[Closed] Campervans - top tips

If it's a ford transit, fit additional locks / park it behind bollards - They are the most stolen vehicle atm I understand.

We have a Scudo based campervan - don't use sleeping bags but use duvets (x2 in winter). Duvets & clothes go in waterproof duffle bags by day which in turn often go in the roof box to reduce clutter. Audiobooks and podcasts for evening entertainment when scoffing cheese & wine.

We really enjoy ours

Sun canopy for short stays, awning for longer than two nights. The extra space is a must for storing chairs/boots/grill etc. and for somewhere to get dressed (awning) while standing up.

You need about half as many clothes as you think, and twice as much booze.

Get some decent ramps, not the rubbish yellow plastic wedges for caravans. We've got these, and with a bit of thought (using multiple ramps at different heights on different corners of the van) can get dead level on pretty much any old slope.

http://www.milenco.com/products/levelling/triple-level

Before you get wasted turn the seats around and roll the blinds down (not kinky - see that other thread on drunk in charge).

If you get pissed don't have your keys close to hand whilst you sleep in a lay-by.

Set the bed up before it gets dark and/or cold.

Have you already committed to the layout?
If not you don't need much floor space in the living area, better off with using some of it as a boot.

We can pack 2 weeks (probably actually months) of stuff in and leave the living area totally clear.

In the T5 world art least I see loads of vans loaded up to the roof all over the bed & seats. Can't set the bed up until you've moved all that stuff.

If it hasn't already fit an eberspacher
Always have a second gas bottle
15tog duvet in winter
Ridge monkey pan for mess free sausage cooking

Get one with a pop top. Standing up is not over rated.

Always have a second gas bottle

Why ?

Always have a second gas bottle

Why ?

Running out of gas is a right pain, especially if you have a webasco gas heater! Start with two full bottles, one empties change over then you have a period to refill other bottle.

You need about half as many clothes as you think, and twice as much booze

That's bang on.

Running out of gas mid meal is incredibly frustrating...
Sometimes harder than you would like to find a new bottle. Difficult driving around with half cooked curry!

Second the spare gas bottle if you get a Ebascher get a silencer for it,mines like a jet engine on the outside other campers might get peeved off.

Keep a down jacket and woolie hat in the van.

If you don't have a loo (doesn't sound like you will) have a yellow nalgene bottle (guess why yellow) because going out for wee after you've had a few beers when it's rainy and windy sucks.

Grow some pampas grass in a pot to clearly signal your intentions to other “campers”

Well if I learn nothing else tonight, at least I now know what an eberspacher and a Ridge monkey pan are.

We don't have gas, we have a spirit cooker the at burns denatured alcohol.
Nice and simple and portable if we want to cook outside

the folding stuff (pans, bowls, bucket etc) can help save space

a mattress topper on the seat cushions make the bed comfier and folds up quite well

a semi decent poncho hides jim jams and is waterproof



 

We don’t have gas, we have a spirit cooker the at burns denatured alcohol.
Nice and simple and portable if we want to cook outside

Yup. And no carbon monoxide if cooking inside.

Cheers for all the replies- it's got a pop top, poti loo inside, seat / bed moves to multiple locations on runners, plus diesel eberspacher heater. Mega excited.

Don’t get an awning unless you find you need one. Nothing more pointless than driving your nice camper somewhere then putting a tent up. It’s a pain in the arse and you will just use it to store a load of crap you don’t need.

In fact, As a rule, it is better to camp and see if you want something before you get it.

Apart from battery. Get enough battery and/or solar that you are not stuck to a power socket every time. Most of the time the best camping does not have hookup. Have hookup if you like but don’t rely on it.

