I hate my RB11s dinette bed...

[dbhost]

Let me be FAR more specific. I hate that I never use it as a dinette.

I am a single traveller, who will be adding a second as vacation and travel time allow. We NEVER use the dinette as a dinette. We sit outside of the van to relax, or work, or whatever, even it utterly awful weather we don't sit in the dinette. For one thing, it is too close to the ceiling to actually sit upright in it...

I always leave the bed down and made...

Because of this I am considering a bit of a permanent change...

Take the dinette halves, and chuck them in storage. Get some 3/4" plywood, cut to fit which happily is a standard US Full size mattress size of 54" x 75"

I believe I can stay same thickness, the OE cushions are ~5" and the memory foam topper I use now is 3". I can go with a single 8" memory foam mattress and more or less call it good, squish it out of the way when need be...

I want to rip the base long ways in half, add a piano hinge and a proper full size memory foam mattress... This should allow me to more easily access the storage, and fuse block / breaker panel that will remain in the same positions..

THAT actually just screams the inevitable question. Is there any of these mattresses that are set up to maybe bifold length wise?

This would allow me to add a partition between the bases, pull the vent for the heater, move it to the partition. This would allow me to greatly expand my electrical cabinet area and add a 2nd 400 amp hour battery... That, and enough panels / MPPT charging would allow me to stay off grid with actual AC...

I still need to identify what 12v compressor would work to replace the old StarCool compressor, and how to wire it up, but one piece at a time...

 

[doublevan2]

dbhosttexas -- I have been researching a replacement compressor for my StarCool III AC - and the correct compressor is - Tecumseh AJ4492Y - XAIA - found one locally - and although mine is 23 years old -still cooling to 54 degrees in 75 plus ambient temps. Another possible replacement compressor is - Tecumseh AJ4YL1A - F643J70. Cost is roughly $ 900 bucks plus tax. My compressor still had model number stickers and other important data stickers on it. That should get you started !? Good luck -

 

[dbhost]

@doublevan2 Thanks. I am looking to convert to 12v. My Starcool system is 110v only, not like the ones also driven off the engine. I can get a compressor from Sportsmobile for $670.00 + Tax... Easy peasy, but very much on grid or run with a generator. I want to try to go fully off grid / solar...

If all else fails. Take the cabinet apart, remove StarCool, and get an Undermount AC 12v unit but those are STEEP.

 

[Big_ern_101]

Not to be too much of a party pooper but off grid A/C is still pretty close to fantasy land, even with an Undermount or otherwise efficient A/C unit. Take for example the following calcs:
-Undermount A/C on low is 750 watts, at 12.5 Volts is 60 Amps. Running 2x 400Ah batteries to completely flat is good for 13 hours of A/C assuming a lossless system. So basically 7PM to 8AM.
-So now your 800Ah of batteries are flat - they need to be recharged at some combination of 800 amps and 1 hour, or 800 hours and 1 amp. Take your average 100 watt solar panel, to run the A/C AND charge your batteries, you need.....17 100 watt solar panels (at full efficiency) and 11 hours of pure sunlight to run your A/C and charge your 800 amps of battery. Cut it to 6 hours of pure sunlight and figure 25% loss on your solar panels and you need 31 100 Watt solar panels.

As far as mattresses, my lovely wife and I have an Exped and its far better than the memory foam mattress we replaced.

 

[Stormy98]

I second the note about the A/C. I've run the Starcool on battery power. With the fan on low and the compressor running the draw is ~1350 watts or around 100 amps. I prefer using a small Honda generator. With the right inverter it will get the Starcool started and once running there is enough remaining wattage to keep the batteries topped up.

 

[86Scotty]

Not to be too much of a party pooper but off grid A/C is still pretty close to fantasy land, even with an Undermount or otherwise efficient A/C unit. Take for example the following calcs:
-Undermount A/C on low is 750 watts, at 12.5 Volts is 60 Amps. Running 2x 400Ah batteries to completely flat is good for 13 hours of A/C assuming a lossless system. So basically 7PM to 8AM.
-So now your 800Ah of batteries are flat - they need to be recharged at some combination of 800 amps and 1 hour, or 800 hours and 1 amp. Take your average 100 watt solar panel, to run the A/C AND charge your batteries, you need.....17 100 watt solar panels (at full efficiency) and 11 hours of pure sunlight to run your A/C and charge your 800 amps of battery. Cut it to 6 hours of pure sunlight and figure 25% loss on your solar panels and you need 31 100 Watt solar panels.

