This is absolute gold and seriously should be the top search result for "vanlife regrets". Thank you for taking the painstaking amount of time needed to compile and index all this stuff. Priceless information. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I think if you're going for a larger sink, it may be worth finding a cutting board that goes on top of the sink so you can still use that space even when you're not using the sink.
I wasn't sure whether to say anything, but I immediately thought "This is the perfect van life video for someone with autism," especially because all of the "I can't relate-s" follow the pattern of "I don't have a problem with that; I have a system!"
My sloppy notes on this video; I included the vast majority of things raised. Thank for this absolute gold Tim! Easy outlet access, Keep electrical cabinet cool, Don't get inverter bigger than you need, Always go 12v, never 24v, Many want a battery isolator (of good quality) (battery combiner), don't go with dc/dc charge controller, Don't get a battery that's too small, get lithium, Induction cook hob good if have big enough electrical system.. Shore power a regret, never used, - but you need enough solar or other Plan electrical first, not at end Not enough solar - 200w too small, He was adamant that you don't buy solar panels online or ones specially built for vans, ripoff, regular are fine, do not go with flexible solar panels, Make sure you have enough light in the kitchen! Put a light switch by the entrance and by the bed, Definitely have running water, hot water heater advisable (bosch), Make sure plumbing connections accessible - will come loose with van moving about. Use good quality thread seal tape for plumbing, Make sure water tank big enough - at least 170 ltrs Consider an undermount grey water tank, Some people regret shower because of space (but I want private area, esp in no toilet room, ..) - investigate Ovens take up too much space, Make sure dual burner can fit two pans, Make sure to seal your kitchen countertop (to stop water getting in), Make sure counter top not too low, and made with hard wood, Many people regret a small sink, (14" x18" he recommends as perfect size), dont get round sink, Don't have sink right next to bed - splashes, Make sure have a decent sized fridge (doesn't apply so much for me) (he recommends $110 - Whirlpool cu WH32S1E american) ("Don't be fooled by "vanlife" fridges) People who got fans wish they got the Maxx Air fan, - usb fans could be a decent alternative (he has them) Get a diesel heater (2KW) and duct properly, Do insulation first, no fibreglass, consider insulating cockpit area, Mount shit down in case of accident, Bright colour on wall (as dark makes it look small) but not white as difficult to keep clean, Cedar tongue and groove wood cracks too easily, Vinyl flooring not durable enough one person says, Make sure to not raise the floor too much with insulation, but insulate well, He recommend spending a little extra money on materials to get more quality, Do not cut holes before knowing layout.... duh?! Don't make entry way too narrow, make sure inside isle not too narrow, Want a dedicated work area, Weight distribution - batteries & water & fuel tank heavy, Have enough counterspace, For cabinets - 3/4 inch wood overkill, too heavy, half inch ok. Cabinet planning.. Go with drawers not cupboards, and put on drawer slides, add toe kick. Leave space between bottom of press doors and ground. Have latches on cabinets/doors, Don't hang up clothes, fold them instead, shoe storage, 6 inch mattress good. Use memory foam, make sure bed big enough (possibly lengthwise) Make sure you can sit up in the bed. (don't put it too high). Signal booster, waste of time Make sure roof high enough,
My promaster has OEM swivel seats, and the salesman claimed it's lower than after market swivel seats. I am 5'10" with no problem, but it's close, at least, with the overhead OEM storage that I love. Awesome video!!
I insisted on the high roof, even though the medium was SO close. I measured a parking garage that claimed 8'3" clearance. They were correct... until you get to a speed bump... and there's no way out... but forward, through the garage. 😅 Now, I get nervous at not very close calls, approaching overhead. Hahaha😂 I still like the high roof. No ragrets""
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this already but in my research I think newer vehicles have something called a variable voltage alternator on their start battery. Any vehicle that has this is not compatible with a battery isolator which is where a DC-DC charger comes in. Also this video is incredibly useful as I start my van conversion and iron out all of the details.
