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Shane Patmore

How to Find Free Campsites and More In Australia – A Guide to Wikicamps

August 1, 2022 by Shane Patmore 3 Comments

Finding free camps and more in Australia, a guide to Wikicamps - Roaming on Rubber

If you are travelling around Australia in a caravan, RV, or just on a road trip you will no doubt find yourself looking for free campsites, water points, dump points, and even toilets. These facilities are essential when on the road, and if you don’t know where to look it can seem like a daunting task.

Luckily, there is an app called WikiCamps that takes the guesswork out of it and provides the most comprehensive database available in Australia. We consider WikiCamps a must have application, and so do many others as it is the most popular camping app in Australia.

WikiCamps is a map of all the things you could need while driving around Australia; campgrounds, caravan parks, points of interest, information centers, water points (including taps, showers and toilets) as well as dump points. Not only does it provide you with the address for these locations but the comments and reviews by other users allows you to ensure that it will meet your needs when you get there.

The app offers a 14-day free trial followed by a one-time cost of $7.99 (AUD). This is absolutely worth it and is the best 8 dollars we have spent for our trips.

You can download WikiCamps from the following links:

Google Play

Apple Store

Continue reading below as we take you through everything you need to know on how to find free campsites and more with WikiCamps.

Using WikiCamps to find free campsites and more in Australia

Understanding the main screen

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

The main screen of WikiCamps shows you a map of the area which you can zoom in and out of, along with all the sites available in the area. These sites are identified by a symbol showing what type they are. The site types that can be found on the map are:

Tip: When scrolling around the map you can tap this button  to go back to your location

Each site type then offers site features to give you more information about what is available at each site. There is way too many for us to show them all, but you will get used to which symbols are important to you as you use the app. These generally give you an idea of cost, what amenities are available (Showers, Toilets, Drinking Water, Dump Point) if pets are allowed, what activities are available and what size/type of vehicle the site is suitable for.

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

Typically, the main things we look for here is free or donation, as we usually want to free camp. As well as phone service. As we work from the road being able to check a site for phone service a head of time is extremely helpful. There have only been a few times that we have arrived to a site that has claimed service but it hasn’t met our needs. If you want to know more about how to have better access to WiFi on the road check out our post here.

Site Information

To see if a site you are interested in is suitable and access all the information available, all you have to do is tap on the icon on the map.

This brings up a summary of information with a cover photo, name of the site, rating, distance, and a glimpse at some of the features.

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

You can then tap on that summary to take you into the main page of information for the site. This is where you will find a description, all the features as well as the address. This is how you will determine if a site looks right for you. Using the description and list of features to get an idea of its suitability.

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post
roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

User Reviews

One of the best features of WikiCamps is its approach to user feedback. Each site allows users to post a review and verify costs that you can get feedback from real people about the condition and quality of a site.

We always check the reviews and verify the costs of a site before going to get an idea of the site.

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post
roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

Using Filters

Another key feature of using WikiCamps and finding what you want is using the Filters option. This allows you to remove sites you don’t want to see from the map and focus on the ones you do.

Most of the time we will use this to find free campsites, so we will set the filter to ‘Free’. We also use it to narrow down on water fill points or dump points when searching for these.

To use filters first press the filter button

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

Then tap the radio button next to sites you don’t want or site features you are looking for:

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post
roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

You can show sites ‘with’ a particular feature or ‘hide’ sites that have that feature.

If you are looking for a particular site, you can also tap on the search button to type in a query to find what you are looking for. You can also search a list of sites by pressing on the ‘search-list’ button. This will allow you to see a full list of sites nearby.

roaming on rubber - free campsites australia; a guide to wikicamps post

Downloading the maps offline

WikiCamps also allows you to download the maps to your phone so that you can still access the information even when you do not have an internet connection.

To download maps:

First press on the maps layer icon

Then tap the ‘offline’ maps view

You will then be taken to a screen where you can download the world map (must be downloaded) then you can select ‘Australia (West)’ or ‘Australia (East)’

Alternatives

There are a few alternatives to WikiCamps that do a similar job but are note as comprehensive.

Two apps that are very similar are ‘CamperMate’ and ‘Camps Australia Wide’. They are available for Android and Apple and have a very similar interface, feature set and have the benefit of being free.

The general response is that they don’t include as many sites as WikiCamps does. However, if you would prefer a free option, they are still suitable.

Another option for those that prefer an old school method is the Camps Australia Wide books. Camps Australia Wide has been producing books for over 20 years to provide travelers with information on camping destinations across Australia. We have carried one of these books on our travels as a backup to WikiCamps, but found we never needed it.

For more tips when free camping read our post on Tips for Free Camping in Australia

Filed Under: Travel Tips Tagged With: free camping australia, free campsites, free campsites australia, tips for free camping australia, wikicamps, wikicamps free campsites, wikicamps guide

Guide to Caravan and RV WiFi in Australia

July 27, 2022 by Shane Patmore Leave a Comment

Whether you’re working from your caravan or rv, want to watch Netflix or just want to be able to check social media, having access to wifi while on the road is becoming increasingly important.

Some people make do just using their phone and its internet connection. But, what if you want to use a laptop when a phone screen just won’t cut it; or need better signal when exploring the more remote parts of Australia?

Well that’s were this helpful caravan and rv wifi guide comes in, and we will take you through the best ways to get online!

The option you decide on is mostly going to come down to your budget and how reliable you need the internet to be. The more expensive the service gets, the better signal and faster your internet will be. This is going to be important if you work remotely and need reliable internet, but if it is just a comfort, you will be able to get away with the cheaper and easier options.

This is the case with carriers in Australia also. Telstra has the best coverage and are who we recommend, however they are priced accordingly. If you don’t need the best, Optus is the next best and has better pricing. This isn’t the case everywhere as sometimes we had Optus signal and not Telstra but in general Telstra covers more of Australia.

Mobile phone hotspot

The easiest and cheapest option is likely going to be using your current smartphone to supply internet to the rest of your van. All modern smartphones have the ability to hotspot, and it is easy to turn it on and get connected.

Don’t stress, we will show you how to turn it on in just a bit!

You will need to make sure you have a data plan has enough data for how much you are going to use your phones internet. If you don’t know, make sure you check beforehand before you get hit with a nasty bill. In general Netflix and YouTube will use 500MB – 1GB of data per hour.

It also heavily drains your phones battery so keep that in mind. This option does nothing to boost your signal so it will only be reliable in towns, or places with good service. We have relied on our phones hotspot before and Australia has better coverage then you might expect, but there was more then one occasion a phone ended up on the roof in an attempt to get a better connection because we needed internet.

