Waiting for the First Cali

[enricomiglino]

Hi to all,

We are two and one month ago decided to start (an idea I had by a long time ago) the van experience. We are Italian, living in Spain for ten years and now I am living in Gent (Belgium) for two years due to my job. Searched the best van that fit the possibility to move autonomously, as we both can work from home and after seeing the California beach the week after we went to a local VW dealer. Saw all the possibilities and options, discarded the not essential options like the two-color body growing too much the price without any improvement of the performances. The day after the dealer just checked that the bank will loan a part of the cost and two days after we bought a California Coast T6.1 with the shower connector (the only essential optional wort to have, in my opinion, and paid the deposit, we signed the order.
The van will be delivered between next Jan 15th and Fen 15th (sic) so while waiting I am investigating how to complete the design with the customizations I have in mind.
As a maker in electronics, microcontrollers, software, and some micromechanics, in these months I am preparing some parts that will be added to the Cali as it arrives. At the moment, the portapotty will be delivered next week and I have subscribed to this forum to share ideas and ask tips and suggestions and, why not, also sharing what I build if can be useful to someone else.
As far as what I have read in the posts until now, it seems a very nice place to discuss and find suggestions.

Just if someone is interested, in my plan the most important things I plan to make are:

• Motorization of the top opening
• Rear camera
• Solar cells on the root
• Internal distributed local network
• Some upgrade to the internal table
• Motorization of the side tent opener
• more...

Enrico

 

[AlisonF]

I’m no expert, but would say YES to Rear Camera

 

[enricomiglino]

I’m no expert, but would say YES to Rear Camera

I am also a technical writer and already told my editor that one new series of articles will be on how-to customize a van with some high-tech improvements for security and better living. The rear camera (with its own microcontroller together other improvements I have in mind is not only useful while driving but also a sort of blackbox to see what happens outside, front and rear plus some other features.

 

[kurienp]

Hi to all,

We are two and one month ago decided to start (an idea I had by a long time ago) the van experience. We are Italian, living in Spain for ten years and now I am living in Gent (Belgium) for two years due to my job. Searched the best van that fit the possibility to move autonomously, as we both can work from home and after seeing the California beach the week after we went to a local VW dealer. Saw all the possibilities and options, discarded the not essential options like the two-color body growing too much the price without any improvement of the performances. The day after the dealer just checked that the bank will loan a part of the cost and two days after we bought a California Coast T6.1 with the shower connector (the only essential optional wort to have, in my opinion, and paid the deposit, we signed the order.
The van will be delivered between next Jan 15th and Fen 15th (sic) so while waiting I am investigating how to complete the design with the customizations I have in mind.
As a maker in electronics, microcontrollers, software, and some micromechanics, in these months I am preparing some parts that will be added to the Cali as it arrives. At the moment, the portapotty will be delivered next week and I have subscribed to this forum to share ideas and ask tips and suggestions and, why not, also sharing what I build if can be useful to someone else.
As far as what I have read in the posts until now, it seems a very nice place to discuss and find suggestions.

Just if someone is interested, in my plan the most important things I plan to make are:

• Motorization of the top opening
• Rear camera
• Solar cells on the root
• Internal distributed local network
• Some upgrade to the internal table
• Motorization of the side tent opener
• more...

Enrico

Welcome on board @enricomiglino . Enjoy the van experience. It will be an agonising 5 month wait, but worth it. One general advice on here - buy things after you get the van so that you know what you need over what you think you may want.

On your items to automate, if I understand it correctly, with your background in electronics, you want to develop some things it do you just want to buy and fit?, Could be a language gap here). Assuming you wish to develop, some notes below:
* Motorization of the top opening
>>> VW already has a motorized mechanical kit that is fitted to the ocean. If developing something, You may have to think about how it will be different from what exists.
* Rear camera
>>> Same as above. VW has it. Lots of chinese stuff off Amazon. How will what you develop be different?
* Solar cells on the root
>>> Again, options available from.vendors
* Internal distributed local network
>>> Wifi modules available for in car entertainment. If this is what you meant
* Some upgrade to the internal table
* Motorization of the side tent opener
>>> Options already available in the market.
* more...

In everything, the most important question will be - how will what you develop be different / better.

... Or if I've misinterpreted your response, then ignore. All those are worthy aftermarket upgrades.

If you wish to develop an electronic module, a welcome development would be a remote switch module to enable the central locking from the bedside (rather than having to reach over the driver's seat to lock the van)

Enjoy the Cali life.