The DC to DC charge controller limits the amount of amperage your battery charges at. Which is good for people who have a stock alternator that may struggle with a beefy electrical load. Limiting this will help the engine idle rpm resulting in less engine wear. 💪
I actually ended up purchasing a DC to DC charger as I upgraded to lithium this year. The lithium batteries won't self limit the incoming power like the lead-acid batteries. So it would effectively be short circuiting the alternator. Seems the consensus is to limit the charging amperage to around 1/3 of the alternators rated output to keep the alternator from heating up excessively. Just a bummer the DC to DC chargers are still so expensive! Thanks for the comment :)
Using DC to DC with lithium as my sprinter has the smart alternator which steps down the output when the starter battery is happy; the DC to DC maintains a higher draw for as long as needed to charge the house battery. The Renogy I use has an MPPT built in, so if there is enough solar it will split the draw between that and the alternator, and will also use solar to charge the starter battery if it has been parked up a while
Brilliant video that should be required viewing before any van build. Thank you for the hours you spent on this! The editing was superb too with just the right amount of humor.
I think a lot of people would just watch a few hours of videos and claim they'd watched 100's. Then they'd attempt to make generalized statements about what others had said. I appreciate your integrity; this is so useful to me to have all this info in one place and from a trustworthy source. Thanks!!
Honestly, I've been researching my van for 5 years now (waiting to graduate) and this video gave me almost everything I've learned so far. Thank you so much!!!!
I regret not doing it during college (I'm in my last semester and haven't started yet). I didn't like renting near campus, and right now I absolutely don't like commuting. I've seen at least one person on campus living in a van and didn't even try being stealthy about it.
Wow, 2 years later and this vid is as valuable now as when it was posted. Gave me safety tips I hadn't thought of and helped sort out some of my own priorities.
Wow, you put in the work for this video! I will say we avoided a lot of those van build regrets by owning a RV and using it extensively before we did the build. I simply can't imagine going from zero RV experience to a successful build out.
Great video! Thanks for sharing. 9+ hours well spent. On our third van build, no regrets. But then at 70+ if we had a regret it's that we didn't start 50 years ago. Have a good one.
After listening to all the regrets, I appreciate my van build. I don’t have running water but do have a good size sink. For 3 years I have been drying my coffee grounds and use those to sprinkle on dirty dishes, pots etc. spray with water/vinegar and wipe into compost bin with paper towel. It’s very effective, leaves no smell and no detergent necessary. Great alternative for me.
Lithium will pull full amps (200 to 600) if connected to the alternator with a combiner. Your alternator is not rated for that kind of duty cycle and will fry it. Which is why a DC-DC charger is necessary to limit the current draw.
That makes total sense then. Still have a bit to learn about lithium. Probably another year or two left on the AGM bank for now. Appreciate the insight 🙏
@@VanwithTim the reason I went with a renegy DC to DC charge controller, is that not only do they regulate the input to the lithium battery, but in certain models they not only combine the DC to DC charger but also the mppt solar can charger all in one box. I thought they were really cost-effective and also took up a minimal amount of space in my tiny build.
And when Tim upgrades to LiFePo4 batteries he'll need to swap the battery combiner for a DC-DC charger, as I understand it, to get lithium-friendly voltages.
older vehicle alternators run around 14.0v max, so with agm house batteries you hardly ever make it to 100% state of charge, which will hurt your capacity and ultimately make your batteries fail somewhat early. it can work well enough in most applications. power system design has some gray areas. oh, and some new vehicles have variable output alternators to save energy, so may be far from 14.4v (+/-). also, your alternator will never drop back to a float voltage when the house batteries do reach full charge. the dc-dc charger is often programmable for many chemistries, so it's easy to change out battery types if your needs change. for a low initial cost SLA system the combiner is fine 👌
Three months in a factory RV showed me what I didn’t need. Massive downsize has been great. All cooking under the rear door tent at the back of the the van for heat. Solar panel is on a cord separate from van because we usually park under trees. Solar on the roof is for desert life. My main struggle with the smaller van is moisture condensation from breathing at night: especially during rainy weather spells. Three wet days in a row and solar power is dead and things are getting too damp. Diesel heating is great because all exhaust and air intakes are external but still battery dependant and don't have the psycological appeal of a fire. My ideal would be a rocket stove style incinerator drawing air from under the van that had radiated heat in the van. Like a kelly kettle with a chimney and air intake ducting. Looking at how the tent stoves do their chimneys and adapting that to the rear under door tent.
I already watched this entire video, and now I'll share it in some groups. I love the switch for the van blower fan, best, as I recall. There's even a wiring diagram. I love the cheap HVAC I love that I thought of (or found) almost everything here. So, it was very reaffirming. We've got chapters, to make it easy. =) Terrific video
Thank you for being real about the fridge/freezer. I see so many vans with dometic fridges that they then hide & need to Tetris their way into it or don’t have a freezer. The dorm sized fridge like you have is the better option.
