Ok long story short, I’ve been planning to move out of my apartment with my partner into my 1990 Astro that I just finished a few weeks ago, unfortunately i just found out that I have a very high probability of having shoulder surgery (waiting on my official apt next week) I was told by my dr that I had an 85% chance of needing it, anyways the way things lined up I am moving into the van full time at the end of this month and I’m not really sure how I’m going to manage if I do have to have a surgery and I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences any of you have had, thanks in advance

There are a lot of different versions and prices for the professional to the hobbyist.

Which one do you think is the best for solar systems for van lifers?

Any leads for 12v lithium deals deeply appreciated- I'm replacing 3 150ah batteries that seem to have been overheated or drained too many times by the previous owner of my rig. My mechanic says 4 would be better and a new solar panel too. Thoughts? He's not an expert but he says my solar system ruined my appliances that were hooked up to it. I really need a youtube crash course in this I guess. Any links for that would be great! Thanks everyone. The jerk who sold me this rig blocked me on all socials after the sale. awesome.

Tonight I tested my diesel heater in cold weather for the first time. It was -5C (23F) inside the van (Transit 350) when I started the heater and it reached a temperature of 13C (55F) in 45 minutes on high. I have a Lavaner pro 5KW heater and did not cover the rear doors or the cab area. By the end of my test, outside temperature was -7.4C (19F).

I was expecting it to be warmer faster. Does this sounds reasonable to those with experience?

It's a Duralast Marine/RV 31DC-DL I think. I bought it new a year ago, and upgraded to lithium from it last week to support other upgrades I'm doing. It's in great shape and was fully charged when I pulled it last week. Would make a great starter battery for someone, and I'm trying to get it out of my way by Sunday.

I also have a Ryobi 18v tire inflator I don't know what to do with lol

I installed a Renogy DC2DC charger and a Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/50 controller. This setup doesn't have the capability to trickle charge the starter battery when leisure battery is full.

Is there a way I can still use my solar panels to trickle charge my starter battery?

I’m installing my 40a Renogy Charger and am struggling with the fuse to the battery. I first tried the blue sea MRBF terminal fuse block but with the battery in the floor there’s not enough clearance for it. So here I am trying what I’ve seen others have used. Anyone else have this issue or know how I can fix this? Seems like the hard plastic on the side is the issue but also only one terminal screw area would be useable..

Any opinions on Dcdc charger and MPPT vs a dc-dc MPPT combo?

I currently have a 60a Dcdc charger, but am getting to the point where I should buy another battery or add some solar.

I'm tempted to get a combo one, and switch it into the system, it seems like the combos are much smaller than my DCDC charger is now, but I might be missing something

Hi everyone.

Im just looking for some input from some people more familiare with van life battery setups than i am.

Current setup is a Van setup with a lead-acid battery charging off the alternator and a small solar panel. I believe the panel is 75W.

This setup is supposed to power a small fridge as well as a small LED light and 1 or 2 phone chargers using a huge 1000w ac/dc inverter.

The battery has been problematic since purchase, and has now died. Im looking to replace this with something that will last, but not looking to spend too much money as the van sadly has to be sold in a few months. Would be good to have power for those months though. Also cant really overhaul the whole system because of this.

It currently has an amp tech AT12900DS 12v 105AH battery. Should i just swap it for another one of those? Im not familiare with the brand myself and it is a bit more expensive than i expected a lead acid battery to be.

Ive thought about just slapping in an old car battery but dont want to risk it considering it is located under the living quarters.

Have been advised to purchase a lithium battery, but am still pretty sure isnt a good option for this situation.

Thanks in advance,

Hey y'all! So I just bought a 1990 Dodge Ram b250 roadtrek versatile, and I'm getting it ready to do solo female van life for at least 5 months.

But as winter rapidly approaches I'm way behind and so I am desperate to find someone who has done some updates on their vintage roadtrek, because the information is so scattered. And there's no one local who specializes in them.

