2023-11-27 17:00:03
The trend of ‘camperizing’ a van is on the rise, but to do it safely and does not affect the correct functioning of components such as brakes or shock absorbers, compromising driving safety, even generating short circuits, fires or explosions; A series of points must be taken into account. “There are risks depending on the type of camper and the weight that we are going to add to the vehicle, and this should never exceed the maximum authorized weight that appears in the vehicle’s technical sheet,” he explains. Javier Aparicioworkshop manager at Motorspeed (Burgos).
In this point, Javier Gonzalez, workshop manager at El Paraíso Car Service (Madrid), clarifies that “in the case of vans, for example, with capacity for nine passengers, this risk does not usually occur, since they are vehicles that come with suspensions prepared to support the weight. of nine people, difficult to overcome with the weight of furniture and water tanks. On the other hand, he points out that, if a voluminous camper is going to be carried out in a station wagon or a 4×4, “the suspension and brakes should be reinforced.”
And to avoid risks in this case, Aparicio points out that “we would have to install larger diameter brakes and shock absorbers with a higher setting for more weight, ensuring that the total weight, including passengers and luggage, does not exceed the maximum mass established by the manufacturer.” .
Regarding electricity, the Motorspeed workshop manager points out that “it is important to have knowledge of electricity, place a disconnector, install fuses in each new branch of wiring, and make sure that the cable section is appropriate for the amperage that we are going to use.” necessary, since if we do not calculate the cable section correctly we can cause the cable to overheat, which could cause a fire. Furthermore, González points out another risk: “If you do it, you may, by manipulating the car’s electricity, damage an electronic element that could be expensive.” Hence, the need to always go to professionals to make this type of adaptations.
Along these lines, González points out that, to avoid risks, “the most advisable thing is to carry out a project with the help of an electrician, then go to the ITV, pay for the modification and approve the change.” “Another option,” he points out, “would be to go to a camperization company, which would carry out the installation and also take care of the approvals.”
Another alternative that does not require approval, points out the head of the El Paraíso Car Service workshop, is, instead of carrying out an installation, “get a kind of giant power bank, which you can ‘pull’ for anything that is an electrical punishment. , without connecting to the car battery, which is what we should never do, because the battery can hold it for a while, but not for too long, carrying the risk of it running out at the most inopportune moment.
Likewise, when talking about plumbing, Aparicio recommends “making sure that the water tanks that we are going to use are completely watertight, and that they remain motionless in the event of sudden movements, since during heavy braking they can move and spill water”; and as for gas, if a fixed installation is carried out, there is only one option: go to a company authorized for its installation, since “otherwise, it will not be possible to approve it or pass the ITV, in addition to the significant risks involved in doing so by our account, as gas leaks can occur, which can cause serious problems such as fire, gas inhalation or an explosion.
For the paneling, they point out that “the panels and insulation must be well secured so that they cannot be dismantled by bumps and braking, and make sure that everything is well fixed, to avoid noise on the road; and in the case of installing skylights, take into account the body pillars, since no reinforcement pillars can be cut and they should only be cut where there is smooth sheet metal, making sure to seal it well to prevent water leaks.
Finally, ECEC’s collaborating workshop managers list everything necessary for the corresponding approval of the van once it has been camped: technical sheet, driving license, dimensions of the van, measurement of the height from the ground to all the lights, weight in empty, photos of the installation of everything and CE marking of skylights. And if there is gas installation, a certificate of installation by a professional. In addition, sometimes, depending on the plumbing installation, we also need the installation certificate by a professional.
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