Views on mid conversions

[Dr Fingers]

I

One question to the unconverted, have you had a zig unit put in and if so where does it go?
A leisure battery is easy obviously but it would be better to have it charging away on site I would think via hookup?
(sorry I'm straying off topic slightly but it's sort of a natural progression from the original inquiry)[/quote]


This works for us..

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/mobile-mains-kit-p155317

Derek

[mikeonb4c]

I

One question to the unconverted, have you had a zig unit put in and if so where does it go?
A leisure battery is easy obviously but it would be better to have it charging away on site I would think via hookup?
(sorry I'm straying off topic slightly but it's sort of a natural progression from the original inquiry)

This works for us..

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/mobile-mains-kit-p155317

Derek[/quote]

I do the same as you, and I carry an old Halfords battery charger under the rear seats so if I've an urge to charge the leisure battery I can plug that into one of the 240v sockets. Crude, but simple and effective. I rarely have to resort to it.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Well, Mike, I do carry around a fair bit of kit, but not camping stuff...but if you do keep boxes of gear on board, it's quick and simple to unload if you want room.
Flarts and Dr. Fingers...Regarding electrics, Yes, I've installed mains electrics, and a 100 watt solar panel kit , leisure battery, upgraded wiring to sockets, auxiliary lighting, etc! and it still remains a great MPV...with accent on the multi-purpose...I also have on-board charging of the leisure battery via a C-Tek unit which plugs into the dash, and I carry an electric hook-up lead with built-in RCDs for the awning. I can get 'photos if needed.
Regarding cooking outside, when we lived in one house in the UK, we were very sheltered by the back door, and used a barbeque all year round, so with that in mind, we nearly dumped the oven and hob in the kitchen in favour of an indoor barbi in an extractor cupboard arrangement....there's virtually nothing that can't be done in / on the grill!....close the lid and you have an oven!...Purely a personal opinion, but going camping is all about being outside!
Cheers
Helen

[sotal]

Like most on here we also do most of the cooking outside. We have a camping kitchen stand and a 2 burner plus grill which stands on it. This saves the bacon stinking out the Bongo!

However we do find the kitchen to be useful when using it as a day van, it gets mostly used for boiling the kettle when we are away from mains power. It has also occasionally been used when we need more than 2 pans on the go.

We use the sink for brushing teeth, and for dumping dirty cups in etc.

We don't drink from the tap.

Electricity wise, ours is fitted with a mains hookup inlet on the side, this goes to a fusebox with MCBs in it. This then feeds a 240v double socket and a SUPERCHARGER, the charger is fully automatic so we don't need a zig unit etc. All this is hidden away between the drivers seat and the kitchen unit.


Space wise 4 of us and the dog sleep in the Bongo with the mid conversion in place. Our favoured layout is the dog on the front passenger seat, an adult and child in the roof and and adult and child downstairs. The children both fit in the space between the kitchen and the tailgate but there is room as they get bigger to have their legs on the centre section of bed. The adult downstairs then has the unrestricted part of the bed. One thing I found this week that works well is you can but the arm rest up vertically in the middle of the seat to stop the children taking up all the bed!

[Joe_anne123]

But whatever approach is used I think it needs to be able to be positioned to one side when in use so that there is easy step-up access to the bed.

Ahhh, now you've got me thinking. Do you mean something like the swing out kitchen on the Camp-let trailer tent?

http://www.camperlands.co.uk/images/tra ... rtent1.jpg

[mikeonb4c]

But whatever approach is used I think it needs to be able to be positioned to one side when in use so that there is easy step-up access to the bed.

Ahhh, now you've got me thinking. Do you mean something like the swing out kitchen on the Camp-let trailer tent?

http://www.camperlands.co.uk/images/tra ... rtent1.jpg

That's the kind of thing. You could keep it cheap and just have a unit that is taken out of the boot and sat on legs.

[flarts]

One thing I found this week that works well is you can but the arm rest up vertically in the middle of the seat to stop the children taking up all the bed!

I like that... tip of the week!!!

[flarts]

I've installed mains electrics, and a 100 watt solar panel kit , leisure battery, upgraded wiring to sockets, auxiliary lighting, etc! and it still remains a great MPV...with accent on the multi-purpose...I also have on-board charging of the leisure battery via a C-Tek unit which plugs into the dash, and I carry an electric hook-up lead with built-in RCDs for the awning. I can get 'photos if needed.

Thanks for that info Helen, very helpful... sounds like a brilliant set-up!

