So this isn't really one of my typical blog posts where I go into lots of specific details on what to do in specific situations, It is more a check list of basic things you will probably need whilst converting your van.
You can use it as a quick guide to what you will need, for estimating your costs, for ordering stuff hassle free and as usual for my personal recommendations on brands and specific items.
As usual I will post links to the brands and items that I personally recommend, As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Gorilla Tape
You will get through a lot more of this stuff than you can ever imagine. It's best to go for a really good quality if you want it to last.
Hammerite Krust
This amazing stuff turns small rust patches into a stable surface you can paint on in just 3 hours. Perfect for anybody that couldn't afford a shiny new van. it can be used on exterior and and rust you may have on the interior
before you build over it.
Metal spray paint primer
You will need this for your body work if you cut any holes in it, drill any holes in it, screw anything into it or even scratch it. Any exposed bare metal will soon rust and your van will fall apart. You need to cover it with a healthy covering of this stuff. If your interior body work is going to be covered then grey primer is perfect. No need to colour match
Instant contact adhesive
This contact adhesive is very strong and ideal for sticking heavier items like insulation board into place without the need to support it.
The trick with this is to spray both the item you are sticking and the surface you are sticking it to then wait for both to go tacky before joining them together
Trim-Fix 3x 500ml High Temperature Adhesive Glue Spray for Van Lining
If you are going to cover your camper in 4 way stretch carpet for a modern camper look or to keep the weight down then this stuff is amazing. As it is high temp the glue will not fail in summer leaving you with a saggy carpet.
Super foil (thermawrap, relectex)
You might have heard of this being called thermawrap or if you have been watching American tutorials or youtube Reflectex. You can use it for a layer of insulation, moisture membrane, windows insulation etc. Again it is best to buy this in bulk as you will use a lot of it. I have 2 full layers of it covering the whole of my van with other types of insulation.
These rolls will cover 37.5 square meters each.
Mammoth Aluminium Tape 100mm x 45m
You will need foil tape for sealing the gaps between your thermawrap, celotex and to form an effective vapour layer. This is a thick one 100mm to make life easier.
Xtratherm or Celotex
If you want to insulate your van from freezing cold weather and to keep the heat in then you need to go all out. I have 50mm of Celotex on my roof walls and floor. If you want to save some head room I recommend getting 25mm for the floors and roof.
AirComfort thermal insulation roll 8M X 37CM 11CM thick
Just like above this is really good insulation for your van. Its not quite as good as the Celotex for walls and floors but it is a lot lighter, easier to mould to shapes and fit into small gaps. It is also a lot cheaper! The specific one is itch free and that is a big plus. Use this then a layer or thermawrap on top and your doing well.
Silent Coat 40 Sheet (375x250mm) Bulk Pack Car Sound Deadening/Proofing
One of the first things you will need to do when converting a van into a. camper is some generous sound deadening. Panel vans have huge panels that will vibrate and the only way you can stop that is by sound deadening before you insulate. This stuff is really good and not the most expensive out there.
Dodo Van Insulation Thermo Acoustic Liner 10M Roll
If you are looking for a quick, clean and easy way to insulate your van then this is a really good choice. You just cut it to size and stick it in place as it has a self adhesive back. It is moisture resistant and and when sealed with foil tape creates a moisture layer. Its not the cheapest stuff out there at £110 for 10 square meters (107 square feet) but it is good. It is very low profile too so takes up no room at all . A full layer of the sound deadener above then a full layer of this would be amazing. It would also only take you about a day to insulate and sound deaden your whole van.
Cork Tiles Natural (1.44 Sqm Coverage) - 300x300mm
If you are looking for low profile insulation on a budget then cork floor tiles might be a good option for walls and floors. It has really good insulation and sound proofing properties and weighs next to nothing.
5M X 2M MEGA 4 WAY STRETCH VAN LINING CARPET
If you want to save weight and money by not cladding your van with heavy wood the best thing to do after insulating is line it with van lining carpet. It is SUPER easy to do as the carpet stretches to fit pretty much any shape and and you just stick it down with spray adhesive, with this carpet they even include 5 cans of spray adhesive in the deal. With this link you will have enough to do at least one whole side of your van and maybe even the back doors or bulkhead too. It comes in loads of colours so you can make your van look awesome inside. This link is for black
High Density Upholstery Foam 20" x 20"
This high density foam is perfect if you are going to make your own seat cushions. You can get various sizes but this link is 20 inches by 20 inches. It is very easy to trim to size
ASSORTED GENERAL PURPOSE WOODSCREWS - TRADE BOX OF 1700 WOOD SCREWS 20mm - 80mm
Another thing you will seem to use endless amounts of are screws. This box contains loads of different sizes and I promise you at one point or another you will use every size. This box has 1700 screws in it and should keep you going for a. while.