Roaming on Rubber - Guide to caravan and rv wifi

How to turn on your mobile hotspot:

Samsung

  1. Go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > Mobile Hotspot.
  2. Tap the switch next to Off/On to enable or disable your hotspot.
  3. Take note of the password listed under ‘Password’. This will be what you use to connect your device.

iPhone

  1. Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Mobile Data > Personal Hotspot
  2. Tap the switch next to ‘Allow Others to Join’
  3. Take note of the password listed under ‘Wi-Fi Password’. This will be what you use to connect your device.

Hotspot from Telstra/Optus

Telstra Prepaid 4GX Wifi Plus

Optus Prepaid WiFi Modem + 15GB Data

This is like your phone in that it is unlikely to boost your signal strength, but it is a cheap option to give you a separate device and separate data plan to access the internet.

You can pick these up from Telstra or Optus for as little as $50, with more expensive ones allowing for greater maximum speeds. However unless you are spending a lot of time in major cities this will unlikely benefit you.

They are very mobile, smaller than a phone, with a few hours of battery life allowing you to take them with you should you want to take your internet away from your caravan or rv.

Both providers have large data plans available these days (we have 400gb with Telstra) so you should be able to get something suitable to your needs.

Some even come with the ability to add an external antenna to boost your signal, however if this is part of your plan, you might be better off going with one of the next few options for a more robust solution.

The wireless modules inside them aren’t great to so if you have a lot of devices or need to communicate between devices (mostly for working professionals) you will also want to look at one of our next options.

This is primarily what we have used in the past and worked across Australia with just a mobile hotspot. It was tough at times and often we would sometimes have to move around until we found an acceptable connection for work but at the time we were unable to afford something better.

RV WI-FI

RV WiFi

The RV WI-FI is an all in one, set and forget solution to provide your caravan or rv with internet. It comes with a 4G router, 12v power supply, external antenna, and a SIM card to get you up and going straight out of the box.

Because it comes with an external antenna you can expect a better signal then a mobile phone/hotspot. This not only boosts your 4G signal, but also your Wi-Fi allowing access up to 40 metres away, while being able to leave the router inside.

It comes with a pre-paid SIM card to get you up and going. However, a SIM from any carrier will work, so it will likely be a better option for you to get a SIM on a plan from your provider of choice. If you use the internet sporadically, you may be able to get away with pre-paid.

This is the easiest way to get a capable router with an external antenna and our recommended option if you need something more reliable than a hotspot due to its simplicity.

There is also an optional high gain antenna to increase your service even more in low coverage areas.

Teltonika with antenna

Caravan 4G Internet kit

The next step up is very similar to the RV WIFI, however, has a lot more flexibility. Teltonika are a leading creator in 4G routers and well trusted in the industry for making high quality products. This is better for those that like a bit more customization with their router or would like to attach a higher gain antenna. Most kits that bundle a router and antenna will come with a Teltonika RUT360, however for those seeking the best performance they make a range of models, and some (Like the RUTX11) come with dual SIM slots allowing you to have two carriers connected for redundancy.

You can also fit a wide range of antennas for whatever your needs or mounting requirements are. For example, if you want a bulbar mounted antenna, you will be able to get a rugged higher gain antenna then most small ‘puck’ type ones that mount easily to the roof.

Most kits come with the Poynting MIMO-3-12 which is a well regarded antenna and keeps a fairly low profile.

We currently have the Teltonika RUTX11 and are incredibly happy with its performance over our previous hotspot. The piece of mind it offers with failover is great for us since we work on the road and being connected is key.

When selecting your own antenna you need to make sure that it covers the required frequency bands of your carrier and therefore we recommend this route for more experienced buyers or asking a professional from somewhere like RF Shop or Telco Antennas.

Roaming on Rubber guide to caravan and rv wifi

Cel-Fi Go

Cel-fi Go – Telstra Repeater

Cel-fi Go – Optus Repeater

The Cel-Fi Go is different from the rest of the options as all it does is boost your cell signal. This means that it boosts both 4G data and phone call signal. This boosts the signal for any device connecting to 4G (Like your phone), however it doesn’t give you Wi-Fi to connect something like your laptop to.

This means you generally will bundle this with one of the other options giving you the best of both worlds, or just use it to boost your phone signal so you can make calls in lower coverage areas.

When purchasing a Cel-Fi Go, you must purchase the model for the carrier you want to boost the signal for, Telstra, Optus or Vodafone. It will only work with that carrier.

The Cel-Fi Go is one of the more expensive options alone and given you need to combine it with something else the cost goes even greater, but this combination will give you the best coverage when being connected is critical.

Check out some available bundles:

RV WIFI+ and Cel-Fi Go Bundle – Telstra

RV WIFI+ and Cel-Fi Go Bundle – Optus

Caravan 4G Modem and Cel-Fi booster Kit

Our Caravan and RV WiFi Recommendations

For most people you will be fine with using your phone’s hotspot or a cheap hotspot for the carrier you prefer. The best part about this is it is very inexpensive to start with this, and if you find it is not suitable, upgrade later without much investment.

The next step up would be the RV WIFI. This option will provide better signal and coverage for most people outside of professionals working from the road who need the best. Professionals (Or those that just want the best) will be better off with either a Teltonika and higher gain antenna, or a combination with the Cel-Fi Go as the cost is hard to justify otherwise.

Filed Under: Other Helpful Guides, Travel Tips Tagged With: caravan internet, caravan wifi, motorhome internet, motorhome wifi, rv internet, rv wifi, van internet, van wifi

Electrical System Guide For Your Van or Bus Conversion

July 10, 2022 by Shane Patmore Leave a Comment

Table of Contents
 [show]
  • Fundamentals of Electricity
    • Watts
    • Watt Hours and Amp Hours
    • Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC)
      • Direct Current
      • Alternating Current
  • Identifying Battery and Solar Requirements
    • 12V or 24V DC System?
  • Choosing Parts For Your Electrical System
    • Solar Panels
      • Rigid vs Flexible solar panels
      • Fixed vs Portable solar panels
      • Monocrystalline vs Polycrystalline
      • Parallel vs Series
    • Charge Controllers
    • Batteries
      • Flooded/Wet Cell
      • AGM
      • Lithium
    • Battery Charging
    • DC-DC Charger
      • Battery Isolator (VSR) vs DC-DC Charger
    • AC Charger
    • Generator
    • Inverter Charger Combo
    • Accessories
      • Battery Monitors
      • Victron Cerbo GX

Designing your converted bus or van electrical system is perhaps one of the most challenging parts of the ‘design phase’. There is so many components and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. What works for us may be overkill for you. What works for someone else, may not meet your needs.

You also get what you put in. You can build a system for $1500 or $15000, and neither way is right or wrong. It all comes down to what you need and what you can budget for.

Below we have put together a comprehensive guide starting with some of the fundamentals, and going through each component, that aims to help you to build and plan out your own system.

