Update 03/09/2020 WARNING!!! Before buying any ex Ambulance check the V5 to see if the vehicle category is M1 or M2! If it is that is really bad as the van will be taxed as a car (instead of a Van) so the VED is based on its emissions typically that puts it into band L or M and over £500 a year in VED!!!! earlier updates: I completely forgot to mention a very useful couple of external features. External lights and Cameras! Most Ambulances but especially A&E versions have Scene and Alley lights fitted. My Scene lights are Led, bright and very rugged, I have them wired to the reversing lights and to an interior switch by the door. This combination is very versatile and useful. I have the alley lights wired to a switch by my drivers seat, I use these a lot when in tight spaces. My van was originally fitted with four cctv cameras, often the central recorder has been removed but the cameras and related wiring if still intact can be useful especially the rear camera. Also don’t be surprised when real Ambulance crews wave or flash their blues at you, wave back they deserve it! From a distance even a decommed Ambulance still looks like one
lol we chuckle also when Police cars flash us out of junctions and give us priority in road calming areas only to realise... oh! We have chatted to a couple of ambulance crews who were on breaks (pre- Covid) and they were quite happy to swap walkrounds and stories. And obviously at the moment everybody loves the NHS, so courtesy from other road users has been pleasant. We have our Scene lights on a switch in the Saloon also, which is really helpful. Unfortunately ours are Bulb and not LED’s though! (future upgrade) One other thing you mentioned which is really good advice is trying to have a Modular body with a ramp at the rear which does not act as the rear O/S ‘door’. Removing the ramp was trouble enough, can’t imagine having to rebuild a whole panel to fill it! And of course it’s lovely to have those ‘Instagram views’ with both doors opening out to a gorgeous view 🤣 We still can’t decide on whether to make a walkthrough to the cab... Practicality says yes sometimes, but Security firmly says No. (although we note how you have overcome that very well) Probably it will just come down to the layout of the front-end we eventually settle on. (A nice long work surface would be a real QOL addition for food prep etc!) And yes, doing it before initial build would have been more sensible but we just couldn’t know for sure until we’d lived with the interior space awhile) Finally, what a Modular Ambulance DOES give you (if it’s part of your layout planning) is a 6’ 2” width bed with space for headboard and footboard without compromising on wall insulation / a 6 foot high ceiling, and again, a complete box with no curves or wheel arches to contend with. It’s a high body, the *bottom* of our side window is more than peoples head height, but the drop down steps and grab rails shouldn’t be an obstacle to people with reasonable mobility to get in, but it’s narrow on the side door (ours is hinged and not sliding) and you won’t get a pram or wheelchair in. But in Service this door is actually labelled as an emergency exit anyway. The main downsides maybe for a conversion is that there are no ‘off the shelf’ made to measure parts available. Furniture, exterior ladders, even spare wheel brackets are all for H1/ H2 Sprinters panel vans. And making an awning bracket is still beyond our capabilities (so we are going to build a roof patio with big umbrella 😀) So you will have to build most things from scratch or adapt universal things to fit. Lighting, heating, windows, air con are ✅ So it all balances out. Anyway, i’m the one who talks too much but my enthusiasm just comes from being there on day one on hands and knees hunting down syringes, blue gloves and 10 years of crud, through the sterilising, planning, stripping out and creation of our own home. It’s not for everyone, and an Ambulance won’t suit the Stealth hunters! And on occasion ‘real’ Motorhome owners in their £30k+ Plastic Palaces will look down their noses at you when you pull up onto a site, but hey... we love our Ambi and one day we’ll likely mention our Motorhome cost 4x theirs! ✌️
hi, having purchased a UV Modular 2008 Sprinter ex A&E ambulance in August last year, it was really interesting to hear your educated views on Modular builds. At time of purchase we had no idea of what to expect but having now lived with (and lived in) since December 2019, (after a 10 week basic working build) it seems we lucked out with our chosen Ambi. The complexity of the electrical system cannot be understated and for most people, complete removal is indeed the most viable option. Fortunately we have an electrician on hand who has ;and continually) got to grips with how the Genesis/Phoenix system works. The bottom line, as you rightly stated, is that an Ambulance wants to be an Ambulance and doesn’t know how to be anything else- it certainly has no sympathy for anyone wishing to reuse it as a Motorhome/Event van. Insulation is of course a major consideration also for comfortable living and again, UV Modular seem to have done an amazing job. While fully prepared to redo this, the only insulation we have deemed necessary has been to the floor (vinyl sheet insulation + 9mm ply underneath our vinyl tiles). The Unwin rails we simply filled with foam spray insulation. The end result is that a couple of dehumidifier devices has taken of any excess moisture from the air. In Winter, the Saloon remained warm enough (using the Eberspacher heater) and today, at 30 degrees with the cab area brutally hot, the living area remains reasonably comfortable. External Storage is unique to each bodybuilder and once you know your Ambulances, it’s easy to identify the builder just by the size and location of the external locker doors. Undoubtedly some layouts are better than others for personal use. It’s worth REALLY looking at the layout before choosing one. The build quality of the internal fixings and cupboards are excellent and even though we stripped out the rear to accommodate a raised double bed, we have subsequently reused probably 80% of the stainless steel bolts, brackets and cupboards. The decommissioning of our Ambulance again seems to have been minimal and with the acquisition of a replacement dashboard Phoenix unit, all the lights, Run Lock system, heaters and Sirens are fully operational. The saloon was almost entirely unmolested with air con, heater and lighting all working as before. Anyway, as long as you have the license and more than a basic understanding of electrical circuits AND a streak of creativity (and after all don’t all self-builders?) then a vehicle which originally cost (according to our invoices from the NHS) £146,000 even before all the medical equipment was installed, is a solid and wonderful box to work with. It’s been so much fun! We recommend UV Modular bodies (RIP) and of course the awesome Mercedes Benz chassis that pulls it along. 😀 btw our vehicle had 302,000 miles, was on engine #2 and cost us £3000 after tax. We have since spent another £12k and every week we make improvements over the initial build. We also have enjoyed all the videos on this channel and have referenced them many times to our electrician. So thank you and especially for this great overview. Stay safe!
