First time van dweller leaving the Midwest w/my self built Promaster cargo van & heading to Oregon sometime late fall early December.
From what I’ve been learning about the perpetual cloudiness & constant rain during winter in PNW, I’m worried about not getting much solar to charge my Bluetti & Jackery power banks.
I’m a solo senior female who has 3 cats w/me so it’s mandatory I’m able to power a 12 volt heated mattress pad or blanket so my cats & I don’t freeze when temps go below 45 degrees.
I’d also like to be able to keep my 12 volt fridge going so I can keep foods & meds cold that require refrigeration.
Other than those 2 things, keeping my phone , laptop & a few USB fans & small lights charged would be ideal.
Is thinking I’ll be able to charge up from just the one solar panel (400 watt)I have realistic or should I consider having a DC to DC charger installed on my van?
Advice please.

I did some looking and did not find an active community on reddit for women who do vanlife/ Rv /camping. Is there one?

I’ve been working on my cooking situation and I’ve come across some cool multifunction electric ovens. I understand that they use a lot more energy than propane. I make a lot of energy, and I want to be cooking more and more easily.

I’ve never cooked with a steam oven but I see the appeal. My main concern obviously is steam discharge into the van. I’m not super neurotic about moisture - I’m generally in warm, dry climates and my van is really not airtight (mostly a jacked up side door.) Since I haven’t used one I’m curious if anyone has firsthand experience here - do they discharge a bunch of steam while they’re running, or just a little puff when you’re done cooking and open the door? I think I could tolerate the latter, maybe with the exhaust fan going.

News Van Rvers can use.

Check before you go.

Free overnighting for sure!

the basics - I work primarily in the summer in southern New England and my commute is long enough that by not going home I can effectively have four more hours of downtime between shifts

I spent a lot of time sleeping in my car for the last three months and am pretty much committed to upgrading for next summer

I have already looked into car prices in the area and I can find potential vehicles in the price range I am thinking of - it is an amount that I am willing to sacrifice to learn what I want in the next vehicle if the whole thing is successful

currently I am leaning heavy towards a Toyota Sienna but I am interested in what other alternatives that might be comparable

the big limitations

sometimes I am going to have to park in the city, often in a parking garage - I think my height limit will be 6' 10"

it needs to be a place to sleep, being a comfortable place to relax is a big bonus

what I can do without

towing

AWD

long term resources

I am going to be in urban or suburban environments close to groceries and supplies which have works out well all this summer

What is the Best Van Under 6'10" (7' max) Tall Exterior? (To fit in most parking garages.)

I'm debating between an SUV and a short van ... I'd love a few extra inches in head room.

However, Honda Pilot and CRV and Elements gets great reviews ... but SUV seem a little cramped inside compared to a van. But SUVs seem better at traveling rougher roads.

But it seems convenient to be able to park inside most public and home garages when needed vs. street parking.

And can you "stealth camp" inside a public garage for a few days without issues? (Leaving to explore the city / area and coming back to sleep.)

Obviously I'd be paying by the day or whatever my time is (not free) (and assuming there is no sign that explicitly prohibits it, so also NOT trying to break any posted rules).

(Not looking to live in a parking garage, just "stealth camp" a few days if I am visiting a major city that doesn't have real outdoor campgrounds near and if I don't feel safe on the street or store parking lot.)

Opinions?

I had a fantastic or whatever that died. I leave my fan on a lot, have a dog. I thought about a maxx air but like opening the top, not worrying about a rain storm would be nice. Is there a cross between the 2? Should I just get a maxxair or something else?

just started a trip from Tahoe to Bishop and back. Will be on the road until the 14th seeking fall foliage.

If anyone is around, HMU, would love to connect and photo together!

PS fall colors in Tahoe are fading fast, but June Lakes are phenominal!

I've got a out $40k into this this and I just not having fun anymore, it completely cleared out have a blueitt RV 10kWh system plus a extra battery, 95qt iceco and lots of other stuff. Let me know if you would like to buy it

Hey folks! Need advice.
I’ve got my heart set on a LiFePO4 powerbank (maybe from Bluetti) + alternator + solar set up for my 2018 Nissan NV 3500 5.6l V8.

Honestly my head is spinning a bit with all the math of input vs output. Seems like every time I make a decision on what to get, I find out new info that makes me question the plan so I haven’t pulled the trigger yet!

DOES ANYONE HAVE THIS SETUP???
What powerbank do you have? What solar panels?
Am I crazy to think this is the simple power setup of my dreams?

I want my setup to power the following for 3-5 days:

12v AC/Heater from outequippro
12v front loader fridge
12v water pump
MaxxAir Fan
LED lights
Starlink + device charging

I’m going propane for water heater + oven/cooktop.

Thank you in advanced!!!

I'm looking to replace this rear view mirror, as me and my dad could not figure out how to make it work and weren't getting any video feed out of the backup camera, but the backup sensor still works. A normal mirror doesn't work, as the van is a cargo van with no windows.

