I dont really plan on ever living in a vehicle, BUT being able to have something like your van on a road trip would be a blessing. Portable bed and power plugs? Amazing.
pro tip for people like you: minivans and suvs can fit a bed inside of them. theyre small but its very doable for road trips and such. this route can be dirt cheap compared to building out a sprinter van.
I'm not on this video yet. I'm still 3 months back watching your Mephis adventures... but just found you 2 weeks ago and been binge watching from the beginning now... from a guy stuck in a office 40 + hours a week.. this is so very relaxing and satisfying watching your adventures.. you take us with you and I'm happy you are blowing up now.. 200 thousand and growing.. You deserve it brother.. stay safe
Great content! This is my favorite vanlife creator. Best in editing, consistent publishing of videos and most functional van I’ve seen. I really love the sped up video of you enjoying the many trails and experiencing the areas you camp at.
This has helped me massively and was exactly what I was looking for. I'm building a van around my disabilities but only for lots of trips away not live in. But I have a few special requirements I was concerned about. THANK YOU SO MUCH 🤝
With todays technology one is able to be more than capable of being electrically setup. Now with charging stations like the Jackery it's even more possible to be self sufficient. I personally would like a blue print of the interior setup of your van. Of all the ones I've seen whether it be manufactured or home built. I like this one the best !
This was EXTREMELY helpful. My fiance and I are looking at living a van life full time with a professionally built build. Thank you for actually explaining what everything is for/what it does.
Ryan, just noticed when you turned the fan on under the desk; the polarity of the wires is backwards. Thus making the fan spin the wrong way to really pull a lot of air into that back section. Either that, or that's a switchable polarity switch.
Bro that is impressive that you built all of that electronic parts by yourself. That's a lot of moving parts, I know there's no way in heck I'd be able to be able to do that be myself. Great job bro
Im an electronics technician you explained this peretty well but please for the love of all that is good in this world dust out your system so it doesnt catch on fire aind give your compressor some room to breath and if you ever decide to do another build It would be safer to put that kill switch somewhere you could reach it quickly in an emergency. I really liked your fuse panel being next to your AC breakers too
Thanks a million times over! I've watched literally every vehicle life / conversion/ solar everything video, and your explanation of how your power system works is by far the best in every category! I think you were meant to be a UA-camr, but I still think you're a little crazy for giving up such a wonderful career! Hopefully you'll still be traveling in about a year and a half so I might have a chance to run into you on the road #offgrid2024 ❤love love love❤ your channel!
love watching these videos, ive been interested in van life for the past 2 year watching different youtubers explore, just too nerrvous to get send it haha, safe travels as always man
Depending on the price of diesel, your dc to dc charger connected to your vans alternator can become an expensive way to charge your batteries. Your vans alternator, which also charges your battery under your hood, draws its power by burning more diesel in the engine.
You buy solar panels for big upfront cost / they increase drag so you buy slightly more fuel when you move around - or you buy a generator for smaller upfront cost and buy fuel for that - or you buy fuel for the engine already in the van - bigger engine so more fuel but no upfront cost. Not sure there is any option to get power completely for free?
When you said 120v instead of the usual 110, I subbed and liked. Thank you random van person, thank you so much. Also great video, thanks for explaining and showing everything off.
Thanks, Ryan! That was very helpful. It is very helpful. Could you make a video on what you would change or not change about your van for a rebuild? Would you now consider adding a shower/wet room after living in your van for two years full-time?
He does have a shower hidden under the kitchen sink. It's a drawer that pulls out at the bottom of the cabinet into the entry way of the sliding door. He just has to hang a shower curtain and he uses the faucet from the sink, with a shower head attachment. Nice setup if you really need to clean up !
very solid electrical system and honestly you are doing much better with the victron system than any of these solar generators ever would. they are a great supplement if you need a mobile power solution but many of them struggle with higher loads and often the output voltage drops together with the output frequency as soon as you reach 50% state of charge and they cant keep up anymore. this victron system is gonna last you for many years and you can easily expand it if you ever need to. After adding a more beefy DC to DC converter you could probably switch to electric cooking relatively easily as well.
