You get in your van, turn the key, and nothing... It can happen to anyone for multiple reasons, the question is: How do you know if it's a knackered battery, parasitic drain, or a faulty alternator? Before you take the vehicle to the garage, or run out and buy a new battery, there are some really easy diagnostics you can do, and we thought it might…
We've been compiling a list of the countries in Europe with any information we could find about the legalities of wild camping in each one. If you spot any errors, especially as time passes or laws change, please do let us know so we can update this resource. Also, just because wild camping isn't “legal” in some countries, it doesn’t mean that you absolutely can’t do…
Many of us still need to connect to the internet while on the road. Most of us do have internet enabled mobile phones. However, we also have data limits, poor signal areas, or the desire to connect wifi only devices. We did some research and found out about some of the options for getting connected on the road. WiFi network First it's important to understand that WiFi…
After encountering some damp in Freya's wardrobe, we found a small crack in a cable gland which we believe to be the point of entry for moisture. We have resolved this with some sealant, but to be extra safe we made a small dehumidifier to stand in the bottom of the cupboard. There are a couple of super simple ways to do this, so we thought…
After looking at components and sizing requirements, we should now be ready for installation. The basic connections are fairly straightforward: If you have more than one panel or battery, please scroll down to sections on arrays and banks before commencing installation. The Physical Installation Fit the mounting brackets and cable gland Step 1: Decide where you want to install the panels (ideally, within 5m of the charge…
In our last post we looked at the various components for a solar setup: the solar panel that supplies the energy, the battery that stores it, the charge controller (regulator) that allows charge to the battery when needed and prevents overcharging when full, and the inverter that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). So far so good. The next thing we need to work…
As we're planning to install solar panels for Freyja, we thought it would be useful to share with you what we learn about installing these setups for a campervan. The first post in this three-part series will look at the components needed to put together a solar setup.A 12v solar setup that is usually used in a campervan has three or four basic components: a solar…
As we've started using the camper at the onset of winter, we thought it would be a perfect chance to post our first instructable! What we'll be making is home-made version of one of these - a terracotta candle heater: The one pictured above is designed by Marco Zagaria as a finished product, but we (like many others) are making ours out of plant pots. It's very…