New Build

[Nabsim]

Looking good there Deb

 

[mark61]

Very nice. Top job.

 

[Deleted member 4404]

Great job Debs

 

[Red Dwarf]

I’m new on here and just been looking through your build, fantastic! It’s so refreshing to see a van that isn’t grey with grey and a splash of grey. Well impressed, keep up the good work!

 

[Forresbroons]

Great job

 

[Millie Master]

This has been an exceptionally interesting read @Debs, I greatly admire your woodworking skills.

Phil

 

[exwindsurfer]

Debs it look fab the pictures don’t do it justice, as I have seen it in the flesh.

 

[Debs]

Thankyou everyone for your kind words, now I know the interior will not suit everyone, but it is definitely me, and there is still a lot of decor to be done, but for now it will be MOT and service and get out in it. I'm now hoping that I will be able to do my usual trip round Scotland in January, but these are strange times we find ourselves in, so fingers and toes all crossed.

 

[Nabsim]

You do it the right way Debs, what other reason is there for a self build than to build it how you want it

 

[Debs]

Debs it look fab the pictures don’t do it justice, as I have seen it in the flesh.

The Flesh......

 

[trevskoda]

Well I've had a good look at the spare wheel, and the "cones" are badly pitted. I could get it blasted and powder coated for £70 quid a go, or a new rim for about £60. So i've ordered four new rims from Oponeo and I will save the best rim on the van for the spare.

£15 i used to charge for blasting and finish in 2 pac poly.

 

[SquirrellCook]

£15 i used to charge for blasting and finish in 2 pac poly.

That’s cruel pointing out what you used to charge. Did your boss know about it.

 

[trevskoda]

That’s cruel pointing out what you used to charge. Did your boss know about it.

I was the boss, Spraycraft LTD

 

[Debs]

Just a bit of redecorating, it now makes me smile every time I get in the van.

 

[wildebus]

very homely. looks stunning

 

[Red Dwarf]

That’s looking great Debs, my kind of chilled...

 

[jeffmossy]

Stunning Debs , well done , cant wait to see it in the flesh , I can see a trip to Glasson happening soon

 

[Debs]

Some time ago I had a conversation with Phil (admin) about battery charging, and how it could be done without a battery charger....interesting and then put it in the file section of my memory banks. Well with the lack of sun and not using the van, but using the diesel heater, I thought I had better put in mains for battery charging, so after contacting Phil who gave me info on what units to get, I now have mains battery charging capability. I needed to buy a power unit that would deliver as near as possible to what my solar would deliver in full sun, and a dual pole double throw non latching mains operated relay, both of which arrived this week. So then it was a case of collecting bits out of the cupboard so that I could start the installation. The solar and the power unit are both fed into the solar terminal on the Ctek via the relay.The relay is energized as soon as mains power is connected and solar panel is isolated.

 

[Nabsim]

Did you actually need the relay Deb? Would it not just lose any excess if both solar and mains fed together? I ask as on very good harvesting days I overfeed my controller but it just takes what it can handle

 

[wildebus]

Did you actually need the relay Deb? Would it not just lose any excess if both solar and mains fed together? I ask as on very good harvesting days I overfeed my controller but it just takes what it can handle

I think it does make sense to not connect the output of a Power Supply to the output of the PV Panel - it could get very confused to what it is meant to be doing? (dunno for sure. never tried it.)
It looks a tidy setup, but I must admit I would have just used a simple common off-the-shelf 5 pin relay to auto-switch between the two inputs (did a picture to show what I mean ...)