Hello Everybody,
First post.
I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change.
Here it is.
Bought it Wednesday.
Drove it home today.
1999 Ford E-250, 6 cylinder, 125K miles.
Was a home builders work van. Some slight surface rust.
Cargo doors a bit dinged up.
I'm planning on doing a full conversion. Most of the work I'll do myself but some will be beyond my abilities. I'm giving myself a deadline of no later than spring. Van won't fit into my small garage so that will affect how/when I can work on it.
I've been reading this and other conversion forums for a few weeks. It's been a huge help so far. Learned quite a lot already but there's still a lot I don't know. Counting on the pros who frequent this forum for some advice.
Advice like: The previous owner drilled some 3/4 inch holes in the floor for bolted down shelving. Whats the best way to cover these holes from underneath? Should I treat the metal edges of the holes before I start?
Thanks for your time, now and in the future.
WVvan
P.S. I'm thinking of call it "HAL the Van".
Why HAL? Well since my name is Dave....
Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
First post.
I camp a lot in tents but after spending three days straight in a tent in the rain at Dolly Sods I swore I'd make a change.
Here it is.
Bought it Wednesday.
Drove it home today.
1999 Ford E-250, 6 cylinder, 125K miles.
Was a home builders work van. Some slight surface rust.
Cargo doors a bit dinged up.
I'm planning on doing a full conversion. Most of the work I'll do myself but some will be beyond my abilities. I'm giving myself a deadline of no later than spring. Van won't fit into my small garage so that will affect how/when I can work on it.
I've been reading this and other conversion forums for a few weeks. It's been a huge help so far. Learned quite a lot already but there's still a lot I don't know. Counting on the pros who frequent this forum for some advice.
Advice like: The previous owner drilled some 3/4 inch holes in the floor for bolted down shelving. Whats the best way to cover these holes from underneath? Should I treat the metal edges of the holes before I start?
Thanks for your time, now and in the future.
WVvan
P.S. I'm thinking of call it "HAL the Van".
Why HAL? Well since my name is Dave....
Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
Upgrading the Blower Motor Controls - Post #2
This is the potentiometer (pot) on the Maxx Tronic circuit board. The pot controls the motor speed. After opening up the dash I see that I won't be able to mount the circuit board directly behind the CCC. I'll remove the pot from the circuit board and solder on wires between the pot and the board. This allows the pot to be mounted away from the circuit board.
Here is the power connections on the circuit board. They are labeled "G", "-M", "+M" and "+12V".
I haven't tested the control module yet so after desoldering the pot and rewiring it I temporarily wired up the motor controller to the blower motor.
Here's the plug for the blower motor. The PWM controller board worked fine.
With the exposed electrical connections on the motor controller circuit board I can't mount it directly inside the dash. Have to first make an insulating plastic case. Build it out of scrap acrylic pieces.
There are two large heat sinks on the circuit board so I added a small fan that will draw air through the case to aid with the cooling.
Next add a small latching relay. This relay serves the same purpose as the ones I used in the radio circuit previously posted about. It allows the fan circuit to be switched with a momentary switch.
Vent holes to help with cooling.
Added a relay so the full fan amperage doesn't go through the selector switch. The switch will just power the relay.
The completed unit.
Now that it's been built I know how much space is needed inside the dash. Look around for a place to mount it.
This fits the bill. It's the metal "shelf" that sits above the engine and is directly forward of the dog house. I've already used a spray cleaner on the shelf. It wasn't near this clean to begin with.
Test fit.
Want to mount the control module in it's plastic case so that it's held securely in place but still be able to remove it if it needs servicing. So decided to make a mounting plate from a piece of the Webasto fuel pump shield. This piece was leftover after I shortened the shield to fit the new greywater tank. Using a vise and pliers to bend it into the shape I want.
Use VHB tape to mount the plate to the shelf. VHB is a acrylic foam tape made by 3M that claims to be strong enough to act as as alternative to screws. So consider this to be a semi-permanent installation.
Use cable ties to secure the plastic case to the mounting plate. I can snug up the plastic ties pretty tight so the case doesn't move and if I ever need to remove it just cut the ties.
continued -
This is the potentiometer (pot) on the Maxx Tronic circuit board. The pot controls the motor speed. After opening up the dash I see that I won't be able to mount the circuit board directly behind the CCC. I'll remove the pot from the circuit board and solder on wires between the pot and the board. This allows the pot to be mounted away from the circuit board.
Here is the power connections on the circuit board. They are labeled "G", "-M", "+M" and "+12V".
I haven't tested the control module yet so after desoldering the pot and rewiring it I temporarily wired up the motor controller to the blower motor.
Here's the plug for the blower motor. The PWM controller board worked fine.
With the exposed electrical connections on the motor controller circuit board I can't mount it directly inside the dash. Have to first make an insulating plastic case. Build it out of scrap acrylic pieces.
There are two large heat sinks on the circuit board so I added a small fan that will draw air through the case to aid with the cooling.
