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Quick Overview of V0001

This van build is unique and even weird in many ways. I'd rather experiment with different ideas than do stuff the normal approved way. V0001 is built for two people and the guiding principle is function over form. I'm hoping the form accidentally ends up interesting.

This is my first and likely last van build. I got inspired by seeing van-life videos and talked myself into it even though I didn't really have time or space. Several times along the way I quit. But it's been a huge learning experience and overall I'm glad for it.

Everything is modular and custom built. There is no wooden framing like a typical build. All of the ceiling and wall panels are attached directly to the van ribs for maximum space. All of the panels are removable and insulation is attached to the panels, not the van. Nothing is glued except for the sound deadener. The entire build can be removed from the interior in a few hours.

Most of the structures are made from T-slot aluminum. A tub system attached to the ceiling is used for storage. The 16 tubs are easily removed and taken inside for loading. Each tub is labeled for a specific use - food, tools, medications, toilet, cooking, etc. Everything is made for simplicity and maintainability.

The electric system is lithium batteries charged by driving, solar panels, shore power, or generator. Appliances include a roof-mounted air conditioner, ceiling vent fan, microwave oven, and a stove. The plumbing system includes a sink, shower, and jug-based removable water containers. V0001 also sports a weather station, a 4-camera security system, a potty system, fans, phone charging and excellent lighting.

Unlike so many others, V0001 does NOT include a spice rack, hanging planters, cutlery displays, or yoga mats. :)

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Our Youtube Channel

We video'd some of this van build on our Youtube channel but haven't kept it up to date.

Why

After seeing some van life videos I got intrigued by what it would take to live minimally yet have everything needed. My survivalist instincts were probably the ones used most on this project since I have no desire or need to live in a van - but I would if I had to. My normal life consumes a LOT of space and I'll do that as long as I can keep it all maintained.

I've never seen a converted van before in person. Most pictures I've seen attempt to make them look like cozy homes with wood paneling and cute spice racks. This definitely doesn't appeal to me so I came up with my own strategy of making all the design decisions based on pure functionality. As a matter of principle I do not like to make things like others have.

My career is electrical and mechanical engineering so this project was a natural fit for my skill set. There was still a LOT to learn because so many things have to be done differently in a vehicle due to vibration and temperature extremes.

I built this van at my home in the driveway since I don't have a garage space 9 foot tall. That was challenging because the brutal Texas heat slowed me down in the summer as did the cold and rain in the winter and spring. At my house I have a barn workshop with all the woodworking and metalworking tools I need, and without that it would have been much more difficult.

Van Choice

I considered these 3 common van options for my build -

RAM Promaster (actually a FIAT)
Less expensive, more boxy, front wheel drive so better head room, decent dealer repair network.

Ford Transit
Middle price, rear wheel drive so less headroom, great repair network.

Mercedes Sprinter
More expensive, fancier, fewer repair locations.

There's plenty of debate, you can pick whichever you like, they're all good. Initially I decided on a Transit because I'm a Ford guy and they have a large dealer network. But this was the middle of the 2020 covid drama and my local dealer was selling new ones for $10k over sticker as soon as they came off the truck. Every once in a while he'd get a batch of 1-year-old rental returns with 20k miles on them but he wanted $10k over MSRP. I'm just too old and stubborn to pay that so I kept hunting.

One day I saw a used Promaster for sale here in town and took it for a test drive. The dealer wanted $13k over MSRP which was a show-stopper for me but I liked it so much that I got on the phone and started calling all over the state. After a few days I found a brand new Promaster 3500 for MSRP and bought it. It was a 2 hour drive but well worth it. The headroom due to front wheel drive and the boxy shape were two things that sold me on the Promaster - and the price of course :) Front wheel drive vehicles don't have a drive shaft going to the rear wheels which affects the floor height.

Promasters come in low roof and high roof models; short, medium (136"), long (159") and extended lengths; and in 1500, 2500, 3500 payload versions. Come to find out there's almost no difference between the 1500, 2500, 3500 except cost and very few suspension components. They all have the same engine, transmission, exhaust, chassis, body, interior, etc. Mine is a Promaster 3500 159" high roof which gives me plenty of room for beds, a bath and a kitchen. The shorter 136" wheel base model would not have worked for my build because it just doesn't have enough room.

