Camper Van General

[Anonymous No.1461209]

This is a thread for any domicile that moves.

Post your campers, RVs, house boats, pop ups, vans, pick-up rigs etc.

I finally finished the interior and took her out on her maiden voyage.

The heat/AC works well and the toilet is a godsend for the middle of the night.

[Anonymous No.1461211]

[Anonymous No.1461213]

[Anonymous No.1461214]

[Anonymous No.1461218]

>>1461214
Sorry about the flip

[Anonymous No.1461221]

>>1461214

[Anonymous No.1461223]

>>1461218

[Anonymous No.1461240]

>>1461209
k

[Anonymous No.1461257]

>>1461209

[Anonymous No.1461258]

[Anonymous No.1461264]

[Anonymous No.1461265]

no oven?

[Anonymous No.1461270]

A lot of people have some notion you can fit everything you’d find in an RV in a camper van and that’s just not the case.

I can put a toaster oven on the counter, but an oven would have taken the available storage from adequate-for-2-people-to-camp-comfortably for a week to not-enough-for-1

This thing has a double bed, 3 cubic foot fridge, heat, air, vents, 10 outlets, solar panels, and the van charges the solar batteries and also vice versa.

I am very satisfied. And forgot the toaster oven this weekend.

[Anonymous No.1461274]

>>1461270
that looks so fucking goofy

[Anonymous No.1461277]

>>1461274
I know, I’ll add a white stripe across the side once I finish the body work, tying in the white topper.

I’m 6’4” and can stand up with inches to spare inside.

Goofy, yes, but Uber comfy

[Anonymous No.1461279]

>>1461277
OP I'm buying a school bus that's been converted to an RV this weekend. I plan to live in it full time with my fiancé. Any hot tips?

[Anonymous No.1461287]

>>1461279
If I was going off grid, I would have put in a gas heater and evaporative cooler instead of heat/a/c

Make sure you’re solar controller is rated for wayyyy more amps than you think or it’ll go out. And if it’s a DC-inverter-AC system, make sure to take into account the starting watts as well as running watts of your appliances and gear to know if your inverter can handle it.

Aaaaand outdoor space is way more important than indoor space. Figure out how best to utilize the bus to make an outdoor usable space.

I got my awning off an old pop-up.
I stage all my food and stuff at the door before I get out.

It really depends on the conversion and what you really expect to get out of the bus

[Anonymous No.1461292]

>>1461277
I think painting the whole van a lighter color will help.

Careful of the doors when getting out.
I'm 6'4" too, and my van's internal height is 5' something - just enough to clear my shoulders. But the sliding door is much shorter making it a very big hazard for my head when stepping out.

[Anonymous No.1461295]

>>1461292
I’m not gonna spend more on paint than I did on the van.

I’d like to, but it’d be absolutely retarded.

[Anonymous No.1461460]

a friendly reminder from /out/ to just get the fucking Ducato

[Anonymous No.1461511]

that's nice OP. cozy as fuck

[Anonymous No.1461532]

>>1461295
Consider the good old Rustoleum and roller method. You can do the whole van for $30.

For a nicer finish, you want a better paint like Majjic, or Valspar Tractor & Implement, with 10% Penetrol as an additive. Your paint fill flow out smooth as glass. Still under $50 for everything.

[Anonymous No.1461533]

>>1461511
Thanks

>>1461460
If he knew anything about auto repair, all that stuff would cost <$2500 even if he had to buy a welder.

I had to run new brake lines, replaced calipers, PCV hose, plugs, all major A/C components, throttle body, and I only have about $2000 in the van itself right now.

I’ll weld in a patch panel on the rear quarter, replace some bearings, some seals, do some body work and I’ll end up with a van in pristine condition.

It’s always more productive to research and do the work yourself.

Yes you might have to redo a couple things, but you’ll still be <half the cost of a mechanic and body work is more like 1/10th the cost to do it yourself.

Not to mention, you might actually learn something

[Anonymous No.1461535]

>>1461532
I didn’t consider that, but then what does finishing look like?

And how would that even hold up going 65mph down the highway?

[Anonymous No.1461540]

>>1461274
Keep renting, basedcuck.

[Anonymous No.1461629]

>>1461535
It holds up fine.
That's the type of paint they originally used to paint train wagons, and most automobiles right up until the 60's.
It's still used to paint cargo ships and private boats.

The only drawback is it takes at least 4 hours to dry enough to touch, around 24 hours until you can sand, and a couple of months until it fully cures reaches final hardness. But after those 24 hours it can be used as you would a normal paint job.
A well done paint job can last decades.

The finish with plain old Rustoleum is decent when viewed up close if you use the right roller (black foam, hi-density, with chamfered edges), and almost flawless if you use a nicer paint, and an additive like Penetrol that extends the dry time so brush marks can level out.

Many people like to wet-sand apply multiple coats, polish to get a mirror finish. Type '$50 paint job' in the google you'll get a lot of results.

http://www.rickwrench.com/index79master.htm?http://www.rickwrench.com/50dollarpaint.html

The above is a good starting point.
There's a lot more stuff I can tell you if you decide to do it.

[Anonymous No.1461635]

>>1461270
>you can fit everything you’d find in an RV in a camper van
not in a minvan, you need a full size

[Anonymous No.1461642]

>>1461221
>a literal toilet in the kitchen

[Anonymous No.1461653]

>>1461629
Can confirm that decent or even nice results can be gotten by someone with OP's skillset. A lighter color will certainly help in warm sunny conditions.

Very nice work, OP. Be proud of it, you rock.

What did you seal the top with?

[Anonymous No.1461758]

>>1461209
What's your opinion on pop up roofs? I've long been a fan, but I gotta admit I don't know as much as I would like about them.

[Anonymous No.1461883]

>>1461533
Some people just aren't cut out for /diy/.

There were more posts in that little saga but I don't have screens, and I believe in the last one she actually broke the engine attempting to run plant based oils instead of diesel because she wanted the van to be vegan.

[Anonymous No.1461894]

>>1461635
It’s an e350 XLT and no way. I’d rather have storage and a hotplate/toaster oven than an oven.

>>1461642
Show me your better camper van that you spent less money on and you can have my attention

>>1461653
It’s 3 layers of FRP or fiberglass.

The first is mat, the second is cloth, and the third is gel coat.

The top of the topper is 1/4” thick mdf with 22” spans and I, at 275lbs can walk anywhere on the topper without issue.

>>1461758
They’re preferable if it’s your daily driver, but if I wanted to tent camp, I would have saved myself a few grand and bought a tent.

>>1461883
Bahahahahah that’s about right.

The only successful conversions of people who want to live in one full time are almost always mostly done by someone else.

[Anonymous No.1461904]

>>1461894

[Anonymous No.1461944]

>>1461894
I meant pop up roofs rather than rooftop tents. But I got you. afaik it's possible to only set them up when you need to stand up. So their major drawback is being less insulated then?

[Anonymous No.1461998]

>>1461944
Insulation, security, the moving parts on the vehicle frame, compensation for operation with the top down.

They are super cool, but you get better use out of solid walls if you want to go long term

[Anonymous No.1462045]

>>1461209
You'll want to install curtains, OP, otherwise, people can and will stare inside.

[Anonymous No.1462052]

Here's some advice I have about doing electrical in your van:
>Keep as many devices and appliances running on 12v DC as you can, an inverter will draw additional energy, and a high capacity inverter is very expensive.
>You should use pairs of golf cart batteries instead of car batteries for your auxiliary power, as they will handle frequent cycling better, you should have at least two pairs if you have room for it.
>If you can afford to do so, have an auto-start system installed to start the engine whenever the auxiliary battery(ies)' charge falls below a certain level.

[Anonymous No.1462053]

>>1461894
>having your toilet in your galley
Anon has a point, you should really keep the toilet in a recess.

[Anonymous No.1462131]

>>1462045
Roller shades already in bro

>>1462052
>let me tell you how to do your project now that it’s completed

Wut.jpeg

I wanted to go all 12v but it would have seriously increased my project price.

So far, top to bottom, I have less than $5k in the whole thing with more than half of that being van repair, solar and topper.

The only things that run are the heat/ac ($250), and the fridge ($80).

To go 12v, the climate control would be 3x+ and the fridge would be 2x+.

I have 4 12v 35Ah solar batteries because they were the cheapest sealed AGM deep cycle batteries I could find and they work well.

I’ll post my costs later today

[Anonymous No.1462141]

>>1462052
I'd want to be able to leave it in gear. Having the engine fire up in the middle of the night - nah. Low voltage cut out perhaps.

