400mm floor unit offside.

Another IKEA unit 400 mm wide fitted next to fridge. 

No flippin shelf ! Picked up wrong one lol. But as it's mainly going to be used for clothes linen etc going to see if there's any stackable boxes that will fit! 

His n hers type thing! 

Set the unit back enough so that the door sits flush with the fridge unit next to it. Just enough room to locate the porta potti at end next to the hatchback. secured to floor by its own footplate. Will build a shelf over top and a support panel hatch side. then attached to side of new unit. Probably make a cushion to sit atop of it.

It's still a pain to fit units as the wall curves slightly and the van width narrows towards the hatch. Several cuts had to be made 5-10 mm at a time to create the curve correctly. 

Get to the final hurdle fitting the door! Bloody hinges! One of the hinge footplates is off centre in the bracket and can't move it nor adjust enough to make the door work properly! Hoping I've got a couple of soft close hinges in the garage! Will save the hassle of a visit to IKEA! 

12v charging change

Started the experiment re Sterling unit and solar panel.

Disconnected the vehicle battery from the system by just removing the main fuse. 

Disconnected the live wires and earth from sterling unit.

Also the ignition live and battery sensor. So the unit is completely isolated. 

Then connected the solar panel wires to the solar unit along with the liesure battery live n earth. 

So now the main battery and liesure battery work independently. 

If this works out that the main battery is holding/ getting full and a better charge, then I guess the sterling unit is causing some issues! 

I'm looking at using the good old  12v 140amp Durite 0-727-33 Voltage Sensitive Relay! 

That way the liesure will get a charge whilst driving but in the simplest form.

More homework!!! 

Can't use Durite  relay with smart alternator/ regen braking! Well most say can't few can't see reason not to!

Me : a new alternator is loads of money! Not worth the risk. 

Rethink but I'll wait till I've used the van a few times and it'll sit over weekend so test the voltage pre going to work on the Monday. 

My solar panel is 160 amps I've another 100 amp ( rigid version) fridge is the only heavy user of 12v , but we've electric hookup for when we're static for a period.

LED lights, water pump n tap, heater if needed.

Main battery is holding slightly more power since it's been disconnected from liesure battery and sterling unit. 

So made decision to remove the sterling unit altogether. 

Again will monitor over weekend. 

The main battery is not a stop start battery as I was told, basically stitched! But I'll see how things are over the next week. But will probably fit the correct battery ( well apparently this type of battery as to be "plumbed"  into system!) Again not what I was told! So a trip to my new found VW specialist!

electrics/ batteries/ charging

Never ending oddness of Batteries, charging and modern vehicle electrics!

A lot of thought lately re the hassles with the main battery and what feels like a conflict of interest with the liesure system!

Tradition is liesure battery tied to main battery via various methods and the myriad of " units" available to do this!

So I've been wondering about isolating the two batteries completely. 

Solar systems etc usually compliment the liesure charging etc. Via electronic systems sending charge to liesure battery via the main battery! 

However, modern vehicles with regenerative braking, smart alternators etc seem to conflict

I stated I recently upgraded my Sterling unit to one that looks after the liesure battery with solar panel backup, Inc regen brakes etc.

However, I'm really not convinced that it works with regen etc. My main battery still seems to loose volts over a few days even plugged into a portable 5 v solar panel sat on dash! 

So hours of homework and trawling the internet. I feel the need to to seperate main and liesure batteries completely.

The portable solar panel will then only need to supply main battery. 

I have 160amp  solar panel on roof and a 100 amp spare that I've not used. 

If the main battery only has the vehicle to deal with it should keep its charge better. OEM battery was 60 amp worked fine replaced with 80 amp within 3-4 days looses upto 1-4 v never levels at 12.5 which it need to do. 

As I've quick release clamps on the liesure battery I've tried disconnecting it which diesake a difference.

Over the weekend the main battery can drop from 12.6-7to 11.3 ! 

In a few months I will be retiring so the van won't get used for long periods! 

So:

Homework done I will be disconnecting the liesure from the main battery! Using the 5v solar charger directly connected to main battery to see if this makes any difference. 

