Converted LWB Citroen Relay Camper OFF GRID ALL YEAR LIVE-IN

The conversion was designed and carried out by myself just over 2 years ago. I’m a carpenter and furniture designer and when I converted the van my job was building small off-grid homes. I’ve used a lot of nice materials including sheeps wool and a range of beautiful woods while also keeping the weight down. The space was meticulously designed to be comfortable, flexible and to cover all my essential needs. I’ve lived in it, worked in it, travelled in it, transported materials, taken it to festivals, campsites, hiking trips, cycling trips… it’s been ideal for all occasions. Most of the electrical system was installed by an electrician friend. This van was designed for year round off-grid living. Its been super-comfortable the whole time I’ve been in it, including 2 winters in the east coast of Scotland. In fact, the best times I’ve had in this van have been in the winter. I’ve got lots of accessories, equipment, cooking utensils, bedding, cushions and all sorts purchased specifically for this van which you’re welcome to buy too (for super cheap). You could literally move into this van or take off on an adventure immediately.

Here’s some more details of the conversion…..
Kitchen- small worktop space for prep, small gas hob/oven with a small gas locker with 2 gas bottles, a large sink and drying rack with some very useful accessories, a 25L chest fridge which runs off the 12v system, loads of room for storing food and cooking equipment, roof vent with fan above the cooking area for efficient air extraction. Under the sink there’s a 30L fresh water tank and a 20L grey water tank or there a valve which can allow the sink to drain directly out of the van if you’re in the right situation.

Electrics and heating- 12v system running off 2x 150w solar panels with a 225AH leisure battery (2 years old). They’re connected via a Renology b2b charger meaning both the vans engine and solar panels can charge the leisure battery and if the vans engine battery is low the panels will also charge that. There’s also an 600w pure sine wave inverter for running small 240v appliances (like a laptop charger or a small blender). I’ve also installed a Chinese Diesel heater. It gets the van nice and toasty very quickly while making sure the insulation stays dry. Even during the winter I was only using about 10L of diesel to keep me warm for a whole week. I took time making sure I got the lighting right in this van. There’s loads of good options in there for creating a good atmosphere whether you’re relaxing, cooking or working or whatever else.

Storage, furniture and other features- Before moving into the van I was worried about storage, but in reality there were entire drawers and cupboards that were barely even used. There’s loads of space conveniently placed. The dining table (in flamed sycamore) slides out from under the bed. The seats have built-in storage beneath and behind. Sliding-door cupboards beside the bed and above the kitchen. Some open shelves for books, and handy things. Shoe rack beside the door. A wee slide out table (in Scottish Elm) beside the door so you can sit and enjoy your coffee. The garage space is accessible from the front or back. I rebuilt the bulkhead so that you can open a sliding window and door through to the cab to allow more light during the day but can be closed off for heat and privacy at night. You can also squeeze through to the cab if it pouring down outside. There’s a wee portable toilet tucked into it own space which I barely used but good to have for emergencies. There’s also a large sky-light above the bed which works great in tandem with the kitchen skylight/fan for airflow. There’s custom-made pads for all three windows for further insulation at night and for privacy. From outside you’d barely know someones in the van so it’s quite easy to park up discretely for the night in more built up places.

I could go on forever about the features and specs of this van, but you should really just come see it yourself. Or contact me with questions if you’re interested in buying the camper. I’ve got lots more pictures too.

For transparency and to avoid wasting anyones time, here’s some of the defects of this van (remember its 15 years old)…
-Citroen really messed up the factory paint job with this model of van. The top coat flakes off of the primer mostly at the front of the van. It doesn’t bother me, but you could get it re-painted
-The steering column can click a little when you steer. It comes and goes. Not a major issue as fas as I’m aware. I had the top struts and steering mounts replaced a couple of years ago to stop the clicking but it made no difference.
-The rear bulb connectors and bulb sensor can be a little temperamental. French vehicles are famous for electrical issues. Currently the lighting fault symbol is lit up on the dashboard even though all bulbs are working. There has been a time where a one of the rear bulb connectors needed a little wiggle to get the warning light to go out.
-the rear doors hinges are a bit slack and should be oiled a few times a year. I’ll give you the oil and show you what to do. I think any older van has some door issues.
-The central locking on the rear doors also doesn’t work, but it works perfectly fine with the key. It’s really not a hassle, but you could get the lock mechanism fixed. I can show you the part and tell you how to do it.
-The windscreen has some light corrosion near the corners (doesn’t seems to have worsened while I’ve had it). It also has a small stone chip (hasn’t worsened) and has some light arc scratches from the wipers. It’s really not much.
-one of the glove boxes handles has been broken before I bought it. There’s plenty more storage in the front cab. I’ve not missed it. The side cushioning in the drivers seat is a wee bit worn and torn prior to me owning it. Mostly an aesthetic problem. If it bothers you you could buy a seat cover or have part of the seat re-upholstered.
-one of the features of the battery monitor doesn’t work. It doesn’t show the correct percentage of the battery, but it does show the correct voltage, which is more useful for knowing the status of the battery
-the driver window button is loose. It still works. Its just that the button can fall out of the mechanism. You could buy a new button if you wanted to.

There’s probably more issues as it is a 15 year old well used van and I don’t have much knowledge of the vans history but ultimately it’s done me really well for the 3 years that I’ve owned it. I’ve had a superb time with it and I put some serious effort into designing a highly functional and comfortable place to live in. I’ve looked after it and its looked after me. If you do the same I’m sure it’ll do you well too.