Cool running

The curtains arrived yesterday and they are terrific. I really couldn't recommend a better supplier than Sheila and her team. Aside from the quality and the price, I also got a personal phone call to keep me up to date about delivery. I have dealt with some very, very helpful people whilst doing this build but I think I have to put Sheila at the top of the list for now.

The 'Cool running' title refers to the fact that with the lined curtains we should now be in a cooler vehicle on a sunny day as well as having privacy and insulation at night.

I also notice that I haven't yet published a photo of the speaker installation for the satnav amp. We needed to increase the volume of our aging Navman by quite a bit. Even in the Galaxy, it was quite soft. So I have installed some very nice CB speakers right above the head of both driver and co-driver and they will be powered by a small amplifier I bought from Hong Kong.

I've got another list!

I was so successful with the last list, I have come to the point where I have to begin another.

• Cut and fit baffle plate to hole in floor left by removal of Eberspacher heater.
• Fit amplifier for satnav to cab roof and wire the speakers in.
• Block the fridge mounting to stop minor wobble.
• Cut hole in inner panel over mains input, re-route cable in flexi trunking and mount new power outlet over hole.
• Bring 5amp mains feed and DC feed out through another flexi trunking and connect to new power outlet.
• Run DC pump feed out to where tap will be when fitted.

On track!!!!

I built the rest of the curtain track and mountings last evening and I have fitted six of them. The big one, between the cab and the van, I realised very late last night will have to wait to be fitted because of the tall cupboard going into the back of the drivers seat. Best, I feel, to fit the rail to the cupboard rather than vice versa. The only other one left to do is the small one on the window above the hob and sink. This one, I have no idea of size for. I even had to guess the width of the curtain for it.

Speaking of curtains, they should be here today and, maybe, fitted tonight.

Softly, softly.

TV series, police strategy and Ruby Murray song. Take your pick.

I mounted both power outlets on the new Maplin box yesterday evening and they not only look smart but there is plenty of unused space for future use as well. All I have to do now is mount it and run the cables to it.

Come together.....................

................again.

The mains socket unit for the rear has arrived and is so good, I might buy a second one for the mid section. I had hoped to do a lot of work tonight but it looks as though I will have to spend time working on the Galaxy instead.

Woohoo!

It took 18 minutes for Paul to remove the heater and he apologised for taking so long.

Then we went to Cribs Causeway and the box I wanted was there and so I bought it. Later, I dropped into Halfords and bought a matching four DC socket unit to the already installed one in order to install it in the rear of janis.

Just a little bit further.

I have ordered and paid for the curtains and I am promised that they will be here next week. In addition, we are off to see Paul this weekend and we hope to remove that dam' lump in the middle of the floor and maybe even fit the cruise control as well. I must also go to Maplin at Cribs Causeway and buy the plastic box I need to tidy up the mains inlet on the rear of the vehicle.

Nearly there...........

Ah, but, nearly where?

Well, I just had the quote back and it's a good 'un. £77.00 for the whole set of nine curtains all lined and with rufflette tape. The carriage is pretty good too, £8.00.

Oh, pull yourself together!

I have begun the process of ordering the final large (ish) expense, the curtains. I have emailed the manufacturer and sent full sizes and requirements and asked for a quote. I am thinking about £100.00 but really have very little idea, we shall see.

Up and running.

Well, I have finally checked the power feeds to the fridge and they both work correct!y. Although they are both routed through the PMS unit, only the mains is controlled by it. The DC is fed through a fuse but runs via separate relay operated by the alternator. This results in a fail safe of not draining the battery.

And one to go.

The DC socket arrived this morning so I may be able to install it this evening. I also now have the small speakers for the satnav so I will get them installed as well this weekend. The amplifier won't need much in the way of installation so it can just be plugged in when it arrives.

One down.............

The mains socket arrived yesterday so I took some time out when I got home from work and fitted it to the box. I also drilled the hole for the DC socket and wired in the mains. If the DC socket arrives today, I will fit and connect it and then connect both at the PMS end.

If at first................

