Need input on abnormal dwelling vehicle

[SoulRaven]

Check out this Jeep XJ conversion - http://www.cheaprvliving.com/blog/living-jeep-cherokee/

It was a guest blog on Bob's blog almost 2 years ago. An XJ is actually proba mobly a little smaller than your Escape.

Thanks for the link. I am doing basically the same thing except I didn't build a box wooden frame. The sterilite containers are directly under my single cot size camping mattress. I put a single memory foam topper on that and it is very comfortable. The setup is light enough to just lift up to get to the containers. This leaves one seat clear to use for sitting, eating, etc. I am wanting to keep things as simple as possible and comfortable.

 

[SoulRaven]

Just a suggestion about that Koolatron cooler. You'd be better off selling that for whatever you can get for it and using a regular ice cooler until you can afford a compressor fridge. That Koolatron only chills to 40 F BELOW ambient temperature so if it's 90 out, all your food will spoil.

It also sucks power like crazy - the thing was meant for only being plugged in while the vehicle is running. There's a reason they come complete with a 120V cord as well as the 12V one. Do Not leave it plugged in to the starter engine overnight. 

DO NOT depend on the Koolatron for anything other than keeping beer and soda cooler than it would be if it wasn't in the cooler.

Yes, an ice cooler is a PITA because you have to buy ice every couple of days (hint, buy blocks not bags of ice) and you have to drain it at least every second day but at least your food won't spoil.

You are right, the Koolatron would not provide any ongoing cooling for extended times. Like you said it is only useful while traveling. Stopping for any length of time it would be useless unless there was electric available. I don't think I will have room for a 12v compressor type of fridge. And, I hate ice coolers. I may either just take it along and keep small amounts of foods and drinks in it or just sell it and go without any refrigeration all together.

 

[Almost There]

You are right, the Koolatron would not provide any ongoing cooling for extended times. Like you said it is only useful while traveling. Stopping for any length of time it would be useless unless there was electric available. I don't think I will have room for a 12v compressor type of fridge. And, I hate ice coolers. I may either just take it along and keep small amounts of foods and drinks in it or just sell it and go without any refrigeration all together.

I'm not a fan of ice coolers either but I've had no choice for the past 6 weeks, it was either ice coolers or nothing until the wiring is installed in the van.

One of my coolers kept leaking out the drain hole until I got a 'lights on' moment. I put the ice in a plastic shoe box container. It melts in there and doesn't run all over the bottom of the cooler. I simply lift the whole container out and pour it out. I try for blocks rather than cubes. Even the 10 lb blocks will sit in the plastic box although I can't put the lid back on the shoebox until it melts down a lot.

I'm tempted to do it to the other cooler as well, simply so I won't have water in the bottom of the cooler for all the food to slip in to.

 

[Binxie]

You are right, the Koolatron would not provide any ongoing cooling for extended times. Like you said it is only useful while traveling. Stopping for any length of time it would be useless unless there was electric available. I don't think I will have room for a 12v compressor type of fridge. And, I hate ice coolers. I may either just take it along and keep small amounts of foods and drinks in it or just sell it and go without any refrigeration all together.

I don't use a cooler or ice chest at all. I eat out of dry goods and things that'll last a few days, like apples and cheese. I get fresh meat or whatever when I stop at a grocery store, and then just enough to cook and eat that day or maybe by the next day. The only thing I regret about this strategy is not having ice for drinks. Love a big, icy drink! I've considered a stand-alone ice maker, but I'm probably going to stick with getting ice in my huge, 64 oz insulated mug when I stop at convenience stores, which is usually less than $0.50 and sometimes free. For me, it's a little luxury anyway. At Kangaroos/Circle Ks in Florida, I think they charge $0.39 for ice and right now $0.79 for a soda refill.

If I end up camping for extended periods in the desert later, I may make a zeer pot. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot-in-pot_refrigerator, . I don't think something like this would work well in Florida, though. Maybe it'd work right on the coast with a sustained breeze and strong sun for evaporation, but I don't have high hopes.

 

[Treehugger]

This is great. Everyone is so helpful. Your responses are helping me be confident in doing and going through this transition and trying time. Everyone has brought up some very good ideas about my decision to either keep the popup or just go with the bare Escape. I have gotten some new thoughts and reinforcing ones on my decision making process.
Thanks to everyone.

I am also open to any suggestions on outfitting the Escape to make things work out as successfully as possible. I think I have decided to just go with the Escape. Although the popup may be more roomy and comfortable at times, I think in the long run it could be more trouble and expense than it would be worth. Right now I think I have to concentrate on survival and simplification, along with frugality to make it through this.

Administrator: Should I start a new thread on this topic then?

Being so close to being in your shoes, I would have a hard time selling the pop up trailer, if it is in good condition.  You will never get what you paid for it, and what you sell it for will rarely buy you another in the same condition.  As we get older, we need a bit of comfort sometimes.  If you move with the weather, you may be able to use the pop up more than you think, and use the Escape as bad weather shelter.  I am thinking from the fixed income point of view, and the fact we will never be able to replace something for what we sell it for.  Of course, when we use alternative dwelling systems, we can't exactly be hoarders.  So, I am thinking of the "infrastructure " for our lives, what each person considers necessity on the inside of our vehicles varies widely.

 

[Canine]

It costs nothing to keep what you have.A popup is luxurious compared to living in a car.

 

[SoulRaven]

It costs nothing to keep what you have.A popup is luxurious compared to living in a car.

You sure hit the nail on the head. I am thinking that trying to live in the Escape would not be comfortable. I started going over in my head the differences in the popup and the vehicle for living. And since I decided that the popup wouldn't serve my purposes for living very comfortably in most circumstances and sold it. So, then turned around in the same note and thought about living in the vehicle..... it too seems like a bad idea. I am probably going to be better off in getting a small travel trailer that would be in a weight range that wouldn't be hard to tow with the Escape and have some comforts compared to the pup or vehicle. I am have come full circle. This is what I started out thinking about doing about a year ago. So with lots of things bought to try out and losing lots of money on them, I am back at the same thought of a travel trailer. I should have done that in the first place.
Thanks Bob for helping me somewhat decide on that, and maybe save me some miserable times.

 

[TooManyDogs]

Steve-

I have a 2001 Escape and can fit a 45qt Whynter fridge behind the front passenger seat. I took out the seats and the backs of the rear passenger row. The fridge fits length-wise inside where the seat cushion used to be, if you slide the front passenger seat up just a touch. I keep the front passenger seatback at an angle: it leaves air space next to the intake while holding the fridge in place.

 

[akrvbob]

TooManyDogs, do you have any pictures of your Escape, I'd love to see them!
Bob

 

[TooManyDogs]

Bob-
I don't know how to post pics: never used a third party site, and I post from my phone using Tapatalk. I can email them to you if you would like.
Sue

 

[LowTech]

Tapatalk photo posting should work for this site, if you're following from there.

 

[TooManyDogs]

Here is the fridge behind the passenger's seat. My bed is setup behind the driver's seat. There's about 5" of space between the air outlet and the door when closed. The battery is on the floor board.

 

[TooManyDogs]

 

[TooManyDogs]

Thanks, LowTech.

It did take me a couple of tries. Hopefully the size is not too big.

 

[akrvbob]

Bob-
I don't know how to post pics: never used a third party site, and I post from my phone using Tapatalk. I can email them to you if you would like.
Sue

I understand tapatalk makes it fairly easy, but no problem, you can email them to me and I'll post them here unless you want to start your own build thread. That may be better
Bob