Oliver Hartwell
Mechanical & Technical Writer
Oliver is a former mechanic who now lives full-time in a Mercedes Sprinter he converted himself. He writes about vehicle maintenance, diesel heaters, van mechanics, and conversion techniques. He has rebuilt engines, wired complete electrical systems, and installed gas systems to UK safety standards.
Articles by Oliver Hartwell (59)
Starlink for Van Life UK - Complete Setup Guide 2025
Starlink for Van Life UK - Complete Setup Guide 2025 is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 150 days of rain annually.
Thetford vs Dometic Toilets - Best for UK Van Life
Thetford vs Dometic Toilets - Best for UK Van Life is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 175 days of rain annually.
LiFePO4 vs AGM Batteries - UK Van Life Power Comparison
LiFePO4 vs AGM Batteries - UK Van Life Power Comparison is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 150 days of rain annually.
Coleman vs Webasto Diesel Heaters - UK Van Life Comparison
Coleman vs Webasto Diesel Heaters - UK Van Life Comparison is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 140 days of rain annually.
Best Motorhomes for UK Van Life Under 20K - 10 Top Picks
Best Motorhomes for UK Van Life Under 20K - 10 Top Picks is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 143 days of rain annually.
Best 12V Fridges for UK Campervans - Reddit Top Picks
Best 12V Fridges for UK Campervans - Reddit Top Picks is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 174 days of rain annually.
How Long Do Solar Panels Last in UK Weather
How Long Do Solar Panels Last in UK Weather is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 145 days of rain annually.
Best Battery Monitors for Van Life UK
Best Battery Monitors for Van Life UK is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 146 days of rain annually.
How to Charge a Van Battery from Home UK
How to Charge a Van Battery from Home UK is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 180 days of rain annually.
Best Water Filters for Van Life UK
Best Water Filters for Van Life UK is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 162 days of rain annually.
Best LED Lights for Van Life UK Under £50
Best LED Lights for Van Life UK Under £50 is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 180 days of rain annually.
Autumn Foliage Van Life UK - Best Scenic Routes
Autumn Foliage Van Life UK - Best Scenic Routes is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 140 days of rain annually.
Nissan NV400 Guide
The Nissan NV400 is the badge-engineered version of the Renault Master and Vauxhall Movano. Built on the same platform at the same factory in Batilly, France, it offers the same dimensions and mechanical components as its siblings — but often at a lower price point due to Nissan's less dominant market presence in the UK van sector.
UK Standard Mattress Sizes
Getting the mattress size right is one of the most important decisions in a van conversion. A standard mattress is cheaper and easier to replace than a custom one.
Carver Cascade Windows Review
Carver Cascade windows are one of the most popular aftermarket window options for UK campervan conversions. Made in the UK by Carver Engineering (part of the Carver Group), these acrylic windows are designed specifically for panel van conversions.
V5C Logbook Updates
Your van's V5C logbook (also called the registration document) contains all the official details about your vehicle. Converting a panel van into a campervan means some of those details will change.
Rear Seatbelt Laws
If you install rear seats in your campervan, seatbelt laws apply. Getting it wrong fails MOT and endangers passengers.
Victron SmartSolar Review
meta_description: "In-depth review of the Victron SmartSolar MPPT charge controller for campervan solar systems. UK pricing, Bluetooth monitoring, real-world efficiency, and comparison with Renogy and EPEver.
Fogstar Energy LiFePO4 Battery Review
Fogstar Energy has become one of the most popular LiFePO4 battery brands in the UK campervan market. Their batteries offer a compelling mix of price, performance, and features from a UK-based company.
Webasto Air Top 2000 Review
The Webasto Air Top 2000 is a 2kW diesel heater, the main competitor to the Eberspächer Airtronic D2. - Power output: 0.
Eberspächer UK Service Guide
Eberspächer (also spelled Eberspacher or Espar) diesel heaters need regular servicing to stay reliable. Eberspächer recommends servicing every 2 years or 2,000 hours, whichever comes first.
SOG Modification Kits for Cassette Toilets
A SOG (Septic Odour Gas) kit vents your cassette toilet's waste tank to the outside, eliminating the need for chemical additives and reducing smell. A small 12v fan pulls air from the waste tank through a hose to an outside vent.
Incinerating Toilets Review
Incinerating toilets burn waste to ash using electricity or gas. No cassette, no chemicals, no emptying.
Cassette Waste Disposal Laws UK
Disposing of cassette toilet waste illegally is a criminal offence. 1.
Dometic Boiler Reviews
Dometic makes the most popular integrated water and space heating systems for UK campervans. - Dometic Hotline: Combined water heater + space heater.
Portable Waste Totes for Campervans
A waste tote is a wheeled tank that you fill from your van's grey water tank and wheel to the dump point. Essential for off-grid van life.
Best PEX Pipe Fittings UK
PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) pipe is used for campervan water systems. It is flexible, freeze-resistant, and easy to work with.
Best Water Level Gauges for Campervans
Knowing how much water you have left is essential in van life. Water level gauges prevent the nasty surprise of an empty tank mid-shower.
12V Compressor Fridges UK
A 12V compressor fridge is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade you can make to a campervan. With one, you have cold beer, fresh milk, and the ability to cook proper food without planning meals around ice pack melt times.
