Hi, I'm Connor, taking on a micro camper conversion

#1

Hi All,

I’m really looking forward to joining. I’ll be at this Wednesday (11th May) open event.

My background I help companies start their circular economy journey, for example, shifting to using more recycled materials, launching rental and repair services, and scaling ways to collect and recycle unrepairable products into new materials again and again.

I have recently bought Fiat Doblo and I plan to convert it asap into a micro campervan with a small kitchen area and foldout bed. I love a big challenge, learning new skills and being part of a community, so I am hoping the makespace will help fast track me onto some camping trips before the end of the summer!

I look forward to meeting you all in the future, and if anyone has camper converting experience, I’d love to chat!
Cheers, Connor

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#2

Welcome!

I surely appreciate camping as me and my partner travel in a camper van every summer, see you down the road!

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#3

Hey! Welcome. I wanna do that too but on a sprinter next year…so not so micro. Also, really cool job

See you around

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#4

@Jonty_Bottomley helped @Bennewth a few year back with conversion

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#5

Brilliant great to hear! Clem yes that’s a luxury converting a sprinter with all that space!
I’m going to use the microvan as my day to day car as well and make the bed unit modular/ removable, hence why going for something a bit more every day at the moment. Maybe oneday I will move up the campervan ladder! I started with a tent, then a roof tent.

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#6

I’ve a badass 3 piece cabinet design I’ve fitted in previous vans whereby two cabinets straddle the wheel arches and run to the back of the van, scribed snug for minimal longitudinal movement, then a third that slides between the two to pin them to the side of the van and stop movement that way … !
Then thumb screws into threaded inserts or even a few screws for fixing to eachother and the floor.
Can get away with a minimum of 4 if times precious and need to take in and out often.

…Then you’ve a big plane on which to sit more units / a bed / whatever.

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#7

You’re a pro then Jonty! I have done some pretty rough hand drawings, which include something similar. The van is a fiat doblo so everything needs to be multifunctional time x 3 as it is so small, which makes it really exciting project for me.
I’m also going to try to make it as close to zero waste, and salvage some pieces of wood from skips/ freegle, so I’m repurposing as much as I can, than using virgin wood, but I’m also understanding this will make it a lot more challenging and time-consuming and I actually want to use the van this summer vs summer 2023 (:rofl:).
The existing moulded plastic fixture I will remove, to create more space, I’m going to hold onto, as I would love to shred / flake these and hopefully using the material to 3D print something for the van in the future. Looking forward to meeting you all when I become a member in the future. Thanks for you comments, I already feel a part of the community :grin:

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#8

Welcome Connor!

I have done 2 DIY camper conversions on full size vans, so not pinching mm by any means, but my favourite part is the electrics and what not anyways, would love to chat sometime soon!

I would like to CNC some cabinets for a van sometime, so can fill you in on how to get started with that as well!

Cheers,
Andy

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#9

Great to hear Andy! I’d love to see your camper(s) at some stage!
Some CNC cabinet fronts would look brilliant, when I become a member, I’d love to progress up to knowing how to use the CNC in the future.
Is there a leisure battery brand would recommend, which is optimum for weight, power and long life? Im trying to fit the battery under either of the front seats to keep them out of the way, but I also want to maximise battery power for so I can work for a few days off-grid and keep my laptop and tiny drawer fridge powered up.
I’m getting 1 or 2 flexible solar panels, which I will 3M velcro onto the top of my iKamper roof tent, so hopefully, these can help keep the laptop powered up and fridge on for a couple of days off-grid.
Cheers, Connor

#10

Mate I have bought the same thing… although ancient and in car form (I have to keep the back seats) it would be amazing to see what you do with it

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#11

Heya!

No specific brand, but make sure you get a deep cycle leisure battery and not a regular automotive starting battery. They are constructed very differently. Get the most amp hours capacity you can fit in the space you want to put it. The other decision is lead acid vs. AGM vs. Lithium - you can read up on the differences, Lithium is still super expensive for this application but it is an option.

The other thing to do is get a battery monitor - no matter how much battery storage you have you need to keep track of the charge level and voltage alone doesn’t tell you much. I recommend this one as the best value (note: not designed for AGM batteries though):

You need to keep the battery above 50% charged or you will damage it quickly and wonder why you need to replace it every year. Having a battery monitor will let you do this.

Get a split charge relay as well so the alternator can charge it as well, let me know any questions! Cheers

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