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Anonymous

Please help me im new,i have just bought an L reg Renault Traffic L W B.mini bus,and im hoping to get it converted into a motorhome. Im a wheelchair user,so looking for a ready made one was very difficult on the budget i have,so my next idea was covert a van,so this is what im doing,i havnt got a clue what i will need to equip it,duvets or sleeping bags ? and so on heating, i carnt afford to get heating fitted in, so i will need free standing ?if anyone could please help and advise me, im so excited to get started,but dont want to make expensive mistakes Embarassed

im a grandmar and my companion is also a granny,so we arnt spring chickens but will give this our best shot. thanks for any advise, Sue.

nukeadmin · Site Admin

well one direction for advice i can point you in firstly is the Self Build Motorcaravanners Club whose website is [url]http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/168542?fromad=1[/url]

what sort of budget do you have in mind ?

What are your plans for the motorhome, i.e. is it for weekends away in UK or do you intend to travel further afield ?

Challenger

Hi Sue, re heating a small electric fan heater is this easiest option. You have to equip your van for electric hookup, but then you can run any mains equipment you like upto around 2500 watts ( depending on camp site). Camping suppliers have special low power electric kettles and heaters at much the same price as household ones. Free standing gas heaters need lots of ventilation to avoid problems with carbon monoxide poisioning and condensation. There are heaters fueled on diesel, these are good for diesel powered vechicles but they are not cheep. Smile

Anonymous

Thanks for info, as i use an electric wheelchair,will i be able to charge it up overnight in my van, im getting it converted by Leisuredrive in manchester and they will fit electrics, im not sure what is the best way to insulate the van to keep warm,because i am unable to move about much and cannot walk i need to keep warm,will i be able to have a heater and my battery charger for my chair on at the same time ?

Challenger

Good evening Sue, you should have no problem charging your wheel chairs batteries, you would just need to take your mains charger with you. As you are having a custom conversion done the thing to do is to get to fit sufficent mains sockets for the item that you want to use and make sure they are within your reach. The converter should fit out your unit for a 16amps capacity this gives you a maximum of 3600 watts available. However no all camp site hook up points can supply this much power, the site operator should be able to tell you the limit. The common limits in this country are 10amps (2300 watts) and 6amps (1380 watts), any one know what the common continental limits are? To find out how much power an appliance uses look at the rating plate / label for some thing like the following:-

2.2Kw or 2200watts, 1000W or 1Kwatt

K is the abbreviation for Kilo as in Kilometer. Just make sure that you do not use more power than the site supply can supply, add up the power rating of the appliances you are using if you are in danger of exceeding the site supply limit then turn one appliance of before turning another on. It is quite common to have to turn the fan heater off before turning on the kettle! Idea

Anonymous

Dear challenger, thanks once again for your help,i have made a note to tell Leisuredrive what you advise the charger says 24v6a 215w 220/250v fuse at 3amp ????not sure what all that means,wouldnt like to blow out all the sites power. thanks from sue.

Challenger

Hi Sue, the number you need is the 215w, the w is an abbreviation for watts. As outlined earlier all you need to do is add up the watts for all your appliances and don't turn on more equipment than the camp site hookup can supply.

dodger148

I am involved with Electric Wheelchairs, scooters etc via a charity. Have had a look at the chargers on a few and in the main you should be ok when on sites with a respectable mains supply ie: 10amp like most of the club and better commercial sites. However you need to be aware, as already stated, of what you are drawing from the supply if you have the electric fire on,,, and maybe a fridge,,, and maybe a water heater. Some sites only have 5 amp supplies and these would be ok for charging the chair If the fire wasnt on. Most site operators will tell you if you ask what there supplies are rated at. Another option I have seen on rallies (where there are no main supplies) is people charging the wheelchairs/scooters from generators (dont do this at night though!!!)

Barty

I have found that using the main hookup on sites enables me to use my chair when this is available, however the only problem that I have found is getting a charge when electric hookup is NOT AVAILABLE.
My solution a 300 watt inverter getting energy from a seperate 12V car battery [u:930dc2c0ed]85am[/u:930dc2c0ed]p hour capacity- this enables me to get a six hour charge when chair is low.

Hope this is help for you Sue, e-mail