My build : Red Zeppelin

[cygvan]

oh and thank you for the compliment...i cant wait till everything is done and all the finishes applied...<br><br>i think i have a really nice grey color scheme going.&nbsp; i dont think itll look as professional as a sportsmobile but im trying... its a little harder without a shop and limited tools.<br><br>this lifestyle really just requires function but i really like form. i come from a family of creative people so the balance of form/function always creeps into everything i do it seems.<br><br>another reason for trying to make it look really nice is resale.&nbsp; the van itself mechanically will be a real treat if i ever sell it...i dont want the build out to detract from that at all...in fact, im hoping it increases the value or at least holds it.<br><br>i saw another post where 10 years is where depreciation plateaus and thats been my observation as well.&nbsp; ive always been a proponent of buying&nbsp; a good used vehicle about 4-6 years old and let someone else take the depreciation hit. these days, cars at that age are so very often virtually new anyway.<br><br>eventually i will be in a cabin doing my homesteading thing and i dont think ill keep the van even though i absolutely love it.<br><br><em>not to be off topic but i find a lot of insipration for my future lifestyle from this man...im an atheist so my thought process has a slightly different genesis than his but he is someone i can identify with very much so...i dont think his faith presents a barrier for me...which for me is somewhat profound because of the way i feel about religion in general (no offense to anyone at all i assure you)...</em><br><br><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/wranglerstar/videos" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/user/wranglerstar/videos</a>

 

[wrcsixeight]

IMPORTANT: &nbsp;The controller is capable of supplying fans totaling 0.5 amps, NOT 1 amp, as I reported above. &nbsp;Says it can handle more for 2 seconds.<br><br>See here:<br><a href="http://www.ra.danfoss.com/Technical...nit_101n0600_12-24vdc_08-2011_dehc100m602.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ra.danfoss.com/Technical...nit_101n0600_12-24vdc_08-2011_dehc100m602.pdf<br><br></a><br>I decided to use just the one condenser fan to exhaust the area above and behind my fridge whilst pulling in air from behind and below rather than have another fan to aid the exhaust.<br><br>The fan my VF came with is rated at 72cfm. &nbsp;It is pretty loud and claimed .24 amps. I later found that it consumed only .14 amps, it just took .24 or so on initial spinup.<br> I ordered the&nbsp;<br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-F12-PWM-Cooling-Fan/dp/B00632FL8A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NF-F12-PWM-Cooling-Fan/dp/B00632FL8A<br><br></a><br>It &nbsp;does indeed pull only 0.05 amps and moves 54 CFM, but with a high static pressure rating.<br><br>This fan pulling air was nearly as loud as the original fan, but pushing it through the condenser was much much quieter. Since I added extra insulation on the fridge and in the cabinet I had room to move the fan on the other side of the condenser. &nbsp;My condenser looks like a small radiator. &nbsp;You said your truckfridge has a cage?<br><br><br>The 120 MM computer fan screws into my condenser with stainless sheet metal screws, no zip ties.<br><br>I made a cage around the compressor and condenser and controller out of the stainless steel door from my old fridge<br><br>This photos shows the back of the fridge on the side with the compressor controller. &nbsp;YOu can also see my quick disconnect fitting.<br>

<br><br>Here is the cabinet divider restored.<br>

<br><br>Here is the removable cooling unit tunnel. &nbsp;I riveted some thin angle aluminum to keep it from compressing further. &nbsp;This basically fills out the box of the fridge. &nbsp;The tunnel fits flush and I just tape it in place. &nbsp;It protects the delicates from installation/removal stresses, and funnels the fan flow around the compressor and the controller<br>

<br><br>Here is the other side:<br>

<br><br>Here is the 277 ohm resistor that VF provided to increase compressor speed to 2500rpm. &nbsp;I removed it for 2000rpm. &nbsp;Slower is more efficient, and I don't need more as it is always on. &nbsp;Don't need the faster cool down.<br>

 

[wrcsixeight]

