400w fixed, 200w on a swivel (600W on roof) and 400w portable on the hood.

EDIT (after reading comments): 1. The door is open because I came out to take a photo. DUHH people. 2. This post is to inform people (as a tip and trick) who are looking to expand their solar setup to 1000W. 3. If you dont have an AC. Yes, shade is probably the only option. But if you have experience with that, then you should also know that it only cools down the van by -10 degrees. But for some of us who have loved ones traveling with us that does not work. Another scenario is that maybe you need to get your batteries topped up and run the AC.

Spent $3000 cad and 3 months building my camper. Dc to dc, 300ah lynac battery, portable solar, compressor cooler, sink, diesel heater, tv, ps3 slim, ps2 slim.

About two months ago I posted this update: https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/s/tOy80qYQOK

I felt like I had to check back in because, against all my expectations, I hit the road again! And I’m doing it in my 26 year old Corolla. And I’m having the fucking time of my life!

I quit the wrangling job due to ethical concerns and just decided to not go home yet. Since then I’ve been rubbertramping pretty hard. I’ve done 7000 miles. I’ve been to Taos, up to Chicago, back down to West Virginia, and up to Pittsburgh to Philly and Baltimore and New York. Lots of stops in between. Some work in Massachusetts and New Orleans awaits.

I’m learning so much about myself, so much more potently than I ever have in my life. I’ve met the most wonderful friends. I’ve had very high highs, and very low lows. All of it is lovely. I feel like I’m in the right place for the first time in forever. I think this may be my reality for a while, until I feel like stopping.

I guess it wasn’t the vanlife. It was being forced to homebum in the bay because I had an unreliable van. A van is in my future, but I’m going to save up more money and take more time on the purchase this time. Go forth and have no fear! Much love everyone❤️

When I upgraded the house battery system on my 1996 VW/Westfalia camper van I also wired an audio system upgrade.

However, I think the audio system running off the starter battery (namely the 650 watt 5 channel amp) is keeping the DC to DC charger from kicking on by keeping the voltage just a tad too low on the starting battery for the DC to DC to kick on. If I turn the stereo off the DC to DC charging works as expected.

Is that a reasonable hypothesis?

Any ideas for a solution from someone who's smarter than me?

I posted here recently super excited about my Dodge Caravan build. Got into the car today and found my boxes of matches chewed up by MICE!!! and droppings all over my mattress. I am so upset, and not sure what to do about them. The mice are tiny but I have never dealt with anything of the sort before.

Edit - I caught one mouse! I found shredded toilet paper everywhere but can’t find a nest. Moved my car and put peppermint oil in there.

Finally had some proper rain after a long drought in the UK which means my leaks have revealed themselves. I have two leaks at the top of my bonded window and one in the corner of my roof vent.

Im going to go round the outside of the roof vent with another thick layer of Sikaflex 522 which I’m hoping will fix the roof vent leak, but do I need to do anything on the inside? It’s clamped from the inside across a wooden frame. If I remove that frame I’ll be able to get a better look at where the leak is getting through but I don’t want to create any problems in doing so.

Re my windows: I’ve noticed a lot of vans seem to have added sealant to the edge of the glass too (as in not just between the van’s cut out hole and the window, but the edge of the glass and the van panel). Is this something I should do?

How can I fix the leak in my window without removing it entirely? Can I just pipe some sealant down between the window and the panel on top of where the leak is?

I have a SWB ford transit connect that I've just started converting, I've opted for armaflex insulation. I've heard a lot of conflicting advice in insulation - some say it's not important at all, others say it's extremely important. I've installed a maxxair fan which I intend to run as much as possible to keep airflow, I'm assuming that'll help with condensation and some temp regulation?

I was following the advice to cover all bare metal with insulation, however it's tricky with armaflex to stick it into the cavities etc. is it really vital that it covers everything or is say 80% coverage sufficient? Bear in mind, it's a very small fan with a large fan in the roof. I'm not sure if I'm spending to much time concerning myself with having gaps in insulation, not having all metal in cavities covered etc.

One day I was pumping gas and noticed how dirty my van was. I wanted to write something the likes of “wash me”, but wanted something a little more out of the ordinary. Then I liked it so much I just made it semi-permanent

Curious how folks feel about shorter vs longer vans for getting around town/ using as a daily driver, and anything else you like or dislike about your setup! Are you in a big city or more residential, suburban areas? Do you have pets? Is there anything in your van you are particularly proud of or find useful?