I'm rather partial to three way fridges of which I have a few. They can go cheap second hand when someone rips one out of an onsite caravan.

[Anonymous No.1462152]

>>1462141
This baby works just fine.

I considered having my cousin salvage some 12v stuff from his yard but if I sell it, I want it to be as comfy and hard to fuck up as possible.

The inverter kicks out below a certain amperage draw, the whole system is grounded and comfortable to most people.

And my solar controller is ultra HD so it’ll kick out if there isn’t enough draw on the batteries which the inverter takes care of. The fridge, lights, vent fans and small appliances can run just fine on the solar panels.

And with a full charge and the A/C on eco at a reasonable temp, the system can last 8 hours overnight.

It’s more of a camper than total off grid rig, but it would work off grid, I’d just add a super quiet generator on an equipment rack on the hitch.

[Anonymous No.1462153]

>>1462152

[Anonymous No.1462157]

>>1462153
And it’s also a 6.8 V10, so I really wouldn’t want the engine running without my knowledge/to disturb other campers with that truck starter sound @ 2AM

>rrrRRNNnnnnnnnn
>rrrRRNNnnnnnnnn
>VROOMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm

[Anonymous No.1462373]

So for those who are curious, I’ll list all the expenses to the best of my knowledge.

Van:
Got from a wealthy friend to use for my contracting business on the basis I would get it running and use it

Battery:$80
Brakes completely redone: $600
Tools to remove seat brackets: $35
Spark plugs, coils: $50
Windshield: $225
AC components and tools: $125
Blower motor: $25
IAC valve: $40

Topper:
Aluminum tubing and connectors: $240
Plywood/panels: scrap
Fiberglass resin, gel coat, mat, cloth:$900

Rough framing:
2x4s: $50
Self drilling screws:$40
Wiring, outlets switches:$80
DPDT middle pos off switches: $120
2000/4000w Inverter: $150
300w 140AH solar system: $700
Insulation:$100
Panels: scrap


Finishing:
Spackle&paint: $50
Trim:$75
Carpeting: $100
Lights:$30
Fridge: $85
Climate: $230
Roller/windshield shades:$100
Cabinet doors:$100
Futon pad:$130
Toilet:$60

Assorted runs to Menards: $250

I still have a couple hundred left to buy the stuff to do the body work and vinyl but overall, I’m just about done

[Anonymous No.1462413]

>>1461883
>she wanted the fan to be vegan.

Fucking spit water laughing

[Anonymous No.1462414]

>>1462052
He could probably build or have built a battery box in the frame. Just have an acess hole in the floor of the van so you can get in it

[Anonymous No.1462415]

>>1462152
Well if its mostly camper build a trailer or just get a shitbox $1,000 trailer to store your shit. Hell with a little more power you could have a shower stall and semi truck or camper washer and dryer

[Anonymous No.1462416]

>>1462373
600 for fuckin brakes. Did that include new rotors and lube?

[Anonymous No.1462443]

>>1462416
I did brake pads, rotors, drums, shoes, and fluid for $350 on my truck

[Anonymous No.1462451]

>>1462416
>>1462443
It was calipers, lines, rotors, pads.
I change most shit myself but the brake lines were rusted through and a rotor was split when I got it

>>1462415
And that’s why this thing rocks. I could tow a 35’ travel trailer and make the kids(guests) sleep in the van lolololol

[Anonymous No.1462468]

>>1462414
I used seal AGM batteries and put them in the lower cabinet by the A/C unit.

The door shuts air tight and they’re vented out and down the body underneath the van.

[Anonymous No.1462896]

Alright, I have the bus now. I'm poor as fuck, planning to not move it often. I can get an electrical hook up if necessary, but I'd prefer not to do that. I'm planning on getting a water hook up soon. So far the bus runs, it has some sort of solar set up that it came with, a spot for a bed, and a propane oven and stove. I got it for 6 grand. I hope to live in it full time. Thoughts? General advice?

[Anonymous No.1462906]

>>1462896
>planning to not move it often
Unless you own property to have it on, or have a rented space where you can leave it for long periods of time, this is a bad idea.
>electrical hookup
If you can afford to install a way to connect to shore power, I'd recommend it, it will be cheaper than idling your engine, speaking of which, relying on solar generation only is a bad idea, more often than not, the times when you need power the most, the sun won't be shining, so make sure that your APU is able to charge off of the engine. Also refer to >>1462052
>water hook up soon
How do you fill your water tank now? Do have to run a hose through the bus?
>general advice
Keep money aside for maintenance and repairs, and possible replacement; regularly inspect your bus, and repair any problems you find ASAP. Install and use blackout curtains. Draw as little attention to yourself as possible. Make improvements to the bus's security if the previous owner hasn't already.

[Anonymous No.1462907]

>>1462896
dats a long boiii

[Anonymous No.1462918]

>>1462896
those windows are gonna be a source of a lot of insulation issues in more extreme temperatures. In the summer it's not so bad, you can open them all and get a good crossbreeze going, but in the winter it's gonna freeze you alive if you aren't in the south US or west coast you'll freeze. It might be a little expensive, but getting those windows insulated better will allow for way better quality of life if you're going full time. I would also devise a little system that'll let you open/close them all at once, but that's just me
Good find for only 6 g's, anon

[Anonymous No.1462922]

>>1462906
The property is my mother in laws. She says we can stay as long as we want as long as we keep our area mowed. It's a huge farm, so we still get a good bit of privacy.

Could I not use a generator as a back up? I think it would be 600$ to hook up to a real power line, but I'd prefer to be as close to off grid as possible. Of course if I can not keep my refrigerator or other "necessities" going then I am not opposed to real power.

No water tank yet, I am still in a rental house with real hookups.

Bus security is pretty good, I can lock both doors, but if someone was determined to get in by breaking a window then I could not stop them. I don't think there's a way around that unfortunately.

>>1462918
I'm as far east and south that you can get without being on the coast(hurricane warning this weekend) so it's pretty hot. The windows are already a pain with the intermittent rain, but it's bearable. The heat isn't too bad with a fan, we are planning to get some sort of AC for next year. For this winter we are thinking of a woodstove. Yeah I thought it was pretty much a steal, and rent just seems like a waste so we are trying this. It's definitely feasible with an electrical hook up. We are planning to play it by ear, we pretty much spent our life savings on it so there's only so much we can do for it currently.

[Anonymous No.1462925]

>>1462922
>free rent in exchange for mowing the lawn
>6,000 dollar mobile house with more sqft than some condos
>florida weather

holy shit anon you're set, looks comfy af inside too

[Anonymous No.1462931]

>>1462922
A backup generator wouldn't be too bad of an idea, but you should have it default to charging off of the engine.
>Security
What I was thinking here was placing security film on all of the windows except for the windshield, installing latches that can only be unlocked from the inside (for when the bus is occupied), locking gas caps, locking access doors/ valves/ switches accessible from the exterior, and, if you have the skills and/or confidence, installing a custom security system to help protect against theft of the bus, theft of outside accessories, and intrusion of the bus.

[Anonymous No.1462933]

>>1462922
One idea for opening/clsing the windows all at once:
>screw some rings onto top and bottom of the window frame as a pull
>string some durable cordage to both rings
>run each cord through a dowel or metal pipe
>bolt some circular sections as a "frame" for the dowel, so that the dowel can be above and below the window line and still rotate
>handle on the end of the dowel/pipe
>turn handle on top to open windows
>turn bottom one to close them

[Anonymous No.1462943]

>>1462925
Well that's the thing, she's the typical crazy mother in law. I'd love to live here for the rest of my life, but she is a bit unstable. I really don't believe that we will be able to just live here by only mowing our lawn. She's the kind of person that likes drama, and if there are no problems then she will create them. So I know, it's a terrible idea to try to live here. It's about a 2 mile walk from her house, so we're hoping that we are far enough out of her way that she will leave us alone for the most part. If not, then we can drive away to some other place. We would just move out, but as it stands our dogs have a whole farm(over 100 acres of woods and ponds and wildlife) to go play on and we don't want to move them to a yard. I'll update here how it goes.
>>1462931
This is very new to me. Would that be efficient? How do I begin to do that? It came with an inverter that runs off of the engine but I don't know how effective that is. Fortunately my uncle is an electrician that specializes in security, but he loves cars so I should be able to do just about anything even with my terribly limited DIY knowledge with his help.

