5 things i wish i knew before living in a van | CAMPER VAN LIFE
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- Опубліковано 27 сер 2017
- 5 things i wish i knew before living in a van. After 15 months of van life, i share with you what nobody told me before i started my van conversion. If you're about to self build an off grid campervan, this may be important to know.
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Put in a large window but save your roof for Fantastic Fan and solar panels. Great video with good info.
+tootz1950 solar panels yes, want to put 2 more to make 4, fan don't think i'll put it, only a big opening 😀 take care
Thank you for all your invoices you are helping a lot of people people like me I'm thinking about moving to Hawaii and leave it in my camper van thank you so much I wish you the best in your life take care
Thank you :)
You made me grateful to have a rv and not a van. I have gas handsome. Your welcome to it. Thanks and happy trails friend. Thumbs up to you.
Thanks
Great tips. very good video
Thank you
+SwampHick thank you 😀
I wonder if you make hole in roof, if you can flip boat over and attach it to roof to make a high top and then use as a boat if you go to a lake.
+pirucreek 😂 sounds good 👌 everything is possible i guess
I converted my SUV for long term travel but I quickly realized that I'd be miserable. So I'm trying again. This time it will be a high top and full size. It will have solar/lithium battery. Electric only. 12v heater for mountain/cold areas. Electric on-demand water heater and inside shower as I don't feel myself without a good shower. And, as u said, I had very good sleep in my SUV so I'll have a good bed as well. Lastly, good ventilation w awning windows and screens and a roof fan.
I've had wander lust my whole life. This is something I need to do. My friends are not supportive but maybe they don't understand. But I'm not doing it for them...this is something I need.
Thank you so much for these vids as they give me strength
+rod22lt been there, in the friends not being supportive part, only regret i didn't started this van life earlier. Think exactly like you, about shower and all of it, wanna change many things in Vanilda. Electrical heater, not sure if is a good idea, very high consumption. VW California or multivan have a very good system even in the old ones, but for me want i to do it with wood 😀 btw, you're the one who knows what's better for you, no one else ;)
rod22lt get new friends
trucker wrecker My friends just want the best for me. I'm sure I'll meet like-minded ppl on the road
Patrique Feijão Good luck w your wood! But yeah, I've seen the mini wood stoves in vans. (And propane) They're cool. As for electric heater, im still researching but I will have an (expensive) lithium battery bank so it should work. No heat in Canadian winter is not an option. Thanks man
+rod22lt there are diesel heaters very good, many people use it, specially in Germany, they work very well (truma has, i think). About friends, yes, once on the road you'll see, there are thousands of people just like us ;) take care
If you plan on container shipping your rig do not hesitate to get a taller van that works so well for you 99% of the time - except when you want to ship it in a container. All you need to do is get a set of shipping tires (low profile tires on smaller wheels) They need to get you in an out of the container. Thats it. Why sacrifice years of discomfort for 2 weeks of shipping!!
+Terry B sounds a good idea ;) thank you
gracias 😘
+Yael Reidel yo que tengo de dicer gracias. 😀
Hei Patrique ,
About your idea to put a hole in the roof when it become extremly hot inside... maybe you should try to sleep on top of Vanilda when she becomes very hot inside... ; )... just a thought...
+KN MO 😃 good idea, anyway, summer is over, at least the very warm days 😉
very useful. So I shouldn't buy a Hyundai iLoad, right?
Hi Patrique!...
Thx for another great Vlog...and important practical stuff. But talking about important stuff, I just got an email from your deeper love Mona. YES...Mona!
OMG she's apparently learned how to use UA-cam...and has been a secret subscriber.... Anyways, she says that was deeply touched by your comment about the need for a comfy bed and good sleep. She wants to make amends for you having had to sleep on that sofa recently!!
So... Heads Up Buddy... she's hired a taxi to go join you...and so looks like all your tomorrows will continue to be...A Really Great Day!!
!O MONA!...menina afortunada :-)
+Paul Bélanger hey! 😂 thank you. Have you seen the last one? Don't miss it, about the road that changed my life 😃 take care and have a great week ;)
Yes...I did see it....and loved it especially because you speak from the heart....without even trying...which is really from the heart :-) Those ripples go far...even though we usually cannot track their journey.