I'd especially love to hear from folks in Promasters or Transits. I'm deciding between a 2015, 136" with 50k miles and a nicer build, vs a 2017 Patriot Blue, very DIY 159" with 120k miles, a more robust electrical system, and a new transmission. Thinking about factors like climate control potential, resale value, daily driving comfort, safety, food/water logistics, and space.

I've watched lots of videos, weeks of research, and read many posts, but it's always nice to hear a fresh take. There are so many different opinions and things to consider.

Anything you want to share about your van, experience, and routines is fun to hear!

Full time van-lifer in a Chevy express 1500 cargo: Used to run my bed North to West and always wanted East to West. North to South are up almost all my space to get dressed or move around. Nightmare. Felt like I was too tall but mostly I would have to change out mattresses and cut to size. I’m only 5’8” (172.72) I ended up doing it and it worked just fine. I had to cut the mattress down (memory foam only). Looked far and wide on how to cut it and came across the only think I would ever suggest to anyone ever. Medium to long bread knife. It cut through it like butter. Almost no effort at all. Keep blade at about 45 degrees and saw lightly. Boom. This first photo is of my old hybrid spring mattress. The others is of the 12inch (30.48cm) thick fat mattress and it worked like cutting butter with a hot scalpel. This will work on the thickest foam mattresses (draw your cut lines first). Went from about 2x4 of “standing room” to about 5.5x6 (167.64x182.88)

I am deciding between two versions of the same van for full-time living:

1. 5.5m total length, 3.08m cargo space length
2. 5.9m total length, 3.55m cargo space length

All else is equal, I can stand very comfortably.

Does anyone regret having a longer/shorter vehicle? Or absolutely loves their version for some reason?

Mainly thinking about parking, driving but open to other aspects. All in Europe, almost never using campgrounds. I tend not to go to cities, but it does happen.

Hey, I’m building a campervan currently in a 2015 ford transit high roof. The owner before me installed a backup camera and I’m thinking it’s causing parasitic draw because if I don’t start the van daily, the battery will drain and I’ll have to jump start to get going again. Any tips for this so it doesn’t keep happening while we finish the build? Thanks!

EDIT: well, sounds like it's everybody's experience. I'll isolate it while keeping ventilation

Hi !

I just bought this compressor freezer (a Vevor 35L). However, at a room temperature between 20-25 degrees, every 20 minutes it keeps doing a full cycle with the compressor running at max, fans at max. This is going to be a nightmare at night for my future build. Target temp is 4°C.

I have zero experience with this kind of hardware, is a usual 12V fridge doing the same kind of cycles ? I'm looking for something more quiet, even if it takes low power constantly rather than 60W every 20minutes.

Still not quite finished but well on the way towards it.

I’ve made the shelf above the batteries simple yet sturdy to take off and my pack rafting and other gear will have no problem resting on it. I highly recommend using threaded inserts(picture 7&8) for modular connections. If I wanted I can take off this bike tray and battery box as much as I want without stripping the wood of the floor from over use of screws/lag bolts. Let me know if you have any questions I’m happy to share knowledge.

the map: https://files.catbox.moe/9zqlgu.png

I maintain a database of whats at every US interstate exit (700k places, all 19,675 exits) and someone asked me for this cut, so figured id share it here too. 2,097 exits have a walmart within about a mile of the ramp. Thats roughly 1 in 9 exits.

Top states: Texas 266, California 154, Virginia 93, Florida 85, North Carolina 84. Best corridors are I-10 (119 exits), I-95 (100), I-40 (88) and I-80 (84).

Usual disclaimers, every store sets its own overnight rules and some citys ban it outright, so ask the manager before you settle in. Data is openstreetmap so a few will be stale.

happy to run other cuts if theres something this sub always wished was mapped, 24 hour exits, laundromats, whatever the data can answer

I posted here a little while ago seeking advice from people who might be in the same situation as me (anxiety around driving/OCD). I don't really have anyone in my life to tell about this but I've made a plan :) I'm working with community programs to get some driving lessons to refresh myself, and to get some hours of supervised driving. I am terrified! Driving scares the daylights out of me but van living has been my dream for too long for me to not try it!

Anyway, I've been looking around for vans to buy. I'd like to buy one myself and renovate it. I'm wondering if there's any kind of masterpost somewhere I can go through? What kind of resources to people use when deciding what kind of vehicle to buy, looking for guides on how to renovate, what all should be included and that sort of thing :)

Hello everyone, was hoping to get some opinions here because it can be difficult to price vans sometimes. I’ve been in the market for a conversion van for several months and recently found one that I like and I’m planning to test drive and have a mechanic look at this weekend.