Wafer Head Self Drilling Screw Sheet Metal Tek Screws
For screwing wood to the body work of your van these are the best option. You can use the wood screws but these will hold more secure and for longer
Panel Pins x 200 25mm
If you are cladding your van the quickest and easiest way to attach it to your walls is to use panel pins.
16 Pieces Stainless Steel Folding Butt Hinges
If you are building your own cupboards then there is a. good chance that you will need some hinges. This set is perfect for cupboard doors and you get enough for 8 doors in 1 pack
Angle Brackets
These are perfect for adding extra strength to anything that you build with wood. The also have a 90 degree angle helping you to keep your build square.
Hankook 12V 110Ah Low Height Leisure Battery
If you are looking for a decent leisure battery for your van then these are a good choice. I have 4 of these to run a lot of equipment.
Spartan power 4 AWG power cable set
If you would like to join multiple batteries in parallel for more power then you will need thick enough wire to join them together. These cable sets are the perfect size and are exactly what you need. You will need battery terminal clamps to attach to the batteries though. These are also perfect for connecting your batteries to blade fuse boxes
Deutschauto 12V 3-way Leisure Battery Terminal clamps
To connect anything to your leisure battery you are going to need a set of terminal clamps. If you are joining batteries together you will need one set per battery.
Split charge relay kit 140 Amp 5 Meter cable
Once you have a leisure battery you need a way of charging it back up. With this kit your vans alternator will charge your leisure battery after it has finished charging your vans starter battery. This isn't a very quick way to charge them but whenever you are driving it will top you up
Waterproof inline fuse holders 2 pack
Now you have a battery and a way to charge it you can now add a 12v electrical system to your van. For this you will need a blade fuse box, the fuse box needs to be connected to the battery with a set of the 4 AWG cables above but to do that you should add an inline fuse between your battery and fuse box. For that you will need one of these. The other one is for your inverter. The fuses you use in these holders will depend on what you are powering https://amzn.to/2ZhQzAr
12 Way blade fuse box
So once you are ready to start wiring up all of your accessories and electric's you are going to need a blade fuse box. With these you just wire it to your leisure battery with an inline fuse in between then you wire everything else to one of these. Each thing wired into it then has its own correctly sized inline blade fuse. this particular model has LED indicators so you can see when a fuse is blown.
Blade fuse assorted blade fuse kit 150 piece
Different accessories take different size blade fuses. If you get this box you shouldn't get stuck whilst wiring your vans electric's
500 Piece wire terminal and connector set
To connect all of your wires to your fuse box and accessories you will need wire terminals and connectors.
This box has a mixture of different connections & sizes and should cover all of your wiring needs
12V LED Recessed down lights X 8
The first thing you will probably want to install once you have a decent 12v power supply will be lights. These lights are recessed into your ceiling making them look very neat and tidy. They are also very low power at 1.8 watts each and have a life span of 20,000 hours each. Perfect for a camper https://amzn.to/2Moix8d
12V LED Strip lights 5M DAYLIGHT
As well as the down lights a lot of people like to install strip lights too. These are very easy to install and have a sticky back that sticks to any smooth surface. I like the DAYLIGHT ones as it gives off a nice white light. You can also get warm white that gives off more of a warm yellow hue more like the old fashioned house light bulbs. These are very cheap to buy and you could light you whole van for under £20. Make sure you get the right type with just the red and black wires on the end so you can wire it straight into your blade fuse box instead of one with an adaptor on the end
12V LED Strip lights 5M WARM WHITE
Just like I mentioned above these are the warmer versions of the strip light. I did not have space to mention above though that they have a very low power consumption and have a life span of over 50,000 hours. You can also cut them to size by cutting along the lines after every third bulb
TUOFENG 22 Gauge PVC Electrical Wire 30 Meter Reel
For connecting your down lights and strip lights to your fuse box and light switches this cable is perfect. As the wattage of the lights is so low the cable does not need to be thick at all. The thicker the cable the more expensive!
Use this cable with a 3amp fuse in your fuse box.
