One Awesome Inch - Van Build

[cargovanconversion]

I always admire how much can be done with few tools.

As you drive, the wind may put a lot of stress on your solar panel, as it tries to lift it off your car. Perhaps mounting it on a metal frame first and closing the gap between the panel and the roof on the front side may help.

Van Williams

 

[highdesertranger]

nice, make sure you do a follow up. highdesertranger

 

[One Awesome Inch]

What should I discuss in the solar panel install follow-up?

Is there any legitimacy to concerns about wind? I have had a few comments saying the wind will cause the panel to come off, but I dont think so. That JB weld is tough stuff. I applied quite a bit of torque to the top nylon threaded nut without any issue.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I always admire how much can be done with few tools.

As you drive, the wind may put a lot of stress on your solar panel, as it tries to lift it off your car.  Perhaps mounting it on a metal frame first and closing the gap between the panel and the roof on the front side may help.

Van Williams

Thanks. I am going to keep an eye on it and inspect it regularly. And oh yeah, *all* my tools fit in a milk crate!

 

[ramblingvanman]

Thanks. I am going to keep an eye on it and inspect it regularly. And oh yeah, *all* my tools fit in a milk crate!

Wow, great work. Is that much insulation really necessary? I plan to "chase the sun", so can I get by with just a single layer of reflectix or something? So far, I have done all of my vandwelling in/around central Florida. So, cold was never a concern.

 

[Almost There]

Wow, great work. Is that much insulation really necessary? I plan to "chase the sun", so can I get by with just a single layer of reflectix or something? So far, I have done all of my vandwelling in/around central Florida. So, cold was never a concern.

I'm also planning on chasing the sun...

I've installed a layer of reflectix over bubble wrap to use as a radiant heat barrier which I firmly believe will be sufficient for my needs.

BUT, just in case I need conventional insulation, I'm putting in my wall panels such that I can remove an area panel at a time to install an inch of polyiso without ripping apart the van completely. For example the wall behind the kitchen unit is independent of the wall panel behind the bed. The bed panels are in two pieces such that I can do the exposed wall separate from the area beneath the bed level. It also served the purpose that I could use different wall treatments for interior decorating purposes AND I could handle the panels by myself - a 4 x 8 sheet of almost anything is beyond my capabilities...

0AI is living in the PNW full time as opposed to chasing the sun. He also thinks that 32F is extremely cold...

 

[ramblingvanman]

Great idea building independent wall panels. I think I will adopt that plan as well.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Wow, great work. Is that much insulation really necessary? I plan to "chase the sun", so can I get by with just a single layer of reflectix or something? So far, I have done all of my vandwelling in/around central Florida. So, cold was never a concern.

Deserts can get cold at night even when they were very warm during the day.  I think I've seen some of Bob's blog posts with pictures of snow around his camp. 

Regards
John

 

[ramblingvanman]

Deserts can get cold at night even when they were very warm during the day.  I think I've seen some of Bob's blog posts with pictures of snow around his camp. 

Regards
John

Definitely did not know that. How cold are we talking? Just down in the 30s? or below zero?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Definitely did not know that. How cold are we talking? Just down in the 30s? or below zero?

Well, in one post back in January, he mentioned that Flagstaff could be in the 50s in the daytime and go down into the 20s overnight.

Regards
John

 

[ramblingvanman]

Well, in one post back in January, he mentioned that Flagstaff could be in the 50s in the daytime and go down into the 20s overnight.

Regards
John

That is no problem. I don't even wear long pants until it gets around 50ish. That does remind me that I need to pick up some sort of heavy coat though.

 

[Almost There]

Well, in one post back in January, he mentioned that Flagstaff could be in the 50s in the daytime and go down into the 20s overnight.

Regards
John

Yes, but Flagstaff is in northern Arizona at an elevation of 7,000 ft.

The weather there is radically different than say Quartzite at 900 ft.

That's why Bob goes up in elevation in the summer, to get away from the heat of the lower elevations.

 

[Almost There]

That is no problem. I don't even wear long pants until it gets around 50ish. That does remind me that I need to pick up some sort of heavy coat though.

You might find better use out of a medium coat, sweatshirts and perhaps a set of thermal underwear than a heavy coat.

Layer, layer, layer. If you get a cold night the underwear come in handy for sleeping where the heavy coat...well not so much!

I already own a winter ski jacket as well as microfleece thermals so they'll be packed with me. But then I'll also probably need them for early spring when I have to return to Ontario.

