak. He cured the problem by using Mastic see below.

Method B: – The Submarine Method: Ideal if you plan to drive your van into a Lake. This is the method I decided to use. Instead of sealing the Maxxfan base with only Sikaflex I sat the Maxxfan on two layers of Mastic. This meant that when the Maxxfan was screwed down the mastic didn’t easily spread or go thin as can happen with using only Sikaflex. I am not saying using only Sikaflex 522 isn’t suitable, instead I am adding a little more protection against possible leaks. I still sealed the outer edges around the fan with Sikaflex 522. Because I used a Mastic base this raised the fan a little and thus I didn’t need to make the roof hole 400 X 400 instead 370 X 370mm was adequate. Did I need to cut to 370mm X 370mm? No, 400mm X 400mm would have also worked.

Before you start cutting always check the size of the hole you are about to cut and follow the manufacturers instructions (sizes). The instructions may vary or the manufacturer may have made changes since this article was published!

Start by making a Wooden Frame: You will need this later to fit on the inside of your van roof. Your Wood Frame needs to be square and have an inside hole of 360mm X 360mm (This size should work on both a 400 X 400mm roof hole as well as the 356mm X 356mm roof hole). The ideal thickness of your frame is 40mm deep. To do this I used 20mm X 45mm timber and doubled up ie placing the 20mm side on top of each other so its 40mm. (dont worry if you cant follow this there is an image below)

Prepare the underside (inside of your van). I used a bin liner which I cut open and taped to the inside of the van roof. This was to stop the metal filings going everywhere inside the van. TIP: Never leave filings either inside or outside your van, they will mark it when they rust.

Start by marking out your hole with masking tape. Draw your square on the masking tape and check the size in the instructions. ( I made my hole 360mm X 360mm to give me “wriggle room”). Place the Maxxfan Frame (not the whole fan) on the line that you have drawn on the masking tape, does it look correct? Its better to cut the hole size too small than too large so check that the fan has enough room around its plastic base so that it can be screwed down onto the roof , and wood frame below the roof.

Below: Just being extra careful…look carefully and you will see an outside line drawn by pencil onto the van roof. I placed the fan on the rood and drew a line around it. Its tells me that I have ample metal to work with and it makes sure that I dont cut a hole too large by mistake. Dont forget to paint the edges with Hammerite.

Wood support frame: Once you have cut your hole you will need to attach the wooden support frame on the underside of your roof. Again the internal size of the hole is 360mm X 360mm and its depth is 40mm (2 pieces of wood bonded together to equal 40mm). Note how the inside of the wood frame is identical to the hole cut in the van roof (360X360).

Below: The Woodframe is bonded to the roof using Sikaflex 522 and clamped firm. (It will also be screwed once the Fan is fitted so its never going to come off.) Now you can see that the Internal Woodframe is exactly the same size as the hole I have cut (360mm X 360mm)

White Mastic Strip/Tape: I forgot to take an image of this stage, but apply a “double” layer of White Mastic Strip (one layer on top of the other) to give a really nice seat (and seal) for your Maxxfan to sit on. If you look under the Maxxfan you will see ridges molded into the plastic, this is so that the mastic forms a very good grip and seal.

Once you have applied the Mastic now place the Maxxfan Frame into the hole. Press it down into the mastic and then drill and screw so that the screws go through the metal roof and into your woodframe below, thus clamping everything together. (The mastic has not yet been added to the frame below)

Now its time to fit and screw the Maxxfan into its base. Dont forget to seal all the edges with plenty of Sikaflex 522

How to cut the roof lining hole perfectly (inside the van): Place the roof board onto your van roof and secure. Dont worry about covering or hiding the fan, just remember approximately where the fan is located. Then drill a hole and insert a bearing router cutter as below. These are fairly cheap to buy. Then run the bearing against the wooden frame, the cutter will automatically cut the hole, its super easy to do and it takes less than a minute before your roof hole is cut. The hole will be perfectly aligned with your Maxxfan.

The ply below is 3.5mm thick, easy to bend and lightweight.

Dont forget now is the time to bring your wires through and wire up the fan

Inside the Van: If you look carefully you can see a nice gap around the fan, this is were the internal cover sits. (You can also see some of the mastic if you look very carefully. Those plastic ridges have help form a good seal).