Cassandra Sheridan Thanks for that perhaps we will meet up one day and swap notes! I was planning on having a Genisys/Phoenix boot camp here in my field this year but a certain event has delayed that, maybe next year.
Cassandra Sheridan PS do you follow dogs in a pickle on Instagram, they were here all last week. Their box build wise is the best I have worked on to date but there wasn’t a builders plate on it. I don’t know if it is a McNellie or UV or something else?
Steven Maloney my sprinters revenue weight on the V5 is 5000kg so it’s taxation class is phgv and tax is £165 last time I weighed it, it was 3960kg with me and a tank of fuel. It’s probably now around 43-4400kg when we set off on a trip. My Crafter when new was 3500kg but was uprated by svtech using air suspension etc to 3850kg so would also be phgv however I will probably down plate it back to 3500kg so Karen can also drive it, tax for it as a plg van is £260
A well informed video that demonstrates the pro’s & cons of buying an ambulance to convert. You’re quiet clearly someone that has done this a number of times before and by sharing your knowledge, this is bound to be appreciated for the novices amongst us. I feel this is a must watch for any individual thinking of buying a PTS, A&E or Charity ambulance. 👍
Well. Bud.. You are braver than me..? I would never attack an Ambo.. As you know at brightwells, depending from what aeria the ambo comes from, they all have different levels of de-commission, I have watched they take the board off the genesis system and just cut wires and they don't know what and where they are for.. then the van does not start anymore and the sell them as none runners..? Ho.. I do watch every video you do, even Trace's.. Cheers Bud.. Kev
Wondering Womble Hi Kev you do people a really good service with your regular overviews at Brightwells, it would be very unusual to end up with a non runner through cutting any of the cables specifically for Genisys or Phoenix however if that led to blown fuses or they went at some of the separate battery isolator circuits in the same way then who knows! CJ obviously has documented the grief he had but I am pretty sure his had a proprietor system in Amber. I may be doing brightwells a disservice with my comments but I watch them on your videos and just think what a pity!
I have told Brightwells over and over, They have fired the one lad for the deep gouges.. But Brightwells say they have to do what they have to do and keep the price down for de-commission.. The have also close down altogether some of the other auction that they had there.. They have said that the way they are selling them now with online bidding only, and no viewing, they are bringing better prices and selling more, they are thinking they will keep it that way and move the auction to their Madley Dept..? I will try again in September to start the videos up, but without me seeing the vans, I dont really no what I would be talking about..
Hi Steve.. YES eye is allot better.. Haahaha.. I just commented on Griffins reply..? It look like Brightwells might not re-open the open auction and they are thinking of moving the auction to their Madley site..? I do miss doing that video.. Cheers Steve
Thank you for a very interesting and enlightening video you have really opened my eyes I have been thinking of converting a modular ambulance for some time now and now i know some of the pros and cons it has made my decision easier thank you very much and look forward to more content from your channel best regards from me ROBERT
Absolutely loved watching this video, I'm due to buy a ex ambulance next week. It's a mk6 2001 transit 10k miles used as a private ambulance on the jaguar plant it has a fiberglass back and looks stunning......anything I should look out for ?