Kiravans door store, lots of small Tupperware boxes, lots of hooks

Duvalay

Good firewood and whisky

Turn off the cab interior lights so they don’t stay on for 5 minutes after you get up in the night to piss in the hedge

We have a 1976 VW camper. My wife was adamant that she wanted a loo - I made a special wooden box to hide it away / easy access - 4 weeks tour of Scotland not used once - it's now the footwear locker. You only have to see the people doing the grey-water run every morning to realise how much fun it is. We tried sleeping bags for a bit, but then bought some Duvalay combined mattress topper and sleeping-bag thingies - far more comfortable. We try and limit ourselves to a small holdall each for clothing from 1 week to 4 weeks - you just wash it when needed. Having a bit of organisation around stuff goes makes life easier - otherwise you spend a lot of time just looking for stuff

eBags packing cubes or similar for organising clothes; use different colours for each member of the family and it makes locating what you want much easier and stops you getting in a mess when rooting around for a clean pair of pants 🙂 We have started using Exped megamat self-inflating mattresses in place of the existing foam mattress and topper... and they are much more comfortable!!

Running out of gas mid meal is incredibly frustrating…
Sometimes harder than you would like to find a new bottle. Difficult driving around with half cooked curry!

The cost of 2 gas bottles deposits would see you a long way to an lpg kit.
And it wouldn't take many refills at 28 quid Vs 6 quid to recoup the difference. Also means no changing partfull of carrying excess spacehogs in whats an already small van.

Become an expert in minimalisation. The less stuff you have the easier it is. We do use an awning if we’re basing ourselves in one location for more than a few days, handy when you want to get away in the van you don’t have to pack everything up. Living in a camper an is like one of those sliding tile puzzles... you have to create a space first before you move into it, so if staying in one place for a while an awning is handy to recant stuff into and some more space if you have to get inside due to weather or huge clouds of midgies. But we don’t bother if we’re only away for a weekend or going to be moving around.

+1 for a toilet/potty if your not staying on site. Any half decent picturesque spot in Scotland has been ruined by campers who think they are above it. Half buried toilet paper and a stink of crap all round the nearest tree - lovely experiance.

eBags packing cubes

Got a link?

Another alcohol stove user here - big fan.

Oh - learn how to lock your van with the alarm motion sensor deactivated. I still haven't worked it out on our T6...

https://www.ebags.com/category/travel-accessories/packing-aids/packing-cubes/b/ebags

The alarm motion sensor on the T6 can be de-activated by the button on the inside of the B-pillar behind the driver’s door I think..

That’s what the book says but I think you have to do everything in a certain order which is a massive ball ache. Last summer I was pressing that button then I had to lock the van by pressing the button on the main door, rather than using the key (can’t remember why) - only problem was I couldn’t reach it from the bed! 😂

Thanks for the link 👍🏼

Double post

Btw the guy up top that said alcohol stoves are not CO producers is wrong.

Still have your CO monitor in place.

It's a flame , it does not combust 100% gases are given off. And it uses oxygen from inside the van increasing the % of CO in the van.-should not be an issue with a pop top mind due to ventilation from having a tent on the roof

The only real benifits are that you don't risk gas leaks and it's one less system to get inspected.

As with any naked flame In enclosed space don't forget to have a fire blanket and fire extinguisher to hand -if not just to let you time to get out the door.

Like trailrat says, get refillable LPG if you don't already have bottles. If just cooking you could get the smallest Gaslow cylinder, only need one (space saving) as it will never come out of the vehicle as you just top it up at one of the (admittedly dwindling) petrol stations with an LPG pump.

But if you have the option, swap the diesel Eber for a gas Propex, the Eber is noisier, and consumes a lot more power as it needs to keep a glowplug on whilst it operates, the Propex just uses a peizo igniter. You then just calculate if you want a larger single gaslow cylinder or an underslung tank which frees up the gas locker for storage.

Also get a semi-flexible solar panel fixed to the roof as the van will keep itself charged when parked on your drive, the flexible ones are only a few millimetres high and do not need an airgap underneath them like the bulky rigid panels.

Finally, check if you can operate the radio without all the daytime running lights/dash staying on. My Iveco won't do it so I ran a new wiring loom to the radio from the leisure battery. I used a relay and over-ride switch so that the radio still turns on and off with the ignition, but when parked up I can push the button to give it a switched live and turns the radio on with no key. You can normally get a button that matches everything else and replaces a blank so looks nice and tidy.

Bookmarked

you just top it up at one of the (admittedly dwindling) petrol stations with an LPG pump.

If you have a fixed LPG install and run out - how easy is it to connect a cylinder as a temporary measure if you are the middle of nowhere and a 2h+ round trip from an open LPG station?

