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Anybody on DC own an RV/Campervan, or completed a conversion?

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IainB:
@Stephen66515: Since you seem to be at the construction planning stage, I thought you might be able to crib some ideas from ATLAS portable homes - see my notes (below) on same:
The notes are from when I recently happened to be reading up on the thermal insulation standards met by conventional domestic homes versus "portable" homes (i.e., homes on a wheeled trailer) in Europe. I came across what seem to be some very well-designed portable units by a company called ATLAS, based in Hull (UK). Their portable homes seem to be essentially a collection of different-sized trailer-vans fitted out with all mod-cons to accommodate 2 or 4 or 6 or 8 berths (usually with + 1 more possible on a common-use couch). Their homes are apparently regularly exported to Europe and New Zealand, and a review of sales of used vans (e.g., see various internet sites and YouTube videos) seems to indicate that they enjoy a decent residual market value in the UK and Europe, when it comes times to sell them. This is usually a good measure of the market's view of the quality and design of the thing being sold.

You drive the van to where you want it situated, then jack it up onto piles at all 4 corners so that the wheels are just off the ground (i.e., not carrying any load). You then connect it up to electric power, water and sewage utilities and you're ready to go. They also may use LPG, where you'd need to have two large LPG cylinders stuck outside, with auto switchover on empty.

Heating/Insulation:

* The vans have options for heating - either electric or non-parasitic balanced flu gas-fired (LPG) systems, and there is full insulation underfloor, in ceilings and in walls. All external pipes are fully lagged. The wall panels are apparently made of a prefab sandwich panel including the insulation as a filling, giving the walls an inherently high thermal insulation value and high torsional rigidity and strength, enabling the vans to be transported without risk of disturbing the components of the assembled unit. (Also preserves weather-tightness.)
* They (I think it's all vans) are fitted with full double-glazing with PVC window and door joinery, with embedded mechanical deadlocks in the door - all standard stuff nowadays.
* There are options in construction where the buyer can request even higher spec insulation ("UltraWarm") in the construction process for vans to be located in normally much colder environments.
* Hot water is via either electric or LPG-fired on-demand/instant HW boiler - i.e., not employing stored HW tanks.
___________________________________________

One of their models - the 1080-3CL (3-bedrooms) seems to be aimed at the "Export only" market and is designed to meet higher spec EU and other international standards for construction, safety and habitability.

The floor-plans for the ATLAS 2016 Prima-5 range are at http://www.atlasleisurehomes.co.uk/models/prima/#section/floorplans  - the 1080-3CL floorplan is the last one on that page.
You can view all the specs for the entire ATLAS 2016 Collection: http://www.atlasleisurehomes.co.uk/ranges/2016-collection/

Ath:
Hmm, looking at those images, I wonder where you have planned your sleeping area? Sleeping in an outside tent isn't a feasible option for 12 months, I presume.

KynloStephen66515:
You drive the van to where you want it situated, then jack it up onto piles at all 4 corners so that the wheels are just off the ground (i.e., not carrying any load). You then connect it up to electric power, water and sewage utilities and you're ready to go. They also may use LPG, where you'd need to have two large LPG cylinders stuck outside, with auto switchover on empty.
-IainB (August 22, 2016, 12:49 AM)
--- End quote ---

This would contradict the entire project as we want the home to be 100% mobile, and off-grid - If I wanted to be hooked up to mains systems, then we would just move into a house  ;D

However, when it comes to taking ideas from there, I will certainly take a look.  In terms of the LPG tank, it would also be externally situated on the van I am building...well...kind of...it's in a separate section which will be located at the rear of the van (a metal locker which will be welded to the frame - Not shown in the current 3D mockup)

Hmm, looking at those images, I wonder where you have planned your sleeping area? Sleeping in an outside tent isn't a feasible option for 12 months, I presume.
-Ath (August 22, 2016, 01:36 AM)
--- End quote ---

Ah yes, sorry, I should have specified that the bed is a pullout from the settee (with the bed mechanism folded and contained within the settee) - We have a memory foam mattress topper which will make the thin mattress we will inevitably have to use for that, way more comfortable. - The bed itself will be a double, so there is plenty of space to sleep.

Anybody on DC own an RV/Campervan, or completed a conversion?

KynloStephen66515:
I also had a second option to a typical folded pullout bed - which will be telescopic stands which pull out from the arms of the settee, and a base unit which will also pull out.  The missing cushioning from the bed will be stored underneath the settee also, and places on top when we go to sleep - the mattress topper will then go over both to give additional comfort.  This feels like a more irritating way of sorting out the bed at night, but far easier to repair if it breaks.

A very quick and dirty sketch done in MSPaint is below:

Target:
stephen, do a google on 'tiny houses'. 

There's quite a movement on building a lot into a small space these days so you might find some good tips/ideas there.

FWIW a lot of them are 'mobile', though whether that's a practical application or a means of getting around local bylaws is open to interpretation

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