Will, Off-Grid Engineer
Will was brought up primarily in the North of England, and spent his summers exploring the UK coastline with his family and their dog. Raised to be outdoorsy and environmentally-conscious, with a father whose focus on sustainability borders on the manic, Will is proud to uphold these values today. A keen fitness enthusiast, Will enjoys all manner of sports including football, running, skiing and watersports. However, enthusiasm doesn’t always go hand-in-hand with success, as demonstrated by his embarrassing water-skiing lowlight reel.
Passionate about Physics and Maths from a young age, a career as an engineer seemed the obvious choice for Will. He started at the University of Bath in 2018, eventually earning a first-class Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. This was capped off with an extended project aiming to increase the efficiency of photovoltaic cells in hot climates, employing nanofluid cooling systems to improve the viability of large-scale solar farms.
Towards the end of university, Will was faced with the prospect of some secure (albeit, rather boring) UK-based engineering jobs. He opted for none of them, choosing instead to shirk his responsibilities for a while and do some long-term travelling. In a bid to use some of his newly developed engineering skills, Will decided to convert a van with his partner Meera. Their main goal was to travel the world and experience different cultures, all whilst living simply and working on the road.
Due in large part to the financial tolls of university life (the partying more so than the fees) Will’s van was built on a tight budget. He was able to use his Grandad’s 50-year-old tools and make the most of recycled and second-hand materials wherever it made sense. The process was littered with mishaps, like accidentally cutting off the sliding door rail, and ruining his mother’s carpet with green paint (sorry again!).
A perfectionist at heart, the conversion took a lot longer than planned, but ultimately resulted in a functional and versatile campervan with all the comforts of home. This was Will’s first experience designing and installing a bespoke electrical system, which can now keep him off-grid for weeks at a time.
Living and working from a van means every day is a new adventure. With Nohma, I feel so lucky to be able to wake up on a mountain, in a forest or by a beach and know that I’m helping others get there too.
Will Brown, Off-Grid Engineer
Having had fairly limited opportunities to travel thus far, Will now has big plans to explore every corner of Europe in his van. He and Meera have just recently crossed over into France, and intend to spend the summer discovering the Mediterranean coastline. After that, plans for the future become much looser, and they are both happy to wait and see where the journey takes them. Tagging along on their adventures is van-cat-in-training Lola, who has quickly become accustomed to nomadic life, and loves to hunt and play wherever the park-up may be.
Will is our most junior engineer. Despite his youth, he has all the skills and dedication to help our customers perfect their off-grid electrical systems. Unfortunately, while he is completely at home working with engines or wiring up a battery bank, he’s yet to figure out the mechanics behind growing a beard.
Campervan electrics leaving you confused?