Next add a small latching relay. This relay serves the same purpose as the ones I used in the radio circuit previously posted about. It allows the fan circuit to be switched with a momentary switch.
Vent holes to help with cooling.
Added a relay so the full fan amperage doesn't go through the selector switch. The switch will just power the relay.
The completed unit.
Now that it's been built I know how much space is needed inside the dash. Look around for a place to mount it.
This fits the bill. It's the metal "shelf" that sits above the engine and is directly forward of the dog house. I've already used a spray cleaner on the shelf. It wasn't near this clean to begin with.
Test fit.
Want to mount the control module in it's plastic case so that it's held securely in place but still be able to remove it if it needs servicing. So decided to make a mounting plate from a piece of the Webasto fuel pump shield. This piece was leftover after I shortened the shield to fit the new greywater tank. Using a vise and pliers to bend it into the shape I want.
Use VHB tape to mount the plate to the shelf. VHB is a acrylic foam tape made by 3M that claims to be strong enough to act as as alternative to screws. So consider this to be a semi-permanent installation.
Use cable ties to secure the plastic case to the mounting plate. I can snug up the plastic ties pretty tight so the case doesn't move and if I ever need to remove it just cut the ties.
continued -
Upgrading the Blower Motor Controls
Last year I did a write-up about HowTo Install New Blower Motor. At the time I noticed that my "Blower Motor Resistor" was in need of replacing. Here's the resistor.
A new resistor was around $25. Instead of replacing the resistor I started doing some research with an idea in mind. Start with a schematic of the A/C-Heater system electrical.
I read that the Blower Motor Resistor is part of the speed control for the blower motor. The Front Blower Switch has four positions. Hi, Med Hi, Med Lo and Lo. The way it works is that when the Blower Switch is in any of the lower three settings, resistors are added to the electrical circuit that powers the blower motor. The resistors convert some of the power flowing through the circuit into heat which in turn means there is less power to make the blower motor rotate so it spins slower.
When the switch is in the "Hi" selection the resistors are bypassed and all the power goes directly to the motor so it spins faster than the other selections. Conversely when the switch is in the "Lo" position then all of the resistors are included in the circuit so the motor now turns the slowest. I'm sure there's a more technically correct way to describe this but hopefully my version is clear enough. It's not like there will be a quiz later, thank goodness.
While this system has it's advantages there is one big disadvantage I can think of. Since the resistors are converting the electricity into heat they must be cooled. This is done by placing the resistors just downstream from the blower fan in the air ducting. This way whenever the resistors are being used they are also being cooled by the fan. But what about when you're using the Air Conditioning? That means you might be burning gas to produce electricity that's being converted into heat inside the ventilation system which is just that much more work the air conditioning compressor has to do remove that heat and again you're burning gas to produce that extra work.
Didn't know this before and if this was a regular van I would have just replaced the Blower Motor Resistor and from now on only run the fan on "Hi" when the A/C is on. But since this is Hal The Van I started looking around for ideas and got one from Erik at BadgerTrek. Erik wrote the he had replaced the stock blower motor control with a Maxx Tronic 30 Amp PWM DC motor controller. PWM stands for Pulse Width Modulation and it's a more energy efficient way of controlling DC motor speed. With this unit in place of the original controller Erik is able to run the blower from the house batteries when camping. This gives him powered ventilation without having to cut a hole in the van for an extra fan.
I don't know how Erik wired his system up so from here on all the ideas, either good or bad, are mine. Here's the unit I bought. I just checked on-line and it looks like it has been replaced with different model. It cost about the same as a new Blower Motor Resistor.
I'll probably mount the Maxx Tronic board within the dash so need to open it up and look around. Here's how to open the dash. There are two screws above the instrument cluster and under the top edge of the dash. Remove these.
Use something thin and flat to pry forward the edge of the instrument cluster from in front of the center cluster.
Once it pops open, pull the right edge of the instrument cluster away from the dash.
Then reach in between the two instrument panels and pull the center panel forward till it starts popping out. Take you time so not to crack it.
Work your way around the center panel.
I also removed the dog house before I started.
Got it all pulled free.
Remove the wires from the back of the cigarette lighter and the power port.
That leaves the sub-panel with the heater and A/C controls. Don't know the the official name is so I'll just call it the Climate Control Console (CCC).
Use a 9/32 socket to remove the CCC.
Then use a 1/4 socket to remove the vent selector switch from the CCC. This switch has vacuum lines attached. Unplug the other three wire connectors from the back of the CCC.
continued -
Last year I did a write-up about HowTo Install New Blower Motor. At the time I noticed that my "Blower Motor Resistor" was in need of replacing. Here's the resistor.
A new resistor was around $25. Instead of replacing the resistor I started doing some research with an idea in mind. Start with a schematic of the A/C-Heater system electrical.