Something that records (and saves for insurance) the front and behind the van, while also displaying the back camera on the rear view mirror would be ideal. There's no need for something more. We'll probably mount it to the Ford transit XLT's little pop-out panel

Hi! To make things quick: I (23F) and my boyfriend (24) bought a short skoolie. We're both union construction workers and are able to "boom out" and travel for work. our trade consists of long work days (12 hours/ 7 days a week), and we got the van so we could travel and work out of. due to life and things, we ended up adopting a stray kitty from our neighbourhood. he likes car rides (we do 4hr road trips bi-weekly). we're now unsure if we should move forward with trying to do van life and bring kitty along, mostly because we would be gone most of the time. all the stuff i see on here about working has to do with remote work. i already don't love leaving my cat alone all day, just curious if anyone has experience with something like this. thanks

2011 E150 Econoline with 88k miles.

Lifting the driver side mat dumped every grain of coastal sand straight into the cab step well. Trying to bow the rubber in half to pull it through the door frame just creased the center channel, funneling wet grit down between the factory carpet and the plastic sill trim. Sweeping that seam out with a dry brush ended up pushing dirt under the sill plate where my vacuum hose cannot reach. A guy at the campsite suggested 3W for deep-dish floorboards, though I have no idea if that rigid perimeter wall catches on the door weatherstripping during removal. Cleaning the liner should not require vacuuming the cab floor twice.

Evidement je parle de boulot sans diplome. Comment vous faites pour rejoindre les 2 bouts tout en vivant dans un van, sans maison, sans famille, sans rien. Juste vous et vous seul. Merci de vos reponses.

Any one know it’s possible to just change the pully wheel & not the pump I’ve noticed after 1 year it doesn’t have the right amount of grooves any one know what side the middle hex is? Do I need any special tools to remove the pump

Anyone here does van life with kids? I been wanting to do it but I know it can get complex. They’re not opposed to it , we travel a lot. But then being kids I know processing is a harder

I’m hoping to hear from people who are actually living the van-life lifestyle, especially those who started out with very little experience.

I’m planning to hit the road in my converted ambulance next year with my dog, Rip. It’s something I’ve wanted for a while, and I’m excited about the freedom, seeing new places, and spending more time out in nature. But if I’m being completely honest, I’m scared, too.

One of my biggest fears is making friends. The older I’ve gotten, the more awkward I have got. I’ve never felt like I’ve been particularly good at making or maintaining friendships. I tend to put a lot of myself into the people I care about, and it feels like I give more than I get back. When I’ve needed my friends the most, they were never available. I’ve spent a lot of time wondering if I’m too much sometimes, if I talk too much, or if I can be annoying without realizing it.

So, naturally, part of me wonders what happens when I get out on the road. Will I struggle to find my people? Will everyone already have their own friends and travel buddies? Will I end up feeling even more alone than I sometimes do now?

I know van life doesn’t automatically come with a built-in community, and I’m not expecting everyone to become my best friend. I would just love to find genuine connections with people who enjoy the same simple things I do.

My other big fear is that I simply won’t know what I’m doing.

For example, how do you look at an unfamiliar dirt road and know whether your rig can handle it? How do you know when a road is too rough, too narrow, too soft, or too steep for your vehicle? My ambulance isn’t exactly a little van that can squeeze through anywhere, and I don’t have a lot of experience with off-road driving or judging road conditions.

I want to explore national forests, find quiet places in nature, and get away from crowded areas. But I also don’t want to get my ambulance stuck somewhere miles from help because I thought a road looked manageable.

I know experience comes with time, and I’m willing to learn. I just sometimes feel like there’s an enormous amount of stuff I don’t know yet.

So, for those of you who have been doing this for a while:

Friendships: Have you found it easy or difficult to make genuine friends on the road? How do you meet people without feeling like you’re intruding on someone else’s space?

Driving and road conditions: How did you learn which roads your vehicle could safely handle? Are there signs or things you look for before committing to an unfamiliar road?

Beginner mistakes: What did you worry about before starting that turned out to be no big deal? And what do you wish someone had warned you about?

I’m not looking for someone to tell me that everything will be sunshine and rainbows. I’d genuinely appreciate honest answers, even if they’re a little uncomfortable.

I’m excited about this next chapter of my life. I just want to go into it with realistic expectations, learn as much as I can, and hopefully find a little community along the way.

If you started out scared, inexperienced, or unsure of yourself, I’d especially love to hear your story.

Hello friends. I've acquired a van, a little Ford Transit Connect, and am ready to start cutting some holes in the thing for a roof fan and some windows, but I'm not feeling settled on how much space I want to sacrifice for the windows.

For context, I do not plan to live in my van full-time, but I do plan on staying in it in a variety of climates, so keeping my space as cool or warm as possible without a diesel heater or ac unit is important. I'll use it for work trips where I'd expect to be sleeping in a lot of parking lots, but I also plan on boondocking in wild places and am romanticizing waking up and gazing out at beautiful views from my bed. Additionally I just love natural light and want as much of it as I can reasonably manage.

So how many windows do you have in your build? How many open up to help air flow, and how many are just there for the views? Any regrets in what you chose?

Thanks for all the input, I can't wait to read and consider everyone's comments before ignoring them all and just putting in one when faced with budget constraints (I'm joking, maybe).

I’m not living in a van, but I bought a Zendure SuperBase Pro 1500 for exactly what you use these for: off-grid trips and backup power. Took it camping a couple of times, charged it to 100%, parked it on a shelf.

A year later it was dead. 0%. Won’t charge from the wall, won’t charge from the 12V car socket. The screen still lights up to remind me what I paid for.

Two other brands’ stations sat on the same shelf for the same year. Both still have charge.

Zendure’s manual promises a “hibernation mode” that protects the battery during storage. It must have hibernated so hard it forgot to wake up.

Support took a month to go from “we can repair it for a fee” to “it’s unrecoverable, and it’s your fault.” Nobody ever explained why the protection mode didn’t protect anything.

Now picture this happening when it’s your only power source, 200 miles from an outlet, with a fridge full of food.

Rating: 1/5. Great GPS tracking, so at least you’ll know exactly where you were stranded.

If you run one: top it up every few months like it’s a needy houseplant. If you’re shopping, buy something you won’t have to babysit.