T6 Midroof LWB Wheelchair Campervan Build

[Bryn23]

Been mucking around with the lower wardrobe carcase, and mock up tank placement.

Just have to wait for some help to remove the RIB bed on the weekend, so i can scribe out a shelf and back rail above the water tank for the electrics and mounting.

i really hate scribing



Then i can start laminating, and then i can

*Router out a few access ports, which will be hidden under the bed and at the rear, as i'm fitting drawers at the rear as well, but will be removable
*Install the top and bottom shadow edges
*Install the Shurflo 4009 pump to the inside of the cupboard with sound isolating rubber.
*Fit the Bullfinch shower and matching Bullfinch water tank inlet and run a breather line to the roof.

 

[Bryn23]

I finished laminating the lower wardrobe cupboard today, just need to fit the shadow line trims to top and bottom to refit in van




The upper shelf is for the electrical gear, inverter, fuses DC-DC solar eta, will look at running a speed controlled 12 volt computer fan to remove heat build up from the Votronic triple charger (dc-dc, 230 volt, solar) and the 1200 watt Votronic Sine inverter.

The 8mm HDPE sheet and weld on fittings came yesterday, so i'm hoping to make a start on the water tank once i've installed the lower wardrobe cabinet.

Im enjoying seeing some progress.

 

[Bryn23]

Didn't get much done today, routed out the cupboard a little, as the inverter needed more room to fit, so did that then edged it.

Played around with the fuse layout, it's tighter than i'd like, and i'm waiting on a another midi fuse box so i can look at prewiring

Ordered in a speed governor for the fans, heat will be an issue with the inverter, i'll drill the holes for the 12 volt cooling fans tomorrow as well as install the shadow lines

Once i've got the fuse box layout 100% i'll find some nylon vents and install those to draw air from under the RIB and to the rear of the cupboard.

 

[Bryn23]

Was hoping to start the water tank today, but i had to fit the base and shaw lines and scribe the base in the van, due to a slight hump were the factory floor joins.

Bolted it down though the tie down mounts, just need to get some longer 6mm bolts to tie into the wall rivnuts.

The Bullfinch Water inlet arrived today, so i'll drill out the holes for the Inlet and also the Bullfinch shower point tomorrow in the rear of the tank cabinet

I also grabbed two Maglev 80mm fans for the rear of the inverter and also two 35mm Maglev fans on the way home for drawing the heat out behind the fridge.

They only put out between 27-29 dB at full speed, so with the Speed governor i should be able to make it that i can't hear them at all.

 

[Bryn23]

So much for getting the tanks started today, but i did get the 12 volt cooling fans mounted and the Bullfinch Water inlet and Shower hose inlet installed

Started on fitting the 230 volt circuit panels for the RCD for mains and another RCD for for the Inverter, spent the morning trying to find a sparky willing to inspect the cabling and chasing before he does the final connect (only registered sparkys can sign off a 230 volt install here in Aus)

Anyhow, the fans draw a fair bit of air, which is promising and i'm happy with the Bullfinch gear, it took a while to find something half decent and matching.

 

[Deaky]

Some superb quality workmanship there @Bryn23 Awesome

 

[Neilson]

Good work @Bryn23 can I ask. I'm fitting the same shower point. Are you connecting both the hot and cold connections?

 

[Bryn23]

Good work @Bryn23 can I ask. I'm fitting the same shower point. Are you connecting both the hot and cold connections?

Thanks for the kind words

Yes, ill be running both hot and cold to the outlet as I've got a small hotter unit,

but you should be able to use a John Guest end plug in the hot water inlet with a locking ring if you don't want to.

Or you could just use a JG divider and plug cold into both

 

[Bryn23]

Well, who would attempt to make there own plastic tank, what a bloody pain!!!

Tried some test plastic welds, ok penetration, not 100% happy with it, but it'll do as while i can weld mild steel, plastic is a whole new ball game.

I designed the tank so that i could double weld it, so i could make up for crap welding.



Set it up and clamped it, so i could square it up (didn't take a pic of it clamped)



But this material moves a heap when welding.... i really struggled to keep it square

So i'm not sure how this will work out, i won't really know until i finish of the other side tomorrow.

