Baker Snoqualmie National Forest in a Chevy Brightdrop⚡️🚐✌️

Anyone else traveling with their dog making core memories on the road?

Hey everyone!

Currently converting our Peugeot Boxer L3H2 into a campervan and I've been looking into different electrical setups for quite a while now.

Originally I was planning on going with a full Victron setup, but after doing some research I came across the BLUETTI Elite 300 combined with the Charger 2.

And honestly, for our needs, this setup is more than enough. We're mainly going to use the van for camping trips, occasionally spending a day or two off-grid. Our electrical needs are pretty basic: a fridge, MaxxFans, LED lighting, water pumps, charging laptops and phones, etc.

The Elite 300 seems to tick pretty much every box, without having to spend a fortune on a full electrical system.

I've actually been in contact with BLUETTI, and they confirmed that the 12V/30A output can be connected to a permanent 12V fuse box, which is great!

**However, there's one thing I'm still trying to figure out: the 230V side of things.**

I'd really like to install permanent 230V outlets throughout the van that can run from either the Elite 300 or campsite shore power.

BLUETTI confirmed this is technically possible, but mentioned that the Elite 300 has a floating neutral, meaning the grounding and RCD protection need some extra attention. They also mentioned needing a double-pole transfer switch and proper neutral-to-earth bonding depending on the power source.

So my question is:

**Has anyone actually done something similar with a BLUETTI or another portable power station?**

How did you handle the grounding, RCD protection and switching between shore power and the power station?

Did you use an automatic transfer switch, or did you keep things simple with a manual one?

I'm based in Belgium, so ideally I'd like to keep everything compliant with European electrical safety standards as well.

I'm not looking to build some massive electrical system. The Elite 300 already offers everything we need, and I'd rather not spend thousands more just to get a few permanent 230V sockets working safely.

Would love to see how others have approached this, especially if you have pictures or wiring diagrams of your setup!

Thanks in advance!

fall colors are gone here, but very pretty in Bishop still!

Wild Willy's was very crowded, but the other hot springs in the area were vacant

[oc storiesbydalton]

I have a Ram Promaster. My existing drill bits have always worked on the sheet metal of the interior, but I'm having a heck of a time drilling through the undercarriage (the matte gray bumpy textured metal that covers a majority of the undercarriage). Is it worth buying some titanium drill bits or something?

I have a ram CV which is basically a Dodge caravan with beefed up suspension. I moved down to Florida last year for a while and I had that van already from a previous company I was running. It's small but for me by myself living in it wasn't too bad And had some perks. 1.) cheap and abundant there's millions of caravans and town and countries out there, including the c/v and they've had a long production run so parts are everywhere and cheap, So is gas 2.) The rear stow and go seats are built to flip down under the floor which if you remove them from the van gives you two gigantic compartments under the floor. I used the front one for three large batteries, inverter, DC to DC charger and some storage space. Also, there's some low profile solar panels on roof and carried a small quiet gas generator. (This gave me three forms of electricity for redundancy and worked amazing. Driving to and from work alternator charges, battery bank. At work The solar panels do their job and charge battery bank. And if the son decided not to shine for a few days (never happened) I still had power available from the generator.under floor in rear seat space I put a freshwater tank and a gray water tank and a 12 volt pump. Got a fancy kitchen sink faucet on clearance with the pull out sprayer and was able to use that for cooking, cleaning and showering. 3.) Comically stealthy- after covid pushed people to Van life, a lot of places started blocking people from parking overnight in camper vans in their parking lots. I never once had an issue with that and even pulled up to the gate. The Daytona international speedway campgrounds for the Rolex 24-hour race and when I pulled up to pay the guard thought I just was the cable guy or something and just waved me on through and I pulled in found a spot beside of camp spot that I could park out of the way and got to stay at the racetrack for free LOL. 4.) Big vans can be a pain to park and things like high wind blowing on the side are annoying not a problem in a caravan. 5.)Comfort And living space- since it was just me I removed the front seat as well as the rear seats and slid a futon with storage space under it for things that I didn't use very often and slid it all the way up to the glove box, had a refrigerator behind driver seat which due to three power options was able to run 24 hours a day. No problem. Put a swivel wall mount at the end of the futon on the wall. They could swing out and be right above my feet And then utilized the metal gate wall that came with the cargo van and relocated it where the futons feet were to make a separate area for the back 2 and 1/2 3 ft of the van where my A/c unit (portable rolling home unit with exhaust hose ran to a hole cut in the rear window panel) stayed along with a set of shelves for stovetop,tools,sink etc. all stayed secured and out the way.

I know this didn't answer your question but it sounded like you were still in the planning stages possibly and just thought that this info might give you a different perspective on your options.

Cost to build van (2200) batteries 200 FB marketplace, Ac 100 FB marketplace, solar 300 Amazon, inverter 200 Amazon, DC to DC 60 Amazon, generator 200 fridge 50 FB market, Futon free FB market. Fenced in 2 acres of land lake front 30 mins from Daytona beach (13 dollars a day) from hipcamp.com

Total spend 3410 roughly.

