Building The Battery Box (Part 2)

This weekend I finally found time to do some more work on the cabinet in the back of the van.  My pal Terry and me spent the entire day working on it and it's still not finished, but is really taking shape now.  This is where it was when we last left it, and this is just propped up against the wall, not secured in at all.

First thing we did was to compartmentalise it so that there were specific sections for (from left to right) the 12v cool box, mains charger and leisure battery to fit into:

Then we built the rest of the framework.  This took some time as we had to cut and shape it to fit the curved wall panel.  Fortunately Tel is a professional and knew what he was up to!   A template for van furniture would have saved us hours and hours here though.  I wonder if you can get them on the net anywhere...

Then it was time to fit it onto the panel itself.  For this we used 6 fixing brackets like you use to build kitchen furniture.  This makes it really easy to take off the panel if required.

Then we put the sides and top on.  Again this took a long time as we had to cut the ply to exactly fit the contours of the van walls.  Not simple.

That is pretty much as far as we got.   We started messing around with the piano hinges we bought and after some discussion and trial and error worked out how we will fit these to make the two doors on the front, but we ran out of light to fit them.  So, still left to do:  

• Cut and fit the two doors, including latches.
• Stick the drivers side stereo speaker into the side of the cabinet.  
• Fit a double 12v socket into the side of the cabinet somewhere.  
• Figure out where the mains hook up is going to live inside all this.
• Fit a double 12v socket inside for the 12v cool box to plug into.
• Fit the split relay charge system inside somewhere.
• Wire it all together.

Hopefully we've no more than a few hours left to work on this and we're done.   I'm still hopeful it will be complete before the van goes in for the elevating roof and carpet fit at the end of March.    I might not have it veneered by then but that might be best left till it is all carpeted anyway.

Slow progress but we're getting there.