 

[California4x4]

Hi to all,

We are two and one month ago decided to start (an idea I had by a long time ago) the van experience. We are Italian, living in Spain for ten years and now I am living in Gent (Belgium) for two years due to my job. Searched the best van that fit the possibility to move autonomously, as we both can work from home and after seeing the California beach the week after we went to a local VW dealer. Saw all the possibilities and options, discarded the not essential options like the two-color body growing too much the price without any improvement of the performances. The day after the dealer just checked that the bank will loan a part of the cost and two days after we bought a California Coast T6.1 with the shower connector (the only essential optional wort to have, in my opinion, and paid the deposit, we signed the order.
The van will be delivered between next Jan 15th and Fen 15th (sic) so while waiting I am investigating how to complete the design with the customizations I have in mind.
As a maker in electronics, microcontrollers, software, and some micromechanics, in these months I am preparing some parts that will be added to the Cali as it arrives. At the moment, the portapotty will be delivered next week and I have subscribed to this forum to share ideas and ask tips and suggestions and, why not, also sharing what I build if can be useful to someone else.
As far as what I have read in the posts until now, it seems a very nice place to discuss and find suggestions.

Just if someone is interested, in my plan the most important things I plan to make are:

• Motorization of the top opening
• Rear camera
• Solar cells on the root
• Internal distributed local network
• Some upgrade to the internal table
• Motorization of the side tent opener
• more...

Enrico

Your proposals sound ambitious and highly interesting to me. I will be eagerly looking forward to seeing your modifications. Enjoy your designing while waiting for your California.

 

[enricomiglino]

Thank you for the replay. Frankly, I have not detailed too much as I am not sure if other members can be interested in my modding.

First I will answer one main topic: the main difference between improving the van and acquiring the stuff from the producer is the price. But not only: making by yourself with some knowledge it is not sure that the original stuff is better.

Welcome on board @enricomiglino . Enjoy the van experience. It will be an agonising 5 month wait, but worth it. One general advice on here - buy things after you get the van so that you know what you need over what you think you may want.

I perfectly agree with your point. Regardless of this, there are anyway any improvements I am sure I need as part of the original idea of buying a van: the rear camera, for example, is a must. The details instead, especially the interiors should be decided after using the van for a while.

On your items to automate, if I understand it correctly, with your background in electronics, you want to develop some things it do you just want to buy and fit?, Could be a language gap here). Assuming you wish to develop, some notes below:
* Motorization of the top opening
>>> VW already has a motorized mechanical kit that is fitted to the ocean. If developing something, You may have to think about how it will be different from what exists.

Yes but making it costs less, and can be integrated in a whole data collecton system and some more other automations.

* Rear camera
>>> Same as above. VW has it. Lots of chinese stuff off Amazon. How will what you develop be different?

It is different. Inside there is a series of small embedded linux devices that are all connected together, kepp you updated and in any moment from remotely you can check the status of the wan, inside and outside.

* Solar cells on the root
>>> Again, options available from.vendors

For this, another point about the use of the vendors solar cells, but with a custom charger that keep track of the whole battery life, consumption and so on.

* Internal distributed local network
>>> Wifi modules available for in car entertainment. If this is what you meant
* Some upgrade to the internal table
* Motorization of the side tent opener
>>> Options already available in the market.
* more...

In everything, the most important question will be - how will what you develop be different / better.

All my projects are open source, On the Shed Mag (https://the-shed.nz/) I am publishing a series on how to customize the home with integrated automation. By the mid of next year, I will start publishing the improvements on the van as a new series.

It is included in the plan but it is one of the things that should be done with van on hand.

If you wish to develop an electronic module, a welcome development would be a remote switch module to enable the central locking from the bedside (rather than having to reach over the driver's seat to lock the van)

To have an idea of how my projects are done you can take a look at these links (the most recent):

The Distanced Pawn

Playing chess with casual opponents, enjoying the game and playing safe, keeping the social distance in the post-Covid era By Enrico Miglino.

www.hackster.io

Nanodrone For IoT Environmental Data Collection

The project idea is based on the evolution of the "Nanodrone" project I recently published on the Element14 Community. I already own an AWS account (IoT Console, SiteWise web, EC2 server. and some virtual storage); I want to set a drone module to detect the color(s) the pointed subject – a...

hackaday.io

and, about the "van automation", inspired by the "home automation" you can see the blogs posts I already published here: https://www.element14.com/community...ess-and-aws-iot/blog/authors/balearicdynamics

Thank you and all the other members for the warm welcome.
Enrico

 

[enricomiglino]

Your proposals sound ambitious and highly interesting to me. I will be eagerly looking forward to seeing your modifications. Enjoy your designing while waiting for your California.

Thank you for the appreciation, if there are members interested I can keep the project(s) updated here too. Or just post links and some images.

 

[California4x4]

Thank you for the appreciation, if there are members interested I can keep the project(s) updated here too. Or just post links and some images.

There are a couple of DIY threads on here you could add to but, what you are proposing is a little more than small mods to drawers etc. I would start a thread for each project so people can follow and find them easily.

 

[enricomiglino]

Thank you. Sounds a good idea so I can publish – and get comments and critics from members more experienced than me - the whole story from the start. If this community also covers Australia and New Zealand with members from there, I can join the two things of the in-publishing series and the community, just to give better reciprocal visibility.

Enrico

 

[kurienp]

Thank you for the replay. Frankly, I have not detailed too much as I am not sure if other members can be interested in my modding.