As far as mattresses, my lovely wife and I have an Exped and its far better than the memory foam mattress we replaced.

I agree on battery AC in a van being pretty much fantasy. It can be done with a very efficient (read NEW) AC powered mini split, lithium batteries and an efficient inverter but all of that doesn't physically fit in a van very well, especially the mini split itself. I put one in my work truck (semi truck) using a Mr. Cool 9kBTU unit, 2500 PSW inverter and 560 AH of batteries but I have to drive the truck 8 hours the next day to charge batteries. Not ideal for most van dwellers.

I second the Exped (Megamat). We use one too and it's amazing.

However, if you need to section or split your mattress any kind of way there's nothing better than custom cut memory foam.

:b5:

 

[dbhost]

On the Exped Mega Mat. I'm a big boy here and will easily displace a MegaMat in short order... I really need a dense memory foam... The full / double size is actually overly chummy for two if I am one of them... But we manage, barely...

Working on it...

I've seen ONE van dweller in a Sprinter with one of those backpack AC units running off of 600w on her roof and 480 amp hours of battery, no clue what her charge controller is...

I would like to avoid my generator if possible, but failing that, I CAN do that. I have a very low hours Sportsman 2200w inverter generator. It SHOULD in theory run the AC I was just trying to avoid hassling with the generator, and fuel for the genny...

Overall a doable situation, but not a great one. I typically and here is where some of my rust issues come from, like to beach camp / fish in the spring / fall on the Texas gulf beaches... Late spring / early fall it never really cools off at night, and I can't sleep in 80 degrees / 80+ % relative humidity...

I have no qualms leaving the top down to sleep so easier to keep cool...

I have minimal (laugable) skill sewing, but if it came down to it, I would be able to manage to slice and sew a memory foam mattress / cover... Might end up ugly but functional... Or I could hire the job out.

 

[Scalf77]

Air conditioning off of the battery comes down to a math problem. I have a full height transit and run a Houghton roof mount 13.5 k air conditioner. I have a 555 Ah battery. When designing the electrical system my reasonable goal was to be able to tun the AC to keep the dogs OK while traveling(4-hour stops) or to run overnight as needed. Generally works fine to run all night. They have a duty cycle so they generally are not full power all night.

The issue then becomes filling it back up. If you had 600 watts of panels, in Texas the following can give you an idea of best available #'s for solar. These are calculated as being flat on the roof, angled portables would do slightly better, but longer cabling can negate some of that benefit.

Of course that doesn't take into account your daily consumables, which would subtract from that available power.

I have 290 watts on my roof, and a 200 watt portable panel, so 490 watts of panels. My solar system could handle another 200 watt portable panel.

To date my general method of filling my 555 Ah back up is with a Wakespeed controlled alternator. I could get more out of but usually have a it set for around 175 amps of charging power. So in two hours of driving I can charge it back up 350 Ah - consumables. I also have a high idle setup on the van and if needed can use it as a generator. To date I have only done that once when my power was out for 3 1/2 days last winter, and we used the van for our emergency power.

I started my design with a known quantities on expectations for power usage. Batteries were more expensive back then or I might have gotten more. My Wakespeed controlled alternator was also thought out from the beginning (It is best to run these with Wakespeed tested batteries) In my case my batteries BMS has a CAN-Bus output on it that communicates with the Wakespeed Controller. When pushing that amount of power it is better that they are talking to each other.

So I would try to figure out your air-conditioning solution, and get some real life power numbers from it, and then try to see if you can design a system to work around that. It is possible that even if you knew you couldn't replenish the full amount of power, that you could do enough and have a large enough battery bank to get you thru a weekend event. And then you could plug in and recharge the batteries. This is definitely that should be thought out and designed for, I doubt you can ad hoc you way through.

Last August while visiting Glacier I used the AC every night, generally it cooled down enough that I could turn off the AC around 3:00 am and go with maxxair cooling. I moved around enough that recharging wasn't really and issue.

I also use my alternator - charger for hot water, I have a Truma Combi that is both Propane and Electric. If I want a hot shower when I arrive some where I set the hot water for electric only and turn on my Wakespeed system.

 

[dbhost]

So my electrical setup is this...

