Recent content by blueridge

An opinion on Electric powered vans. The 2024 Ford E-Transit full-size cargo van has a range of 186 miles. I once travelled around the country in a large converted box van. Fuel mileage was so poor I limited myself to less than 100 miles a day. Best experience traveling by "van" yet...

What's the cleanest, cheapest, most minimal eating I can do? Fast on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Cut your food costs by 42% First couple of times will be harder, but it becomes surprisingly easy as you repeat. Our bodies are designed to work this way, from our days as hunter gatherers...

Best piece of advice I received while shopping for a camper was this:  Buy the simplest camper you think will work for you (I bought an empty shell with a few options) and get out on the road and use your camper.   "Add" things based on how you end up using the camper.   Solve the problems that...

Why am I switching to a van.  How I use the vehicle changed over time.   Originally I would work short duration contracts, then I would take time off and travel to remote parts of the US for a few months, and then I'd go back to work.   I chose a 4x4 truck, and a pop-up truck camper because...

RE:  All seasons in a passenger van In a different article, a guy used an infrared camera to test how well homemade quilted window covers worked in a passenger van.   He was able to measure actual temperatures on insulated walls, versus window glass and exposed metal frames. Summary, the...

This article is about a family of six using a Chevy Express Extended passenger van to travel around the US visiting national parks, 13,000 miles, and sleeping in the van. A how to article with material list,  I think they spent less than $500 on the conversion.  It's a good layout for a large...

I don't have the budget for Lithium batteries.   I'll just need more panels, and batteries, to cope with CPAP consumption, and other normal consumers during winter. Thanks, John

Thanks for your insights, So first the disclaimer, I don't know much about energy production and control, so I was asking here because there are people on this forum who have a lot of knowledge and experience to draw on. I have read some interesting (and different) ideas about charging house...

Have your insurance company specify the exact description of an RV versus a van. My insurance company said it had to have a permanent bed, a kitchen, and a bathroom in order to be considered an RV. Since I don't have a "bathroom" I'm not an RV, so I'm insured as a van - I am following and...

Thanks guys, I'm finding a lot of helpful information,  John

Hello everyone, I've been living in a GMC truck and slide in camper for the last eight years.    Mostly on the west coast, and pacific northwest, but also a year or two on the east coast. I'm currently working in Texas, saving up to go back on the road for awhile, and I'd like to switch to a...

C class?  Probably not.  I have a GMC truck with slide in camper.  When I've lived full-time in it (off and on last 8 years) fuel has been my greatest expense. Increasing MPG is a primary goal of my next camper vehicle.

And ... Transits and Promasters are more than I want to spend.   In Texas, almost all of the used ones are being sold by dealers at well above what I think they are worth - within a couple thousand dollars of new.

I like the Transit better too, but I'm 6'2" and the Promaster is wide enough to sleep east/west, and the Transit not so much.   I think I'd need the Extended Transit and it's just too big for what I want.   I'm concerned about the Promaster reliability, reports seem mixed. GMC / Chevy seem to...

Hello, This seems like a good idea but I don't see anyone else writing about it in the archives. Could you use a high output alternator to recharge your house batteries instead of using solar panels? Link is to a HP Alternator replacement for an Express Van.  200amps 12v at idle. I use...