What have you bought for your Cali today :-)

[capt kirk]

Couple of things, coffee pot and stove to put it on

 

[blender32]

Calitop wardrobe shelves. Happy so far...

 

[heyjack]

We have no power available in our garage or an option to install solar.
So without going for a long drive to charge or top off our leisure batteries we decided to buy one of these and have been using it for quite some time.
https://amzn.to/3OtCQPn

We can run lights, charge allsorts of other things mobiles, laptops, tablets, lights, some power tools ( I have used an orbital polisher) even tried a low wattage kettle https://amzn.to/3O7p9ps and fan heater. I also charge up some of my sporting kit and even an electric bike.

But mostly I can fully top off the leisure batteries and it also overspills a bit and charges the starter battery. Or you can use it to charge your starter battery directly with a CTEK car battery charger https://amzn.to/3bbuttk . It has a 1000w inverter so we use it as EHU (Electric Hook up) with our normal power cable to get our fridge nice and cold.

We have had so much use out of it. It has a 12volt cigarette socket 4 USB sockets and a C type socket. It has 240v 2 x English Plug sockets + 1000watts and can be charged either by mains at home or elsewhere when you are out. It can also be charged by solar panel and comes with a cable.

We went to Scotland for a month in winter and it was overcast most days so solar was useless. Only way we could top off the leisure batteries was go for a drive or find a campsite. So when we were wild camping without driving we could plug into this as EHU and give ourselves a couple of extra days easily. We also charged it up when we were in a campsite. On one occasion we were stuck in snow 2 days with overcast days so our solar panel was not producing anything worthwhile.

We have found so many uses for it and can even use it at home if need be.

So if like us you don't want to go for an unnecessary drive especially with the cost of diesel ATM and don't have handy access to power we found it really handy. We also made up a short cable to plug into the EHU and run a cable through the window while camping to charge up our leisure batteries. Its given us so much more flexibility we highly recommend it.
https://amzn.to/3OtCQPn

Awesome, thanks!
I live in apartment and don't have power in the parking to charge up the Cali!
Looks like this could solve many of our problems!

 

[campandfly]

Awesome, thanks!
I live in apartment and don't have power in the parking to charge up the Cali!
Looks like this could solve many of our problems!

You're welcome.

Tip if you buy/use one.... just top up your California leisure batteries and then turn the suitcase off. If you leave the suitcase switched on continuously having the 240v inverter on standby drains the suitcase battery.

 

[heyjack]

well noted, thanks!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Nothing but with a couple of hours to kill, I made a small shelf to hold my wine glass. Fits on the sliding door. Used some old bits of IKEA stuff that were not needed. Obviously can’t open the door when it’s in place.

 

[California Dreamer]

A Campingaz party grill 400cv (similar to Cadac safari chef). So versatile and easy to clean. Superb, highly recommended!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dspuk]

With pickup now next Friday the last few items are coming thick and fast!! Already a garage full of bits, from Oxo dustpans to cables to Cadacs and today's haul includes the fabled S2S Camper Mattress (Bergzeit has them in stock), a large amount of tat from Ikea this morning from Kuggis to potatoes peelers and a last-minute order from Wow Camping gets us the usual stuff - Collapsable Kettle, some dry bags for our SUPS and a good old pizza stone!

Tried out the mattress - it basically feels like an air bed with a foam topper - so not as great as foam alone, not as bad as air alone - somewhere between. Which is what we were looking for but to be 100% honest - not as great as I'd hoped and a little less than I would have thought for 230 quid. The USB mini inflator worked a treat though.

 

[blender32]

Shiny

 

[Bryan2411]

Finally fitted side bars!

 

[flying banana]

Had a great bloke out to remove all my dents. I had a few. All gone. Really pleased with the results. Great guy local to me. Took his time and loved the bus. One of my best spends on the van,brilliant job. Had 1 on the bonnet,1 on passenger door,1 strange Ripple on quarter panel, and now all gone. You all know how much these dings annoy you , mine are all gone!!!!!

 

[Georgeo]

Memory foam mattress toppers grade Vasco 50 cut to size by foams4u.co.uk
just giving them an airing before trying out on a trip tomorrow.

 

[pluc99]

I just installed the solar panel kit from @Roger Donoghue. Delivery to Switzerland and installation both painless. Really happy!

 

[apreading]

I just installed the solar panel kit from @Roger Donoghue. Delivery to Switzerland and installation both painless. Really happy!

View attachment 95346

Does this stick out above the awning and effectively raise the height of the van? Or is it mounted at a point where the roof rails are below the awning and it doesnt stick out?

 

[Dell]

The solar panels are really flush with the roof the awning roll frame is above so it really does not increase the height

 

[apreading]

The solar panels are really flush with the roof the awning roll frame is above so it really does not increase the height

OK - it was the L shaped brackets that I thought might stick up a bit. I think about a quarter of the way from the front, the roof height is level with the awning, but I guess at the rear of the rail where you have it, the roof is a bit lower. There are some car parks that I only just fit under the barriers now, so wouldnt want to add even 1cm really. I need to do a bit more scoping out but these look like they could be viable... thanks

 

[flying banana]

I just installed the solar panel kit from @Roger Donoghue. Delivery to Switzerland and installation both painless. Really happy!

View attachment 95346

Are there any special cares taken when cleaning the roof? Can you just use normal car foam on them ?

 

[pluc99]

Are there any special cares taken when cleaning the roof? Can you just use normal car foam on them ?

A car cleaner should do. As long as it isn't corrosive (as some detergents can be) and doesn't contain wax.
Have a look here: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/solar-panels.32476/#post-380714

 

[Mr T]

Are there any special cares taken when cleaning the roof? Can you just use normal car foam on them ?

I always cleaned my solar panel with a damp chamois, no products, just water.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Are there any special cares taken when cleaning the roof? Can you just use normal car foam on them ?

We just use car shampoo and then rinse it off.

(Although if you followed advice given for Home solar panels, they say to only use deionized water, as some cleaning products can leave a residue that might attract dirt.)

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Lucie fairy lights, look great quality!
Bike sign for Spain, all for just 48hrs!
Mozzie lamp
Mozzie interior plug
Awning loops for hanging mozzie lamp and fairy lights!
2x suncream!!

 

[Barbara]

Lucie fairy lights, look great quality!
Bike sign for Spain, all for just 48hrs!
Mozzie lamp
Mozzie interior plug
Awning loops for hanging mozzie lamp and fairy lights!
2x suncream!!

View attachment 95379

Have a great time and if you are going anyway near Salamanca it is really good for cycling.

 

[Perfectos]

+1 for Lucie solar string lights (white version has three brightness settings, unlike the colour changing ones which don’t)

 

[Shuftie]

Had a great bloke out to remove all my dents. I had a few. All gone. Really pleased with the results. Great guy local to me. Took his time and loved the bus. One of my best spends on the van,brilliant job. Had 1 on the bonnet,1 on passenger door,1 strange Ripple on quarter panel, and now all gone. You all know how much these dings annoy you , mine are all gone!!!!!

View attachment 95284

Nice! Who did you use may I ask? Would be good to have a number for when the inevitable finally happens...

 

[flying banana]

Nice! Who did you use may I ask? Would be good to have a number for when the inevitable finally happens...

. Nathan. Detailed dents based in Thorne.
Shown here on Google maps . Click the link in maps for his number.