If after reading through you are still unsure or want someone to cast another set of eyes over your design, any auto electrician should be able to help. There are also those that specialise in electrical systems for motorhome conversions such as Langshore Power or Zero Grid Australia.

Fundamentals of Electricity

Watts

A watt (W) is a unit of electrical power. It is the amount of energy an item needs to function and the rate at which energy is consumed. Watts are the main way to identify the power consumption of your devices.

The most important equation to remember when designing your electrical system is:

Watts = Volts x Amps

A common analogy to help with understanding this is to think of electricity running through a wire like water flowing through a pipe.

Voltage (V) = The pressure pushing the water through the pipes

Amps (A) = The width of the pipe or the ‘flow rate’

This would give you the total amount of water passing through (‘Watts’).

For example, a 1000w device connected to a 240V outlet will draw 4.16A. If it was connected to a 12V outlet, it would draw 83.33A.

Watt Hours and Amp Hours

Energy is measured in the amount of power used per hour. This is measured in Watt hours (Wh) or Amp hours (Ah).

A Watt hour is the consumption of watts per hour. Amp hour is the consumption of amps per hour.

Using our 1000w device again, running it for 1 hour will consume 1000Wh. If connected to a 12v battery it will consume 83.33Ah.

Deep Cycle batteries are typically rated in Amp hours. It is easier though to calculate your Watt hours due to device power consumption being given in Watts. Once you have calculated your Watt hours, you can then convert to Amp hours.

Once you know the consumption of Amp hours of your device, you can work out how much it will drain your battery.

Direct Current (DC) and Alternating Current (AC)

Direct Current

Direct Current (DC) is the flow of electricity in one direction. Batteries store power using direct current, which is why it is the main current used in vehicles, including motorhomes and caravans.

This means most appliances designed for caravans and motorhomes will use DC power. This will usually mean wiring direct to the appliance or plugging them into a cigarette lighter or USB.

For caravans and motorhomes this is typically 12V or 24V (more on this below).

Alternating Current

Alternating Current (AC) is a type of electricity that can flow in different directions. This is the power that runs through power lines and to the outlets in your home. The main reason AC became the standard for households was due to being more efficient to travel over greater distances. This means that household appliances are designed to plug into AC outlets. For Australia these outlets are 240V.

Due to batteries using DC power you will need to decide if you want to support 240V appliances or not. The first step would be looking at all the DC powered items available and see if there is anything that you can’t get, but need. These days there is typically a 12V/24V option for most appliances. The DC options are usually more energy efficient, however they are much more expensive.

If you decide that you need AC power in your bus conversion you will need an ‘inverter’. This takes the 12V/24V of your battery and converts it to AC power. An electrician can then run this to AC outlets or direct to the appliance depending on what is required.

In general, using an inverter results in about a 10% efficiency loss which should be taken into account when calculating battery and solar requirements.

Identifying Battery and Solar Requirements

You can use the solar system of your bus conversion to power as little as a 12V cooler and fan, to all the luxuries of home such as a large fridge, laptops, monitor, and a household split system air conditioner like us.

However, the more you want, the more you need to be prepared to spend big on your bus or van electrical system. Compromises need to be made, and if you find your system is larger than you were expecting, try looking for more efficient alternatives, or you might need to cut some unnecessary electronics.

Unfortunately, that air fryer you love so much might not be able to come with you.

Check out what was in our Toyota Coaster here.

12V or 24V DC System?

Most bus or van electrical systems will be 12V DC, although you can go 24V. There are more items available that run off 12V DC, however there are some advantages to going 24V such as, smaller wire required and less voltage drop for a length of wire. This is particularly relevant if you have a large inverter or a large solar array.

A common reason you might choose 24v is if you also want to charge off your starter battery. Battery combiners (more on this below) are 12V to 12V or 24V to 24V and are a cost effective way to charge from your starter battery. You will need to know the voltage of your starter batteries if this is something you want. For a Toyota Coaster, the starter battery is 24V and this is ultimately why we went with a 24V system. You can also save money on things like solar chargers as they do not need to be as powerful.

The good thing is that even if you do go 24V you can still use 12V appliances through a 24V to 12V converter. This can result in around a 20% efficiency loss and should be calculated in when identifying the power usage of your appliances.

Now that you know if you are going 12V or 24V, if you will have 240V AC appliances, and if you need a 12V converter, you can calculate your requirements.

Calculate your total power consumption

Device/ItemWatts Hours Watt Hours*
  x = 
  x = 
  x = 
  x = 
  x = 
  x = 

*Add 10% if running on AC for Inverter inefficiency. Add 20% if running on a DC to DC Converter

Calculate required battery size

Daily Watt Hours  Daily Amp Hours
 /12 (or 24)= 

AGM batteries deteriorate faster if you go below 50% capacity, where Lithium (LifePo4) can realistically drop to 80% or even 100%. Therefore if using AGM your battery capacity will need to be double the amp hours required.

Calculate Solar Panel Requirements

Daily Watt Hours Daily sun hours (4 if unsure) Solar Requirements
 / = 

This would be the minimum recommended solar power based off your power usage. If using a PWM charge controller you may need more due to less efficient charging when compared to a MPPT charge controller (more information on charge controllers below).

While these are good baselines there are many variables to factor that make it almost impossible to create a one size fits all approach. If most of your usage is at night, you will need a larger capacity battery to last until the sun rises again in the morning.

The unpredictability of weather is something that can’t be worked into an equation, so you need to be prepared. If you have large power requirements, you will want to look at alternate charging sources like charging while you’re driving or a mains power inlet.

Use these as a reference and it’s better to over prepare then under in our experience.

Choosing Parts For Your Bus or Van Electrical System

Solar Panels

Solar Panels (also known as ‘PV Panels/Array’) are made up of solar cells. These are made of layers of silicone, typically mounted under tempered glass with a rigid frame.

There is lots of different solar panels on the market, and some are more efficient than others.

There are a few key differences to keep in mind when choosing solar panels:

  • Rigid vs Flexible solar panels
  • Fixed vs Portable solar panels
  • Solar panel cell type: monocrystalline vs polycrystalline
  • Parallel vs Series

Rigid vs Flexible (Thin Film) solar panels

Rigid panels are the typical ones mentioned above, cells covered by tempered glass and mounted to a rigid frame. They are more durable and less expensive per watt.

Flexible solar panels use a much thinner cell allowing them to be flexible and able to bend up to 30 degrees. These have an advantage of being more lightweight and much easier to install. They will conform to the shape of your roof and can be installed just using silicone. They are more susceptible to scratches and other damage due to not having a layer of strong tempered glass.

A rigid panel should be mounted with a gap underneath to allow air to flow under the panel and help dissipate heat, allowing the panel to work at peak efficiency and not overheat. This is not possible on a flexible panel and can cause them to heat up and work less efficiently or even become damaged.