Security is definitely important to me, I want to be sure people aren't messing around in there when I'm gone. Which is rather likely, unfortunately, so it has to be locked up tight. It has latches on the two doors that can be locked inside. I don't think it has any of that other stuff. Thank you for the ideas, I'll do some research.
>>1462933
I like the idea, I've saved your post as that will be down on the to do list, below things like toilet and shower. They'll also probably be closed most of winter so this sounds like a next summer project. Thank you for the advice.

[Anonymous No.1462964]

>>1462943
You'll probably want to have the inverter running off of your auxiliary batteries instead of the engine, and have the aux batteries be charged from the engine's electrical system, with a switching device in place to keep the APU from causing the main battery to be excessively discharged. Regarding the source of the power for your bus, here's my recommendation: have automatic power switching in place so that the following occurs: If the bus is hooked up to shore power, have a rectifier powered by shore power charge the batteries, and have the AC outlets bypass the inverter and directly connect to shore power; if the engine is running and the main battery is at a sufficient charge, have the aux batteries be charged off of the engine; if the solar panel is generating sufficient voltage, and the APU load is below a given level, have the solar panel charge the aux batteries; if the aux batteries fall below a certain charge, and the bus is able to auto start (controlled by a manually toggled switch so that you don't harm yourself or others), have the engine start and run until the aux batteries are charged, then automatically stop; if the engine fails to start, attempt to start the backup generator. Please pardon the text wall, also, if it weren't for budget issues, I'd include plans for automatic testing of the aux batteries, and having a mobile internet connection.

[Anonymous No.1462976]

I need a half ton vehicle for hauling shit with my dad. I have a truck right now, but i was considering a van because i could live out of it instead of wasting 2 hours commuting for school. Is this a good idea? Is there any legal nonsense I need to know about sleeping in a vehicle? What vans would you recommend?

[Anonymous No.1463065]

>>1461209
welcome back to the cx network burger

[Anonymous No.1463083]

>>1462976
If you really wanna sleep in it, it needs to be full sized. -econoline, express, Dodge Ram van, Isuzu nv, the new cargo lines, etc

I’d aim for a 3/4 ton or more if you have serious hauling.

You can take the seats out of any of them, but cargo vans don’t need curtains.

It’s only a legal issue if you cause an issue.

>>1462964
Wtf are you on about?

Hook up the aux batteries to the starter solenoid and the alternator will regulate voltage on the whole system while the key is on. They won’t over charge because the alternator should kick out over 14.4v.

If you really want to follow this imposter, you can get a battery isolator which effectively does the same thing except it costs $100 and constantly wastes power

You can have the solar controller hooked up to the batteries at the same time because the controller is made to separate the panels and the system.

You need double pole double throw middle position off AC switched to switch from battery to shore power. They should run ~$40 a pop and you’d have to order them or hit a distributor.

I’m OP and I realized I don’t have pics of my electrical yet.

I’ll post them soon.

>>1462922
I would buy a super quiet generator from hazard frought. >3000 Watts is preferable. Then you can run an 8000 BTU heat/a/c and other appliances without blowing anything out.

[Anonymous No.1463145]

>>1462896
If you put a tarp over it you could keep the windows open when you sleep, and have an awning to sit under outside. This will keep a lot of sun off of the bus.
Even a 'small' tarp that only covers part of it is worth it.

It might be cheaper to run a small generator than using the bus engine. Many people charge their system while driving anyway, so they don't care.

[Anonymous No.1463148]

>>1463145
when it rains

[Anonymous No.1463317]

>>1461279
Good luck getting insurance on a school bus/motorhome conversion.

[Anonymous No.1463321]

>>1461460
>oil leak from alternator
>caused by alternator being mounted incorrectly
What the fuck is this jibberish?

[Anonymous No.1463327]

>>1462896
Here is our old bus.
It has 4" dynomax bullet mufflers on it. It is obnoxiously loud

[Anonymous No.1463343]

>>1463321
I'd imagine if the alternator wasn't mounted correctly, the tension on the pulley would be very uneven and cause premature wear on the bearings or motor shaft or whatever else is in that fucker.

[Anonymous No.1463344]

>>1463317
pig disgusting Eurofag detected

[Anonymous No.1463351]

>>1463344
Your making yourself sound like a idiot.
Alternators don't contain oil. Bearings spin the armature that do not require oil.
If the alternator was mounted in correctly, it probably would chew up a belt.

[Anonymous No.1463365]

>>1463327
PARTY DECK! ...or shade?

[Anonymous No.1463367]

>>1462451
Oh shit. That makes sense.fuck yeah that would be a bitchin camper. I got a $600 shitbox but day 1 we cot flooded and rioed the ass end completely off. I had 3/4" plywood laying around so i went over the whole rotted floor and build a new ass end. Seeled it and just used same color roofing screws on the old metal that sheered off. Siliconed the seems and siliconed and screwed a strip over the seems. Worked out pretty good actually. It's dangerously ass end heavy but we dont travel far anyway. Took all the screws out and sikiconed around all the screw holes before i stuck it back on.

Fucker is bulletproof back there and i can bolt all kinds of shit to it.

Its a tiny shithole and i have a cdl tho. An old school bus is like 4k at most and i have a near new fiberglass tub and 3 walls unit i can throw in it. Coble a shitter in and run curtins and a matress and im good to roll for well under 5k. Will make it nice next winter and probably keep it till i die.

[Anonymous No.1463379]

>>1463351
Clearly says alternator was mounted incorrectly, someone must have mounted it in the sump lol.

[Anonymous No.1463416]

>>1463351
Alternators do not commonly use oel, but if you google "alternator of the Ford Transit 1987 year", you can see there is on the back; a vacuum pump for the break system attached.

[Anonymous No.1463418]

>>1463367
I love your enthusiasm, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.

So boys, this is the electrical cabinets

Top to bottom:
60A Solar controller
3 DPDT middle pos off Master Switches
2/4000 watt Inverter
Wire jumble (will address when I buy 2 more batteries)
2 35Ah 12v Sealed AGM solar batteries with a place for 2 more

So this system has 2 sources of power.
1)Shore power (the orange 3 way ext cord)
And
2) The batteries/ solar& van engine

So the solar goes from the panels, through the topper to the controller, then to the batteries.

When the van is running, power is also supplied to the batteries via the starter solenoid from the alternator

The batteries are then hooked to the inverter. I have the vent fans directly into the batteries. Most would recommend lights as well.

The switches left to right control the heat/ac unit (left side of pic), outlets, and lights.

The 3 plugs in the ext cord and the 3 in the inverter are correlated with the master switches: yellow is A/C, others are lights and outlets.

When the switches are up, they draw from the ext cord(s) (2 are necessary if running a microwave and AC at the same time) that run to a grid power outlet.

When the switches are down, they are running through the inverter off the batteries. I have the lights and outlets switches down in transit and if I need to run the lights or outlets without shore power. Just need to flip the inverter on.

My fridge is alt current so it needs the outlet switch up or down to run, obv. If you had a 3 way or 12v fridge, you could wire it right to the batteries. Same with other appliances, but that wasn’t important to me.

I ran the lights alt current because LEDs use so little power that I’d rather waste 2 watts on the inverter and have a real switch than deal with ugly 12v stuff. There is more than 1 way to do things.

When not in use, I move the switches to the center and everything is off except I can turn the fans on.

[Anonymous No.1463422]

>>1463418
The limitations of the system:

The 2 batteries won’t put out enough amps to power the A/C. When I get 2 more, I assume this problem will be resolved.

I don’t have a battery charger on board because I let the sun do it for me. I switch to shore power and the bank is good to go in 4-5 hours for free. I’ve considered it but it is unnecessary at this time due to only the fans running off of it.

Certain GFCI plugs really don’t like my outlet circuit. I don’t know why, but I have a switch at my shop that’ll kick out when I flip the outlet master.

I had the problem on one other GFCI but normal outlets won’t blow their breakers when it’s plugged in.

[Anonymous No.1463463]

>>1463317
It already has insurance as an RV :v)

[Anonymous No.1463483]

>>1463321
It probably fucked up his muffler bearings too.

[Anonymous No.1463489]

>>1463416
>Ford
>for the break system
FORD - has built in break system
This must be why they break so often.

[Anonymous No.1463598]

>>1463327
Do you have any more pics of your old bus?
Did you build it yourself?

[Anonymous No.1463599]

>>1463327
What is the interior height?

