New to Vanlife

[sydstopak]

Hi everyone! My husband and I just bought a 2003 Ford e-350 7.3 diesel that has been in service as an ambulance through January of this year. We are converting it to a camper and excited to be a part of the van life community! We will be doing everything DIY so will be needing to get advice from fine folks like yourself who've had experience with these vehicles/projects.

I had one question that I wanted to kick off the conversation with for those interested in weighing in: we have a dog who usually travels with us, and we are wondering if anyone has had experience with off-grid AC/cooling options? We will have 3 batteries (unsure of the specifics as we are picking the van up Monday) and an inverter, looking to add a diode isolator as well to keep car battery from dying. Would this be enough to install an RV AC unit and run off the batteries or is that too little power? What other options (if any) have folks found?

Thanks in advance and looking forward to posing more questions on here as we start this project!

 

[Twoxentrix]

Always nice to see more interest develop on the East Coast, Welcome.

I'd suggest you learn about the limitations of Batteries (AGM & Lithium), and how they play with Solar, Generators, and the Van's engine...lot of very talented members here that are capable of supplying much more detail than I, but here are a couple Threads that may/will provide some perspective:

12 volt AC unit

Anyone have any experience with this brand of AC? It's a 12volt with a 14"x14" roof hole which seems to be rare on 12v units for some reason. https://dcpowersales.com/products-2/b-cool12000rm-rv/

www.sportsmobileforum.com

New House Battery HELP

I have a 1999 Ford SMB, I currently have a classic lead acid house battery, and its about toast. I have the original SMB electrical system build. Inteli-Power 9100 converter. I do not have the charge wizard. I do have a 2.8KW generator that I almost never use. Before I purchase a new battery, I...

www.sportsmobileforum.com

How to Power StarCool - Options

Greetings - I tried searching (thru old posts) but couldn't really find an answer to my question -- a lot of the earlier posts hit an "error - page not found" due to outdated/old posts. Can I power my StarCool from a Honda 2200 gen -- weighing approx 50 lbs - versus my Honda 3000 - weighing...

www.sportsmobileforum.com

Starcool startup on generator

Hi all, SMB newbie here with a problem I haven't been able to solve myself... Questions: - Is it possible to start the Starcool compressor on generator alone, with no house batteries? - Was the system originally designed to assist the generator by pulling power from house batteries during...

www.sportsmobileforum.com

2016 SMBW Lithium Battery Upgrade (DIY)

Let me start by sharing a little bit of background with my Sprinter Sportsmobile by Fresno, CA. In 2014 I ordered my first Sprinter 144 4x2 with Penthouse. There was one item we wanted that we did not get. The reason was Sportsmobile West was not offering Lithium Batteries only AGM at the time...

www.sportsmobileforum.com

Thoughts on Lithium System

I appreciate the experts on this forum and am hoping I could get some feedback on my planned battery system. I am interested in running a microwave to make cooking on the go easier. I got the smallest 700W microwave I could find. My single group 31 is not enough to run an inverter for any...

www.sportsmobileforum.com

Pure Solar vs. Solar+Alternator

Hi guys. I am working on a new vehicle and trying to decide on my electrical system layout. I never had a house battery charged exclusively by solar, but I am considering it now. The bus I'm working on will primarily be in the Salt Lake City area, a sunny area. I have a 12v fridge, a...

www.sportsmobileforum.com

 

[rolling_boulder]

Hi Sydstopak,

I’m new to the forum myself, looking to get into the Sportsmobile lifestyle in Alaska. If you are looking for a simple solution, I recently saw the following option on a van I was considering to buy:

ZERO BREEZE Mark 3 AC

Meet ZERO BREEZE Mark 3, the most powerful portable AC yet. With 5,280 BTU cooling power and weighing under 22 pounds, it’s perfect for spaces up to 150 square feet. Set your ideal temperature between 61°F and 88°F and enjoy unmatched climate control wherever you go.

www.zerobreeze.com

Not sure how much ac you need, or if this is adequate at all (I have never used one), but I wanted to share the option.

 

[sydstopak]

Thanks for the input all! After more research, I've ordered the OutEquip Pro 12 Volt heater/AC. I think this will be perfect for our vehicle and our needs. I'm still trying to figure out what I need to do in order to isolate the auxiliary batteries from the car battery so that we can use power while the van engine is off without draining the battery. Any suggestions of helpful resources or information on this?

 

[Scalf77]

I'm still trying to figure out what I need to do in order to isolate the auxiliary batteries from the car battery so that we can use power while the van engine is off without draining the battery. Any suggestions of helpful resources or information on this?

Battery Isolators, Separators, Switches & More (updated 2020)

Your next problem will be battery size, running air-conditioning off of battery requires a fairly large battery bank, and the ability to recharge it.

 

[basssears]

Another (non failsafe) option to research are systems that will auto start your vehicle when the batteries run down to a certain level so the AC doesn't run the house batteries all the way down (bad for even lithiums) AND so your AC doesn't shut off when you're not there and the doggos get hot. I've also heard (although not scene) of systems that will auto start the rig when the interior temperature hits a certain level, then just let the AC run off the engine. Most ambulances have rear AC as well, does yours? Neither of these options are perfect (system might not work, temp might still rise, people around the rig might get pissy) but running AC purely off battery is a tall order unless you have a big big lithium bank. -- Bass