2014 Chevy Express 2500 Van Build: Luisafernandes

[Luisafernandes]

Got my little under cabinet pullout table done!

It pulls out about 16", and it's very strong. It'll come in hand whenever I pour myself a drink (juice only, no alcohol for me), or when I make a sandwich.

I'm also making a small overhead compartment between the cabinet with the pullout table and the bulkhead, right over the side door entrance.

Washed and spray waxed the homemobile. Wish it always stayed like this without any effort from my part.

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Looking at the van with the house in the background, it's amazing how much stuff can be shrunk and how much less a person needs to be happy.

 

[Luisafernandes]

My little pullout table being used for the first time;

 

[Luisafernandes]

This past Sunday temperatures by me dropped to the low thirties, and my floor got pretty cold to "walk" around bear-foot, or with socks, even with 1" Polyisio foam and 1/4 floor thermal underlayment. Time to either get a nice warm floor mat or slippers.

 

[Luisafernandes]

My mini rocket stove cooking breakfast/lunch by the beach. It heats up two cups of water very quickly.

 

[akrvbob]

I've never been able to keep the floor warm, I gave up trying. I no longer recommend insulating the floor, it's a waste of time-money. The best solution I've found is down-alternative slippers. Truly outstanding. I own and recommend these made by Baffin out of Canada:

http://smile.amazon.com/Baffin-Insulated-Bootie-Black-Large/dp/B002C75I4C/

I knew one guy who claimed to have solved the cold floor problem. He drilled a hole though the passenger side door step and ran a hose with a small muffin fan from the floor through it and out. He claimed it pulled the cold air off the floor and out and that pulled warm air down from the roof and onto the floor equalizing the temps.

I believe him. That's the only way to have a warm floor.
Bob

 

[Luisafernandes]

Well Bob, I just got a pair of very warm slippers at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If that's still not enough, and I have a feeling it won't be, then I'll get a nice warm mat.
Survive and adapt, or conform and freeze, that's what I say.

 

[akrvbob]

Noting compares to the Baffin slippers. I lived in Alaska for 45 years and I like warm feet. They are the only ones I want or recommend.
Bob

 

[LeeRevell]

If you have access to AC shore power, maybe an underbed warmer pad covered by a carpet runner?

 

[coolmom42]

Well Bob, I just got a pair of very warm slippers at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If that's still not enough, and I have a feeling it won't be, then I'll get a nice warm mat.
Survive and adapt, or conform and freeze, that's what I say.

How about a decent quality throw rug that you can just take out and wash as needed? Non-skid backing, nice variety of colors, lots of sizes to fit the space. That's what my former BF & I used in the RV.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Bob, I wish you had told me earlier. I put it on my wish list and I'll get them soon. Thanks!

LeeRevell, even if I had access to shore power I wouldn't buy an electric blanket. When I sleep I like the room to be cool and with my sleeping bag rated to minus 20 degrees I should be fine. It's only when I get up that I feel the cold floor. But thank you for the suggestion.

 

[LeeRevell]

Bob, I wish you had told me earlier. I put it on my wish list and I'll get them soon. Thanks!

LeeRevell, even if I had access to shore power I wouldn't buy an electric blanket. When I sleep I like the room to be cool and with my sleeping bag rated to minus 20 degrees I should be fine. It's only when I get up that I feel the cold floor. But thank you for the suggestion.

Uhhhh..... what 'electric blanket'.....?
I'm talking something to warm the floor.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Uhhhh..... what 'electric blanket'.....?
I'm talking something to warm the floor.

Sorry, I had blanket on my mind. That could work, if I have access to shore power. But I think the booties Bob suggested and a nice warm mat/rug will work fine. I also have Mr heater, so the cold floor won't be cold all the time, just when I first wake up, or if I want to tough it out without the heater.

 

[LeeRevell]

A good thick-piled carpet runner would help. Roll it up and store it when the weather is nicer.