I read that the Blower Motor Resistor is part of the speed control for the blower motor. The Front Blower Switch has four positions. Hi, Med Hi, Med Lo and Lo. The way it works is that when the Blower Switch is in any of the lower three settings, resistors are added to the electrical circuit that powers the blower motor. The resistors convert some of the power flowing through the circuit into heat which in turn means there is less power to make the blower motor rotate so it spins slower.
When the switch is in the "Hi" selection the resistors are bypassed and all the power goes directly to the motor so it spins faster than the other selections. Conversely when the switch is in the "Lo" position then all of the resistors are included in the circuit so the motor now turns the slowest. I'm sure there's a more technically correct way to describe this but hopefully my version is clear enough. It's not like there will be a quiz later, thank goodness.
While this system has it's advantages there is one big disadvantage I can think of. Since the resistors are converting the electricity into heat they must be cooled. This is done by placing the resistors just downstream from the blower fan in the air ducting. This way whenever the resistors are being used they are also being cooled by the fan. But what about when you're using the Air Conditioning? That means you might be burning gas to produce electricity that's being converted into heat inside the ventilation system which is just that much more work the air conditioning compressor has to do remove that heat and again you're burning gas to produce that extra work.
Didn't know this before and if this was a regular van I would have just replaced the Blower Motor Resistor and from now on only run the fan on "Hi" when the A/C is on. But since this is Hal The Van I started looking around for ideas and got one from Erik at BadgerTrek. Erik wrote the he had replaced the stock blower motor control with a Maxx Tronic 30 Amp PWM DC motor controller. PWM stands for Pulse Width Modulation and it's a more energy efficient way of controlling DC motor speed. With this unit in place of the original controller Erik is able to run the blower from the house batteries when camping. This gives him powered ventilation without having to cut a hole in the van for an extra fan.
I don't know how Erik wired his system up so from here on all the ideas, either good or bad, are mine. Here's the unit I bought. I just checked on-line and it looks like it has been replaced with different model. It cost about the same as a new Blower Motor Resistor.
I'll probably mount the Maxx Tronic board within the dash so need to open it up and look around. Here's how to open the dash. There are two screws above the instrument cluster and under the top edge of the dash. Remove these.
Use something thin and flat to pry forward the edge of the instrument cluster from in front of the center cluster.
Once it pops open, pull the right edge of the instrument cluster away from the dash.
Then reach in between the two instrument panels and pull the center panel forward till it starts popping out. Take you time so not to crack it.
Work your way around the center panel.
I also removed the dog house before I started.
Got it all pulled free.
Remove the wires from the back of the cigarette lighter and the power port.
That leaves the sub-panel with the heater and A/C controls. Don't know the the official name is so I'll just call it the Climate Control Console (CCC).
Use a 9/32 socket to remove the CCC.
Then use a 1/4 socket to remove the vent selector switch from the CCC. This switch has vacuum lines attached. Unplug the other three wire connectors from the back of the CCC.
continued -
Some floor work.
I had originally replaced the front floor mat with blue diamond flooring. Over time I've found two problems with it. It's hard to keep clean and worse, slippery when wet.
So out with the old and in with the new. First pull up the blue diamond.
The EZ Cool insulation was installed two and a half years ago but has held up remarkably well. No need to replace it.
Use newspapers and masking tape to make a template.
Use the template to cut out the new front flooring. It's indoor-outdoor carpet I bought at Lowe's. The carpet comes off a six feet wide roll which is a perfect size for the front floor. It cost 62 cents a square foot so total cost was around $23.
It's been installed for a few weeks now and I've really taken a liking to it. To help it hold up I bought Husky Liners from JC Whitney for $79. When the package arrived I found it didn't come from JC Whitney but was drop shipped.
They are a molded style with high sides
I specifically bought this style since it's molded to fit this hump in the drivers side foot well.
At first I thought the high sides would be a problem but I'm getting used to them. Might still do a little trimming.
With the cargo area flooring in place and now a new carpet for the cockpit floor it's time to add a transition piece to cover the difference in floor levels.
Use cardboard to make a couple templates to find what looks to be the best fit.
Get out my sheet of 16 gauge steel.
Cut strip of steel 4 foot long by 2 inches wide.
Clamp the steel strip to the edge of my work table.
I can't add a 90 degree angle to a piece of 16 gauge steel this long but I can do a lesser angle. Use a welding clamp to work my way down the strip and start a bend. Keep going back and forth with the clamp.
Checking the angle as I'm bending.
Test fit. I made the strip wide enough so I could easily run wires under it.
Add a notch so it will clear the back right edge of the drivers seat. Then paint.
After a couple coats of paint screw it into place. The screws that hold it in place only go into the wood flooring. Not the metal layer below it.
That's it.
Lately I've had an audience while working on the van.
But not to worry since Tiger never takes his eyes off of them.
If they get too close he'll have to take them down. After all his name is "Tiger".
I had originally replaced the front floor mat with blue diamond flooring. Over time I've found two problems with it. It's hard to keep clean and worse, slippery when wet.