12V 5 Gang toggle switch panel
Once you have lights you will need switches to turn them on and off, for this I recommend one of these. You can have all of your lights running off of one blade fuse and you will only have to run one wire from the fuse holder to the switch, this will save you money and effort. I run two lights off of each switch so if you are running low on power you don't need to have all ten lights together, thats eight down lights and two strip lights all from one panel.
12V 5 Gang toggle switch panel with voltmeter, double USB sockets & lighter socket
You will also need another set of switches to turn the rest of you accessories on and off like your fan, fridge, sockets etc. This one matches the switches above so will not look out of place. it also has three other essentials attached to it all neat and tidy in one place.
Quick charge 3.0 dual USB power socket
As well as the above you will probably want one or two of these USB charging sockets in your van in convenient locations. I have one next to my bed so i can charge my phone next to me whilst I sleep, one in my kitchen area for my USB blender and one next to my bench and table for extra charging capabilities. I am a photographer & Cinematographer so need all the power points i can get hold of for my equipment. You can find cheaper versions online but they are not the 3.0 quick charge version.
12V USB & USB C 3.0 Quick charge power socket
If you are like me and try and look forward into the future a little bit you might want to install one or two of these somewhere in your build. The old USB cable will soon become redundant when it gets replaced with the newer USB C cables. This power socket will cover both old equipment and new equipment. You can already charge some new laptops with USB C cables so soon you may not even need a power inverter or model specific car chargers for charging laptops. Again its matching to the item above so will not look out of place next to them.
Electrical Wire 18 AWG - Extension Electric Cable 2 Cord (21.3 Meter Red + 21.3 Meter Black)
For all of the power sockets above and the vents/fan,
water pump and tap below you should use a thicker cable that can handle more power like this cable here. you should use a 10amp fuse in your fuse box with this cable
MAXXAIR DELUX Fan & vent
It is a good idea to get a roof fan for your van for multiple reasons and this a really good one to get. It has a remote control, thermostat so you can control the room temp, it extracts air from your camper or can blow fresh air in and it comes with everything you need to fit it. It is a bit expensive but the cheaper ones are nowhere near as good. It comes with a smoked top, white top or a clear top.
MAXXAIR SKYMAXX Rooflight
As well as a fan you might want to add a roof light/window for extra natural lights and fresh air.
This one is perfect letting in lots of fresh air and natural
light it also has built in LED lights for when it gets dark.
It can be vented or unvented you decide as both the options come with the package. So even with it closed . at night your van will still be ventilated enough to stop condensation https://amzn.to/2sW1ofp
Sikaflex 512 Caravan Adhesive & Sealant
If you're cutting holes in your roof to fit fans or vents then it is a good idea to make sure they have a good waterproof seal. This stuff is made for that exact job.
Chinese diesel heater 5KW
Whilst you are wiring up the rest of your van is the best time to think about fitting a diesel heater, this is the one I have. There are lots of different ones to choose from but this is the one I have. it only took a week to arrive, it came with everything it said it would come with and it has worked perfectly since I have had it. I would order this one again if I needed another one for another van. These should be wired directly to your battery not your fuse box.
FOR MORE HEATING OPTIONS FOR YOUR VAN PLEASE CHECK OUT MY VAN HEATING OPTIONS BLOG POST
Diesel heater pipe Y-TUBE
And whilst you are installing your diesel heater you could think about upgrading your tube so you can direct the heat to two separate locations like the cab and sleeping area or sleeping area and garage. This will let you heat two different rooms at the same time with the same heater.
Sikaflex 221 sealant
If you are fitting a diesel heater in your van then that means there is a chance of carbon monoxide escaping. If you seal the exhaust outlet with some of this and any gaps between the van floor and base plate of your heater this should stop the chances of any exhaust fumes making it back into your van.
Whale 12v Submersible Water Pump
If you are building a camper then there is a very good chance that you are going to want to put in a pink or a shower. These water pumps are powerful enough for both.
This make and model are pretty much standard in any caravan or motorhome.
Voilamart Steel Stainless Kitchen Sink Bowl
So if there is one thing I could change about my van it would be the sink. I got a really small one making it very hard to wash up and fill bottles from the tap. Take my advice and get a decent size sink bowl like this one! This in combination with a micro switched tap would be a good choice.
Comet London Cold Water Tap Single Lever 12V Microswitch
To go with your sink bowl you will also need a tap. this one has a microswitch that makes it so much easier to wire into your van and use once installed. you wire it up to your blade fuse box and the pump by following the instructions and then when you turn the tap on everything works automatically without the need for another switch.