Fixed vs Portable solar panels

Fixed solar panels are permanently mounted to the roof of your vehicle. They are more convenient then portable panels once installed and take up less internal storage. Theft can be a problem for portable panels, especially if left unattended.

The advantage of portable panels are that you are able to position them in the sun. Solar panels do not work well in the shade, so when mounted to the roof you need to decide if you need shade from the heat or power.

Portable panels can get quite large when looking for a panel over 200w.

Often people will mount a few fixed panels to the roof and have the ability to connect an additional portable panel if required.

Monocrystalline vs Polycrystalline

The cells of Monocrystalline panels are made from a single crystal of silicone, which reduces the resistance on the electrons that flow through allowing for increased efficiency. This makes monocrystalline panels the premium option but at an added cost.

Polycrystalline panel cells are made from multiple crystals of silicone, making them less efficient but a cheaper option for the budget conscious.

Parallel vs Series

When installing your panels you will need to decide if you are installing them in parallel or series.

Wiring the panels in series combines the voltage of all panels. This is generally needed when the individual panels are the same voltage as your battery system. If you aren’t getting enough sun to output a high enough voltage your panels may not effectively charge your batteries.

Parallel has advantages in shadier conditions. When a panel in series is partially covered by shade, all panels drop their output to match the lowest. This does not occur in parallel, so if one panel is shaded, all other panels operate at normal capacity.

Parallel wiring requires fusing before the junction in case one shorts. Wiring becomes more complicated as you need thicker wire due to an increase in amps, which you also need to be mindful of the length of wire due to voltage drop.

Voltage can be affected by sun angle, coverage due to shading, as well as temperature, so make sure your voltage is high enough that you will not have issues charging your batteries. The input voltage needs to be approximately 5V higher than your batteries to allow charging.

Note: Anything over 120V will need a licensed electrician to install

We installed the panels on our Toyota Coaster in series as each panel had a similar voltage to our batteries, so we needed the higher voltage to effectively charge them. While the issue with shading is often listed as a major disadvantage to series wiring, we did not find the real world effects to be significant, and if there was serious shading we could just move the bus to fix the issue.

Remember: If the voltage of your panels is lower than the voltage of your batteries they won’t charge.

Recommended Products

Renogy 200w 12v Foldable Solar Panel– Foldable Briefcase design
– Included PWM controller
– Supports Lithium
Check Price | eBay
Korr 200w Solar Blanket– Solar blanket
– Included controller supports lithium
Check Price
Renogy 200w 12v Solar Panel– Good value
– Small size
– Reputable brand
Check Price | eBay
REC Alpha Solar Panel– Large capacity
– Monocrystalline
– Extra frame support bars
– Good value per watt
 REC Alpha Pure
(Purchasable through a solar dealer)

Charge Controllers

A charge controller takes the energy produced by your solar panels and uses it to charge your battery. They come in two types, MPPT (Maximum power point tracking) and PWM (Pulse Width Modulation).

A MPPT charger is nearly a must for a motor home these days. A MPPT charger can be considered a ‘smart charger’ compared to a PWM charger. A PWM charges at a voltage just above the battery voltage, where a MPPT charges at the panels maximum voltage. A MPPT charger can also adjust its voltage based on bulk, absorption and float, whereas a PWM controller must switch on and off to manage the power delivered.

PWM chargers are cheaper if price is absolutely critical, but the above makes a MPPT charger much more efficient and therefore the recommended choice for motor homes, caravans and bus conversions.

Lithium batteries require a special charging profile to get the maximum benefits and protect its lifespan. Ensure the controller you choose is compatible with Lithium (LifePo4) batteries. Most controllers will have selectable charge profiles for your battery chemistry (Gel, AGM or Flooded), but only some will include Lithium.

To properly size your charger, it will have two ratings, a maximum voltage and a maximum charge current (amps):
EG: The Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 Solar Controller can have a maximum input voltage of 100V and maximum charge current of 50amps

Once you know what panels you are getting and how you will be wiring them, you can work out the maximum voltage and charge current of your solar panels, then select an appropriately sized charger.

Recommended Products

Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50– Wide range of models for variety of input voltage and amps
– Lithium profile
– Remote control and monitor via Bluetooth
– Top of the class solar brand
Check Price
Enerdrive DC2DC Battery Charger– DC-DC and MPPT charger in one
– Lithium profile
– Reputable Australian brand
Check Price (12v)
Check Price (24v)

Batteries

Batteries are an essential part of modern-day motorhomes. They allow you to store energy when you aren’t generating any to power devices. This allows you to continue to use your devices when you aren’t driving, aren’t plugged in, or don’t have any sunlight.

When choosing a deep cycle battery (Batteries used in motorhomes) the 3 main choices are:

  • Flooded/Wet Cell
  • AGM
  • Lithium (LifePo4)

Flooded/Wet Cell

Both Flooded/Wet Cell and AGM batteries are Lead Acid batteries. To avoid deteriorating the battery, they should not be regularly discharged/used below 50% of their total capacity. This is known as the ‘Depth of Discharge’. The less you discharge, the longer a battery will last.

This is important to keep in mind as going with Lead Acid will mean needing a bank that is twice the size of your required amp hours.

Flooded or Wet Cell batteries are the oldest type and the cheapest batteries available for your system. They require more maintenance than AGM or Lithium as they need liquid to operate, which needs to be monitored and topped up regularly.

They must be stored upright to prevent leaking and require ventilation as they release a toxic gas as they charge.

AGM

Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM) batteries are the most common type of battery found in motorhomes. They can draw more power and charge at a higher rate than Wet Cell batteries, although can cost up to twice as much.

They do not require the maintenance and ventilation that Wet Cell batteries do, and they also don’t need to be completely upright. This makes them a more attractive option if price is not the number one determining factor. The main disadvantage is weight and a lower lifespan which means they need to be replaced every few years.

Lithium

Lithium Ion (LifePo4) are relatively new to the market of batteries used in motorhomes. They have many advantages over Lead Acid batteries. They are significantly lighter, have better discharge limits, more efficient charging, and have a longer life.

This all comes at a price, with lithium batteries costing 2-4 times more than similar sized AGM batteries.

Even though they are more expensive, lithium batteries can be discharged to 80% of the capacity without significantly shortening their life. They can also last up to 10 years, meaning they need to be replaced a lot less then AGM batteries. So it is not fair to compare them directly to AGM batteries.

Lithium batteries come as a ‘drop-in’ battery like AGM and Wet Cell batteries. These allow you to connect straight to your chargers and loads and you’re good to go. We recommend a drop-in lithium battery for most systems where you can afford the outright cost.

Care must be taken with drop in lithium batteries, especially from unknown brands, as they have a current draw maximum. These batteries will likely have a lower warranty and will be more prone to failing. This is usually due to poor quality wiring and BMS within the battery itself.