So out with the old and in with the new. First pull up the blue diamond.
The EZ Cool insulation was installed two and a half years ago but has held up remarkably well. No need to replace it.
Use newspapers and masking tape to make a template.
Use the template to cut out the new front flooring. It's indoor-outdoor carpet I bought at Lowe's. The carpet comes off a six feet wide roll which is a perfect size for the front floor. It cost 62 cents a square foot so total cost was around $23.
It's been installed for a few weeks now and I've really taken a liking to it. To help it hold up I bought Husky Liners from JC Whitney for $79. When the package arrived I found it didn't come from JC Whitney but was drop shipped.
They are a molded style with high sides
I specifically bought this style since it's molded to fit this hump in the drivers side foot well.
At first I thought the high sides would be a problem but I'm getting used to them. Might still do a little trimming.
With the cargo area flooring in place and now a new carpet for the cockpit floor it's time to add a transition piece to cover the difference in floor levels.
Use cardboard to make a couple templates to find what looks to be the best fit.
Get out my sheet of 16 gauge steel.
Cut strip of steel 4 foot long by 2 inches wide.
Clamp the steel strip to the edge of my work table.
I can't add a 90 degree angle to a piece of 16 gauge steel this long but I can do a lesser angle. Use a welding clamp to work my way down the strip and start a bend. Keep going back and forth with the clamp.
Checking the angle as I'm bending.
Test fit. I made the strip wide enough so I could easily run wires under it.
Add a notch so it will clear the back right edge of the drivers seat. Then paint.
After a couple coats of paint screw it into place. The screws that hold it in place only go into the wood flooring. Not the metal layer below it.
That's it.
Lately I've had an audience while working on the van.
But not to worry since Tiger never takes his eyes off of them.
If they get too close he'll have to take them down. After all his name is "Tiger".
After I installed a new radio I wanted to add a switch so I could choose to run the radio from the house batteries or the starting (van) battery. I've set it up so there is a singe SPDT momentary ((on)-off-(on)) switch that selects either power source. Once switched the radio runs completely off the selected source and draws no power from the other source. Not only does the radio not lose it's memory setting when switching between the two sources but if it's playing a song there is no audible clue that anything has changed.
To do the actual switching I'm using two 12 volt relays. These relays are rated for 16 amps while the radio is only fused for 10 amps so they should be robust enough. The relays are a dual coil latching type. Since they are latching, no power is required to keep them in the selected position after being switched which is different from a regular relay. That saves power usage and it's why I only need a momentary switch to activate them. I bought the relays for $4.66 each from Digikey. Here's the link.
The relays are made to be mounted to a circuit board. So I first drew up a schematic then soldered the relays to a small piece of stripboard which is type of prototyping circuit board. After soldering on the relays I added connecting wires.
After finishing with the soldering I was thinking of a how to protect the exposed wiring on the circuit board since it will be installed inside the dash. Thought about building a small plexiglass box when I had a "what if" idea and went looking for an old prescription bottle.
Son of a gun. It fits as if they were made for each other. I'll have to remember this idea. I added a couple vent holes to the bottom of the bottle.
Add connectors to all the wires. The connector is male or female depending on if it's hot or not.
For the circuit to work as planned I'll need a "hot on start" power source. According to my Ford EVT manual the plug that goes to the back of the stock radio should have such a wire. I looked and it doesn't. So trace the circuit back to the next connector which is number 201 located in the right kick panel of the passenger foot well. There are other connectors in the same area.
To work on the connectors use pliers to remove this black plastic pin.
That allows the connectors to swing out.
This must be connector 201 since it's the only one with this shape.
I'm interested in circuit #1000 which is a red wire with black stripe. Must be this one.
Cut the wire then check that it's hot on start. It is. The circuit dead ended at the connector so I wasn't too worried about cutting the wire free.
Put all the connectors back like I found them then run a new "hot on start" wire into the dash. Integrate the wiring into the radio plug adapter (right white) I used to plug the stock radio plug into the new radio plug (left black).
Here's the diode I use to stop switch selected coil voltage from back feeding to the starting circuit.
Here's how it works. When the van is sitting and not running the radio is dark. If I flip the switch down to "House" the radio lights up now being powered by the house battery. It's a momentary switch so the toggle snaps back to the center. The radio will stay powered from the house battery until I either flip the switch to "Van" or start the van. When I start the engine the radio automatically switches back to the van battery. That way I don't have to worry about switching the radio back to van and since it's a momentary switch I can never leave it in the wrong position. A rather bad habit of mine.
After I got everything wired up it actually worked right the first time. Surprised the heck outta' me. Well almost right. I'd wired up House and Van backwards on the switch but that's easy to fix. Just rotated the switch 180 degrees.
In practice I've found a neat use I hadn't planned on. When pulling into a parking spot and there is a song on the radio I want to hear the end of I just flip the selector switch to "House". Then after I turn off the ignition the radio keeps playing without missing a beat. It's now become a gas saving feature.