I don’t know a great deal about Transits other than they are probably the most often stolen van so have you got a decent insurance quote yet. I have only worked on a couple of fibreglass bodied vans, on a papworth for example the sliding doors aren’t very substantial take a good look at how well the doors fit and close are the seals doing a god job is there enough clearance to insulate the doors, are the locks decent or flimsy etc. Try to establish how the vans framed (if your lucky it will be aluminium) and lined inside the roof framing will need to support stuff solar panels etc once located, chances are it’s got sod all insulation anyway so are the lining panels thick enough to reuse or will they break up and need binning. On a vehicle that age the electrics will probably be relatively simple to remove or cannibalise for re use however being fibreglass the biggest pita is the need to run extra cabling everywhere for ground feeds so take that extra length into account when working out cable sizes for any given current. Good luck with it, when it arrives please do a little video on UA-cam and let me know as I would like to see it. 10k is extraordinary I had a 2002 Renault Master here a while ago with 22k on the clock which was in very good condition.
footnote: Road fund tax is £165 per annum, and is registered as a Private HGV / Van with Windows. Our application for Motorhome Class was rejected by the DVLA. They were entirely satisfied with the interior requirements, however they do not consider its external appearance to be a Motorhome. But that’s okay, one day we will change the colour, add an awning and put some stickers on!
Do you mean the TV type? Yes some people do use CCTV to get an outside view, especially stealth vans without any windows at all! If I redo WAS I will probably replace the tinted windows with clear overlander style opening windows because unfortunately my van is an example of another problem some ex Ambulances have, which I forgot to mention in the video. Mine does not have any opening windows except for the skylight and that is not good enough for good ventilation,
@@CriftinsCampers no that's cool I meant something similar to a smart window type picture Frame or something similar Which somehow mimics natural light
All Ambulances are a class IV Mot same as Motor Caravans. You do have to have a valid MOT and the vehicle also has to be insured and Taxed before you can apply to change the taxation class from Ambulance to PHGV. A MOT tester will test a vehicle 'as presented' so if it still appears to be an Ambulance he will do it as class IV ditto if its interior is sufficient finished to appear to be a Motor Caravan its class IV. If however it's now just a gutted empty shell then the MOT tester may decide it is being presented as a commercial vehicle and he may refuse to do it as class IV, then you could end up going elsewhere or to an HGV test station, it is down to his discretion. When taking a heavy vehicle for a class IV MOT not all test stations can physically handle them, they will need a decent ramp or a pit and a high enough door to drive through! That is why sometimes people end up at Class VII or HGV test stations because they have the extra capacity but the vehicle still gets tested as class IV.
Thankyou so much for your video. It was so informative and has given me some useful tips. You mentioned buying an ambulance from an events company. Would you be able to recommend any?
Some companies sell their vans via this FB group "Ambulance & Response Cars (RRV's) for Sale (Uk)" and they are usually more complete than the often badly vandalised (aka the so called decommissioning process) things sold via the two main auction houses.
Well i've just watched it for the 3rd time and i still can't find anything to disagree with :( and i do so like to disagree with other people opinions, shame on you sir ;) I often find myself creating a work around for the phoenix system and mumbling to myself "should have just listened to fooking Criftins" LOL but i'm a stubborn Bstd and got some workarounds that work for me, i still agree ripping out would be easyer though ! and yes it's useless for a camper ! As usuall it was informative, to the point and valuble !
DirtDiggler The main thing to check is the parasitic load from Phoenix it’s typically about 1.3A an hour so as long as it can be isolated then that’s manageable, the other inconvenience is the lights switches often these are non latching push buttons run using very thin cables so not easy to repurpose and not easy to rewire if not gutting the van. I think the only way they could be used independently is via operating self latching relays.
@@CriftinsCampers Cheers chap :) I control the phoenix using a VSR to shut it down after i switch off, it did come with a master kill switch but then i'd need to remember to actually shut it off (already ruined 2 new batterys ) DOH, tested the draw, 1.5 ish amps on and idle, 0.3 when off, i got rid off the .3 amp draw by removing the intercom and GPS tracker ! TBH i'm only using the phoenix for running items like allyway lights, front light bar (using the grill lights button and wiring to trigger a H/D relay to power it), i can turn the heater on from it or from the leasure system (just using and on/on switch to switch to the alt power supply to the heater, that way i can preheat the back before i get to camp and switch over to the leasure batterys when parked up, oh and the scene arrival mode so i can run the engine whilst outside with it locked, no key in it and the throttle disconnected for the odd revovery job i do (usually jump starting vehical or remote powering the odd boat ! ), i just copyed the way a local recovery company use them. I'm certainly NOT going the easy or simplest route so your vids really do come in usefull, not many places to reserch ambulances, the last one i fully converted was 25 years ago and that just had a shedload of relays and normal switches LOL Cheers again for all the effort you put into the vids, i try but i'm pretty crap at it TBH LOL i mainly make them so i can remember what the hell i did ;)
DirtDiggler That’s a really good idea to use a VSR, I didn’t think of that! 👍 I see a potential flaw though! I use a small Sterling power b2b type gadget to trickle charge the chassis battery from solar, it’s output is typically around one volt lower than the aux bank so for my own setup there’s the possibility the vsr would be regularly randomly false triggering during the day. I have fitted a manual isolation switch to my Genisys system which I turn on before starting up, the one thing I hate about the Genisys system is the fake chassis battery low verbal warning when the glow plugs are warming up. A vsr would (assuming the battery voltage was below its trigger threshold) would prevent that . I have a 115mA constant parasitic load on my chassis battery so the trickle charger is very useful. Yep a lot of my videos are for my reference often refer back to earlier ones of the Crafter to check stuff.