For example, Fusion batteries (what we used in our Toyota Coaster) sit somewhere in the middle at 70amps, with lower quality ones usually being 50amps and higher end ones at 100amps or more. Combining two batteries doubles this limit, so you could have 140amp @12v, or 70amp @24v.

Combining them in parallel is not recommended by some manufacturers (worth confirming on a case-by-case basis) because if one battery fails while you have a high load, that load may then be placed on the remaining battery overloading it.

Lithium can also be done as a DIY battery bank, where you buy individual 3.6v cells, and a separate battery management system (BMS) to create a 12v or 24v battery bank.

This is the cheapest and highest performing option for lithium batteries but requires significantly more knowledge.

Recommended Products

Power AGM 12V 220Ah Battery– AGM
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– Avaliable in 85Ah, 110Ah, 135Ah, 220Ah and 270Ah
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iTECH 120x 12v 120Ah Lithium Battery– Lithium
– 3 year warranty
Check Price | eBay
Enerdrive eLITE 12V 100Ah Lithium– Lithium
– 5 year warranty
– Enerdrives Entry Level Battery
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Enerdrive ePOWER B-TEC Lithium– Lithium
– High charge and discharge current
– 5 year warranty
– Inbuilt Smart Phone monitoring
– Available in 12v 125Ah, 200Ah and 300Ah capacities and 24v 100Ah
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Inverters

Inverters are used to convert your 12/24v DC battery to 240V (Or 110V) to AC power. This allows you to run any electronics that don’t come in a DC option, such as air fryers, laptops, and coffee machines.

There are two types of inverters, ‘Modified Sine Wave’ and ‘Pure Sine Wave’. Both convert the straight line energy of DC current to the sine wave of AC current. Modified Sine Wave inverters are a cheaper alternative as they are less accurate and create a stepped square wave. The distorted sine wave can cause issues with a lot of electronic devices, such as over heating or frying the device.

Unless you are on a strict budget or know that it won’t cause issues with your appliances, we recommend getting a Pure Sine Wave inverter, so that you can be sure it won’t cause issues.

You now need to select what size inverter you are going to get. You may be tempted to go the biggest you can afford, but this is not the best option when choosing an inverter. The larger the inverter the less efficiency you will get. It is important to add up your total wattage of AC devices and select an appropriately size inverter while allowing for a comfortable overhead (Around 15-20%).

For example, if you have a 150w appliance you would want to get a 200w Pure Sine Wave Inverter.

Another limitation is the maximum discharge rate of your battery. As I mentioned in the Lithium section, our Fusion Lithium Batteries have a maximum discharge of 70a. This means with one battery we can have approximately a 800w inverter. Two batteries increase this to 1600w.

Other things to keep in mind for your bus or van electrical system is start up power. A lot of devices that ‘heat’ use more power initially to reach a high temperature for the element, then reduce power once that temperature is reached.

If you add all your devices together and find you need an inverter that your battery can’t handle the total power, consider if you will be using all the devices at once. We know that we are unable to run our Air Conditioner and Microwave at the same time off our batteries, so avoid this.

When comparing inverters and prices, consider their idle power draw. An expensive inverter like the Victron Phoenix 12/500va (400w) uses 3w when idle, compared to a Dometic SinePower 350W Inverter which uses 7.2w when idle. The phoenix also comes with Overload protection, battery Voltage too high/low protection and temperature protection.

In simple installations you can avoid an inverter and connect a 240v mains inlet direct to your power points. While this removes the need for the inverter it means you can only run 240v appliances when connected to mains power or to a generator. You can have a split of these options too. We had this setup for our Hot Water System, where all other power points were connected to our inverter, and our Hot Water could only be run on electricity when connected to mains power.

A registered electrician is required to certify any 240V installation in a motorhome, caravan or bus conversion. It is also illegal for someone who is not a qualified electrician to work on any 240V installs.

Recommended Products

Projecta PW600 600w Inverter– 600w power
– Pure sine wave
– Overload, overheat and low battery protection
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Enerdrive ePOWER 1000w Inverter– 1000w power
– Pure sine wave
– 1 AC outlet and 1 USB outlet
– Included remote on/off switch
Check Price
Enerdrive ePOWER 2000w Inverter– 2000w power output
– Pure sine wave
– 2 AC outlet and 1 USB outlet
– 12v/24v models from 400w to 2600w
Check Price (12v)
Check Price (24v)
Victron Multiplus Inverter Charger– Pure sine wave
– Inbuilt AC charger
– 12v/24v models from 1000VA to 5000VA
Check Price (12v)
Check Price (24v)

Battery Charging

Now that you have your battery and solar system, you can also decide if you want to add additional ways of charging to your system via either a AC-DC charger (charging from mains or a generator) or a DC-DC charger (Charging from your alternator/start batteries).

We recommend at least one or both of these options, as you aren’t able to guarantee sun no matter how much solar you have so it is always a good idea to have a backup for those weeks where the rain just won’t stop.

DC-DC Charger

As you drive your alternator supplies a large amount of electricity to your vehicles battery as well as powering the vehicles electronics. This alternator can also be used to charge your leisure batteries as you drive via a DC to DC charger or a battery isolator (VSR).

Battery Isolator (VSR) vs DC-DC Charger

A battery isolator basically pairs your vehicle battery and leisure battery together so that the alternator thinks it is charging one large battery. This is the simplest and most cost effective way to charge your leisure batteries from your alternator.

Once you turn your engine off, the VSR ‘isolates’ the two systems so you don’t drain your vehicle batteries while using your appliances.

Battery Isolators pass through the power, and don’t provide full multi-stage charging. This means it provides a relatively slow charge compared to what a dedicated charger can and slows even further the closer to 100% your batteries get. This is because the voltage coming from the alternator will be low compared to the charging voltage your battery wants.

Charging in this way can put stress on your alternator and lead to a shorter life. It is recommended to have a isolator switch (circuit breaker) to turn off the alternator charging when it isn’t required.

DC-DC chargers work essentially the same, but the key difference is that they take the incoming voltage and amperage of the alternator and regulate it to increase the voltage as required to fully charge your batteries. Selectable output currents allow you to lower the strain on your alternator.

DC-DC chargers come with different profiles suitable for different types of batteries to most effectively charge and protect each type. Ensure your desired charger has a suitable profile for your battery type.

When looking for a DC-DC charger it will generally list its output voltage (12v or 24v depending on your system) and maximum output current.

Some DC-DC chargers such as the Enerdrive 12V 40A DC2DC+ Battery Charger come with inbuilt MPPT solar chargers allowing you to charge from solar and the alternator with the same device. Make sure you check the specifications carefully to ensure it is suitable for your desired solar system.

