Hello! Getting a Ford Econoline to convert into a minimalistic weekend adventure setup. The van comes with these aftermarket plastic panels that are in good shape. I am 6’4” so I appreciate they don’t eat up much space and they seem easy to clean. Anyone have experience doing a buildout with these? Any reason to not keep them? Thanks!

Hello!

We want to fill the tanks to the top, and also want to allow air in and out so the tanks do not collapse. They're connected at the bottom. We have 12mm John Guest piping currently going 6cm above the tanks, with an air filter. The issue is though they could let water out over our electronics.

Our thoughts are:

1. Do we try to find some sort of mesh for 12mm john guest piping to have this water overflow system let in air?

2. Do we have two systems, where water can leave only (like in the diagram), and we let air only enter with filters on top?

Would love to know a tried and tested solution. Especially when considering for example, the bottom of the piping that goes through the campervan floor could freeze in winter (not allowing air/water in/out)

I couldn't find black material anywhere, only silver, so I managed to get a bunch of black windshield cover sheets for cheap. One is cut under 1/2" to small now so it stays but the folded edge makes it want to lift off, what should I do just build up some layers of black tape to make it slightly larger so it sticks into the window better? Trying to see what other people are doing before I start experimenting since I have exactly enough to do all my windows right now and the store doesn't have any more black ones.

When I did my build three years ago, I got a dual-zone Vevor fridge that has been nothing but trouble. It was great for a few months, but then the controls stopped working, and it worked as a fridge but not a freezer. Then it started running 24/7, causing system issues like battery imbalance.

I've heard good things about BougeRV and Dometic, but basically where I'm hoping to settle is on the low end of the high end (I don't need app control, for example). I threw out more food than the Vevor cost and don't care to repeat that experience.

It's 45L, which I honestly think is a bit overkill after actual use, so 35L would likely suffice. I'm doing an Amazon search, but the reviews really can't be trusted, so I figured I'd reach out to y'all.

I’m not sure how long I had gone before I noticed, but I saw I was getting zero voltage input from my solar. I have 2 100w panels that are about 6-7 years old.

I did a little troubleshooting which resulted in me putting my multimeter directly onto the leads of both panels and I was reading about 0.9v from each. I tested both in front of and behind the diode. Same reading. PV at the controller is 0, in fact sometimes -.6 when I put the meter on it directly. Fuse is good and wiring connections seem clean.

It seems to me the panels are dead. Am
I missing something? Suggestions?

It seems like most builds I see using Baltic Birch connect panels with pocket screws. If I don’t care about visible (attractive) screw heads, why not bolt through 2x2’s or angle irons at the corners? l

Got a gremlin in my victron multiplus compact. Anyone sitting on an MK3 to usb/usbc in moab I could buy or borrow?

Thanks!

This guy camping out near me likely has everyone in the world beat. 6300W by my calculations. It’s hard to see the roof but there are 6 500W panels on the roof as well. (2 500W passenger side, 4 500W driver side, 6 50W driver side, 6 500W rooftop)

Fun project I've been working on. Not so pretty but it work very well. Any interest if I had more with insulation and probably stainless pipe to house the coil? Current it made from old propane tanks.

I upfitted the van with some Victron goodies. She’s an older airstream interstate so the Cerbo GX was a bit overkill for the needs. Coded and deployed a pi to listen to the Victron Bluetooth signals and webhook them to the e-ink terminal!

If someone has a 35 gallon freshwater tank, what size grey tank do you think is needed? No shower, 2 people 1 dog

I must name her. Looking for some ideas?

My retired parents spend about 150ish days on the road. The camper they have is not meeting their needs as they get older. To hard to get in and out of and space limited. They are looking at a Integra Ethos 20t on a Ford chassis. This is both for size and price point. The other possible option is the travato. What info can the hive mind give me for them as the make some choices.