Great point on the solar generator! Another bonus is you have that warranty on the system and if it fails you can unplug it and swap it. Also it's more contained, portable and safer.
Some great tips here. Impressive you did this all yourself. I probably wouldn’t trust myself or be able to do it all safely and properly. Also a good tip on using a portable solar generator depending on one’s power consumption. A lot cheaper and easy to set up!
Been watching your videos all weekend and wow some of the places you have visited are truly beautiful and amazing. What a life I so wish I did something like this when I was younger. Your living the dream and enjoying life to the max. Total respect to you 🇬🇧👍
Great video! Nice to see behind the scenes and how it works! Although with everything opened off camera, we didn’t see what fell out of the back when you opened the doors. 😂
This is a great video. You don’t get in the weeds with all the bullshit like some of those other guys. Just straight to the point and realistic terms that people are actually going to understand like Xbox usage per hour or how much power it takes to keep my shit cold in my fridge.
I have a 400ah 375watt solar and battery bank set up and I find that's the perfect amount of power for boon docking for a few days at a time. I have a water heater for my shower and induction cooktop which use up the most power (about 10% of my batteries per day).
Just a little comment here, weather has a lot to say as well as how much you drive with DCDC. If I am in a location that's generally cloudy, even with my 400Ah Lithium bank and 400w of solar, I'd struggle to "work all day and play all night". It's totally doable, but factor in the weather you're expecting, and how much driving you're doing. If you're stationary for longer than a day, you may want quite a bit more than 300Ah as well as more solar. Great video, and beautiful van!
I like how you explanation of the power if i had this set up on a bigger van with me and my kid. We would use the power at night instead of the day. He in school and I will be at work. It is a investment and a life style.
love the video Ryan, I'd like to build a travel van one day for road trips and I'm a big PC gamer/programmer so I plan on having a computer in the van too 😆 Thank you so much for your electrical rundown since especially for something like a travel van I'd need even less than I originally thought for the electrical system.
FYI, you're probably getting dust in the electrical compartment from the pillar, my promaster had the same issue and it would turn into a dust storm on dirt roads until I sealed the open holes under the van around the bumper.
I lived in an AirStream for a while and had a 4.8kwh battery with 720w of solar. Frequently played PS4 games with friends back home and it was a pretty wild experience talking with them over voice chat while in the middle of national forest land. Made living on the road a lot less isolating.
@@KO_704 Was using an OTR Mobile sim car which at the time was an ATT unlimited data plan (I think the use T Mobile now). Paired that with a WeBoost cell booster and we were able to work in some pretty dang remote places.
If you got a big battery bank and little solar realistate get a nice inverter generator they are nice. Especially if you want a beafy air-conditioning van space. Run on propane or gas.
My layout is very similar to yours. My desk slides down and the bed pulls out for me though because i needed space for shower/toilet where your couch area is.
Excellent video! Very descriptive and to the point! This will be very helpful for people just starting out (like myself). This has been the most useful video I have come across! Subscribed! 👍 P.S If you could do a video similar to this but explaining your plumbing setup that would be much appreciated! (Or have I missed it?) Thankyou so much!
I am truly loving all of these videos. I am a new subscriber, and I came across your channel to watch while watching someone else’s UA-cam channel and your channel came recommended to me to watch so, I did, and I am totally hooked now.
