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Well the exterier access doors arrived.... I really hate cutting into a nice unmarked caravan ...



I just tried to trace around the hatch (there was no cuttout template included). I've owned this nibbler for probably 20years. And never really used it. There is always a cutting tool easier or better to use. It is made for the job of cutting cladding (using a modern cordless drill). You just drill a small hole and start cutting. Here is a hint. Have a look inside the caravan and see if there is a join in the plywood on the wall. If there is, rather than cutting through a spindly little upright in the frame.... You will be cutting through 3 uprights, joined together (4 times the thickness of wood) by hand. They do this so there isn't any movement between the sheets I'm guessing.



While I had a big ugly hole hacked in the side of the caravan ... I thought I better see about adding that split system. I wanted to put it in the storage area under the bed. But the more I looked into this, the less I liked it. So finally decided I'd need to wall mount it. Which has complexities. I'm going to have to figure out a way of hiding the refrigerant lines, wiring and drain. I think I'll make a small "box" to surround the hoses with using the ply cuttout of the wall for the access hatches (so it matches hopefully). And doesn't look shithouse. We'll see I guess. This has involved me putting 4 visible screwholes into the wall of the caravan. If the A/C is ever removed you could plug them with plastic capped screws that match the caravan.




The hard bit is getting the exact positioning right. there is many holes in the mounting bracket to get the height right, but the whole mount will need to be moved to move it sideways.



This is the ONLY spot the head unit can fit without being in the arc of the bed folding up/down.



I've decided this is the best place for the outside unit. I've chopped off the gas bottle and mounted it to a new length of RHS across the drawbar. The condenser unit fits really nicely there. I just need to lift it back off and paint the new frame up before finishing the plumbing and wiring condenser end.

seeya,
Shane L.

well i bravely hacked holes into the caravan with a stanley knife.  



I traced around the existing frame with the knife so I didn't need to frame it.




under the bed had chipboard re-enforcing, so I had to use the jigsaw ... So I'll need to put a couple of uprights in the opening to make sure it's strong enough (i'm sure it'll be fine, but why not be careful).



The panels just look roughly hacked out bits of ply ............  because they are!






I found this timber at bunnings.... as you can see it's already rebated at the back.  It's about $9.00 for 3meters.  Typical bunnings nuts.  You'll need 10 lengths on the shelf to find one even remotely straight.  IT's also all crappy 10cm lengths glued together to form a long length.  It should look ok though.



My brother saw what I was trying to do, and told me I need to make a 90 degree angle to sit the edge bits in to assemble.  He also lent me his nice slide saw and staple gun.



I just used his stapler to throw some staples through the thickest part after gluing it with wood glue.  However I found the tension of the staples pulled the joints apart slightly.



So I weighted it down and gave it overnight to dry.



I stained them with some stain i had floating around...  'cos they were looking very grubby very quickly.



Then I glued the panels in ... and weighted htem so they'd stay clamped overnight.

 Yes ...  This is what I am in the process of trying to do.  Fit a big internal door in teh "bed cupboard".  Inside the door I'm going to mount the split system evap unit.  The idea is it'll blow out of the storage box, and the big door will guide the air down the lenght of the 'van if left open at an angle.  This will save me running piping up the wall of the caravan (which was problematic to do, as if the evap unit was mounted on the front wall of the caravan .... it would end up in the arc the bed swings through as it lowers...  So you make the bed unusable).

The outside doors were remarkably cheap given they come with locks.  I'm just hoping they don't look out of place in the old 'van.

seeya,
Shane L.

Oh, this should give a better idea of how the bed works



So to access the "big box" under the head of the bed, you need to fold the bend down, remove the mattress and lift the base out.

If I fit an external door we will have direct access to this storage area. Same deal with the rear bunk. The other bunk unit I'll fit an internal door too. I'll post some piccies of the internal access doors I've made when I get a chance. The problem is to use the internal access doors you need to crawl around on your knees.... I'm hoping hte kids dont' break them! As there at "kids swinging/leaning on them" height.

seeya,
Shane L.

I bought a couple of these for the door side of the caravan. One for the big box under our bed, and the other for the bunk. I hope there not too ugly or I'll need to get some paint mixed up and paint them a matching colour!

www.ebay.com.au/itm/251607061896?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


seeya,
Shane L.

I've bought one of those bunnings fixed speed split systems. I'll probably install it sometime over the next week. So I'll let you know how it works. I'm just going to move the gas bottle onto a new crossmember that carries the condenser unit and bottle. I do have a lot more space to work with though.  It comes with everything for the installation except the copper (which I have some of in the shed).  Wiring and condesate drains are there.  Last time I installed a split system I had to source my own drains and wiring.

I'm not a fan of rooftop A/C's.... I don't like the idea of all that weight swinging around up so high. They also seem to be noisy and not very effective.

seeya,
Shane L.

YOu would need to look at the current draw of the fridge your interested in.....

I tried a cheap'ish portable air conditioner in the little Chesney caravan we used to have.  I'd call it a water genrator.  It generated lots of water and made absolutely no difference to the inside temperature of the caravan.  It would blow a small amount of cold air from the front vent .... and generate 10 times more heat from the unit and exhaust pipe than it would cold air from the front vent.

Hopeless and noisy in everyway.  The quality models may be effective, but somehow I doubt it.

My experience is the portables aren't worth a pinch of nuts  A quality fan would be better and move far more air ... and be quieter

seeya,
shane L.

That is spectacular ... I can see it from home. The network at work hides your pictures! It sure looks nice and level .... and well setup. I wouldn't have expected any issue with that Lets face it, were not towing at any high speeds with old cars!

As an extra "safety" thing, you can't beat electric breaks too. If you fit electric brakes you can apply just the caravan brakes from the car.... So if she starts getting out of shape, you floor the towcar and apply the caravan brakes ..... pulling it instantly straight (especially so if your towing with a front wheel drive).

seeya
Shane L.

These caravans made in the 1980's ... are stapled together plywood crap .............  That somehow amazingly has lasted if it doesn't get physically damaged or wet (they all leaked).  You wouldn't be able to remove the ply as you'd break it around all the staples.  If (bloody big "if") you can cut a clean hole into the plywood with a jigsaw, I'm sure it could be framed, and your "cutout" section used in the door so it matches    .... maybe  I'm not very good at this sort of stuff!

I've just been searching the bunnings website for something like skirting boards with a recessed back edge.  The idea being you make a "frame" then staple the removed section into the middle of it from behind.  

You see you would need to recess your cuttout piece of ply to the back (no the front like the existing doors) as it is highly likely the "edge" will be rough, ugly, splintered and nowhere near pretty enough to have visible.

By the way, has anyone tried that cheap $400 bunnings split system... I probably should throw one of them into the 'van while I'm at it.

seeya,
Shane L.

I'm still trying to sort out an easy way to do it in my head .... That's not expensive!



I'm thinking 2 doors down the long couch. None in the front couch (I could keep the annex and all it's bits 'n' pieces in here). I'm starting to think and outside access door for the big cupboards that is the foldout bed. You see that will allow me to slide the annex poles down the length of the front couch.



We need possibly one big access door ( or 2 small ) for each bunk.

seeya,
Shane L.