The Irish climate punishes lazy van conversions. Damp, condensation and lukewarm heaters get cars from Tenerife through summer; they break Tenerife conversions by November here. The seven systems to get right, in priority order:
1. Insulation
The single biggest determinant of whether your van will be liveable in winter. Three competing approaches; for Irish conditions only one really works.
- Closed-cell PIR foam (Recticel, Kingspan). Best thermal performance per millimetre. R-value around 4.5/inch. Doesn't absorb moisture. The right choice for Ireland.
- Sheep's wool. Looks lovely on Instagram. Holds moisture, harbours mould in the cold-damp climate. Don't.
- Recycled denim / Thinsulate. Better than sheep's wool but still hygroscopic. Workable as a secondary fill in tight cavities; not as the primary insulation.
Aim for at least 25 mm PIR on walls, 50 mm on the ceiling, 25 mm under the floor. Spray foam is great in awkward cavities but expensive and messy.
2. Ventilation
You will produce 2–3 litres of water vapour per night just by breathing and cooking. With no ventilation, that becomes condensation, then mould. Non-negotiable kit:
- A roof vent fan (Maxxair Maxxfan or Fiamma Turbo Vent). Set it to extract on low constantly; running 24/7 costs about 1Ah, trivial on a leisure battery.
- A second air inlet at the opposite end of the van, even if it's just a sliding window opened a finger's width.
- A dehumidifier (mini-compressor, runs on 12V or via inverter) for damp weeks. EUR 90–180 well spent.
3. Heating
For Ireland, your only realistic options are diesel or LPG. Electric resistive heating burns through any reasonable battery in hours.
- Diesel air heater (Webasto, Eberspacher, or the Chinese clones for ~€180). The right choice for most Irish conversions. Pulls fuel directly from the main tank, runs on 12V (~1A nominal), 2–5 kW output. The Chinese clones are now reliable enough that we'd buy one over a Webasto unless you've got fleet-grade requirements.
- LPG (propane) blown-air heater (Truma). Workable but you need to keep gas bottles topped up, which can be awkward outside July/August. Also more expensive.
- Wood-burner. Looks brilliant. Reality: storage of wood, ash, regulations on flue clearances, fire risk. Skip.
4. Electrical
The setup that works for most full-time Irish van lifers:
- 200–300 Ah of LiFePO4 leisure battery. Not lead-acid — you'll regret it on day 30.
- 200–300 W of solar on the roof, via an MPPT controller. Ireland's solar yield in winter is rubbish but in spring/summer the panels keep up with most usage.
- DC-DC charger (30–40 A) from the alternator. So you charge the leisure battery while driving. Far more useful than solar in Irish winter.
- Inverter (1500–2000 W pure sine). For the laptop, kettle, induction hob if you've got one. Don't go cheap on the inverter; cheap inverters kill electronics.
- EHU (mains hookup) socket. So you can plug in at sites. CEE 16A blue socket, RCBO consumer unit.
Total electrical bill of materials for the above: roughly €1,800–€2,800 if you DIY, €3,500–€5,000 if a converter does it.
5. Water
- Fresh water tank: 60–100 L, mounted low and centrally for stability.
- 12V pump (Shurflo or Whale).
- Grey water tank: 40–60 L. Empty at sites or dump stations — never on the ground.
- Hot water: combi heater (Truma Combi 4) or instant on-demand gas heater. The Truma is more expensive but doubles as your space heater.
- Filter: a basic carbon block in-line filter is enough for most Irish water, which is generally good.
6. Bed
The argument that consumes the most internet forum threads. Three options:
- Fixed transverse bed at the rear. Best use of space if both occupants are under ~6 ft. Storage garage underneath. The default in most factory campervans for a reason.
- Fixed longitudinal bed. Necessary if either occupant is over 6 ft 2. Wider vans only.
- Convertible day-bed (rock-and-roll bed or sofa-bed). Better living space by day, more faff every morning and evening. Choose if your weekends-only use means living space matters more than sleep set-up.
7. Bathroom
Three options, decreasing complexity:
- Cassette toilet (Thetford C200/C400). Standard kit. Empty at any campsite or dump station. Smells if you don't use the right chemical — switch to formaldehyde-free.
- Composting toilet (Nature's Head, Trobolo). No black water, no chemicals, but expensive (€900+). Increasingly popular with full-timers.
- No toilet. Workable for weekenders if you're sticking to sites with shared facilities. Don't try this for full-time on the WAW in November.
Showers in van: separate cubicle (rare in Irish DIY conversions; takes too much room), wet-room style (toilet doubles as the shower floor; common), or external shower at the rear (cheap, surprisingly liveable in summer, useless in winter).
Where to buy in Ireland
- O'Briens of Kilkenny · obrienscarpentry.ie — van conversions and the materials list.
- Kilkenny Caravans · kilkennycaravans.com — habitation parts, Truma, Thetford supplies.
- Camper Components Ireland · campercomponents.ie — electrical kit (Victron, leisure batteries, MPPT).
- Heatons Hardware (national chain) — PIR insulation, basic electrical.
- Kingspan direct (kingspaninsulation.ie) — for bigger PIR sheets at trade prices.
- Amazon UK / DE — for Maxxfan, Webasto/Eberspacher heaters, Victron components — usually 20–40% cheaper than Irish retail. Watch for VAT/import on items over €150.
Mistakes Irish converters make most
- Skipping the vapour barrier. Closed-cell foam is mostly its own vapour barrier, but the joints leak. Tape every seam.
- Sealing the floor too well. A small drainage path matters; sealed floors trap water.
- Under-spec'ing the leisure battery. 100 Ah is fine for weekends; full-timers need 200–300 Ah.
- No diesel heater. "I'll just use a duvet" works until November, then doesn't.
- No roof fan. Damp will eat the conversion in 18 months.
- Wrong-spec gas regulator. If you're carrying Calor Ireland bottles, use the Irish regulator (37 mbar Butane / 30 mbar Propane). UK and continental kit may not match.
For a step-by-step "starter conversion checklist" of the first month's work, see the conversion checklist article.