I would even be willing to pay you for your time to do a video call with me as I go through all the systems. Particularly the electrical system is confounding me. As I try and learn this all from scratch I could just really use my hand held a little bit through it, rather than trying to find the right post, the right video, the right manual for every little thing. (Although I've watched like 15 different videos about it it just doesn't stick the same as going through it myself so I would prefer if the responses were more about someone I could live speak to, over chat or video) I've already had mechanics put $4,000 of work into the.. under the hood type of stuff, but it's the interior things that I need someone who is familiar with. Thank you!!

Going to install this when it comes in. What all would I need to add to tie it in so I can charge from the alternator as well?

Hey I'm interested in vanlife but pretty broke as I am 17 years old and completely reliant on my parents. How much money would I need to buy and convert a van? All expenses included.

I was install my dc to dc charger so I can charge my back batteries with the alternator, but when I was done my rearview wasn't working. It's also not autolocking anymore, so I think I may have done some sort or reset. The only thing I haven't been able to check is the in line fuse because I have walls up in my van. Would someone be able to show me where the fuse is located so that I don't have to completely disassemble the back of my van.

When planning my power system, I want to keep it "extensible". I.e. starting with the main components, and the "minimum viable" number of batteries and solar panels, then later adding more batteries and solar panels.

Any tips/advice/devices? My ideal(?) would be "high-capacity allinone for everything but the solar and batteries, but it has lots of slots to plug in solar panels and batteries as I expand".

Hey y'all.

I'll be flying out of Vegas for thanksgiving and am very hesitant on leaving the van at the airport for fear of it getting broken into.

Do y'all have a suggestion on a secure parking lot to leave it at? Maybe one of the hotels? Or should I just purchase secure parking for the month or use neighborly.

I’m switching out my 2x lead acid leisure batteries to a single lithium 280AH battery.
I have a Victron MPPT and 300w of solar which will handle the lithium fine, but I need to replace my voltage sensitive relay for charging from the van alternator (long dark winter here!).

Which DC-DC charger would you recommend? Any tips for the install?

Hey y’all I have an 04 Suburban that I want to make some window covers and a divider between the front seats and the rear. How did y’all cut the foam for the windows? It’s my daily driver, but my buddies want me to go camping with them and I don’t want to break out my family tent because it’s massive and a hassle for one night. Any insight?

I am trying to bolt a murphy like bed to the wall and one of the bolts didn't go all the way into the rivnut and started spinning. now you can't go forward or back. it's sticking 1 inch out of the side of the wall where my bed would be. I am assuming i will probably have to cut the nice stainless bolt off and just leave it all messed up unless there is some trick?

sorry it's getting dark around here

Anyone have tips/ideas for locking the fuel door on an Econoline van?

Title says it all. I have already looked at some appropriate subreddits so I have their wiki’s.

Specifically, I am seeking current SUV/van off grid dweller YouTube channel recommendations. If needed I will just comb through Cheap RV Living but I am certain someone has already complied a list that would save me time. Thanks.

Hi,

What battery monitor would you recommend for my lifepo4 solar setup?

I have a Renogy 40A dc2dc charger and a Victron mppt 100/50 solar charger.

I want to know battery capacity remaining in % and hours/minutes.

I can't establish if I can/should buy something from Renogy to connect to the dc2dc charger, something from Victron to connect to the solar charger, or an independent monitor.

I am on a budget so the cheaper the better!

Thanks

I need to get some winters for my 170. AWD Sprinter campervan and I’m wondering about specs. Currently I have the manufacturers all season tires on it, which are LT245/75R16 and say load range E.

Is this load range still suitable for a completed and fully loaded camper, or is there a higher class that is recommended? Thinking of going for the Blizzaks

I have a special edition rockwood ford Econoline 2005. This window broke last night. What are some alternatives to fixing this window? Would be nice to have some ventilation in the van as well.

I'm this close to pulling the trigger on a HiAce, but I can't shake the feeling that I'd regret having a left-hand side door. I do a lot of curbside chilling in my van, and a left-hand side door would pretty much rule that out unless I parked counterflow, which might not always be an option.

Am I overthinking it, or is it indeed a thing?