[Anonymous No.1463839]

>>1463599
If it’s like the new ones, it should be 6’4” in the middle and like 5’6” by the windows

[Anonymous No.1463958]

>>1463489
Kek. At least it aint a piece of shit dodge

[Anonymous No.1463961]

>>1463418
Sorry i was pretty drunk. It's bee a long week. Basically i have a cdl. Buying a big ass school bus to build a camper

[Anonymous No.1465629]

>>1463422
>70Ah of 12V DC battery
>not enough to power the A/C unit
>140Ah should do it
Anon, most A/C units suck down more power than any mobile solar system can handle. Even a tiny 8000BTU portable A/C unit will pull about 9 amps of 120V A/C, which will be about 100 amps of 12V DC after the conversion. Unless you are running deep cycle batteries, you'll be able to run that A/C unit for about 30 minutes, and use every bit of battery you have in the process. I've got 220Ah's of 12V DC battery for my setup, and I'm not expecting to run more than my mini-fridge, laptop, a few fans, and maybe a TV.

Unless you only plan on using A/C when attached to shore power. Then go right on ahead.

[Anonymous No.1465683]

>>1465629
>2 35Ah 12v Sealed AGM solar batteries with a place for 2 more
I thought there was some sort of typo there. 70Ah is way too small for most peoples needs.

I have been working on a van for about a year now. Designing the solar system at the moment. I will be using 3 145Ah AGM batteries, 400 watts of solar on the roof, a 40A MPPT charge controller, and a 3000W inverter.

I would highly recommend the book "Mobile Solar Power Made Easy!" by William Prowse. Its a very short read and he explains exactly how to properly size, design, and install a solar system on a vehicle.

[Anonymous No.1465689]

>>1465683
I'm going with a somewhat smaller system slightly tweaked for northern climates. 2 6V 220Ah flooded lead acid batteries(Deep cycle baby), 300 watts of solar panel, 45A charge controller, and 1000W inverter. Then again, I'm running a small setup with not a ton of power draw, and expecting to get a bit less sunlight than on average.

[Anonymous No.1465703]

>>1462373
Just needs a tassel pinned to the top and you're all set

[Anonymous No.1466049]

>>1465703
Laugh all you want, but he can stand up in his van. That is more than many of the low budget vanlifers can say. Its the best you can do unless you want to spend like 40k on a sprinter, transit, or a promaster. Can't wait until a decade from now when all those vans hit the used market.

[Anonymous No.1466157]

>>1461209
Your van is badass op.

[Anonymous No.1466246]

>>1466049
>>1466157
Yes it is. OP glassed in the top (not cheap) and it looks like he did a nice job.

>>1465703
the white fez is pretty funny. I would paint the whole van white but that is because I live in a very sunny place.

[Anonymous No.1466350]

>>1466049
Relax, princess. It's only batner.

[Anonymous No.1466459]

>>1466049
I was thinking of junk yard hunting for a safari van and get it running. Or cut the front clip off and wld a hitch on it..

[Anonymous No.1466461]

>>1465689
>220ah.

Trojen T-195 boiiiiiiiii

[Anonymous No.1466462]

>>1465689
105. Ffs

[Anonymous No.1466499]

>>1466461
>>1466462
>$325 for 6v 225 Ah
Trojans are awesome and all, but I went for much cheaper batteries. $99 for 6v at 220Ah. I paid about slightly over $1 for each Ah in my system, as opposed to about $2.90 an Ah. Don't you love it when battery sellers give you a 10% discount just by picking the batteries up?

[Anonymous No.1466502]

I take naps in here sometimes if that counts

[Anonymous No.1466600]

>>1466502
are you a dog?

[Anonymous No.1466604]

The beast....

[Anonymous No.1466609]

Dont need all that shit like a sink and toilet ...just a bed is all I need I'm outside....fuck all that weight ...who sets inside when camping.....

[Anonymous No.1466611]

[Anonymous No.1466773]

>>1466600
Human bean

[Anonymous No.1466884]

>>1463961
That’s dope

>>1465629
I have the space to double it to 140Ah. That would run the fridge and fans all night which is more than enough, especially for $240 worth of batteries, 3 100 watt panels etc.

It doesn’t make sense to go bigger for what it is.

>>1465629
I’m not planning on running the a/c off the bank. But theoretically maybe in perfect conditions it could keep the cab under 80° on a hot night.

>>1466049
I’m with you on being hyped to buy a ford transit a few years from now

>>1466157
Thanks

>>1466604
>>1466611
>>1466609
That’s cool.

I wanted to strike a balance between you and those guys who pay $10k for a conversion

[Anonymous No.1466899]

>>1465629
FFRA0511R1 frigidaire 5000 BTU
450W ~4A
on a 48V system @ ~11A
roughly 6 hours a day
4 200AH deep cycles wont even flinch with that load and its not unreasonable to carry and charge them in a portable setup. you're not fully charging in 1 day, sure, but you probably have a generator as backup anyways. plus this setup will power lots of small stuff.

[Anonymous No.1466900]

>>1466899
but it would be better to also note that this same power request from a standard wally world generator is childs play, 450W. you could literally spend 10$ on gas and last like 3 days with a small generator vs this 2000$ plus ECOFRENDLI solar BS that still requires a generator for emergency charging

[Anonymous No.1466901]

Looking to modify my truck on the cheap. I work 16 hour days so the hour drive to work is killing me. I have a half ton old pick up. Where can I get a big camper shell\topper for it? Truck campers seem to expensive or heavy.

[Anonymous No.1466902]

>>1466901
home depot
>2x4s
>tarp
>rope
you now have a jihad truck bed

[Anonymous No.1466903]

>>1466902
I have to stay at truck stops and gas stations. Minimum is not get murdered.

[Anonymous No.1466908]

>>1466903
wow elitist much?
> i want a nice cheap truck topper
> i dont want to die

no seriously though, 2 realistic options:
buy a 4 door. TONS of room in the back of a silverado.
buy a used topper on CL or whatever is the new marketplace these days.

[Anonymous No.1466973]

>>1462373
im looking on getting one of those mini dorm fridge freezers.
how many watts do they use?
how many does yours use?

[Anonymous No.1466980]

>>1465629
>>1465683
>>1466884
>>1466499
>>1465689
>>1465629
>>1463422
Are you guys talking about typical solar batteries? With those you can only discharge like 20-30% of the battery before you have to charge it.

I'm buying a 100 Ah Lithium LiFePO4 battery which I can discharge to like 90% of the battery.

[Anonymous No.1466981]

>>1461270
>heat
what are you using for heat? I was going to use propane?

[Anonymous No.1467139]

>>1466499
Fuckin eh man. Hope they are descent quality. I'm probably going to take a road trip with a bro directly to a manufacturer if they allow it.

Fuck shipping

[Anonymous No.1467238]

>>1466980
>With those you can only discharge like 20-30% of the battery before you have to charge it.
Nigga what are you talking about.
That figure is for starting batteries, not deep cycle aka leisure ones.

[Anonymous No.1467384]

>>1461883
>breaks diesel engine with vegetable oil
>she wanted the van to be vegan
The foot-shooting misadventures of veganism never ceases to be hilarious.

[Anonymous No.1467388]

>>1466600
>on the internet no one knows you're a dog
delet

[Anonymous No.1467399]

>>1466973
>dorm fridges
Typically a consistent 140 watts. They're poorly insulated so they use lots of power. Insulating them or using a radiant heat barrier does wonders for lowering power consumption.

>an aside
If you know the move-out days for your local 4 year university, college students throw out so many working minifridges that it's not even funny. Those are your tax dollar funded student grants going straight into the trash. They do have to be thoroughly cleaned out though. They all inexplicably have a shedding cat's worth of hair in them.

[Anonymous No.1467451]

>>1467238
Bullshit.
The solar ones you still can't discharge part like 40% look it up.

[Anonymous No.1467452]

>>1467399
>Typically a consistent 140 watts
I heard it was a lot less.
Where do you get this figure from?

I heard it was high until it gets cold then it uses low wattage to stay cold.

[Anonymous No.1467453]

>>1467452
I salvaged a lot of older mini fridges and they draw around that much. It may be different for the newer stuff, but I won't know until they hit the dump for me to salvage. It's true they consume far less power once cooled down, but since they're built cheap, they do need a little help when keeping them energy efficient.

[Anonymous No.1467485]

>>1467399
>Typically a consistent 140 watts.
>>1467452
>I heard it was a lot less.
>>1467453
>I salvaged a lot of older mini fridges and they draw around that much.
avg 580w per 24h period

[Anonymous No.1467498]

>>1466981
Heat is for squares.

