absolute musts - essentials

[lforto20]

Hello friends! I am starting my adventure in my Subaru Legacy. I did a couple of days but my external battery for work purposes crapped out. I think it'll work for extremely basic power needs, but for now I'm back home until we get a deep cell battery installed for long term use. So since I'm here and rethinking my needs I thought I would ask what you guys have as your basic essentials. As we are car dwellers I know our essentials are going to be way different then van or rv dwellers. 

P.S. I am a solo traveller; I kept my back seat in the car, but I put in a bed platform and took out the front passenger seat. 

Photo is a work in progress shot after I set my bed up  :shy: :shy:

 

[Kaylee]

Suanne's Prius blog:
http://suanneonline.blogspot.com/
On the right hand side, there's a section titled "How-To Articles" which has links to an excellent set of core how-to articles.

Her info was priceless for me, when I started (solo female) in my stationwagon.
Good luck!

 

[highdesertranger]

420 how are you recharging your battery? highdesertranger

 

[VanForNow]

A basic essential is an emergency fund to pay for parts and repairs. The minimum amount needed for an emergency fund is variable, depending on a nomad's skill set and whether the vehicle is under warranty.

For details on emergency funds, pleas check out Bob Wells' recent CRVL video on this subject.

 

[Matlock]

My absolute must is a deep cycle battery and a way to recharge it.

No matter how large a battery bank you have you can use only as much as you can put back in tomorrow.

That's the choke point for me as my indoor time requires gadgets and them need juice. Rainy days otherwise are a drag.

 

[RoamerRV428]

make sure you have some kind of medical emergency kit with you. you just never know but when that stuff is needed, boy is it needed

 

[Elbear1]

Fire extinguisher

 

[Firtree]

Another plug for Suanne; this for Suanne Bob videos on Essentials
Part 1 and 2





Would agree Fire Extinguisher very critical

I buy 10 Chinese keychain flashlights at a time on Amazon for as cheap as I can find (usually less than $6-7) and stick them everywhere, keychain, dog leash, kitchen area, potty, bed, vehicle dash. Have other great flashlights but these are useful.

 

[RoamerRV428]

love the keychair flashlights all around FirTree, when ya need a bit of light it is at your fingertips


hubby and I hit a sale on those Glow Bright Switch Dimmer lights. Like those kind of things that are used in dark spots, closets, tricky step areas etc. These are small, look like a light switch with a dimmer control and boy the sale we got was insane, they were in the $1 each box so we got 10 of them. These little things come in super handy. Built in magnet on them, they got a hook for hanging and they got peel/stick option. Take 3 AAA batteries that will last forever in there. If I ever hit a sale again like that I am grabbing more of them. Best 10 we ever spent

 

[maki2]

I noticed you said "work purposes". I am going to assume you are talking about power needs for your computer. The place to start is by figuring out what you power consumption is going to be. Then you have to figure out a way to generate and store that much power.

There are already lots of discussions on solar panels, generators and the various battery types. You will have to figure out what you can fit into your vehicle and what you can afford to buy. You should also look at making sure you have an energy efficient computer system. Tablets will use a lot less energy than laptops so if you do a lot of the work task on a table you will save on energy outlay and get more work done. If you are trying to do a lot of video editing then you will need a lot more energy in a day's time.

There is a reason that the people who have thousands of subscribers and put out a lot of videos are driving around in what amounts to solar farms with large battery banks. They need that power to get that kind of work done. But it is a self perpetuating situation of always needing more roof space and more batteries instead of being able to manage with the modest situation of living in a car.

The simple answer is when you need a lot of power you just can't have it all fit comfortably into living in a small car. There is no magic bullet solution as of yet.

 

[CityWoman]

Hiya,
I don't have my vehicle yet, but I'm planning to buy either a minivan, hatchback, or SUV.  I've been making myself crazy trying to figure out what I'll need to keep with me in the car, esp. since I don't have one yet so I don't know the dimensions. Of course, there will be less room than in a full size van, so everything should be small or easy to tuck away. I started a list:

• Sleeping bag or folding cot
• Collapsible nylon bowl/sink
• Spray bottles and/or bag-type camp shower and something waterproof to put underneath me
• Bucket toilet and liners, etc., for when I can't use a restroom somewhere
• Soft-sided cooler
• Tote bags and clips/hooks
• Headlamp, flashlight
• Big Thermos and some kind of little stove
• Containers for water
• Some kind of rack or cubbies for storage
• Small scale cargo netting and a way to hang it
• Light blocking curtains and a system for hanging them
• First aid kit
• Lap desk, tray, or milk crate to use as small table

Of course I haven't mentioned anything for the upkeep of the vehicle, not knowing yet what I will need, nor solar power.  I'm not going to worry about going solar right away because I'll make use of other resources while I'm in my city (just using car for sleeping, eating, and bathing).