14:35 did you know you can run multiple Orion chargers in parallel to increase the capacity, you could get 2 or 3 units for 60 or 90 amps but be sure to check the output of your alternator to avoid straining it
Ryan you are so SMART. Can u give me advice on lowering my electric bill here in my apartment. I love listening to you bc I learn from you . Ur the best.
being in sound competitions for stereo systems in cars , I would recommend a second alternator that way you drive your stuff gets charged while driving and can never have enough power lol
i was actually really wondering about this lol ive been tossing up building a van and traveling the country for a yeah. I feel iike im really missing out on life working a 9-6 everyday
Wow!! That Was Super Interesting, Congratulations On All That Hard Work. Would It Be Possible To Have Air Conditioning In Back Of The Van?? Enjoy Your Trip.
Yea one of the first things people ask when I tell them I'm a nomad is do I get to shower. They are always shocked when I say yea I can go shower whenever I want. Gyms, truckstops, campgrounds, ymca, etc. There are showers everywhere
I know exactly where your at in Barstow, we use to dunebuggy there and race desert offrod. Spent alot of time out there, we could drive to state line, ridgecrest, lucerne valley, ludlow, all through the desert in our buggies. Lots of fun.
Hi Ryan, love all your video's. I wanted to ask about AC (Air Conditioning), if you wanted to power an AC, maybe on the roof, what kind of additional power would you need? Would there be enough space for a AC and solar panels on the roof? Hope your Easter was blessed and you enjoyed your family time. Thanks for the great video's!
While the raised bed, is a good idea I still find a static bed in a van pretty much inefficient and being left there gathering dust. There should be a better way
I dont really plan on ever living in a vehicle, BUT being able to have something like your van on a road trip would be a blessing. Portable bed and power plugs? Amazing.
If you have a Traverse it’s big enough in the back to hold a queen size bed. That’s what I used traveling 30 states. Only used 1/4 gal per hr.
It truly is so nice!
pro tip for people like you: minivans and suvs can fit a bed inside of them. theyre small but its very doable for road trips and such. this route can be dirt cheap compared to building out a sprinter van.
Homeless solution in large countries where cars/vans/small lorry are cheap.
@@RonLarhz not really a "solution".
its a "solution" for the homeless person, but not for the government. It shouldn't have to be that way.
I'm not on this video yet. I'm still 3 months back watching your Mephis adventures... but just found you 2 weeks ago and been binge watching from the beginning now... from a guy stuck in a office 40 + hours a week.. this is so very relaxing and satisfying watching your adventures.. you take us with you and I'm happy you are blowing up now.. 200 thousand and growing.. You deserve it brother.. stay safe
Thankyou for having such a casual demeanor, and calm tone. You seem like a cool dude, and I learned a lot from this!
Great content! This is my favorite vanlife creator. Best in editing, consistent publishing of videos and most functional van I’ve seen. I really love the sped up video of you enjoying the many trails and experiencing the areas you camp at.
Bought not built.
This has helped me massively and was exactly what I was looking for. I'm building a van around my disabilities but only for lots of trips away not live in. But I have a few special requirements I was concerned about.
THANK YOU SO MUCH 🤝
With todays technology one is able to be more than capable of being electrically setup. Now with charging stations like the Jackery it's even more possible to be self sufficient. I personally would like a blue print of the interior setup of your van. Of all the ones I've seen whether it be manufactured or home built. I like this one the best !
I like it too but I would need more windows than he has.
This was EXTREMELY helpful. My fiance and I are looking at living a van life full time with a professionally built build. Thank you for actually explaining what everything is for/what it does.
Ryan, just noticed when you turned the fan on under the desk; the polarity of the wires is backwards. Thus making the fan spin the wrong way to really pull a lot of air into that back section. Either that, or that's a switchable polarity switch.
Ryan, thanks for taking the time and showing us your system. Lots of good info.
That’s an excellent explanation of your electrical setup, thanks Ryan 👍
I like the technical aspects of setting up a van.
Just drove from Northern Idaho to Southern California. Seen a few of the isolated places you stayed over night. You are brave!
