My Interior Layout

[MrNoodly]

Mr. Noodly, It appears that's a refer behind your drivers seat (?) but what is that where the pass. seat used to be ? Also, where do you set up your stove if ya have to cook indoors ?
Thanks............KinA

The fridge is next to the driver's seat, in the box covered in foil-covered foam insulation. The wood cabinet behind the driver is just storage. I replaced the passenger seat with a steel cabinet I bought. I need storage more than traveling company. If I can't cook outside, I have food that doesn't need cooking.

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Actually, theres an orange thermal vest draped over the fridge in that shot.

 

[Patrick46]

PATRICK46, not to hijack this thread...but....can you install a seat swivel on "newer" (after 2010) vans that have airbags and stuff ? Is it a simple bolt-on install or is a trained mech. needed ?

I don't know what the seat bases look like on a 2010, but it's all just metal to me. It may take a bit of fabrication skills though. (welding and what-not)
If I can picture it in my mind, I kin pretty much build it...(unless it needs special machining, and I've got connections for that!)

Can't see why the airbag would really make any difference though.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

No can do the swivel bro. Your points make sense, but I'll be urban stealth 100% of the time and need maximum covertness. Add to that I dont want co-workers, friends seeing in the back when I give them a lift. There will be solid wall to separate the cab from the back... not negotiable on that one.

 

[SoulRaven]

Greetings!

I'd switch sides with the bed, if you're parking on the street, due to the curvature of the road, the drivers side will always be higher. You don't want gravity pushing you out of your bed.

I wouldn't wall up your side door, keep it operable, you can still choose not to use it and even place stuff in front of it.

Use your flower pot upside down on your stove for heat, that way you will have full control of your heating level rather than turning a Mr. Buddy on and off continually.

Put a very comfy chair in that big open space in the middle, I have a swivel rocker/recliner in mine. Comfortable seating is a must have. A TV tray can work for a table/desk.

Most often I use dollar store spray bottle for my running water, one for cold, one for warm, and one with a squirt of dish soap. These work good for washing hair, hands, body, dishes, you name it.

I use dish pans for sinks. If I want a double sink, I use two...

You're going to want a house battery with an isolator to run your lights, TV, laptop, 12v hair dryer, etc.

Even in Canada, if you're planning on spending any time inside during the day in the summer, you're going to need some form of air conditioning, regardless of how well insulated it is.

Have you given any thought to how you're planning to shower? Sit down showers can work in low top vans. My house is my van, and I totally reject the idea of leaving home to shower. I want to be able to shower any time and any where I choose, at home...

Just a few ideas or suggestions for you to ponder, hope it helps!

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[One Awesome Inch]

replies in red.

Greetings!

I'd switch sides with the bed, if you're parking on the street, due to the curvature of the road, the drivers side will always be higher. You don't want gravity pushing you out of your bed. Good idea!


I wouldn't wall up your side door, keep it operable, you can still choose not to use it and even place stuff in front of it. Still thinking this one over.

Use your flower pot upside down on your stove for heat, that way you will have full control of your heating level rather than turning a Mr. Buddy on and off continually.

Put a very comfy chair in that big open space in the middle, I have a swivel rocker/recliner in mine. Comfortable seating is a must have. A TV tray can work for a table/desk. Nah, I want the space. The bed will be used for seating.

Most often I use dollar store spray bottle for my running water, one for cold, one for warm, and one with a squirt of dish soap. These work good for washing hair, hands, body, dishes, you name it. Good idea!

I use dish pans for sinks. If I want a double sink, I use two...

You're going to want a house battery with an isolator to run your lights, TV, laptop, 12v hair dryer, etc. Lights will be LED with AA batteries etc. I'm bald so no hair dryer required, no tv, a tablet (like an iPad) will be my sole source of entertainment and I can either charge that off the starter battery or a small solar panel off the dashboard. That said, I would likely get a deep cycle battery and charge it via alternator or a small solar panel on roof. With the heat, lights and tablet taken care I really dont need that much electricity. At the beginning at least... down the road I may get deeper into it. At first I'd rather keep things as simple as possible.

Even in Canada, if you're planning on spending any time inside during the day in the summer, you're going to need some form of air conditioning, regardless of how well insulated it is. Not where I live on the west coast. Its only hovers around 30 celcius for about a month. I'd never get an air conditioner as I will never have shore power... unless I rented a driveway.

Have you given any thought to how you're planning to shower? Sit down showers can work in low top vans. My house is my van, and I totally reject the idea of leaving home to shower. I want to be able to shower any time and any where I choose, at home... I'd shower at the gym once a week, and sponge daily with a daily head wash. Again, simple is good.

Just a few ideas or suggestions for you to ponder, hope it helps!

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated!

 

[SoulRaven]

Greetings UnityGain!

Always glad to help when i can!

They have some of the led lights that have dimmers, and some of them even have a built in solar panel to keep them charged too.

I have one like that, that also has a crank and a radio too. I guess it's a no-name brand, I can't find a brand name on it, but I do like it, and use it all the time. I think I bought it at Walmart, about 6-7 years ago. I don't think I've ever replaced the batteries in it. I have cranked it up a few times if it died at night.

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[Luisafernandes]

Thanks! As to the software used I came across a pdf Bob Wells posted where there were different interior van layouts (I looked for it again, but no luck). sm_fc_stdplans2011.pdf

Then I found the one that resembled the one I wanted most and simply modified it using MS Paint.

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Hmmm... well I plan to do some experimenting myself, but I watched alot of youtube vids and it seems promising. The thing to remember is that it may take an hour or two before the heat is significant. I will use the Mr. Heater Buddy for an hour to get the van warm and then rely on the clay pot heater for longterm warmth. That is, if the thing works!

The one that guy did in the bathroom was flawed in my opinion.

Anyway, I have some small clay pots and just have to buy the bolts so it wont cost much to try it.

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Hi.
I just started experimenting with clay pots myself. I built my own with 3 pots and one 6 inch 3/8 rod, washers and nuts. So far it's not working too well, mainly I think, because I used a 4", 6" and 8" pot when the design calls for a 2", 4" and 6". Also I just bought six 50 hours paraffin liquid candles that technically should burn much hotter than a regular candle. Tomorrow I'll experiment with the original design and the paraffin oil and my current design and kerosene in a homemade candle.

 

[Starlight]

I'm not sure if this is the "original" clay pot heater, but the guy in this video has been using them to heat his boat for years. The way he has designed it, the inner pot is the heating element, while the outer pot serves to conduct the air around the inner pot and circulate into the room. Another adaptation is to use an oil lamp or a "crisco candle" which burns for a long time. It goes without saying that these should be used in a safe manner. I would think a safe set up would be to have the heater within a larger metal baking pan to avoid any chance contact with flammable materials.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

Thing is, even if the pots do nothing, you are still getting heat from the flames.

 

[SoulRaven]

Greetings!

Turn one of those pots upside down on your camp stove and you'll have a fully adjustable heater.

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man