Name

One of the first things I HAVE to do for a project is decide on a name because I find it difficult to work on something without one. I looked up all the names you might dream up for a white van like "VanGo" and "Vanna White" but all those had been used by others. After checking many names I just decided to make up one and picked "V0001" - say it with me - Vee Zero Zero Zero One. If you say that a few times you'll never forget it. See, it's already stuck in your head like a bad song. :)

Insurance

I've read on forums that people in some areas have had trouble insuring their vans. I just added it to my existing vehicle insurance carrier with no problem.

Specifications

Starting with specifications is critical, it determines what's going to be built. The list includes things like the number of people, what climate, terrain, utilities, storage, towing, etc.

Here's my starter list:

• How many people while driving? - 2
• How many people for sleeping? - 2
• Will it need a potty, a shower? - Yes, Yes
• Will it need to store big items like a bike or a telescope? - Yes
• Will it need to run on shore power or be self-sufficient? - Both
• What type of weather will it need to survive in? - Mild
• Will it need to off-road? - No
• Will it need to tow a trailer or something? - No
• Long term living or short trips? - Short trips less than a week

I decided on space for 2 people while driving and 2 sleeping, for short trips of less than a week, and in moderate temperatures of spring and fall. These specs set the amount of storage, seats, beds and the power requirements.

This van will not be built for harsh climates such as sub-zero temps or attempting to live inside during Texas summers. The complications and expense are just not worth it for my needs. This is a fair-weather van for short trips with 1 or 2 people.

My tub system provides better storage than any I've seen but to go more than a week will require a trip to town.

I am not interested in modifying the suspension to go off-road in a van.

I don't need this van to pull a car but I did install a hitch so I could attach a cargo carrier or a bike rack - it can pull a trailer if I needed.

Below you will find various topics roughly in the order I encountered them.

Inside Layout

After looking at several layouts I decided on dual 6' bench/beds with a hallway between.

Each bench has removable cushions and a tilt-up top for access. The electrical system is under the left bench and the water system is under the right bench.

A 24x36 shower/potty room and a small closet for hanging clothes is in front of the left bench, and in front of that, which is right behind the driver seat, is a fridge.

A 32x20 kitchen module is in front of the right bench which holds the microwave oven, a cooktop, a small sink, and room for 3 5-gallon jugs.

Roof Layout

Another big decision is the roof layout because that affects a lot of things just like the inside layout does.

I decided to have an air-conditioner, a vent fan and solar panels. It took a while to decide on the best placement of these.

Near the front of the van there is a flat space for a square cutout. Roof cutouts are usually 14" square and that's what both my AC and my fan needed.

I decided to put the fan towards the front, the AC right behind it, and the solar panels towards the back.

Model

I bought this Promaster 1:43 model on Amazon to test out a paint scheme and to get an idea of what it might look like with windows, roof gear and some paint.

A lot of people use special software to draw their van build in 3D but that's too cumbersome for me even though I'm an engineer and use CAD often. A pencil on graph paper works best for me.

Construction

Since I wanted this build to be more like a space ship than a log cabin I used aluminum for the structures. There is very little actual wood in this van. I was just not interested in doing a conventional build with wooden framing.

All of the furniture and tub storage is built with 8020 Aluminum profile - the 1010 series which is 1" x 1".

Everything disassembles easily with nuts and bolts because there is no glue or nails or spray foam. This whole thing can be disassembled in a few hours.

Hitch

One of the first things I did was add a trailer hitch and wiring harness but I can't find the invoice or record of the order. The manufacturer is CURT and it wasn't expensive. The wiring harness was separate and it connects simply to the rear light harness. Installation wasn't too difficult and it was worth saving a couple hundred bucks. There's a video that's way too long about the installation process on our Youtube channel.

Sound Deadener

Sound deadener is a material that sticks to interior vehicle walls to reduce noise. It's one of the first thing to do and an easy install. There is a tendency for people to overuse this but it's not a thermal insulation, it's just for sound. I used Noico 80 mil and it took about 20 sqft.

It's important to consider where you'll be cutting through the van body for windows and other items. If you put sound deadener there you'll have to peel it up and that makes a mess to deal with as it clogs up drill bits and saw blades.

