Van with Toilet and Frig

[BuzzBNC]

Hi. I am brand new to the forum and a future RV'er.

What I would like to do is get something different than most.

I have some serious health issues that make travel difficult but I'm not going to let it stop me.

I'm looking for a van that has a toilet and refrigerator. I don't need a full kitchen, shower or hot water. An additional battery to plug in a portable refrigerator would be fine but an enclosed, private toilet is necessary. It can either be marine type of attached to a holding tank.

Anyone have any ideas where I can find something like this?

TIA

[DougE]

Heck, I just unplug it for the night.

[stan909]

You must isolate the deepcyle(house)battery from the starrer battery or the weaker one will draw down the other. On my webpage is the intelecharger(isolator) I use. Cheap and simple.

[DougE]

True, but I don't need to turn on a light. At night I'm usually at a campground where I use their facilities. The porta-potty is just for crisis moments. Certainly better than the seat-on-a-hitch posted earlier.

[stan909]

At night with a light on inside the van you can see right inside.

[DougE]

I outfitted my Chevy Express with a sofa/bed from Blazin' Belltech, a Thetford Curve portapotty and an Edgestar 12v fridge. Even though it's a window van, they're tinted sufficiently I can use the potty safely unless someone were to walk up and look in the front window. I added a 12v accessory outlet in the rear to run the fridge and spliced a group 34 battery into its supply cord to run it while parked for a few days.

[stan909]

I also have a YouTube video of the Thetford Curve. Easily accessible from my website. I have an unnatural attachment to my Curve.

[wincrasher65]

I can highly recommend the Dry Flush portable toilet if you don't want to deal with a porta-potti.

It's light and uses a bag system. Kinda pricy per flush, but certainly no fuss, no muss.

[mlts22]

I can see where you are coming from. As a temporary measure, you can have a seamstress make curtains with Velcro sewn on and the other part of the Velcro attached to the ceiling or some other part.

www.truckfridge.com has some 12 volt refrigerators (true refrigerators, not thermo-electric coolers like Koolatrons which only drop temperatures 20 degrees.) They open from the top, the two larger portable fridges have freezers, and all have an option for a mounting bracket so it doesn't move around.

I'd also set up some provisions for sleeping as well, even if it is a sleeping bag and a camper's roll-up air mattress that is stashed somewhere. May never need it, but if/when you do, it will come in handy.

[stan909]

Man. I wrote all that and reread your post. You need what I said but I need to add a couple caveats. Don't just buy a portable fridge from Wal-Mart. You need to look at www.adventurerv.net and look at their portable fridges. I bought a Dometic cool/freeze cf18 from them that works great.Watch my review on YouTube or link from my website in my profile. You will also find the isolator I use for my van. I recently bought the insulating bag for the cf18 to help cut cycling of the compressor. You also need a dedicated circuit for the fridge due to it's built in battery protection. Thin wires that are run to cigarette style plugs tend to trick the fridge into thinking the batteries are too low when in reality it is just the resistance in the wire. The same can be said of power inverters that turn dc into ac. I urge you to look at my webpage for my van and my videos. Wow. I've got too much time on my hands. Today anyway. Hope this helps.

[BuzzBNC]

No, I'm not handicapped. I have digestive disorder than when it flares up I have a need to use a toilet--pronto.

A decent porta=potty would probably work. I would just have to find someone to fit some privacy curtains.

As for the frig. It's to transport food. I could get a small dc type like truckers use and that can go from van to hotel room and back (using portable power converter.)

I don't plan to sleep in the van. I need the setup for when I'm miles from a rest room.

Thanks for everyone's help on this. If anyone has more ideas, I'm listening.

[stan909]

Sorry to pry but we need more info about you. You didn't say you need handicapped access just serious health issues so I guess I'm assuming you need to use the restroom frequently and need fridge for your meds. All electric 12 volt fridges would be best but you need serious battery power for that. 225 amp hours worth of deepcyle(house/rear area) batteries and a converter/charger to charge them while stationary at home or visiting relatives to change household 110 AC current to 12volt automotive current to chsrge batteries. The van will need an isolater/charger to take current from the alternator which should be replaced by the highest amp rated version of hopefully 225 amps to charge from motor. Portapottis like the Thetford Curve are great and easy to deal with as long as my assumption Is correct and you are not handicapped thereby needing a more I stable platform. Sportsmobile.com is a good place for custom vans and they have 3 places around the country to do such work. Lots of examples on their website.

[the_bear_II]

Try www.vandwellers.org

Lost of folks who live and camp in vans post their designs for the insides of the van along with phtos and resources.

[RoyB]

I've seen a couple of these setups off the power grid trails in use...


This idea is probably more realistic for your VAN...

Photos from google images...

They sell these 120VAC/12DC small dorm type fridges now...


Roy Ken

[Handbasket]

If the 'NC' in your name implies that you're in or near NC, try contacting Robert Morehead at www.Moreheaddesignlab.com, south of Asheville. He does almost solely one-off vans, typically Sprinters for outdoor enthusiasts & expediters. The minimalist approach you're wanting is right up his alley, and I think he'd even be open to doing a used van or minivan. He does good work, and is reasonable.

Jim, "If you get to thinking you're of some importance, try ordering your cat around."

[Bumpyroad]

I bought a 95 Glaval Halfback which is exactly what you need since I bought it for the same purpose. has the bucket seats up front, then a bench seat that lays down into a bed, and at the back of that a partition to separate the rear which is set up like a standard carrying stuff van. I guess a lot of dog handlers/showers bought them at the time.
don't know if anybody still makes anything similar.
bumpy