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🚐 Everything You Need For A DIY Campervan Conversion
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We've been van lifers since 2017 when we converted a small Mazda van into a home on wheels to travel around Australia in. Now we're converting a VW Crafter van to do the same around Europe!
In this section you'll find everything you need to convert your van into your dream campervan.
We have included some affiliate links in these lists. This means we'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here.
In this section you'll find everything you need to convert your van into your dream campervan.
We have included some affiliate links in these lists. This means we'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here.
Sections
5
❄️ Insulation
⚡ Electrics
💦 Plumbing
🛠️ Tools
🚐 Our Van Conversion
❄️ Insulation
Phase 1 for us was insulating the van. We want it to be able to keep us cool in the summer, but warm in the winter AND to keep Lilly comfortable year round. Here's what we used.
This list includes some affiliate links. For more information, visit our T+Cs page
We used closed foam insulation to sound deaden the van floor, walls and ceiling. This product is very lightweight and very effective.
Sound Deadener Mat Noise & Heat Insulation
An important part of your insulation is to cover the seems of whatever material you have used. We use this aluminium foil tape to keep our insulation gap free and as effective as possible.
Aliminium foil tape
DodoMat are the best company when it comes to insulation such as this product which is the recycled plastic bottle ‘fleece’ that we have used in abundance in our van!
Dodo Mat Van Fleece Insulation 10m x 370mm
This product is perfect for the van floor insulation. Its a great product from DodoMat and we are super happy with it! You certainly notice a difference once installed.
Dodo Mat DEADN Duo Pro 2in1 Vehicle Underlay
⚡ Electrics
The fun part of building the van is planning and kitting out the electrics. Working online means we need this van to be completely off grid capable and give us the ability to plug in and work from anywhere.
This list contains some affiliate links. That means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here.
This is the best MPPT charge controller you can get in our opinion. It's super efficient and reliable but simple to operate!
Victron SmartSolar MPPT 12/24V Charge Controller
We have installed this smart shunt in our van build electrical system. It's an all-in-one smart battery monitor that provides detailed battery information on your phone. It enables smart features and optimized charging by wirelessly sharing real-time...
Victron Energy SmartShunt 1000A Monitor
The Lynx Distributer is basically a positive and negative bus bars all enclosed in a compact and safe container. This makes your electrical system much safer and less messy with wiring. Highly recommend.
Victron Energy Lynx Power In Conector de Batería
The perfect DC-DC battery charger for your van's electrical system. This newer model is more energy efficient, staying cooler but provides 50 amps rather than the 30 amps of charger the previous model provided.
Victron Energy Orion XS 12V 50A Cargador
These are the solar panels we went with on our vw crafter camper van build. They are perfect spec to install x3 on the roof of our long wheelbase van, giving us a total of 525W of solar power!
Renogy 175w solar panels
Hands down the best brand of inverter on the market in our opinion. A sizeable investment but with 2000w you can power almost anything!
Victron Energy MultiPlus 2000VA 12V 230V Inverter
We went with 2 maxx air fans for our build. These are recommended by everyone in the van life community! and they're great.
MAXXAIR Maxxfan Deluxe vent
💦 Plumbing
Our campervan won't have a full shower room or toilet, but we will have a fully working kitchen with a sink and running water. This is everything we've used for this part of the van build
This list includes some affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here.
These quick fit plumbing parts are some much easier to work with if you aren't an experienced plumber! Make sure you get the correct fittings for the job to avoid leaks but if you connect these pipes and fittings correctly you can't really go wrong.
John Guest Speedfit water pipes
No tools required: Push-to-connect fittings provide a simple, fast, reliable, leak-free connection without the need for tools. \Drinking water safe!
John Guest shut off valve
🛠️ Tools
A van build wouldn't be possible without some trusted tools! Here's absolutely everything we have used during this VW Campervan conversion.
We have included some affiliate links in this list. This means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about that here.
I trust the brand DeWalt and all my cordless tools such as this drill and driver have never let me down in the years I have owned them! Highly recommend this brand for tools.
DEWALT 20V MAX Drill & Impact Driver Kit
Do yourself a huge favour and invest in a good set of drill bits and driver fixings if you are building your own camper van! This purchase was probably the best decision I have made in the early stages of the build and not a single one has broken on ...
BOSCH MS4091 91-Piece Drilling & Driving Set
A powerful jigsaw is a must have tool for any van build. This one is the best on the market in my opinion.
Bosch Professional Jigsaw
A brilliant bit of kit for the workshop! This is a big investment for some people however it will save you hours and hours of time and make completing your camper van conversion super easy.
Bosch Professional Mitre Saw
🚐 Our Van Conversion
Our van conversion diaries from start to finish
The very first introduction to our campervan!
Our Crafter Camper Conversion : How It Started
step 1 - installing windows! This was a scary experience. Nobody wants to be cutting holes in the side of their van
Installing Windows In A Campervan (2019 VW Crafter)
Time to get dirty - here's how we cleaned and treated the inside for rust!
The BEST Campervan Rust Treatment & Step By Step Process
The next step was to install main electrics so we'll be able to plug in and recharge on the days where sola won't cut it
Installing Electrics In Our VW Camper
This is an important step for keeping the van warm in winter, and cool in summer
Installing Campervan Insulation