way to get air stealthily

[doublegregg]

i have a white chevy cargo van, which i'd like to use partly for stealth. so i'm keeping it as plain as possible, and actually will probably have to keep it CLEANER outside than i normally maintain my vehicles (most businesses maintain things better than i do). but how can i get ventilation when i'm parked, stealthily? i have nothing on the roof, and don't want anything up there. that leaves the floor???? has anyone dealt with this issue, and might they have suggestions. i can think of putting a hole in the floor, with a little fan............. actually, an inlet and an outlet...something like that....................... a partly open window? - well, where i live, which is a big city, you need a 'free stuff' sign to go along with that open window.

happy trails

tysm

 

[B and C]

If you are going to be parking on pavement (or worse, asphalt), it acts as a heat sink, soaking up heat during the day and releasing it at night. A floor vent is going to suck in this heat although it may be welcome certain times of the year. Stick your hand on a spot you might park to get an idea.

 

[user 423]

Dark shaded vent visors that fit over the windows hang down about 2-1/2".

You can leave windows open 1"-2" and they won't appear obviously open to passersby. Especially at night.

Then rig up a fan to move air around inside.

 

[Sofisintown]

Dark shaded vent visors that fit over the windows hang down about 2-1/2".

Yes I did exactly that a couple of weeks ago, and I love that you can have the windows cracked when it rains.
They were $31 for a pair  on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A8J972/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[bullfrog]

You can put the vent which you must be able to seal off while the engine is running depending on where they are mounted first behind the license plate, a bumper mounted spare tire rack, a trim piece like rear window louvers, in the floor or wheel wells but here you will have to seal extremely well. You can also use ducting to route air from under bumpers, behind the grill or headlights with a small computer fan. I have used driveway storm drains with removable grates to install screening as vents as well as boat vents with screw on covers or even just PVC pipe caps for closure. I have a rear rack that has one of these mounted behind it out of sight down low attached to PVC pipe which is large enough to slide in a water bottle which in cooler weather will almost freeze from the air flow caused by having the upper vent slightly open and the heater on. Also NEVER go down a dirt without totally sealing closed vents, I even duct tape mine now I know how dusty it can get!

 

[deadwood]

I know in your post you said you don't want anything on the roof but to be honest I don't think I could live without my Maxair fan up there. As the van heats up the heat rises. And with the roof fan blowing the air out it makes a world of difference in keeping the van comfortable. As for stealth I don't think most people would look twice at as lots of work vans might have a roof vent anyways. And if you add in a floor vent (which I did) you can be pretty stealthy and have a nice flow of fresh air coming in from below and the warmer air exhausted out the top.

 

[GntlStone]

I saw a video yesterday where the person mounted two of these on their back doors (rather than the roof). Looked totally stealth.

2 way vent
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Vents-and-Fans/Redline/RV-626-062-2756.html

 

[jonyjoe303]

On my van I like keeping all my windows closed all the time. The only ventilation is from my side vents. But lately the air coming from the side vents is too hot 120 degrees. I been relying on one of my roof vents which is under the solar panel. The air coming in is much cooler about 110 degrees but still hot, but I run through a swamp cooler. The reason I don't run the roof vents without the ducting is because on a hot day the incoming air is over 100 degrees, but ducted to a swampcooler it drops the temperature into the upper 80's.

The solar panel is right over the vent so its not sticking out. Instead of a solar panel you can just make the roof vent as low profile as possible and find a different way to cover it.

Solar panel over roof vent


inside my van the roof vent air is ducted into my swampcooler. In this picture one duct goes to swampcooler, the other duct is venting the 12 volt fridge compresser heat. I since relocated the fridge duct.

 

[catalekid]

Not my idea but I will pass it along.

Roof rack with an orange ladder mounted to it will hide roof vent and a solar panel or two.

Hang an orange work vest on the passenger seat and it adds to the deception.

 

[eDJ_]

If you have a spare tire mounted on the back door of your Van,  you could hide one or two quiet fans behind it that could be timed with an intermittent timer so it will run for a percentage of each hour.    The fans like the one below are very quiet.  If set to blow interior air outside, it could draw air in thru slightly opened front door windows  or possibly thru the heating system.  A sheet metal lip could be mounted on the outside over the fans to keep rain water out and on the inside a small metal box could be made to cover the fan to seal it off.  Possibly use magnetic strips on the lip of the box so it would hold to the door of the Van.

[img=350x250]https://www.aluminess.com/wp-content/uploads/2019-Sprinter-Box-Tire-Rack-Back-Door.jpg[/img]

[img=400x355]https://www.alpharfsystems.com/wp-c...00_5e3209f6d46597d8f4365f8e77a5ef47.jpg[/img]

You would need a switch to turn this on and off with and a solid state adjustable 12 vdc timer time so you can regulate the time on and time off .

 

[Ccfree]

You can access the ducting for the van under the dash. Run some dryer hose to where you need the most air with computer fan or fans as it may take more to move the air over the distance. As to venting under the van check your exhaust for any possible leaks before even thinking about that route.

 

[bandaidqueen]

I took this idea from someone else on the forum - vent UNDERNEATH the license plate. It's soft plastic underneath the license plate, I just took a drill and made a ton of holes, then re-attached the license plate with only the top screws. I put the bottom screws under the license plate to keep it angled out so air can flow underneath it. Not a ton of airflow, but it does help - my van has NO windows. It's completely stealth, you can't tell from outside that it's an air vent.

 

[highdesertranger]

any vent out the floor or the rear must be able to be sealed 100% while the van's engine is running. did I say MUST BE SEALED, please be safe. also stealth is a fantasy any body who wants to know, knows you are in there. highdesertranger

 

[doublegregg]

tysm! i'm reviewing all the *incredible* comments and ideas.... i really wasn't expecting much response, as i thought i was just being kind of , well, overly cautious.

so for #10, edJ, .. i assume? the fan will require a hole to be drilled? or is this assuming one of the back windows would be open... which would be sort of a negative, for me, at least.

i think i've already had sort of a knock, and it was in daytime. i was at a beach i always go to for walks, resting in my van, which is a plain white van, nice condition. a cop comes up, pokes his head in, and claims that people are stealing vans like mine all the time and dump them in that lot. well, i go to that lot all the time, and although some people have (obviously live in) vans parked there during the day, there are never abandoned vehicles there. that spooked me, frankly, that cop. it was all fine, but i really wonder about that what that cop was really up to, and so i *really* don't want to get *that* knock when it matters...

 

[jacqueg]

He was snooping. Stealthily. Apparently, you passed.

I'm not a cop. Yet, I can pretty much tell. So don't kid yourself that you can fool a cop for long. Or at all.

What you CAN do is not alarm the general public. Most of whom won't really care, unless they think you are some kind of low-lifer. So keep your van and its environs clean and free of trash and extraneous belongings.

Also, if anyone asks - you are NOT living in your van. You are traveling the USA in it. I've had many pleasant conversations with ordinary people who are quite accepting of my van and my presence, once I say I'm traveling. It also helps if you can give them the impression you are retired or have been saving for your trip for a long time. Often, they are envious, and tell me they are looking forward to the day they can do the same.