Cody, you may want to shield your water heating equipment to prevent road salt corrosion to it. A simple sacrifice metal shield will do the trick, a plus is you are protecting the pipe tubes also. That location is the mud sling zone.
I second this - also add a cutoff switch at the engine side for the heater liquid , you can get one of the pipes damaged on some bad road and be stuck without any way to cool the engine ...
yeah agreed, a couple ball valves and protection over the heat exchange from debris/mud. i was thinking of some kind of paint/coating, but a cowl would be the best way to go considering the massive temp fluctuations on the material. maybe just bend up a nice piece of aluminum flashing
Not only protection from mud,rain,snow,etc.... but you can use those foam insulation covers you can get from home depot.... then sheild the project !!!!
What I don't know about the subject of heating fills volumes of books. What you do with your videos is show people like me what is possible, cutting right through the parts I may not need to learn right now. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. Mike
Hey Cody, you should cover up those contacts. A short will cause most lithium batteries to swell and possibly explode. Puncturing the batteries may trigger this as well, so you should invest in a good cover around those (especially under your wife's seat).
I built my van as my daily driver as well. Also had to design it to accommodate my wife and 2 small kids. I’m stoked for your project’s completion and the adventure along the way!
Highly suggest plating around the heater and exchanger so all the gravel and rocks don't beat them. You also may think about running a conduit for the lines. 30 ft is a lot of hose and you don't want to drop your antifreeze because something poked a hole in one of those lines.
Looking good Cody! You might have already planned on this but when you start wiring things and have to loom behind things, insulation water tank Cabinetry Etc... Use thin-walled conduit or even PEX pipe works well to your access points. It not only acts as a wire loom you'll be less frustrated when you decide to add an extra circuit or change out something down the road not having to remove things just to access the wiring looms.
I grew up travelling Europe in an RV whenever we had a vacation, with my parents and siblings. My parents had two "home made" RVs before going to manufactured ones. I remember the home made ones more fondly that the later models. Really excited to see how your van will turn out.
From a guy that built his own custom RV, take my advice if you want to. Always go just a bit bigger than you think you'll ever need. Amp hours, freshwater, fuel tanks. All That Jazz :-) you always wind up having to go longer that you planned on on your reserves. cool build man!
I like how your're using the same latest equipment that I see on boats- what you're making is going to be a very advanced but compact "land yacht"! Keep up the great work!
Hej Cody Im 30 years old and love watching your videos. Hope you get snow soon, your videos you made last year December really good. Beautyfull place you live we don't get much winter here in Denmark so I'm dreaming I lived a place like you.
I really like what you’re doing with this vehicle build! I believe you are on the right track, and I’m excited with how you are proceeding with this project!
Great!! I’m getting in on the ground floor of seeing a fabulous camper build. I’m looking for a purpose led list of priorities and I know I can count on you and Mrs. W for that. Thank you both!
Great video Cody. I am an automotive technician up here in the frigid climates of Northern Maine and I haven't completely been sold on the Lithium Ion battery tech as of yet. I personally have had good luck with AGM type batteries which can be mounted in any position. I as a matter of fact will be setting my 79 F350 up with dual Optima batteries for starting due to the cold temps, going with the highest CCA rating I can get.
Cody may I suggest you spray In insulation I did it in my van and boy am I glad I did because it’s permanent and it also acts as a pretty good sound barrier
I've seen plenty of videos on van conversions...since this won't be long term camping an you aren't looking at cabinets, your best bet in my opinion will be netting. You can place them on the ceiling for clothes storage, even dirty clothes, extra tarps, miscellaneous items, you can have nets on the side panels to hold food or gloves or coats or whatever, flash lights, blah blah blah. Just something to think about. Checkout other youtube vids.
Yep a must. I drive semi and had the lines start leaking by the APU while driving. Turned the valves to bypass it and kept on driving instead of sitting on the side of the road waiting for hours on a repair truck.
