Upgrading Our Van Build Electrics To Make it Safer

[@johnmcenroe3683]

Great fix Neil , I hope Emma gets better and gets back to her amazing self soon . Take care .

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thanks mate she will soon be back to her self, couple of weeks and we can get back dancing

[@johnmcenroe3683]

@@UrbanVanlife Well man i can,t wait to get back dancing myself .

[@simonmiddleton4977]

I’d remove those resettable circuit breakers they don’t work and a fire hazard see videos on KZbin, not tested the Auxbeam ones but I was able to pull 184 amps through a 60 amp rated one without it tripping! Replaced mine with Mega fuses

[@UrbanVanlife]

Iv tested a lot of these breskers and do have videos on them . But the ones six beam send out are top quality . But you can get crap which don’t work at all

[@markbowmer7648]

Glad to hear Emma on the mend. Worrying time with your doggy then Emma. Stay strong mate. Hope to see emma back soon. 😊

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thanks mark . Yer it’s been a weird free weeks . But she’s doing good . Thank you

[@FreeBirdUKVanLife]

Good to hear that Emma is out of hospital now. I'm up near you for the weekend getting some work done on my van. Take it easy Emma. Hope the pups are doing ok too. Atb x

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thank you . There all doing great . Emma’s up and about and the puppy’s are getting chunky now

[@FreeBirdUKVanLife]

@@UrbanVanlife That's good to know. Gentle hugs to Emma.x

[@DA11NOON]

Great vlog 👍. So glad Emma is on the mend 🎉 get better soon Emma 🙏 Be safe guy's

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thanks buddy she’s doing good . It just takes time dosnt it

[@easyriding4803]

As ever informative and entertaining,glad that Emma is recovering . Me and the missus watch your vids even though we havent even got a motorhome because they're always entertaining and the banter between you is just like us . As an exiled Scouser living over the water it was nice to see you found the little gem of a cafe called 'Nets' which is just down the road from us.If we bump into you down there I might even buy you two a coffee.Ha ha.

[@Alivefrom45]

Nice update Neil. Hope Emma is better soon. ❤

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thanks mate she’s getting there slowley

[@alessandroconcas]

Auxbeam have great item, i really love my dual control pansel 8 switch and the bluetooth vesion (it's a shame they dont make dual panel with bluetooth too!)

[@jansweeney1333]

Grt chat , one day I ll get a van ...aspiring to your van .🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@LeisureBit]

Great solution and saves you getting stuck with a flat battery and all the faff- nothing worse is there and always happens at the worst time. The cheap breakers can be an absolute nightmare can’t they, I had a falling out with one a couple of weeks ago which I should have swapped out before having a problem - I did get it before folks flagged the problem and it had been ok up until I started drawing more power through Grrr! All wasted time, they shouldn’t be for sale now 😠. Doesn’t running cables eat time! Hours can disappear! Hope Emma is recovering well, send her all our best wishes ❤, David & Rachel 👍

[@markparish9072]

Wishing you all well. Nneeiill, thought you did a vlog about breakers and using fuses. nobodies perfect and I dont blame you for ease of reconnecting. suggestion does the leisure battery need moving under the middle van seats to reduce voltage drop or size of cable as in a central location as against far end of van. Only a suggestion just about to sort defender 90 for this year with roof tent after last years try out. just bought first bit of victron gear mppt. Myself keeping the leisure and engine electrics apart.( how far do you go) Once parked up its the leisure batteries for the fridge etc. Just keep an eye on the engine battery maintenance a good one can sit for weeks and start a vehicle, a poor one will discharge in days without a backup plan like your little jump starter but the same goes with them . liking the vlogs and again wishing Emma You and the dogs well.

[@joelhallam9612]

Great video as ever. Hope Emma continues to make a swift recovery 😊

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thanks mate . Shes getting there just takes time dosnt it

[@joelhallam9612]

@@UrbanVanlife it certainly does, but it can't be rushed. All the best to both of you 👍

[@jeffshaw4553]

Well done Neil what a mission that looked to do but it will save you the headache of flat battery, every motor homer /campers night mare 😂😂😢get well soon Emma 👍🏽👍🏽

[@UrbanVanlife]

Yer it’s been some thing Iv wanted to do for a long time mate . And I can’t tell you how many times Iv left the cctv on and a few days later the battery’s dead . But it was totally my own fault for doing it that way in the first place . But done it now. Saddly I think we have to replace the started battery cos it’s only holding a 12.2v now which tells me that it’s on its way out

[@jeffshaw4553]