This is like an old video by this point but yeah, chapters are the best feature youtube has ever added to the platform, and I always appreciate people that actually utilize them a ton!
This is exactly the video I have been searching for, I want to convert an EV van and need to go full Zeppelin weight save mode on the furniture. I'm both PAD and CAD experienced and have access to a woodwork shop and a laser cutter if needed. I can't wait to absorb your years of experience and apply them to my build. Thanks.
I gotta say, the beginning of your video threw me off but I'm glad I jumped into the comment section, like you suggested, which then had me continue watching and I went through until the end. Thank you for taking all this time to research those clickbait videos and leasting it so neatly. The video, apart from the beginning, was quick and efficient, not dragged out at all, I liked it. Cheers mate, all the best!
I have to disagree about indoor showers. If it's taking up too much space, then the design is wrong. Our shower is in our hallway (including shower pan recessed in the floor) with a curtain that pulls around (no, it doesn't stick to you) and we use it all the time! Easy, convenient, and roomy. I would hate not having it.
That was very helpful because I am planning a van or box truck build. Now if I can find a video like this about all they put in their van they really like and work well. Another one is how to calculate how much energy you will need.
I'm glad the video helped! For electricity needs it depends heavily on what electronics you plan to run. The highest draws are electric hot water, electric cooktops, or air conditioning. Electric heat should be fully avoided. Some van builds run a single 300 watt solar panel and a 100 amp hour battery without issue. Others run 1,000w solar and monster 500 amp hour battery banks.
Thank you! I'm upgrading my nomad 5x8 enclosed trailer. This was a great reminder of what NOT to do, and correct a few ideas that would not have worked out later. I feel like I'm jumping over upgrades with your video!
This is such great information. I wish it was around 5 years ago when I built mine. My biggest regret is buying stuff then not using it for one reason or another. I have a huge pile in the garage. Mostly stuff im afraid to install by myself like stepsides.
Thanks for taking the time to put all this together, we are about to start a very basic build (not living in it full time) so we can just get out and do some camping with our dogs so we still have to put together some basics and it helps to know what to think about when starting the planning stages. Bought a 1985 Dodge B250 campervan with partial raised fiberglass roof (still have to bend down but not as low as no topper) stripped out the 35 year old camping set up that was inside and then took it to the mechanic to get it fixed up before we build anything out. There is a bit more tear down left to finish (carpet, old ceiling panels, door panels etc) then we start adding sound deadening strips, insulation, flooring, then redo all wiring in main part of van, reusing old wires that still look good. Then we can start putting wall/ceiling paneling and rest of build out. I am planning a bathroom in the back door area, since there is already a small 18" x30"pan installed right in the center back floor area that drops down about 6" lets you stand up fully just in the pan, turning that into a shower pan by making it water tight and adding a drain, and place to put your feet when on toilet. That will make the back end of the van the wet end, sink/toilet will be back there as well, reusing the sink that came with the van. Then in the middle will be a small area for storage, and there are already 2 bunks over the wheel wells that we are reusing as the bed support that can be converted into seating if we need to, and a big open space where the side doors are, and used to be back seat passenger area we will turn into the basic kitchen/living room. Luckily it already has swivel seats so we don't have to add those. There is one of those tiny round 6" fans installed now in the very center over the bed area that was leaking so we plan to just cut the hole for a hike crew 11" fan with led lights where the round fan is now since it's already there and needs to go. Still a ton of work to do, and summer is here so I imagine it will take a while to complete each stage, maybe by the end of the year we will have it ready to go if we are lucky. I really appreciate all the build vids you guys and others are posting so I can fine tune my build before I get in the middle of it. Thanks!! :)
Thanks for the comment! Sounds like a great starting platform, and I'm fully jealous of the raised roof and that little drop down basin! I would definitely do as your planning and make it into a little shower area. For reference, our outdoor shower uses around 7 gallons for two adults to (quickly) shower. More if we're washing our hair of course! I can be a little slow to reply but feel free to reach out any time with questions! vanwithtim@gmail.com -Tim
Starting my build in 3 months, and I was fortunate to have stumbled on this video. Very vital information to consider during my planning phase. I'm definitely interested in seeing more if your content, and this van in action. Cheers!
