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Messages - Camper_Dan

#16
Greetings and Welcome!

Sounds like fun, keep us posted & take lots of beautiful pictures.

Cheers!
#17
Greetings,

Are you trying to start a business, or just doing this for yourself?

What #VanLife actually needs are better power systems that eliminate batteries for the most part.  Batteries are consumables and very bad for the environment.  Lithium batteries are also downright dangerous, and have burned down many campers, right along with solar and all their mess of wiring.

In days gone by, everything in campers could be fuel powered if an electric hookup wasn't available.  Kerosene, diesel, or some other type of oil, alcohol, or propane was generally used to power everything.  Propane came in later in the game, and is probably the worst choice, but since it was backed by big money, unfortunately it became the defacto standard, even though it should have remained illegal for mobile & marine applications.

Today, we rely on electronics more than ever before.  Our laptops & cellphones are battery powered and need regular charging, so we can't conveniently go totally electric free.  Solar panels for battery charging is a crappy choice, and the other mainstream alternatives while better require hookups, driving, or a generator.  Boondocking you don't have hookups, and you're not driving, so the only current reliable source is generators, which isn't all bad because many of them can run for about 8 hours on a gallon of gas.  The biggest complaint about generators is the noise, but fuel consumption can get costly too.

So the bottom line is that we really don't need new battery ideas, we need better battery charging methods that work day or night, rain or shine, and don't REQUIRE batteries to run our campers at all, just to charge our electronics.  How about something that doesn't require fossil fuels at all.  Something that's renewable, and either free or extremely cheap. 

External combustion engines (ECE) are almost silent, and will run on nearly any heat source.  ECE generators were used during WWII because of their multi fuel capabilities, and their silent running characteristics. Some of those generators used a half moon shaped magnifying glass or prism, to create the needed heat from the sun when it was available, and any flame or heat producing fuel when it wasn't.  The magnifying glass or prism would track the sun all by itself, without user intervention. When sun wasn't available they would frequently use liquid candles filled with diesel, but vegetable oil could be used instead of fossil fuels in our application since we have better resources available than soldiers in the middle or nowhere.

Some people are suggesting hydrogen for an eco friendly fuel, that could even be adapted to run existing gas engines, even cars.  Just imagine the possibilities with a renewable, non polluting fuel!  They used it in ancient times, before greed took over the civilized world...  Maybe history holds the solutions we need.

Campers, cars, and houses are far different than indivual battery powered electronics.  For them, we need to eliminate the need for batteries as much as possible.  Clean, eco friendly, non polluting, renewable, and free/cheap energy is what we need, not more crap with very limited lifespans we have to constantly purchase.  Portable eco friendly power generation is what we need, not more or different batteries, then we will have the ability to charge our battery powered electronics easily from anywhere.

Good Luck!
#18
Van Conversion / Re: New to vanlife
January 14, 2021, 01:54:30 AM
Greetings!

Welcome to the forum.

Like you, I thoroughly enjoy my 12v electric blankets & seat cushions.

Cheers!
#19
Common Room / Re: Compressor fridge
January 14, 2021, 01:46:26 AM
Greetings!

As far as I'm concerned, they're all cheap chinese junk these days, regardless of the price tags.  Switching back to a good old fashioned ice chest has improved my life considerably.

Cheers!
#20
Greetings!

I think I would isolate each, and see what they're charging at.  When dosconnecting the solar, make sure you disconnect the panels before the controller.  When reconnecting, the controller gets hooked up to the batteries first, and the panels last.

My guess would be a faulty charge controller, I went through many before ditching solar altogether.  Now I mainly charge while driving, or with a cheap battery charger connected to shore power or my generator. 

I once had an expensive multi-stage battery charger, and the guy at the battery shop suggested a cheap 2/10/50 amp automatic charger.  Seems like it may have been around $30.  At that time, I didn't have an isolator, and was charging my batteries only with my generator and fancy battery charger.  The batteries were lasting me about 3 years, about 2 years longer than when using solar.  When I switched to the cheap battery charger, my battery lifespan more than doubled.  Later, adding an isolator almost totally eliminated my need for the generator, but didn't lower the battery life.  Now my generator is mostly a backup and to help charge up other people's batteries.

After years of experience and trial and error, today my power system is very minimalistic, a 110amp deep cycle battery from a junk yard for under $20, in a plastic boat box, connected to my starter battery via a solenoid.  Taped to the outside of the battery box I have a 4 port ciggy outlets thing.  That's it.  From that I can run all the 12v and USB accessories I want or need.  I no longer have an inverter, and if I want shore power, I can just fire up my generator.  By design, I use very little power, and now consider it a luxury instead of a necessity.

I'm in the USA, and in some parts of the country are large groups of Amish and other people who live their lives without electricity of any kind.  Many don't even have cars and still use horses & buggies.  While I'm not interested in going to that extreme, I think learning to live comfortably without electricity, batteries, or electronics, is a good skill to have.

Cheers!
#21
Common Room / Re: New member
December 03, 2020, 01:19:41 AM
Greetings and Welcome!

