New Member.

[Gavan]

I have recently, as in a few month ago bought my first Transporter to convert. Own an old A Class Motorhome that will be going this year. So bit of a downsize, but will open up a lot of new adventures that would have been a bit sketchy to get to or a pain with finding place to part on days out.
I have a T6.1 that will be going down the faux Swamper route, as non 4 Motion. As some of the places we go ground clearance is nice to have, having dented my diesel tank on my car a few times now on one spot that we go camping when I haven't taken the Motorhome. Thankfully it is sandy so the two have a little give.
I have it booked in to have the Pop Top done early March. then once that has been done it will be getting the insulation and floor and bed system in, before the kitchen goes in. We are going Gasless as I don't want to be looking for gas bottles when away in remote areas, in the Motorhome we have 2 13kg gas bottles that would last about 3 weeks in the summer off grid. I can't remember how long a Camping Gaz 907 would last. I have a Clayton sat in a box waiting to go into the van when it am ready to fit it. I have a good few items already, just the main parts needing to be ordered in the next few weeks so I can get on once the van is back from having the roof done.
Will be looking at fitting under slung water tanks for fresh and waste water to free up cupboard space.
So for a few months I have been lurking in the background looking at the many useful threads,

All the best Simon.

 

[Bav]

Hey Simon, welcome to the forum.

A-class MH to Transporter camper, eh? That's one a hell of a downsize - like going from a 4-bed detached to a 1-bed back-to-back!

Now would be an excellent time to post a few 'before' pics.

 

[t0mb0]

I have recently, as in a few month ago bought my first Transporter to convert. Own an old A Class Motorhome that will be going this year. So bit of a downsize, but will open up a lot of new adventures that would have been a bit sketchy to get to or a pain with finding place to part on days out.
I have a T6.1 that will be going down the faux Swamper route, as non 4 Motion. As some of the places we go ground clearance is nice to have, having dented my diesel tank on my car a few times now on one spot that we go camping when I haven't taken the Motorhome. Thankfully it is sandy so the two have a little give.
I have it booked in to have the Pop Top done early March. then once that has been done it will be getting the insulation and floor and bed system in, before the kitchen goes in. We are going Gasless as I don't want to be looking for gas bottles when away in remote areas, in the Motorhome we have 2 13kg gas bottles that would last about 3 weeks in the summer off grid. I can't remember how long a Camping Gaz 907 would last. I have a Clayton sat in a box waiting to go into the van when it am ready to fit it. I have a good few items already, just the main parts needing to be ordered in the next few weeks so I can get on once the van is back from having the roof done.
Will be looking at fitting under slung water tanks for fresh and waste water to free up cupboard space.
So for a few months I have been lurking in the background looking at the many useful threads,

All the best Simon.

Just on your gas point, we find that those blue Camping Gaz cylinders last flipping ages when just being used for cooking. The difference with your motorhome could be that a three way fridge is munching its way through it - not something that will happen in a T6 because the fridge will be an efficient compressor type running on electrics only.

 

[Lubrown]

We were truly amazed just how long the part filled 907 that came with the van lasted. We used it for cooking on the hob and to test fire the gas powered heater every so often (that’s one thing we have never used in anger in five years).

 

[Gavan]

Hey Simon, welcome to the forum.

A-class MH to Transporter camper, eh? That's one a hell of a downsize - like going from a 4-bed detached to a 1-bed back-to-back!

Now would be an excellent time to post a few 'before' pics.

Hi Bav,

I think we will gain a bit of room in the living area surprisingly, As our living area was not that big and once the family started to go to bed, it got even smaller. Having a garage didn't help, but was handy to load up lots of things we may or may not need. Plus four bikes. The comfy seats were lost as soon as the cab bed was needed by the wife as she goes to bed earlier than I do. That would leave me with the 2 dogs, and 1 of them would want me off the bench seat as they consider that as there bed once the wife and kids had gone to bed.

