Kombi dayvan inspiration

[T5_Kombi_Rob]

Having owned our swb T5.1 for a year now, we are looking at options for improvements. Currently have a double swivel, the double seat in the rear from the 2+1 setup and a forty winks bed in the back. Got the infill piece for the non-folding seat. Works well at the moment with our 16 month old toddler, and we've some some 2 week trips as well as overnighters. She sleep across the front seats for now, and the forty winks is comfy for us.

Points for improvement are:
More organised storage under the rear bed platform, maybe plyguys or a pullout drawer system?
Poptop for more space and potential bed for kid/s in future.

Any real world setups that follow this type of fitout, or suggestions are welcome, basically what we have now works ok but don't want to end up with a more compromised van with poptop etc. We want to keep ideally 2 proper seats in the second row.

 

[Rioja John]

I have a short wheel base 6 seater T6.1, I’ve had a Storm pop top fitted and I’ve had a Van King bed with sliding tray, I’ve fitted a box between the rear seats and sliding tray and installed all my electrics in there twin 100ah lithium batteries, Victron charger,1500 watt pure sign wave remote controlled inverter, bus bars and fuse boxes are also in the box, I’ve used a camping 240 electric hook up, SPECIFICATIONS - Three 13 Amp sockets, 10 Amp double pole main circuit breaker, and 25 Amp RCD to provide efficient power.
Also I’ve installed a Chippys table and B pillar swivel bracket, both front seats with swivels, Chines diesel remote controlled heater and Dc to Dc charger under the drivers seat.
I’ve panelled the sides of the bed frame and put my electric cables behind the panels, I get our porta potty, 35 litre Alpicool fridge freezer and3 35 litre boxes with all our camping equipment inside, and our Berghaus 300 air awning, tables and chairs, portable solar panels etc go above on the bed boards.
Our van is very versatile and within 1 hour I can remove the bed, tray and frame work if I needed to transport something large.

John.

Ps the picture with the awning is Berghaus advert.

 

[T5_Kombi_Rob]

Thanks John, thats a smart looking setup you've got. Good idea with the electrics behind the rear seats, I've currently got mine under the drivers seat but considering getting a diesel heater which could use that space.
Is there a reason you went with Storm for your poptop compared with the others at that pricepoint - westdubs, skyline etc?

 

[Rioja John]

I saw Storm pop tops at Vanfest and was impressed with their product and there is a Storm installer just 30 miles from me in Derby Cosmic Campers, who I went to visit and check their work which was amazing so I did the deal I never looked at any other designs.

John.

 

[T5_Kombi_Rob]

Fair enough. they are on the list for me too. Anything you'd change about your setup now?

 

[Rioja John]

There’s nothing I’d change as it works for my wife, dog and myself. I have more storage than a typical camper conversion, and we do all our cooking and living in our awning with the toilet hidden with a fitted cover that Pat made and it goes in the awning tunnel for privacy.

John.

 

[roadtripper]

I've currently got mine under the drivers seat but considering getting a diesel heater which could use that space.

Certainly on the T6/6.1 mounting heaters under the floor is popular for those reasons, I'd assume the T5/5.1 is the same?

 

[T5_Kombi_Rob]

Certainly on the T6/6.1 mounting heaters under the floor is popular for those reasons, I'd assume the T5/5.1 is the same?

Sure, it's just a convenient point to route the heater outlet ducting, with the outlet on the back of the seat base.

 

[tammo]

I’ve fitted a box between the rear seats and sliding tray and installed all my electrics in there twin 100ah lithium batteries, Victron charger,1500 watt pure sign wave remote controlled inverter, bus bars and fuse boxes are also in the box, I’ve used a camping 240 electric hook up, SPECIFICATIONS - Three 13 Amp sockets, 10 Amp double pole main circuit breaker, and 25 Amp RCD to provide efficient power.

@Rioja John I'm fitting the Van-King bed and slider system after the summer and really like your idea of the box and panelling you've done for your electrics and wiring. You wouldn't happen to have a closer photo of the box showing it's position within the rear seats as well as the setup in the box? Thanks!

 

[Rioja John]

Ola @tammo I am at our static caravan at the moment and I won’t be back home where our van is until August 14th and I’ve only 2 pictures on my IPad which may help you. I built the box between the rear seats and the sliding tray with cut outs so that there was access to the seat folding mechanisms. I fitted a lid with velcro and inside the box I installed 2 100 ah lithium batteries, positive and negative bus bars, Victron 30 amp charger, 1500 watt inverter with remote control, I installed a plug socket on the sliding door end of the box and also a battery disconnect switch, and at the rear of the box I installed a camping 240 volt panel with built in circuit breaker. The sides of the van king bed frame I panels with ply and covered with stretch carpet and velcroed these to the bed frame so I could gain access to the sides of the van and also to hide my wiring. As I’ve said I can’t get you better pictures until we get home on the 14th of August.

John.

 

[tammo]

Gracias! @Rioja John . The photos and description you've attached are really useful. Any tips for routing the cable from the starter battery in the engine bay to the box? I've got a T6.1 SWB Shuttle. Thanks

 

[Rioja John]

I had someone to do that for me when I bought the van new Ithink they brought it out of the bulk head grommet behind the battery and down behind the dashboard and under the carpet and they fitted the dc to dc charger under the drivers seat.

 

[tammo]

Thanks John. Annoyingly, I may need to contain everything in the box so it can be removed easily in one lot. I live in Spain and any electrical additions to a vehicle is seen as a modification and will invariably fail the MOT. Getting it all certified is a costly bureaucratic mess.