 

[ramblingvanman]

To be clear, I already have 2 sweat shirts, 2 pr longjohns and a light jacket. I bought all of that at Goodwill for less than $10. When I say "heavy coat", I mean an M65 field jacket with liner or equivalent. I believe that will be heavy enough for anywhere I plan to be. I already have some good quality jeans, boots and wool socks.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I'm also planning on chasing the sun...

I've installed a layer of reflectix over bubble wrap to use as a radiant heat barrier which I firmly believe will be sufficient for my needs.

BUT, just in case I need conventional insulation, I'm putting in my wall panels such that I can remove an area panel at a time to install an inch of polyiso without ripping apart the van completely. For example the wall behind the kitchen unit is independent of the wall panel behind the bed. The bed panels are in two pieces such that I can do the exposed wall separate from the area beneath the bed level. It also served the purpose that I could use different wall treatments for interior decorating purposes AND I could handle the panels by myself - a 4 x 8 sheet of almost anything is beyond my capabilities...

0AI is living in the PNW full time as opposed to chasing the sun. He also thinks that 32F is extremely cold...

Born and raised in BC I'm "delicate " when it comes to cold temperature. 0 Celsius would not be comfortable to hang out in a van. Wrapped in a sleeping bag.. possibly but probably not ideal. My goal is to have it warm in the van when I am in it. 16 to 21C would be nice!

 

[akrvbob]

I'm not telling anyone what to do, just giving information.

The desert can be very cold! The first three RTRs had cold snaps in the teens Farenheit during them. Even worse, the wind blows so it feels colder. The last two winters were wonderful, never got cold but that isn't normal. If you are coming to the RTR, plan for cold weather.

The problem snowbirds face is the shoulder seasons. By that I mean that in the spring and fall the desert can still be very hot, while the high country is getting quite cold. I've been snowed on in Flagstaff while Phoenix was still in the high 90s or even 100s.

Luckily, AZ has a stair stepped elevation. Elevation is what is important. Climbing 3000 feet will drop the temperatures by about 10 degrees.

So in March when Quartzsite is in the high 90s we can move to Sedona at 3000 feet where it's in the 80s. In April Sedona will be in the 90s so I move to Prescott at 5000 feet where it'll be in the 70s or low 80s. When Prescott hits the 90s, I can move to Flagstaff at 7000 feet where it will be in the 80s--and has lots of shade.

My point is that out West, even by following the sun you will still face the risk of running into serious cold so you should be ready for it.
Bob

 

[highdesertranger]

yes the desert can get very cold. if you look at a newspaper in the weather section they usually have the high and low temps for the nation. CA regularly gets get both on the same day, Death Valley for the high and Bodie state park for the low. guess what, they are both in the desert. Bodie is in the high desert and has an elevation of over 8,000 ft. Bodie right now has been pulling lows in the low 30's. in another month it will be in the low 20's another month low teens. in DEC and Jan single digits is not uncommon. I have seen negative temps in the high desert during the winter months. around Quartzite it would be rare to get that cold, but the teens is not unheard of. about 30 miles southwest of Quartzite on Willey Well Road I have been snowed on. so like I always say "be prepared". better to be prepared and not need the stuff than to be unprepared and need it. highdesertranger

 

[Mobilesport]

I'm not telling anyone what to do, just giving information.

The desert can be very cold! The first three RTRs had cold snaps in the teens Farenheit during them. Even worse, the wind blows so it feels colder. The last two winters were wonderful, never got cold but that isn't normal. If you are coming to the RTR, plan for cold weather.

The problem snowbirds face is the shoulder seasons. By that I mean that in the spring and fall the desert can still be very hot, while the high country is getting quite cold. I've been snowed on in Flagstaff while Phoenix was still in the high 90s or even 100s.

Luckily, AZ has a stair stepped elevation. Elevation is what is important. Climbing 3000 feet will drop the temperatures by about 10 degrees.

So in March when Quartzsite is in the high 90s we can move to Sedona at 3000 feet where it's in the 80s. In April Sedona will be in the 90s so I move to Prescott at 5000 feet where it'll be in the 70s or low 80s. When Prescott hits the 90s, I can move to Flagstaff at 7000 feet where it will be in the 80s--and has lots of shade.

My point is that out West, even by following the sun you will still face the risk of running into serious cold so you should be ready for it.
Bob

So instead of following the birds we can just follow Bob.  We'll be SnowBobs.
We'll be snow Bobs