Nearly a build thread- It's not the pain that is killing me!

[Samro]

My lovely new van arrived from @BognorMotors on 1st March and the converters booked the van in for works on 29th March. This followed loads of previously missed conversion slots due to my original vehicle order being expected in January 2021.
The plan was always for me to install a load of fancy Victron/Blusea kit (which we install on boats) so that the camper would work to demonstrate this kit to clients.
I then in early march received news that I was going to have 3 discs removed from my spine and be bolted together like Frankenstein on 29th March, which was annoying but necessary! This date 100% clashed with the planned commencement date for the works at the converters and I have already messed the converter around due to unknown delays from VW.
So given that I couldn't do the electrics now, the van was given to the converters to strip so that a colleague could do the first electrical fix whilst I was operated on.
I'm now back at home, feeling sorry for myself and impatiently wondering what I am going to end up with now I cannot oversee (interfere with) the build.
The converter is liaising with my colleague on the installation of the demo kit, but this is killing me!

The We Connect app is all I have to give me hope that they are working on it.

 

[JOG]

oh, my good giddy aunt. 3 months of not be allowed do anything!

 

[Samro]

We'll see, but going to be careful!
I am home and already walking and moving around as per the docs orders. These surgeons are truly amazing people.

 

[JOG]

I had mine done at Sarum Road in Winchester! Walking was advised but no lifting (or walking the dogs in case they jerked the leads!)

 

[Samro]

Level 3 ACDF?

 

[JOG]

C7 fusion! Buggers broke my back when I was mugged!! Kicked the living daylights out of me….looked like I’d been run over by a truck in the photos

 

[moomin-j]

Level 3 ACDF?

C7 fusion! Buggers broke my back when I was mugged!! Kicked the living daylights out of me….looked like I’d been run over by a truck in the photos

Jeez, those 2 ops puts my L5,S1 microdisectomy to shame!!

 

[JOG]

Puts my L5,S1 microdisectomy to shame!!

Surgeon was a bloomin angel! Knew the second I woke up after surgery that I was going to be fine. I have full mobility and strength. I can’t even find the scar now! (I reckon he was a seamstress at the weekend!!!)

 

[Samro]

Surgeon was a bloomin angel! Knew the second I woke up after surgery that I was going to be fine. I have full mobility and strength. I can’t even find the scar now! (I reckon he was a seamstress at the weekend!!!)

I'm hoping I'll be fine but I'm currently paralysed in my left shoulder, meaning I can't pick up my left arm. I'm told it should recover and it is a result of nerve trauma following my op, but if I'm honest I am still properly shitting myself about this as if it remains the same it will be curtains to the sailing, paddle boarding, canoeing. Pretty much all of the good stuff!

 

[Bryn23]

Hopefully you fully recover from the nerve trauma on your left arm, nothing wrong with being scared, it could be a life changing experience although i hope it isn't.

Im a T8 complete Paraplegic, it sure does slow you down.

 

[Samro]

Hopefully you fully recover from the nerve trauma on your left arm, nothing wrong with being scared, it could be a life changing experience although i hope it isn't.

Im a T8 complete Paraplegic, it sure does slow you down.

You are a legend. I have the utmost respect for people who find strength to be as "normal" as possible when they are hampered along the way. The reality of my situation is that if I didn't have the op then things were going to get very much worse. Life will go on and the surgeon has saved me from a miserable path. I'm being a nob as I've been told by a very clever man that it is almost certainly temporary. Still scary!

 

[JOG]

I'm hoping I'll be fine but I'm currently paralysed in my left shoulder, meaning I can't pick up my left arm. I'm told it should recover and it is a result of nerve trauma following my op, but if I'm honest I am still properly shitting myself about this as if it remains the same it will be curtains to the sailing, paddle boarding, canoeing. Pretty much all of the good stuff!

The op involves a lot of bashing things about. You need to take it easy for a bit (for a few months) and discipline yourself to do so. Look at it as “the better the recovery the longer-lasting it is!”

 

[JOG]

Hopefully you fully recover from the nerve trauma on your left arm, nothing wrong with being scared, it could be a life changing experience although i hope it isn't.

Im a T8 complete Paraplegic, it sure does slow you down.

Respect!

 

[Bryn23]

Thanks for the kind words, but i'm no legend, i'm just trying to make do with what was dealt, although it does take a lot of mental strength to be "Normal" as you miss out on a lot, but it is what it is.

I'm glad the surgeon is positive, that makes it reassuring for a full recovery, rehab is boring, but makes a huge difference in the long run

Stay positive, take one day at a time, and hopefully you can be working on your van soon, looking forwards to seeing the build

 

[Samro]

After 7 weeks, I got around to visiting the van and managed to start getting the electrics install in shape. My pal did most of the work, with me being annoying....... giving constant verbal "help"!

On arrival, we found this delamination on one of the four brand new panels which I supplied to the converter to bond to the roof (Note that the amount of crap over the panel is also over the van. (This is killing me!):


Annoyingly this had to be removed and a new one will be fitted when a warranty replacement turns up imminently:


Managed to fit the mains/DC electrical panel and Wallas controller:


Also, the EHU-polarity indicator/breaker in a cupboard.


