Were the owners aware of the need for a habitation certificate?😮

I work for a company in Eastern Europe that converts vans, trucks, and fits out other vehicles. I'm an electrical / HVAC engineer, and that electrical system is indeed a mess. We predominately use Victron components for our vans. Everything is isolated/fused, including the input to the solar mppt.

Whoever built this is close to winning the Darwin award. What an idiot! Thanks for the video 😅

My suggestion to anybody considering converting their own van especially if it's DIY is to get yourself a Decent quality and portable power station And some solar panels, Fixed and portable. The less wires, connexions, pipes Etc the better. So you can run a fridge and A induction hob. Get rid of the gas altogether,

Rollercoster of death. Chose your poison.

Potential death trap. Do they not have any mandatory inspections on these builds when they are completed? Also any environment like vans/boats ect with gas and exhaust fumes should have a carbon monoxide detector and a smoke alarm, no question.

Great video. 👍 just subbed you...wish id known about you before id bought my ambovan...bought in good faith from so called friends for 12k,probably a dodgy mot,2 x tyres on back not rated for the van,2 noisy wheel bearings,track rod ends shot,rear suspension going down every night..took to my mechanic and he said he wouldnt have passed it Thankfully all repairs done now and currently rebuilding inside

Very good video you are so right to point out the dangers. The gov really need to bring in compulsory/legal regulation and certification on self builds especially to do with fitting of electrics, gas and heating

Thats fn dreadful,i would name n shame and throw the van back at them.

if campervan manufacturers didnt charge stupidly high prices for their vans there wouldnt be as much of a need to build your own? also cant understand why anyone would pay 30k or more for a diy van its insane in my opinion.

Enjoyable video with lots of information, all of it above my head but would love to see a follow up on the van and how much it would cost without mates rates.

You can do it very cheaply. The way we clean potable water tanks on ships is using sodium hypochlorite (pool chlorine basically). You can buy it cheaply (5litres at 14% is about a fiver and will last ages). Dilute it down with water and leave for 48hrs and then flush it. Its called super chlorination.

get your jab, it is important

Bloody bloody hell thank you so very much you are diamond this video is a life saver you have made my day I am following you ace 👍🏻

muffler is mounted wrong the drain ports on muffler should face down

I decided i wasnt going to do my own electrics - re making a decision about cabling etc. So i go to a professional - has a long established business. I posted one photo on instagram - victron commented - holy that cable is not thick enough from the DCDC to the battery.l So i go back - he says - oh thats because its not finished - so i think ok. So at Christmas take it back to finish it - he has it for 2 days - says oh i will need it for weeks to finish it. SO i was like this is crazy (he already had it for 3 weeks prior). I got a to a coach and caravan place close he says - bring it back after christmas holidays he quotes 3 days to do it - does it, says he needs one extra day - the cables that have been laid from that battery back - is not big enough for the draw in the back - he puts in new cables, cuts the old ones, he also has to lay new cables behind the wall in the back - he leaves the old cables. SO the van has the weight of all those extra cables and i paid for the job TWICE . I trusted the first guy built there were signs when she said.. scratching his head - it’s going to take ages to do this..

Shocking, I've probably gone over the top, everything is fused to the wire gauge and then the appliance and I have four isolators so I can work on separate parts of the system if I ever need to. When I'm not using the 3kw inverter for the induction hob it's isolated, saves on waisted power and everything else is on DC. Id rather have a fuse blow than a fire. I did enjoy learning about the electrical side of the build.

Excellent information and food for thought.

I am by no means a professional van builder or electrician or gas fitter, however im all for learning and giving it a good go. But with amount of quality, accessible, free info out there, there is no excuse for turning out a job like this. Personally if i were you I wouldn't be touching it unless it meant ripping it all out and doing it all from scratch. If thats how bad to visual stuff is imagine the state of the wiring behind the walls etc!

That gas oven hob is an outdoor only unit and should not be installed inside a van, sorry just seen you mentioned the same issue, well done

So unsafe on so many levels.

Cheers Sam. Highlighting this shocking work could save someone’s life. Good on you. All the best. 👍🚐😎

Its more likely the jubilee clamp around the exhaust coming out from the diesel heater inside the van is leaking. I use a bit of exhaust putty to avoid this as it can come loose over time in transit.

Could I ask what the Facebook group is called please?

Who ever built that needs to watch some Greg Virgoe videos and stop watching mine lol 😂 well done Sam look forward to seeing what you do to rectify this 🍻🤓

Why didn't he take you with him when purchasing for advice??