I’ll run off shore power most of the time so when I need it, the a/c has a heat function. It just reverses the Freon flow. But blankets can get anyone through off the grid

Also, I could replace the rusted out leisure battery box that was under the frame of the van and add a bigger deep cycle if I wanted, but I just don’t need to, I’d get a hazard fraught quiet generator before doing that, put it on a gear rack and stay cozy 24/7

>>1466901
Get an old one and remove any excess weight

And for anyone who’s gonna cut a roof off a van, use a recip saw. Angle grinder takes way longer. Used both but ran out of rip blades

[Anonymous No.1467583]

>>1467451
The way I've always know the 'rule' is 40% for starting batteries, and 80% for deep cycle aka the solar ones. That is how I use mine.

I hit the google but can't find anything like you're suggesting.

[Anonymous No.1467585]

>>1466973
I think my 230v one draws about 45w max so if you just estimate it is on half the time you can get a decent idea.

[Anonymous No.1467618]

>>1467583
Dude you don't k ow anythimg, I'm posting this on 4chaj so I must be right.

[Anonymous No.1468404]

>>1466980
No, I'm talking about 6V deep cycle marine/golf cart batteries. They are heavier than your usual flooded lead acid batteries, but they can take abuse better. I don't plan on dropping below 50% charge, but it's nice the know the battery can take it if I have to.

>>1466899
>on a 48V system @ ~11A
>roughly 6 hours a day
>4 200AH
Ok, but you're gonna pay more for 48V solar panels, four 12V deep cycles, and a 48V inverter. I got 300W of 12V solar for about $300, a 48V solar system capable of ~11A will run you about $1000-$1200. Like I said before, I got 220Ah of 12V for roughly $200, you'll be paying about $300 per each 12V 200Ah deep cycle, for $1200 just for the batteries. I got a 700W 12V inverter for $150, the cheapest inverter that would be capable of powering that A/C unit and very little else would be $250. $650 total for a 12V solar system capable of running a mini-fridge and a few other items. Versus $2,450 for a 48V solar system capable of running a tiny A/C unit. Unless you wanna dump over 2 grand into solar for your mobile setup, it's just not worth it.

[Anonymous No.1468499]

>>1461460
>30 year old tranny
>Owned by pikeys for probably 2 decades
>I've spent thousands
>I should buy a Fiat

Thanks for the laugh anon

[Anonymous No.1468567]

>>1468404
I would like to point a few things out:
You're so poor you think 2000 to 3000 bucks is alot.
You're under the impression that I think it's a good idea.

I would NEVER suggest it, as that whole setup wouldn't last you 10 years. A generator can quadruple that output for the same cost and last over 20 years. With a hefty tank and a trailered generator you can go off grid for weeks, asuming you limit your power usage reasonably.

Solar setups aren't for poor people. They're for Grandpa who already got his 401k payout, still earns a pension and has enough time to actually DIY. They're for Mr and Mrs Smith who had Total Solar LLC to install a setup for free, but they pay for the electricity it generates. It's for the Google Developer who needs to Live0ffGrid™ for his latest vlog post.

[Anonymous No.1468866]

What's the best way to cool the van down in the summer?

[Anonymous No.1468878]

>>1463321
Almost sounds like the mechanic was pulling one over on him. In reality it was most likely the blinker fluid.

[Anonymous No.1468888]

>>1461460
hahaha looks like you got fucked by a tranny

[Anonymous No.1468889]

>>1468866
park in the shade

run a tarp a foot above the roof to insulate from the sun

install two extractor fans on the roof one pulling air in, one pushing it out

[Anonymous No.1469138]

>>1468889
Do those air coolers work?

The ones that you pump icewater through copper coils attached to a fan?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiPLJEFRBnM

[Anonymous No.1469178]

>>1469138
>>1468889
>>1468866
If you super insulated your van, wouldn't it just get super hot in the summer?

[Anonymous No.1469180]

>>1469138
They work pretty well if you have a good supply of ice.

Problem is they add a lot of humidity and eventually will fuck up your interior.

[Anonymous No.1469182]

>>1469180
>Problem is they add a lot of humidity and eventually will fuck up your interior.
I was thinking of getting a dehumidifier to remedy this problem.

thoughts?

[Anonymous No.1469259]

>>1461533
it didn't even matter about all the work.
I remember him posting and its too heavy for him to drive on his driving license anyway.
Classic case of doing absolutely zero research and getting burnt

[Anonymous No.1469327]

>>1469182
>thoughts?

a dehumidifier is an air-conditioner that doesn't get rid of the heat

[Anonymous No.1469336]

>>1469327
it takes moisture out of the air

that plus the air cooler should work,


no?

[Anonymous No.1469392]

>>1469259
Get a class B if a burger

[Anonymous No.1469429]

>>1469336
>it takes moisture out of the air
And it gives a net gain in heat because it doesn't get rid of the heat it generates.
It works like and air-conditioner, sorta.
A compressor (which makes heat) runs compressed gas through an evaporator coil where moisture in the air collects and falls into a container.
The evaporator coil cools the air but not enough to overcome the heat generated by the compressor. (thermodynamics)
Plus, you're paying for the energy to run the "air cooler" which is adding the moisture/humidity.
It would be less expensive to just run an air-conditioner which cools and dehumidifies in one go.

[Anonymous No.1470331]

>>1469178
With shades drawn on sun side, doors open away from sun and fans on, mine stays at air temp or lower

I’m touching up the topper edge and redoing the front edge cuz it delaminated from no surface prep.

[Anonymous No.1470378]

>>1461460
babby's first van...
>I know a lot of people who have done this, not enough brains to listen to sound advice

[Anonymous No.1470423]

>>1469259
What I don't understand is why nobody told him you could downrate to 3.5ton, from 5.5ton just by fitting larger bumpstops.

[Anonymous No.1470533]

what kind of car should i get if i want to live in it but also be able to park it on normal parking lots where sleeping in your car isn't allowed (so i can make mine look just like a regular parked car)

[Anonymous No.1470608]

>>1470533
honda oddessy no external mods.
legal tint plus blackout inserts for windows

Normal Parking Lots
only sleep there, no lights, no noise, just sleep.
spend the rest of your time elsewhere.

[Anonymous No.1471225]

>>1466049
Means a lot. Had to move out of living on my boat because of the crick in my neck

[Anonymous No.1473714]

>>1461209
I'm 18 and live with my parents. When I eventually move out, I like how it seems to live in a new trailer home, either in a trailer park or on my own land.

Are new mobile homes a good idea?
I hear they tend to depreciate in value over time.
I can't find any used mobile homes for sale online that aren't total wrecked pieces of shit.

I was looking at this one

https://www.mobilehomesdirect4less.com/product/trumh-dempsey-bliss/

Or this one with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
https://www.mobilehomesdirect4less.com/product/trumh-frazier-euphoria/

I live in Houston where cheap apartments tend to be available, so this may be a better option. Here's my plan
>Parent's House->Cheap apartment(for a few years or however long it takes me to get a better paying job)->Mobile home(for about 10 years until I find a mate and get a new house or give up on life and raise a family out of a trailer park.)->Single family house

[Anonymous No.1473754]

>>1473714
>depreciate in value over time.
they depreciate while you're signing the papers to buy it
Stay with your parents while saving enough to get into a new or used home.
Programs are available to help new couples buy their first home.

[Anonymous No.1473762]

>>1473714
>I hear they tend to depreciate in value over time.
They depreciate instantly.

>I can't find any used mobile homes for sale online that aren't total wrecked pieces of shit.
That is because they are built like shit and should be considered disposable.
Your walls will be the same garbage they make office cubicles out of.
One little leak in a corner or window seal and your whole interior goes into the trash.


If you consider it disposable, and pay it off $500/mo as if it were rent, you will own it in 5 years.

Consider one of those fancy sheds from Old Hickory or Derksen instead.
I'd say go for shipping containers, but you can't really get those on a payment plan.

[Anonymous No.1473842]

>>1473762
>I don’t want to do any work

>get a shipping container

Lololololol, oh, anon. You’re hilarious.

The guy won’t even repaint a $2000 mobile home

[Anonymous No.1473848]

>>1473714
Dude, just buy a used mobile. I spent $5k on mine. Another approx $2-3k renovating it. Floors, paint, fixtures, etc.. anything that looked like shit. Everything is nice now and whenever someone new comes over they're surprised.

Tornados are scary though.

[Anonymous No.1473849]

>>1473714
Shit anon. I grew up in a trailer park. It was fuck as fuck man. Pretty much get to do wtf ever you want and always have a buddy or 2 to hang out with just down the road

[Anonymous No.1473879]

>>1473849
>I grew up in a trailer park. It was fuck as fuck man.

american education, folks.

