Pushing the envelope - stretching Cali's room to te limit

[marchugo]

Aluminum shade for the fridge

To avoid heating of the fridge on sunny days, I made this small adjustment. It's kind of a shadow diaper for the Cali. Ugly, but might be helpful for those days that you can't find a decent place in the shadow.




Takes 1.5 meter of aluminum bubble foil, 50 CM wide, 3 MM thick. Double fold it.

On top and bottom glue round wooden sticks (some MM's shorter than the foil, to prevent scratches on the car body).
Two sucking towel hooks for sticking it on the window.
If rolled up, it neatly finds a place in the airplane cabinet.





Chilled regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Candy Camper]

I think there are only 2 things that irritate me about our Cali. The first and foremost is why oh why did vw not split the glass hob / sink top. Having to move everything to fill an (electric) kettle, then move it all agin to get the milk from the fridge. I really need to have a good inspection to see if I can achieve anything to be done about it.
Secondly, and much easier to achieve - has anyone here added an extra 230v socket? I have all the kit to do a decent (almost original looking) job of it, but just need to be brave and get my hole saw out to the panel. Watch this space.

Added sockets to my Cali, get the hole saw out and go for it

 

[marchugo]

Nice job CandyCamper.

From where did you get the USB 5 Volt power, and what is the source for the 230 Volt socket? Any pictures?

Marc.

 

[Candy Camper]

T

Nice job CandyCamper.

From where did you get the USB 5 Volt power, and what is the source for the 230 Volt socket? Any pictures?

Marc.

Thanks.

The USB is from the head unit, can use it to charge phone if you want but I use it to plug in flash drive for movies, I fitted it with a HDMI point so I could connect it to my mini projector and monitor in the rear of drivers seat. For the kids honest. Sockets are wired for mains hook up, will be fitting an inverter soon and eberspacher water heater.

 

[Candy Camper]

T

Thanks.

The USB is from the head unit, can use it to charge phone if you want but I use it to plug in flash drive for movies, I fitted it with a HDMI point so I could connect it to my mini projector and monitor in the rear of drivers seat. For the kids honest. Sockets are wired for mains hook up, will be fitting an inverter soon and eberspacher water heater.

Seat still swivels round, TV receiver fitted to keep the kids happy when on long journeys.

 

[Shadrack]

Hi
I have just stumbled across this thread whilst I try to find ideas on the best place for my fire extinguisher to live. This has to be up there as one of the most informative threads yet again.
This forum has been such a help and is always a good read. Big thankyou to all..

Ps.. Not so sure about the fancy outfit for the 907 the

 

[T6 CFO]

Interested in replies.
Intending to put mine on cupboard side of cooker so it will be accessible from inside and outside the vehicle.
My thinking is there is a good chance it could be required outside the vehicle .


Mike

 

[Cwoods1405]

Protecting the plastic gas bun against rips

View attachment 15010


As our next journey is coming, I checked my Campingaz 907 bottle in the gas bun, under the wardrobe in the back. After taking the bottle out for weighing, it appeared almost empty:

View attachment 15011


Having the bottle out, I decided to put a piece of plastic paint grid from the construction market (1 euro) on the bottom of the bun. This hopefully prevents the plastic bottom against leaks from ongoing wear and friction from heavy sharp edged bottles. Roughly treated replacement bottles may have nasty sharp edges on their iron bottom ring.

The gas bun is built inside the tank for drinking water. A torn water tank can't be repaired, the whole kitchen block must be removed to install a new tank. Costly affair.

I tailored the paint grid to a diameter of about 20 Centimeters. The top opening of the bun is 24 Centimeters, the bottom slightly less than 20 cm. Don't cut it too small, the bottom of the bottle has to rest upon the grid.
Now the water tank is somewhat more save against heavy bumps during driving.

View attachment 15012



View attachment 15013



BTW: Watch the air vent with the RVS metal 'T' in the bottom of the bun: this hole should never be covered or sealed, as it is the safety outlet for leaking gasses. Gas is heavier than air, so it automatically escapes downwards from the bus.

In fact the gas outlet is going South in the same direction as the valve that lets out your drinking water, which splashes so wildly behind your back wheel.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Cwoods1405]

Being a bit of a cheapskate I just put some rag under my gas bottle!

 

[motacyclist]

Being a bit of a cheapskate I just put some rag under my gas bottle!

Naturally, you will be using designer rags

 

[Cwoods1405]

Of course! And when I'm not using it to prevent a hole I can also use it as a rag!

 

[Blue-T4]

Seeking for Room for our upcoming Scotland Trip

So, here are some of my mods

Rack over Kitchen

Speakers out of Roof Box and two deperatirs out of Dibond installed

Little extra storage on the Seats

Dibond Boards installed in the middle Cabinet

And some white Carwrap Folia to protect the Glass

 

[Shaun]

Seeking for Room for our upcoming Scotland Trip

So, here are some of my mods

Rack over Kitchen

Speakers out of Roof Box and two deperatirs out of Dibond installed

Little extra storage on the Seats

Dibond Boards installed in the middle Cabinet

And some white Carwrap Folia to protect the Glass

Some great mods on here, any chance of more detail on the kitchen rack please?

 

[Blue-T4]

Sure. It is Stainless Steel Rack called "Daisy" made by "Dominikus", a Member of the German "Caliboard".

