My son will be living in a Van very soon

[annabell]

Hello all.   I am not a Van dweller.  However my 24 year old son and his girlfriend are currently preparing to live life on the road.  I admit...it makes Mom very nervous.   I'm here to learn and get him as best prepared as we can before they take off.   Thanks in advance for any help and advise!

I'm sure that's scary for you, as a mom, but your son is a young man, and young people are very resilient. 

Also, as a mom, I advise you to keep your advice to a minimum. He likely won't listen, or hear, and it could possibly cause problems between you. If he asks you, that's a different story!

Remember all the things you did at his age. I bet you thought you knew the world, as he does, now.

Learn here to assuage your fears, and find a way to sit back. Believe me, I know that's hard.

 

[MrAlvinDude]

He still needs to figure out off grid power and air conditioning when  he's not plugged in which is his primary plan.  

Is he in a warm climate right now, while he is preparing the vehicle? 

How about trying to live in the van for a week or two, in the driveway (or nearby location, or the first shorter trips), without being plugged in. This is an easy and safe way to get some off-grid experience. And it will be easy to plug-in, while the situation/van is being improved - like buying a fuel powered generator. 

Can the van charge the house/auxiliary batteries while he is driving? 

Does he have  any kind of solar solution? Like some portable solar panels? 


To run an AC unit, it is necessary to be a) plugged-in, or b) run a generator, or c) to have over 1000-1500 watt of solar panels. 

Good ventilation, and shade options - are much more likely to be what is available (needs to be used/created) in off-grid situations.  But this will quickly be discovered/learned during the first week with hot weather.

 

[HeatherC]

No doubt they have done a lot of research prior to making this decision. You didn't mention what they will be traveling/living in.

Is he in a warm climate right now, while he is preparing the vehicle? 

How about trying to live in the van for a week or two, in the driveway (or nearby location, or the first shorter trips), without being plugged in. This is an easy and safe way to get some off-grid experience. And it will be easy to plug-in, while the situation/van is being improved - like buying a fuel powered generator. 

Can the van charge the house/auxiliary batteries while he is driving? 

Does he have  any kind of solar solution? Like some portable solar panels? 


To run an AC unit, it is necessary to be a) plugged-in, or b) run a generator, or c) to have over 1000-1500 watt of solar panels. 

Good ventilation, and shade options - are much more likely to be what is available (needs to be used/created) in off-grid situations.  But this will quickly be discovered/learned during the first week with hot weather.

We are in Indiana now so it's hot and humid.   The van is in the shop getting a tune up, oil change, brakes and tires right now.  After that they will do a trial run.   I have two seasonal sites at a campground locally and they have stayed a few days at a time there before the van went in but were plugged in.  They need to do it unplugged.  But they can't run a generator at the campground or in the neighborhood so they will need to go elsewhere.   He also put a roof vent in and is ordering reflectix to keep the van cooler so he doesn't have to run AC at all or at least very little.

Yes, the van charges the battery when they drive.  

No solar yet.  Solar seems complicated and we haven't dove too far into that yet.

 

[HeatherC]

I'm sure that's scary for you, as a mom, but your son is a young man, and young people are very resilient. 

Also, as a mom, I advise you to keep your advice to a minimum. He likely won't listen, or hear, and it could possibly cause problems between you. If he asks you, that's a different story!

Remember all the things you did at his age. I bet you thought you knew the world, as he does, now.

Learn here to assuage your fears, and find a way to sit back. Believe me, I know that's hard.

When I was his age I had a 2 year old and a 4 year old.  So I can't really relate.  But I am glad he will be getting this opportunity before life ties him down.

 

[B and C]

Plugging in and unplugging the extension cord could give a little feel for what a generator takes. They would have to go out and start it and kill it. This would give them an idea of how long the generator would have to run. Try to make sure they get an inverter generator as they are much quieter than an open frame generator. No one wants to listen to a loud generator drone on for hours.

 

[Fivealive]

If he is able to earn money with just his phone than he has already managed the hardest and most overlooked part about vanlife. An actual income is leaps and bounds more important than savings. He will do great!

 

[annabell]

When I was his age I had a 2 year old and a 4 year old.  So I can't really relate.  But I am glad he will be getting this opportunity before life ties him down.

Heather, that's kind of my point. I know your son seems very young to you, but look at the responsibilities you managed when you were his age!

 

[DannyB1954]

Crime can and does happen everywhere, but the odds of it happening to any particular individual really isn't that great.
If they are going to be city dwellers, here is a video that they may wish to watch.