@@CriftinsCampers I have a DCC50S that does the same, fortunatly the transit comes from the factory with a splitcharge system and 2 batterys seperated by an ign controled relay so i put the DCC to the chassis battery that gets the parasitic load and the seperate starter battery goes to the phoenix splitter solenoids and sensor, so far all's been well :) another pluss is both van batterys are connected for the glow plugs so even if the chassis battery is low the starter battery helps it out with the GP load, i also got rid of the speaker after a surprise low fuel level warning that resulted in a bump on the old nogging ! After sorting all that battery wiring i need the vid to explain to myself what i now have !, 4 battery banks, 4 split charge controls, 3 charging systems, 2 ways to power all the acc in the rear ect ect , next i need to see if i can get the shore charger to charge the lesure system as at the moment it's isolated from the Phoenix system (possably no bad thing) when the Ign is off.
Thanks for such a detailed video. Is the box/modular ambulance a good base to work from to build a camper for a family of 4? Not full time living, just holidays. What does it cost to get a C1 license?
No idea what it cost to do a C1 sorry. As four sleeping four no doubt it can be done but personally I would be looking at buying something a lot longer or larger e.g. a Luton or an XLWB Iveco daily or Sprinter van for example. If the kids are small another van option is the extra highroof ducato plenty of height for bunkbeds and even space for a small be above the cab. Even if ruling out a shower and toilet, trying to accommodate 4 people and provide 4 beds, storage and cooking facilities etc in a space 3.6x2x2M which is typically the size of a modular ambulance would be a challenge. It would definitely be useful to have a cab door as the extra space and seat to get two people out of the way would be very handy. I have three sons if we had gone done the motorhome route 20 years ago it would have been in the biggest van or Luton I could find! Good luck
Hi, loved the video, thanks. I am just planning a project with my son and you have covered some considerations that I would never have thought off. I have a few questions if you have time, you mention that the conversion of a modular ambulance is a 'long' term project, what do you consider to be long term? How many man hours would you give as a rough estimate? Thanks again.
That's impossible to answer it depends on too many variables, the planned usage all year or just at certain times when the lack of adequate insulation may not matter, ones personal build standards and desired finish, the condition of the base vehicle both Mechanically and as an Ambo & obviously the budget! I spent about 5 months building WAS spending 3-4 days a week on it, having now used it anger I now know I should have added a lot more insulation! I have owned the Crafter for 2 years now and I am still at the stage of insulating it! I do maybe an odd day or two every now and then in-between other interests so I am not in any rush to finish it. However when done it will incorporate everything I have learnt from the ongoing experiment that WAS is.
@@CriftinsCampers Thanks for that, I will only be wanting to use it from May through September, but I take your point in the video about the van getting to hot in the summer. It sounds like it would be doable for the 2 of us to get a one ready for end of May/June, especially as we wont mind using it before it is fully fitted out. Do you bother with an awning for additional space? If you do, have you got any tips on choosing one.
@@agedhippy2407 We have a Fiamma wind out awning which we have only used very infrequently so far. Our type of preferred parkups mean an awning room type would be a liability and I have no experience of them. They seem quite impractical unless staying at a camp site. It's not considered good etiquette to use them when wild camping and can cause friction with other people trying to park.
@@CriftinsCampers thanks again, I expect my son will use it similar to yourself, but my wife and I will probably stay at simple camp sites, so I will investigate awnings further.
Update 03/09/2020
WARNING!!!
Before buying any ex Ambulance check the V5 to see if the vehicle category is M1 or M2!
If it is that is really bad as the van will be taxed as a car (instead of a Van) so the VED is based on its emissions typically that puts it into band L or M and over £500 a year in VED!!!!
earlier updates:
I completely forgot to mention a very useful couple of external features. External lights and Cameras!
Most Ambulances but especially A&E versions have Scene and Alley lights fitted.
My Scene lights are Led, bright and very rugged, I have them wired to the reversing lights and to an interior switch by the door.
This combination is very versatile and useful. I have the alley lights wired to a switch by my drivers seat, I use these a lot when in tight spaces.