This video needs to go to the top of anyone’s list that is building a cargo trailer or a van for off grid purposes. Awesome freaking work buddy. By the way I have a two burner Duxtop top that I love. I spoke too soon, this is an amazing video.!!! What the hell, did you do? This is like the ultimate list??? Thank you so very very much!! This is fucking brilliant. Review of video, priceless. You did a fantastic freaking job. You have both, validated, and, debunked a lot of different things that I have come across. Excellent research. I highly recommend this video.
regarding Reverse Osmosis - you can have the RO return go back to the fresh water tank. That water is still great for washing hands/dishses/fido while the RO clean water is AMAZING for drinking/cooking/toothbrushing/etc.
Holy cow so much value in this video thank you! Building out my camper, not a van, and these are still helpful to think about since I don’t have years experience living out of my vehicle yet 😊
The ISOTemp water heater thing..Motoraid was the old 70's name..yes they used that in the 70's! It's nothing new or fancy..my 83 Bluebird Wanderlodge (In my pic
Thank you, in planning stages now and I am honestly overwhelmed by the decisions that have to be made before you start your build. I have a mini-van and a 2k budget, no room for mistakes!
That was awesome! I've been in my current van for two years. I know when I redo it soon, what I should and shouldn't implement. It's worked, but a lot of not ideal design.
I’ve been keeping a list of the minor annoyances and slowing taking care of the somewhat easy ones. Digging your minivan build! Did you end up doing a water tank in there? I know space is a huge premium.
Very interesting! I personally loved my chest fridge, definitely getting it on the new build, but to each their own. The nice part is that the whole space is usable, you minimize sound coming out of it from things bouncing around (and you minimize things bouncing around). Definitely a personal preference though. I'd definitely recommend installing shore power though, it really isn't that much of a hassle and its a good backup even if I've only used it... three times?
Great video with a unique look over the issue with good crowdsourced info! Glad to keep seeing high-quality work from you. Its a testament to the work you put into your own van! Keep it up and good luck!
For people with sliding drawers they sell sliding tape and it works amazing! I have it on all of our drawers in our kitchen and we have to be careful we don't pull them too fast now or they fly out.
Thanks for the effort in watching all that stuff so we don't have to. I have an old campervan that was converted professionally the swivel seats too high!
Hate commenting; but this video is incredible! Legit the #1 most helpful source of information I've found. Time stamps have been very helpful to refer back to on rewatches.....have played this video a few times during my research and design process and now that I'm close to building. Thank you to everyone that experienced a regret I get to (try to) avoid haha
Lived full time in the city (and traveled) in my manufactured campervan. Biggest regrets were not having a dinette or anywhere to sit and eat or compute or have people over for game night on a rainy camping trip etc. I had a couch that converted into a bed, but I always left it in bed mode. Literally never used my shower or bathroom sink, both became storage. Wished I would've converted to a composting toilet and interior water and grey tank. Draining your tank in freezing temps sucks when you're still living in it in Winter and need water. I used my propane water heater twice. Took too long to heat up, waste of time. I used an Aquabot with spray attachment, heated up water on stove, did my dishes that way. Simple, saved water, and I didn't have to do maintenance or change anode rod. Wished it had been insulated. So many regrets!! And still I managed for 4 yrs. Saved on rent, had so many adventures and made so many friends in the van community. Worth it. But listen to Tim here! This was such a great idea for a video.