Flooring

My specs don't include extreme weather so the flooring doesn't have insulation. Plus I didn't want to give up an inch or more of headroom. I was also really trying to avoid building a wooden structures inside this metal box.

I liked the idea of the flooring being removable so I used bolts through the floor instead of glue.

I also have concern about moisture from reading various forums so I chose to not fill in the valleys of the floor. For some reason it seems natural to fill all those in with sound deadener but I resisted. On my system air freely flows under the entire floor from front to back through the valleys.

The floor system consists of 3 sheets of 4 x 8 x 3/4 marine grade plywood at $160 each from a local lumber yard. You can make a boat out of this stuff. They had to order it and it took 3 days for it to arrive at the local store. Since the van internal dimensions are about 12 feet long and 6 foot wide, the 3 sheets are turned sideways and cut to width. I used cardboard for templates around the wheel wells. The boards leave a gap on all edges of about 1/2" so the cutting doesn't even need to be very precise. With the pieces left over I built a bench for my chop-off saw.

The finish is Behr Premium Advanced Deckover in slate grey applied with a square foam pad. It didn't take anywhere near a gallon and I used the rest on the electrical and plumbing panels.

Where each bolt goes through the floor I countersank the plywood 1/4" deep and 2" diameter so the hardware wouldn't protrude above the height of the floor. I used 8mm bolts, large fender washers, and lock nuts on the bottom. This is a 2-person job. The 12 holes (4 in each panel) are precisely positioned to avoid structures on the underside. Drilling these holes is easy since the metal isn't very thick.

The final treatment is a coin mat which I cut with scissors to fit within the flooring exposed after the furniture was installed. It's mostly a narrow piece that is 12' long with a larger part on the end. The coin mat is not glued down, it just sits there nicely and can be pulled out and cleaned easily. It does not go under the benches or the shower or the kitchen. After I cut it and made it fit perfectly the whole thing expanded due to heat the next day and I had to re-trim a little for a perfect fit. I purchased the 7.5' x 17' roll of "Small Coin Pattern Garage Flooring" from American Floor Mats. There was plenty left over to make 2 or 3 more mats.

Tub Storage System

The tub storage system is one of the things I'm most proud of. It's definitely out-of-the-box thinking. I just couldn't stand the idea of trying to store supplies in traditional cabinetry. Most of the vans I've seen just don't have enough storage and it wasn't logically arranged.

This tub system is super functional. Each tub just lifts out of its rack easily. Shallow or deep tubs can be used interchangeably. When loading for a trip just take the tubs inside - so easy.

I settled on a Sterilite tub that has a lid with good clamps and comes in multiple sizes. The rim on these tubs is deep and strong so it rests securely on the rack. I use the 4 gallon and the 7.5 gallon sizes because the only difference is their depths.

The system starts with 8020 aluminum T-Slot attached to the ceiling ribs using 1/4-20 RivNuts. There are 2 of these rails per van side and since the van is about 12' there is about 48' of T-Slot. This can get expensive.

Next I fabricated L-brackets using 1" x 1/8" aluminum bar stock - cut, drilled, bent, sanded. Then I fabricated plates from 2" x 1/8" aluminum bar stock - cut, drilled, sanded. These are connected together using 1/4-20 x 3/4 threaded coupling nuts. To connect coupling nuts to each side of the plate I used a 1" piece of 1/4-20 threaded rod and thread locker. Fasteners are 1/4-20 x 3/8 button head screws.

Rear Doors

After using sound deadener on the doors I taped down thick un-stretchable painter's plastic to each door and marked the outline with a sharpie. I also put dots where the screws could go into the structure. I then used this as a template for the panels.

Each door panel is made from 1/8" plywood from HomeDepot, cut with a jigsaw, then faced with a vinyl outdoor fabric I bought at Hobby Lobby. I used a couple of different kinds of spray-on glue. Some of the glue failed and I had to go over it with a better contact cement.

On the back of each panel I also glued down 3M Thinsulate insulation to line up with the voids in the door. In this van, the insulation is glued to the wall panels not to the van walls. Each wall panel can be taken out and worked on.

The door panels are screwed directly into the door frame using #8 x 3/4 self-taping screws. I did all of the panels in the van with these screws.

On one door I mounted 2 folding chairs and a fire extinguisher. On the other door I built a universal rack to hang things such as the shore power cable using 8020 aluminum, along with the telescoping ladder. I don't believe in public ladders.