Time to design,source parts, and build 10 days while still working full-time and preparing my family and home for me to leave town.

Screaming Bitch I'm from Louisiana at the top of my lungs over the lake at 6am.......

(Priceless)

No, you didn't ask for his for your question. But yeah, thought it might be helpful if you hadn't already figured out your living situation. And if not, maybe helpful to someone else.

Extra advice - since I knew I was going to one place for an extended amount of time, I also added the following comforts-

projector and projector screen inside the van on the separation wall that I also would move outside of the van and then put the screen sheet off the side of the van for outdoor movies.

Bought a used rooftop plastic storage tote for the trip down. Loaded it with my clothes and I had a nice tent laying in the garage so I strapped it up tight. Beside the tote. Had a canopy, strapped it in front of the tote and strapped a kayak to the other side of the tote and made the Journey down a thousand miles.

When I got there I felt like I was living like a hobo King with my guest house (tent) That I kept food, my clothes, extra cooking supplies, etc. In. With my outdoor kitchen under the canopy and the canvas cover in my front porch. Then parked my poor man RV right out front and lived in it.

Hopefully somewhere in this post be fine. At least one thing that is useful to your planning and your adventure. I hope you have a blast. If you have any questions feel free to reach out

I'm thinking about doing van life for a bit. Van has solar and shore power, a bed, and that's pretty much it. It is mainly an empty canvas. I'm planning on truck stop showers and keeping a couple gallons of potable water, and filling a cooler until I get my mini fridge back from a friend.

How are people organizing clothes? I'm trying to keep as small a footprint as possible, and I'm mainly tshirts/shorts/jeans. I'm in Texas so the weather is pretty good to try it for a a week or two.

Recently sold one of my other cars and am in recovery (alcohol) so would like to take a little solo adventure as an experiment.

Have a picture of vanronica! Second pic is of the interior, desk and all that stuff isn't there but toolbox will remain. It's a 99 e350 extended with 340k miles on it from previous adventures.

So, totes? Cheap secondhand dresser, maybe a tall one that can fit behind wheel well? Amazon crappy canvas one? Gimme some ideas!

We have about 15k and want to buy a van and do a simple build.
*What should we look out for in terms of red flags when buying?
*How many miles is too many miles?
This van will be our full-time living space when we aren’t at work and eventually something we drive across the country.

I’ve just dropped a lot of cash on a VERY nice van. The last owner was an architect working in the caravan industry who built it the interior fitout by hand. The inside was already really nice and I’m adding some artwork to make it more ‘me’.

But I’m struggling with the dilemma of whether to decorate/personalise the exterior? I’d really love to do things like:
- paint/vinyl wrap with a fun colour,
- plaster the back with bumper stickers from my various travels and adventures
- possibly even instal some climbing holds to climb up to the roof (I’m a rock climber and I do need a way to access the roof to clean the solar panels every now and then)

My pros and cons list so far is:
- pro: I like the idea of having a fun van that mirrors my personality, acts as a visual representation of the adventures I’ve taken in it (through bumper stickers) and maybe brightens someone else’s day?
- pro: I need a way of easily accessing the roof to clean solar panels, why not make it fun?
- pro: less likely to be stolen because more instantly recognisable/stands out? Or would I make it more of a target by hinting that I’m a rock climber with potentially expensive climbing/camping gear inside?
- con: unnecessary cost - paint jobs and vinyl wraps are expensive
- con: no chance of stealth camping (but with clearly visible solar panels and an awning I don’t think that’s really an option for me anyway?? Or do people not really notice that??)
- con: resale value might decrease? Or would having it painted a fun colour be valuable? (I feel like I would pay more for a fun vinyl wrap but maybe I’m in the minority?)

Would love to get your thoughts. Did you decorate the outside of your van, and if so why? Do you regret decorating it? Would you pay more or less for a van with a fun exterior?

Last bit of context: this will just be for holidays and work trips (I’m an outdoor guide), I won’t be living in it full time.

Hi Y’all!

I’m thinking about getting a van and living in it, I want to be on the move up and down the California coast. I was thinking for meals and such I’d like to drop in and around spots and work a bit for some cash. Nothing much, pretty easy and free. I was wondering if anybody has thoughts about what I could do for stop and go work (manual labour) (working on ranches?) (restaurants?).

Suggestions would be nice 😊 kinda just wanna be a beach bum and surf and live free and easy 4 a while

So thinking about putting solar on my sprinter. I was wondering if anyone knows the various types of roof rack manufacturers? Specifically, I won't be able to climb up a ladder to clean the panels so besides using a long handle squeegee, was curious if any roof racks have been made that can tilt. Im thinking, a simple hinge system where when at camp, or needing to clean, you push up one side and the entire thing tilts to 45 degrees. That way it would be easy to clean from the ground, or you can more directly point the panels at the sun. Does something like that exists? Google hasnt shown me anything.