Recommended Products

Enerdrive 12/24V 140A Dual VSR Relay– No voltage loss
– Intelligent battery monitoring to prevent unwanted switching
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Enerdrive DC2DC Battery Charger– DC-DC and MPPT charger in one
– Lithium profile
– 40 amp output
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REDARC 40A DC-DC Battery Charger– DC-DC and MPPT charger in one
– Lithium profile
– 40 amp output
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AC Charger

An AC charger (or Shore/Mains power) takes your typical household power (240v or 110v) and converts it to DC power to charge you batteries. Typically, you will use this when at a powered caravan site or running an extension lead from your household power point.

These are a good option if you plan to spend a lot of time in caravan parks or if you want that extra security to always have the option to quickly charge you batteries by spending a night at a caravan park or a friend’s driveway.

If you plan on spending most of your time in a caravan park, this may be the only source of charging that you require.

As with all chargers, if you are planning on charging a lithium battery bank, make sure the charge is suitable for lithium batteries.

When selecting an AC charger, they will be rated for the battery system (12v or 24v) as well as have a maximum output current. The more expensive, the higher the output current. A typical Caravan Park power outlet is 15amp at 240v (3,600w). This would be 300amp at 12v. Most chargers won’t come near that, with the higher end chargers reaching around 100amp @12v (Enerdrive 12V 100A Battery Charger 100amps or Victron MultiPlus-II 120amps). Most mainstream ones will be 25-60amps. This will usually be adjustable when connected to lower power inputs (EG a generator) and will depend on the maximum input rating of your batteries.

While most have these protection features it is worth confirming the one you are selecting has over charge, over temperature and short circuit protection.

Recommended Products

Victron Blue Smart Charger– Lithium profile
– Remote control and monitor via Bluetooth
– Highly efficient so less heat generated
– Models 12V 15/20/30A, 24V 8/12/16A
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Enerdrive ePOWER Smart Charger– Lithium profile
– Models available: 12Volt: 20amp, 40amp, 60amp, 120amp
24Volt: 30amp, 60amp
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Generator

A generator can connect to the same mains power inlet that you would use when at a caravan park but would allow you to still be remote. This allows you to have all the same luxuries you may need to be plugged in to mains/shore power for, but still having the freedom to free camp.

Generators are a cost-effective way to charge/power your appliances without needing to invest in large solar setups or battery banks. They are also reliable. No need to worry about night or cloudy days (Although you should not use a generator in the rain unless it is protected).

Generators sound great, but there are a few negatives.

Generators are noisy. This is one of the main reasons people don’t like generators as the sound can become annoying. The noise a generator makes is something to consider when choosing one to purchase.

They consume fuel, which means you need to bring additional with you. It also means running a generator is less environmentally friendly then charging from solar. This also means you need to be cautious of where you position it and those around you.

Some campgrounds either do not allow generators, or have a time they must be off by, because of the noise pollution. So if this is your only source of power, you will need to keep this in consideration.

Inverter Charger Combo

An Inverter can be combined with an AC charger into the one device. This allows you to both charge your battery bank and provide power to your household appliances/power points without the need of two bulky pieces of equipment.

These can be an always on inverter, that will supply power to your power points whenever on; or can have an internal transfer switch where the inverter only works when connected to mains/shore power.

Some like our Victron Multiplus allow you to have two outputs, one that is always on and one that only comes on when connected to mains.

Recommended Products

Victron Multiplus Inverter Charger– Pure sine wave inverter
– 12v/24v models from 1000VA to 5000VA
– Remote control and monitoring when coupled with a Victron GX device
Check Price (12v)
Check Price (24v)

Accessories

Battery Monitors

Battery monitors allow you to monitor your battery voltage, current, power, ampere-hours consumed and state of charge as well as the remaining time at the current rate of discharge. They consist of a shunt, which you connect your loads and battery to, as well as a remote display.

Victron BMV-712– Bluetooth connectivity to monitor via phone app
– 500amp shunt included
Check Price
Enerdrive ePRO Plus– 500amp shunt includedCheck Price
Simarine Battery Monitor– Bluetooth connectivity to monitor via phone app
– Colour screen with touch buttons
– Monitor individual loads
– Tank monitor
Check Price

Victron Cerbo GX

The Victron Cerbo GX system is an all-in-one control and monitoring system for your Victron components (or a different compatible brand, EG Pylontech batteries). It can also be connected to resistance based tank monitors to give you a single view of electrical system and water tanks in one.

The Cerbo GX connects via VE.Direct, VE.Can, VE.Bus and BMS-Can interfaces, allowing you to instantly monitor the battery state of charge, power consumption, power harvest from PV, generator, and
mains, or check tank levels and temperature measurements. Easily control the shore power input current limit, (auto)start/stop generator(s) or change any setting to optimise the system. Follow up on alerts, perform diagnostic checks and resolve complications remotely.

Victron Cerbo GXCheck Price
Victron GX Touch 50Check Price

Filed Under: Bus Conversion Guides, Conversion How-To Tagged With: bus conversion guide, bus electrical system, bus solar, motorhome electrical, motorhome solar, rv electrical, toyota coaster electrical, van conversion guide, van electrical system, van solar

Can You Drive A Toyota Coaster On A Car Licence

July 25, 2020 by Shane Patmore 8 Comments

So you are wondering if you can drive a Toyota Coaster on a car licence. Short answer is yes. Long answer is… maybe?

The first step to knowing if you can drive a Toyota Coaster on a regular car licence (Class C) is understanding the Tare weight and Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of a vehicle.

Tare: This is the weight of the vehicle when empty, except for all of its fluids and 10L of fuel

GVM: This is the maximum your vehicle can weigh when fully loaded. This includes everything you want to carry, passengers and fluids/fuel.

All vehicles will have a GVM rating.

Exceeding a vehicles GVM can come with heavy fines and is the main dictator of what each licence class can drive. The GVM listed on the plate of the vehicle is the law on the maximum the vehicle can weigh and what licence class is required to drive it.

Licence Classes

There are 7 licence classes in total as detailed on the RMS website https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/driver/licence-classes.html

The main ones we want to focus on for a Toyota Coaster are Class C (Car) and LR (Light Rigid). However, MR (Medium Rigid) and HR (Heavy Rigid) may be relevant if you are looking at a larger bus for your conversion.

C (Car): Vehicles up to 4.5 tonne Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). Vehicles that seat up to 12 adults, including the driver.

LR (Light Rigid): Rigid vehicles with a GVM of more than 4.5 tonnes, but not more than 8 tonnes. Any towed trailer must not weigh more than 9 tonnes. Vehicles can carry more than 12 adults, including the driver.

Each state will have its own website with details on licence classes. It is always worth checking your own states website to ensure you have the most up-to-date and accurate information.

