Use cheep vodka to winterize. Doesn’t freeze and doesn’t taste bad like commercial products. Learned from Mariene mechanic in Maine.

Hey Seven O Savage! I saw your videos, all of them, and some of them I watched like easily 10 to 20 times. Hhahaha. I started a van build on Jan 2023. And I learned as you learned, and I learned from comments from ppl on your videos too. My van is like 70% done, I'm going to be a dad soon so I got little behind on the project (preparing for the new little person) 1- The second that we saw your choice on latches (on your original videos) my wife and I we immediately knew that you will bump into them (we traveled all around the US for 6 month in a trailer during covid so we learned a lot!) 2- I still not sure which wood to get, all we did were wood from HomeDepot, expensive ones. 3- Again, we lived in a "4 seasons", during our trip we stayed in very cold places (-10F) and then we moved to colorado and stayed 4 extra months during winter while searching for a house. The second you ran the pipes and the cables under the van, we knew that will be never "4 seasons". In our design we put the Sink on the same side of the van as the shower, the tank and all the plumbing, so no pipe goes out of the van or cross to the other side on the floor. I ran almost 500 meters of cables. We went for the Ecoflow power hub, and everything is inside one unit. less cables and fire hazard. But more expensive. 4- I'm installing a 2 induction stove, BUT after following a lot of full timers I learned that a pressure cooker (specially the new ninja with air fryer and pressure all in one with one cover). its incredible usefull, even more than having an induction. Has way better thermal transfer, and since you can close the lid, less mess, less smoke, etc. It warms up 2 times faster so it use half the energy. I installed a microwave/convection/air fryer from Breville too. Same space as a microwave but more cooking options. But I was trying the air fryer and I'm cooking almost everything there. And another plus is that you can cook while in motion. You can prepare everything, start the pressure cooking, and keep driving (if it has a secure place to stay). In that case you can use alternator energy or it to help the consumption and arrive with more battery and the dinner ready. 5 and 6- Flooring and insulation: We followed the steps from Dares Drives (a canadian guy that saddly stop uploading videos a year ago and couldnt got in contact with him again...) He made a lot of mistakes too, and show what not to do. I think nothing should run under the floor. and be perfectly sealed. and eventually if something gets really wrong, saw that part and fix it. I saw your struggling with the floor, I had mine. the truth is that, literally 80% of the floor will be under furniture or covered... Our Lonseal was abused (first thing we did was the floor then we build walking over it). I soldered, cut aluminum, made holes in the chasis, everything over that floor. It got glue, dirty shoes. etc. and after the correct cleaning an maintain (posted by Lonseal) its again like new. No mayor scratches. But they have a lot of different models, not just the design. We got one that was listed under "rv/ambulance" 7- I got into that thinking that may be 1515 series (1.5) was too much. But then the structures that we already did was for holing the batteries and the seat, and the fridge. I'm thinking that may be the over head storage cabinets I will do them in 10 series. But interconnecting them is a little tricky. A guy called Humble Road is a master on 8020. I highly recommend his channel. 8- We install the chinese heater under the passenger seat. easy install. THe first one died, so I got a second unit (not with BT) and the first ended up being the internal mech loose. In any case, we dont have spot issues, after it warmed the entire van. May be is related to insulation? we did the lizard skin 2 paints too. And also our A/C is heat too. But, if you put it in "vent/fan" mode at lower speed will move the hot air (top) and will create an even ambient inside the van. Also we installed the A/C in the back 9- Everything that I did was removable somehow. But its a tetris, and will be complicated for sure. All cables run from the top rib of the chasis. And I ran extra cables everywhere. I have a good hope that I never need to service anything of that. But eventually I could. It wont be easy tough. Its a little bit of the Egg or the chicken, You cant build something sturdy, good looking with great finish, but that could be removed easily. 10- Thanks for the tip! I'm using all the spaces but I will join together all I can ! :) 11- We did the Ekoflow power hub, at 15kw. At first I though was too much, but then I know my wife that dont want to be worried or saving energy, etc. Today I know for sure that it was the best option. We have the 750W solar panels + 200 flex (fixed) on sides of the vent + 150w over the hood (those are expensive and wont add much, but everything counts!) The unit charges 1Kw from the alternator (maximum). Also, the unit is 120v but I made a transformer from 240v and a EV charger adapter. so eventually I can use a public ev charger to charge the batteries at 120v@30a (3.6kw) (or run al the van electricity too) Its no ideal, if you are stopping for several days in the mountains. but if you have a city near with an ev charger. you can top off the batteries if you are very low, before you go into the mountains. I was thinking to have portable panels too. The second alternator its a good option. Ecoflow has smart generator that runs on propane. That you can set it up to start when batteries are less than 20%, for example. Its not ideal, but I preffer to put hours on a generator that its easy to replace, rather than the mercedes engine. About the secondary alternator,, you need to search a little more. (nations starter and alternator). kits are 1.8k U$. for your van . You can also replace the factory alternator for a higher output (mechman) like 400 Amps. That will be direct fit, no belt change, etc. Obviously (like having a secondary alternator) you need to run the + cable to the back of the alternator, from your charging system. since the factory cable is not sized for 400A. May be I'm lucking and you read this! :) I also invite you to the sprinter-source forum, there are a lot of old school builders and a great environment! (I learn a lot from them)