 

[sapto]

Seeking for Room for our upcoming Scotland Trip

So, here are some of my mods

Rack over Kitchen

Speakers out of Roof Box and two deperatirs out of Dibond installed

Little extra storage on the Seats

Dibond Boards installed in the middle Cabinet

And some white Carwrap Folia to protect the Glass

I look forward to read your trip report!

 

[marchugo]

Waste bag dispenser

Thanks to this wonderful forum, we ditched the Portapotti, after not having used it once in seven years, and replaced it by two Kuggis boxes from Ikea. This brought us about a cubic foot of extra space.

To finish the replacement, we transferred one of the boxes into a waste bag dispenser. With the roll of plastic bags inside, we now just pull a bag if needed.



This is where the waste bag fulfills its duty, hanging on a Sneaky clothing hook from VW (a few euros for a pair of hooks):



Pottifree regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[marchugo]

Cali life has it's habits. Arriving at a nice spot for an overnighter, first things we do is pull out the chairs and wind out the awning. On more than one occasion I managed to hit the car paint at the D-pillar with the mean sharp end of the awning crank, right under the awning. With some nice scratches as a result.

Today therefore I made a small adjustment: sticked a sheet of car wrap film about 15 by 30 CM onto the risk area.

Used the same paint protection film (from HPX) to protect my roof against the flattering cables of my solar panel.

Cranky regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[marchugo]

My little FlipBack library:

Of course I love my e-reader, but even more I like reading my handy FlipBack books, printed on ultra thin bible paper. You read the booklets cross.
We stow them everywhere in the smallest pockets of the Cali. Here are some in the tray next to the passenger seat.

Reading Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[marchugo]

The fight against water in the fridge

You can't win from the water that appears on the bottom of the fridge. Every time you open the lid, warm humid air comes in, to condense at the back and the floor of the cooler.

But you can prevent that your food, cartons or vegetables get wet feet. I use a plastic paint grid at the bottom, that's just high enough for some millimeters of water down there. Costs a euro in the construction market.

A second grid at the back side (were the cooling element sits), prevents vegetables from freezing at this sometimes icy wall.

Nevertheless, once a week we have to dry out the wet bottom with a cloth or with kitchen paper.




An alternative: At the Ikea, the royal supplier of Cali knick-knacks, I saw an alternative: the small plastic Växer greenhouse has a removable bottom with fifty round holes. It fits nicely at the bottom of the fridge, keeping water at a distance of about 1,5 CM from your food. Price 9 euro.
https://www.ikea.com/nl/nl/catalog/products/20318724/


I haven't found a destination for the remaining parts yet. Maybe they could serve as a breeding tray for fresh herbs aboard the Cali.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[marchugo]

Extra storage for the aluminum ventilation grid

The aluminum vent from Hülsberg can be stored in the chair pocket of the tailgate. There's only one way to push the grid deep down in a Cali chair. It needs a some careful pushing:



Then fold the chair as tight as you can, and slide it in the pocket, again with a little bit of pressure:



Do not press too hard, as you might lose the slightly curved form of the aluminum frame.

Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[marchugo]

By the way, the ventilation grid is not burglary proof.

This summer I suddenly had a lose nut and bolt in my hand when mounting the aluminum vent in the window above the kitchen. The screw inside the nut had just broken out of the metal. Apparently I turned the knob with too much force.
I realized that if all four screws would be punched down eventually the grid will not be tied to the inside of the window anymore, and could be lifted from the outside. So the claim that the vent is burglar proof, that can be read sometimes on the forum, seems doubtful to met. Anyway, we do not leave the vent in place anymore in risky places.

Nut and bolt broken off the aluminum...

...leaving a hole.

I provisionally repaired it with a curved spacer ring on the outside, that holds the screw which has a tiny thickening at its end.



Ventilated regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[Barbara]

Waste bag dispenser

Thanks to this wonderful forum, we ditched the Portapotti, after not having used it once in seven years, and replaced it by two Kuggis boxes from Ikea. This brought us about a cubic foot of extra space.

To finish the replacement, we transferred one of the boxes into a waste bag dispenser. With the roll of plastic bags inside, we now just pull a bag if needed.

View attachment 24516

This is where the waste bag fulfills its duty, hanging on a Sneaky clothing hook from VW (a few euros for a pair of hooks):

View attachment 24517

Pottifree regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

I like the hooks. Do you have a part number?

 

[motacyclist]

Don’t forget the extra storage compartment here - cups, sugar & tea to make a cuppa without rummaging in the recesses of the cupboards!

And it can also occasionally be used as a sink!

 

[marchugo]

I like the hooks. Do you have a part number?

Hi Barbara,

Try searching this part number:

• 000061126A 041

Or have a try at:

https://shops.volkswagen.com/en_GB/...126a-041-14?category=4301:904_VWZ_OZ:Category

It should be available at minus 6 pounds, I guess, not sure about UK prices.

It’s a tiny bit of plastic, you know. Available at any VW dealer.

Regards from Amsterdam,
Marc.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Don’t forget the extra storage compartment here - cups, sugar & tea to make a cuppa without rummaging in the recesses of the cupboards!

And it can also occasionally be used as a sink!

View attachment 39689

That would never work for me. It’s always full of dirty dishes...
That’s reminds me, still need an empty out from the weekend