For sure. When I saw the length of those heater hose (exposed) I cringed. For a build this nice I'd run pipe inside the frame rails like most factory rear heaters do. There might even be some available for this van if a rear heater core is an option. Just buy the pipes and modify them to stop at the Espar heater. Nice build.
You mentioned a lift in passing. If you do a decent amount of vehicle maintenance and repair work it's definitely worth taking a serious look at. They've become surprisingly affordable and if one has the shop space they're a worthwhile investment. When I put in a proper shop building two things are definitely on the list even if it requires some creative budgeting. One is a lift and the other is either a jib crane or gantry crane of some sort. Both are definitely something to think about as we age. I know crawling around under vehicles and lifting heavy objects weren't an issue when I was 20 but after age 40 the bill for all that abuse starts to come due.
we had a couple of wedge type buses that were used to transport people from hospital to hospital. They had long heater hoses that ran to a rear rad core which was used as a inside heater in the passenger compartment. We found that the rear heater core never warmed up enough to provide usable heat and further the lines rotted out where they were exposed to the road salt. I hope your system works better.
Yea My thoughts are similar. I'd be wrapping the pipe with insulation (like whats used in household hot water cylinders) and building a small insulated box around the heat exchanger. It'd keep it cleaner and direct the heat transfer to where it's needed in stead of the atmosphere. Any heat you can feel from the outside is wasted energy. My main thought was that Cody said the Van heater isn't enough as it is. However that may be related to how much heat the fan unit can draw from the front heat exchanger.
Wouldn't hurt to wrap some insulation over those hoses under the vehicle and the heat exchanger. Perhaps some protection from the occasional flying rock or such. Losing coolant on the road isn't fun.
Cody, I strongly suggest you have a way to isolate that set of hoses to the heat exchanger. That way, if you have any kind of failure in the Espar Rixen heating system, you can still prevent the engine coolant from all going on the ground.
How exciting to see how your new batteries! Top notch van in the making Cody and the wonderful adventures with your family and friends and multiple use type van. I am happy for you and your family🙏 I loved the ending with the path of trees with bulbs hanging brightly and the choice of music was edited very well 👍👍🎄🙏🏡
Wow Cody sounds like you really did your homework on this project. I seriously can't wait to see the rest of the videos in your van upgrade series. Another great video!
Have you thought of installing a drive over pit for oil changes and other tasks under the vehicles? Some concrete block for the walls and tie back cables to put the weight of the vehicle to holding the pit open would give you the space to stand under them for easier work. Ether ladder access for a simple build or steps/ramp for a more complex setup. Then again if you wanted to go really insane you can go with steel I beams bridged between concrete footings so no weight is on the walls of the pit. Boards to bridge the gap would let you set tools or drain pans on so you can keep the normal drain pans rather then the ones made for use under a lift.
when you were talking insulation and weight savings I personally vouch for a product called lizard skin it is available both for sound and heat and is spray on much like bedliner using a gun supplied in a kit/system I used this on a 67 Chevy panel a customer had us build it was easy to use and provided 40f difference from inside to out. thoroughly enjoy these mods and kiss principles.
Regarding your hoses and the use of the rubber coated clamps; in aviation we use a very similar clamp called an ADEL clamp. When we run two bundles or hoses together such as you have here we turn the bolt holes of the clamps toward one another so we can use the same mounting stud for both clamps. In your particular scenario we would turn the flat side down and the curved side up then use a spacer cut from thick walled aluminum tubing and a longer stud 2 provide space between the body and the hoses so as to float or suspend the installation.
Love what you are doing with your van. I think protecting the underneath should be a priority. A leak in a hose could drain your coolant and overheat your engine. I propose a channel inside the cabin for the hoses, one for protection and two only an additional heater core would be required for rear heating. Your fancy heating system will have an increase in efficiency when protected and removing the heat recovery from the engine. School buses have an additional heater core in the rear and a blower. Btw that battery under the seat will last on an hour at max load for your inverter and the cutoff voltage may be too low and ruin your lithium battery. This is extremely important as it could pose a danger for your family.