Fitted the mains sockets and the USB sockets:



Worked out what was going where and started fixing stuff where I wanted it:


So much to do tomorrow before having to pause (again) for work commitments which have mounted up with me only working intermittently during my recovery.

 

[Samro]

Made some progress today before abandoning my works to electrics, in favour of the converters progressing their part of the build!

Installed the water system, leaving tails for converters to drop the drain down and overflow through floor.

6 ltr heater tank, expansion tank and accumulator tank fitted.


FW Pump, ready for converters to provide a feed pipe through the floor from underslung tank.

Installed more kit to the "electrical cupboard". (Excuse the mass of messy wires which will be tidied up and made good next week - Had to abandon works half way through the job!):


Last few connections to the main distribution panel made, leaving a few labelled connections for the converters to make when fitting the fridge and connecting Wallas hob.


Not back again now until middle of next week to finalise the works once converters have worked their magic!...... can't wait!

 

[Samro]

Attended van today to complete the electrics.

Now that I am beginning to regain the use of my left arm, I decided that I needed a tidy up of all cabling that I made a bit of a balls of when I completed the main electrical work with one hand!


Unfortunately, the converter still hadn't fitted the replacement solar panel that was found to be delaminated weeks ago. Also no PRV drain, water tank fill point, water level sensor had been fitted by the converter as per what I expected. This is a bugger because I couldn't quite finish off everything that I wanted to! I'll have to go back yet again just to make a few connections.

They had at least fitted the fridge and the Wallas hob to the electrical supply that I fitted a couple of weeks ago:

Shame the Wallas looks like it's unable to get fuel to run, so I guess the converter will need to resolve that as providing fuel to the Wallas was on their list!

They have at least made all of the water connections to the supply from the pump and calorifier and fitted tap and shower:




Progress made nonetheless:
Made all connections from the shunt and the leisure battery to a common ground:


Managed to make the connections to the stupidly awkward battery terminals on my mk1 Roamer battery.

There is a large Blue Sea Maxi-Fuse holder for my master fuse, (which is fully insulated anyway) wrapped in the record bottle insulation to keep underseat rattles at bay. There is also a temperature switch that isolates the feed for the ignition feed when less than 4 degrees. This thermal switch is located in the foam on the left hand side of the seatbase. (The temp probe is secured so that it is not wrapped in the foam.):


The van is coming on but I really, really wish that I could speed up the converter!

 

[Bav]

Hi @Samro - how's your van progressing and, more importantly, how's your rehab going?

 

[Skyliner33]

Attended van today to complete the electrics.

Now that I am beginning to regain the use of my left arm, I decided that I needed a tidy up of all cabling that I made a bit of a balls of when I completed the main electrical work with one hand!
View attachment 159887

Unfortunately, the converter still hadn't fitted the replacement solar panel that was found to be delaminated weeks ago. Also no PRV drain, water tank fill point, water level sensor had been fitted by the converter as per what I expected. This is a bugger because I couldn't quite finish off everything that I wanted to! I'll have to go back yet again just to make a few connections.

They had at least fitted the fridge and the Wallas hob to the electrical supply that I fitted a couple of weeks ago:
View attachment 159895
Shame the Wallas looks like it's unable to get fuel to run, so I guess the converter will need to resolve that as providing fuel to the Wallas was on their list!

They have at least made all of the water connections to the supply from the pump and calorifier and fitted tap and shower:
View attachment 159897

View attachment 159898

Progress made nonetheless:
Made all connections from the shunt and the leisure battery to a common ground:
View attachment 159894

Managed to make the connections to the stupidly awkward battery terminals on my mk1 Roamer battery.

There is a large Blue Sea Maxi-Fuse holder for my master fuse, (which is fully insulated anyway) wrapped in the record bottle insulation to keep underseat rattles at bay. There is also a temperature switch that isolates the feed for the ignition feed when less than 4 degrees. This thermal switch is located in the foam on the left hand side of the seatbase. (The temp probe is secured so that it is not wrapped in the foam.):
View attachment 159890

The van is coming on but I really, really wish that I could speed up the converter!

Nice work, that's pretty good of the converter to let you work on the vas as well. The ones I've talked to want to do it all or not at all.

 

[Samro]

I'm told by the converters that they will have done enough for me to complete my portion of works on 30th June. Keeping my fingers crossed as getting impatient with the lack of progress now!

My stock answer is: "I'm doing well and on the road to recovery"........ stop reading this post here!

The truth is that my recovery is going okay but I feel guilty because I am really moody!

If I'm honest I expected to return to "normal" and it seems that this isn't going to happen as fully as I'd imagined! I could pretend to be all upbeat and tell everyone "the stock" answer and then feel like an ungrateful arse!

The real answer is that I feel disappointed and I feel guilty saying this when so many people in the world are dealt a much worse hand that mine!

What has been noticeable is how quickly everyone expects you to bounce back and just return to the way things were before! Once you start to feature at work, walk the dog, etc it seems necessary to say "I'm fine", so that is what everyone does!