My van was originally fitted with four cctv cameras, often the central recorder has been removed but the cameras and related wiring if still intact can be useful especially the rear camera.
Also don’t be surprised when real Ambulance crews wave or flash their blues at you, wave back they deserve it! From a distance even a decommed Ambulance still looks like one
lol we chuckle also when Police cars flash us out of junctions and give us priority in road calming areas only to realise... oh!
We have chatted to a couple of ambulance crews who were on breaks (pre- Covid) and they were quite happy to swap walkrounds and stories. And obviously at the moment everybody loves the NHS, so courtesy from other road users has been pleasant.
We have our Scene lights on a switch in the Saloon also, which is really helpful. Unfortunately ours are Bulb and not LED’s though! (future upgrade)
One other thing you mentioned which is really good advice is trying to have a Modular body with a ramp at the rear which does not act as the rear O/S ‘door’. Removing the ramp was trouble enough, can’t imagine having to rebuild a whole panel to fill it!
And of course it’s lovely to have those ‘Instagram views’ with both doors opening out to a gorgeous view 🤣
We still can’t decide on whether to make a walkthrough to the cab... Practicality says yes sometimes, but Security firmly says No. (although we note how you have overcome that very well)
Probably it will just come down to the layout of the front-end we eventually settle on. (A nice long work surface would be a real QOL addition for food prep etc!) And yes, doing it before initial build would have been more sensible but we just couldn’t know for sure until we’d lived with the interior space awhile)
Finally, what a Modular Ambulance DOES give you (if it’s part of your layout planning) is a 6’ 2” width bed with space for headboard and footboard without compromising on wall insulation / a 6 foot high ceiling, and again, a complete box with no curves or wheel arches to contend with.
It’s a high body, the *bottom* of our side window is more than peoples head height, but the drop down steps and grab rails shouldn’t be an obstacle to people with reasonable mobility to get in, but it’s narrow on the side door (ours is hinged and not sliding) and you won’t get a pram or wheelchair in. But in Service this door is actually labelled as an emergency exit anyway.
The main downsides maybe for a conversion is that there are no ‘off the shelf’ made to measure parts available. Furniture, exterior ladders, even spare wheel brackets are all for H1/ H2 Sprinters panel vans. And making an awning bracket is still beyond our capabilities (so we are going to build a roof patio with big umbrella 😀)
So you will have to build most things from scratch or adapt universal things to fit.
Lighting, heating, windows, air con are ✅ So it all balances out.
Anyway, i’m the one who talks too much but my enthusiasm just comes from being there on day one on hands and knees hunting down syringes, blue gloves and 10 years of crud, through the sterilising, planning, stripping out and creation of our own home.
It’s not for everyone, and an Ambulance won’t suit the Stealth hunters!
And on occasion ‘real’ Motorhome owners in their £30k+ Plastic Palaces will look down their noses at you when you pull up onto a site, but hey... we love our Ambi and one day we’ll likely mention our Motorhome cost 4x theirs!
✌️
Morrison's supermarket vans as well
We have just bought a 2011 box off a Mercedes.....would you definitely insulate and board out?
@@siancarroll3801 They vary greatly, who was the original converter?
hi, having purchased a UV Modular 2008 Sprinter ex A&E ambulance in August last year, it was really interesting to hear your educated views on Modular builds. At time of purchase we had no idea of what to expect but having now lived with (and lived in) since December 2019, (after a 10 week basic working build) it seems we lucked out with our chosen Ambi.
The complexity of the electrical system cannot be understated and for most people, complete removal is indeed the most viable option.
Fortunately we have an electrician on hand who has ;and continually) got to grips with how the Genesis/Phoenix system works. The bottom line, as you rightly stated, is that an Ambulance wants to be an Ambulance and doesn’t know how to be anything else- it certainly has no sympathy for anyone wishing to reuse it as a Motorhome/Event van. Insulation is of course a major consideration also for comfortable living and again, UV Modular seem to have done an amazing job. While fully prepared to redo this, the only insulation we have deemed necessary has been to the floor (vinyl sheet insulation + 9mm ply underneath our vinyl tiles). The Unwin rails we simply filled with foam spray insulation. The end result is that a couple of dehumidifier devices has taken of any excess moisture from the air. In Winter, the Saloon remained warm enough (using the Eberspacher heater) and today, at 30 degrees with the cab area brutally hot, the living area remains reasonably comfortable. External Storage is unique to each bodybuilder and once you know your Ambulances, it’s easy to identify the builder just by the size and location of the external locker doors. Undoubtedly some layouts are better than others for personal use. It’s worth REALLY looking at the layout before choosing one. The build quality of the internal fixings and cupboards are excellent and even though we stripped out the rear to accommodate a raised double bed, we have subsequently reused probably 80% of the stainless steel bolts, brackets and cupboards. The decommissioning of our Ambulance again seems to have been minimal and with the acquisition of a replacement dashboard Phoenix unit, all the lights, Run Lock system, heaters and Sirens are fully operational. The saloon was almost entirely unmolested with air con, heater and lighting all working as before. Anyway, as long as you have the license and more than a basic understanding of electrical circuits AND a streak of creativity (and after all don’t all self-builders?) then a vehicle which originally cost (according to our invoices from the NHS) £146,000 even before all the medical equipment was installed, is a solid and wonderful box to work with.