I’d suggest those long lines be insulated, it’s the best chance at making that rear heater effective. When driving on the highway under extreme cold weather, uninsulated, it will lower their heat delivery capacity when it’s needed most. Also I suggest you keep a pre-made by-pass for the add-on heater lines in your emergency kit. Those long lines under the vehicle are susceptible to road debris/damage.
I would recommend adding shut off valves to be able too isolate the heat exchanger in the rear, hang one of them hoses and the adventure will come to a halt.
Gotta say Cody these van build vids are my favorite. I used too subscribe for the last 4 years, but recently unsubed a few months back. I still come by and check in though, looking for the van vids. Thanks
I have worked on small busses that have a similar rear heating setup as yours but they all have ball valves in the heater lines so you can shut off the flow to the rear in the summer. Having the coolant run all the way to the back in hotter temperatures means it takes longer for the coolant to make it to the radiator thus it cannot properly cool the engine. It’s just a recommendation.
The heat exchangers have stainless steel plates, the copper you see is used in the brazing. I work in a factory where similar products are made. Keep up the good work, love from Sweden
Nice setup! I would recommend you put a shroud or a sheet of metal around the exchanger and the S-bar Furnace to protect them. would suck to have a rock or something hit them and damage them.
Awesome setup, nice work!! Those new Ford Transit vans are excellent. Loved the closing music, too! You've probably already thought of this, and perhaps it will be in the next episode, but you might consider putting some kind of stainless or plastic shield around the plate chiller and pump underneath the vehicle to protect from road grime and salt. Also, if you do that, you can add some insulation which will multiply your efficiency! Best wishes, and Merry Christmas!
When I did my first Van build, I built it like an RV. Very heavy and as a result the van lost its ability to do work. Now I am on my second van build I am heading in your direction Mr W. Keep it simple . Dual use .
The van is coming along, I can imagine your getting used to driving a vehicle that gets more than 6 mpg lol, doubting you vision how come that fuel gauge needle hasn't moved. After you've done all your underbody install I would be spraying the underside of the van with fluid film get it well coated and rust resistant while she's still new. I've seen Sprinter vans rot out and they are only a few years old. The company I worked for had one it was rusting and it was only a year old. I would even consider using spray on bed liner under the van where its going to see abrasion from rocks on gravel roads.
Maybe one of your viewers could make a custom cover for that battery. I'd worry that a metal object, like the edge of a ski, or screwdriver, etc. could cross terminals and touch the metal frame. Mrs. W would PROBABLY still be insulated from the charge by the upholstery, but in the event of a worst-case scenario...
They are LiFePo4 batteries, not L-ion or Lithium Polymer. If punctured, they'll smoke a lot, ... some (mostly minimal) fire risk (keep an extinquisher around, just in case.) But they don't explode like the other two types of lithium batteries. And under the seat is pretty much the absolute safest place to store them. Maintains temperature with the cabin, is highly unlikely to become physically damaged, etc. (Not to mention, it keeps your wiring shorter than puting it under the hood, too.. (Less voltage loss.) And for not having a full battery management system, I do think that battery monitor will be an awesome and substantially less expensive solution for keeping an eye on your cells. Kudo's Cody!
Hello, mr Wranglestar! I'm probably being oversensitive, but it might be a good idea, to see if that 'battery health dongle' checks for undervoltage and overvoltage. It will probably take 2-3 minutes of reading the data sheet that could have been delivered with it, but it can protect You and Your family from at least a sad surprise. Good luck building Your Van and have fun with it!
Some jeeps have bummers that are sealed but hollow inside so you could fill it up with fresh water. Look it up on RU-vid it could be something you would like
Cody, i think you should put some kind of protective housing around that Espar. a plastic housing or something. It would extend the life of it, and protect it from rust and dirt and all that junk
It is almost impossible to prevent dirt/road grime on any item mounted underneath a vehicle. About the best you can do is is hope the item is well made and trying to keep it some what clean.