This was really helpful! I'm planning my build while I look for a deal on a 2020 AWD Ford Transit medium or high roof. I'm going to have the wet cabinet on the passenger side by the door with a sprayer on a 10 foot long hose. I already figured that I didn't want a built in shower for as small amount of time it gets used it takes up far too much room. Instead I'm going with a 32" diameter collapsible dog pool, a coupe of shower curtains that hang from the ceiling temporarily and the sink sprayer, emptying out the pool when we're done with our "navy showers". Since the sink is by the side door the same sprayer will also be the outside shower. I'll build a bucket toilet with urine diverter, jug and 12V vent fan to the outside, I'm going with four 7 gallon jugs for water with another "grey" jug under the sink...no under-mount tanks at all. My goal is to make everything super easy to build, use and maintain, avoiding problematic items like awnings completely. I'm planning on using a 12V system and using as much as I can with 12V DC. I'm considering AGM batteries as I'm concerned with Li batteries in the winter time when we're not using the van but I'll have to look into it a little more. I'm looking at my heater options along with water heating and I'm considering trying it without AC to start with as by night time in my state it's usually in the 60's/low 70's for all of about 2 weeks in the summer time. I don't plan on ever staying at a campground so I may forgo the exterior plug as well but it might be handy at local/county/state parks by the shelters which often have electrical outlets. From what I can tell the alternator should be able to keep us charged up with how we'll use the van. I really like to cook but I'm going to keep it simple with a couple of butane or maybe alcohol burners as I've also been concerned with the spacing on dual burner units. I initially wanted an oven but I don't want to go with propane or have the electrical load of a microwave or toaster oven and I've found that you can bake a lot of things in a covered pan on a burner, everything from biscuits to brownies/cakes/cookies and even pizza. Induction burners look good but I want to offload the cooking from the batteries and I'm concerned with the effects of vibration and the durability of the induction coil generators long term...I've heard some things. I like the chest type 12V Danfoss compressor fridge/freezer units but not the price so I like your idea of using a cheap dorm fridge/freezer. I want to keep everything light, open and simple. Other than food, clothes etc the only things we're taking along are a few fishing rods, a couple of folding chairs/table and a toolbox or two. We're going to use ours differently from most RV owners...week long fishing trips throughout our home state, fun day trips to parks and destinations and to take into the city for appointments, shopping and visiting with family so we can take our great home cooking with us as well as the other amenities.
Just found this, but wanted to say thanks. The work is seen and appreciated! If I could have only watched one video for research I would say its this one, bar none. The insight gained from all these unique user's situations really drives home (pun intended) that old quote "I learned X amount of ways NOT to make a lightbulb". Made me rethink a lot and then plan out more I hadn't even considered yet
No, 1) having an emergency pee bottle or toilet in the van is super important for emergencies. The Walmarts and most restaurants are closed after 9 pm, McDonald’s bathrooms are as disgusting as gas stations so you have to drive around to find something that is open. 2) don’t make your countertop for cooking as high as it can go in a van especially one like yours because you need the sufficient space between the fire, the cooktop, and the pot your cooking in terms of heat drying the wood above it over time and humidity for growth of mold in between your ceiling slats when boiling water. You really need to measure all that out properly and vent properly. Good video rolled into one!
Awesome video, including the chapters, for when I can hopefully find this video to revisit. I'm especially interested in your ac. I saw you have videos that I need to find. I'm of exactly the same mindset: max out solar on the roof real estate, cut no holes, stay under the radar, and under obstacles. I've got to see how you did the air conditioning and the grey water. Was your regret about the cabinet that water was next to electrical? If so, I've always wondered why buildings are the same way. So many great ideas. I also have homework with battery combiner and isolator. THANK YOU!
Cabinetry, I converted a Suzuki Every Wagon mini Van and used Aluminum L framing rivited together and then paneled it with 1/4", it works good and light weight. The counter top is 1/2 with waterproof vinyl covering caulked.
Just discovered your channel - great video! Really appreciate the time you took to put this one together. I already knew about many of these things, but some really make me think more about how to configure my van. I especially liked the idea of using a standard 115VAC fridge and small AC unit as you have and letting the inverter run all the time (and simply take the hit on parasitic draw). Not a bad tradeoff at all when you think about it. Thanks again for the comprehensive and very thought-provoking video. Definitely subbed now!
After watching many VanLife videos, I’m sure of one thing: Most people want the van to be a studio apartment and forget that it is a vehicle. The NookVan design is very good. I’m thinking that marine-grade canvas, vinyl, and aluminum are the best materials.
Excellent video for someone trying to design a build. I have a truck camper but thinking about converting a cargo trailer. I love having a toilet and shower. It all depends where the camping is happening. Camping with a group in the desert with no trees around, a toilet is nice.
Great video. We have a Chevy Suburban camper, so a lot of it doesn't apply (no room for anything fancy or bigger than hobbit-sized). We have the pop latches on cabinets. They are tricky to install just right, but once you get them in, they are great.
I have the butane cooktop and yes you will be changing the butane canister a lot. About every other day when cooking for two. That said, we accidentally ordered a huge box of them and didn't realize it because the cost was so low. We're set for a long time.
Great video, I am currently building a brand new Ford Transit High Roof and was not going to put a heater in it. Now I am going to at least run the wiring for it because sounds like I will change my mind.