Refillable LPG Gas Tanks for Vans
Refillable LPG tanks save you money and hassle compared to exchange Calor bottles. A refillable tank is permanently mounted in your van (typically in a gas locker).
Peak District Spots
The Peak District is England's first national park and the most accessible for campervan owners — it sits right between Manchester, Sheffield, Derby, and Stoke-on-Trent. Over 10 million people live within an hour's drive, which means it's busy.
Slamlocks Review for Campervans
Slamlocks are a popular security upgrade for campervan rear doors and sliding doors. They replace the factory lock mechanism with a deadlock-style lock that automatically engages when the door closes.
Safe Boxes (Bolted to Chassis)
A safe bolted to your van's chassis is the best place for your passport, vehicle documents, backup credit card, and emergency cash. A thief looking for valuables in a van checks the glovebox, under the seat, and in the wardrobe.
ScorpionTrack GPS Tracking for Van Security
ScorpionTrack is the UK's leading vehicle tracking brand. Their S5 and S7 trackers are popular with campervan owners.
Causeway Coastal Route
The Causeway Coastal Route is one of the world's most scenic drives. 190 miles from Belfast to Derry along Northern Ireland's Antrim coast.
Best First Aid Kits for Vans
A first aid kit is not legally required for UK campervans but is common sense. Here is what to carry.
Campsite vs Wild Camping Costs
The biggest lever on your van life budget is where you sleep. Campsites in the UK average £20-35 per night.
Selling a Van for Profit
Van life doesn't have to cost money. If you buy a van, convert it, live in it for 6-12 months, and sell it, you can come out ahead — sometimes by £5,000-15,000.
Strangford Lough for Campervans
Strangford Lough is Northern Ireland's largest sea lough, a 33km inlet of the Irish Sea surrounded by rolling drumlins and dotted with islands. - Castle Ward Estate (National Trust): 18th-century mansion, Game of Thrones filming location (Winterfell).
London Low Emission Zone for Vans
London has two types of emission zones. Understanding both is essential for van life.
Best Van Life Cooker UK Campervan Stove Comparison 2026
Best Van Life Cooker UK Campervan Stove Comparison 2026 is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 176 days of rain annually.
Planning Routes Around ULEZ
Several UK cities have Clean Air Zones (CAZ) or Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ). Older campervans may face daily charges.
Journaling on the Road
Journaling is one of the best mental health practices for van life. It helps process experiences, track routes, and document adventures.
Best UK Surf Spots for Vans
UK surf is world-class. Van life and surfing are a perfect match — chase the swell, sleep at the beach.
Van Life Skylights UK Best Roof Windows for Campervans
Van Life Skylights UK Best Roof Windows for Campervans is not just a nice-to-have -- it is essential for comfortable, stress-free van life in the UK. - Weather realities: The UK gets 141 days of rain annually.
Tick and Flea Prevention UK for Dogs
Dogs in van life spend more time in tick habitat (grass, woodland, moors) than the average pet. Prevention is essential.
Building a Van First Aid Kit — What to Pack for UK Van Life
A standard high-street first aid kit — the kind you buy at Boots or Superdrug for £15 — is better than nothing, but it is not designed for van life. The scenarios you face living on the road are different from what you might encounter at home: burns from diesel heater servicing, cuts from angle-grinding steel in a confined space, allergic reactions miles from the nearest pharmacy, and water-borne illness from a questionable tap.
Skirting Your Van for Winter
Van skirting is insulation panels fitted around the bottom of your van to block cold air flowing underneath. It can reduce heat loss through the floor by 30-50%.
UK Waterfall Chasing Guide
The UK has thousands of waterfalls. Van life allows you to chase them across the country.
Mobility Scooter Storage in a Van
Storing a mobility scooter or wheelchair in a campervan requires planning. Most scooters weigh 30-90kg.
Cairngorms Winter Parking
The Cairngorms National Park is the UK's best destination for winter van life — if you're prepared for it. It's also the most dangerous place to be unprepared.
Brecon Beacons Reservoirs
The Brecon Beacons has several stunning reservoirs surrounded by mountains. Perfect for a day hike when parked nearby.
Welsh Beach Camping for Vans
Wales has 1,680 miles of coastline with some of the best beach campsites in the UK. - Three Cliffs Bay Campsite: Right on the dunes.
Tide Safety for Van Lifers
Parking on the beach or coastal road requires tide awareness. Every year, UK recovery services rescue campervans stranded by incoming tides.
Grizedale Forest, Lake District
Grizedale Forest is a 2,400-hectare forest park in the Lake District with excellent van facilities. The main car park at Grizedale has a dedicated campervan area.
Forest of Dean Campervan Spots
The Forest of Dean is an ancient forest in Gloucestershire, bordered by the Severn and Wye valleys. It is a great destination for van life.
York City Walls and Parking
York is one of the UK's most historic cities, with 3. 4km of intact medieval walls.
Cardiff Bay for Campervans
Cardiff Bay is the UK's largest waterfront development, packed with restaurants, museums, and the iconic Wales Millennium Centre. - Mermaid Quay Car Park: NCP.
Secure City Storage
Bringing a campervan into a UK city is challenging. Secure storage lets you leave the van and explore on foot or public transport.