During these months away from the blog, Glen becomes Gas Free!. It has been upgraded in many different areas, reaching a much higher level of comfort and energy autonomy.
It hasn’t been an easy journey, but the satisfaction is huge, and we’re finally ready for a new adventure: over 6000 km by camper towards the Baltic countries.
But let’s take things step by step and go through all the upgrades completed during these months, the ones that turned Glen into a fully gas-free camper.
Upgrade Gas Free: Photovoltaic System
Originally, Glen was equipped with a 300W solar system, made up of two 36 V strings connected in parallel.
More precisely: one 100W / 36V panel connected in parallel with two 100W/12V panels wired in series, all managed by a Victron MPPT 100/20.
However during our trip across the Iberian Peninsula, this setup managed to reach 286W of peak power, never leaving us short of energy.
However, with the goal of achieving a fully gas-free configuration, this system was no longer sufficient.
We therefore opted for a modular solar setup, combining fixed roof panels with portable panels that can be connected when needed.
A key design choice was redundancy, splitting the system into multiple independent strings, each controlled by its own MPPT.
The final configuration includes 1000W of fixed panels on the roof and 500W of portable panels.
Solar String Configuration
- String 1: two 210W panels in series, managed by a Victron MPPT 100/30
(slightly tilted to follow the profile of the overcab) - String 2: one 385W panel connected to a Victron MPPT 100/30
- String 3: one 195W panel connected to a Victron MPPT 100/30
(with a parallel roof connection prepared for a portable panel) - String 4: fully dedicated to portable panels, managed by a Victron MPPT 100/20
For this reason, there are three portable panels: two 200W panels and one 100W panel.
The 200W panels are mounted along the long sides of the camper like small awnings, with a 30° tilt, while the 100W panel is placed at the rear, also tilted at 30°.
As for wiring:
- one 200W panel works in parallel with the fixed 195W panel on string 3
- the remaining two panels (200W + 100W) are connected in parallel on string 4
In its full configuration — fixed plus portable panels — parking the camper with the front facing north provides maximum energy efficiency throughout the entire day, thanks to the different panel orientations and tilts.
Upgrade Gas Free: Lithium Battery
With a solar potential of 1500W and a gas free objective, installing a lithium battery was an obvious next step.
Given market prices and our nerdy mindset, we decided to go for a DIY battery build.
We selected Gotion 340Ah cells, paired with a JK BMS rated at 200A, using 50 mm² cables for all internal connections.
During real-world use, we measured an actual usable capacity of about 380Ah, giving Glen excellent autonomy along with a charging capability well above 100A.
Upgrade Gas Free: Going Fully Gas-Free
Once Glen had a solid electrical backbone, we moved on to removing all gas-powered appliances.
Trumatic 3002S Heater
Removing the heater was fairly straightforward.
Since Glen is already equipped with an Eberspächer D4 as an auxiliary heating system, the Truma air ducts were connected to the Eberspächer ones, creating a single unified air distribution system.
At the same time, the D4 was also upgraded with the EasyStart Select controller, replacing the Mini version, for better temperature control.
The former heater compartment was converted into a deep storage drawer accessible from the wardrobe.
The chimney was removed and the opening sealed with an aluminum plate and heat-resistant sealant.
Truma BS10 Boiler
This removal was equally simple.
The gas boiler was replaced with a Sanymo XB-6 electric boiler, 6 liters in capacity, powered at 230V with a total consumption of just 300W.
It can heat the full tank of water in roughly 40 minutes.
Dometic RM7401 Refrigerator
This was by far the most challenging removal.
The original Dometic absorption fridge was firmly glued and sealed into the kitchen cabinet to create a gas-tight chamber for the burner.
It was replaced with a 105L Belluna 12V compressor refrigerator, featuring excellent energy efficiency (around 8Wh average over 24 hours) and smart features.
The freezer compartment is capable of reaching -20 °C.
Cooktop
The three-burner gas cooktop was removed without major issues, despite being glued to the countertop.
It was replaced with a Dometic CVI1525 induction cooktop, featuring two zones (1000 W and 1300 W) and, most importantly, smooth power control instead of pulsed regulation, ideal for energy optimization.
Due to the limited space between the induction cooktop and the refrigerator, a dedicated ventilation system was added.
This system is controlled by the existing CBE MCV2, with additional fans installed to improve airflow in the narrow gap.
Inverter and 230 V System
The old 1500 W Edecoa inverter was replaced with a DSTEK 3000W inverter, providing higher efficiency and more headroom.
At the same time, the entire 230 V system was redesigned, using 2.5 mm² cabling, Schneider circuit breakers for each line, and a BTicino Class F residual current device.
TV Antenna
The TV antenna was removed to avoid unnecessary shading on the solar panels.
The hole was sealed using an aluminum plate and thermal insulation.
Upgrade Gas Free: Accessories
Several practical accessories were also added:
- USB outlets in the dinette
- a ceiling light in the rear garage for nighttime outdoor lighting
- an activation switch for the Victron Orion TR 12-12 / 18
- a dedicated valve for the auxiliary fresh water tank to prevent unwanted transfer to the main tank
- a camera for monitoring grey water discharge, connected to the Atoto A6PP head unit
- installation of a Teltonika RUT241 with eSIM, paired with a 5 dB external antenna for better connectivity while traveling abroad
Final Upgrade: Interior Refresh
And finally, why not give the interior a small refresh as well?
Two LED light bars were installed in the dinette area.
The cabinets were wrapped with a cloud grey vinyl film to brighten up the living space, and the old curtains were replaced.
As for the exterior, the bumper was completely repainted and protected with a 2K clear coat.
Stickers were also added to indicate video surveillance, in compliance with Italian and European regulations, along with a friendly warning about Nuri being on board.
Finally Gas Free, finally ready for a new adventure!
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