 

[Qxxx]

i20, you mentioned power needs. A typical laptop will draw about 40W of power, meaning roughly 3A at 12VDC.

I good way to get this is a 100W solar panel (you can get a folding panel), 100AH AGM battery, and 300W 120VAC inverter. Roughly speaking, this will run your laptop for about 16 hours between charges, while drawing the AGM battery down to 50%, which you do not want to go below due to AGM characteristics.

A simpler means but with much less energy reserve is one of these portable power stations, it can plug into your cigarette lighter socket or run off a solar panel. Note that the battery is only 16.8AH, meaning you could only run your laptop for maybe 5 hours between charges. It has a Lithium battery so you can draw it down below 50%.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D29QNMJ

For a lot pf practical info on living minimal in one's car, you can look at this woman's youtube, she has the Jackery power station. Bob Wells interviewed her a few months ago.

 

[ORANGE]

Crazy loud whistle for 6 bucks
https://www.amazon.com/All-Weather-...le&qid=1565816650&s=automotive&sr=1-6-catcorr

 

[GypsyJan]

1) A 12-volt fan (which I plug into 2) A rechargeable power pack 3) ear plugs 4) A grabber tool for getting out-of-reach objects 5) Bug screens for the windows 6) a spare car key on a necklace.

Things I have found handy: 6) a board that slides out from under my cot and rests on a small folding table out the hatch door. This gives me a place to set gear or groceries while putting ice in the cooler or using the stove, washing dishes, etc. 7) A 12-volt heater immersion coil for heating water for coffee, soup, etc. which is nice to have in lousy weather so I don't have to set the stove up outdoors 8) a shower head/hose with a cupped end that attaches over a faucet so I can shampoo & bathe in a handicap stall at Walmart and 9) a water bandit for filling water jugs at outdoor faucets.

 

[Neal]

I've been living in my car since December and I would say the most important thing is a comfortable bed, because if you can't sleep well you'll be miserable.

 

[CityWoman]

. . . a shower head/hose with a cupped end that attaches over a faucet so I can shampoo & bathe in a handicap stall at Walmart . . .

Please tell me more about that doohickey! What's it called, or what brand, so I can look for it?

 

[GypsyJan]

Danco Versa Spray White 1-Spray Handheld Shower $10.98 at Lowe's. Website says:
"Spout attachment and hose is constructed of a thick durable rubber with plastic handheld sprayer.
Slips on to existing tub spout for quick, easy installation with no tools required.
Ideal for cleaning tubs, bathing children and washing pets"

Most public restroom faucets are larger than our bathroom sink faucets at home, so the cup usually fits over it fine. If not, just hold it in place with one hand and shampoo with the other hand. Tuck it in a large make up bag or tote that fits in your back pack, along with travel-size shampoo/conditioner combo & tube of shower gel, a microweave camp towel, and a hair clip and hat or baseball cap to cover up til you escape the store. I let my hair air-dry anyway, so it's not much different than my routine at home.

I also tote a mini-pitcher with a handle for sluice washing the feet and nether regions over the toilet. (sorry if that is TMI..too much info!)

 

[CityWoman]

Danco Versa Spray White 1-Spray Handheld Shower $10.98 at Lowe's.

Thanks!!

 

[Kaylee]

Would agree Fire Extinguisher very critical

Yes! Plus, a reflecting safety vest. Cheap ones can be bought at Amazon/Walmart starting at about $4.
If you ever have to do anything to your vehicle while on the side of a road at night, this can save your life.
One year I lived in Minneapolis, and there were three driver deaths due to breaking down at night and being hit by another vehicle.

These don't "wear out", don't require recharging/maintenance, and since you'll only ever use it briefly, it's totally fine cheaping out on one.
I keep mine in an emergency kit on my (front) passenger seat, almost beside my fire extinguisher.

I buy 10 Chinese keychain flashlights at a time on Amazon for as cheap as I can find (usually less than $6-7) and stick them everywhere, keychain, dog leash, kitchen area, potty, bed, vehicle dash. Have other great flashlights but these are useful.

Yes, yes, YES! Ditto.
I have one on my keychain, one (or two?) in my cargo pocket emergency kit, and several dispersed around other kits/gear in my van, plus a few in my "wee goodwill gifts" big baggie.
They're not bright, but they're good enough to let you find the bigger bright flashlights.

Another great bargain flashlight is Walmart's one dollar headlamp. Every vehicle should have a headlamp.

You don't have to spend a lot to get a decent flashlight. All my "regular" ones have cost between about $2 and $5 at Menard's and off Amazon.
Light is something you can not kludge around, and is a huge practical and morale tool.

 

[CityWoman]

. . . Every vehicle should have a headlamp.

I recently read about a trick in a book I've got: take a headlamp and wrap it 2x around a water bottle with the lamp facing in toward the bottle, and you've got a lantern! I think that is a cool little hack.