Ruby on Wheels


A developer on the road

Building the Kitchenette

I envisioned a larger kitchenette for my truck compared to what I had built in my previous van. While I was quite satisfied with the sink and the extendable faucet, I aimed for two cooking burners instead of just one,...


Selling my Mercedes 508D

An era had come to an end: After over 4 years of incredibly amazing experiences with my self-converted Mercedes 508D, I decided to say goodbye to my dream camper van. Upon buying the Mercedes 1113 truck, I understood that eventually...


Replacing the thermostat of a Dometic CFX 50 refrigerator

Suddenly, the compressor of my Dometic CFX 50 refrigerator in my Mercedes 508D was running continuously, even though the cooling compartment was extremely cold. To my surprise, the temperature displayed on the screen was 43 degrees Celsius, indicating a possible...


Building the seating area

Similar to all the other components that I built for my previous van, I identified areas for improvement in the seating arrangement as well: During winter, I frequently experienced cold feet as the space under the table lacked proper ventilation...


Installing the water tank, pump and filters

Overall, I was quite satisfied with the water system I had built for my previous van. However, I had discovered areas for improvement over the years: The filling nozzle went directly into the tank, meaning I always had to fill...


Building heating ventilation shafts

After laying the heating pipes and installing the radiators, I further refined the heating system by building ventilation shafts to facilitate airflow within the cabin. Cold air from the floor would be drawn into the shafts and warmed by the...


Installing a hydronic heating system

The wood stove that I installed into my Mercedes 508D did a great job keeping the van warm and cosy. However, when spending a few months in Northern Europe, I also noticed a few problems with the heating system in...


Building foldable stairs

Before setting up the electrical system, I used a simple wooden ladder to access the sleeping area of the truck. I didn’t like the ladder. It was quite steep, so leaving the sleeping area was a little inconvenient. It also...


Wiring the electrical devices

After installing the solar panels, I focused on the electrical system of the cabin. I envisioned a setup comparable to a regular house providing sufficient capacity during the winter, several 230V AC, 24V DC, 12V DC and USB power outlets...


Installing 2200W of solar power on the roof

The roof was renovated and equipped with custom mounting points for the solar panels. It was about time to install the panels that I had ordered during the winter when the prices and delivery times were still appropriate. The 500W...