Bench/Beds

As with the other furniture, the bench/beds are made with 8020 aluminum T-slot profile. Most of the pieces are 1x1" (1010) and some are 1x2" (1020). Each bench is 24" deep, 72" long and 20" tall. With a 4" cushion the height is 24".

The top of each bench tilts up and has gas shocks to help and to keep them in the raised position while working on things. The top panels are layered 1/4" plywood covered in vinyl fabric fitted into the grooves of the framing.

The hallway between the bench beds is 16" wide.

The electrical system lives under the left bench and the water system lives under the right bench.

I was going to add translucent plastic panels to the front but my order got lost and I decided to leave them open for access to the systems. I added a remote-controlled color LED strip under each bench and it looks great.

Now, about cushions. I lucked out and found 4" thick, 24" deep, 24" wide patio furniture cushions online that fit perfectly. These are great for sitting but too firm for sleeping, even on top of a sleeping bag, so I bought a "2" full size memory foam and cut it in half. Now the softness is about right.

Toilet

I voted for having an inside potty. There are lots of options for this ranging from complicated and expensive (over $1000) to simple and cheap (under $100). A lot of it depends on whether a person is living there full time or just for trips. We opted for a super simple and camping potty with a bag system and kitty litter. It lives in the shower room and is very lightweight. A nearby tub holds toilet supplies like bags and paper. This whole system is remarkably functional, cheap and space-friendly - check, check, check!

Shower

Since the potty needs a storage space anyway and there was room for it, I selected a 24x36" plastic RV shower pan to build a small bathroom. The potty stays in there until it's needed for showering. The potty is very light and removes easily for the few minutes needed to shower.

This system is remarkably simple. A quick shower can use 3-5 gallons of water. The shower pan holds about 3 gallons of water, enough for a shower. I sealed off the drain - there are no holes through the floor and no under-van greywater storage to mess with.

Under the right bench is the plumbing system containing 5 5-gallon jugs, a pump to pump water to the shower and the sink, and a pump to pull water out of the shower pan back over into a greywater jug, along with a small heating element system. The plumbing is PEX and goes through the ceiling and down the walls behind panels. In the shower is a shower head, a valve, and a shower curtain system, very easy and inexpensive.

The shower enclosure is framed with 8020 aluminum and 1/4 plywood panels with vinyl glued on.

Of all the systems in this van, the shower is the one I'm least proud of so I might improve on it later.

Cutting into the Metal

Cutting into the metal is nerve-racking, especially on a brand new van. It's just metal and it's not very thick so it cuts and drills easily.

A note about cutting structural members - Don't - they are there for a reason. There are a few ribs in the back that are mainly to stabilize the walls and those can be cut for windows but don't cut any of the main supports on the walls or roof. You can clearly see the important large structural members that transfer the roof load to the floor, and go across from side-to-side.

I lay down blue masking tape and mark out where holes are going to be. For holes I use normal twist drill bits. For cutouts I start with a 3/8" hole in one corner then use a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade. I'll usually put tape on the bottom of the jigsaw and on the metal to prevent scratches. Cutting and drilling exposes metal which can rust so I spray it with paint after removing all of the burrs with a file and sandpaper. I captured all metal shavings because I didn't want them in my electrical system.

Roof Junction Box

There has to be a formal way for cables from the solar panels and other items to go from the roof to the inside. The thing most people use is called a gland and there are several off-the-shelf units available.

Since I had a lot of wires going to solar panels, cameras and lights I decided to build my own from this watertight plastic enclosure. It ended up being pretty complicated. It's attached to the roof with stainless steel fasteners and an aluminum bar. I used aluminum and plumber's putty to build a clamping system for the wires so water couldn't get in. Inside the box is a barrier strip to connect wires together. The outside of the box is sealed with Dicor self-leveling lap sealant made for RV roofs.

Roof Brackets

The RAM Promaster has pegs on the roof to mount a rack. It's not intuitive exactly how to attach things to these pegs. Here's a drawing I made with some dimensions and DIY bracket ideas. I considered building custom brackets but I ended up buying brackets made for this purpose made by ALTERTIDE and it was money well spent. I painted them white and attached my own aluminum L-brackets to mount my solar panel system built from 8020 aluminum.