Cadiac Gas BBQ - we have a LP one which we run from our spare gas cylinder (some people have a second gas port on the outside of the van but that limits you carrying the whole thing to a friends van for an evening BBQ)

We have a folding ortlieb washing up bowl - love it.

We have both awning (airbeam) and simple sun shade (khyam). The sun shade is used most but the awning is useful if in one place for more than a couple of nights or the weather is just crap.

We tend to go to sites with hook up in winter so just use a small electric heater. I don't think I have ever used the propex heater in the van.

One of those electrocuting tennis rackets is great to clear the van of bugs before bedtime.

Atera STRADA DL 3 which slides on a curve away from the back of the van is the tow bar bike rack you want.

If you have a fixed LPG install and run out – how easy is it to connect a cylinder as a temporary measure if you are the middle of nowhere and a 2h+ round trip from an open LPG station?

Very easy . You close the lpg tank and unscrew it then screw it into the gas can.

You'd have to have some seriously bad planning for that to happens. Gas lasts a long time. Even with cooking , fridge and heating all being off gas in my van -and I only have a 6kg can.

In my experiance lpg is far easier to find than finding the gas from the supplier my cannister is from.(and it s a calor)..... Often find the 12kgs at garages but the 6kgs that fit my van locker seemed hard to find which was the main driver to go lpg. I just fill up when I get diesel ...I buy diesel at stations listed on getlpg

I'll echo what t_r rays about LPG. My in-laws have a LPG tank - cost buttons to fill.

We have a pair of gas bottles so don't stress about running out, but it's a surprising amount of hassle to find a supplier when Go Outdoors have run out.

Finally, check if you can operate the radio without all the daytime running lights/dash staying on. My Iveco won’t do it so I ran a new wiring loom to the radio from the leisure battery. I used a relay and over-ride switch so that the radio still turns on and off with the ignition, but when parked up I can push the button to give it a switched live and turns the radio on with no key. You can normally get a button that matches everything else and replaces a blank so looks nice and tidy.

This. I wired a little push button to the dash that is the switched live for the radio, and both that and the fixed live run of the leisure battery. Not as clever as the relay/override, but it's only button to press

We tend to go to sites with hook up in winter so just use a small electric heater.

And this

Investigate dehumidifying options. You'll need them. The little bead-filled things are ok, but not great.See what you can find.

Make sure you know where your fire extinguisher is, and can access it quickly.

External thermal wrap-round windscreen blinds are a godsend.

Pop-top up; noisier and colder. Pop-top down- quieter and warmer.

Check that your bed doesn't block the fridge or a cupboard you'll need access to, in the night.

If your leisure electrics can draw from the vehicle battery, turn this off and know how to check it.

Scotland is generally ok about wild-camping; the rest of the UK can be iffy.

LOADS of great tips in this thread 🙂

If you get a pop-top, I can recommend getting a thermal wrap to go round the canvas if you're planning on camping through the winter - only makes a couple of degrees difference but it certainly helps.

Make big one-pot meals (like chilli etc) before you go, freeze them and keep them in the fridge. They'll take a day or two to defrost and saves you spending ages cooking everything when you first get to wherever it is you're going (or on the first night of a roadtrip), just warm them through and feel smug 🙂

We added a solar panel last year, great investment, allows you more freedom without the need for electric hook ups

Boil in the bag rice

black out blinds unless in the summer you want to be awake at 5am

life is short, use it as much as you can. Enjoy!

If it’s a ford transit, fit additional locks / park it behind bollards – They are the most stolen vehicle atm I understand.

From what I'm seeing on various forums and facebook groups it looks like nearly all thefts are of vehicles parked at peoples houses. So if storing at home I'd definitely recommend putting additional security in place. If storing at a secure storage facility then it's not such a concern.

Avoid campsites with exploding gas storage areas - Samoens municipal site, summer 2018.
Crocs are great for nipping out to the toilet block, I don't care what you think!
Use the fridge as a coolbox in winter to save power for your diesel heater + lights.
Get some cheap USB fans and a powered USB hub for when you're suffering 30C+ heat in the summer.
Running a touch lower PSI on the Custom makes for a better ride, on rears especially.
Instruct the builder not to go crazy with Sikaflex on your PV panel, when it inevitably stops working, it'll take forever to remove.
Store your windscreen blinds flat in the pop top.