What did I line the roof with? I covered my roof with a nice simulated leather thats easy to wipe down. Its bonded with spray glue. Its supplied by “I Want Fabric” in Manchester UK. They have every type of fabric even vehicle fabrics and fire retardant fabrics. Prices are good it cost me about £20 to complete this roof and it has a lovely affect.

https://www.iwantfabric.com/vehicle-upholstery/automotive-leather

Finish off by adding the Maxxfan cover. The roof isn’t fully finished, I later added an edging strip to the roof joints.

Worst Items to Avoid

What was the worst item I ever bought for the van?

At the moment there is only one, maybe later there will be more but for now I will explain one item everyone should avoid buying.

Of all the items in my van I can think of only one really good bargain buy, the Kitchen Tap. I saw it on EBay and whilst the seller had sold over a 1,000 and had a very good feedback I thought I would buy one, at under £20, whatever could go wrong?


Insanity Looms: The Tap drove me bonkers (crazy) from the day I fitted it. It worked ok, the occasional drip annoyed me as I had to keep it pointing over the sink. But what concerned me more was the fact I kept catching the Hot and Cold Levers and turning the tap on by accident. I use the kitchen work-surface all the time and I once caught the Tap Lever when picking an item up on leaving the van (for a short time). Fortunately I spotted a small trickle of water. But that was enough warning, that Tap had to go, its far too easy to flood the van, it was dangerous.


It gets worse. My water system has all the protection switches a system could need. There’s a Master Water Pump On/Off Switch (plus a simple kill-switch), dual Stop Taps (a separate one for the Combi boiler) plus a Drain Tap, all located in an accessible place. 


The system is great when you remember to use it. And I did for most of the time even draining it down on sub zero days (freezing). But one day I forgot. The outside temperature dropped to no more than Zero to -1 degree and I had left the water system switched on overnight. That should not be a problem, but it was. Usually I run the van each week usually to “air” it (warm it). On this occasion I went out in the van, later stopping to do a little shopping then drove a bit more and pulled over for a cup of tea in a nice location. Thats when I heard the faint sound of the water pump.

Did you notice anything about the Tap Above?

Have a look again.

The Tap had frozen overnight, and when the van became warm it started to thaw. The real problem is that the Tap is DIE-CAST and poor quality die-casting as well. The Tap had frozen inside, I didn’t notice it at first as it was still frozen. I was lucky because when I went shopping it was only for a short time. Any longer then the pump would have started and the Tap would have flooded the van (does everyone remember to turn off the pump every time they leave their van? ).

Below: This is the image used in the advert to sell the product. Its one of the reasons why I bought it. In fact the material used wasn’t Brass it was a die-cast zinc alloy, the type used in the 1960/70’s to make toy cars. Its very cheap and unsuitable, the country of origin is China.

Advice: Buy a quality Brass Tap, preferably with ceramic internal fittings, and NEVER buy a Die-Cast Tap . The Tap shouldn’t drip if its quality and it should easily withstand very cold temperatures.

Never Buy a Tap with Levers: If you do you will catch them and keep turning the Tap on when you dont want it. If you really prefer Levers then try before you buy and make sure they are firm, mine were weak, the slightest touch opened the Tap. Better still, get a Tap with a Turn-Locks like below.

Try and buy from a trusted source or Brand Name.

DVLA How to get approval

UK Only: This page is about getting approval from a Van or a Van With Windows into a Campervan and being officially registered by the “Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency” (DVLA). The actual term that DVLA will register on the document is ” Motor-Home”

PART 1: THE FAILURE (There are 2 parts)

Its worth reading Part One (The Failure) first as it shows just how easy it is to fail. In fact I estimate that most people that apply for DVLA Campervan approval will fail. This seems to be the case with regards the number of comments on the internet and also YouTube. In fact at the time of writing this article I haven’t found anyone that has passed (March 2021). Instead most people appear to have been granted the term “Van With Windows“. Dont worry if you fail it doesn’t mean you cannot get insurance. Your vehicle maybe registered as a Van With Windows but there are still Insurance Companies that will recognize it as a camper-van regardless of what DVLA state it is.