I spent a while yesterday trying to work out a way of carrying both mains and van power to the fridge. After some false starts, I worked out this method. The cables come out from the above cab void and via a flexible trunking along the top of the sliding door to a second Maplin box which I will mount the power outlets on and the leads from the fridge will simply run up the side of the vehicle. I had to open an account with RS to do it, but I have managed to order a very elegant three pin socket that will mount in the Maplin box. I received the DC twin cable this morning and I ran the fridge feed in alongside the mains when I got home from work. The two sockets should arrive tomorrow so I will be able to cut the lid of the box and fit them tomorrow evening.

Pick up the pieces...........

Average White Band.

I will run in the power feeds for the fridge next and get it working on both mains and battery in order to check the smooth change over between mode of operation.

My next task is to assemble and fit the two rear curtain rails and then work my way around the windows. The two rear ones first because they are identical and the window behind the driver because I don't know how big it needs to be until the kitchen is fitted. The divider between cab and van promises to be interesting as does the rail above the sliding door. The cab / van rail can be fiddled if necessary but the other has to work as planned or there will be problems. Once I have them installed, I will measure the drop for each and order the curtains.

At last.........

Some success with my targets at long last. I have, today, sited and fixed the fridge in position and also replaced the number plates with the new GB ones.

The mounting of the fridge was a little bit fraught due to the floor not being perfectly level. It still wobbles very slightly but I should be able to wedge it on the odd corner. I have bought the trunking for the power feeds and I have ordered some 27amp twin for the DC run. It doesn't need 27amp but I figure a long run of heavy duty cable is always better than a long run of adequate cable. I will now wait for the new cable before setting all the sockets etc up.

The number plates were easy but completed in the rain............

Breathing space

About time, I think, to bring the photos up to date. I have had the final fused system in for nearly a week now and finally took a picture of it yesterday. The webbing is down for the photo, it is normally up for traveling.

This is my "Monstrous Carbuncle". It will probably never work again due to the ham fisted ministrations of the Met and has proved to be almost impossible to remove thanks to where it is and lack of help from those I have asked. I live in hopes that it will go in a couple of weeks time when janis travels to Yate again to have the cruise control fitted. We are going to treat its removal as the primary, and the cruise control as the secondary, task.

Doh!

Well, the new stainless steel exhaust system is in. But the old Eberspacher heater is also still in. They removed the four nuts from the unit but didn't go any further in case they got it wrong. I shall not be putting a link to this company on my list! Fortunately, my brother-in-law Paul has come to the rescue with an offer to help me remove it, come what may, when we visit him in two weeks time. I am forced to admit that the new exhaust seems to have made a difference to the noise levels and, of course, there is a lifetime guarantee with it.

A busy weekend.

We rose early on Saturday and did the rounds of Homebase, Wickes and Carpet Warehouse. Came away with all we needed for the house and a few items for janis. I spent a happy hour fitting the new fuse box and checking that everything worked, it did, then I had a close look at the under side of the Eberspacher unit and then we got on with the house.

On Sunday, we took janis out to collect the new carpet for the attic and I also bought a set of small metric spanners to make an attempt on the Eberspacher removal. My major problem is that it is mounted above the very large exhaust box and is almost impossible to reach.

I had a chat with Russ about this on Saturday and we wondered about getting it done whilst having an exhaust fitted.......... I was going to have a stainless steel one next year anyway.........

Good news! I have just booked her in for a new stainless steel exhaust and the garage is more than happy to remove the Eberspacher unit for me whilst doing the job. The cost is also less than I had expected for a complete new system with a lifetime guarantee.

Today I began a list of supplies and suppliers for the benefit of others. On the right at the bottom, check out "Where I bought the bits." All of these suppliers were good to me and provided an excellent service.

I've got a little list.........

I made the second loom last evening and it's just as solid as the first, then I fitted them to the new fuse box, perfect. The next job is to mount the fuse box and drill the holes to take the wiring through and re build the switch to fuse loom. This, unfortunately must be done in situ if I want to keep the whole thing inconspicuous. As this is a non Samuel weekend coming up, I will try to get as much done as I can, The main need is for the various holes that need to be drilled. There are a lot.

1. For fuse box
2. For curtain rail
3. For licence plates
4. For Fridge mounting

All fairly straightforward but a lot of them.

Good solid connections!

I now have all of the components to re build the electrics and yesterday I did a test run and made up one of the looms. Oh boy! The new spade connectors are about treble the quality of the ones I bought at the local motor factor. The new fuse box is extremely solid and built like a battleship as well so I think this job should go very well and quickly, then I can forget it.