Free Money

[SquirrellCook]

Ok fake title, but I made you look. Please don’t go away, as this could benefit us all.

From January the 1st this will be a free site, I’m sure it’s not the money that stops people taking part in it, but from then on there will be one less excuse.

I’m sure there is more than a dozen of us on here, but others must be shy. It doesn’t matter what you’re skill level is, show us what you’re doing (as long as it’s legal). Some will show what they have done, but we want to share your journey. You never know you might need your hand held and are too shy to ask. Or you could be over confident and fall in a hole that others have experienced, and found a way out or not.

Even with the small number of us there is a good skill and experience base, but there is much more to learn. You could have the solution to our puzzle. So don’t just read and giggle, please join in.

 

[Red Dwarf]

I’m not sure my recent joining of the forum will be popular with many builders. There are so many top end high finish vans that my bodge on wheels will bring the tone of the site down. The thing is, I’ve built a couple of beautifully finished vans in years past, which were sold more or less on completion. So, this time I wasn’t going to bother too much about anything, helped by the narrowing and tapering of the sprinter body shape. I’ve spent money on windows, fridge solar, the rest is materials I found on the way. The idea being the more I save on the build, the more money for playing out in the van.

So, I’d like to say to all you bodgers out there, come on in! You’re not alone...

 

[Deleted member 4404]

There are a lot of people who visit this forum without posting, so just because they don't reply, doesn't mean they haven't learnt something. If reading the threads or resources helps, or encourages folk to have a go, I think the forum is doing what Phil intended.

Positive and helpful reactions to new posters, and accepting that different members have different ideas, will improve the forum. Negative responses have the opposite effect and drive posters away.

We should remember that this site is fully financed by Phil (admin) with no financial gain to him, so thank you Phil

 

[Millie Master]

One thing for sure, I will still be here batting on this crease even if I have only done one build it is something that is so ingrained in me that I so greatly enjoy every single moment of being here.

So Phil, from another Phil, keep up the good work and I for one will continue spreading the good word on several Facebook groups that are into self building where, very unfortunately there are far too many people who are into self promoting by posting up totally inadequate, low rent YouTube videos of their questionable builds!

On here a carefully considered response and a few still photographs or drawings are so very much better, and it's all for FREE.

Brilliant

Phil

 

[wildebus]

I’m not sure my recent joining of the forum will be popular with many builders. There are so many top end high finish vans that my bodge on wheels will bring the tone of the site down. The thing is, I’ve built a couple of beautifully finished vans in years past, which were sold more or less on completion. So, this time I wasn’t going to bother too much about anything, helped by the narrowing and tapering of the sprinter body shape. I’ve spent money on windows, fridge solar, the rest is materials I found on the way. The idea being the more I save on the build, the more money for playing out in the van.

So, I’d like to say to all you bodgers out there, come on in! You’re not alone...

Your van may not be to everyones taste, but it is to yours, and that is the most important thing.
And has been said, sharing what you have done will likely give ideas to others and maybe feedback to yourself in areas which you might not have thought of.
some people are doing insane things with their vans and good on them - takes all sorts to make a van world

I know if I have what I think is a good idea and it saves money, I like to share it - and I think from feedback that has been appreciated even if it is not the "agreed" or "proper" way to do something. And at the same time, if I think the right thing to do in some areas is to spend more money than many think necessary, I will post that too with my reasoning. If others disagree, no problem.

 

[Millie Master]

@wildebus Dave;
Back in the days when @Squiffy and I were members of the SBMCC forum we were fortunate enough to have as a member someone who went by the name of Lister Diesel or rather Peter and he, just like you, was an electrical guru and had put up on their archives numerous basic wiring diagrams that luddites like myself used as chapter and verse when carrying out their conversions.

Now I know you have put up some compiled data on the "Resources" section of this site, but from what I can see they aren't basic schematic diagrams that are easy to follow.