Don’t be too hard on yourself, most people couldn’t do half of what you’re doing! It’s all a learning process anyway, no matter what we work on, it’s always the people who built it that see the flaws more than anybody else!

Totally agree about the power issue. There’s no way to provide enough charging with solar. You need to use the van alternator to charge for adequate power. I upgraded my Sprinter alternator to a 300A alternator from PowerBastards only $495. Much cheaper than adding an extra alternator. Then I got a $28 Lisle Throttle Pedal Depressor to press the accelerator pedal to get a high idle. A bit hokey but it works like a charm. I can usually charge at around 150A+ at around 1000rpm, to get the full 300A you need to be above 1500rpm. In some ways the pedal depressor is better than the high idle kit because you can fine tune exactly what rpm you want to idle at. Also, for sure you need thick cable, I had to upgrade to 2gauge cabling to avoid a huge voltage drop in the charging cable.

Everytime I've converted my van, it was 'perfect' for that moment at the time. But every time after living in it for a while, something in my life changed (work, location, relationship) and the van didn't meet my needs anymore.

I did my van build with 2020 extruded aluminum which is only 3/4" wide and is cheaper (available on Amazon) and still very strong with only 0.043" of deflection in a 24" span under 250 pound load. Plus it is available in both bare aluminum and anodized black which is what I used.

7-O Savage, thanks for sharing those. Again, I learned a lot from your videos over the years. I haven't built my van fully yet (in progress) but am sure thankful for you sharing the mistakes. Every time you shared one I smiled as I have a solution for each and am glad it will be implemented. Here are some highlights to my build: - 48v (20.5kw) SOK battery bank w/ (2) Multi-plus II Victron inverters in parallel (4200w together at 20amps) - 1230 w residential solar panels - Spray foam insulation (Floors: 1/2" XPS in valleys and 1" on top with close cell spray foam in crevices - no squeaking) - 38 SEER 240v residential mini-split (tested at 230w/hr using heat) (A/C will be more efficient) - slam latches (no rattle) - Laveo Dry Flush (with kitty litter scoop assist, if necessary) - Wakespeed alternator - def will listen to your advice on that flooring part and removable paneling while I am planning the build

It's great to see the follow up on how things have performed over time, as I remember watching the great thought you put into each element of the build👍😊

Cutting back energy needs was my first step. Excellent job and thank you for sharing the good and less than good 🎈