Hey Y’all!

Prospecting / looking at the idea of getting a minivan to get around the Pacific Northwest, maybe even doing a stint to Florida at some point. Anyways I was thinking a couple grand prob up to 5grand for a vehicle that is reliable and gets me where I need to go and that I can live in. Suggestions? 🚗

I am pretty handy, but not as a professional mechanic, so tires, fluids, oil and so forth, battery and alternators I could prob fix myself but if the motor or transmission has any trouble I wouldn’t really know what to do, then it goes to the nearest mechanic asap.

Feel free to suggest things I should think about before purchase such as vehicle models, age ranges, mileages, service records. ⚙️

I’m thinking something - 2000s - 2010 isch

Hey, we’re going to the Isle of Bute tomorrow to stay in Rothesay overnight. I’m quite familiar with the area but, never stayed in our camper before. I know there’s the road between Rothesay and Ardbegs’ okay to park up but are there any other recommendations? Thanks.

Hey everyone I’d just like to show my conversion that went from July’25 to July’26. I’ve done it all myself and have been living in it for the past 3 months with my wife and two cats. I know some things are not perfect but it’s my home now and handmade with love.

I’ve been trying to build a social media following with hopes to eventually earn money through social media/brand deals. I don’t really want to sell any products to my (current limited) viewers.

Any tips or tricks that I can use to hopefully earn an income from socials. I’m currently posting on TikTok and Instagram under the user @igotyournose96

If possible leave me a follow, like and comments if you’d like to help me reach my goal. Thank you for your time.

https://imgur.com/a/8t6Tych

Thanks in advance.

ETA: 3/4" #10

Hi all. Hope everyone is doing well. I’m going to open up a can of worms, but I’m just struggling. I’ve decided on a Ram. It checks all the boxes for me.

What is confusing me now? Which Ram. They have different names and numbers and confusing letters.

I want a new one. I don’t care about depreciation, this is going to be my home.

Can anyone offer some advice? Thanks!!!

Pulling a heavy plastic tote toward the rear hatch snagged the fuzzy cloth on the folded seat back and tore a two-inch strip of loop pile. The back of the rear seats in my Sienna gets loaded with camp tubs and gear every weekend, and the factory upholstery is already thinning out. I keep looking at seat back protectors, and someone in a camp group suggested a protector that covers the seat backs individually without blocking the folding mechanism. My hold up is whether adhesive hook-and-loop strips actually survive ninety-degree cabin heat without sliding into a sticky smear on the plastic trim. Replacing the seat fabric later sounds a lot worse than finding a clean way to cover it now.

The boxy shape caught my eye, but a photo doesn’t tell us much about its condition—or how much work it would take to make it roadworthy.

For those who’ve converted older vans, what would you check before putting money into the interior? What issues would make you walk away, even if the van itself was cheap?

Curious whether you’d take on something like this or start with a newer van.

Has anyone decided to just sell it all, stop doing van life and move to another country? I'm still finishing up my build and I'm already thinking about it, as it might be just easier, 😂😂😂. Probably not, and it's probably just all the fake YouTubers keep watching making it seem so grand!

I'm planning a trip, I've been saving money & have a CD maturing at beginning of March & I am buying either an RV or a van. This is where you guys come in. I need help deciding.

First, I've done this before though its been about 20 years. I spent a month on the road by myself in a 74 Dodge Tradesman conversion van. I loved it and have wanted to do it again since then but life has gotten in the way. Now I'm ready.

I am starting in Seattle. I have a whole trip planned from here to Maine and back down, ending in western VA where I have some family (with many meandering stops along the way) that includes stops from Yellowstone to upper peninsula of MI to Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland & Rochester. I'm going for peace of mind, but also scouting places I may want to get a job & stay in. So there are a lot of details to keep in mind when choosing a vehicle.

I've been looking at 24' RVs (no slide outs) because of convenience and space, however I know they don't usually come with solar set up (which is a non-negotiable for me) and way worse MPGs. On the other hand, I've been looking at conversion vans, which I love for stealthiness in the cities, better MPG and overall just coziness (plus often already set up with solar). I also notice these vans that are commonly used have a lot of mechanical problems, which scares the shit out of me.

After getting to VA, I could stay a while, settle down somewhere or continue on my travels. I am not sure yet.

With all this in mind, what would you guys buy & why? Also, if it matters, I'm a middle aged woman thats not scared at all. I don't have endless funds but I have enough to get me around & some skills that could help me make money along the way if needed.

I have everything except advice, or anyone to really ask. I want to be smart about this. If you have any questions for me, please ask. And I'm welcoming advice and opinions (if relevant).

Thanks!

Forgot to mention, I have a budget I'd like to stay under. The very most i want to spend on a vehicle is 40k.