Canine said:
That's a really cool AC unit, haven't seen that one before! I wish I knew what 1000 BTU actually feels like in person, even though from a numbers stand point it probably won't be enough to stabalize the temperature unless you have amazing insulation. Seems like a great little unit though. It obviously uses less power too, but it dosn't look like you are acheiving better efficiency overall compared to the U-go if you take into account BTU. And you are correct about having to use the inverter bringing down the efficiency like another 10% or whatever it is. The ACW unit is also a lot less expensive if you are trying to keep within a budget. I will probably stick with U-go for now, but let us know how it goes if you decide on the ACW.
That's also a really great idea about using 2 layers of overlapping panels to plug the gaps. Most likely, I won't even know exactly how much space I will have in terms of depth between the support beams until I start actually insulating. I'm guessing it will be about an inch.
I've seen some other videos about people using studs, but my only concern was that it would increase the thickness too much. I've also heard some things about the spray foam insulation, like it's not mold resistent (although I'm sure they add something to resist mold), and that it dosen't hold up to vibrations over time very well.
Also, yes you are correct about not being able to get around the thermal conductivity of a metal tube -- I just wanted something in there instead of just keeping it hollow because you can at least absorb noise in terms of vibration and do something to resist rust or mold -- this is why I would like to spray in Flex Seal as a first step before using silcone sealant. Plus, I'm going to stuff in pieces of insulation, whether I use aerogel or foam, because you only need thin strips and I will probably end up with scrap material like that anyway. It is interesting tho and I'm glad you brought you up!
I actually love the police and respect the tough and necessary job they have to protect us, but it "only takes one" as I always say. Now, if I am ever called out by the police and asked questions, I fully intend on revealing my "great secret" and let him know i am either living in my van or using the van as a camper and just being honest. To me, that is a lot better than trying to say you are working but then they realize you have a bed back there and cabinets and a dog, haha, that would look a lot more suspicious to me. I did not choose the upgraded stereo or get navigation because even that can look like an aftermarket part and look suspicious, and it is suspicious to police because they think that people who drive commercial vehicles don't always have the budget to upgrade anything unless you're a drug trafficker. Police have been put on notice for suspicious looking or anything out of place on commercial vehicles for this very reason. I won't even upgrade the rims or get the "exterior upgrade package" because of that. The only other thing i can think of giving you away is noise leakage, so sound insulation is a pretty big concern for me. Thermal first, noise second in terms of priority for insulation. I also plan on using headphones (no speakers) for music and not wrestling my crazy little dog too much like I do at home to keep the noise level down. You also don't want any light escaping (e.g., no windows) and I plan on covering up the little holes on the partition behind the front seats, as well as on the edges of the partition. Are you referring to like stingray technology or something like that in terms of electronics? 