 

[Free Range Chicken]

I've never been able to keep the floor warm, I gave up trying. I no longer recommend insulating the floor, it's a waste of time-money. The best solution I've found is down-alternative slippers. Truly outstanding. I own and recommend these made by Baffin out of Canada:

http://smile.amazon.com/Baffin-Insulated-Bootie-Black-Large/dp/B002C75I4C/

I knew one guy who claimed to have solved the cold floor problem. He drilled a hole though the passenger side door step and ran a hose with a small muffin fan from the floor through it and out. He claimed it pulled the cold air off the floor and out and that pulled warm air down from the roof and onto the floor equalizing the temps.

I believe him. That's the only way to have a warm floor.
Bob

Alright just ordered my baffinsssss let's check em out !
Not yet vandwelling who knows if I ever will, but that's like a good generic advice hehehe
Thanks for the advice Bob!!!

 

[MrNoodly]

My cargo van has the factory rubber floor mat with jute backing. It's cold on bare feet. For those times I don't want to put on shoes (like getting out of bed to use the "toilet") I have some cheap small rugs, like the kind used at a kitchen sink. They cut the chill well enough. Of course, the main thing for me is to avoid cold weather as much as possible.

 

[66788]

My cargo van has the factory rubber floor mat with jute backing. It's cold on bare feet. For those times I don't want to put on shoes (like getting out of bed to use the "toilet") I have some cheap small rugs, like the kind used at a kitchen sink. They cut the chill well enough. Of course, the main thing for me is to avoid cold weather as much as possible.

I agree Mr. Noodly. Throw rugs are multi purpose and keep the floor from becoming dirty or damaged, as well as insulate the floor when getting out of bed. The added bonus is that they can be machine washed easily.

 

[AimlessWanderLust]

I do wish there was less play in the arm that raises and lowers the lid. It lets the lid rattle in the wind, harshing my mellow.

Yes it does. I found that out today. Just hope it's sturdy enough and doesn't brake. Maybe that's why RVs have the rain cover on them.

Can you put in any kind of soft flexible spacer, washer, or other method of taking up the slack?

Maybe. But you'd have to account for how much room you'll have up there when it closes. The best would be for it to have two arms raising it up.

This is one of the reasons why we got a MaxxFan instead of a Fantastic Fan. We had a Fantastic fan in both of our truck campers, and as you all have noticed, it was noisy in the wind. We went with a MaxxFan for our van for two main reasons: 1) More speed options (we especially like the lowest speed which is barely audible), and 2) The lid is bigger, heavier, and has two arms, which make it far less noisy in the wind.

I believe both fans require the same size hole in the roof, so if in the future you decide, you can easily replace the Fantastic fan with a MaxxFan.

 

[Luisafernandes]

This is one of the reasons why we got a MaxxFan instead of a Fantastic Fan. We had a Fantastic fan in both of our truck campers, and as you all have noticed, it was noisy in the wind. We went with a MaxxFan for our van for two main reasons: 1) More speed options (we especially like the lowest speed which is barely audible), and 2) The lid is bigger, heavier, and has two arms, which make it far less noisy in the wind.

I believe both fans require the same size hole in the roof, so if in the future you decide, you can easily replace the Fantastic fan with a MaxxFan.

Mine is the 700 something (7350?) so I have plenty of speeds, 13 on manual to be exact, and variable speeds on automatic. Two hundred and some dollars. So I'll keep it for now. For the future I'll consider the MaxxFan.

 

[Luisafernandes]

First time using Mr Heater buddy, and it heats up a cold van in a jiffy.

Anyone know if it's ok to just leave the heater on pilot?

 

[Luisafernandes]

Added two cargo rings and a bungee cord to secure two chairs against the cabinet by the side door. The blue one is a beach type chair that I carried in the back of the van, but seldom used. When I needed it inside and didn't want to go outside to get it obviously couldn't use it. Maybe now I will. The other one is to use when I'm at the desk.

And this is my coatrack I've had for a while. They are held in place by glue strips that can be removed cleanly (3M I'm I'm not mistaken). No holes, no drilling!