Setting up to hit the road

[GotSmart]

Hello everyone, I am building a 91 Ram Van to travel the country in. At this time I do not plan on stealth living, but I will be seeing the USA in my Dodge Ram Van.

It will be my cat and myself. I will have a permanent address where my adult children will be living, and my furniture will be there. That means that for $150 a year I have insurance on the contents of my vehicle. (Already cleared with my insurance company!) and the furniture that I will be letting the children use, my library, computer system and so on.

I will be needing advice on setting up the love machine with a power converter so I can use a fridge, my CPAP machine, some way of cooking and charging my power hand tools. (I repair things for a living and hobby.) and the computer and TV.

So far I have less than $1,000 invested in this including purchase price of the van, all repairs and improvements so far.

I will be posting threads asking opinions on floor plan layout, tool storage and security, closet space, appliances, and the ever needed Port~A~Pot.

 

[akrvbob]

GotSmart, we are delighted you are here!! We love to answer questions and be helpful!

Some things that will help us give you the best possible information is if you give us all the information you can about your budget, plans, needs and preferences. That way we can tailor our advice to you.

Also, start a thread for each topic. Broad questions with multiple topics will probably only give you broad and incomplete answers.

Welcome again, we really are glad you are here!
bob

 

[Patrick46]

Hey there GotSmart!!

there's lots of great information on this forum, and many very experienced vandwellers, so you've come to the right place with your questions.

If you look through the builds page, you'll find many different ways folks have set their vans up for living and traveling in. Everyone has their owns ways of doing things based on their personal needs, their knowledge and experience in building, and their budgets. So finding a like-minded builder is never a problem.

Cooking, solar panels and power supplys, bed arrangements, insulation, computer systems, and pottys are big topics around here, so ask anything and someone will surely have ideas for you to work with.

What part of the country do you 'presently' call home??

oh, and pics man...we like PICTURES!!

Welcome aboard!

Patrick on the Oregon Coast

 

[GotSmart]

Pictures~~~ Those will come along with the questions.

I am currently in Missouri, but will be traveling around the West to start with. I am from N. Ca, and have family all up and down the West Coast.

I also have people on the East coast wanting me to come by for a visit.

I have a lot of construction skills, and am considered a Stationary Engineer. (Trained repair professional) That means I have enough smarts to ask the right questions from the right people, and I am able to charge top dollar for fixing something I have never worked on before.

My youngest is graduating from college this spring, so single dad can take the trip he has put off for 30 years.

Thank you both for the posting tips. They are basically the same as on most other forums I have been on. I have been able to keep the same name for the past 10+ years, so if you think you might know me~~~ I hope I have not banned you from forums I have been moderating. :s

Now to come up with the questions.

Normal practice is to do a keyword search on the subjects, and see what has been posted first, then ask the questions that I still have.

Thanks again~~~

John

 

[signman]

Hi Gotsmart, Welcome from north Florida.

It sounds like you have a good start on the project, $1000 is not bad for a van that is ready to travel.

There are people on here that will help you with your power needs and all the other things. Duane

 

[blkjak]

welcome from s.w. florida .... blkjak

 

[GotSmart]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. It looks like it will run me about $500 to set up the power. Unless I can get lucky and find what I need on Craigslist.

I have found that when dealing with something I am not 100% familiar with, I should buy new because it is more likely to work. So that is two months building budget~~~

The RV solar panels I posted. It would be OK to set them up permanent I am guessing. Would it be advisable to do a plexiglass cover? I have been through some nasty hail storms in my travels.

 

[akrvbob]

GotSmart, where did you post about solar panels? I didn't see it.