@@UrbanVanlife when we was away in mollie in November we was having issues with starting issues,I pulled over in lay by for 10 mins on way to skeggy but left the ignition on and day running lights was on,battery was dead when came to start it luckily we carry noco booster with us started it with that was fine got to site left it over night was flat again,was just clicking so wasn’t sure if it was battery or starter motor soon as got home booked it into local garage turned out it was battery had it replaced been fine since but old battery was only holding 12.4 volts too so was convinced it was battery been all good since 👍🏽👍🏽

[@denisecafferky2248]

Great job 👍. Wishing Emma a speedy recovery x

[@gonefilming2020]

Oh the merits of having to run cabling in a built van. Always an adventure in itself. Luckily, I get to watch you, Sam and the rest of the YT gang to prewire everything. 😁 Best regards (especially to the recovering Emma!) as always from across the pond. Stay safe! 🚐☁🍀

[@heatherread5314]

Hope Emma's recovering well

[@Feede.Mountain]

A question: How did you wire your light bar on roof, is it connected to your high and low beam or to a switch ? Thanks.. get well soon, Emma,

[@UrbanVanlife]

We just have them connected to the switch panel and not the vans own main beam . And thank you she’s getting better every day

[@eddieremes7465]

Hi Neil can I pick your brains, I’ve got a fiat ducato motor home and my starter battery keeps going flat even though I’ve not got anything left on, I try and start it and it’s completely flat but when I jump it within a minute the battery says fully charged, what can be causing this maybe starter motor or just a knackered battery, love your channel been watching it for years now, good look for 2025

[@UrbanVanlife]

could just be a knackered batttery mate , most battery places can test for free to see what amps its cranking out on start , also worth checking your earth connection as well mate , for the startermotor well thats going to work or not work or it may just click but it will do that if the battery is dead as well mate , id start off getting yout battery checked then go from there , they dont last as long as we want them , infact we are on our 2nd new one in 5 years , which im told isnt bad going

[@charliegould5865]

Get well soon Emma, he needs you back out there as foreman!

[@markparish9072]

should have wathed all before commenting and just seen your aux beam comment. Economies of value occur everywhere and you may even get duff fuses, from places.

[@davekitchener9092]

Love your videos mate . Wish Emma well . Happy traveling 👍

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thanks mate she’s getting there now

[@hilaryduffy8133]

Can you or anyone els please recommend a way of getting a diesel heater to not click? Is there a pump upgrade I could do or something?

[@daz.r1994]

Hope your puppies are doing well. Great job with the van.

[@UrbanVanlife]

Puppies are doing amazingly well thank you 🤩

[@backontwowheels9469]

Side note - I don’t assume your cctv and satnav are anywhere near 1kw but for those that do not know, always check your load and size your cable accordingly

[@birdie2202]

have you checked the rating of the busbar....... i had burn marks on mine so i change it ......... not saying you are wrong or tell you how too.. just double check for burn mark on the busbar...... hope emm gets on her feet soon.......

[@UrbanVanlife]

Yer mate it’s a lot higher than what we will ever need . And thanks mate she’s getting there now

[@bettyourcampervan]

Another ace video guys! Hope Emma is ok ❤

[@UrbanVanlife]

Thank you . She’s getting there slowley but wants to be better quicker which is not going down well with our little em

[@bettyourcampervan]

@@UrbanVanlife 🤣🤣🤣

[@Paulsvanlife]

Job well done mate 👍

[@UrbanVanlife]

Cheers buddy

[@George_the_VW_Crafter]

Mmmm run that all by me again 😂. Emma will say you have done it all wrong. Good job done I think Drew

[@minisurfboardscouk]

Great video Neil mate I’m thinking of adding more electrics to my my Vw crafter but I’m a little concerned the earthing to the van’s chassis’s may cause issues with the vans ECU ie turning a inverter on and adding extra current through the chassis earth ?

[@UrbanVanlife]

Well no mate every thing should be earthed . I mean it’s not like you have another source is it

[@minisurfboardscouk]

@@UrbanVanlife yeah mate but is it not not possible to earth to much to the van that it cause issues to ECU

[@strongbow57]

Go Ed ,Neil & Emma another cracking video, can I ask which insurance company do you use as being from Liverpool ,which company would you recommend , Tar Lar

[@pageant1fd]

I thought you had electrocuted yourself but it’s the new hair style ! 😮😂 Thanks for sharing. And glad Emma is recovering.