It’s been so much fun!
We recommend UV Modular bodies (RIP) and of course the awesome Mercedes Benz chassis that pulls it along. 😀 btw our vehicle had 302,000 miles, was on engine #2 and cost us £3000 after tax. We have since spent another £12k and every week we make improvements over the initial build. We also have enjoyed all the videos on this channel and have referenced them many times to our electrician. So thank you and especially for this great overview. Stay safe!
Cassandra Sheridan Thanks for that perhaps we will meet up one day and swap notes!
I was planning on having a Genisys/Phoenix boot camp here in my field this year but a certain event has delayed that, maybe next year.
Cassandra Sheridan PS do you follow dogs in a pickle on Instagram, they were here all last week.
Their box build wise is the best I have worked on to date but there wasn’t a builders plate on it.
I don’t know if it is a McNellie or UV or something else?
Just googled a few and yes theirs is definitely a UV modular body so that’s the mystery solved, thanks for the reminder.
Steven Maloney my sprinters revenue weight on the V5 is 5000kg so it’s taxation class is phgv and tax is £165 last time I weighed it, it was 3960kg with me and a tank of fuel. It’s probably now around 43-4400kg when we set off on a trip.
My Crafter when new was 3500kg but was uprated by svtech using air suspension etc to 3850kg so would also be phgv however I will probably down plate it back to 3500kg so Karen can also drive it, tax for it as a plg van is £260
A well informed video that demonstrates the pro’s & cons of buying an ambulance to convert. You’re quiet clearly someone that has done this a number of times before and by sharing your knowledge, this is bound to be appreciated for the novices amongst us. I feel this is a must watch for any individual thinking of buying a PTS, A&E or Charity ambulance. 👍
Sunnycampers Thanks Paul much appreciated
Well. Bud.. You are braver than me..? I would never attack an Ambo.. As you know at brightwells, depending from what aeria the ambo comes from, they all have different levels of de-commission, I have watched they take the board off the genesis system and just cut wires and they don't know what and where they are for.. then the van does not start anymore and the sell them as none runners..? Ho.. I do watch every video you do, even Trace's.. Cheers Bud.. Kev
Wondering Womble Hi Kev you do people a really good service with your regular overviews at Brightwells, it would be very unusual to end up with a non runner through cutting any of the cables specifically for Genisys or Phoenix however if that led to blown fuses or they went at some of the separate battery isolator circuits in the same way then who knows!
CJ obviously has documented the grief he had but I am pretty sure his had a proprietor system in Amber.
I may be doing brightwells a disservice with my comments but I watch them on your videos and just think what a pity!
I have told Brightwells over and over, They have fired the one lad for the deep gouges.. But Brightwells say they have to do what they have to do and keep the price down for de-commission..
The have also close down altogether some of the other auction that they had there..
They have said that the way they are selling them now with online bidding only, and no viewing, they are bringing better prices and selling more, they are thinking they will keep it that way and move the auction to their Madley Dept..?
I will try again in September to start the videos up, but without me seeing the vans, I dont really no what I would be talking about..
Hi Steve.. YES eye is allot better.. Haahaha.. I just commented on Griffins reply..? It look like Brightwells might not re-open the open auction and they are thinking of moving the auction to their Madley site..? I do miss doing that video.. Cheers Steve
i'm so jealous of your hair!
david how I am now 60 and it’s hanging on in there, just a little bit of grey showing so far!
Great video packed with very useful info. Thank you.
Thanks for that.
Thank you for a very interesting and enlightening video you have really opened my eyes I have been thinking of converting a modular ambulance for some time now and now i know some of the pros and cons it has made my decision easier thank you very much and look forward to more content from your channel best regards from me ROBERT
Thanks , very good advice, very informative 😁😁
Absolutely loved watching this video, I'm due to buy a ex ambulance next week. It's a mk6 2001 transit 10k miles used as a private ambulance on the jaguar plant it has a fiberglass back and looks stunning......anything I should look out for ?
I don’t know a great deal about Transits other than they are probably the most often stolen van so have you got a decent insurance quote yet. I have only worked on a couple of fibreglass bodied vans, on a papworth for example the sliding doors aren’t very substantial take a good look at how well the doors fit and close are the seals doing a god job is there enough clearance to insulate the doors, are the locks decent or flimsy etc.