I will have to get some photos off my camera that took before changing the wheels. then see if I can add the to the op.

All the best Simon.

 

[Bav]

Hi Bav,

I think we will gain a bit of room in the living area surprisingly, As our living area was not that big and once the family started to go to bed, it got even smaller. Having a garage didn't help, but was handy to load up lots of things we may or may not need. Plus four bikes. The comfy seats were lost as soon as the cab bed was needed by the wife as she goes to bed earlier than I do. That would leave me with the 2 dogs, and 1 of them would want me off the bench seat as they consider that as there bed once the wife and kids had gone to bed.

I will have to get some photos off my camera that took before changing the wheels. then see if I can add the to the op.

All the best Simon.

Interesting (surprising) about the living area. Have you gone for LWB or SWB?

 

[Gavan]

Just on your gas point, we find that those blue Camping Gaz cylinders last flipping ages when just being used for cooking. The difference with your motorhome could be that a three way fridge is munching its way through it - not something that will happen in a T6 because the fridge will be an efficient compressor type running on electrics only.

Hi Tombo,

Even without having the fridge running on gas it would still use a far bit of gas. Would defiantly drink it in winter if out camping. One of my main reasons for going gasless is the hassle we had a few years ago when Calor were playing silly beggars for a few years and Gas even Camping Gaz was hard to get hold of. I would end up driving round the county trying to get a replacement bottle and you could replace two at a time as they were like hens teeth and others would be doing the same. I also like the controllability of cooking on an induction hob is compared even to gas, and another plus how fast it can cook things.

All the best Simon.

 

[Gavan]

Interesting (surprising) about the living area. Have you gone for LWB or SWB?

Hi Bav,

We have gone for Long wheel base, as going from the motorhome to a SWB would have felt more of a squeeze. I know it is only 400mm extra, but the space will easily be used.

All the best Simon.

 

[Bav]

Hi Bav,

We have gone for Long wheel base, as going from the motorhome to a SWB would have felt more of a squeeze. I know it is only 400mm extra, but the space will easily be used.

All the best Simon.

Good choice.

 

[Gavan]

Here are photos of my van, for the before photos. I have since added a set of Wheels and changed the front badge to Matt black, and removed on of the chrome trims and put in a black trim in its place.
I had changed the rear lights to copy LED, but have had to send them back due to getting error codes on the dash then finding out that they are not compatible with the T6.1, despite a lot of the lists on eBay saying they are. Probably just need an extra resistor adding in to stop is showing a bulb error. So I am hoping to find some that do. It might have to be the THQ lights, but I prefer the look of the copy OEM LED lights in a smoked.

 

[Bav]

Here are photos of my van, for the before photos. I have since added a set of Wheels and changed the front badge to Matt black, and removed on of the chrome trims and put in a black trim in its place.
I had changed the rear lights to copy LED, but have had to send them back due to getting error codes on the dash then finding out that they are not compatible with the T6.1, despite a lot of the lists on eBay saying they are. Probably just need an extra resistor adding in to stop is showing a bulb error. So I am hoping to find some that do. It might have to be the THQ lights, but I prefer the look of the copy OEM LED lights in a smoked.

View attachment 314225

View attachment 314226

Very moody!

What colour is that - silver, white or Ascot Grey?

 

[Gavan]

We were truly amazed just how long the part filled 907 that came with the van lasted. We used it for cooking on the hob and to test fire the gas powered heater every so often (that’s one thing we have never used in anger in five years).

Hi Lubrown,

I think we used to get though it fairly quickly when we were still of out and about in tents. I know we had 3 or 4 bottles kicking about. even with wind shields or using wind breaks to try and shelter the stove from as much wind as possible. We ended up selling on our Campin Gaz stove and buying Colemans that had some form of wind flame guard, so I could then either use it with the Colemans green gas bottles or one of our large Calor gas bottles on an adaptor I had managed to find.