Toyota Coaster

Toyota Coaster vehicle plate identifier - help in understanding if you can drive a Toyota Coaster on a car licence.

A Toyota Coaster, by default, has a GVM of 4990 and Tare weight of around 3300kg (Although the tare weight can vary widely based on model, engine, seats, door type etc). This puts it in the range of requirements of a LR licence class. But I am sure you, like us, have seen lots of Coasters that claim to be drivable on a car licence.

The GVM of a vehicle is able to be downgraded by an engineer. This will reduce the maximum load it can take but allow it to be driven on a lower licence class. In the case of a Toyota Coaster and a Class C licence, this would be downgrading the GVM to 4.5 tonne.

A Toyota Coaster (when referring to a Toyota Coaster on this blog we are generally talking about a Long Wheel Base (LWB) model unless specified) with all its seats removed weighs around 3000kg. This gives you around 1500kg for your conversion if you want to downgrade or 1990kg if you leave it as is.

Remember: GVM includes the bus fully loaded with fuel, water, people and heavy fines can be incurred if you exceed this limit.

Downgrading Your Toyota Coaster

To downgrade a vehicle you must take it to an Engineer to make any modifications required and to have it certified at the new GVM. You will need to take the bus over a weighbridge and get a weighbridge certificate to bring along with you to the engineer.

The engineer will install a modification plate on the vehicle certifying the new GVM, and issue you a modification certificate. Once any modifications are made, the RMS will need to be updated and new registration papers issued.

Toyota Coaster modification plate - help in understanding if you can drive a Toyota Coaster on a car licence.

You should always speak to the engineer who you plan to do the work to get the exact information and requirements. Ultimately, they have the final say on whether they can or will downgrade it.

It is not rare for a seller to downgrade a Toyota Coaster prior to sale, so make sure you double check the GVM to make sure it is the weight you are after.

Downgrading Before Your Conversion

Downgrading the GVM before converting your Toyota Coaster is a bit of a trickier process. Because of the seat limits of a car license being 12, you need to remove some seats prior to downgrading.

Once the seats are removed and holes filled, you can also have your bus changed to a panel van, along with reducing the GVM.

The issue with doing this prior to changing to a motorhome is you will need to pay an engineering fee twice, once to downgrade and change to panel van, then again to change to a motorhome.

Did We Downgrade Our Toyota Coaster?

We mentioned in some early blog posts that we would be downgrading our Toyota Coaster to be driven on a car licence. This did not end up eventuating and Claire ended up upgrading her licence to LR.

When we weighed our bus on the way to the engineer, to be downgraded, it weighed in at around 4200kg. This was not quite finished and did not have any of our personal belongings in it. We also wanted to add a split system air conditioner and a bull bar, which would all need to fit within the remaining 300kgs!

That was a bit too close for comfort.

We didn’t want to wonder if every souvenir we bought would take us over the limit.

Tips For Keeping Your Toyota Coaster Under 4.5 Tonne

While we did have it tougher having a custom rear door and wheel chair lift, unfortunately we can’t blame not being able to downgrade solely on that.

We thought about weight with everything we did, but we also thought it would be so easy that we would never reach 4.5 tonne. It turns out were not as careful as we should have been.

We also wanted everything:

  • Off-Grid Electrical System ✔
  • Shower and Toilet ✔
  • Full Sized Fridge ✔
  • 140L of Water ✔
  • Hot Water System ✔
  • Gas Bottles ✔
  • Large Lounge ✔
  • … the list goes on

If your requirements aren’t as extensive as ours you are going to have a much easier time. We also wanted our bus to look as little like a motorhome as possible and as much like a ‘house’ as possible.

This means we used a lot of wood, which isn’t the lightest option.

Our pine roof, while beautiful, was probably the heaviest thing we could have done for a roof. There are much lighter options: Composite aluminum panel, 3mm plywood/mdf panel, vinyl etc. A lot of people leave the roof that is already in the Coaster. This would prevent you from changing out the insulation, but keeps the weight down.

Melamine/MDF is heavier then plywood. This means all of our Melamine walls could have been Plywood and that would have shaved off some weight. We also used 7mm Plywood for the walls of the Coaster. At the time we wanted 4-5mm but it only came in marine ply which is expensive. Lots of people use 3mm or composite aluminium again.

We framed our lounge, kitchen and bed with pine timber. This is another case where wood is not the lightest option. Framing using aluminium tube is a much lighter option. However, we have no skills when it comes to metal work so we disregarded this straight away. But is a good idea if it is something you are capable of.

Kits like those from Noq Noq forgo extra framing all together. They are just made out of stylelite laminated plywood, often keeping completed conversions to around 4000kg.

You can save a lot of weight by going with lithium batteries compared to AGM. A 100AH AGM battery weights ~25kg compared to a 100AH Lithium battery of ~10kg. Lithium batteries can also deplete to 80% capacity where AGM can only deplete down to 50%. So you need a smaller battery to achieve the same level of real world usage.

Ultimately it will all come down to what you want and need to make your Toyota Coaster feel like your home.

There is certainly value in keeping a higher GVM and upgrading your licence to a LR. However, with careful consideration, driving a Toyota Coaster on a car licence absolutely can be done!

Filed Under: Conversion How-To, Toyota Coaster Bus Conversion Tagged With: building a toyota coaster home, building a toyota coaster motorhome, can you drive a toyota coaster on a car licence, keeping a toyota coaster under 4.5 tonne, toyota coaster car licence, toyota coaster conversion, toyota coaster licence, toyota coaster lr licence, toyota coaster motorhome, toyota coaster rv

Toyota Coaster Motorhome Conversion – Floor Installation and Wheelchair Lift Dismantle

March 8, 2018 by Shane Patmore 3 Comments

There are some days that are just disappointing and our last day on our Toyota Coaster had us walking away with a frown. Not today, today would be great. We just knew it. Our goal was to dismantle our wheelchair lift and replace our damaged sub-floor.

The wheelchair access in our Toyota Coaster was at the rear of our bus, and opens like a ”clam shell’. It is not a standard lift however, and when discussing with people who install the wheel chair ramps, they stated it looked like it actually came off a Ford van or similar, and was made to fit the Coaster. 

As it was made to fit, it has been completely welded to the chassis. Of course we would pick one with something non-standard and difficult to remove. Either way, we decided to still give it a go, and remove what we could. 

Dismantling the wheelchair lift – 

Shane and Claire trying to dismantle and remove the wheelchair ramp in our Toyota Coaster bus conversion.

The easiest place to start was the hand rail, and fold out ramp. These were held in place by a few bolts and were easily removed. 

This now just left the main lift. There was a steel plate on the main lift area, and underneath it ran all of the electrics. The electrics looked like they were connecting each bit of the lift, and needed to be disconnected for us to be able to remove the pieces. So it made sense that we had to start by removing the steel plate.