[@UrbanVanlife]

The hair is a thing of popular conversation

[@ifell3]

How have you got on with those breaker fuses. I see a few cheap Chinese ones and was a little sceptical

[@UrbanVanlife]

The cheep Chinese ones are awfull mate . Thankfully the ones aux beam send out with there units are good

[@ifell3]

@@UrbanVanlife do they have a manufacturing label on them or something. I'm not judging there gear but how do you know they are not the same. I can sense a video comparison 😁

[@aaronmaloney8]

Hi, mate i have a question off topic. Charged my calcium leisure battery with a cheap charger overnight.And it overheated was hissing quite loud next morning. I rigged it back up in my camper ,it worked fine for 1 night, my control panel is reading 12.6 but it's sending high voltage to my diesel heater, error 0.2. You think ive cooked it ? It's quite a new battery but it wasn't particularly expensive £89 Thanks for any advice 🙏

[@UrbanVanlife]

From what you have said there I would probably say yes you have fried it

[@campervancodgers124]

Darren was waiting for the phone call to help. But having watched the full video he realised his skill set wasn't required. He had loaded the Allen keys in the van though 😂😂

[@UrbanVanlife]

Arrr my mate the Allen key expert .,next time I have to tackle a Allen key I’m sure he will be the guy I ring

[@campervancodgers124]

@@UrbanVanlife 😂😂 x

[@jakeblake_vwt4dub]

Love you man you do so much great stufff but the scouse perm needs eliminating🤔 just saying🤪🤪🤪🤪

[@UrbanVanlife]

It has to stay now man

[@markbingham330]

Blimey, Neil. You've got fecking cables, fuses and fuse blocks everywhere. 😮 It looks slightly worrying. Are you going to get your van's electrics checked?

[@UrbanVanlife]

What part of it looks worrying mate . Evey cable is the right grade Evey fuse is the correct size And weirdly enough over the last 20 years of doing this we have never had an electrical problem . Nor has any one Iv fitted electrical systems for .

[@backontwowheels9469]

Just a word to the wise re your comment regarding “household cable and therefore its all safe” You need to be aware that cables are rated for their current carrying capacity in amps and when you have your load in watts divided by your voltage that gives you your current or ampage. Therefore 1000W (1KW) / 230v = 4.35A 1000W (1KW) / 12V = 83.33A Please be very very careful when choosing your cables because overloaded cables are a heat source and potential fire hazard. Be safe out there people, it is science and you cannot f8=K with it.

[@UrbanVanlife]

They both pull off no where near that kind of ampage . So it’s well safe

[@backontwowheels9469]

@@UrbanVanlife Just remember 12 watts of load is 1 amp

[@tonydean1262]

Great to see a man telling the world he Fudged up 😂😂 my wife told me to write this 😅

[@UrbanVanlife]

Hahah well we all make mistakes mate and that’s how we learn .

[@rebbar64]

Luckily I did not make that mistake. You are living and learning the hard way.😂

[@robertstevenson3126]

How are the puppies 😊

[@UrbanVanlife]

Getting chunky buddy I’ll show them in the next video cos lots have been asking about them

[@chris-m8q9m]

check them breakers neil lad..they really do fail.

[@chris-m8q9m]

sorry you explained already in the video....i must watch the full video before commenting instead of a running commentry..lol

[@UrbanVanlife]

Got ya lol

[@derekether4957]

Where did you get your cctv from please thank you

[@quiggles]

Bus bar!

[@UrbanVanlife]

Blar blar

[@ianemery7785]

Hmmm🤔 Putting a fuse box in so that you’d need to remove the driver’s seat to replace a blown fuse🥴 Not the best placement I’ve ever seen, not really your finest hour😏

[@UrbanVanlife]

Yer only an idiot would have done that . Thank fully the grey pannel on the side of the seat gives you access to all the fuses . It’s the grey fuse access panel on the side . I’ll accept your apology in advance

[@ianemery7785]

@@UrbanVanlife Suppose that’s a Volkswagen thing then? Wouldn’t know as it wasn’t shown for those of us who don’t VW😏 Please don’t feel you have to apologise for leaving that bit out😉😊

[@UrbanVanlife]

I will only apologise to the fact you don’t have a Vw . But may be one day you’ll get there

[@ianemery7785]

@@UrbanVanlife Apology accepted 👍😂😂

[@Rob.1340]

👍🚐😎

[@jonniebosh2238]

Basic novice mistake fella. To quote a famous song. And I should have known better.

[@UrbanVanlife]

We are all allways learning buddy . Most won’t show when they messed up where I don’t have a problem cos I’m far from a professional