All the best Simon.

 

[t0mb0]

Hi Tombo,

Even without having the fridge running on gas it would still use a far bit of gas. Would defiantly drink it in winter if out camping. One of my main reasons for going gasless is the hassle we had a few years ago when Calor were playing silly beggars for a few years and Gas even Camping Gaz was hard to get hold of. I would end up driving round the county trying to get a replacement bottle and you could replace two at a time as they were like hens teeth and others would be doing the same. I also like the controllability of cooking on an induction hob is compared even to gas, and another plus how fast it can cook things.

All the best Simon.

Fair enough, induction does place huge demands on your electrical system though so you need a high spec system (and viable recharging strategy) to make it work.

A diesel hob is another option worth looking at (like a Wallas XC duo), that'll just siphon tiny amounts of diesel off your main tank.

 

[Gavan]

Fair enough, induction does place huge demands on your electrical system though so you need a high spec system (and viable recharging strategy) to make it work.

A diesel hob is another option worth looking at (like a Wallas XC duo), that'll just siphon tiny amounts of diesel off your main tank.

Hi Tombo,

I have a Clayton Power unit ready to go in once I get to that stage. I did look at Wallis as it takes care of two birds with one stone so to speak. I wasn't overly keen on how much of it sat about the worktop, with fitting the hob and sink myself I can at least recess them down into the worktop to either make then flush or not far off, that is dependent one whether I go for a laminate worktop with the Kitchen or make my own out of Oak or Beach.

All the best Simon.

 

[t0mb0]

Hi Tombo,

I have a Clayton Power unit ready to go in once I get to that stage. I did look at Wallis as it takes care of two birds with one stone so to speak. I wasn't overly keen on how much of it sat about the worktop, with fitting the hob and sink myself I can at least recess them down into the worktop to either make then flush or not far off, that is dependent one whether I go for a laminate worktop with the Kitchen or make my own out of Oak or Beach.

All the best Simon.

I'm not familiar with those Clayton units, which one have you got?

 

[Gavan]

I'm not familiar with those Clayton units, which one have you got?

I have the LPS 3000, which has the bigger inbuilt battery and invertor. I also got their Super Charger DCD that adds another 600w of charging power once the engine is running on top of the built in 500w DCD. I have not long been on the phone to the company that will be fitting my Pop Top to ask them some questions. I was hoping to have a 350w solar panel, but that might not be possible with roof rails and bars due to shadowing, as I want to put my kayak up there every now and then. removing the cross bars when not needed. So I may have to have two 100w panels put in instead.

 

[Gavan]

Very moody!

What colour is that - silver, white or Ascot Grey?

It is or was white when I picked it up. I would have liked either of the other colours, I don't mind white if I am honest, as it wouldn't really matter what colour I had as it would get filthy, as we live out in the sticks and all the roads to our village are single track till you get to the road our house is on then it goes to single carriageway, before going back to single track again, and used by the local farmers and trucks going to and from the farms.
I get it all nice and white again then it rains again, I can now get mud to new heights with the new wheels and tyres. Before it was mostly below the swage line below the door handles, now it goes right up to towards the roof.
I will be looking at fitting mudguards at some point in the near future. if only to re due the amount of mud and muck I have to clean off the side of the van.

 

[t0mb0]

I have the LPS 3000, which has the bigger inbuilt battery and invertor. I also got their Super Charger DCD that adds another 600w of charging power once the engine is running on top of the built in 500w DCD. I have not long been on the phone to the company that will be fitting my Pop Top to ask them some questions. I was hoping to have a 350w solar panel, but that might not be possible with roof rails and bars due to shadowing, as I want to put my kayak up there every now and then. removing the cross bars when not needed. So I may have to have two 100w panels put in instead.