[Anonymous No.1474306]

>>1461642
> he shits where he eats AND sleeps

[Anonymous No.1474460]

>>1473714
Save time and money. Find cheap land and spend 12k on a cuckshed shell. Build your own home

[Anonymous No.1474461]

>>1473848
>tornadoes are scarry.

Anon i raided through the last tornado. Aint no point in being affraid. If its your time then at least i can be celebrating sweet net gear while getting impaled

[Anonymous No.1474462]

>>1473879
He doesnt know i meant fun.

He feels the need to call out grammar errors on a fucking Chinese marble discussion forum.

Just kys miserable 3rd world cuck.

[Anonymous No.1474560]

>>1466502

napping in a 92-96 mustang...

Are you like 5'6", or have a perma hunch to your back?

[Anonymous No.1474576]

>>1473714
Problem with mobile home is you need a place to park. Buying yourself a land or three and rotate seasonally. Some areas will only allow upto 6 months of stay per year. So if you buy 2 cheap lands, you can rotate between the two without having to deal with the law.

[Anonymous No.1474596]

Say I had access to an old box truck which I could theoretically live out of, but I am a man who
>1. Shits alot.
>2. Does not like handling shit or emptying a shit bucket that has a risk of leaking

how do I build a decent toilet and shower into a truck? I got a guy who can get me toilets and showers for cheap from ching chong land.

[Anonymous No.1474638]

>>1474596
>I need to be able to shit in my RV
>I don't want to handle shit and/or blackwater tanks
I've got bad news for (You). That problem aside, considering that you have a fairly large amount of space to work with, I'd reccomend having a separate lavatory and shower, but I'd have them next to each other; I'd have the sink
for the lavatory drain onto the shower floor, and have the shower drain through the bottom of the truck.

[Anonymous No.1475073]

>>1474638
I just mean I don't wanna have one of those port-o-potties you see some of the van builds use, where you gotta physically take out the toilet and empty it. I just wanna be able to press a button and eject my shit through a hose of some sort.

[Anonymous No.1475100]

>>1474596
>1. Shits alot
I'm on a meat/dairy only diet and shit once a week or less. Try it for a month see how it works out for you.

[Anonymous No.1475137]

>>1475073
>I just want to be able to press a button and eject my shit through a hose
You'll want to start off by finding refuse tanks with a drain valve, the problem with this is that you might not find a tank that meets your needs. If you can't find anything that already exists that meets your needs, you can try making your own tank, and then using a sewage lift pump to drain it.

[Anonymous No.1475190]

>>1461209
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWdCtwJm6nA

[Anonymous No.1475307]

This is what I want. Basically gonna copy this build with a few tweaks to have a mobile home office. Travel North when it gets warm, South when it gets cold. Different view every day.

[Anonymous No.1475412]

>>1475307
I never understood why anons dont just buy a used trailer and diy a camper and drag it with a half ton

[Anonymous No.1475421]

>>1475412
I would guess it has something to do with convenience of a single unit vehicle.

[Anonymous No.1475430]

>>1475421
I guess you're right. I'm buying a bus but I'm still hauling a moped. Fuck a bunch of monkeying around shitty cars

[Anonymous No.1475656]

>>1475412
I can tow anything with his camper van.

You have a lot more options and flexibility when the living space is in the motored vehicle. I can haul a trailer, a boat, another camper, etc etc instead of the camper itself being the extra vehicle

[Anonymous No.1475802]

>>1475412
I decided not to go with a trailer because I don't want to have to exit my living area, walk around to the front in the rain and then climb into the passenger seat in order to drive to get my morning coffee, etc. I'll have the rear separated from the front by blackout curtains, so I can have privacy but easy access.

Also by going with a van, like a Mercedes Sprinter, I can park in any standard parking.

It's just a personal preference and a bit more convenient for my needs.

[Anonymous No.1475896]

>>1474596
Install toilet and have it drain to a tank at the rear. Install a pump that vents the tank out your tailpipe. Useful for tailgaters and marking your sleeping areas.

[Anonymous No.1475942]

Hi

[Anonymous No.1475944]

[Anonymous No.1475946]

[Anonymous No.1475956]

>>1475942
>>1475944
>>1475946
What’s going on here, anon?

[Anonymous No.1475958]

>>1475896
Don’t forget your enzymes,
but I’ve seen a custom build for an army vehicle that had the plumbing drain directly into one of these bad boys and then they had an access hatch on the side so you could roll it out and dump it.

Really cleverly removing the middle man and increasing usability

[Anonymous No.1476062]

>>1474462
Ahaha! Faggot go b& for being a piece of shit.

[Anonymous No.1476063]

>>1474576
Buy a forclosed shithole or tax sale. Bulldoze it and make and rv lot for 1

[Anonymous No.1476067]

>>1474596
Do like i am anon. Build/buy big shitter tank. Plumb a big drain pipe with a rotating spray bar that spins when under pressure get electronic ball valve for shitter tank. Use it till full, drive down highway at night. Pull over and have pipe on pasengers side. Push button and drain into the road ditch. Close drain and run spray bar. Open drain with sppray bar on. Close drain. Turn 360° and walk away

[Anonymous No.1476069]

>>1475656
I see. Didn't thinknof that.

[Anonymous No.1476070]

>>1475942
Anons i have found my dream home. Sadly married and for some strange reason my wife doesnt want to live in a box. Kek

1973-78 GMC motorhome

[Anonymous No.1476172]

>>1475956
new engine build.

[Anonymous No.1476183]

>>1476067
Do not do this
It can spread disease.

There’s a reason that human waste can’t be composted for fertilizer

[Anonymous No.1476187]

>>1476067
>drain into the road ditch
Fuck you, you make the rest of us look bad with this shit, also, there are places where you can properly dump refuse for free, there's no fucking excuse for literal street shitting.

[Anonymous No.1476191]

>>1476063
>foreclosure sale or tax sale
Don't these properties tend to be in crime infested shitholes though?

[Anonymous No.1476409]

>>1476183
>There’s a reason that human waste can’t be composted for fertilizer
What would that reason be?
>If you can get over the ewwww factor, pee-cycling your own urine into the garden makes good sense. Fresh urine is high in nitrogen, moderate in phosphorus and low in potassium and can act as an excellent high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer or as a compost accelerator.

[Anonymous No.1476904]

>>1476409
>What would that reason be?
Part of what makes manure from cows, pigs, chickens, etc. act as fertilzer is the microbes in their fecal matter, and those microbes seep into the ground, if the fecal matter came from a diseased animal, this can cause the disease to spread to other animals, and in some cases, humans. In the case of humans, not only can diseases by transmitted by fecal matter, but there is also the issue of drugs being introduced into the environment. Also, the use of manure frequently requires monitoring the pH of the soil where it is used, monitoring that will never occur with human waste being dumped wherever.

[Anonymous No.1476937]

>>1474596

Install a septic tank of 50 liters or more.

2 no touch pumping options:

1) Re-purpose a small block chevy oil pump or similar gear type pump and your choice of motor or jus use a cordless drill. The gears will crush peanuts, chicken bones and even pump out turds like a 1" thick shit sausage.
If you want, you can also use a decomposing enzyme thing that turns everything into sludge. (the blue stuff from porta shitter)
You cannot use toilet paper though. It will lock up the gears. 50 liters in less than a minute.

2) Pneumatic diaphragm pump (Harbor freight sells them for $150. It will pump out all sorts of shit, and ass paper is no problem.
You will need an air tank plus compressor about 100psi.

[Anonymous No.1477024]

>>1476904
https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/gardening-techniques/human-waste-zmgz11zrog

[Anonymous No.1477048]

>>1477024
You won't always know for sure if you are ill, and all it takes is one screw up with the processing of the waste to cause an epidemic.

[Anonymous No.1477060]

>>1461883
>vegan
>she
That poor van never had a chance.

[Anonymous No.1477208]

>>1476183
Oh, well fuck around. Dammit. I guess i could build a metal swivel hose and hit up rv clean outs

[Anonymous No.1477210]

>>1476191
It depends. Some people die and nobody claims it or investors just forget they even have them.

[Anonymous No.1477444]

Nice work OP.

What kind of AC is that? How many watts does it draw?

[Anonymous No.1478491]

Anyone done.much with solar charge conteoller, alternator charging, and invertors? Especially in Europe with 240v recommend me some brands

[Anonymous No.1478520]

>>1476183
>There’s a reason that human waste can’t be composted for fertilizer

Human waste makes the best fertilizer. The big corporate farms get it straight from the city sewer system.

