For van #2 index, see HERE
Note: Writing this late 2018, build will be 2020-21 – so this is very much ideas and draft!!!!
The Van2 project is different to the NV200 self build. The NV was designed as a camping car with a 5 year lifespan to fit in with our plans then, which included long trips, but more in a campervan environment than motorhome.
Van2 is more of a longer term van, 10-15yr, geared for longer trips as a motorhome, for both summer and winter trips, beaches and snow, and probably to use as car#2 for some of its life, and for stealthy camping.
So size needs to be small, yet it needs to be fully featured to be a fully functioning motorhome
One key element is that we want bikes and snowboards to be internal to the van.
The spec below is a bit OTT, but yep, thats the plan! This is a long-term-usage project so no expense or design element will be spared!
The design specifications
Van
- Ideally MWB L2 H2 van (L3 if needed)
- (CAD based on floor area of Ducato, but not taking into account any ingress if bulk head, roof, walls, beams or door structures, or access to light fittings etc). So very much draft and ideas stage!!
Heating and Cooling
- 5kw diesel heating, with air ducting in living area, garageand bathroom. Separate fuel tank for heating.
- 2x 700w mini in-built electric plinth heaters (Wiring for 2, maybe 1x only on build, see how it goes)
- Cabling for electric cooling fan to be installed on big Heki
- 6kg refillable gas system
Winterisation & insulation
- insulated floor and ceiling (25mm min)
- Insulated walls and garage walls (40mm min)
- Insulated bulkhead, with door/window with removable insulated seal
- Full drain-down facilities on hot & cold water, bypass function for Non-return valves, insulated internal pipes (where not in living area)
- All pipework on individual isolation valves
- Electric points in garage & cab for low wattage radiators if needed
- Heating element in external waste tank
Electrical
- 2x >100AH leisure batteries
- 2x 120W solar panels
- CTEK D250S (new model) smart B2B & MPPT controller
- Custom control panels and switch gear
- NASA BM1 (full) battery management monitor
- LED lights, numerous USB/12v sockets
- 240v, 16A/6A dual pole MCB/RCDs.
- 240v charger
- 240v radial circuit to numerous sockets and fused-spur to heaters
Water
- 70L onboard fresh tank with level gauge
- >50L underslung waste
- Electric dump valve
- 15L fresh “spare” container
- Pressure pump & accumulator
- Semi rigid push fit fittings where possible
- Truma Ultrastore hot gas & electric water heater
- Hot & cold water to kitchen and shower
- Thermostatic shower with NRV on cold.
- Water plumbed to loo (main tank, not separate)
- 18L capacity flush loo (room for 2nd cassette)
- Bathroom fully waterproof, custom GRP shower tray, sloping floor, waterproof sealed walls etc
Garage Storage
- Room for 2x bikes (wheels off) and spares/tools etc
- Room for 2x snowboards/wakeboards at the same time as the bikes
- Room for 2x bodyboards (not at same time as snowboards)
- Room for outdoor chairs, sun loungers
- Room for spares/tools etc.
Windows
- Heki 2 as main rooflight
- Small rooflight in bathroom & kitchen
- Heki blinds in NS door and OS rear opposite
Kitchen
- 50L compressor fridge (vented into garage with secondary thermostatic fan as needed) Semi recessed into garage wall (to save space, and also to allow easier airflow and cooling)
- 2 ring gas burner
- Sink with hot & cold water and waste trap
- Extra worktop via “lift up” area, but plenty of worktop
- (kitchen rear wall will house most control panels)
- Storage at lower and upper units
Living Area & Bed
- L shaped lounge 1.8x 1.2m
- Table via floor socket
- Convertible to U shape with ease
- Sloped backs
- Bed easily made using entire of lounge using back cushions and bar supports
- Bedding stored under sofa easily, spare backs not used for bed go in bedding area
- Wardrobe (narrow)
- High level cupboards for storage
Furniture/Design considerations
- Lightweight faced ply, or unfaced where not seen.
- Mixture of wall linings, but all insulated, vapour barriered, and lined.
- Site lines from Sofa area designed not to see a “solid bulk head” to give impression of more room
- Kitchen area kept wide and open to give feeling of more room
- Cab area not used, so easy to seal off for stealthiness and insulation, Means less wasted floor area using cab seats, and should be cosier.
Lighting
- All LED, and mixture of spotlights, reading lights, recessed strip lights, and even colour hidden ceiling moodlights