Solar panels work best the colder they are and I'm afraid permanently cover them with plexiglass would make them really hot. A lot of guys just cut plywood to fit and cover the panels if they are threatened with hail.
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

Sorry Bob, I am now on 4 different forums seeking advice. I was sent here from Dodge Talk. This site was highly recommended. Here is the thread. I am not sure if this is allowed, but I am not advertising, just sharing information. So here it goes.
http://www.dodgetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5149673#post5149673

These are the solar panels I am looking at. With a 4D or 8D battery.
http://www.amazon.com/RENOGY-Monocry...s=solar+panels

 

[akrvbob]

No problem with the cross post. If you will forgive me, I am lazy and I don't want to do a lot of homework to try to help you. The Amazon link didn't work for me. Can you just summarize what you are planning to do or cut and paste it here?
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B009Z6CW7O/ref=nosim/5336653625-20

RENOGY 100 Watt 100w Monocrystalline Photovoltaic PV Solar Panel Module 12V Battery Charging

2 panels, plus a marine battery rated at 180 to 255 amp hours. Not sure on the battery yet. Still researching inverters.

I would like someone to tell me if the guy giving me advice is blowing smoke or not. His figures seem way out of line. He is slightly prone to hyperbole.

 

[akrvbob]

That's an okay price for a low-voltage panel. But you can do better. You want to pay $1 a watt. But the good prices are on big panels which are very expensive to ship. What part of the country are you in? In the Southwest there are many dealers who can sell you panel for $1 a watt. I paid $240 for a 240 watt panel here
http://www.solar-electric.com/hiposopa.html

Here is a 320 watt kit for $940 but everything is the very highest quality. You can't buy better componets at any price. It doesn't include batteries but has everything else.
http://www.solar-electric.com/rvmakitwi315.html

In 5 years who will do the warranty work on your panel? They usually have a 20 year warranty on power production but if you have to pay shipping both ways that will be the cost of a new panel. I greatly prefer to buy from a good dealer that will still be in business in 5-20 years.

A Marine battery is not the best choice. It is a hybrid of starting and deep cycle and is okay at both, but not great at either. You really want to buy a true deep cycle. Again, if possible buy from a dealer. 255 ah is a lot for a single 12 volt battery!!

What advice is your friend giving you?
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

The guy is trying to tell me things I do not believe. Such as spending $500 on a 2 cf fridge is better than using the 4.6 cf dorm fridge I already have.

$940 is what I have in the van to this date!

I did research on batteries, and I am convinced I need to do more research on batteries.

I am hoping to find a quality used system to start with. Until I dump the rental, all my money is going into someone elses pocket. My kids are not helping much. Time for this bird to fly. Not much work in the Mid-West in the winter.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Prime shipping...hmmm... maybe ill snag one...

Supposedly a.12 volt fridge is best and pulls the least juice but I'm not convinced. Someone posted a dorm fridge that got 30 watts even using an inverter.

 

[GotSmart]

Prime shipping...hmmm... maybe ill snag one...

Supposedly a.12 volt fridge is best and pulls the least juice but I'm not convinced. Someone posted a dorm fridge that got 30 watts even using an inverter.

He said you have to include the passive use of the inverter being on all the time.

My dorm fridge is rated at 1.5 a x 12 v = 18 w. Plus spikes when it starts.

I also have a computer system, as well as various 12v appliances such as a crock pot, fry pan, plus charging stations for my power tools. The van lighting is good enough to read by.

I still find it hard to believe that power will cost me $1,000 to $1,500. I must be missing something.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Im no expert but isnt 1.5 amp rated at household voltage, so you have to use that voltage in your wattage calculation. Then you can calculate the 12v amps.

 

[user 423]

The advice given on Dodgetalk is geared more for someone who plans to live full-time in their van for a long period, as he has done. If you will just be 'seeing the USA' for a couple of months then no, the extra expense for a killer setup wouldn't be justified. If you drive 1000's of miles in a shorter period or stop often at CGs to plug in, that will make a big difference in your power needs compared to boondocking for longer periods. Instead of spending a ton of $ on solar and batteries, you may want to look into buying a small, inexpensive generator.

BTW: some chargers for power tools,etc. don't like the modified sinewave output from less expensive inverters.