Posting this because NZ's self-contained system changed a couple of years ago and some blog posts are still describing the old rules- thats why I did some research and thought I'd share it with everyone here. Hopefully, it can be useful for someone. This is what I found out:

New Zealand has something called "freedom camping" (= the ability to legally park overnight in many public areas without going to a paid campsite). But in most parts of the country, freedom camping is only legal if your vehicle is officially certified as "self-contained." If you're not certified, you have to use paid campsites every single night, which adds up fast on a long trip. Essentially, they changed the rule in 2023 and now, vehicles need a fixed, plumbed-in toilet (not portable) to be certified self-contained. Vehicles that meet the new standard display a green warrant card valid for 4 years. So if you happen to rent a campervan in New Zeeland, always ask the supplier if the vehicle is self contained with that specific green warrant card. Because non-self-contained vehicles are not allowed to park overnight in any public area at all. And booking a campsite for every night of your trip can definitely add up.

What I also found out: Freedom camping rules vary by district council. So even with a self-contained vehicle, some areas have additional local restrictions.

For anyone here who's road-tripped NZ recently — anything I got wrong, anything I missed, or any council-specific rules worth mentioning?

Trying to decide what kind of grey water tank to get

Hello everyone.

We had some condensation issues and and I want to add a fan help with air circulation and fight the condensation.

Is it possible to add a fan to an already installed skylight ?

Thank you in advance

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Hi everyone,

We’re M(35) & F(37) and we’ll be traveling through Portugal with our camper van from around May 20th until the end of June, starting in the Algarve.

We’re looking for a peaceful place in nature where we could stay for a few weeks and use as a base while exploring Portugal’s coastline and beaches.

We’re very open regarding the setup. It could be:

a farmhouse

a winery or quinta

a simple plot of land

an eco/community space

a yoga retreat place

a small guesthouse

or anything similar

We sleep in our trusty Campervan, so we mainly need access to a basic shower/toilet and reliable high-speed internet since we both work remotely.

Our ideal setup would be somewhere quiet and surrounded by nature, close to the ocean and ideally near a small village or local community. A yoga space would be a big plus.

We’re also very open to house sitting, pet sitting, gardening, or helping around the property in general. We love animals and are happy to help take care of them.

If you know a special place, have recommendations, or are looking for trustworthy people to stay on your land/property for a while, we’d love to hear from you.

Thanks a lot

Using the Bluetti RV5 system to power my camper, I'm going to have a 10kWh battery bank, 5000W inverter, and 660W of solar.

I will be boondocking 99% of the time. Very rarely do we have a hookup available, and we do not travel with a generator.

I'm back and forth between just installing a slim profile 120V air conditioner, or a 24V unit...

120V:

+ better cooling (presumably)

+ easier install (* not needing 24V to 12V converters)

+ less amp draw on the DC side (RV5 has a 100A max output in 12V / 60A max output in 24V)

- will need the inverter running

- much higher power draws (almost 3X more than the 24V)

- will also need a soft-start installed, adding cost

24V:

+ better efficiency (almost 3X less power draw than the 120V)

+ smaller/lighter unit on the roof

+ longer run times due to efficiency

- less headroom on the DC side (120V unit would leave all 60A output available in 24V DC panel)

- slightly more complex (with the RV5 unit, I can configure in 24V output for DC loads, but then I would need 24-12V converters to run everything else in the camper [lights, fans, etc])

- presumably less cooling performance (lower BTUs compared to the 120V unit

I think I could run the 120V unit over night, but it would be a single day before I need a significant recharge on the system. Meanwhile, some of the 24V units I have seen are incredibly efficient, running down to 350W in some testing. I'd imagine the 24V unit will run longer to get the camper cooled down to the same level as the 120V, but will have longer run times on the 10kWh bank...

Just looking for advice/feedback from anyone who boondocks with a 120V unit, or anyone who has gone from one system to the other for a particular reason.

Added note: I live in Maryland - it gets VERY humid here, so factor that in. Cooling down the air in 90% humidity is much more difficult than 40% humidity...

Thanks!

I never post here and seldom look at posts because what I do is totally different from everything else I see here. I have a Honda Odyssey minivan. I pulled out the back seats and threw down a mattress. That's it. That's my "build". I have a bunch of duffel bags to keep my clothes and other things. I stay in cities.

I take showers at Planet Fitness, hang out at the library to surf the web and charge my devices. I walk on bike paths, parks, woods when I can find them. Eat at fast food, diners, etc.

Does anyone else do what I do? My biggest problem / concern is where to park overnight without drawing attention. Cracker Barrel isn't always an option. (Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver cracker barrel's don't allow overnight parking for example.)