A box for a generator?

[She]

I need to know if a small box attached to the rear door..do you think it will stick out like a sore thumb?. Stealth wise I mean. I liked Brads idea with the cargo thing in the back but I think that would be too noticeable. Im in New York so there is no way I can do without a AC in the summer. Plus down the line I want to keep a pet. Also anyone done it before?<br /><div>Something like this although I would paint it the same color as the van and I would be having the spare wheel on the other door.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>http://72land-n-sea.blogspot.com/2012/02/generator-covers.html</div><br /><br />

 

[user 423]

The box shown in the link is a nice setup but anything mounted on the back would tend to spoil the "plain brown wrapper" look for stealth.<br /><br />You would have to be careful about keeping the gen. from over-heating in the summertime as the blogger points out.&nbsp; You may be OK with a well engineered Honda or Yamaha gen. but a cheaper one might not be so good. The cheaper ones are also much noisier and will transmit vibrations through most type of mounting arrangements.<br /><br />Gen.exhaust being sucked into the A/C (and the van) would be a consideration also.

 

[She]

I am ready to give this up. There is NO way I can survive a summer without AC in the van. It gets way to humid here.&nbsp;

 

[joey]

Re-locate to somewhere cooler.

 

[stude53]

Yeah, joey<br />Spoken like a true vandweller. <br /><br />Not comfortable or unhappy where you are, seek a place more to your liking.<br /><br />Bob

 

[user 423]

Another thing to consider is the cost of gas to run the gen. all day. A small 1200 watt gen. will use about 1.5 galls. in 9 hours. So in the summer (when gas costs are usually higher) you would be spending $5-6 per day or $150 or more per month. If you have to stay in the city, finding someone who would let you plug in would be the way to go. My old camper van didn't have A/C but I headed for the mountains in the summers or spent a lot of hot days in a library or a matinee.<br /><br />

 

[She]

Well I can't move for 3 years....would love to but can't. I need to work for 3 more years until I get enough credit for SS. If its still around <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> I will be working less days and thats where my adventures will start. I may again try a tiny dehumidifier and a couple of fantastic fans. Its a start for the summer which I will for now put in a closet since winter just came.

 

[peacetara]

an option: For the next 3 years you could rent at an RV park that will give you electric, or a friends house or something.<br /><br />On the weekends and vacation you can run off to cooler places, and get experience with this whole van dwelling and traveling thing <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />I wish you success!!<br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[She]

Thanks Tara <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> i was also thinking of a very small dehumidifier(like EVA) and 3 fantastic fans as &nbsp;recharging batteries is going to be very easy for me. Might work!!

 

[peacetara]

There are these white bead things, that de-humidify, without any electricity.&nbsp; I have the brand 'Dri-Z-Air' that I picked up in Seattle.<br /><br />West Marine (and I imagine most other boat places) have the same thing but I forget their brand.<br /><br />It works, and unless you have free electricity, might be a much cheaper option, especially once you get on the road.&nbsp; Thanks to @fluffabear for pointing me in this direction.<br /><br />and good luck!<br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[cedric]

Tara, I am curious if these beads are re-usable or do you have to keep buying them.

 

[She]

Well I know what Tara is talking about. Some are reusable but you need a stove for that. I am using Coleman stove so that works. Others can be plugged in and others yeah you need to buy. Eva has the ones where you plug in.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

bookmarking di-z-air, thx for that !<br /><br /><br />I feel your pain She...i never looked into it but is there propane air conditioners?&nbsp;&nbsp; They make fridges so it would stand to reason hmm...never considered that.

 

[peacetara]

The ones I have, 'Dri-Z-Air' you have to replenish (buy more) the little white beads seem to suck up the humidity and turn into water (a kinda milky-white color).&nbsp; You just dump the water out every once in a while.&nbsp; I've had 1 'basket' of white beads since Seattle, so.... a month now or so? and I'm maybe 1/2 way done with the basket.&nbsp; I have more that came with the basket thing I bought ($10).&nbsp; I think the replacement beads are in the $10 range and it looked like a huge bag you got.<br /><br />I probably won't refill, since I'm only headed west or south at this point.<br /><br />I can't speak for any other kinds or types, but I'm happy with this stuff.<br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[Les H]

Well I can't move for 3 years....would love to but can't. I need to work for 3 more years until I get enough credit for SS. If its still around &lt;img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"&gt; I will be working less days and thats where my adventures will start. I may again try a tiny dehumidifier and a couple of fantastic fans. Its a start for the summer which I will for now put in a closet since winter just came.

Hi She, cant remember the name brand of it, but i remember seeing a 12v dehumidifier at home depot a couple years ago. I took a picture of it and posted it here somewhere. it was $49 at the time, true 12v ( needed a wall adapter to work on 110ac) held 4 pints( though if you were creative with a drill and a flexible tube, you could fix it so it didnt need to be dumped) and only drew an amp or so. Mabye search my old posts, with dehumidifier as a key word?? I think i also posted it on vandwellers, though withour a pic. I never got around to buying one (yet) so i cant vouch for how they work, but if i see it again, id buy one just to try it out, as i dont like " canned air" (AC), but have to do something in the soupy southeast. Dont give up on vandwelling, im looking foreward to meeting you, you fellow 'YUCKER' as im sometimes refered to down here ;-)

 

[vantripper]

I am building my van, and have decided to use the under space of the van. If you get under the van and look at the floor, there is a lot of use able space. I'm talking obviously of the areas away from the exhaust, driveshaft, fuel tank etc. One of my plans, (and yes, this will take some work ) is to cut a hole large enough to slide a small box large enough to contain a Honda EU 1000, with steel mesh sides, under the van. This would be only used while in parked mode. The box will have a way to lock in the up or down position, with a lip around both top and bottom large enough to put some type of rubber seal. I also would build an outlet into the top. I also plan to cut more holes to put some drop pans beneath floor level for house batteries and a small bolt in fireproof safe.If I build all of this into the floor before I actually install the flooring ( probably hardwood) , then I would be the only one that would know they exist, well, besides all of you..... But, you are all trustworthy. Right?