In fact thank you all for your useful comments on this. I'm still in two minds

[helen&tony]

Hi
I know the dilemna, and quite frankly, I've been torn between keeping it as a Multi Purpose Vehicle, and putting a rear conversion in. I suspect that my answer will be to keep it "as is", because we shop for a huge amount once a month, and an English friend tags along, and we end up with so much that our friend shares the middle seat with a pile of shopping, and the whole rear has 2 fitted dog guards , front and rear, and that portion is filled up in the cage, piled high. What we pack in wouldn't do too well with a conversion. We also have 3 large dogs...A bit awkward with a conversion!. Our answer is a roof-rack with light stuff, and a trailer. We have a kitchen stand with an Origo replica stove, a barbie, a washstand and bowl, 3-Way fridge, and a table and chairs, so we're well catered for in a stay. I have plans for a rear-mount spare wheel which folds down, and may add a second awning on the tailgate with a sleeping platform, so we can lock the dogs in, and they can still see us on the outside bed...but that's a plan in progress. Alternatively, there's a trailer-tent or Go-Pod....but whichever way we look at it, there's a multiple choice, and every Bongo owner has different needs. I sometimes sleep in the AFT , and "Him Indoors" shares with the dogs...we just demount the dog-guards.
Good luck with your decision!
Cheers
Helen

[helen&tony]

Hi
Oh, I forgot to mention, I take a chemical dunny when we go for a long stretch...They go nicely in the connecting tunnel 'tween the awning and the van...and we have a solar shower...(we only camp on CLs)
Cheers
Helen

[Joe_anne123]

I'm back from a weekend camping in the bongo and have had a few more thoughts. Cooking outside is all very well in daylight but, this time of year, having to cook tea at 4.30 before the light goes makes for a long evening! Also, I really wanted a cuppa first thing but had used my flask of hot water for a hot water bottle. Bad planning! I'm coming back to conversion ideas

[Mark Elvin]

There's always the option of a side awning, we regularly cook under or Fiamma F45S, pop some led lighting the awning & you are sorted.

[flarts]

Cooking outside is all very well in daylight but, this time of year, having to cook tea at 4.30 before the light goes makes for a long evening! Also, I really wanted a cuppa first thing but had used my flask of hot water for a hot water bottle

I think that's it really, for me (and seemingly you) anyway... with a mid conversion you get the best of both worlds. Yes cooking outside or in an awning is great but sometimes you just wanna pop the kettle on, or sometimes you're only staying over night and want a coffee in the morning before you're off again.

There's always the option of a side awning, we regularly cook under or Fiamma F45S, pop some led lighting the awning & you are sorted.

Awnings are terrific when you are camping for a few days or more... with a mid conversion I'd argue an awning then enhances what you already have and gives you even more options. But if you're only stopping over night, it's throwing down buckets or whatever they are bit of a faff.

We have a sun canopy thingy bob that is sort of the middle ground there, you can cook outside in slightly more adverse weather but if it's throwing it down, I'd want to stay tucked up inside.

I've been over this time and time again and I always comes back to the mid conversion for MY needs... it works best with our dog, it gives us cooking options, it retains "Bongo-ness" and gives plenty of seating and storage space. Couple that with the sun canopy we luckily inherited and I think we're good to go.

The truth is there are arguments for and against every conceivable conversion from keeping it 100% original to a 10k bespoke full conversion but it all boils down to what works for you and your clan of Bongonauts.

[sotal]

We had a few weeks away in the summer holidays.

We decided that at some places we would just do a quick overnight stop so wouldn't put the awning up etc.

However this wasn't as easy as it sounds. The problem comes from the fact that the awning is the place to dump everything from the bongo!

We did manage to sort it so it was doable.

We had to leave the rear seat up (as the boot was full behind it). We put the bed panels in place next to the mid conversion but we didn't use the alloy frame - instead we put the 2 suitcases full of clothes under them (which just happen to be the right height). At this point the bed wasn't long enough so we also have to put the front passenger seat all the way forward and fold the back right down so it is flat. This gives a lovely long bed.

Using this setup I was able to sleep downstairs with the dog next to me, or on the base of the passenger seat.

My wife and 2 kids slept upstairs together. The bed is quite long in the roof tent so my youngest sleeps sideways at the highest end - leaving enough room for my wife and eldest side by side.


We did this for a good 3 or 4 different nights where we turned up late and needed to leave first thing in the morning so were basically just pitching up to sleep.

In this mode without the awning it is tight and unless the weather was fantastic I wouldn't want to spend too long like this.

We use the roof box to hold all the bedding etc. So that also has to be shifted into the bongo before the roof can go up, then has to all be piled up in the Bongo, then roof down, then you can fill the roof box up again. This swap around is OK if the weather is fine but a pain when it is raining (although this is also true when packing up the awning!)


I'm sure we will do more nights without the awning but we do find it much more difficult.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Sotal..
It sounds like a trailer would be your solution...Can't beat it!
Cheers
Helen