Fan

Almost every converted van and RV has a roof ventilation fan of some-sort. One of the most popular is the MaxxFan. There are several versions - I have the 7000K deluxe Maxxfan. It fits in a standard 14" square opening and runs on 12VDC. The spec says it draws 40W but my measurement shows less. I chose to mount it in the most forward location available on the roof.

Air Conditioner

I opted to have an air conditioner but made some trade-offs.

First is to understand that air conditioners draw a lot of current and a battery system to power it continuously would be many thousands of dollars and weigh several hundred pounds.

My battery system currently is 200AH (2400WH) which is enough to run the AC for about 1-2 hours. This is enough time to eat lunch but not enough to run the AC all day battling the Texas heat or all night.

When I'm connected to shore power or have a generator running on the cargo carrier I can run the AC continuously. I think this is a reasonable trade-off. It allows the battery system to be small and still leaves open the option of running the AC on an external source.

The AC I'm using is the RecPro 2801 Low Profile Non-Ducted 9.5k AC. It runs on 120VAC and has a stated current draw of 1600W although I only see about 1000W on my meter. The inverter in my electrical system has a capacity of 3000W which is plenty for this. The current draw on the DC line from the battery is about 80 Amps.

I mounted this AC right behind the vent fan.

Windows

I used 12" x 24" RV windows for 1-1/2 wall thickness which are pretty small. I selected this size to fit between vertical ribs without cutting them but ended up cutting the non-load-bearing one anyway because I needed to build out some framing to hold the window. Removing the rib is easy because it's only attached with tabs at each end along with some weak adhesive.

The window is two pieces - the window itself and an inner frame. I decided on the location and covered the area with blue paints tape to prevent scratches, then drew the outline using the window's inner frame as a template. I drilled a small hole inside the cutout area then enlarged it to 3/8" with a bigger bit to get the saw blade started. The cutout was made using a jigsaw with a fine-tooth metal-cutting blade.

I used a folding work platform like this to reach the area better.

After the cutout was done I used some 1-by material to build out a frame for the inside. After the mechanical stuff was done I used sealant around the window to prevent leaks.

To cover the windows we made pillows with firm foam that fit in the opening.

Lighting

I used these round 12V recessed lights for the ceiling. They are mounted to my ceiling panels, then insulation glued on, then screwed into place.

I used these 12v wall-mounted lights for the benches and the shower. They are excellent with full dimming and pushing the button changes from daylight to warm white.

Ceilings and Walls

Many vans have wooden frames built inside them then ship lap or some other type of paneling installed. This seems like a lot of weight and space, plus I didn't want to do it the way everyone else does. My solution was to cut panels that fit directly to the van ribs using #8 x 3/4 self-taping screws. I used black screws because I wanted them to show.

The panels I used are 1/8" whiteboard which is a pressed product that is sometimes called hardboard. You can even write on them with a marker. So far in my experiments this panel does not absorb moisture from the air, but it will definitely break down if it gets wet.

I made cardboard templates for each section. Each panel has insulation and everything mounted to it instead of to the van walls. The panels can be removed easily and the wiring disconnects easily using WAGO connectors.

The ceiling went up first, then the side walls, then the corner pieces. There are places I just covered using vinyl wrap instead of framing around them. There are a few spots where I attached 1-by material to have something to screw into.

Insulation

This build isn't designed for extreme weather so insulation is not thorough. I glued 3M Thinsulate to the wall panels and ceiling panels but there is no insulation on the floor and I did not insulate inside the ribs or use spray foam in the small spaces. I would call it modestly insulated.

Electrical

I designed this van so all of my appliances and lights are battery-powered. Lights and phone charging and the vent fan and the refrigerator can all run on the battery for many days without charging. Charging is done by shore power, by solar panels on the roof, from the van engine's alternator, or from a generator on the cargo carrier. The electrical system is by far the most expensive and complicated part of this build - in the $4k range. I'm very happy with how this turned out.

There is one exception to my lofty goal of battery operation - the air conditioner. It draws about 1000W so it can only run from battery for about an hour. To continuously run the AC would require several thousand dollars of batteries which would weigh several hundred pounds. I settled on a smaller battery system that will do everything I need EXCEPT run the AC continuously. This is a practical compromise and it turned out to be the best decision for my use. The AC can run constantly but it has to be connected to shore power or to a generator, it just can't run on the battery for more than an hour. Other big loads like the microwave and stove are shorter use and haven't been a problem.