To do the actual switching I'm using two 12 volt relays. These relays are rated for 16 amps while the radio is only fused for 10 amps so they should be robust enough. The relays are a dual coil latching type. Since they are latching, no power is required to keep them in the selected position after being switched which is different from a regular relay. That saves power usage and it's why I only need a momentary switch to activate them. I bought the relays for $4.66 each from Digikey. Here's the link.
The relays are made to be mounted to a circuit board. So I first drew up a schematic then soldered the relays to a small piece of stripboard which is type of prototyping circuit board. After soldering on the relays I added connecting wires.
After finishing with the soldering I was thinking of a how to protect the exposed wiring on the circuit board since it will be installed inside the dash. Thought about building a small plexiglass box when I had a "what if" idea and went looking for an old prescription bottle.
Son of a gun. It fits as if they were made for each other. I'll have to remember this idea. I added a couple vent holes to the bottom of the bottle.
Add connectors to all the wires. The connector is male or female depending on if it's hot or not.
For the circuit to work as planned I'll need a "hot on start" power source. According to my Ford EVT manual the plug that goes to the back of the stock radio should have such a wire. I looked and it doesn't. So trace the circuit back to the next connector which is number 201 located in the right kick panel of the passenger foot well. There are other connectors in the same area.
To work on the connectors use pliers to remove this black plastic pin.
That allows the connectors to swing out.
This must be connector 201 since it's the only one with this shape.
I'm interested in circuit #1000 which is a red wire with black stripe. Must be this one.
Cut the wire then check that it's hot on start. It is. The circuit dead ended at the connector so I wasn't too worried about cutting the wire free.
Put all the connectors back like I found them then run a new "hot on start" wire into the dash. Integrate the wiring into the radio plug adapter (right white) I used to plug the stock radio plug into the new radio plug (left black).
Here's the diode I use to stop switch selected coil voltage from back feeding to the starting circuit.
Here's how it works. When the van is sitting and not running the radio is dark. If I flip the switch down to "House" the radio lights up now being powered by the house battery. It's a momentary switch so the toggle snaps back to the center. The radio will stay powered from the house battery until I either flip the switch to "Van" or start the van. When I start the engine the radio automatically switches back to the van battery. That way I don't have to worry about switching the radio back to van and since it's a momentary switch I can never leave it in the wrong position. A rather bad habit of mine.
After I got everything wired up it actually worked right the first time. Surprised the heck outta' me. Well almost right. I'd wired up House and Van backwards on the switch but that's easy to fix. Just rotated the switch 180 degrees.
In practice I've found a neat use I hadn't planned on. When pulling into a parking spot and there is a song on the radio I want to hear the end of I just flip the selector switch to "House". Then after I turn off the ignition the radio keeps playing without missing a beat. It's now become a gas saving feature.
Thanks for the insulation tips. I'll have to think on those.
I'm been doing a lot of work on Hal without a break so overdue for a road trip. I hooked up my running water system along with portable AC unit, a microwave and a Engel 12 volt fridge. Beside the water pump, everything else was mounted temporarily for this trip.
First stop, Roger Waters and "The Wall" in Philadelphia.
Then off to the beach.
Cape Henlopen, Delaware.
Back on the road. Maryland House Rest Area, I-95.
I wonder what it is about White Ford Vans that make them seek out each others company?
Fort Frederick State Park Maryland Campground.
Hal has scared away all the other campers. Or maybe it was just me.
If you're traveling west of Hagerstown Maryland on I-70 I can highly recommend Fort Frederick State Park. It's only a mile off the interstate. The Fort was built during the French and Indian Wars.
It housed British prisoners during the Revolutionary War and Civil War Federal Troops were stationed nearby who mixed it up with Mosby's Raiders. The C&O Canal passes through the park along with the Western Maryland Rail Trail. And the campground which sits on the banks of the Potomac River sure isn't overused.
On to what I learned about living in the upgraded van. Having running water for the first time is a real sea change! I've been tent camping for years and using the van as a glorified tent since I bought it. Up till now this was my idea of running water.
I would go three or four days with this single 2-1/2" gallon plastic gas can as my sole drinking water source. For this first trip I just filled up one of the 5 gallon water cans figuring that would last a while. WRONG. I was amazed at how fast I emptied out that first 5 gallons. When you have an electric pump, 5 gallons is nothing. Luckily I learned this lesson while staying at a campground and not while boondocking. Easily refilled the water can at the closest spigot. After that I was more mindful of my water usage.
This was also the first time I've used a fridge. The Engel model was great. It doesn't use much electricity even though I had it at the coldest setting. The noise it makes when running was somewhere between a low hum and a purr. Not the least bit distracting. I first realized how neat it was to have a real fridge when I was shopping and found myself doing the "only buy two days worth of cold food since that's when the ice gives out" calculation. Had to remind myself that's no longer the case. After testing that the freezer section in the fridge would make ice cubes in regular trays, not just the tiny one it came with, I tested it with a six pack of Klondike bars. It keeps the bars solid but not by much. Have to eat them fast once you remove it from the fridge. It will also freeze a one liter squeeze bottle solid.