My fan is the lowest draw fan I could find. &nbsp;Since the fan motor creates &nbsp;small amounts of heat that must be removed by condenser, I figures the lowest draw would also mean the least amount of heat added.<br><br><a href="http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...r_Wire_-_KDE1204PKV3MSARGN.html?tl=g36c15s560" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...r_Wire_-_KDE1204PKV3MSARGN.html?tl=g36c15s560<br><br>I</a>&nbsp;wired it to a quick disconnect fitting<br><br>

<br><br>And took power for it from the fridge's LED light before the switch. &nbsp;This light is always hot when the fridge has power. The fan always runs. &nbsp;I did not want to drill a hole for new wiring to switch it on only with the compressor.<br><br>Here you can see my fan in my freezer compartment. &nbsp;I took the freezer door off. It was a PITA<br>

<br><br>I am defrosting it in this photo which I just took, &nbsp;mostly because the bagged cubes I made and stored in a Ziplock bag got stuck and I wanted an Iced beverage. The fridge works better without a huge build up of ice on the evaporator plate, and setting it to 1of 7 allows the ice to melt into the catch tray slowly. &nbsp;The tray can overflow easily after an hour or so with the door cracked and the fan blowing on it<br>

<br><br>I use a Bamboo skewer to keep the fan from falling over in the freezer section. &nbsp;Where I aim the fan in the freezer kind of depends on the contents of the fridge, and freezer. &nbsp;But for the most part I do not keep any food in the freezer, I just make and store cubed ice. &nbsp;The fan can make some noise if it adheres to the cold plate, so I wrapped some thin neoprene around it as a cushion.

 

[VanFan]

Thank you so very much for the excellent post on your portable A/C installation and use!&nbsp; The information is comprehensive, well presented and has answered many of my long-standing questions.<br><br>Also, I would like to comment on the role of aesthetics in van dwellings since you mentioned it.&nbsp; My sticks and bricks is anything but well decorated.&nbsp; By many people's standards, it's a mess&nbsp; (although it is typically much <em>cleaner</em> than one of our dear moderators saw it).&nbsp; In the van, though, I have adhered to a simple color scheme and maintain as much order as possible.&nbsp; It makes a BIG difference in how I experience the space!<br><br>I think you will find the grey tones to be calming, and keeping it simple may tend to make the interior seem more spacious.<br><br>Enjoy!

 

[cygvan]

@wrc....awesome reply...thank you very much for the pics and info...in light of the .5 amp rating i will just wire my extra fans separately, perhaps with a rheostat knob on my control panel header...i see that VF put what looks like an aluminum fin heatsink, like a computer heatsink...or did you do that?<br><br>mine looks exactly the same (both are probably the df35 or w/e it is) except where your aluminum sink is i have a black steel cage like you would see on the back of an old house fridge...they zip tied a fan to this...the fan is pretty big so i do think its 120mm but i could be wrong and its 92mm as you mentioned...id have to pull out the fridge to check.<br><br>so i think i will hole saw two 4.5" holes on either side of the cabinet and install the two 120mm fans...i purchased them in anticipation of doing this anyway...<br><br>man i remember sunon fans from back in the day doing computer mods...that and the ones that started with a "P"...cant remember the name now...not panasonic...anyway lol...interesting that you removed the freezer door...ill have to look into that...i like the way you wired it...(frozencpu is a cool site, ive used them in the past).

