Lots of questing before I start to build for full time!

[Raven+Squid]

I would get as many amp/hrs as you can afford. Two wet 6volt golf cart batteries are the cheapest/durable per amp. Just realize they require maintenance, venting, equalizing etc.. If you have the space, can seal and vent the batteries well and are disciplined about maintenance then 2 two 6 volts are probably the way to go.
If you want easy the get something like a single 4D sealed AGM battery. Simpler, cleaner but probably more expensive and probably a shorter life span.

Good luck!
Squid

 

[KristinaKarina]

Hi Dread Head, and Thread,
I want to say that this thread is very helpful to me, and I am glad someone posted it so concisely!
At the risk of being redundant, I am going to cross post some of my previous links here concerning 12v batteries. Mainly because there are several answering here who seem to be pro's in the field, or very experienced with solar/batteries, and I would like my questions about this guys' experiments answered, basically "Would this work for RV dwellers?"
I don't know how much time you have, DreadHead, to play with the idea before you head out, but I definitely find the idea of salvaging and restoring batteries to working order intriguing, here is the playlist: "DaPimp Battery charger/tester/de-sulfator" -https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJMI0k1QWwAmlDuH5HklQXGv5TJa3hrt-

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

I would get as many amp/hrs as you can afford. Two wet 6volt golf cart batteries are the cheapest/durable per amp. Just realize they require maintenance, venting, equalizing etc.. If you have the space, can seal and vent the batteries well and are disciplined about maintenance then 2 two 6 volts are probably the way to go.
If you want easy the get something like a single 4D sealed AGM battery. Simpler, cleaner but probably more expensive and probably a shorter life span.

Good luck!
Squid

Thanks much for your input! I am definitely looking for something that will not require much maintenence so I may just bite the bullet and get a sealed AGM battery. Normally i would not mind more maintenence but with having to cut another hole in the van for ventilation at this point seems  like a lot to me. AGM it is. Thanks again!

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

As far as my progress on my build I have finished guttight and insulating, I used a combination of foam board insulation, both 1inch and .5 inch, and reflectix. I think it will work wonderfully so far. Tomorrow I am putting my plywood down on the floors and installing hardwood flooring. Can't decide if I should use the slats of hardwood or just a laminated roll of fake wood. Any reccomendations?

 

[GotSmart]

As far as my progress on my build I have finished guttight and insulating, I used a combination of foam board insulation, both 1inch and .5 inch, and reflectix. I think it will work wonderfully so far. Tomorrow I am putting my plywood down on the floors and installing hardwood flooring. Can't decide if I should use the slats of hardwood or just a laminated roll of fake wood. Any reccomendations?

I have extremely bad knees. and in my regular top van I am kneeling a lot.  I have some area rugs and rubber floor mats on top of my Advantek.  Not the fanciest interior, but it keeps my knees from hurting.

 

[Almost There]

As far as my progress on my build I have finished guttight and insulating, I used a combination of foam board insulation, both 1inch and .5 inch, and reflectix. I think it will work wonderfully so far. Tomorrow I am putting my plywood down on the floors and installing hardwood flooring. Can't decide if I should use the slats of hardwood or just a laminated roll of fake wood. Any reccomendations?

I opted for vinyl laminate and I am ever so thankful that I did.

It looks at least as attractive as hardwood flooring but I can drop water from the cooler on it with no problem. I can climb in the van with wet shoes on and not worry about the floor.

Heck, I can spill tea on it and just wipe it up. And the egg that broke on the floor getting the package out of the fridge...just clean it up.

3 minutes with vinegar/water in a spray bottle and a couple of paper towels and I have a clean shiny floor.

When you're living in a smaller space like the van, it's not like you've got a front entrance of a house where all the abuse gets left before you move in to the living room. It's all the same area.

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

Thank you Almost!