Bro that is impressive that you built all of that electronic parts by yourself. That's a lot of moving parts, I know there's no way in heck I'd be able to be able to do that be myself. Great job bro
Doing it by yourself is horrible but you save money
Youre van build is my DREAM layout. Its so darn nicely Done. / Marcus
Im an electronics technician you explained this peretty well but please for the love of all that is good in this world dust out your system so it doesnt catch on fire aind give your compressor some room to breath and if you ever decide to do another build It would be safer to put that kill switch somewhere you could reach it quickly in an emergency. I really liked your fuse panel being next to your AC breakers too
Great work setting up your power station.
Thanks a million times over! I've watched literally every vehicle life / conversion/ solar everything video, and your explanation of how your power system works is by far the best in every category! I think you were meant to be a UA-camr, but I still think you're a little crazy for giving up such a wonderful career! Hopefully you'll still be traveling in about a year and a half so I might have a chance to run into you on the road #offgrid2024 ❤love love love❤ your channel!
I’m figuring out how to do an off grid system with my A frame camper soon! Thanks for sharing Ryan!
love watching these videos, ive been interested in van life for the past 2 year watching different youtubers explore, just too nerrvous to get send it haha, safe travels as always man
Fuck that dude just do it. Take that risk
Cool video. You have a swanky voice, rad mustache, and genuine heart. Your UA-cam success was probably inevitable even though you didn't expect it.
Thanks, you gave a very good explanation of your electrical system.
Depending on the price of diesel, your dc to dc charger connected to your vans alternator can become an expensive way to charge your batteries. Your vans alternator, which also charges your battery under your hood, draws its power by burning more diesel in the engine.
You buy solar panels for big upfront cost / they increase drag so you buy slightly more fuel when you move around - or you buy a generator for smaller upfront cost and buy fuel for that - or you buy fuel for the engine already in the van - bigger engine so more fuel but no upfront cost. Not sure there is any option to get power completely for free?
Thanks for the info. Love all your videos. Way better than another van lifer that I use to watch. Keep up the great work. Please continue to be safe.
Best content on the internet... period!!!
Great video. I'm definitely saving this one, so I know where to start when I finally start my van build.
When you said 120v instead of the usual 110, I subbed and liked. Thank you random van person, thank you so much. Also great video, thanks for explaining and showing everything off.
I genuinely look forward to your videos.
This was one of your best videos. It’s always great to see power setups. Please also show the water setup as well.
Thanks, Ryan! That was very helpful. It is very helpful. Could you make a video on what you would change or not change about your van for a rebuild? Would you now consider adding a shower/wet room after living in your van for two years full-time?
He actually has a hidden shower in the entrance area. It's in one of his older videos. Definitely cool.
He does have a shower hidden under the kitchen sink. It's a drawer that pulls out at the bottom of the cabinet into the entry way of the sliding door. He just has to hang a shower curtain and he uses the faucet from the sink, with a shower head attachment. Nice setup if you really need to clean up !
I’m actually looking forward to the day he actually uses it lol
Oh wow! I thought I had watched all his videos. Thanks for telling me about the shower. I wonder what his thoughts are on the shower.
@@tijrus It suits his purpose.
very solid electrical system and honestly you are doing much better with the victron system than any of these solar generators ever would.
they are a great supplement if you need a mobile power solution but many of them struggle with higher loads and often the output voltage drops together with the output frequency as soon as you reach 50% state of charge and they cant keep up anymore.
this victron system is gonna last you for many years and you can easily expand it if you ever need to.
After adding a more beefy DC to DC converter you could probably switch to electric cooking relatively easily as well.
Bro, your kitchen setups, specifically the herb, seasoning, cooking supplement shelf is crazy.
Great point on the solar generator! Another bonus is you have that warranty on the system and if it fails you can unplug it and swap it. Also it's more contained, portable and safer.
Some great tips here. Impressive you did this all yourself. I probably wouldn’t trust myself or be able to do it all safely and properly. Also a good tip on using a portable solar generator depending on one’s power consumption. A lot cheaper and easy to set up!
thorough explanation, love it!