I agree with one thing that has been said... you need a better BMS to help maintain the battery... look around on here and you will find many around like the batrium system but that is more for ebikes or solar power walls... I do like that you went with the lithium iron cells. Oops there was another point brought up... no thermal insulation on the heat exchanger. And I want to say that you need to seal the metal when drilling the holes on the outside of the van.
You may want to consider some kind of shielding to prevent road debris from damaging your hoses. I had it happen to me on a motorcycle No good at all, but I learned that a radiator hose from a Honda Civic is almost a perfect match for some of their motorcycles.
Like the updates on van. As everyone has said, a protective covering for the bottom hoses would be good (I would probably put in a shut off on each line for the unexpected...will get you home). The battery location causes concern, but were are the other batteries on electric cars or hybrids kept etc.? Some old trucks had the batteries located under the driver or passenger.
I HIGHLY respect your knowledge and budget. If shtf, you stand a good chance. I, dont. My "adventure van" is die in-ready. I greatly appreciate your videos and have saved them in a playlist if ever im blessed enougb or in the budget to "do it right". Thank you for sharing.
I'd make 100% sure that the cooling system of your van isent computerized by the s bar I'd segest removing the most of the rubber line and replace it with stainless steel tubing (or steel if protected properly from rust) just is less likely to cause an issue of blowing out but I love the idea and might do a simpler system in my camper van
I would want metal tubing running under the van. I think there is to much exposure under the vehicle for rubber, it is bound to get damaged and leak especially when the temperatures get high and pressure builds up. For that matter maybe they should make a coil that connects to the exhaust pipe for heating water instead of taping into the coolant system. It would be an independent closed system with shorter length tubing, and it probably would need an expansion air tube and a pressure relief valve. If it ruptured it wouldn't disable the vehicle.
Just my thought on the battery, I wouldn't put it under the seat, if in a accident in one of the cells get punctured and you couldn't escape out of your seat the thing Burns incredible rate, would be looking in to some kind of insulator or a different location just my opinion would hate to see someone get hurt.
Bruce Fenner i said the same thing last video. I was hoping he would take the advice and built a firwall between the battery and seat. If that battery ever goes it wont be pretty at all. It will fill the van with smoke so thick you wont breathe at all. (In less than a second too) and then either explode or flash into a long lasting powerful flare that will destroy or melt everything near it. :(
It's looking so good!!! I can't wait to see another part of the series! You're making me want a van like this. BTW Cody, how did you get up there to hang all those Christmas decorations? :D it's so cool! Merry Christmas to you and your family, Cody! May our Lord bless you all and keep you away from any disasters this winter.
I was always under the understanding that lithium batteries could not be left in an environment where it goes too far below freezing for longer than about 48 hours or to be left where the temp goes above 100 degrees (maybe where you might travel to) without damage to the battery. That’s why they use acid batteries for vehicles!! (they can handle the temp extremes). If you leave the van parked in an unheated or cooled garage where you live then the temp in your van will exceed those temps. What are your thoughts on this??
You should attach a steal or any type of plate underneath the seat to protect the passenger sitting there Incase of an emergency Bc those batteries explode of punctured !!! I no these things I tune cars I’m apart of a car club !! Btw I love your channel I’ve been watching for years !! Long time subscriber
I'd put valves on those heater lines incase you spring a leak, wont lose all your coolant. also use proper awab worm drive clamps or wire tie your own with s/s wire.
you need to stone chip guard the underside of the van and dont forget to spray tons of it into areas you cannot get a tourch in. Seal the belly of the van and prevent as much rust as possible.
Very nice description of the whole water systems and how they work together while being separate ! Question : Would you please, please, please do a video on your 200amp aux. battery system, in depth and as thorough as you did this one w/ the water system ?? Include components w/ a complete description of each, routing of lines (from and to) and how to engage ? I've been interested in adding an aux. battery system in my truck for use w/ my telescope and camera equip. that actually gets charged by the alternator but separates power usage from the starter battery. Being able to start the truck w/ the aux. batt. seems a bonus as well. Thank you for your generous consideration, Sincerely ..........