My flooring is complete and I am working on the walls now. Holy cow is it difficult to cut the correct dimensions for the walls. It took me 6 hours to do about 1/3 of the van. I was very frustrated yesterday and was considering another option for walls besides using plywood but I can't think what else would work and still look decent. I have windows in my van so cutting the wood to fit around the circular windows is very time consuming and difficult for me. Considering I have one skill saw that can't really do curved cuts, I have to cut the wood more squared around the windows and it shows the insulation in some spots because of my lack of skill in cutting wood. Anyone have any recommendations for other options on the walls? I was thinking I could get some cool fabric and just cut it around the areas I need but then I won't be able to hang anything up if my walls are fabric. Hrmmmmm.

 

[rvpopeye]

Borrow or rent or buy a cheapie sabre saw or even a router for those curves
Ya know , thinking a little more........how about a coping saw. Cheap , hand powered and small to store in the rig !

 

[karenishere]

A small jigsaw will also make it much much easier to make small curved cuts. More expensive than a hand coping saw but easier to use, IMO.

 

[SternWake]

Get some cardboard to make templates of the walls,  Bend it to fit up tight against obstacles then press the along the edges of obstacles to leave an indent, then cut along the indents and refit until snug.


Then transfer template to plywood and trace the outline.

Then cut using a jig saw on the curved cuts.

One does not always have a refrigerator box for a nice clean  fold free outline, but one can join cardboard together with a stapler or masking tape to make a template large enough for this method.

This is so much easier than making detailed measurements and trying to transfer them to the plywood.

 

[karenishere]

Is your Skil saw a circular saw or a jig saw? If it's already a jig, you can try either 1. getting a thinner blade, or 2. punching out the tightest part of the curve with a drill bit and then using the saw to extend it. Cutting a curve with a circular saw is a disaster.

 

[GotSmart]

Is your Skil saw a circular saw or a jig saw?  If it's already a jig, you can try either 1. getting a thinner blade, or 2. punching out the tightest part of the curve with a drill bit and then using the saw to extend it.  Cutting a curve with a circular saw is a disaster.

It can be done with tape and a quality finish blade.  But not without a lot of practice.  

Get a jig saw.

 

[highdesertranger]

Dead Head first use 1/8 plywood for the walls, this makes flexing the wood easier. make sure you get true plywood and not the particle board stuff. second if you have aftermarket windows take them out the windows go in last. this makes tracing the window cut easy. temporarily install the ply and trace the cutout from the outside. however if you have factory windows Sterns advice to make a pattern first is the best option, remember if you make a mistake on the pattern all it takes is some more card board and tape to correct it. highdesertranger

 

[Raven+Squid]

Thanks much for your input! I am definitely looking for something that will not require much maintenence so I may just bite the bullet and get a sealed AGM battery. Normally i would not mind more maintenence but with having to cut another hole in the van for ventilation at this point seems  like a lot to me. AGM it is. Thanks again!

Make sure to check the electrical sectio of the forumn, my opinion may work for you but there are many around here with much more experience than me.

Good luck!
Squid

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

Get some cardboard to make templates of the walls,  Bend it to fit up tight against obstacles then press the along the edges of obstacles to leave an indent, then cut along the indents and refit until snug.


Then transfer template to plywood and trace the outline.

Then cut using a jig saw on the curved cuts.

One does not always have a refrigerator box for a nice clean  fold free outline, but one can join cardboard together with a stapler or masking tape to make a template large enough for this method.

This is so much easier than making detailed measurements and trying to transfer them to the plywood.

Perfect I will try this method! Thank you, I can already imagine this being way easier.

 

[DreadHeadDrifter]

Is your Skil saw a circular saw or a jig saw?  If it's already a jig, you can try either 1. getting a thinner blade, or 2. punching out the tightest part of the curve with a drill bit and then using the saw to extend it.  Cutting a curve with a circular saw is a disaster.es

Yes it is a circular saw and has been a nightmare lol but I'm going to borrow a different saw for circular cuts and try using a cardboard template to make things easier! Thanks for your help!