Hi from Minneapolis

[KarlH]

Hi everybody

I'm brand new here, but I've been doing car- and bike-camping since I was a kid, and have always been a bit of a nomad.

Over the last few years mobile living has gone from being a long-term goal to having an immediate practical purpose, so I'm trying to do my homework before buying. Step vans look like a good fit in terms of size and interior configuration, but I've also considered shuttle buses and surplus military trucks and would be wide-open to suggestions.

 

[ssminnow]

Welcome KarlH, fellow Minnesotan here!

 

[beast]

hi Karl, im in minneapolis as well! welcome

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Karl! Take a look at some of the build threads and Bob's videos too. There are so many ways to go and everyone has different wants and needs. Good luck with your decisions and search. Keep us updated!

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

 

[KarlH]

It's nice to hear from some other tundra-dwellers here

 

[AMGS3]

Hey Karl,

I'm from Itasca co. Yup, lotsa Minnesotans on the forum.

~angie

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[KarlH]

What do you folks do about climate control?

(I used to work at an R&D company, so building custom stuff is doable.)

 

[highdesertranger]

can you be a little more specific. do you mean,

in a vehicle?
what kind of vehicle?
when the vehicle is moving or parked?

highdesertranger

 

[KarlH]

Well, I'm assuming that any RV parked overnight at -20 F will need an auxiliary heater. A gas or diesel parking heater would probably be the most convenient.

 

[B and C]

Hi,

I see you've been reading here. For those temps and the type of vehicle you are looking at, a parking heater would work with enough insulation. You could tap into the main fuel tank to run it and I think they have a thermostat. Make sure your pickup tube is not to the bottom as you don't want to leave yourself stranded.

I have a class B that has a furnace vented to the outside (dry heat) with a thermostat. I don't stay in temps near that cold as my B is only three season capable. I will stay into the mid twenties if it will warm up. If not, time to move. After dark while inside I run the furnace until I go to bed. I cover well for the night and have extra covers where I can pile them on if needed. Wake up in the morning and turn the furnace back on. Mine runs on propane as I have to carry it anyway for cooking, hot water and the fridge.

 

[AMGS3]

I live in an icehouse. I got it last spring new from a dealer in Shakopee. It has a 40,000 BTU furnace in it. So far it's been staying pretty toasty in here (I keep it about 60°F), but it hasn't been really cold yet. My reason for getting an icehouse (vs. another RV or vehicle) was the extra insulation and the furnace. It's made for cold weather, so I do expect it to hold up nicely down to -40°F.

Btw, I still have cold weather clothes/bedding/sleeping bag, just in case. Before I got the large propane tank hooked up one night it was cold enough that the small (30#) tanks didn't have enough pressure in them and my furnace shut off in the middle of the night. So that's something to consider with smaller propane tanks and really cold weather.

Honestly, I didn't even realize the furnace was out til I woke up to use the bathroom the next morning, my bed was still very warm. The temp inside was 34°F.

I'm sure if you were planning on converting a bus/cargo trailer or similar sized vehicle you could source a propane furnace for heating it if that's the direction you wanted to go.

~angie

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[bullfrog]

If you plan to have a water system with tanks make sure they are in the insulated living space. I have experienced having a heater malfunction so I would recomend a plan B back up system to keep things from freezing in an emergency like maybe a small wood stove as condensation becomes a problem with inside propane like a cook stove, but in an emergency it works temporarly. Warm clothing and bedding and if enough solar maybe a mattress heater. Living in colder temps is a challenge.

 

[KarlH]

Make sure your pickup tube is not to the bottom as you don't want to leave yourself stranded.

That is a very good point.

 

[OTTO]

Hello!!
Fellow Minnesotan here. Was living around the lake Nokomis area and finally pulled the trigger now I'm down in the south west and the temp is 65 and sunny. Come on down

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[wayne49]

"Make sure your pickup tube is not to the bottom as you don't want to leave yourself stranded."

The corollary to this is: if you have a built in generator (or heater) and it suddenly stops running, check the level of the vehicle's fuel tank, before doing any invasive procedures.

A quarter tank for a 1989 Tioga.

 

[KarlH]

Hello!!
Fellow Minnesotan here. Was living around the lake Nokomis area and finally pulled the trigger now I'm down in the south west and the temp is 65 and sunny. Come on down

It's more than a little tempting I used to do a lot of camping and hiking in that part of the US and it is definitely nice this time of year.

 

[KarlH]

I live in an icehouse. I got it last spring new from a dealer in Shakopee...

I'm curious - did you add an AC system for the summer, or is it not needed up there?

 

[AMGS3]

It came decked out with a dometic AC/heater and the furnace. I haven't used the AC unit yet. Opening the floor holes and turning on the bathroom fan was enough ventilation this past summer to keep it comfortable in here. It will get into the 90s sometimes up here, so I did need something to cool the place down or I would melt. Lol

I posted photos on the thread I started on the 'miscellaneous vehicles' forum, if you are interested.

~angie

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[KarlH]

I'm quite interested, and am just looking at your photos.

It looks like they make some affordable models, too. What had turned me off of ice houses initially was that many had list prices of $30k or so. Did you buy yours from AC Nelson?

 

[AMGS3]

Yes, I did. I have mixed opinions of buying from them though. If I had it to do over I don't know if I still would choose to get it there.

Yes, there are many Icehouse brands that are quite expensive. Ice Castle, Yeti, and Glacier are all on the more expensive end of the spectrum.

I decided to go with a Forest River brand so that in 10 years if I have to replace anything appliance-wise, I'd be able to find replacement parts or appliances that would be interchangeable.

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