I ordered in a low pressure gauge, once its welded up and i put the bungs in, i'll make up a pressure test unit and test it for 24 hours at 2.5 psi to see if it leaks or blows up.

 

[Oldrat]

You don’t do things by halves do you Bryn

That’s an awesome set up you have there

I can’t see how you access the elctical gizmos once finished ? Does the top just pop off?

As for making your own plastic tank, hats off to you fella. Hope that stuff isn’t too rigid and has some flex in it

Might fibre glass have been easier (Edit - that would have smelt and tasted foul)

Keep up the good work Bryn

 

[Bryn23]

Cheers Oldrat,

The top wardrobe cabinet will have a routered out floor with removable panels, so i can access the fuses and remove the charger or inverter if need be.

The 8mm HDPE, does have a fair bit of flex in it, so thats a positive.

 

[Bryn23]

I've sold my 280 ah AGM batteries that i brought for the build, it was too tight under the RIB for the 2 x 140 ah with the hot water unit i brought after the batteries.

It just wasn't going to fit the way i wanted.

So i've got a 240 ah 12 volt Lithium battery being shipped to me, so that'll give me 192 usable ah over the 140 ah from the AGM, also a 49 Kg weight reduction.

I also finally ordered the Webasto Airstop 2000 Diesel heater with Digital gauge, so ill see that next week as well.

I got a few hours in this morning to do a bit more plastic welding.

 

[Bryn23]

I can see why a tank company quoted me $1600 to build a HDPE tank to match my template.

Spend most of the day working on the tank, Made and installed a baffle for the internal, it'll give the tank more strength and reduce surging while underway.

I'll hopefully finish it off tomorrow, it just needs the breather and inlet plug welded into the top, and then i can weld the top plate in.

Ill cut the inspection port and tank sender hole in after i pressure test it.

 

[Bryn23]

Bungs and Tank is fully welded, now i just have to fix three leaks

I was hoping i'll get it perfect on the first go

So ill grind out the affected welds and redo them tomorrow, i just need the gauge to arrive so i can pressure test it.

This thing is solid and not as light as i'd like, i'll have to measure the capacity after i've fixed the leaks

 

[Bryn23]

Well, i've been unable to stop the three leaks, I've spent the last 2 days trying to sort it.

Doesn't seem to matter what i do, i can't get a strong bond in those three corners.

At a lost to what im going to do next.

Although, i did take it around to a stainless steel manufacturer this afternoon for a quote made in stainless, its a bloody good looking template

Im not sure i trust this tank not to split when offroad

 

[Oldrat]

That’s a real bummer Bryn, especially after the amount of work you’ve put in, but it may be a blessing in disguise.???

Blown/ moulded plastic tanks are one thing but as you say this idea is not inspiring confidence.

Would you consider an aluminium construction??

 

[Bryn23]

Yeah Oldrat it's a little annoying after the amount of time i've spent on it.

But then i've never welded plastic before, so it was a little unknown if it would work or not.

Blown/ moulded tanks, you can normally trust 99% of the time, but i think i might of been a little optimistic with this tank.

The pressure from 85-ish litres would be quite a bit, and i haven't even got around to pressure testing it yet.

As for Aluminium, i find it taints the water, well with my taste buds anyway and the pricing should be about the same, as both SS 1.6mm 304 and ally would have to be TIG welded and the sheet prices are very similar

I'm tempted to try lining the tank with a food grade sealer for the pin holes, sikaflex the outside joints with 252 then pressure test it as one final try

 

[Bryn23]

Well i got a quote for a new tank in SS, at $1850 i don't think so, so i've got some Selleys Aqua expoy and some Sika 291 to try.

So in the mean time, i've cut out the 230 volt inlet and installed it with sikaflex 291.



I also cut out the power point rear protective housings and sikaflexed those to the wall, Ill take the panel off and ill start running wire and conduit tomorrow to the power point housings

And this showed up after lunch

 

[Pauly]

Ooooh I have battery envy !!

 

[andys]

That is one futhermucker of a battery How much did that set you back @Bryn23 ?