Try to establish how the vans framed (if your lucky it will be aluminium) and lined inside the roof framing will need to support stuff solar panels etc once located, chances are it’s got sod all insulation anyway so are the lining panels thick enough to reuse or will they break up and need binning.
On a vehicle that age the electrics will probably be relatively simple to remove or cannibalise for re use however being fibreglass the biggest pita is the need to run extra cabling everywhere for ground feeds so take that extra length into account when working out cable sizes for any given current.
Good luck with it, when it arrives please do a little video on UA-cam and let me know as I would like to see it.
10k is extraordinary I had a 2002 Renault Master here a while ago with 22k on the clock which was in very good condition.
footnote: Road fund tax is £165 per annum, and is registered as a Private HGV / Van with Windows. Our application for Motorhome Class was rejected by the DVLA. They were entirely satisfied with the interior requirements, however they do not consider its external appearance to be a Motorhome. But that’s okay, one day we will change the colour, add an awning and put some stickers on!
Cassandra Sheridan Yep currently £165 for phgv and £260 for plg afaik.
If you can't get the tint of window what about an aftetfical sun light window
Do you mean the TV type? Yes some people do use CCTV to get an outside view, especially stealth vans without any windows at all!
If I redo WAS I will probably replace the tinted windows with clear overlander style opening windows because unfortunately my van is an example of another problem some ex Ambulances have, which I forgot to mention in the video.
Mine does not have any opening windows except for the skylight and that is not good enough for good ventilation,
@@CriftinsCampers no that's cool I meant something similar to a smart window type picture Frame or something similar Which somehow mimics natural light
great video my friend, but loose the music, its a bit distracting , other wise very informative
Noted!
Does anyone know whom might be interested in having/buying the interior of a Boxer XLWB x ambulance
If I ever got one I'd need you to gut the electric's but I live in Northern Ireland 🤪
When MG Rover went bust I was one of the few people in the country with the MG Rover T4 Diagnostic kit, I even had one owner come here from Spain!
Do I need to test 5 ton ambulance hgv class test to get phg tax before I get round to turning it in to motorhome ?
All Ambulances are a class IV Mot same as Motor Caravans. You do have to have a valid MOT and the vehicle also has to be insured and Taxed before you can apply to change the taxation class from Ambulance to PHGV.
A MOT tester will test a vehicle 'as presented' so if it still appears to be an Ambulance he will do it as class IV ditto if its interior is sufficient finished to appear to be a Motor Caravan its class IV.
If however it's now just a gutted empty shell then the MOT tester may decide it is being presented as a commercial vehicle and he may refuse to do it as class IV, then you could end up going elsewhere or to an HGV test station, it is down to his discretion.
When taking a heavy vehicle for a class IV MOT not all test stations can physically handle them, they will need a decent ramp or a pit and a high enough door to drive through! That is why sometimes people end up at Class VII or HGV test stations because they have the extra capacity but the vehicle still gets tested as class IV.
Thankyou so much for your video. It was so informative and has given me some useful tips. You mentioned buying an ambulance from an events company. Would you be able to recommend any?
Some companies sell their vans via this FB group "Ambulance & Response Cars (RRV's) for Sale (Uk)" and they are usually more complete than the often badly vandalised (aka the so called decommissioning process) things sold via the two main auction houses.
Well i've just watched it for the 3rd time and i still can't find anything to disagree with :(
and i do so like to disagree with other people opinions, shame on you sir ;)
I often find myself creating a work around for the phoenix system and mumbling to myself "should have just listened to fooking Criftins" LOL but i'm a stubborn Bstd and got some workarounds that work for me, i still agree ripping out would be easyer though ! and yes it's useless for a camper !
As usuall it was informative, to the point and valuble !
DirtDiggler The main thing to check is the parasitic load from Phoenix it’s typically about 1.3A an hour so as long as it can be isolated then that’s manageable, the other inconvenience is the lights switches often these are non latching push buttons run using very thin cables so not easy to repurpose and not easy to rewire if not gutting the van.
I think the only way they could be used independently is via operating self latching relays.
@@CriftinsCampers Cheers chap :)
I control the phoenix using a VSR to shut it down after i switch off, it did come with a master kill switch but then i'd need to remember to actually shut it off (already ruined 2 new batterys ) DOH, tested the draw, 1.5 ish amps on and idle, 0.3 when off, i got rid off the .3 amp draw by removing the intercom and GPS tracker !
TBH i'm only using the phoenix for running items like allyway lights, front light bar (using the grill lights button and wiring to trigger a H/D relay to power it), i can turn the heater on from it or from the leasure system (just using and on/on switch to switch to the alt power supply to the heater, that way i can preheat the back before i get to camp and switch over to the leasure batterys when parked up, oh and the scene arrival mode so i can run the engine whilst outside with it locked, no key in it and the throttle disconnected for the odd revovery job i do (usually jump starting vehical or remote powering the odd boat ! ), i just copyed the way a local recovery company use them.