ORGANIC growers can't use human waste, because of the antiquated sewer system.

If you eliminate all the disease carrying, infected, drug addicts, etc. human waste would be organic, but these people's shit gets mixed in the sewer system and ruins it for everyone.

you can use your own waste as fertilizer for plants that you eat, but you can't share those veggies with others, and you can't eat veggies that were shat on by others. Like the bible says, reap what YOU sow.

[Anonymous No.1479024]

>>1476183
What's the reason? I never understood that, why can't we compost human dookie for fertilizer?
>>1476937
I see, why is paper verboten with the enzyme? Does it fuck it up? Either way, with a big enough water tank it might be kind of nice to have the luxury of a bidet on board. Less storage space required for shit tickets as well. I could be living my sci fi shitting fantasies

[Anonymous No.1479030]

>>1479024
now that I think about it, I might go for something like this. is there anything else that would fuck up the gears?
>use cool LED toilet with some cleaning-features
>bidet
>try to find used dyson airblade
it could feel like shitting on a space station.

[Anonymous No.1479046]

>>1478520
You are literally full of shit.

[Anonymous No.1479050]

>>1479024
>What's the reason? I never understood that, why can't we compost human dookie for fertilizer?

He literally just gave you the answer: It spreads disease.

Animals generally only susceptible to diseases specific to their species. Pathogens capable of infecting more than one species (zoonoses) are pretty rare, so eating plants fertilized with the manure of another species is much safer. It's not that you can never use human waste in compost, it's just that you have to be more careful about it, and there's not much reason to do so if you have ready access to just about any other kind of fertilizer.

[Anonymous No.1479637]

>>1461460
>the mechanic

Yeah not cut out for /diy/

[Anonymous No.1479747]

>>1479637
Pretty sure most of those repairs are way out of rearch for the average /diy/er.

[Anonymous No.1480188]

>>1473714
That's the one I have. I had to do some work after I bought it. They forgot to put insulation in the master bathroom wall. The toilet was rocking back and fourth, it was sitting high off the floor on the pipe. I had to change the faucet in the master bath it was leaking in the wall. They ceiling vent wasn't wired into anything. Both doors leak on it. I had to build a front and back porch with rooves to keep the rain from coming in. I installed mini split heat pumps in it. It is very efficient aftewr all is said and done. I don't think I should have had to do so much work on it. They drop dramatically in value. Good luck trying to resale it for anywhere close to what you got it for. I think they go $10,000 as soon as they leave the sale lot. If you go to get one do check these types of things.

[Anonymous No.1480571]

>>1461642
>>1461894
pic related

[Anonymous No.1480954]

>>1468866
Park it in a pond

[Anonymous No.1480957]

>>1479030
The best shitting experience on earth.

>it's in a van next to the bed and kitchen

[Anonymous No.1481099]

>>1480957
In my current apartment the toilet is on the other side of a wall opposite my kitchen. Just wall it off and figure out a way to cut down on stink from all the lentils a van dweller is gonna have to be eating

[Anonymous No.1481308]

>>1465683
Love Will Prowse, seems like a cool kid, but he is very... naive about electricity and electronics to be writing a book about the stuff, it seems.
Some of the stuff he's said in his YouTube videos... worries me that he wrote a book on it sorta.

>>1475958
Now that is a good idea. I hate having to dump an RV tank into one of those, and then haul it and dump it again. -_-

[Anonymous No.1481326]

This sounds great if you're in your 20s. But I would not want to be a sad middle aged man living alone in a vehicle in a Wal Mart parking lot

[Anonymous No.1483265]

>>1481326
Why not? Because society told you it was wrong and you believed them?

[Anonymous No.1483267]

>>1481326
>I would not want to be a sad middle aged man living alone in a vehicle in a Wal Mart parking lot

Then don't live alone, and don't go to Walmart.

[Anonymous No.1484336]

>>1481099
>figure out a way to cut down on stink
Poo

Make some poo pourri, that shit really works. It's just rubbing alcohol, essential oils, and water.

[Anonymous No.1484341]

Heh, I'm going to become a halloween hero no matter what even if I have to sell my soul and whale.

[Anonymous No.1484345]

>>1484336
>It's just rubbing alcohol, essential oils, and water.

[Anonymous No.1484387]

>>1484345
Yeah, now google "poo pourri" like I wrote.

Like the thing pajeets don't do in the loo.

[Anonymous No.1485174]

Hay guise I have zero money but want to do something like this, wat do?
https://youtu.be/FB5TneZwY2s

[Anonymous No.1485189]

I would buy an army surplus truck and custom build a box for it.

Now, I have experience in auto, home building and engineering so I could go absolute ham on it and end up with a dope af set up.

If you aren’t experienced, I would use all your resources to draw and design your cabin before starting. Just on my van I took the 7 months of time I spent casually saving and constantly adjusted my plan until I got it perfected

[Anonymous No.1485298]

>>1485174
>wat do?
get some money

[Anonymous No.1485357]

Is this the right place to talk about outfitting smaller vehicles for travel, too? I've got a Honda Element I'd like to road trip with, and I'm just curious what you guys think the essentials are. When I had to live out of my car a couple of years back there were definitely some thing things I felt a serious lack of, mostly a hot plate of some kind and some way to organize the stuff I needed to keep on hand.

[Anonymous No.1485499]

>>1485357
>Is this the right place to talk about outfitting smaller vehicles for travel, too?
Probably
>road trip with
Are you just going to be using this as an RV occasionally, or frequently? If the former, it'd be cheaper to use motels, and if your case is the latter, buy a used van, it's worth the investment.
>When I had to live out of my car a couple of years back there were definitely some thing things I felt a serious lack of, mostly a hot plate of some kind and some way to organize the stuff I needed to keep on hand.
Are you still living in your car? If so, I don't have very good news for you, all a car is going to be able to provide with how little space it has is a little storage, basic shelter, and heat in the winter. If you are asking because you will have to or are otherwise planning on living in a vehicle again, buy a used van, preferably a cargo van.

[Anonymous No.1485666]

Thinking of converting a Ford box truck into a workshop/motor home. I want to use a 2kw lpg generator inside of the van vented outside. If I extend the generator exhaust through the floor and had active venting would this be safe?

[Anonymous No.1485676]

>>1485666
>vented outside
That will take care of the exhaust, but you still need to make sure that your generator won't suck all of the oxygen out of the interior of the vehicle. If the air intake for the generator is a single pipe with a filter, you'll be able to just have an air pipe pull air from outside of the van, if not, you'll need to put the generator in a vented cabinet (with the exhaust still going into an exhaust pipe). The hardest part regardless of the situation is going to be keeping the generator cooled without overheating the interior of the van.

[Anonymous No.1485834]

>>1485676
Was thinking a 5" duct fan temp controlled with baffles through the floor and insulating/sealing with access on the inside. I'm from the UK so don't need to worry about summer much.

[Anonymous No.1485953]

>>1485834
>summer
How hot does it get? I know you said that you don't have to worry about the heat, but if you're going to be having a mobile workshop, both the tools and the generator are going to produce a large amount of heat.
>inb4 anons ask why workshopanon wants a generator in his truck
12v DC isn't going to be able to provide enough energy to power to kind of tools needed in a workshop.

[Anonymous No.1486034]

>>1485953
Just a light jab at our shitty weather here, I would definitely be conscious of the heat, the generator has safety shut off but I would probably set up another failsafe before that like a temp alarm.

[Anonymous No.1486063]

>>1485666
Check out real RVs that have generators on board.

The old ones rolled out of the bottom storage area because they knew they’d never get the box 100% airtight to the cab.

The new ones and motor coaches have generator compartments that don’t extend but they are 100% air tight to the interior.

With a box truck, you ought to be able to build a box under the deck if you find the right generator.

Would also recommend the generator-battery bank- inverter set up to save generator fuel. Then it’s just charging the batteries at a low constant output instead of high-low alternating rpms.

[Anonymous No.1486066]

>>1486063
And when I say air tight, I mean it’s 100% inaccessible to the interior. Door seals fail, fancy venting is never 100% and generators get fucking hot (obv, gas burns @ >2000° F)

[Anonymous No.1486086]

>>1485357
I don't know if this is the right place either, but I have this crazy idea where I want to take a golf R and turn it into a sort of mad max rally car. I want to take out the back seats and the passenger seat and put some sort of tiny bed in it. I wouldn't want to live out of it but I think it would be cool to have.