Then remove the sterling unit. The 12v internal electrics are all thru the liesure battery anyway. I've mains hookup as well. 

Reconnect the liesure to the mppt ( I kept mine when I installed the sterling.) Must have known 😂

Try it out to make sure it does the job for both the main and liesure batteries.

Then purchase a more useful mppt unit.

Current looking at 

EPEVER MPPT 30A Solar Charge Controller Regulator 12v 24v Auto with LCD display Solar Charge Regulator Mppt 100V PV Negative Grounded Solar Controllervaround £70 for the kit.

It has some good write ups and has the capacity for me to add another solar panel if I want to.

Job 1

Disconnect liesure from main battery! 

See if the discharge alters!

Next jobs!

As things are settling I will be able to finish the rear o/s cabinets. 

Floor units first:

400 cm wide base unit with door via Ikea. But shortened to 450/500 cm deep. To offer a little more working room at the back of the van. As we opted for a wider kitchen unit on nearside this time. Mainly to give better work surface area.

Reposition the electrics panel over to rear by 200 cm. 

I looking at building a custom cabinet on the end of the 400 unit but it's possible a standard IKEA one will do the job ( I need to enclose the porta potti if possible).

bits n bobs

Passenger seat armrest decides now and then to loosen even if not used! Simple fix remove outer armrest cover at point of swivel. Allenn key to tighten. This time added a dab of loctite!

Think I'll go for another 80 cm width base unit but cut its depth down to 60 cm. 

Or ..........🙄😂

Solar panel updates

The panel seems to holding the battery at 12.1-2 as read by volt meter via the EOPD plug.

There's so much in the way of hidden electrics these days that I wonder if that is sustainable during winter months. 

The van hasn't been used properly for a while due to illness, so at least it's holding at 12+ volts.

But wondered if it was directly connected to the panel I'd get any increase of volts at the battery.

Yesterday I hardwired the Clamp accessory to the main battery ( removed crocodile clips replaced with boltable connectors to see if that improves reading.

I've moved the panel over to the drivers side so I could temporarily run cable at this point. Which has to go thru door into bonnet to use. 

And remind me to disconnect when I'm back at work in a week or so!

19/09/21

Checked voltage staying at 12 volts, weather dull today and direct sun is only to around midday.

27/09/21

No difference in voltage whether using cigarette socket/Din / direct to battery! Interesting! 

States that you need to maintain the battery at 12.5 v I'm lucky to get 12.2!

Although technically it's the wrong battery (it isn't a stop start one, even tho sold to me as suitable !!!) 

08/10/21

Vans not being used for a couple of weeks. I've tried all the input sockets and all read about the same as the EOPD socket, as that's the recommended one I'll use it! 

I've disconnected the liesure battery so that the panel will only charge the main battery, and turned the van to get the most daylight. 

I've read that you shouldn't use solar chargers if the battery is stop start as most panels don't have charge protection! This one does and only puts out 4.8 volts. As said before the battery isn't specifically for stop start either? (Will replace in the spring as it will need pairing with the vehicle!) 

So the experiment begins tomorrow!

Solar Panel 2

         Positioned for photograph.

Would normally up against windscreen!

AA solar panel seems fairly substantial piece of kit, comes with battery clamps, cigarette plug, EOPD plug, AA recommends that this is the plug to use! 

Doesn't need direct sunlight to work and if in doubt a small led light can be used to check to see if the panel is working.

You can also permanently fix it with supplied screws. 

I've just rested it on the top of the dash plugged into the EOPD socket. The leads are long enough to cover most requirements.

But of course since it arrived it's been cloudy! It will still supply a charge but not the full 4.8v ! 

As long as the battery holds what it should that's fine. 

But will still daily check till I'm satisfied I can leave the vehicle safely for a few weeks!

04/09/21

Decent day to check on solar panel when plugged in volts were 11.9/12 

Checked this afternoon about 3 pm 12.2 

That's good enough where van is parked doesn't get full sun so as long as it maintains 12v anything over is a bonus!