150 amp alternator (OEM was 80 amps for the 4.9L that I have...)
40 amp DC to DC charger / MPPT charge controller combo unit, that can shove every lasst amp it is rated for...

Single 400 amp hour Chins smart bluetooth LiFePO4 battery

Pair of Dokio portable 300w panels with a parallel whip cable so I am getting them into my charge controller at 18v which is below the 24v max...

At 14.5v charging I am getting according to the battery monitor the full 40amps rated capacity so 580w. That is RARE but figure July in Texas numbers with the panels on the kickstands in full sunlight and the van in the shade...

Typically it struggles to get over 480w combined...

I know AC units SHOULD cycle on / off, the big hit is the inrush current from starting up the compressor...

The OE compressor is a 3/4HP 110v unit rated for 10K BTU cooling capacity.

I CAN run the AC off of my 2.2KW Sportsman generator, my concerns there are threefold which is why I was looking at a 12v option.

#1. Noise. While the generator is much quieter than an open frame construction type generator, it is still a small gasoline engine running while I am trying to sleep...
#2. Space. I have a standard length Econoline, not an EL, not a transit / sprinter / whatever the Dodge is... So space is more limited than some of you guys have... But more than say a classic VW... The generator and any fuel would end up in the hitch haul basket that is already pretty full...
#3. Concerns for sand contamination of the generator as I typically when off grid camping do it on the beaches in TX...

 

[basssears]

Memory foam is pretty easy stuff to work with (versus a traditional spring mattress), a quick google search shows plenty of places that would like to sell you custom dimension memory foam mattresses... just pick the spot you want to split your bed into two to match the hinged base underneath, easy peasy. -- Bass

 

[dbhost]

.. . -- Bass

Noted. I am dying of curiosity though. Bass like the fish, or Bass like the musical instrument?

 

[alaimie]

Dometic RXT2000

I run a Dometic RTX2000 12v roof mounted AC unit with 2 lithium 320ah batteries powered by 400+ solar panels. During my September/October cross country trip (west to east), I used my AC upwards of 7 hours on the lowest setting with the temperature set for 68 degrees. I was able to leave my pup in the van (3 hours), checking in with him every 1.5 hours. No issues with keeping the setup during the 6 week trip. Still need to install the inverter/charger.

 

[1der]

.... 2 lithium 320ah batteries powered by 400+ solar panels..... .

alaime -
What setup do you have for alternator sourced charging??
How many hours of driving per day?

The solar 400w is roof mounted or ??

Any 110v sourced charging for the Lithium bank?

Trying to get a read on amp consumption and replenishment scenarios.

 

[alaimie]

alaime -
What setup do you have for alternator sourced charging??
How many hours of driving per day?

The solar 400w is roof mounted or ??

Any 110v sourced charging for the Lithium bank?

Trying to get a read on amp consumption and replenishment scenarios.

I had no alternator installed and was driving an average of 5-6 hours a day. One large solar panel was installed on the roof. There were no 110v sourced for charging the batteries. I did have a Renogy battery monitor installed. It was a quick installation over a 2 day period before I left on my trip. I brought along my Goal Zero 1500x to run my frig/freezer just in case. All the other stuff will be installed in April along with plumbing and cabinets on the driver side.

I was in Albuquerque NM for 4 days for their ballon festival when I ran the AC upwards of 7 hours. Day time temps reached as high as low to mid 80s. AC was set to run in ECO mode, temp set at 68 on the lowest notch. Window shades installed.

Etta

 

[dbhost]

I had no alternator installed and was driving an average of 5-6 hours a day. One large solar panel was installed on the roof. There were no 110v sourced for charging the batteries. I did have a Renogy battery monitor installed. It was a quick installation over a 2 day period before I left on my trip. I brought along my Goal Zero 1500x to run my frig/freezer just in case. All the other stuff will be installed in April along with plumbing and cabinets on the driver side.

I was in Albuquerque NM for 4 days for their ballon festival when I ran the AC upwards of 7 hours. Day time temps reached as high as low to mid 80s. AC was set to run in ECO mode, temp set at 68 on the lowest notch. Window shades installed.

Etta

Pretty sure all ICE powered vehicles since the late 1960s have had alternators equipped. I am assuming you mean you had no alternator sourced charging for the house battery I.E. no DC to DC charging.