I'm certainly NOT going the easy or simplest route so your vids really do come in usefull, not many places to reserch ambulances, the last one i fully converted was 25 years ago and that just had a shedload of relays and normal switches LOL
Cheers again for all the effort you put into the vids, i try but i'm pretty crap at it TBH LOL i mainly make them so i can remember what the hell i did ;)
DirtDiggler That’s a really good idea to use a VSR, I didn’t think of that! 👍
I see a potential flaw though! I use a small Sterling power b2b type gadget to trickle charge the chassis battery from solar, it’s output is typically around one volt lower than the aux bank so for my own setup there’s the possibility the vsr would be regularly randomly false triggering during the day.
I have fitted a manual isolation switch to my Genisys system which I turn on before starting up, the one thing I hate about the Genisys system is the fake chassis battery low verbal warning when the glow plugs are warming up. A vsr would (assuming the battery voltage was below its trigger threshold) would prevent that .
I have a 115mA constant parasitic load on my chassis battery so the trickle charger is very useful.
Yep a lot of my videos are for my reference often refer back to earlier ones of the Crafter to check stuff.
@@CriftinsCampers I have a DCC50S that does the same, fortunatly the transit comes from the factory with a splitcharge system and 2 batterys seperated by an ign controled relay so i put the DCC to the chassis battery that gets the parasitic load and the seperate starter battery goes to the phoenix splitter solenoids and sensor, so far all's been well :) another pluss is both van batterys are connected for the glow plugs so even if the chassis battery is low the starter battery helps it out with the GP load, i also got rid of the speaker after a surprise low fuel level warning that resulted in a bump on the old nogging !
After sorting all that battery wiring i need the vid to explain to myself what i now have !, 4 battery banks, 4 split charge controls, 3 charging systems, 2 ways to power all the acc in the rear ect ect , next i need to see if i can get the shore charger to charge the lesure system as at the moment it's isolated from the Phoenix system (possably no bad thing) when the Ign is off.
Thanks for such a detailed video. Is the box/modular ambulance a good base to work from to build a camper for a family of 4? Not full time living, just holidays. What does it cost to get a C1 license?
No idea what it cost to do a C1 sorry.
As four sleeping four no doubt it can be done but personally I would be looking at buying something a lot longer or larger e.g. a Luton or an XLWB Iveco daily or Sprinter van for example.
If the kids are small another van option is the extra highroof ducato plenty of height for bunkbeds and even space for a small be above the cab.
Even if ruling out a shower and toilet, trying to accommodate 4 people and provide 4 beds, storage and cooking facilities etc in a space 3.6x2x2M which is typically the size of a modular ambulance would be a challenge. It would definitely be useful to have a cab door as the extra space and seat to get two people out of the way would be very handy.
I have three sons if we had gone done the motorhome route 20 years ago it would have been in the biggest van or Luton I could find!
Good luck
Hi, loved the video, thanks. I am just planning a project with my son and you have covered some considerations that I would never have thought off. I have a few questions if you have time, you mention that the conversion of a modular ambulance is a 'long' term project, what do you consider to be long term? How many man hours would you give as a rough estimate? Thanks again.
That's impossible to answer it depends on too many variables, the planned usage all year or just at certain times when the lack of adequate insulation may not matter, ones personal build standards and desired finish, the condition of the base vehicle both Mechanically and as an Ambo & obviously the budget!
I spent about 5 months building WAS spending 3-4 days a week on it, having now used it anger I now know I should have added a lot more insulation!
I have owned the Crafter for 2 years now and I am still at the stage of insulating it! I do maybe an odd day or two every now and then in-between other interests so I am not in any rush to finish it. However when done it will incorporate everything I have learnt from the ongoing experiment that WAS is.
@@CriftinsCampers Thanks for that, I will only be wanting to use it from May through September, but I take your point in the video about the van getting to hot in the summer. It sounds like it would be doable for the 2 of us to get a one ready for end of May/June, especially as we wont mind using it before it is fully fitted out. Do you bother with an awning for additional space? If you do, have you got any tips on choosing one.
@@agedhippy2407 We have a Fiamma wind out awning which we have only used very infrequently so far. Our type of preferred parkups mean an awning room type would be a liability and I have no experience of them. They seem quite impractical unless staying at a camp site. It's not considered good etiquette to use them when wild camping and can cause friction with other people trying to park.
@@CriftinsCampers thanks again, I expect my son will use it similar to yourself, but my wife and I will probably stay at simple camp sites, so I will investigate awnings further.
Great information, but too dramatic soundtrack