Im by no means an expert, but since you mention the need of huge wires for the electrical them im assuming that you are running a 12v system. Since you decided to use 12v batteries (6) to be precise. I believe you would benefit of switching to 48v as you basically just need step up converters, those are rather cheap. (Golf-kart use cheap $30 12v to 48v step-up converter) Your cable size and weight go down. The bms inside server rack batteries for example can handle the load of anything you throw at them, prices are about 1400 usd for 5kw at 48v. You can use an eg4 inverter pro-charger for super fast charging at 120-240v ac with charge dialing features and lastly use a dual alternator setup so that you can provide the full power of the 2nd alternator at close to idle speeds meaning you wont be messing with the oem alternator or its charging system. PLEASE WATCH WILL PROWSE LATEST VIDEO AS HE SPECIFICALLY MADE IT TO EXPLAIN WHY NOT TO USE 12V IN A BIG SYSTEM AND RECOMMENDS SWITCHING TO 48V.

Takes a lot of humility to do a video like this, its why I still subscribe.

these are fun to watch, especially when you're in the process of building your own :)

Quick comment so there's not a lot to read: - aluminum profiles - mix large and small for the best compromise in strength and weight/space with special attention given to keeping everything behind you in an accident and housing things like the batteries. - 4:17 stainless is hard and brittle. If you don't hang that exhaust tube somewhere it will crack during one of your continuous, rolling earthquakes :-p

The best design is irrelevant if it doesn't work out for you. These real-tested design reviews are great for me, I can avoid your mistakes and make all new ones :) Inhabit flooring? Good to know, I hadn't figured out a top layer yet.

Hydronic floor heat is the way to go for even heat (Rixen system). This is our second build. The first had the typical D2 mounted under the passenger seat. The uneven heat was one of my biggest complaints. I hate having cold feet. We’ve lived in our latest build for the past 18 mos. in both summer and winter conditions. Summers can be tough but we stay on the coast. In winter, we move to the mountains and it is heaven. I don’t even have to wear slippers. Yes - on indoor plumbing and wiring. For some reason I missed that you ran everything outside when I watched your build series years ago. Consider bamboo for cabinetry next time. Yes it’s pricey but it’s lightweight and resilient.

OMG please make the perfect van latch system. Have been thinking about this and discussing this a lot lately, just want something aesthetically pleasing that's mechanical and heavy duty with a range of applications. Craziest thought I had was to try and make a smart device so you could lock all latches automatically on ignition turn or with a button. Please please. Much love and keep us updated

On the 8020 I used both 15 and 10 series. For the bed frame, refrigerator, and microwave cabinet I used 15 series. The galley, and upper cabinets are 10 series. On the power concerns you are a good candidate for a Solar Sail. 1000 watts that you can adjust/focus towards the sun, have storage up top, and a huge screen to game on. This will not be as good as a the dedicated alternator, but I would prefer a generator over idling my van. A More fuel efficient mechanism for power generation, but often not considered in vans.

I actually really appreciate this video! Usually videos like this are puff pieces for KZfaqrs, but this actually is some very insightful information that I will take into consideration when I start my camper build in a couple months. Thank you van dude!

If you were to install flooring last around your cabinets, it seems like you would be creating a channel for water to seep into and actually do damage. I think the way you did it is the best and you would notice a water leak long before damage would occur. Maybe consider marine grade plywood for your next build if floor damage is a concern. I’m not sure if there would be any off gas to be concerned with or how contact cement would take to it though. Just an idea. Nice work! Definitely getting some of those floor mats for my build 👊🏻

Hey Seven O Savage, great video and thank you for putting this together. You are spot on regarding power. Based on the amount of work you have done you are completely capable of installing a 2nd alternator yourself and keeping the cost below the $3k range all in. My system is a retrofit to a Leisure Travel Vans Serenity. I have a Victron 3k with 3 BB GC3 270ah batteries with all of the associated components. I purchased and installed the Nations 280XP 3 belt system with Wakespeed regulator. The engine work is straight forward and the electrical work is in line with the power system that you installed. The hardest part is running 4/0 cable from the alternator to your power system which is required at this scale, my run is 25' which required a fair amount of planning like anything we do on our rigs. Again based on all of the work you have done you are completely capable of installing this yourself.

Hey brotha, Love your honesty and acknowledgment of mistakes - failure is the greatest teacher. Acknowledging one's faults is humbling and a solid base to build upon moving forward. Keep up the good work.