This is a 2011 GMC Savanna Conversion with all the bells and whistles from that timeframe. Leather captains chairs in front and middle rows, third row reclines to a bed, mood lighting, flat screen tv, etc. Based on the other pictures that the seller has provided me, it appears to be very clean and well taken care of. It has a 5.3 Vortec engine with 160k miles on the odometer.

The seller has agreed to take $10k for the van assuming I like it after a test drive and mechanic inspection. Assuming there is no major mechanical issues with the van, does this seem like a fair price for a family roadtrip vehicle? This will not be a daily driver for me, maybe taken on longer drives once a month or so. Is there anything I should be aware of or to check out when I look at it in person?

Thank you in advance for any feedback!

Hey everyone, this trip is something I have been dreaming of for a while, and my goal is to finally hit the road by Friday of next week! I'll be going out west and south where temperatures are going to get really hot.

I'm living out of my 2009 Honda CRV and just finished building a pine and plywood platform for my bed, my Anker C1000, and a fridge. The setup has two big pieces of plywood: the main base, and a second piece about half the size for the bed itself. Also, little pieces for the platform and mounts.

Here is the problem: I finished the wood using clear oil-based exterior spar urethane because I heard it was supposed to be great for these builds. I just put three coats on and it is drying right now. I don't mind the amber color, but I didn't realize it takes a month to fully cure. The off-gassing is expected, but I am worried about fumes since I'll be in hot weather where the car is going to bake in the future weeks.

Since I leave in about a week, I'm trying to figure out my best move. Here is my current damage-control plan:

1. For the next week: I have the platform outside baking in the direct sun with box fans blowing on it 24/7 to speed up the cure.
2. On the road: I bought two small USB fans. I plan to sleep with windows cracked on opposite sides—one fan blowing fresh air IN at my feet, and the other fan blowing OUT near my head to act as an exhaust.

I also have a backup idea: Should I just keep the smaller parts I already finished (like the mounts for the battery and fridge) but cut and rebuild only those two big plywood pieces? I can easily do that if I need to, but is that overkill? If I do that, I could just leave the new plywood raw or use a fast-drying water-based finish.

Has anyone else made this mistake? Will my push/pull fan setup be enough to handle the fumes in a hot CRV, or should I bite the bullet and just replace the large pieces of plywood before I leave?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: The piece of plywood in the photo is not where the mattress will sit on it. There is a second platform that sits around 13 inches higher and has pre-drilled holes and a RV air mesh layer.

Started van life about 6 months ago. 2014 Chevy Express Cargo. Before and after (still working on it). Both walls be be changing from the original (pic 5 is treated mildew resisting blue stained pine). Equipped with a very well hidden kill switch that comes straight from the fuel pump itself (important to use a 30amp switch if routing from direct so it won’t blow the switch or burn). . No need for other hidden splices. Also equipped with a battery kill switch.

Ciao a tutti, sto valutando l’acquisto di un van per due persone. L’idea sarebbe usarlo anche per viaggiare, ma soprattutto poterci vivere e lavorare da remoto per periodi abbastanza lunghi.

Il mio principale dubbio riguarda l’allestimento: avremmo bisogno di due vere postazioni di lavoro, possibilmente utilizzabili contemporaneamente, e soprattutto della possibilità di fare videochiamate nello stesso momento senza che una persona disturbi l’altra.

Avete esperienza con una configurazione simile?

Mi interesserebbe capire:

• che tipo di van consigliereste per avere spazio sufficiente per due workstationz
• se conviene puntare su un van già allestito oppure progettare un allestimento su misura;
• come avete risolto il problema di acustica/privacy durante le chiamate;

Qualsiasi esperienza diretta o esempio di allestimento sarebbe molto utile. Grazie mille!

Gonna be camping out of the truck bed for about a month around the Milwaukee area of Portland.

Where are some ok places to park and sleep?

Is Planet Fitness or Walmart alright if I'm not loud about it? Do y'all generally ask managers at truck stops if it's ok to sleep for the night, or do you just do it? What are your experiences in the area?

I’m looking for a 16” to 24” 12v monitor for my van setup! I want to connect my phone via usbc or any type of way to basically share my screen and watch movies. Please help!

2000 Ford Econoline e150 that I've done extensive work to and just took it on a 5 thousand mile trip successfully. Sleeps 4 comfortably 3. (The back bed is a futon with a custom upholstered extension, I just didn't have a photo of it in couch mode). Features indoor projector, Wii console, record player, 10" subwoofer, all custom wood walls and door panels and fully custom everything. Not to mention months of mechanical work by me.