Hello Everyone!

protryon · Apr 10, 2017

Hi everyone!

I'm about to graduate high school, and for my college and early career, I intend to be a fellow vandweller. By my research, I could save up to $36K/year in the Bay Area in rent alone.

As of right now, I've spent about 2 months doing research and plans, and I'm going to buy a van in the next 2 weeks after I get my pay confirmed for a job.

I'm quite the electrical and mechanical hobbyist, and this project will introduce me to plumbing too. Right now I've planned, budgeted, and researched adding 640 W of solar panels, 450 Ah of batteries, mostly to power electrical heating/AC, a desktop computer, 3-4 monitors, several Raspberry Pi computers, a water pump, a fridge, and a lot of smaller kitchen appliances. I'm also going to have an AC house socket backup along with a electric car charging port.

Right now my plans for internet access, which is critical for a programmer, include using public/work WiFi, 4G/LTE, and buying access to trusted locals' internet.

By my very conservative estimation, I'll be able to live on $600/mo in complete luxury. Realistically I'll be able to live around $450 -- but I suppose only time will tell.

I'm probably going to get a Ford E150 or a Chevy Express 1500, but my dream van is an extended Sprinter. I intend to be a stealth van as much as possible, because most of the Bay Area is not friendly to vandwelling.

For plumbing I'm going to have a sink for sure, and I'm designing a collapsible shower that I can hook up an air vent.

Here's my work-in-progress floor plan:

(all scaled to the size of a Ford E150)
TSH = Trash
COMP = Desktop Computer (desk leg custom fit onto wheelwell)
CHR = Chair
TMP = Temperature Control (AC, Heat)
WAT = 15-30 gal Water + grey water on top
SNK = Airplane sink/urinal

FRG = Mini Fridge
MIC = Kitchen Stack (Microwave, toaster oven, coffee pot, stove all stacked on each other on shelves), will bleed onto FRG and storage
ALT = Alternator
BAT = 6 Batteries (450 Ah)
STOR = Storage
Black area = Wheelwell

To prevent moving, I'm going to bolt down a lot of corners for larger permanent items. I've designed in my head a stopper to prevent small things, say in a fridge, to not move around. The idea is a stuff hinge with 2 Aluminum plates attached that can wedge things -- I got the idea from my elementary school library.

I'm really excited to be joining this community and this forum. I can't wait to actually put this plan in motion in 2 weeks. I'll definitely have some questions along the way!

Any suggestions for a newbie?

highdesertranger · Apr 10, 2017

Welcome protryon to the CRVL forums! To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips & Tricks" post lists some helpful information to get you started. We look forward to hearing more from you. highdesertranger

dr_nelson · Apr 11, 2017

Welcome! Sounds a like a fun project!
Lucky you... maybe I can get some electrical advice from you

Will you be building over the side doors?

Btw, this thread has some layout plans, too. And somewhere there is an online layout planner that might be handy.

protryon · Apr 11, 2017

dr_nelson said:
Welcome! Sounds a like a fun project!
Lucky you... maybe I can get some electrical advice from you
Will you be building over the side doors?

Btw, this thread has some layout plans, too. And somewhere there is an online layout planner that might be handy.

I'm planning to more or less ignore the side doors if there are any, even bolting them shut or using them for some kind of storage. I want to mostly use the back door and going through the front.

I love electronics, always here to help.

dr_nelson · Apr 11, 2017

This is the online layout design studio which I meant.

eDJ_ · Apr 11, 2017

Welcome to the CRVL Forums

Glad to see others making use of the Raspberry Pi

I had a Van during my UNI years and into my Industrial Design working days.
It was a great asset to me, both for getting in some R&R in UNI days and
being able to travel quickly (incorporating the Van with a more minimal way of life)
to compete with the landed family executives who couldn't or wouldn't travel and
be away from home. (yet saw raises & promotions as their entitlement and the hard
working single people who were struggling to establish as second class corporate citizens).

The software dr_nelson provided you a link to is handy for visualizing a Van's floor plan. I've
used it and it's easy to learn and use. I have a link below I'd invite you to view about converting
a Van from a Cargo to an RV. (even a bit about converting a Trailer to extend it's usefulness and
range) If you build your first Van simple....you can remove everything from it and convert it back
to a Cargo Van if you need to move stuff, and then back to an RV within a couple of hours or so.

Recently I saw this piece about using a Raspberry Pi computer to set up a "Smart Tiny Home" but
I'm sure you could even set up a "Smart Van" too. The Van I used when I worked Corporate had a
trailer hitch that I towed a economy car with. I drove the car back and forth to work and often used
the Van at work as I had pulled the RV stuff out of it and stored it. Thus the Van could be used at
work which increased my "value" there.

Here's the article about smart houmes and RP.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/29/this-tiny-computer-could-help-run-your-smart-home.html

It's just a thought to play with. Controlling your Van-home remotely.