Next up the microwave. I've read where some people don't use theirs but that won't be the case for me. Used it on a Hungry Man dinner, microwave pizza and some leftovers from a restaurant. This will be a keeper. The microwave I bought is a small 700 watt unit and my inverter and house batteries had no problem keeping up with it. If I was worried about the power drain on the house batteries I would just idle the van while the microwave was running. I posted the other day about having installed the ScanGauge II on the dash. It shows me using about 0.66 gallons an hour while idling. With current prices that works out to about .04 cents a minute. To heat the microwave pizza I made last night would have only cost .20 in gas if needing to run the engine.
Someone posted that my van is starting to look like a spaceship. If you're going to have a spaceship you might as well get a robot. Say "Hello" to my version of R2-D2.
I'm going with the suggested name of "R2-BCool". Most of my camping is of the boondocking in the mountains variety but I wanted to try it at the beach where AC is a must. This AC unit is only for the times when I'm hooked to shore power. I used this for several days at the beach. One problem is the exhaust hose radiates a lot of heat. I'm sure wrapping it in Reflectix would help. But a bigger problem is that all the air it exhausts is being drawn from within the living space. Then that air is being replaced with outside air. The space inside the van never gets real cold. It only really cools you down if it's blowing the cold air it makes directly at you. It's best use was when I was sleeping since I'm not moving around much. It did help lower the humidity so it's better than nothing.
A more efficient arrangement would be to have a separate hose for outside air that is drawn into the unit then used to carry the heat away from the coils and exhausted back outside. Then the cold air in the van would be continually recycled and made cooler still.
I'll have to open it up and see if I can modifying it.
I do see one problem with all my new conveniences. When the van was like a tent with a minimum of comforts it's easy to get going in the morning. Now it's a lot easier to just lay there and listen to the radio or get something to eat out of the fridge. I can definitely see a downside to all this.
I'm been doing a lot of work on Hal without a break so overdue for a road trip. I hooked up my running water system along with portable AC unit, a microwave and a Engel 12 volt fridge. Beside the water pump, everything else was mounted temporarily for this trip.
First stop, Roger Waters and "The Wall" in Philadelphia.
Then off to the beach.
Cape Henlopen, Delaware.
Back on the road. Maryland House Rest Area, I-95.
I wonder what it is about White Ford Vans that make them seek out each others company?
Fort Frederick State Park Maryland Campground.
Hal has scared away all the other campers. Or maybe it was just me.
If you're traveling west of Hagerstown Maryland on I-70 I can highly recommend Fort Frederick State Park. It's only a mile off the interstate. The Fort was built during the French and Indian Wars.
It housed British prisoners during the Revolutionary War and Civil War Federal Troops were stationed nearby who mixed it up with Mosby's Raiders. The C&O Canal passes through the park along with the Western Maryland Rail Trail. And the campground which sits on the banks of the Potomac River sure isn't overused.
On to what I learned about living in the upgraded van. Having running water for the first time is a real sea change! I've been tent camping for years and using the van as a glorified tent since I bought it. Up till now this was my idea of running water.
I would go three or four days with this single 2-1/2" gallon plastic gas can as my sole drinking water source. For this first trip I just filled up one of the 5 gallon water cans figuring that would last a while. WRONG. I was amazed at how fast I emptied out that first 5 gallons. When you have an electric pump, 5 gallons is nothing. Luckily I learned this lesson while staying at a campground and not while boondocking. Easily refilled the water can at the closest spigot. After that I was more mindful of my water usage.
This was also the first time I've used a fridge. The Engel model was great. It doesn't use much electricity even though I had it at the coldest setting. The noise it makes when running was somewhere between a low hum and a purr. Not the least bit distracting. I first realized how neat it was to have a real fridge when I was shopping and found myself doing the "only buy two days worth of cold food since that's when the ice gives out" calculation. Had to remind myself that's no longer the case. After testing that the freezer section in the fridge would make ice cubes in regular trays, not just the tiny one it came with, I tested it with a six pack of Klondike bars. It keeps the bars solid but not by much. Have to eat them fast once you remove it from the fridge. It will also freeze a one liter squeeze bottle solid.
Next up the microwave. I've read where some people don't use theirs but that won't be the case for me. Used it on a Hungry Man dinner, microwave pizza and some leftovers from a restaurant. This will be a keeper. The microwave I bought is a small 700 watt unit and my inverter and house batteries had no problem keeping up with it. If I was worried about the power drain on the house batteries I would just idle the van while the microwave was running. I posted the other day about having installed the ScanGauge II on the dash. It shows me using about 0.66 gallons an hour while idling. With current prices that works out to about .04 cents a minute. To heat the microwave pizza I made last night would have only cost .20 in gas if needing to run the engine.
