Additional Storage in Walkthrough Step

Hi all

Just finished adding some extra storage, in fact more than we realised to our Symbol. The step at the front of the van by the walkthrough. We looked at it and thought, what's under there? Turns out nothing other than a few thin cables for the floor lighting.

We templated the original floor and cut out a new piece (keeping all the original bits in case the next owner wants to put it back to standard).

Added a flap to the new piece and a bit of cutting, drilling, and sewing later we have a whole new cupboard 

Bit of a faff having to screw it down as AS hadn't done the best job in the world and ended up having to take the seat out to get clean access for drilling. All told, straight forward enough though.

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Several members have had similar thoughts, here's a previous thread...

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Well done SuperGypo, an excellent job.

Nice job.  I'll be looking at something like this soon.  

A very neat job. It's exactly the sort of thing I'd love to have, but would prefer someone else to do it for me. If I did it myself, it probably wouldn't look quite that good!

I'd also change it slightly by removing the table base, as I never use that table and don't even carry it anymore.

Just noticed that some of the pics didn't upload. So here's another of the carpet.

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v8oholic wrote:A very neat job. It's exactly the sort of thing I'd love to have, but would prefer someone else to do it for me. If I did it myself, it probably wouldn't look quite that good!

I'd also change it slightly by removing the table base, as I never use that table and don't even carry it anymore.

Luckily, Mrs SuperGypo is a dab hand with a needle and thread 

v8oholic wrote:A very neat job. It's exactly the sort of thing I'd love to have, but would prefer someone else to do it for me. If I did it myself, it probably wouldn't look quite that good!

I'd also change it slightly by removing the table base, as I never use that table and don't even carry it anymore.

Would save a lot of hassle not putting it in, trying to get it lined up was awkward. We use it a lot though 

In our 2019 Kemerton XL there is no blown air outlet to the right of the 13 amp socket, what we have instead are two outlets built into the step. Each outlet is fed from a separate pipe from the Truma unit.

Incidentally when I was fitting a Votronic solar controller a while back, I did remove the top of the step to connect a wire to the vehicle battery. There was a bit of storage space potentially but not as much as has been featured in this thread. Nevertheless I like the idea of being able to store shoes in this area, even if it isn't my high heels.

I'm going to see if I can squeeze me knee length boots in there 🧐

Excellent job and something I'd be interested in doing. As an aside, do you know what the vent is for? It causes a draught in my Symbol, can it be blocked safely?

arkwright wrote:Excellent job and something I'd be interested in doing. As an aside, do you know what the vent is for? It causes a draught in my Symbol, can it be blocked safely?

I belive the vent in the step is a left-over from when they fitted truma heating, which had 4 vents, and they reached this vent through a 30mm reducer, so it was not that effective.

When they switched to Whale heating, Whale recommended 3 outlets rather than 4, so the vent in the step was not used but they probably had hundreds of pre-manufactured step parts.

Personally, I think that Whales' advice is rubbish and it can cope with 4-5 outlets.  It may have something to do with the fact that initially 4kw heaters were fitted, but this was later changed to 6kw heaters.

If it's not being used, you can blank it off.

Rocky wrote:

Personally, I think that Whales' advice is rubbish and it can cope with 4-5 outlets.  It may have something to do with the fact that initially 4kw heaters were fitted, but this was later changed to 6kw heaters.

I agree with you as mine has 4 outlets but has the winter pack fitted so the heater should be 6kw.

I can't see any reason why it can't be blanked (other than a vent for the electrics at the end of the bench seat which I don't think needs a vent).

arkwright wrote:Excellent job and something I'd be interested in doing. As an aside, do you know what the vent is for? It causes a draught in my Symbol, can it be blocked safely?

I'm curious how it's causing a draft from inside a sealed box. Or am I missing something obvious.

Must admit I haven't taken the top of the step off but I think It's the same as in the first picture above. It's difficult to see but where there's a hole at the end of the bench seat, it must be open to the cab underfloor as there's a definite draught from mine.

arkwright wrote:As an aside, do you know what the vent is for? It causes a draught in my Symbol, can it be blocked safely?

I read that as a tongue in cheek aside! Our “vent” was connected to the boiler but of course never blew any hot air, just a cool draft due to the poor plumbing!

In case it wasn’t a tongue in cheek mention, the step cavity in my van is only open to the van interior at the offside, by the base of the B-pillar, where there is a small gap for cabling. This should not allow any drafts from the exterior of the van unless the driver’s door seal is perhaps leaking.

Think I'll have to get the step up and investigate...might wait till it's warmer though