I wish you had a build video- would’ve been cool to see you do this van- it’s so well made
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ryan, stay safe and healthy on your travels...Abrazos
That was an excellent video, with simple and easy to understand explanation of how your system works, thank you! 👍🏾
Been watching your videos all weekend and wow some of the places you have visited are truly beautiful and amazing. What a life I so wish I did something like this when I was younger. Your living the dream and enjoying life to the max. Total respect to you 🇬🇧👍
@2:39
Ryan: "so I got the dishes done"
sink still has dirty dishes...😂
Great video, Ryan! The electrical is overwhelming to me, but you make it seem easy.
Ryan!! Enjoy your trip home!! Godspeed!!
Fantastic walkthrough!
This is a badass build!
Great video! Nice to see behind the scenes and how it works! Although with everything opened off camera, we didn’t see what fell out of the back when you opened the doors. 😂
This is a great video. You don’t get in the weeds with all the bullshit like some of those other guys. Just straight to the point and realistic terms that people are actually going to understand like Xbox usage per hour or how much power it takes to keep my shit cold in my fridge.
I could be wrong, but that looks a lot more like an omelet than an eggs Benedict 😂
Keep up the great videos Ryan! I look forward to watching during lunch at work everyday!
Really appreciate these kinds of videos!
That “eggs Benedict” strangely resembles an omelet
This was built by a professional. Well done.
Now that's the video I've been waiting for. Good job.
I would really love 2 have this kind of a set up as a mobile man cave just a spot 2 relax n chill luv the channel bro #salute
Nice to see a gaming van setup, thanks for sharing!
I have a 400ah 375watt solar and battery bank set up and I find that's the perfect amount of power for boon docking for a few days at a time. I have a water heater for my shower and induction cooktop which use up the most power (about 10% of my batteries per day).
Just a little comment here, weather has a lot to say as well as how much you drive with DCDC. If I am in a location that's generally cloudy, even with my 400Ah Lithium bank and 400w of solar, I'd struggle to "work all day and play all night". It's totally doable, but factor in the weather you're expecting, and how much driving you're doing.
If you're stationary for longer than a day, you may want quite a bit more than 300Ah as well as more solar.
Great video, and beautiful van!
I like how you explanation of the power if i had this set up on a bigger van with me and my kid. We would use the power at night instead of the day. He in school and I will be at work. It is a investment and a life style.
Came for van camping mode, leave with tons of knowledge about electricals as extra :)
love the video Ryan, I'd like to build a travel van one day for road trips and I'm a big PC gamer/programmer so I plan on having a computer in the van too 😆 Thank you so much for your electrical rundown since especially for something like a travel van I'd need even less than I originally thought for the electrical system.
Yea him and tttthefineprinttt are my go to
Curious the cost of building this awesome van. Stay safe
@@Cahnrtiosi 1 Month later seeing this video, and I completely agree.
Best youtuber out
Ryan ur always chill and informative. Love learning from you.
FYI, you're probably getting dust in the electrical compartment from the pillar, my promaster had the same issue and it would turn into a dust storm on dirt roads until I sealed the open holes under the van around the bumper.
sweet setup and thank you for all the info
I lived in an AirStream for a while and had a 4.8kwh battery with 720w of solar. Frequently played PS4 games with friends back home and it was a pretty wild experience talking with them over voice chat while in the middle of national forest land. Made living on the road a lot less isolating.
What internet did you use
@@KO_704 Was using an OTR Mobile sim car which at the time was an ATT unlimited data plan (I think the use T Mobile now). Paired that with a WeBoost cell booster and we were able to work in some pretty dang remote places.
Happy Easter Ryan and everyone else . Enjoy the day and food
Thanks same to you Linda happy Easter /Marcus
If you got a big battery bank and little solar realistate get a nice inverter generator they are nice. Especially if you want a beafy air-conditioning van space. Run on propane or gas.