Ok, so it's around 2kWh and given induction hobs are in the region of 2kW or so on max you can conservatively expect it to power an induction hob for about an hour. In reality hopefully it'll be better than that given you likely won't have the hob on max for too long but it's still clear that a decent cooking session will definitely take a proper chunk out of that battery. Given this your recharging strategy becomes crucial, a solar panel is realistically only going to do the job there in the most ideal weather so you're down to DC-DC charging. If you're moving on every day or so anyway that's fine, but otherwise you might have to sit there with the engine running just to charge up the batteries. If the built in charger is 500W, you're talking four hours of sitting there with the engine running to charge the battery from empty. Or, to put it another way, for every minute of (max power) cooking time, you're talking four minutes of engine run time to recharge. If you upgrade that 500w charger with another 600w, that might help but you're going to need monster wiring to cope with the resulting ~100A flow - also check the alternator specs, I'm not actually sure how much a standard T6 alternator can deliver without getting into trouble.

 

[Bav]

It is or was white when I picked it up. I would have liked either of the other colours, I don't mind white if I am honest, as it wouldn't really matter what colour I had as it would get filthy, as we live out in the sticks and all the roads to our village are single track till you get to the road our house is on then it goes to single carriageway, before going back to single track again, and used by the local farmers and trucks going to and from the farms.
I get it all nice and white again then it rains again, I can now get mud to new heights with the new wheels and tyres. Before it was mostly below the swage line below the door handles, now it goes right up to towards the roof.
I will be looking at fitting mudguards at some point in the near future. if only to re due the amount of mud and muck I have to clean off the side of the van.

Avoid the VW mudguards - at least the rear ones, as they're mounted so far away from the wheel as to be utterly pointless (IMO).

I was recommended (and bought) these, but I've yet to fit them...

4x Rubber 5mm Mud Flaps Mudflaps Splash Guards Fender Front Rear For VW Transporter T4 T5 T6 Multivan Caravelle Motorhome Camper

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

[Gavan]

Ok, so it's around 2kWh and given induction hobs are in the region of 2kW or so on max you can conservatively expect it to power an induction hob for about an hour. In reality hopefully it'll be better than that given you likely won't have the hob on max for too long but it's still clear that a decent cooking session will definitely take a proper chunk out of that battery. Given this your recharging strategy becomes crucial, a solar panel is realistically only going to do the job there in the most ideal weather so you're down to DC-DC charging. If you're moving on every day or so anyway that's fine, but otherwise you might have to sit there with the engine running just to charge up the batteries. If the built in charger is 500W, you're talking four hours of sitting there with the engine running to charge the battery from empty. Or, to put it another way, for every minute of (max power) cooking time, you're talking four minutes of engine run time to recharge. If you upgrade that 500w charger with another 600w, that might help but you're going to need monster wiring to cope with the resulting ~100A flow - also check the alternator specs, I'm not actually sure how much a standard T6 alternator can deliver without getting into trouble.

Hi Tombo,

I bought it with the Clayton Wiring pack for the DCD Supercharger, all the cables are specified thickness, I may have to replace one of the lengths of cable is it is not long enough with thinker a cable, but that is dependent on final fitting of the kitchen and were in the unit the Clayton will be housed.
Luckily I have a hydraulic crimp set to make up an additional cable if needed. which I have from when I added solar to my motorhome and had to make up new cables to go between the MPPT and the battery via inline fuses.
From what I have seen on YouTube from a few channels the Alternator is capable of charging the unit without need to upgrade it, and fairly quickly as well, though that will depend on the level of usage the battery has had beforehand, as you say. Depending on where we are, will depend on how much we move, when we are up in Scotland on the Ilse of Mull we usually tend to not move very much, That is more the case when we take the Motorhome rather than taking the car and tents, As it is a pain getting around the island if you time it wrong with the ferries. So we tended to stay on our beach side campsite. only taking it out the once or on a rare occasion twice. If we are in an area that we haven't explored then we would tend to be moving about more.

All the best Simon.