[Anonymous No.1486276]

>>1486086
>I want to take out the back seats and the passenger seat and put some sort of tiny bed in it.
Kei truck.

[Anonymous No.1486386]

>>1486276
I'm not sure if you're kidding but I meant a bed for sleeping. I want to keep it as a hatchback. On top it would have a roof rack with spotlights.

[Anonymous No.1486932]

>>1486086
Just looked up the car you want to mod, it doesn't look like you'll have much room to play with. Regarding the bed, it looks like you'll have enough room for that based on your plans, assuming that the bed goes from front to back.

[Anonymous No.1486973]

>>1474460
I did this. Wasn't rocket surgery. 34 acres and 1400 square feet cabin. Bought most of my building supplies at auctions for next to nothing.

[Anonymous No.1487945]

What's the market like for used Ford Transits these days?

[Anonymous No.1489260]

>>1487945
Good.

[Anonymous No.1489355]

>>1487945
How used are we talking? In Europe the market was always good.

The US market is getting pretty good now too, and will get better as 4 and 5 year old fleet vans come on to the market

[Anonymous No.1491396]

>>1463083

> Hook up the aux batteries to the starter solenoid and the alternator will regulate voltage on the whole system while the key is on.

Are you fucking trolling, or do you just not know how the alternator regulator works.
Hint: it's not a fucking Honda bike.

Here's the scoop so someone else doesn't do this and destroy their batteries.. the regulator works by sending power to the alternator field coils. When the input power reaches 13.8v, the regulator chokes off power to the field coils so the alternator doesn't produce too much power for the system. It a) can only perform its function while the alternator is turning (engine is running), and b) cannot regulate power introduced from anywhere besides the alternator.

Now, if you're talking about a halfwave rectifier/regulator found on cheap motorbikes, yeah, that would work (until you burned it out anyway), but what you described would do precisely dick for regulating system voltage in a car, truck, or motorhome where the power is supplied from shore hookup or solar panels or whatever else.

---

Addendum: this works if the engine is running and you're charging the coach batteries only by the alternator. Also, there is a solenoid in factory motorhomes that does this anyway when the engine is running, no need to add anything. It is useful to add if you're say converting a school bus.

[Anonymous No.1492044]

>>1461264
There's no way that'll hold if enough snow sits on it...holy shit.

[Anonymous No.1492049]

>>1461264
That's just the base for the fiberglass.

[Anonymous No.1492051]

>>1492049
Assuming that the guy is running a heater in cold weather it might be enough to constantly melt snow, I just hope the fiberglass is thick enough. Wet snow is heavy as hell, if it can go through the roof of a house it can that as well. My inner critical-thinker is just tripping because there's really no central bracing along the top lengthwise. Wouldn't have been much more work to weld one final stretch of pipe with cut-outs for those crossing its width. Forgive my autism.

[Anonymous No.1492065]

>Moron: adj., "someone assuming that a van should have lots of batteries and solar panels and good heating systems, maybe a full fledged HVAC as well, and appliances (some coffee machine, etc) demanding literal kilowatts".

As long as your house has engine and wheels, you can just move to some warmer country to avoid a cold winter, and to some cool mountain to avoid a hot summer. Just plan ahead of time.

Also carefully plan your electricity budget. You just need a few LED lights, a smartphone, maybe a tablet, maybe a 12V beard trimmer, a 12V hair dryer. A very few amps will be needed for the 12V water pumps and 12V Thetford toilet.
Yes - they come with a cost. Yet they will make you save a lot of money in the long run, and you won't feel like a shit when the rain is pouring down wile you take a dump in a real Thetford toilet instead of some cheap portapotty or some old bucket.

[Anonymous No.1492151]

>>1492051
>I don’t know how to fiberglass properly
See
>>1461894
You couldn’t put enough snow on this thing to get it to collapse.

Why would I add the weight of steel when the fiberglass is lighter and provides uniform strength

[Anonymous No.1492152]

>>1491396
You literally just said I was wrong and then said to do the exact thing I just said.

The alternator kicks out when there’s too much voltage just like the solar charger does.

Neither will blow the system or get blown by the other since they both regulate.

Is it ideal? Maybe, maybe not, but there’s no reason to waste any money on anything else that will either waste power or operate the exact same as this system.

Please think before you post.

T. All of /DIY/

[Anonymous No.1492153]

>>1492044
See
>>1492151

Guy weighs 300freedom units and can walk anywhere on it.

[Anonymous No.1492202]

>>1492152

You are wrong.

You're telling him to use the alternator regulator to control the system voltage from the solar panel input. That will not work.

[Anonymous No.1492205]

>>1492202
I don't think he's saying that. It would be really stupid if he was.

[Anonymous No.1492388]

>>1475942

ask me how hard you can offroad one of these, I dare you....

[Anonymous No.1492602]

VW t4 anyone?

[Anonymous No.1492621]

This is mine. Made the canopy and rugged solar on the roof not a bad way to see the country.

[Anonymous No.1493042]

feels good to be back on the road after 1 months of renovation. omw to Idaho from Kentucky

adding a window to a box truck should have been easier than that

[Anonymous No.1493044]

[Anonymous No.1493047]

next task is to finish up the back cosmeticly, close off the garage with two motorcycles from the living area and add 200 ah to the electrical

[Anonymous No.1493057]

>>1493047
>>1493044
>>1493042
>converted box truck
This is my dream

[Anonymous No.1493097]

Someone should make a discord

[Anonymous No.1493358]

>>1493097
Faggot

[Anonymous No.1493547]

>>1493097
Agree

[Anonymous No.1493812]

>>1493097
And make a slow general even slower

[Anonymous No.1495817]

>>1492621
Looks cool

[Anonymous No.1498146]

I thought this was an interesting set up for the beds.

[Anonymous No.1498436]

>>1498146
This reminds me of the setup of the beds on an Amtrak train I rode on.

[Anonymous No.1500282]

[Anonymous No.1500321]

>>1493057
Dream bigger. A box truck conversion is too easy to do and hard to make appealing

[Anonymous No.1500329]

>>1492202
Separate voltage inputs.

The batteries are hooked to the starter solenoid, they are also separately hooked to the solar controller.

This way, when the key is on, the solar panels charge the bank and the engine battery.

When the engine is on, the alternator charges the engine battery and solar bank as 1 system keeping the voltage around 14.4. Since the panels still charge during this time, the alternator only has to put out more juice at night to keep that voltage as the panels can pump 18v easy midday.


The solar controller protects the panels from the alternator so everything is Kosher.
I see where you got confused, but you should have been clearer on what you were saying also.

[Anonymous No.1500338]

>>1493044
I'm fairly certain that it's illegal to remove the roof of the cab without properly welded supports in the states. No one is going to charge you unless you get in an accident and die or kill/injure a passenger. Then insurance doesn't have to pay out and you're liable.

Could be wrong but all the literature I have read on aftermarket van toppers all say something similar.

[Anonymous No.1500398]

>>1500282
pros:
diesel
wide enough to sleep sideways

cons:
easy to get a DUI
have to bid govt liquidation auctions to obtain parts

[Anonymous No.1500651]

>>1500329

Okay, I get it. I was under the impression you were trying to negate the need for a solar controller (or whatever secondary input).

[Anonymous No.1502916]

>>1500321
One big advantage that a box truck can be nice on the inside and be nondescript on the outside.
People will take pics of this puppy as you drive by.

[Anonymous No.1503106]

>>1502916
Or you can finish it out to a basic degree, put vinyl siding on it or something.

[Anonymous No.1503163]

>>1461270
How did you make the connection between the fiberglass and the body of the car?

[Anonymous No.1503564]

>>1502916
That pic should be used in the next OP

[Anonymous No.1503569]

>>1461642
Nothing like making dinner in your glorified chamber pot in the kitchen with a pile of shit in it.

[Anonymous No.1504476]

>>1502916
Hawt

[Anonymous No.1506210]

>>1502916
You're right: that monster turd on wheels is only meant to have people taking pics. Wind, hailstorms, road bumps, everything may make your heart skip a beat. Especially when your mileage is 30-50-100k. And it won't be pleasant to find out water inside every time there's some light rain.

No, you won't admit it, but you want a real campervan. One that blends in without effort. Spartan yet comfy, low center of gravity, unibody (not a decoupage of turds like your pic), that will make you enjoy the rain and resist the wind, and most of all no bizarre sounds when you're above 15mph.

example: pic related: 33mpg, 7300lbs fully loaded