I’ve got a few bits in my van that could be better,you have just given me the kick up the arse I needed ,keep up the great work

Hilarious people are doing this

Heads up to Victron because I have no clue how they managed to connect that controller without isolation switches to prevent damaging the controller? And as you rightly said if you dont know you dont know. anyone watching needs to know you have to connect the battery 1st solar 2nd via large amp breakers or you will blow that controller I learned the hard way. 42V coming in from my panel soon smoked my controller as you say do your homework as I have now done and have re done my whole electrical system to make it safe. I am still learning/researching thats why I am watching this video!

you shout on about how you test everything.......are you gas safe registred with the mobile lpg addition and are you 18th edition electrical certified.......if not, you can only do your own test, and certify nothing, and more and more innsurance companies are asking for certs for campervans these days, and as for the gas........unless the van is 100% airtight, the gas will fall out the holes and spaces, of whish there are many in a transit, and a sealed gas box is not a compulsory fitting,

Errr meets BS EN 1949:2021 regulations, don’t think so! Well done Sam you may have saved their lives. Didn’t hear any mention of a carbon monoxide detector either. As for the electrics wow. Ironic that a fuse box was fitted for low amperage items like lighting but not at the batteries for high amp devices like the solar or alternator charging or between the two batteries should one internally short the both will go up. It didn’t even look like the batteries were a matching pair. Don’t suppose the cooker had a gas drop out either. Def got your work cut out there Sam. Reckon you’ll rip it out n start again for your own peace of mind. Good on you for calling the fitter out.

And this is why some ppl should do their installs using piwerbanks 😂

Are you doing an update video of when it’s done…. Before and after ?

stop repeating yourself 🤣

THIS NEEDS A SHARE .PEOPLE

Shocking....!! Never seen owt like it. The dude needs naming and shaming. He might be responsible for somebody's death. That gas install is criminal.

So true Sam "You don't know what you don't know." . The issue is knowing you don't know what you don't know . Yes the information is out there for correct installation of gas ,electrics etc . But if a person "thinks" everything is installed ok , when it's clearly not , why would they then go looking for the safe way to install something ? I think there needs to be much much more education on building/converting vans , cars , trailers , lorries or any "tiny" build. Not only on the correct safe way to install things but also why it could potentially be dangerous to install it any other way . As regards "Professional" builders there needs to be a lot more regulation . Some sort of industry recognised accreditation scheme. The "Builder" that has built twenty seven dangerous/unsafe vehicles needs either educating , reporting or stopping building altogether. The fact that your friends are still alive after using this van for so long is nothing short of a miracle or the grace of God . Thank goodness you've stepped in to help Sam . Fattrucker

Hi Sam, great info , I thought the gas installation was bad but the electric 😮 I made my own gas locker and sealed every corner and installation a gas manifest and also a gas alarm inside.

it's annoying that people are selling builds like this to people who are buying in good faith. He has no care for what he is doing, your friend is lucky to have you, well done Sam.

How to realize a set of ideas in the worst possible way. A ticking time bomb. Unfortunately, there are lots of prople out there, that underestimate the dangers of gas, power and toxic fumes. Reputable sources need to be consulted when taking on subjects normally alien to us. Just "winging it" can get you into trouble up to the point of not just endangering your own life but those of your famliy and / or innocent bystanders. It's a good thing, that this one got spotted and is getting fixed. Thanx for the video, my friend. Take care and stay safe! 🚐☁🍀

Great video Sam, you really do have to tread with care when buying a conversion. Like you say, research is they key to a safe conversion, all the information is out there and easily accessible

Nice one sam, very dangerous build. At least the owner knows you'll do it right, and it'll be safe.

I had a gas bottle fail. I only knew as it had leaked because it was empty within days. Drop out did its thing and allowed the gas to vent away and disperse.

So true what you mentioned “you don’t know what you don’t know”, think it’s great that your friend came to you. Somehow showing these excesses make me think over “did I install this or that really to European regulations?” Great video!

I know the feeling Sam. Viv was in the same sort of condition but this was by a so called pro converter.

😮😮 Do you have a part number or link for that biscuit box...? That is my size of biscuit box.. 😉😁

This is why they are clamping down on the sales of diesel heaters etc.

Nice one Sam...the more people are aware the better... I've seen a few like yourself that people have shelled out money for & it's frightening...even my own build this post has reminded me I've still got an isolator to install.... although safe I need it at easy reach... it's only been a year🤐...I heard that...I'm a stupid Scott's what😂😂😂😂

It would be great to see you do the repairs .

I would go for a type B RCD so it protects you against DC current crossing to AC.