I was wondering if by any chance you might be able to do some basic line diagrams that are there for us all to see instantly?

Phil

ps. I mention Peter of Lister Diesel fame, sadly the big 'C' took him away quite some time ago, but the way he was dealt with by the SBMCC admin was the reason why Squiffy, Peter and I left and my direct contact with a certain person was the core reason why DIY Motorhome was set up and it was not long after that event that Peter lost his battle with life.
After approx. 18 or so months of very hard work by a lot of us on DIY we reached a state of impasse with a certain person and in turn we left.
Following this and after I contacted him, it resulted in the guru himself, namely Phil setting up motorhomebuilder and it is for this very reason why I want this forum to be a resounding success and some added resources to the Resource section would be of enormous help to everyone.

 

[wildebus]

Hi Phil,
I am familiar with Peter of Lister Diesel Fame (his wealth of posts anyway, not the man himself) and he was a sad loss.
I was also a member of SBMCC, but only for a short period of active use as I just didn't enjoy the experience there to be honest.


A lot of my diagrams are for specific customer builds & designs rather then generic ones, but I am planning to have a few "starters for 10" shall we say available, so may put some of those up.
(I am slightly wary however, as for many people, it is not a matter of accepting that there can be multiple ways to achieve the same result, but more that anything that doesn't match up precisely to the way THEY did it is automatically wrong, and I am not interested in having arguments defending that kind of attack)

 

[reiverlad]

I am, or have been a lurker for some time on this site.

I have a almost 30year old Talbot which was in sore need of having the wiring updated.
In the past it had so many bit and pieces break down or alterations made.
The electrics all worked - but cables into connections into connections into connections then into a fuse - four fuses in total !
A very scary mess indeed !!

Basically i have been on here, gathering lots of info, making sure I was avoiding mistakes.

A couple of years ago I relocated and installed a beast of a leisure battery - 225Ah
Dave - Wildebus, helped with a lot & advised that my charger was woefully inadequate & needed updating.

Before I started on any changes I had to first understand the existing system that was in place = not an easy task that's for sure !!
The philosophy they had in place 30 years ago for electrics is light years away from the modern methods currently used.

My first task was to replace the existing charger & have installed a Victron Blue Smart IP22 30 amp charger with 3 outputs

The existing system has now been rewired to a proper fuse box & everything working ok.
I intend to fit cutoff switches as well.

I still have a list of tasks yet to be tackled,
Add some additional LED lights in the cab area
Add the usb sockets that i purchased from Wildebus what seems a lifetime ago now
Add a reversing camera
Install my new all singing all dancing radio - bought about 18 months ago !
Also
I need to figure out what sort of power cutoff I need for my 240watts of solar panels
I have a Photonic 350watt MPPT charge controller but don't have any power advice unit attached - so far

All in all it has been a huge learning experience and great fun too.

 

[Millie Master]

@reiverlad that read was a good one........... But why not from now on go and grab life by the balls and start your own thread, that way more people will see it and you will get far more answers.

TTFN

Phil

 

[Red Dwarf]

@reiverlad Phil’s right, if I can do it, so can you!

 

[reiverlad]

@reiverlad that read was a good one........... But why not from now on go and grab life by the balls and start your own thread, that way more people will see it and you will get far more answers.

TTFN

Phil

I did wonder if I should have put my info on a separate thread

 

[Millie Master]

I did wonder if I should have put my info on a separate thread

A few weeks ago there was a thread about it being quiet on here.

Ever since the number of posts and the general activity has gone up by leaps and bounds and it is only by our forum being active and hopefully far, far more active, that it will gain in popularity.

So @reiverlad , go on man grab life by the balls and a lot of us will be watching

Phil

 

[trevskoda]

The site is a good source of info for us all, i to was on diy then it closed for a while then back again, sometimes i post there but phil has not let us down here and so this is my main site, wiring dias are good for folk starting of, if anything thats what beats most.