Someone posted that my van is starting to look like a spaceship. If you're going to have a spaceship you might as well get a robot. Say "Hello" to my version of R2-D2.
I'm going with the suggested name of "R2-BCool". Most of my camping is of the boondocking in the mountains variety but I wanted to try it at the beach where AC is a must. This AC unit is only for the times when I'm hooked to shore power. I used this for several days at the beach. One problem is the exhaust hose radiates a lot of heat. I'm sure wrapping it in Reflectix would help. But a bigger problem is that all the air it exhausts is being drawn from within the living space. Then that air is being replaced with outside air. The space inside the van never gets real cold. It only really cools you down if it's blowing the cold air it makes directly at you. It's best use was when I was sleeping since I'm not moving around much. It did help lower the humidity so it's better than nothing.
A more efficient arrangement would be to have a separate hose for outside air that is drawn into the unit then used to carry the heat away from the coils and exhausted back outside. Then the cold air in the van would be continually recycled and made cooler still.
I'll have to open it up and see if I can modifying it.
I do see one problem with all my new conveniences. When the van was like a tent with a minimum of comforts it's easy to get going in the morning. Now it's a lot easier to just lay there and listen to the radio or get something to eat out of the fridge. I can definitely see a downside to all this.
More dash work.
I own a ScanGauge II but have never got around to finding a permanent spot for it. Time to take the plunge. This looks like a good spot.
Make sure it's clear of the gear shift handle when in drive. Easy to see when driving. Let's put it here. There is a wire that hooks the ScanGauge to the OBDII port located below the dash. The wire can either be plugged into the back of the end of the Scangauge. To run the wire out the back I'll have to make a hole in the dash but it will be a cleaner look.
Make a small template and use pencel rubbing to copy over the socket location.
Use this to plan out the hole.
No backing out now.
Run the wire.
The gauge comes with velco strips with adhesive backing. Stick to the back of the gauge.
Stick the gauge in place.
Then fire it up.
The wire that comes with the gauge is longer than I need so roll up the extra and zip tie it under the dash. Then go for a test drive.
Looks really nice while driving except for one little problem. As you turn the steering wheel it blocks the view of the ScanGauge. D'oh! Didn't even occur to me. Maybe if I lived in someplace with flat straight roads, Kansas I'm looking at you, I might have left it be. Around these parts that's not an option.
Find a new spot I like higher up. Will have to disassemble the dash to mount it.
Looks like this hasn't been done since the van was new. I wiped out all the ductwork I could reach.
Check that there's nothing in the way on the back of the dash panel where I want to mount the Scangauge.
Do the same for the inside of the dash. No problem.
Here's the new location.
What's one more hole amount friends.
While I have the dash apart do another project. Here is a panel voltmeter I bought on ebay for around $7.
It's made to be flush mounted but there isn't enough free real estate on the dash panel. I'll have to make a case for it. Here is a sheet of shiny steel I took off of a VCR I was tearing apart. It's thin and was used like a veneer on the outside of the VCR. Thought it might come in handy so I held onto it. Make a paper template case for the voltmeter.
Use the template as a guide for cutting the steel.
The front edge of the steel has a small lip that will grab the voltmeter.
Notch the lip where I will be bending it.
Use welding pliers to make the bends.
Once the metal is bent into the box shape it's fairly sturdy.
Make the case deeper than it needs to be.
Add a sheet metal screw to hold the case closed.
Bend the extra metal from the case depth inward.
Use bolts through the back to hold it in place on the dash panel.
By removing the sheet metal screw on the side I can open up the case and slide the voltmeter in or out. Drill a hole for the voltmeter wire in the dash panel.
Button everything up.
I wired it to one of the switches on the new switch panel so I could choose to display either the van (starting) battery or the house battery's voltage.
One more thing to check. The voltage used by the voltmeter itself. I turned the voltmeter on and locked up the van.
Here it is 18 hours later. The voltage hasn't dropped at all.
One more thing. In the above photo you can see that the first hole I drilled for the Scangauge wire now has a round rocker switch in place. I had the switch on hand and it's a perfect fit. I'm sure I'll find a use for it.
I own a ScanGauge II but have never got around to finding a permanent spot for it. Time to take the plunge. This looks like a good spot.
Make sure it's clear of the gear shift handle when in drive. Easy to see when driving. Let's put it here. There is a wire that hooks the ScanGauge to the OBDII port located below the dash. The wire can either be plugged into the back of the end of the Scangauge. To run the wire out the back I'll have to make a hole in the dash but it will be a cleaner look.
Make a small template and use pencel rubbing to copy over the socket location.
Use this to plan out the hole.
No backing out now.
Run the wire.
The gauge comes with velco strips with adhesive backing. Stick to the back of the gauge.
Stick the gauge in place.
Then fire it up.
The wire that comes with the gauge is longer than I need so roll up the extra and zip tie it under the dash. Then go for a test drive.
