Last summer we were visited by Sophie Mckeand, an award winning Welsh poet, and former Young People’s Laureate Wales. Sophie and her partner - Andy Garside a graphic designer also from Wales - were about to embark on the adventure of a life time and needed our help!

They had decided they wanted to break free from the rat race and embrace a slower more minimalist way of living, firstly by getting rid of all of their unnecessary possessions then moving out of their 3 bed house and opting instead for life on the road and becoming full time van-lifers.

A fridge is likely to be the largest consumer in a typical van set up as they need to be on to keep your foods (and beer!) cool. We recommended they spend a bit more & go for a A+ energy rated compressor  fridge as this would save them money in the long run by running more efficiently, saving the batteries from becoming too deeply discharged.. Also, a compressor fridge will run on average 12 out of 24 hours. A canny trick to reduce energy consumption further is to keep a 2ltr bottle of water (or similar) in the fridge to use as a cool mass a bit like an ice pack. You can then turn the fridge off when you go to bed and turn it back on when you get up and the sun is out (hopefully). I do this when camping and it works. Another bonus, if you are a light sleeper....you won't be woken by the noise of the compressor starting up.

While we are on the subject of refrigeration, I have been doing some tests recently using a 12VDC load sensing inverter and a 230VAC powered 70ltr fridge to see how the power consumption compares with a 12VDC fridge of a similar capacity. I found there was very little difference in consumption based on my measurements and the manufactures stated consumption figures of the 12 volt model. Worth considering as a decent 12 VDC compressor fridge will set you back £400-600, whereas a 230VAC fridge/inverter set up will cost around £200.

We suggested a system comprising of 2 x 180W Yingli  Solar panels, a Victron MPPT charge controller connected to  2 x Rolls Solar AGM, 12V batteries supplying a Victron Phoenix 800VA, 12V inverter and a 12V fused distribution panel, we also fitted a split charge relay which enables the alternator to charge the batteries while the engine is running. As Sophie & Andy are planning on staying on campsites as & when they need to we added a Victron battery charger to the system as a means of mains charging.

All of the electrical items were wired through a RCD protected AC and DC fused distribution boards & the system is set so that the batteries charge while the vehicle is running. As a back-up for when conditions are bad & if staying put for a few days at a time where mains power is available, we also installed a mains hook up, this is connected to a Victron Blue Power 12/30-VBPC 12V battery charger and also supplies two radial AC circuits for direct mains power.

Sophie and Andy have been on the road for over 6 months now and are loving their new minimalist lifestyle, already travelling to Portugal, Ireland and all over the UK.

You can follow Sophie and Andy’s journey on Instagram - TheAbsurdTravels

or check out Sophie’s blog at - OUTSIDER

and follow Andy Garside on Instagram – @andyrgarside

IMPORTANT INFO! - A Note On Earthing And Bonding.

Earthing! A van sits on four rubber tyres! That's not the point!

As a final word if you are reading this with a DIY van conversion in mind I strongly advise you to seek a professional electrician to check over your wiring especially if you are installing a mains hook up or inverter.

Understanding earthing and bonding and how the correct installation of both operate your protective devises under fault conditions is vital as you can get electrocuted if installed incorrectly!