My layout is very similar to yours. My desk slides down and the bed pulls out for me though because i needed space for shower/toilet where your couch area is.
Nothing beats Victron!
You built a nice van I love the lay out inside one of the best I have seen
i plan to ue 3 victron multiplus 2 48/5000. this way i can run them together to have a 3 phase 230/400V source for construction sites.
Love the ceiling. Great video.
Love these videos keep the great work Ryan!
This the beast of power van set up
hope you’re having a great time at home; see you when you get back.
AS SOON AS HE SAID HE IS TAKING EVERYTHING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VAN I WAS EXCITED TO SEE WHAT FALLS OUT 😂😂😂😂
Coolest set up ever!!
Excellent video! Very descriptive and to the point! This will be very helpful for people just starting out (like myself). This has been the most useful video I have come across! Subscribed! 👍
P.S If you could do a video similar to this but explaining your plumbing setup that would be much appreciated! (Or have I missed it?) Thankyou so much!
I am truly loving all of these videos. I am a new subscriber, and I came across your channel to watch while watching someone else’s UA-cam channel and your channel came recommended to me to watch so, I did, and I am totally hooked now.
get some tints on the front windows and front windscreen will make such a difference when you're driving and for heat and interior damage
Awesome thanks for sharing. Definitely like to meet up and camp this year.
Happy Easter Ryan (and Noelle) and the rest of your family! Loved this video, very helpful to all the van lifers out there.
14:35 did you know you can run multiple Orion chargers in parallel to increase the capacity, you could get 2 or 3 units for 60 or 90 amps but be sure to check the output of your alternator to avoid straining it
I'm making a camping van now. Your video was very helpful. It is most difficult for me to make electrical facilities.😅
Ryan you are so SMART. Can u give me advice on lowering my electric bill here in my apartment. I love listening to you bc I learn from you . Ur the best.
You did a great job wiring up your van!
being in sound competitions for stereo systems in cars , I would recommend a second alternator that way you drive your stuff gets charged while driving and can never have enough power lol
Hi Ryan. New subscriber here! I love your channel.
Love the vids bro! Keep em coming 🔥🔥
Looks super cozy
i was actually really wondering about this lol ive been tossing up building a van and traveling the country for a yeah. I feel iike im really missing out on life working a 9-6 everyday
Wow!! That Was Super Interesting, Congratulations On All That Hard Work. Would It Be Possible To Have Air Conditioning In Back Of The Van?? Enjoy Your Trip.
This is the video I have been waiting for. Thx!
amazing to see how developed the usa is. so easy access to showers, 24 hour food, ect etc etc. you don't see this in other western nations.
Many other countries have easy access showers and 24 hour food lmao tfytb
over developed guns though
@@Zakuu1 name 3
Yea one of the first things people ask when I tell them I'm a nomad is do I get to shower. They are always shocked when I say yea I can go shower whenever I want. Gyms, truckstops, campgrounds, ymca, etc. There are showers everywhere
Did you film your van build? It would be cool to see a timelapse of it. I’m really curious about how you built the ceiling.
I know exactly where your at in Barstow, we use to dunebuggy there and race desert offrod. Spent alot of time out there, we could drive to state line, ridgecrest, lucerne valley, ludlow, all through the desert in our buggies. Lots of fun.
Hi Ryan, love all your video's. I wanted to ask about AC (Air Conditioning), if you wanted to power an AC, maybe on the roof, what kind of additional power would you need? Would there be enough space for a AC and solar panels on the roof? Hope your Easter was blessed and you enjoyed your family time. Thanks for the great video's!
While the raised bed, is a good idea I still find a static bed in a van pretty much inefficient and being left there gathering dust. There should be a better way
Happy Easter … very interesting video, much to think about
Great video, not a full time van / camper man, but power is always a most.
Dude I have a masters degree in physics and I don’t know if I could’ve built that electrical system any better.
Eggs Benedict...Denver Omelette...yeah pretty much the same 😂