How many people can you comfortably fit in your camper? And which one is it?

following.

If you're on a hookup, a small oil filled radiator and a timer-adaptor is great (safer and quieter than a fan and element type).

Whoever made the remark about needing half the clothes and twice the booze pretty much nailed it.

On a less alcoholic note, fitting a decent sized solar panel is a great idea. We haven't had the van hooked up at all since getting it six weeks ago. Have used it few times in very cold temperatures and it's still showing as almost fully charged.

Pop-top down- quieter

This is especially good at music festivals

Crocs are great for nipping out to the toilet block

yep, sorry, but yep

Anyone got any recommendations for a good USB lamp? Our ceiling mounted LEDs are a bit too bright for chilling out but battery run fairy lights are too dim for reading.

Crocs are great for nipping out to the toilet block
yep, sorry, but yep

Nope. Sliders. Still not cool (unless you're 14 or a Premiership footballer), but not quite as tragic as Crocs.

Does anyone have a link for a semi flexible solar panel set up?

Following

For those that have asked, we've bought this Wellhouse
..
We've already started to look at Airbeam Awnings, as we are planning some longer (static) trips Awning
..
Finally, given the general poor security of the transit, alarm (cat 1) plus steering wheel lock are also on the list.
..
We won't get it unitl mid-April, although I own the van now. Wellhouse so far have been excellent to deal with.

Dropped our Traffic off at The Camper Buddy http://www.thecamperbuddy.co.uk this morning for conversion. Will be a step up from our previous day van+ Vivaro, so this thread has been quite timely. Colour coded interior madness on its way...

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We use these usb charged lights in the van. Ideal with variable power/light settings, can clip where you want and can be used as a torch on the midnight toilet run. Ideal as a reading/activity light once the kids are sleeping and don't need to use the main lights.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F351284163065

Any recommendations on the dehumidification? Using the little "internal"use once dehumidifiers but needing something a bit more effective in the damper weather...

Got any vents in the van.

Many people seal their vans up and then wonder why they have humidity issues.

Just like in your house you need an airflow to keep the humidity down when you have many humans in a small space all emitting moisture.

My van doesn't have any humidity issues even in winter. Sky light has trickle vents that do the trick.

Yeah, we have window deflectors in the front, so those windows are always open a tad, and the rear tailgate is open and locked to the 'latch', if that makes sense, so there's some airflow through the van

We have wind deflectors and crack windows, usually sufficient but through winter a bit more chalenging with trying to balance keeping the heat in and preventing drafts. Also much more moisture about from footwear/clothes etc.

Yeah I've never found cracking the windows to be all that effective or controlable. Tends to circulate air round the cab only.

I have a vented roof light in the roof at the front and rear of the van which does a good job of keeping the moisture down even when we are 5 people inside at the strathpuffer and. It's -14 outside +20 insure.

(By moisture down I mean I have a hygrometer/thermometer bolted to the side of a cabinet so keep an eye on these things -it never got above 80 that night. Typical summer day seems to be about 65 . Cold damp winter night with no heater on can be 100.)

I just lock my T6 via the button on the driver's door.

I just lock my T6 via the button on the driver’s door.

That’s what I’ve been doing, but it’s really difficult to reach it from the back.

colournoise

Subscriber
Dropped our Traffic off at The Camper Buddy http://www.thecamperbuddy.co.uk this morning for conversion. Will be a step up from our previous day van+ Vivaro, so this thread has been quite timely. Colour coded interior madness on its way…

Nice, when will it be ready?

Does anyone have a link for a semi flexible solar panel set up?

More of the folding variety, however I’ve got one of these for the boat/s which works well enough to charge devices. Will be looking to get another folding solar panel for this year from the same peeps who were very helpful and knowledgeable with all my questions
https://www.mobilesolarchargers.co.uk

Nice, when will it be ready?

Mid-March. It's not a 6 week job, but he's a couple of hours away from us so we've left it with him. There's a bit of a lead time on pop tops for the new shape Traffic apparently.