*NOW BOOKED FOR 2024* Transitmania 15 @ Santa Pod 19th to 21st July 2024 *ALL DETAILS HERE*


Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Post here camper and camper conversion related stuff!

Moderator: Luke

Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Sat Jul 22, 2017 5:19 pm

Electrics is the one thing I just can not get my head around :-(

Gonna have to bite the bullet, swallow my pride and pay someone lol

Want to stick an off grid solar system in.

Any recommendations appreciated

Cheers, Jay
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby mistericeman » Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:14 am

Plenty of guides on YouTube and online.... it's really not that difficult...
I bought my bits to do it off ebay (2 X 100w solar panels/durite voltage sensing split charge relay/3000w inverter etc)
BUT Bimble solar

http://www.bimblesolar.com/index.php?ro ... AtNZ8P8HAQ

Are well worth speaking to (everybody seems to rate them very highly)
mistericeman
Transit Aficionado
Transit Aficionado
 
Posts: 216
Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:23 am

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Wed Jul 26, 2017 2:46 pm

mistericeman wrote:Plenty of guides on YouTube and online.... it's really not that difficult...
I bought my bits to do it off ebay (2 X 100w solar panels/durite voltage sensing split charge relay/3000w inverter etc)
BUT Bimble solar

http://www.bimblesolar.com/index.php?ro ... AtNZ8P8HAQ

Are well worth speaking to (everybody seems to rate them very highly)


Hi, Thanks for that, yep I have heard bimble solar mentioned quite a few time now. Have also seen lots of YT vids on installing..... Just a bit worried about our safety lol, fitting myself when not confident....... May give it a go and if I am not happy then get someone to check it all.

Atb, Jay
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Beaker » Wed Jul 26, 2017 5:12 pm

Wiring in a solar panel is actually very easy, as you only have two wires coming from the solar panel to the controller, and two more wires running from the controller to the leisure battery. It's just about the easiest bit of wiring in the whole set up.

I got my panel, controller and wiring kit from Midsummer Energy in Cambridge. They were extremely helpful and gave me loads of useful advice.

https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/buy/solar-panel-kits/Flexisun-100W-Kit

The only thing you need to buy extra is a cable entry gland for the roof and adhesive to fix the panel down.
2011 SWB medium roof 2.2l Mk7 115 T300 in Frozen White. Stealth Camper converted.

"It's better to burn out, 'cause rust never sleeps..."
Beaker
Transit Aficionado
Transit Aficionado
 
Posts: 379
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:27 pm
Location: Northampton.

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:50 pm

Beaker wrote:Wiring in a solar panel is actually very easy, as you only have two wires coming from the solar panel to the controller, and two more wires running from the controller to the leisure battery. It's just about the easiest bit of wiring in the whole set up.

I got my panel, controller and wiring kit from Midsummer Energy in Cambridge. They were extremely helpful and gave me loads of useful advice.

https://midsummerenergy.co.uk/buy/solar-panel-kits/Flexisun-100W-Kit

The only thing you need to buy extra is a cable entry gland for the roof and adhesive to fix the panel down.



Thanks for that, much appreciated, I just checked out that link, Bimble solar looks quite a bit cheaper and I have read a few posts now with people mentioning them. Think I will have someone wire it up for me though when I finally get it all... Worried about a fire starting when we sleep lol.

Jay
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Remix » Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:14 pm

Ive just finished my conversion and i have NO skills in any area at all lol

The electrics were really terrifying me but it turned out to be one of the easiest things to do as long as your methodical and have the right bits.

The solar panel/controller/inverter stuff was really simple. I just done one thing at a time and it worked out perfect.

Give it a go mate, its 12v so your unlikely to kill yourself or blow the van up loooool

plus fuses and wire dont cost much, even if you mess it up at times (like i did) its easily fixable

Good luck mate
..:: 2004 MK6 85ps T280 SWB Low Roof 2.0 TDDi ::..
User avatar
Remix
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu May 11, 2017 6:09 pm

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Thu Sep 28, 2017 3:37 am

Remix wrote:Ive just finished my conversion and i have NO skills in any area at all lol

The electrics were really terrifying me but it turned out to be one of the easiest things to do as long as your methodical and have the right bits.

The solar panel/controller/inverter stuff was really simple. I just done one thing at a time and it worked out perfect.

Give it a go mate, its 12v so your unlikely to kill yourself or blow the van up loooool

plus fuses and wire dont cost much, even if you mess it up at times (like i did) its easily fixable

Good luck mate


Hey, Remix, Sorry for delayed reply..... Got locked out of here (#HatePasswords) lol, I have just ordered a 250w kit so will have a go myself first, might aswell :-)

Cheers for the encouragement, will deffo be back to blame you though if I kill myself haha

Jay
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby jonnyboy1958 » Sat Sep 30, 2017 3:44 pm

Hi, where did you eventually order your kit from Handyman?
Transit swb 2001 t260 Campervan fwd 2.0
jonnyboy1958
Transit Aficionado
Transit Aficionado
 
Posts: 118
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 11:02 pm

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Beaker » Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:00 pm

If it helps you out Jonnyboy, I got my solar kit from Midsummer Energy, and my split charge kit from Simply Splitcharge. Both places were superb on advice, both before and after purchase and I highly recommend them.

