Tips please for our van(design stage)

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Tips please for our van(design stage)

happy travellers · Newbie

We have ordered a Lotus Freelander and will be signing off on design/content next week. Our first van! Does anyone have any tips on things to be included? We are having a small fan installed in bed area and have increased size of windows etc. Anything you wished you had included in your van?

Cupie · Guru

Welcome to the site ...

Had a quick look at the Lotus site & the 21'6" Freelander model.

Looks extremely good.

Not sure how much you can change .. But SWMBO would like a washing machine .. looks like there is enough room in the ensuite for one.

Consider installing solar power system. At least have it prewired for solar & make sure that the wiring is of an adequate size/capacity.

All lights should be 12v LEDs.

Have a 12v outlet near the TV. I would expect that a van of this quality would have a good quality antenna system

If you think that you may free camp, consider a grey water system.

Make sure that your radio has a auto scan/tune function & adequate speakers.

I would like an outdoor BBQ gas bayonet connection plus an external table with a TV connection facility.

Consider if you want annex walls and/or light weight screens.

Make sure that any 240 to 12 v power system is installed where any cooling fans will not create a noise inside the van.

I like to have lots of hanging fixings for towels, dressing gowns/ PJs, clothes and the like. Similar shelves & things in the shower are handy.

Not sure if this is what you are after & expect that much of it would be standard on this quality of van (I might have found out if I looked in the specs part of the site).

Happy caravanning

mongrel · Guru

Welcome to the forum [happy travellers].I can't help you myself unfortunatelyb\ but as Gerty says there will be a whole lot of people who will give you sound advice..Alan

GaryKelly · Guru

Welcome and congratulations, happy travellers. Like you, I have an inbuilt fan in the sleeping area (a little swing-out job with 3 small fans). There's also a retractable clothes line that stretches the length of the interior for drying small things on wet days. But even when your van is complete and delivered, you'll still think of things to include. It remains a work in progress... with no shortage of ideas here on the forum.

neilnruth · Guru

Welcome from us too happy travellers. We hope you enjoy this forum and can find ideas that help. We've never had a big new van so probably can't help with ideas.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome from me too happy travellers, enjoy here and out in the playground.

gooba53 · Guru

Lotus are beautiful vans, congratulations. can't be much that hasn't been thought of there! We are having our first caravan built at the moment, not a Lotus though . Dont know if Lotus already have it but we have got instant hot water. That seems like a good addition? Have fun, it's exciting seeing all the stages.

landy · Guru

We wish we had more 12 volt outlets fitted . We are trying to do it now but it is verry hard to run the wires on a finished van.

Landy

barrie · Guru

A diesel heater for the cold nites

justcruisin01 · Guru

Due to the fact that we did not have a hot water system I fitted an instant gas system'-works like a treat with no waitingAlternativelyy there are diesel heaters that also do your hot water as well.A Light in the boot area is a good move

JC.

villatranquilla · Guru

an exterior light on the rear and off side as well as a light in the boot

Baz421 · Guru

Welcome here's my 2 cents worth.

We fitted and wired inverters in the boot,, 200w and 1000w. Use the 200w almost daily when free camping but only use the 1000w infrequently. On/off switches are wired next bed so when ready to sleep or 1st thing in the morning no need to get out of bed to turn off /on.

200w inverter runs TV/ and or satellite/set top box and laptop. Also runs fans (decent size 240v ones that have low current draw). Others will say buy 12v fans but they are expensive compared to 240v.

We have 4X120W solar panels that can deliver 30A to 4X100ah batteries. Have used this for 5 years and only had to replace one battery so far (touch wood).

Fridge is 12v, 100% of the time and works well.

We had washing machine taken out as we bush camp often - they use too much water and wash too little IMHO, and what power do you use to run it????Genny.

Cupie has good ideas as posted previously, especially LCD's throughout and prewire panels and satellite leads if required.

Good luck.