Food Grade Fresh Water Pipe 3M
To get your water from your pump to your tap you will need some hose pipe. This one is the perfect size for the pump and tap above (and most others), its food grade and it is the perfect length not to loose water pressure
KingSaid 5m Caravan Motorhome Waste Water Pipe
You will also need a waste water pip to carry the waste water from your plug hole to waste water container.
Fresh And Waste Water Containers
I suggest getting big enough water containers to not have to stop to fill them everyday. If you buy these you will get 4 x 25 litre water containers. 2x clear for fresh water and 2x blue for waste water.
KRIËGER 2000 Watt 12V United Kingdom Car Power Inverter
If you are looking for a decent priced power inverter then this one is AMAZING!
It comes with a free fitting kit worth £70, it has an on and off switch that you can mount to your wall and it is powerful enough to charge a laptop, watch T.V and use the microwave all at the same time. I have this exact one now after my other one died and I love it.
BG Electrical Single Switched Power Socket with USB Charging Ports, 13 Amp, Black Nickel
If you have an inverter in your van then it becomes very easy to install a couple of 240v plug sockets around your van. This comes in very handy for keeping your van free from any trailing cables and wires. I have two of these in my van. This particular set socket looks awesome too, it also has 2 USB sockets that always come in handy if you have a lot of tech. This one is Black Nickel but they come in all sorts of styles
3 Core Round Black Flex Flexible Cable 10 metre Cut Length
If you are going to install 240v sockets then you will need some way of wiring them to your inverter and that is really simple you just need 3 Core Flex Cable and a plug for each SINGLE plug socket. Do not use double plug sockets! You get 10 meters if you buy this one and that should be enough to fit 2 plug sockets anywhere in your van.
MEIKEE UK Plug, 3 Pin 13A Fused Mains Plugs
As mentioned above the last thing you will need to wire your plug sockets to your inverter is plugs. These are a really good make and you get 3 in the pack so you will have a spare if you ever need one
275W solar panel
If you are running a lot of electrical equipment in your van a split charger will not be sufficient enough to keep your batteries topped up and if you are completely off grid this means you will need a solar panel to charge your batteries. I recommend this one or similar its nice and powerful and wont leave you waiting for ages to charge your batteries.
ECO-WORTHY ABS Solar Panel Mounting Brackets with Side Bracket
If you want to attach your solar panel to your van roof without drilling any holes in your body work and risking leaks then this is exactly what you need. You attach the solar panel to the mounts with either no sikaflex or bolting then to it then you sikaflex it to your roof and your done.
Waterproof double cable entry gland
If your are installing a solar panel on your roof you will not be able to avoid drilling holes to get the cables in your van.
For that you will need one of these, if you put this over the holes and attach it with sikaflex for a waterproof seal to stop any leaks
40A MPPT Solar Charge Controller
Now you have a decent solar panel and some decent leisure batteries you need something powerful enough to make it worth your while. With this solar charge controller and the batteries and solar panel above you will be laughing with only a few hours of sunlight needed to recharge your battery cluster completely. Perfect for long winter nights. Its a bit pricey but get it right the first time thats free electricity for years and years.
Battery Cable with Fuse and Pole Clamp – Solar Battery to Charge Controller 1.5 m, 10mm² 40A, Black
To connect your solar charge controller to your battery you will need some decent cables. These are the perfect size and thickness and come with battery connections already attached
GAS IT LPG refillable 6kg LPG bottle and remote fill kit
If you have any gas appliances in your van it could be a good idea to get yourself a GAS IT system. Once you have it you can fill it up at any petrol station that has an LPG pump for vehicles that run on LPG. This will save you money and time once it is installed. you will never have to wait for somewhere to open to get gas as a. lot of petrol stations are 24 hour. You can also get attachments for use in other countries. You build the fill point into your van in a convenient location near the door and just pump it straight in with no need to remove the bottle ever!
Drehmeister LPG Adapter Set All Europa Autogas Adapters
It's not really part of the build more an accessory but as I mentioned it above I thought I would add it. This kit will let you fill up your GAS IT bottle in any European country.
IGT Hand Wheel 37Mbar Propane Gas Regulator
Once you have a. gas bottle you will need to be able to connect it up to your appliances. For this you will need a few more things the first being a regulator. It screws into your gas bottle and lets the gas out at a. controlled rate when
turned on. this one will fit the GAS IT bottle above and also Calor and Flow gas bottles.
