This is our 2015 Relay camper van: part tiny home, part testbed, part ongoing experiment in “just one more little job”.
When we got it, the basics were there, but like most vans it came with a generous helping of mystery wiring and “creative” previous-owner improvements. Since then it’s slowly been dragged towards something I actually trust: better electrics, sensible charging, and fewer things held together with hope and insulation tape.
Under the skin it’s running Victron bits, a 110Ah Ecoworthy leisure battery and a growing tangle of cables that I’m gradually taming. I’ve been working through the usual list: split charge vs DC‑DC, solar, fuses and distribution, monitoring, and trying not to let the magic smoke out.
What you’ll find here:
- Notes on the electrical system – what I used, what I’d change, and what I’d never do again.
- Small upgrades and fixes that made a big difference to living with the van.
- Trips around Wales and beyond where something inevitably starts rattling halfway up a pass.
- The odd grumble about modern vans, parts availability and design “choices”.
If you like the idea of a practical, lived‑in van rather than a showpiece for Instagram, you’re in the right place.
Recent posts
- Water leak into the rear of the vanWe noticed a musty smell in the van and couldn’t work out where it was coming from. After narrowing it down to the rear of the van, I removed the partition between the bed area and the rear doors. At first, I suspected the door seals, but they proved OK with the hose pipe test. … Read more