 

[GotSmart]

I am reading the Battery threads. Bob: More than likely I will save up and contact you this summer. I will go to your location, and get some first hand advice when you can see what is actually set up. I have been in a lot of situations where I am repairing something, and then through a door I see a connected system that was not mentioned. This has happened to me in Plumbing, Electrical, and construction. So far I have read enough to learned that I need to read a lot more, then look at how some systems are set up and working.

Meanwhile, I will be building my living space and storage boxes.

---

The advice given on Dodgetalk is geared more for someone who plans to live full-time in their van for a long period, as he has done. If you will just be 'seeing the USA' for a couple of months then no, the extra expense for a killer setup wouldn't be justified. If you drive 1000's of miles in a shorter period or stop often at CGs to plug in, that will make a big difference in your power needs compared to boondocking for longer periods. Instead of spending a ton of $ on solar and batteries, you may want to look into buying a small, inexpensive generator.

BTW: some chargers for power tools,etc. don't like the modified sinewave output from less expensive inverters.

I am not sure what will happen after July, so I am planning on setting up for a long haul. Winter in S. Ca or Florida, and travel the roads in the summer. I am single and have raised my children by myself for the past 15 years. Now its my time. I have located one inverter that claims to be compatible to tools and electronics. $250 roughly. I would rather have solar than a generator. I can always plug in at work sites to top up my tool charges.

I guess I am just whining at the cost. I will be fine after I take my pain pills. It is in the 20's in Missouri today, and after being disabled 5 times I have parts of me that hurt in this weather.

 

[akrvbob]

If you can get to Flagstaff AZ this is the best deal I know of on solar:

240 watt panel $240
Blue Sky High Voltage MPPT conroller $190
Pair of Crown or Trojan Golf Cart Batteries $240
Fuses, cable, feet $80
================
Total $750

That's a complete 240 watt system with high quality components for $750. I went with 6 different people last summer and bought that exact system. I have one on the roof of my van.

I own two 12 volt compressor fridges and have never regretted for a second owning them. My Dometic is now 5 years old. I paod $400 for it and it is worth every penny. It paid for itself in 1 1/2 years on the saving of ice.

In 12 year I have never found a single item that didn't run perfectly well on modified sine wave except a microwave which requires a pure sine wave.
Bob

 

[GotSmart]

If you can get to Flagstaff AZ this is the best deal I know of on solar:

240 watt panel $240
Blue Sky High Voltage MPPT conroller $190
Pair of Crown or Trojan Golf Cart Batteries $240
Fuses, cable, feet $80
================
Total $750

That's a complete 240 watt system with high quality components for $750. I went with 6 different people last summer and bought that exact system. I have one on the roof of my van.

I own two 12 volt compressor fridges and have never regretted for a second owning them. My Dometic is now 5 years old. I paod $400 for it and it is worth every penny. It paid for itself in 1 1/2 years on the saving of ice.

In 12 year I have never found a single item that didn't run perfectly well on modified sine wave except a microwave which requires a pure sine wave.
Bob

OK, you got me there. I will sell the dorm fridge. :s

I am planning on hitting the road in July. I will be leaving MO, with stops in Kansas, then making my way to Arizona. After that it is Sunny Southern California! I hope you are getting a commission on these sales you bring in! The prices can't be beat, especially with someone vouching for the product. I will have $1,200 put away for these purchases. They do take Mastercard I hope? How big a square should I allow for the platform? I figure I will mount the batteries in a box at the back door, and the fridge will go by the two side doors on a platform with a metal catch pan in case of a spill. I still have more than 5 months to set things up, so no rush! :exclamation:

That is my $500 van. $450 worth of tune up and paint, and parts to instal the motor right~~~ Now I will spend about $200 building cabinets and setting up the interior with clean carpet and radiant barrier. So for the cost of a regular beater, I will have a working RV with 30K on the motor.
Thank you!

John