A lot of the small screws in the steel plate were threaded so it took a fair amount of effort and frustration to try and undo them. Two of the screws were unable to be taken out and a grinder was required to cut the heads off. 

After all of the screws were removed, we were able to remove the steel plate. This allowed us to access the electrics underneath. 

Shane trying to use the grinder to dismantle and remove the wheelchair ramp in our Toyota Coaster bus conversion.

We were right. The wires ran under the metal plate and linked everything together. 

After reviewing the wires (and much to my disagreement!) Shane decided to cut the wires leading to the first piece of wheelchair lift he detached.

‘Check it’ he says. Of course I was not surprised to find it no longer worked. Shane had broken the electrical circuit and now we were stuck with the wheelchair lift down. This became priority number one now as without the electrics, there was no manual way that we were aware of to be able to close it again.

To fix this, Shane got some female insulated electrical blade terminals and a switch. He stripped the wires back, crimped the terminals on and connected them to the switch. 

For anyone out there like me who doesn’t understand that, he basically fixed the broken circuit by adding a new end and reattaching it to where he had cut it off from before. Kind of like cutting a circle, taking part of it away, and reattaching the ends to make a smaller circle.

So now the pieces of the lift had all been disconnected, and the electrical circuit was fixed, we were only left with the ‘clam shell’ doors. 

Replacing the Sub-Floor – 

If you haven’t read the previous post to this one, Shane and I had some damaged sub-floor at the rear of our Toyota Coaster motorhome. Water had leaked in via some damaged seals, and the back 30cm needed replacing. 

If you want to see how we removed the damaged sub-floor, you can read about it here. 

It was now time to replace the floor with some new wood. 

The original sub-floor we removed was 15mm thick. We wanted to replace this with marine plywood in case there were any future leaks. Unfortunately, we were unable to find 15mm marine ply to replace it. We decided to buy 6mm and 9mm marine ply which we would glue together to make the 15mm.

Photo of the new marine plywood cut and ready to be installed in our water damaged floor in our Toyota Coaster bus conversion.

So how did we do it?

  • Start by measuring the wood, and mark it up with a dark sharpie (or similar). 
  • Use some clamps, and secure the wood to a solid and stable spot ready for cutting. 
  • Use a jigsaw to cut along your marked lines. 
  • Make sure the wood fits into position, and adjust and cut as necessary. 
  • Once the wood is ready, remove it from position and spray the metal floor of the bus with some sort of Rustguard and allow to dry. 
  • Apply a layer of liquid nails to the metal of the floor, ready for the new wood to sit on top. 
  • Lay down the first layer of wood, and then apply more liquid nails in between the layers, and place the second layer of wood into position. 
  • Place something heavy on top, and allow to sit until set. 

Shane replacing the floor in our Toyota Coaster bus which was water damaged.

The sun was setting and it was time to reflect on the day we had had. The day started well. Then after multiple trips to the shops and the issues with the electrics we were feeling quite certain it was going to be another day of disappointment.

But it wasn’t!

We fixed the wheelchair lift and removed what we could. We cut all the wood, and replaced the sub-floor. It was a day of teamwork with our wheelchair lift and sub-floor, and we got there.

It all went well, except our sunburn… that was another story!

Filed Under: Conversion How-To, Toyota Coaster Bus Conversion Tagged With: bus conversion, bus floor, bus wheelchair lift, motorhome conversion, rv conversion, school bus conversion, toyota coaster conversion, toyota coaster home, toyota coaster motorhome, wheelchair lift dismantle

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roamingonrubber

Childhood Sweethearts || Travel Bloggers || Coaster Bus Renovators || Australian Photography || Van Life || Entrepreneur || www.roamingonrubber.com 🐱

Last weekend (8/7) I got to marry my best friend i Last weekend (8/7) I got to marry my best friend in front of a small crowd of our nearest and dearest at a beautiful alpaca farm in Broke NSW.

This year has been a massive roller coaster for us. We’ve lost loved ones, our bus is still at the mechanic which isn’t looking to change soon, and our run-around car just recently died. But we have also just gotten married and got to surprise everyone with the announcement that we will soon be welcoming another member to the Roaming on Rubber family.

We keep reminding ourselves that these setbacks aren’t the end of the world and as long as we are together we know it’s going to be okay.

-Shane

The day wouldn’t have been as perfect as it was without our amazing vendors.
Would easily recommend any of them again, special shout outs to @chameleoneventhire , who went above and beyond to keep the night running smoothly, and @benjonescelebrancy who crafted the perfect story and ceremony for us.

Location: @starlinealpacasfarmstayresort 
Celebrant: @benjonescelebrancy 
Photographer: @weddingsxmemories 
Event staff: @chameleoneventhire 
Food: @woodfiredpizzacompany and @the_gelato_man 
HMUA: @cmphairartistry 
Suits: @mb__apparel 
Dress: @bellesandbeauxbridal 
Alterations: Just Perfect Alterations
Ties: @peggyandfinn
Some harsh realities of Bus life and our worst fea Some harsh realities of Bus life and our worst fears came to head on Friday.

We have been pretty quiet on social media the last few months while we waited and waited with bad news after bad news. Just as we were nearing the end and looking like we may be back on the road soon, we got the news that our bus’ engines block is cracked right through and that we have no repair options.

It’s a new engine or nothing.

So we aren’t sure what our plan is and if/when we will get back on the road as we can’t really afford that.

We are just trying to stay positive, and work out our next steps.

Thank you to people who have messaged asking where we have been, it means a lot.

For now we have started a short lease on a rental so not up to too much post worthy but hopefully we will be back on our feet in no time.
We’ve had a few setbacks so been a little quite We’ve had a few setbacks so been a little quite recently but we are almost finished! Cleaned for the valuation so thought we’d give you a look. Let us know what you think!
Not much work to go now! We just need to finish t Not much work to go now! 
We just need to finish the bathroom, build a kitchen overhead, add some trim and doors, and do a bunch of painting. Surely that won't take too long? 😂😂😂

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Sorry for the delay in posting! We have been so bu Sorry for the delay in posting! We have been so busy building the bus it has put us a little behind with our updates.
But our new desk is in! 
Made from the same Vic Ash wood as our kitchen bench, this beauty is long enough for us to both share the space 😊

#buslifeaustralia #busconversionaustralia #vanlife #vanlifeaustralia #busconversion #buslifeau #homeonwheels #homeiswhereyouparkit #thisvanlifeing #vancrush #busbuild
We loved our old wooden roof in the coaster so hav We loved our old wooden roof in the coaster so have just finished installing the same panneling in the Vario.

Plan is to paint it white this time rather then staining it.

Putting this in has really made us realise how much more space there is.

It's coming up great if we do say so 😁
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