I had to learn a lot to build this electrical system. Here's a basic outline of the system:
There is 1 12V 200AH battery and room for a 2nd.
There are 2 200W solar panels on the roof.
There is a shore power input connector on the side.
There is a 3000W inverter to make 120VAC from the 12V - Victron Multiplus 3000W.
There is a charge controller that handles the solar panel - Victron MPPT.
There is a charge controller that handles the van alternator - Victron Orion-Tr.
There is a distributor box to connect everything - Victron Lynx.
There is a breaker box for the 12V loads.
There is a breaker box for the 120VAC loads.
All of the lights, fans, refrigerator, water pumps and charging ports are 12V.
The microwave oven, the stove top and the air conditioner are 120VAC.
There is a monitor to track the state of the battery - Victron BMV-712.

All of the electronics are mounted to a panel that rests under the left bench. This panel is designed to be lifted out so it can be worked on.

Solar Panels

My solar panel system has 2 200W panels mounted to a rack made from 8020. The panels have remote control actuators attached to change the angle. Here's a video.

Plumbing

The plumbing system consists of water storage and pumps that live under the right bench, across the hallway from the electrical system.

The plumbing system includes 40 gallons of water storage via 8 5 gallon water jugs. 5 of these jugs are under the bench and 3 are in the kitchen module with 2 being designated for greywater.

These jugs are easily removed for cleaning, filling and maintenance. To me this is so much better than one giant tank for us non-full-time van'ers.

A 12V pump with a pressure reservoir supplies water to a sink in the kitchen module and to the shower via PEX plumbing through the ceiling.

An additional 12V pump draws water from the shower pan back to greywater jugs. Both pumps are activated with toggle switches on the bench.

There is a standard garden hose fitting on the right side of the van to connect to an external water source. A valve inside connects to a hose to fill jugs.

The jug system requires manual moving of hoses to select water sources and greywater destinations.

For hot water there is only a simple 120VAC heating element which is placed in one of the water jugs to supply a shower's worth of warm water. It takes 30-60 minutes to warm up a jug. I need to build a bracket to make this simpler.

Everything in this build is fairly convenient except taking a shower requires warming a jug, moving the hose to it, moving the drain hose to a greywater jug, and turning on the drain pump.

There are water leak alarms under the plumbing bench and in the kitchen module.

UPDATE: I tested this heater and it does work but it heats the jug unevenly with 150 degrees at top and 70 degrees at the bottom so I'll need to figure out some other way to heat water.

Kitchen

The kitchen module is self-contained like the other furniture, it's just bolted into place and can easily be removed. The footprint is 32x20 which makes the hallway wider at that spot. Height is 32".

Construction is 8020 framing with panels made of 1/4" plywood and vinyl glued on. These panels fit in the 8020 T-slot nicely. The front and back panels can be removed using simple turn-latches.

The module has a sink, drain jug, microwave oven, cooktop, and room for 2 additional 5 gallon water jugs. The cooktop lives in a shelf and is pulled out when needed. The microwave oven and cooktop operate on 120VAC so the inverter has to be turned on to use them. Only one high-power device can be on at a time - these include air conditioner, microwave oven, cooktop and the water heater.

To make the surface usable while the sink is closed I built a shelf on top that slides back and forth.

Slider Storage Tub

The plumbing system didn't consume all of the space under the right bench/bed so I made a storage tub that slides in behind it all from the back door opening. This tub is good for storing outdoor stuff that doesn't require indoor access.

Construction is 1-by boards for the bottom, end pieces and dividers while the sides are 1/8" whiteboard. I painted the whiteboard but one side came in contact with some wrinkled plastic and produced a bizarre pattern. At first I was mad about this but then decided it looked kinda cool and left it.

Fridge

I settled on a 35L car refrigerator. It offers 2 compartments - one that freezes and one that cools. The unit runs on 12VDC and comes with a 120VAC adapter. The power draw is only about 50W so it can run full time if I need. It's the perfect size for this build.

The fridge sits on top of a pedestal I built between the shower and the driver's seat. Above it on the wall is the 12V outlet that powers it. Under the pedestal is a compartment to hold one of our standard tubs for drinks.