Bimble Solar and 12 Volt Planet are both supposed to be extremely good alternatives.

For all the wiring, lights, connectors, trunking, fuse box etc. I just picked those all all up from various suppliers on eBay.

Top tip though, buy wire on 50m rolls. It's incredible how much wire a SWB needs, let alone a jumbo, and it will work out a lot cheaper than having to order more wire every week like I did! :oops: :roll: :shock:
2011 SWB medium roof 2.2l Mk7 115 T300 in Frozen White. Stealth Camper converted.

"It's better to burn out, 'cause rust never sleeps..."
Beaker
Transit Aficionado
Transit Aficionado
 
Posts: 379
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:27 pm
Location: Northampton.

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:36 pm

jonnyboy1958 wrote:Hi, where did you eventually order your kit from Handyman?


I was given advice from a guy on YT about a good supplier, but they do not answer their phone ! ! ! So back to where my search started.

I have just finished emailing a million emails there and back to "photonic universe". Am phoning on Monday to order & pay for a complete solar kit.

Tom there has been very helpful with all my emails and questions. Took me over a month to sort it out, that's why I hate internet shopping but they are too far away for me to visit and do it all on one day. Anyway I am getting a 250w semi flexible panel, 2000w inverter, 2 batts, all the bits and wires, controllers etc for just over £1100.... :shock: which for me is a hell of a lot of cash but am sure it will be worth it having not to stay on camp sites over the next couple of years traveling Europe on a budget of no money hahaha (hoping to get work whilst traveling, odd jobs and the missus doing bar work etc)

Gonna attempt to install it all myself, been reading a lot on here, and watching loads of YT vids.... should manage ok. Fingers crossed :-)
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:42 pm

Beaker wrote:
Top tip though, buy wire on 50m rolls. It's incredible how much wire a SWB needs, let alone a jumbo, and it will work out a lot cheaper than having to order more wire every week like I did! :oops: :roll: :shock:


Thanks for this, good plan and mine is the xlwb so gonna need loads. I did similar with that bubble wrap insulation stuff, cost me 3 times more buying rolls from b&q instead of a massive roll of ebay and I could of saved about £100 :-(
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Beaker » Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:08 pm

Campervan Handyman wrote:
Beaker wrote:
Top tip though, buy wire on 50m rolls. It's incredible how much wire a SWB needs, let alone a jumbo, and it will work out a lot cheaper than having to order more wire every week like I did! :oops: :roll: :shock:


Thanks for this, good plan and mine is the xlwb so gonna need loads. I did similar with that bubble wrap insulation stuff, cost me 3 times more buying rolls from b&q instead of a massive roll of ebay and I could of saved about £100 :-(



I've just seen a couple of your videos on youtube and love your plan. We had a very small conversion budget, so everything had to done as cheaply and simply as possible, but to the best standard money and skills would allow.
You can do yourself - you just need the courage to get stuck in.

Keep postiing all questions, you will get answers. You can Private Message me any time you want as well. I've got loads of really good "cheapskate" tips if you need them! :D
2011 SWB medium roof 2.2l Mk7 115 T300 in Frozen White. Stealth Camper converted.

"It's better to burn out, 'cause rust never sleeps..."
Beaker
Transit Aficionado
Transit Aficionado
 
Posts: 379
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2016 7:27 pm
Location: Northampton.

Re: Any recommendation to install Electrics in Manchester ?

Postby Campervan Handyman » Sun Oct 01, 2017 9:40 pm

Beaker wrote:I've just seen a couple of your videos on youtube and love your plan. We had a very small conversion budget, so everything had to done as cheaply and simply as possible, but to the best standard money and skills would allow.
You can do yourself - you just need the courage to get stuck in.

Keep postiing all questions, you will get answers. You can Private Message me any time you want as well. I've got loads of really good "cheapskate" tips if you need them! :D


Cool, yep we are trying to do things on minimum budget, another reason it has taken us 6 months so far. Thanks for the help so far and for the offer of future advice :-) The hard work is about to start so may have take you up on that, cheers :-)
On YOUTUBE I am "Campervan Handyman" & posting videos of my Campervan progress ! !

https://www.youtube.com/campervanhandyman
User avatar
Campervan Handyman
Transit Addict
Transit Addict
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2017 5:31 pm
Location: Manchester


Return to Camper vans and conversions



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

This site contains affiliate links for which we may be compensated.