Btw, did you find anyone yet to translate O Mundo into English? Did you ask your Patreons?
After having before a small bus with 12 Dc fridge and freezer and also a caravan with the 3-way refrigerator I would never have again a 3-way fridge. They are inefficient on 12 volts DC and use a lot of amps, they need to be level to operate properly, they do not perform well in hot weather and need good ventilation which means cutting an opening on the side of the van. In my small bus, I installed 2 80 watts panels to charge 2 115 amps batteries and they were enough to look after the lights, one 50 lt chest fridge used as a freezer and one 130 lt vertical fridge. I lived on that bus for 2 1/2 years Now I am converting a van to a camper and I am going to fit a 300 watts solar panel (with the option to install one more in the future) and 2 120 amps AGM batteries. The fridge will be a chest 75 liters with freezer and fridge. The van is a mid high roof which inside has m 1.60, not enough to stand up but a nice high when seating inside.
+Freetasman hi! I've heard other people saying that about the 3 way fridge, but also saying good things. So, you think a 12v is better than 3 way? Thanks
Definitively, a 12 volts DC fridge or freeze run by a compressor will be the better option IMHO. No get a cheap no brand fridge get one with the reputation and you will be Ok. We use them here in Australia at the top end, the desert and down south where the weather is cold. A 3-way fridge on temperatures of 40c + are hopeless and will never perform to conserve the food.
+Arthur Plottier ;) thank you 😊
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Patrique...much appreciated.
In response...from one who has researched van life for a little too long as I wait for my husband to retire...we have decide to go minimalist and combine van, hotel and resort life...
1: I hope I love it as much as you do, and as much as I am loving planing it...
2: We are going to have the kitchen pod at the back so height will not be an issue...heat waves, cold snaps, bad weather is just natures way of telling us to practice fasting or raw food eating or eat at a restaurant or cafe...and stay at a hotel...
3: We will upgrade the mattress if it's too uncomfortable...
4: We will have two vent fans on the roof...one for in-flow and one for out-flow...and maybe a small fan...if we can't get the small air-conditioner Sweetie wants...
5: We will have an Engle fridge to run off a spare battery charged by a small solar panel, and compact butane camp stove...
#goalsforvanlife
Best training to see if van life is for you is to actually create that amount of limited space where ever you living right now. Use furniture to create that space just like you might've done as a kid with an indoor fort. See if you can stay within those confines for a couple days because when the weather is bad, your going to spend a lot of time there. Measure carefully to the exact dimensions of the van your thinking of. At least then you might understand what your getting into. Good luck
+Walleye I live in a van for 15 months now, as you can see in any of my 113 vids 😂 anyway, van life is not that for me, much more about the outside than the inside. Take care
Patrique Feijão, your right I screwed up. I should've recommended people considering this life style to set up their van fort outside instead of inside so they could deal with realities that the outdoors really present like bugs, rodents, extremely hot and cold weather and going to the bathroom in a jug of bucket and then finding a place to dump it. Of course there are nice days like today when everything is perfect but winter is coming and we better get ready. Take care and good luck!
Hi Patrique
Excellent stuff. Rare to find the honest content you bring. You have the guts to share, that you don't consider yourself perfekt. That's very close to perfekt in my world! Hope you will have many good days ahead :)
+Svend Steenfeldt thank you very much :) great days for you too 😊
Thank you. You have helped me so much. I am just in the planning stages. Think about a skylight intended for a sailboat. Good quality less leakage.
I've been researching camper vans or a tow behind trailer for about 8 months now. Thanks for all the good tips.
A great vlog. Just wanted to say that in the states (U.S.), you can get high-tops with windows in them. Also, on Amazon or the produsts web page you can check out , Fantastic roof fans and Maxair roof fans. One right behind the cab seating area and one in the back of the van, one blowing in and one blowing out perhaps would be a good set up. They work on high tops or non high tops, too.