Fans

Each bench has a mounting bar made of 8020 that you can mount whatever you want like a phone holder. On the left bench I mounted a 12V fan system. There are two fans that can be pointed in any direction, and the speed is variable. It draws only 5W. This is a nice addition.

Cowl Sealing

Water leaking from the windshield down into the engine bay is a well-known issue for Promaster vans. The plastic assembly between the bottom of the windshield and the engine compartment is called the cowl. The leak culprit is the center seal which connects the left and right cowl pieces, along with undersized drain holes on each end. There is also a leak vulnerability with the molding along the bottom of the windshield and that gets worse as the vehicle ages and the plastic warps. There are many videos and forum threads about this problem offering various solutions.

I used this waterproof sealant to fix the center seal. As for the undersized drain holes, I will eventually modify them with larger tubes but for now I just use a long wire to keep them clear.

Cup Holders

Cup holders for the driver and passenger are at the bottom of the center console which is too difficult to reach so I made dual cup holders mounted up higher using stainless steel cup holders and some aluminum bars. The assembly is attached to 2 existing screws in the center panel without modifying it or drilling any holes.

Step Stool

Stepping out of the side of the van is a 22" drop which is a lot. I keep this rugged step stool just inside the doorway and it's the first thing I pull out. It's made of metal, very sturdy and it's fold-able I have it adjusted to 11" high. This is a must-have.

Side Door Handles

Even with a step stool you need something to hold on to when entering from the side. I found these strong plastic grab handles do the job well, and the spacing fits the threaded holes in the van.

I also used this handle on the inside of the sliding door to help close it. For that I had to use Rivnuts.

Security Cameras

It would be weird to hear a noise and not be able to see what's going on outside the van so I installed this 4-camera video recording system made for vehicles. It's not very expensive, and it's not difficult to install if you have a big beefy roof gland/junction box to handle the cables.

I put 3 cameras on the roof - one facing backwards, and one on each side facing forward along each side. I used 1" aluminum bar stock to make brackets, bending them to get the right camera angle. The 4th camera is inside - it's not really needed.

Wiring is fairly simple - there's a single cable to each camera that connects to an octopus cable connected to the screen. That cable also has a wire to connect +12VDC power.

One problem though - this particular camera system has LED lights for each camera but they are just bright lights, not IR LEDs for night viewing. They shine like flashlights and that's not good at night. I took one apart to disconnect the LEDs but the whole thing is a potted blob inside and the LEDs are not accessible. I just smeared black caulk over the LEDs so they don't show.

Weather Station

The weather system is a screen that displays indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity along with time and date. There is an remote wireless sensor on the roof for outside measurement.

The screen is mounted on an 8020 track along with the camera system display using an iBOLT tablet mount. I love these things.

Eventually I might make a better weather station with rain gauge and wind speed but there will need to be a telescoping pole.

Remote Central

I have a central place to hang the remote controls for the AC, the fan, the LED lighting, the roof lights, the solar panel actuators, and to hang my keys. No searching under cushions for me!

Battery Maintenance, Phantom Draw, Trickle Charging

Phantom current draw on my 2021 Promaster is about 60ma (.06 Amps). This is the current drawn from the battery when the vehicle is off, just sitting there. This power is probably used to maintain the radio memory and maybe some security stuff, not sure what. Because of this draw the van battery will go dead after about 4 weeks of not running - running charges the battery via the alternator.

See this video about measuring the phantom current draw.

In my system, the van battery and my house batteries are isolated so that my house can never drain the van battery and strand me. The only connection I have between the systems is an isolated Orion charger that allows the van alternator to charge my house batteries when the engine is running. And there's a breaker for that so I can disconnect it if I want. Protect the van battery!

In a jam, you can use your house electrical system to charge your van battery, so prepare for that by carrying a real charger.

If you want to leave your van parked for more than a few weeks at a time I'd suggest getting a trickle charger. Of course you'll need access to 120VAC. A trickle charger will keep your battery topped off. It doesn't supply a lot of current so it would take a long time to charge a dead battery from a trickle charger - not advised - get a real charger for that. The charger I use comes with a short cable that permenantly attaches to the van battery and provides a quick disconnect connector to plug into the charger. This cable can hang out of the grill or wherever you see fit.