 

[cygvan]

@vanfan...<br><br>i agree...keeping order in the van is a must and the grey scheme is really soothing....i like blue as well but i decided on grey because it seemed with all of the different materials, the tone was easier to match...<br><br>i certainly have become much less of a slob living this lifestyle <img src="/images/boards/smilies/crazy.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[Ballenxj]

Your van is starting to look like one that might be owned by "MR Gadget." <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>Seriously, I like what you have done so far. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img"> <br>-Bruce

 

[cygvan]

yeah im a tech freak. but ive worked very hard over the last few years to reduce or downsize that part of my life.<br><br>homesteading and all of its wonder is really what has my interest now. a simpler life? dunno if its simpler but im banking on it being significantly more gratifying and beneficial.&nbsp; the vandwelling life has been thus far and that is encouraging.<br><br>though i certainly will sprinkle in some tech magic to my homestead, a good quality hand/garden tool will be the priority over a new smart phone or other gadgetry.<br><br>i guess the key for me is balance. while it sounds romantic to disappear into the mountains and eat sticks, i think that can be reserved for vacations or camping trips. end while ill never live in a city and wear google glass and have my entire life managed by software and buttons and displayed for all to see, i am still a scientifically minded techy type and marvel at it all.<br><br>i daydream of what our future will be like hundreds of years from now....reading sci-fi really makes me wonder

 

[maritimecamper]

Great job...l will be doing alot of the same work on my new (to me) van. I see you have the metal tape stuck directly to the metal pillars etc. I have found in REALLY cold weather these pillars sweat from the temperature change. Is that a special type of metallic tape your using ? Sorry if you addressed this problem earlier. ...l just glanced over your build, I'll read more when l have more time.thanks

 

[cygvan]

most of the metallic tape touching the pillars was just overtaping from taping the seams of the insulation. not really serving any purpose on the metal.<br><br>as for condensation, not a bit. the insualation method (sound deadener, EPS insulation, reflectix, plywood/luan,carpeting) combined with a fantastic fan to move the air around has pretty much eliminated it.<br><br>im in new jersey and its pretty humid here and there are a number of temperature swings at times of the year and i get none.<br><br>in fact, i still have unfinished portions of wall (at head of bed) and the doors are untouched yet. i sleep inches away from bare metal, sometimes staring at it for hours lol, in that unfinished area of the bed so if there were any condensation id see it.<br><br>also, the van passes the "feel test" despite the weather outside, it always feels comfortable inside at least from a humidity point. it doesnt feel clammy or anything. my clothing, linens and bedding are always dry. ive experienced that before and it sucks.<br><br>i think the magic wand is the insulation working with the fantastic fan. i get no condensation from atmospheric conditions or exhaling. if i were in an environment that was more moist, say florida or seattle, i think it would still do well but might occasionally be humid.

 

[Ballenxj]

Very nice that you have the humidity under control. I think that is MAJOR! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img" title="Smile - "> <br>-Bruce

 

[Mac J]

Nice job!<br>Go to a sign shop and get vinyl graphics on the exterior suggesting you're a contractor. That'll&nbsp;help with the&nbsp;stealth factor.

 

[cygvan]

@macj...<br><br>thanks for the compliment!<br><br>i thought about that originally, before my host came through for a parking spot. i try to still be stealthy so that it looks benign in the neighborhood as so far so good. i mean i can barely be seen from the road and im not visible to neighbors so all is well. so basically i just dont do stuff outside too much to draw attention. unless my host is home and we are hanging out or working on his boat or im playing with his kids. host and i are 30 year friends so its all good.<br><br>the other concernt with the contractor lettering is that i would have to register my van commercially here in nj. and a commercial vehicle actually has restriction on where it can be parked and even driven.<br><br>id love to put coca cola stuff all over it lol.<br><br>@ballenxj...<br><br>i made sure to focus on that as well as insulation as i had originally started this whole plan several years ago by reading sites like skoolie.net and sportsmobileforum.com. i saw lots of builds an mention of condesation and humidity and that uncomfortable clammy feeling. which ive experienced before in houses actually so once i read that a bell went off and i said to myself that ignoring it would really suck. i cant imagine sleeping or being comfortable when its too humidy...ugh.

 

[Luisafernandes]

Hi there cygvan!
I was looking at your posts last night and your set up is pretty much what I would like to do myself. I'm at the crossroads of buying a van and I can do most everything myself but the electric work.
I'm in north Jersey and PA, maybe you can show me how to go about doing the electric wiring in exchange for a fee...

Thank you and keep up the good work!