+Marsha Mapes thank you :) I have a fan on the roof, but want an opening, can find here as well, but now i live here traveling, can't do it for now. Will do it once i stop somewhere with time and money to make improvements;) take care
Patrique, thank you for your video series. I very much appreciate your insights. A couple of points if I may. Re: shipping van overseas: There are many ports around the world where you can ship your car without having to put it into a container. Google Roll-On Roll-Off (RoRo) shipping. I'm planning to do just that sometime in the near future, shipping from Canada to Europe. Also: Combinations Gas (Propane/LPG) - Electric powered refrigerators do have the advantage of offering more options to operate, but they are much less efficient when powered by electricity/solar. Something you may want to consider.
+Robert Vinet hello! Yes, but container is much much more cheap, sometimes 30% of roro shipping, that's why i want a van that fills in a container 😀 for the refrigerator i want it to be operated by gaz, so i can save my solar battery. Thank you for your comment, if you may?! You're always welcome :) when are you thinking of coming to Europe? Let me know if you need something. Take care
And if you come to this side of the Atlantic I would be happy to help you any way I can. Cheers!
Robert -WRT to the refrigerator - are you saying it is best to get a 3way fridge (gas-120&12 volt)?
3-way fridges can be powered by gas or electric. This is a big advantage for some people. However, they are less efficient and will use more energy compared to compressor fridges, ever else being equal. A 3-way fridge will take up more battery power to run when compared to an equal size compressor fridge under the same operating conditions. The disadvantage of compressor fridges is that they cannot be powered by gas. The decision as to which is best is up to the individual user.
Patrique All good points! Thanks for the great tips. I think much more information is available now, and as you say, research is very important before building out a van. Thanks again for helping people who are just starting out!
+mrbr549 thank you :)
So inspirational. Thank you
+Japhill75 thank you 😊
Great video👏🏼👏🏼Patrique 😎
,I'm still trying to figure things out,can't wait to get on the road,far away from the cities.🚌
+Fortunate Travel Adventures ;) thank you 😊
Thank you, I really appreciate the tips!
+Alfonso Cartes 😊 thanks
Muito bom, ja só me falta acabar a construção da cama para seguir o 1 tópico.abr e continuação
+waveski freesurf 😀 é isso ;) boa sorte e abraço. Obrigado 😊
Thanks, all great points. I must have low roof because it must fit in underground parking .. but I also want a Sun roof (fake stained glass) so I might add a open option, so sunroof can be fully open ? depends where I put Solar panel. Anyway enjoy the freedom
+RemusKingOfRome5 yes ;) 😊 thank you
do you know where I can buy a large sunroof / roof hatch from?
no, I'm still looking too. although wreckers might have modern cars with large roof windows (current trend)
A large marine hatch will be an option.
Valuable advice!!! Thank you I'm a subscriber now.
+lucy sammy thank you very much :) cheers!
Thank you Love your videos great advise. Cheers
Thank you very much :)
👍Good info. Thank you. Would you change the bathroom/toilet option/feature?
+LovingAtlanta thanks, i Will change everything 😂
another great video. Through the youtube i am already setting my van up with what you pointed out and more. I was going to put a roof fan in mine - but when you say " put a big opening in the roof" are you saying a roof fan or something larger? THX again....
+Terry B hi! I have a small fan, bigger is better. The problem with the fan is that needs power and makes noise, what i want to do is an opening, big one, 1m x 0,80m or something like that, so i can cool the van in a few minutes when gets very warm inside. Also that i can leave it open when everything else needs to be close. Take care
like a big sunroof with an electric motor et. al.
+Terry B that sounds very good 😀
Hi everyone! What a great day 😀👍 Q&A coming soon, any question to add? Cheers!
We definitely felt it and now we're only about a month away from hitting the road. I agree that being able to stand up inside. Check out our channel if you get a free moment.
+The Bus Travelers thanks ;) enjoy the road 😀
which kind of van would you recommend?
+cody modes that's a very difficult question 😂 depends on so many things, about you, about your van life plans... gonna talk about it on a vid today or tomorrow ;)
+cody modes published a video today about it, hope will help. Cheers!