Looks really nice while driving except for one little problem. As you turn the steering wheel it blocks the view of the ScanGauge. D'oh! Didn't even occur to me. Maybe if I lived in someplace with flat straight roads, Kansas I'm looking at you, I might have left it be. Around these parts that's not an option.
Find a new spot I like higher up. Will have to disassemble the dash to mount it.
Looks like this hasn't been done since the van was new. I wiped out all the ductwork I could reach.
Check that there's nothing in the way on the back of the dash panel where I want to mount the Scangauge.
Do the same for the inside of the dash. No problem.
Here's the new location.
What's one more hole amount friends.
While I have the dash apart do another project. Here is a panel voltmeter I bought on ebay for around $7.
It's made to be flush mounted but there isn't enough free real estate on the dash panel. I'll have to make a case for it. Here is a sheet of shiny steel I took off of a VCR I was tearing apart. It's thin and was used like a veneer on the outside of the VCR. Thought it might come in handy so I held onto it. Make a paper template case for the voltmeter.
Use the template as a guide for cutting the steel.
The front edge of the steel has a small lip that will grab the voltmeter.
Notch the lip where I will be bending it.
Use welding pliers to make the bends.
Once the metal is bent into the box shape it's fairly sturdy.
Make the case deeper than it needs to be.
Add a sheet metal screw to hold the case closed.
Bend the extra metal from the case depth inward.
Use bolts through the back to hold it in place on the dash panel.
By removing the sheet metal screw on the side I can open up the case and slide the voltmeter in or out. Drill a hole for the voltmeter wire in the dash panel.
Button everything up.
I wired it to one of the switches on the new switch panel so I could choose to display either the van (starting) battery or the house battery's voltage.
One more thing to check. The voltage used by the voltmeter itself. I turned the voltmeter on and locked up the van.
Here it is 18 hours later. The voltage hasn't dropped at all.
One more thing. In the above photo you can see that the first hole I drilled for the Scangauge wire now has a round rocker switch in place. I had the switch on hand and it's a perfect fit. I'm sure I'll find a use for it.
Time to dig into the dash. I already showed some of this with the posting about the switch for the greywater dump valve. Start by taking off the doghouse then removing the stock radio.
To remove the radio use a Din Radio Tool. The tool is these two U shaped wires. Around $6 from Advance Auto. The stock radio is surprisingly slim.
Here's the view without the radio.
Install a new radio using a custom bracket. This leaves some room in the old radio opening for a switch panel. Cut out a template from paper.
It measures 7-1/2" x 1-1/2".
Cut the panel out of an aluminum sheet.
See how many switches I can cram into the panel. I've bought a selection of toggle switches because not yet sure what all I'll be controlling.
Measure and drill holes for the switches.
Add the switches and label them. At this point they not really wired to anything.
With the new radio goes new speakers. The van only has two speakers. One in each door.
To take off the door start with the screw in the bottom right corner.
Pop the cover off the front of the door handle and swing out of the way. It exposes a torx head screw.
Unscrew and remove the handle. You have to wiggle the handle to work it free.
Use a small screwdriver to pry the cover from around the door handle.
Above the handle is another screw. Remove it.
There is a black plastic cover on the inside of the door.
Carefully pry it off.
This gives access to the one last screw.
The plastic door panel lifts straight up and off.
Here's what it looks like without the door panel.
Out with the old speakers and on with the new.
Put it all back together. I had one problem and that was in figuring out which wire was radio plus and which was minus. The wire color didn't match what the Ford manual said it was supposed to be. I used a voltmeter to trace which wire was which back at the radio. Problem solved.
To remove the radio use a Din Radio Tool. The tool is these two U shaped wires. Around $6 from Advance Auto. The stock radio is surprisingly slim.
Here's the view without the radio.
Install a new radio using a custom bracket. This leaves some room in the old radio opening for a switch panel. Cut out a template from paper.
It measures 7-1/2" x 1-1/2".
Cut the panel out of an aluminum sheet.
See how many switches I can cram into the panel. I've bought a selection of toggle switches because not yet sure what all I'll be controlling.
Measure and drill holes for the switches.
Add the switches and label them. At this point they not really wired to anything.
With the new radio goes new speakers. The van only has two speakers. One in each door.
To take off the door start with the screw in the bottom right corner.
Pop the cover off the front of the door handle and swing out of the way. It exposes a torx head screw.
Unscrew and remove the handle. You have to wiggle the handle to work it free.
Use a small screwdriver to pry the cover from around the door handle.
Above the handle is another screw. Remove it.
There is a black plastic cover on the inside of the door.
Carefully pry it off.
This gives access to the one last screw.
The plastic door panel lifts straight up and off.
Here's what it looks like without the door panel.
Out with the old speakers and on with the new.
Put it all back together. I had one problem and that was in figuring out which wire was radio plus and which was minus. The wire color didn't match what the Ford manual said it was supposed to be. I used a voltmeter to trace which wire was which back at the radio. Problem solved.