I enjoyed your introduction, here to help, and here to learn.  Me too...

Windows are a huge game changer, my 360 degree view is one of the best features of my home on wheels.  Attempting to live in a cargo van without windows was one of the most miserable times of my life.

Looking forward to your participation.

Cheers!
#22
Greetings!

Please describe what Slack is, and why anybody should join.

Cheers!
#23
Common Room / Re: Support
October 10, 2020, 04:42:23 PM
Greetings and Welcome!

Women are smarter than men when it comes to needed amenities like toilets & showers.  Men seem to have to learn it the hard way...

The good news is that both are extremely easy to add. 

Does it have windows all the way around?  That's another practical thing most women and those with experience find essential.  Camping or living in a van without windows is pure torture for most people.  Daylight, a view, and sunshine, are near the top of the list for good physical and mental health.

Looks, both inside and outside seem to matter more to women too. 

I don't think age has so much to do with one's sense of adventure or travel, it's just not for everyone, regardless of your gender.  Many people have also never been camping, so they are afraid of the unknown, or maybe they had bad experiences while camping, which is something a few good camping trips might remedy.

I am old, and probably look homeless, because I dress comfortably since I have no need to impress anyone but myself, yet hardly a week goes by that I don't get propositioned by women ranging from teenagers to seniors wanting to join me, even though it's obvious I only have one bed.  So there's no shortage of women looking for a good man, adventures, or both.  Some, both young and old, have even wanted to be my sugar mama, if I'd take them with me.

Over the years, I have taken some onboard, both good and bad, but one thing I have never been is lonely.  Your personality  could also be a large factor...  I like to flirt with the girls of any age, respectfully, but I still think personalities can make a huge difference.

Good Luck!
#24
Greetings!

Sorry, I'm in the USA and have no booster.  I just park near free wifi when I need it.

Good Luck!
#25
Van Conversion / Re: Kerosene heater.
June 14, 2020, 10:17:15 PM
Quote from: ruthtrue on June 12, 2020, 11:58:25 AM
Test

Greetings!

We are here, how may we help you?

Cheers!
#26
Greetings and Welcome!

I'm certainly no expert on this, but I'll add my take on it, and maybe it will help.

There are many different brands of bottled water.  Maybe experiment with them and you can find one that works the best for you.

Like bottled water, there are many brands and types of filters.  Through trial and error, hopefully you can find one that works for your unique situation.

Good Luck and God Bless!
#27
Common Room / Re: Van life and the future
April 30, 2020, 09:10:39 PM
Quote from: Ryan on April 29, 2020, 11:54:21 PM

What I'd really like to know is how you do research to find the right product and where you ultimately purchase your gear! Do you read magazines or online articles to learn more about potential products? Are there specific stores you explore when looking for outdoor gear or items for your van? Do you prefer shopping online or in physical stores?

Does social media ever influence your purchase decision, and if so, what platform(s) do you use? Are there specific pages or influencers you're drawn to?

If you have the time, answer all the questions you can! Feel free to add any additional details as well such as price ranges or disappointing purchases.


Greetings!

I usually go to google shopping, decide what I want, then let it tell me where I can find it locally at the best price.

If it's promoted on social media, I usually avoid it like the plague.  Reputable sellers of respectable products don't advertise on social media.  Social media might give me an idea of something I  want or need, but then I do independent research to find the best quality at the best possible price locally before I buy.

I would say getting your product(s) on Amzazon & Google Shopping are your best first bet.  Next, there are other places that promote items that they don't stock themselves.  Walmart does this, and so do many sporting goods and camping supply stores.  Another step is to find the suppliers that stock the stores near campgrounds, and get your products on the shelf.  People always forget stuff when they go camping, and head for the nearest places to get what they need.

Good luck & keep us posted.

Cheers!
#28
Greetings and Welcome!

Nice article but very difficult to read.  The print is way too small, too thin, and not dark enough.  Even blowing it up 200% on my laptop it was a difficult read.  I didn't check out any of your other articles for that exact reason.

I'm a fulltimer, and I carry 3 ovens myself, a coleman style folding oven that folds flat when not in use, a cast iron Dutch oven, and a rarely used Omnia style oven, although not an Omnia brand.

I usually only use them if I'm cooking for a group at a get together.  For just me, my cast iron frying pan and sauce pan, both with lids, are my normal way of cooking.  I prefer cast iron because it can also be used with a campfire.

Cheers!
#29
Greetings and Welcome!

While it's technically possible to hang shelves, I typically advise against it.  I prefer to build from the floor up, so all the weight is on the floor rather than a hanging shelf or cabinet.  Then I just secure it at the top where the roof meets the side wall to keep it stable from tipping. 

Just the way I prefer to do it.

Cheers!
#30
Van Conversion / Re: Bed in the van
March 27, 2020, 02:34:34 AM
Quote from: Steven88 on March 26, 2020, 04:28:37 PM
Air mattress is very useful during traveling.

While air mattresses can be quite comfortable, the problem is that they don't tend to last long before they start leaking.