Silverline Gas Hose
The next thing you will need is a gas hose to go from your regulator to your gas appliance. There is 5M here more than enough for what you will need
30pcs Hose Clips Adjustable 10-38mm
If you only have one gas appliance then the last thing you will need to hook it up is jubilee clips. This pack has 30 of them that go from 10mm-38mm so that will cover the gas hose.They will also be perfect for your water pipes too and multiple other uses
Brass 3 Way Air Gas Y Shaped 8mm Hose Connector
If you have more than one gas appliance but only one gas bottle then you will need one of these. With one of these you can run 2 appliances from the same bottle. If you have 3 or more gas appliances then your living the high life and I am not sure what to suggest other than splitting one of the pipes that runs of the first connector and adding another connector 🤷♂️
Portable Camping Gas Oven & Hob 2 Burners
Now that you have a decent reliable gas supply you can start thinking about gas appliances, why stop at a two burner stove when you can have an oven and a stove? If you have enough space in your van for this I highly recommend getting one.Cooking on a hob can be very restricting and an oven makes it a little bit more like home. This isn't the model I have but its cheaper and just as good. It only has one gas intake too so you can have 1 more gas appliance hassle free if you wanted to. The top folds down and turns into another work surface when the hob is not in use.
FOR MORE VAN LIFE COOKING OPTION PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BLOG POST - AWESOME COOKING SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR VAN
SIA Black 2 Burner Glass Domino Hob & Cast Iron Stands
If you are just going for a two burner stove I would like to suggest something like this. It looks amazing, it's small and comes with a kit to convert it to work from your LPG bottle. they also do a stainless steel version. This also only takes one gas input so you can easily have another gas appliance
Smad 3 Way Caravan Gas Fridge, Gas Campervan Fridge, 40L
So I keep banging on about other gas appliances and this is one of them. This is a 3 way fridge and it is the best option you have for a fridge in your camper. It is called 3 way because you run it from 3 different power sources.
12V When you are driving, LPG when you are parked up off grid and finally 240v mains when you are on a site or anywhere with mains power. A fridge is one of the hardest appliances to power in a van thats why this is the best option for you. Its big enough to fit actual food too
Necvox ANT-536 6899, Black T.V Antenna
If you are looking for a decent T.V antenna then this is a really good choice! Do not fool for the fake look' a 'likes on amazon and ebay. This is the original and best on the market. You get what you pay for and with this you pay for the best. It has a very strong magnet and sticks to the roof of your van. I have stuck mine down with Sikalex so it's not going anywhere at top speed.
Cello C32SFS 32-Inch Android 7.0 Smart LED TV with T2 HD Made In The UK [Energy Class A]
If you have an inverter then you can get a lot more TV for your money than a 12v TV! My suggestion would be this one. It is a smart TV with all the popular apps on it including Netflix, Amazon prime and Now TV, it is very low powered and it is just the right size to be able to enjoy from anywhere in your van.
VonHaus 23-42 Inch TV Wall Bracket – Tilt and Swivel
Once you have a TV big enough to enjoy in your van you need to be able to adjust it to be able to see from anywhere in your van. This wall bracket will allow you to tilt and swivel your TV to the desired position and is ultra low profile so will not stick out from the wall very much at all.
Tread plate Angle - 50 x 50 x 2mm - 2500mm Length
To save your wooden floors getting damaged near your doors on the edges you can add some tread plate angle. It will stop the edges of your plywood getting damaged by ware and tear and your boots/shoes. It will also give you a bit of extra grip for your feet.
XPS Underlay Insulation 5mm - Wood or Laminate Flooring
If you are going to be using laminate flooring in your van you can add a little bit more insulation with this laminate underlay.
Fireangel CO-9D Digital Sealed for Life Carbon Monoxide Alarm
A carbon monoxide alarm is pretty much essential in any van but especially needed if you have a gas appliance or a diesel heater. This one is really good and has a digital screen so you can monitor the levels.
FireAngel SB1-R Smoke Alarm
Another life saver every van build should include is a smoke alarm. Just like a house your van is your home and you should try to keep yourself as safe as possible whilst in it.
A van is far more likely to set on fire than a house so I would say you need these more in your van than you do a house.
GREHOME 3 Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper Single, 7.5cm Mattress Topper
If you are looking for a good mattress topper for your camper bed then these are really good ones. The good thing about these is they can be rolled up and hidden away when not in use. This one is for a single size bed
RECCI 5cm Memory Foam Mattress Topper Double Bed
Just like above if you are looking for a decent memory foam topper then this one is awesome. This one is a double.
So thats about everything without picking out your carpets, curtains, bed sheets etc
I hope you all enjoyed it and found it useful
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