First I will answer one main topic: the main difference between improving the van and acquiring the stuff from the producer is the price. But not only: making by yourself with some knowledge it is not sure that the original stuff is better.

Those projects look awesome. Thank you for sharing.

So let me add another useful Cali project to the list (or this can be an extension to the rear-view camera project) a 360 deg view camera

Absolutely, the van affords customizations and that is what makes it all the more interesting. For me also, it is not just a travelling vehicle, but one where I can play with and mod things.

Keep us posted and we will contribute in any way we can.

 

[enricomiglino]

Those projects look awesome. Thank you for sharing.

So let me add another useful Cali project to the list (or this can be an extension to the rear-view camera project) a 360 deg view camera

Absolutely, the van affords customizations and that is what makes it all the more interesting. For me also, it is not just a travelling vehicle, but one where I can play with and mod things.

Keep us posted and we will contribute in any way we can.

The suggestion of the 360 deg camera is really a good idea. I will think to something to be added, I mean a double camera on the same board. The "normal" wide-angle camera for real view and a ultra-wide-angle on top of it as a secondary camera. Or something similar.

Just a couple of questions as a newbie: a suggestion where I can start posting a thread with the first ideas of this project?

Then, there is an issue I already know while using 3D printing for cases and containers; they should be waterproof but the filament 3D printed stuff it is not. Some ideas for impermeabilization? The only two possible alternatives I see now are 3D printing with resin (to be tested if it can be really waterproof, but may suffer long exposition to the sun UV) and laser-cut cases (with a considerable disadvantage for the aesthetics).

 

[ThomasHJ]

Sounds like a lot of cool modifications you have in mind! Would love to be able to see your progress and, if these are things other people could DIY as well, would love to see them even more

 

[enricomiglino]

Sounds like a lot of cool modifications you have in mind! Would love to be able to see your progress and, if these are things other people could DIY as well, would love to see them even more

Thank you. Regardless of some of the projects I will use posting here and there, the whole collection will be available starting from the design in a series of blog posts on the site we-are-borg.com Then if I find a place here to repost the links and the essential references, I will start a thread and keep it updated.

 

[kurienp]

The suggestion of the 360 deg camera is really a good idea. I will think to something to be added, I mean a double camera on the same board. The "normal" wide-angle camera for real view and a ultra-wide-angle on top of it as a secondary camera. Or something similar.

Just a couple of questions as a newbie: a suggestion where I can start posting a thread with the first ideas of this project?

Then, there is an issue I already know while using 3D printing for cases and containers; they should be waterproof but the filament 3D printed stuff it is not. Some ideas for impermeabilization? The only two possible alternatives I see now are 3D printing with resin (to be tested if it can be really waterproof, but may suffer long exposition to the sun UV) and laser-cut cases (with a considerable disadvantage for the aesthetics).

I would start the threads in the "General VW T5 & T6 California Chat" section. Depending on how it progresses, then, it can moved into a one of the sections under "VW California T5 & T6 Specific Sections"

3D printing will be fine. The casing can be treated with waterproof material, but yeah, will not have a long shelf life though. But that stage in my mind is still a long way off.

On the 360 deg cameras, do check out the implementations. There are usually 4 cameras - front, rear, under left mirror and right mirror. The 4 images are stitched together to form the birds eye view that we see.

 

[enricomiglino]

I would start the threads in the "General VW T5 & T6 California Chat" section. Depending on how it progresses, then, it can moved into a one of the sections under "VW California T5 & T6 Specific Sections"

3D printing will be fine. The casing can be treated with waterproof material, but yeah, will not have a long shelf life though. But that stage in my mind is still a long way off.

On the 360 deg cameras, do check out the implementations. There are usually 4 cameras - front, rear, under left mirror and right mirror. The 4 images are stitched together to form the birds eye view that we see.

Good This approach is possible, what I was thinking was just a 360 deg camera but IMHO I think it is not very well approachable in the van environment. Four cameras stitched instead has more than sense. Good.

About the progress, my plan is almost simple: I start designing and preparing the prototypes for all the parts that when there is the Van will be adapted, added with a proper case and mounted in place.

Another thing that will be very useful I plan to add is a gas presence detector, hoping that it is never used.

 

[westfalia]

For me the beauty of the Coast is that is has a manual roof, it will
be interesting to see how you convert it to a motorised one.

To do this i would only recommend if you had time on your hands,
money to burn and needed a bit of disappointment in your life.

Leave the roof alone Enrico

 

[enricomiglino]

For me the beauty of the Coast is that is has a manual roof, it will
be interesting to see how you convert it to a motorised one.

To do this i would only recommend if you had time on your hands,
money to burn and needed a bit of disappointment in your life.

Leave the roof alone Enrico

Thank you for the suggestion. To be honest, some of the upgrades have sense, some others like this are a supposition, I mean, I have not yet put my hands on the van so I can't be sure if these are worthy. This, as well as the idea of motorizing the side tent, is just a list of reminders. The final decision will be after I saw in practice the vehicle. So, your suggestion is welcome.