Here is the trickle charger I use.

Running Boards

These running boards were pretty easy to install. It's mostly bolt-together but each bracket needs a 5/16" hole drilled in the pinch weld (see 3rd picture). It took about 2 hours. Tools were 10mm and 13mm socket/ratchet/wrench along with a 5/16" drill. Not hard, and not expensive.

Heat

My spec doesn't include trying to survive in extreme cold so there is no heat source. V0001 has moderate insulation in the walls and ceiling, but not the floor because I didn't want to give up headroom.

Now after getting this thing 'finished' I started thinking about what it would take to go the next level and be comfortable in cold temps. The obvious concern is power draw. With shore power it's no problem to use a portable electric heater but my battery power is not enough beyond an few hours. The solution that the pros use is the diesel heater but I'm wondering if there's a mid-way solution.

My first experiment was with this electricl blanket which draws only 50 watts on 12VDC. This low draw will last more than a day just on my small battery system. It turns out this blanket along with another blanket will overheat you after an hour, even in 30 degree temps. It's weird to be warm with the inside air temperature at 30°. So I say this blanket is a win, it's cheap too.

My second experiment was with this small electric heater which draws 450 watts on 120VAC. It's very cheap. This heater is tiny and not very powerful so I did some testing. Starting at 40° inside the heater raises the temperature about 1° every 5 min. After about 2 hours the inside temperature was raised a full 20° to 60°. This is very good and for me it will work nicely when I'm connected to shore power but when I'm running on batteries it will only go for a couple of hours. So I say this small heater is a win, and along with the blanket gives me way more comfort in cold temps than I did have.

What Would I Do Differently?

I'd use poly tubing instead of PEX for the plumbing. Poly is so much easier and I wouldn't have needed crimpers and a bunch of conversion fittings.

I'm still working on this list.

My First Trip

In November of 2023 my build was complete enough to take my first trip. The trip was 330 miles each way and during it the odometer turned past the 2k mark.

On the 330 mile return trip it rained most of the way. Luckily I had sealed the cowl seam which is a common source of water into the engine. I think it mostly worked. Before the trip I also cleaned out the cowl drains on each side - those clog up real fast.

Gas mileage for the trip was 18.5mpg which I'm really happy with.

One thing I learned from the trip was the cushions are fine for sitting but too firm form sleeping. This was solved with a 2" memory foam - see above.

Another issue was the potty smell. Stuff needs to go into an airtight container until it can be disposed of.

The trip was a success and I'm very happy with performance of most everything.

Travel Log

I always use a travel log book to record fill-ups, oil changes, mileage and repairs. I prefer the small spiral bound college rule notebook and a Pentel Clicker mechanical pencil.

Product List

Here are some of the items I bought on Amazon. Beyond this there is a bucket full of receipts to HomeDepot and Lowes for various hardware, brackets, glue, tape, material, wire, connectors, etc.

Promaster 1:43 model
Noico 80 mil sound deadener
Sterilite tub
"2" full size memory foam
Simple and camping potty
24x36" plastic RV shower pan
Watertight plastic junction box
Dicor self-leveling lap sealant
Promaster roof brackets
Roof vent fan 7000K deluxe from Maxxfan
RecPro 2801 Low Profile Non-Ducted 9.5k air conditioner
12" x 24" RV windows for 1-1/2 wall thickness
Folding work platform like this to reach the area better
Round 12V recessed lights
12v wall-mounted lights
WAGO connectors
12V 200AH battery
200W solar panels
Shore power input connector
Victron Multiplus 3000W Inverter/Charger
Victron MPPT Solar Charger
Victron Orion-Tr Alternator Charger
Victron Lynx electrical distributor
Breaker box for the 12V loads
Breaker box for the 120VAC loads Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor
12V pump with a pressure reservoir
Sink
Water leak alarms
Microwave oven
Cooktop
5 gallon water jug
35L car refrigerator
12V fan system
Waterproof sealant
Stainless steel cup holders
Step stool
Running boards
Plastic grab handles
4-camera video recording system
Weather system
iBOLT tablet mount
1/4-20 x 3/4 threaded coupling nuts
1/4-20 x 3/8 button head screws
#8 x 3/4 self-taping screws
450W 120VAC electric heater
45W 12VDC electric blanket
Battery trickle charger

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