Arian Flux Insurance is one such reputable company, you can call them on 0344 381 6502 they are based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk (established 1974 with 1,000 staff and 600,000 policy holders) https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/

DVLA (UK Law) says this vehicle is not a camper-van?

I read so many times articles from people that have tried to re-register their vehicle as a camper-van after having completed a conversion. To be fair some do look like vans with windows and without closer inspection I couldn’t say for sure whether they were camper-vans or not.

The new law states that the vehicle needs to include items such as a fixed bed, cooker, table etc and also have two or more windows down one side of the vehicle. Perhaps the main feature that the people at DVLA are looking for is that the vehicle must look like a camper-van, in other words not look like a work van with windows, perhaps something that the police can easily recognize as being either a commercial vehicle or a leisure vehicle at a glance.

According to my first application with DVLA my vehicle could not be recognized as being a camper-van and for example if someone was to see it on a road or parked up, then they would not be able to distinguish it from a commercial vehicle. This is not my opinion but the opinion of the DVLA who had reclassified the vehicle as a “van with windows” and as such not to be confused with a camper-van or leisure vehicle. I find that difficult to understand along with the hundreds maybe well over a thousand vehicle owners that have also failed to have their vehicle reclassified.

What is a van with windows? The exact term on the DVLA V5C is as follows – Body Type: Van/Side Windows – Taxation Class: Light Goods Vehicle. The term means that the vehicle is registered for carrying light goods and thus should be treated as such although it is not illegal to carry people nor to sleep or cook inside it.

The DVLA reclassification form is fairly basic. It has a list of requirements that need to be ticked off. Most of the list is definitive, its basically black or white, for example either you have a fixed bed and cooker or you dont etc. One area that’s wide open for different interpretations is the exterior of the vehicle and whether the graphics and external appearance is that of a camper-van. DVLA hold all the cards here, what they says goes and that may well not be right or fair as I will explain. I cannot find any rules that state the external graphics need to be of a certain shape, size colour or location. What this means is that the judgement lies solely on the perception of the person at the DVLA judging the vehicle at the time.

MOT: When I took my vehicle for its MOT after the conversion I hadn’t submitted my reclassification form to DVLA nor did I mention to the MOT tester that I planned to do so. What I found was that the MOT testing station had tested the vehicle as a Category 4 vehicle (any goods vehicle not exceeding 3000 kg) or camper-van or motor-home. The MOT testing station were unable to distinguish it as anything other than a camper-van, yet DVLA can. The reason is not plain to see, which thus raises the question. What is the benchmark that the DVLA uses and why isn’t this benchmark being offered to the public for them to work from? My guess? There isn’t a benchmark as such, the visual judgement is at the discretion of the DVLA viewer at that time.

DVLA Failure: Van with Windows NOT a Camper-Van

PART 2: THE PASS-Now its a Motor Caravan

Once I received my documents back from DVLA showing that I had failed in my attempt to get the vehicle registered as a Camper-Van I started to look at reasons DVLA could fail it.

I believe most people fail because of the Exterior: The interior is a matter of box ticking, either you have the DVLA requirements or not, its as simple as that. The Exterior is a different matter, this is an area of personal opinion there are no definitive rules.

There was one area that I believe caused my vehicle to fail.

Look below, if you were for example a police vehicle following me, say, 50 feet behind, could you say for certain my vehicle is a van or camper-van? My view is that DVLA use a “general rule” and below I believe this was the weakness on my application that caused me to fail.

Now to get DVLA Motor Caravan Approval

Taking the base vehicle I simply added a few extra graphics as shown below. The graphics cost around £40 for the set and as an added bonus I wrote the word “camper-van” so that a blind man on a galloping horse couldn’t mistake this vehicle for anything else. In my opinion its difficult for the DVLA to say it is not a camper-van or motor caravan.

I had enough stickers left over so I added more graphics to the side, just in case those original grey stripes were not enough.

The result

It passed and is now fully registered as a Motor-home. So what does that give me that a Van With Windows doesn’t? Well there were some insurance companies that were not willing to offer me camper-van insurance. This now changes, I should be able to get insurance coverage from all insurance companies that offer this type of insurance. Hopefully I will be able to shop around for the best quotes and when I come to sell the vehicle on I can list it as a true fully registered Motor-Home.