For latches, I'm a fan of just normal kitchen handles and then magnets to keep the drawers in place. With the "perfect" magnet they sit like a glove. And yes, always have a "floating floor" as the last piece of the build kind of and roof before cabinets ;). I have the same issue with the battery bank and charging, but ended up with skipping the induction cooktop and use a propane one. It consumes soo little propane so I only have small cans with me lasting for weeks. The battery bank will just be for gaming and microwave + AC and will hold up that just fine.

An idea, raise the floor a little and run the water and wires down the middle with access panels

Maybe a couple of quiet little low-power fans, strategically placed to gently circulate the air, would be a good hack for the hot/cold spots.

I'm sure someone makes them, but I have yet to see a laminate floor look good after a year or so. I would definitely do my electric differently next time. I would not run it in the channel between the roof and walls. I don't want to do another build so hopefully this one holds up to the test of time. Do you like having a large water tank opposed to 3 or 4 smaller portable ones? Yeah, so do a "what you love" build. And encourage your GF to build muscle. Comes in handy for more than sticky cupboard doors.

So we have a 2nd alternator installed. It is in fact our only power source. We too have an AC and a 3000 Watt inverter, but just the 2nd alternator is sufficient. Expensive, but worth it. Other than when we run the AC for hours, we honestly never worry about power even though we have a slightly smaller system than you (7200Wh). Haven't been under 80% in a long time. We also make sure we almost never have to turn on the inverter; we buy mostly DC stuff and convert a few of the ones that don't come natively like that.

Thanks for always sharing this info!

I have 1440ah of lithium in this my 2nd van. 6 x 240ah hardkorr batteries. Runs the A/C really well and I don't worry much about it but still keep a close eye on the state of charge. Only have 400w of solar on the roof and have a 60A DC2DC charger. Shore power charges at 80A if I can get a plug in. Thinking about getting a 400w portable solar panel setup just for some extra solar charging too. So far so good. People said I was crazy for having a 1440ah system. I think it's common sense to have as much energy storage as possible.

Rather than Baltic Birch plywood try Hickory plywood. IMO it’s the very best. Amazing strength and waterproofing; especially with 2 coats of Danish Oil. You’re in Tahoe? I got my plywood in Sparks at a hardwood supply store. Thank you for all your videos. I’ve learned so much from you.

+1.. A comprehensive "What I'd design different" tutorial. .. A top shelf "shoulda coulda woulda" van build reflection from one of the best. .. Full Disclosure: Don't own a van nor aspire to. .. A retired electrical engineer. .. Cheers, M/S

Bro, get a honda generator and a couple gas cans and you're set. We have 200 amp hour lithium batteries and we use either our small instant pot or induction cook top and we have gotten below 50% once in all our travels. When we are out in the middle of no where and the 400 watts of solar aint cutting it, we turn the generator on for a bit and we're golden.

I think you built it right with the 15 series. I use the 10 series in a different application and it bends a lot easier with longer lengths.

Awesome info! Thank you

Great video. Your recommendations are solid. I built my van so I can remove the cabinets and every wall panel. I like to remodel and fix my own mistakes with routing electrical. Keep pushing the envelop and keep the videos coming!

That was all great information. Thank you for sharing. 😊

For the latches, use electromagnetic door locks. One switch can lock/unlock them all at once and I believe they don’t use much power. They are used on commercial doors for access control - buzz me in. Been watching you since your earliest videos.

I’m so glad I saw this video. My van installer guy who’s putting the electrical in now was annoying the crap out of me telling me that 800 ah batteries and a 50 dc/dc charger would be enough. I only have 400 solar currently so I spent an extra 650 for the new buck boost 100 dc/dc charger (hoping my 2021 i4 gas sprinter’s alternator can handle it)… I believe it’s a 250 but will have to verify. I’m like I’m a realist I know that on a cloudy day I’m gonna be screwed. So anyways your video made me feel better about going for the $1200 dc/dc charger lol. Still questioning my decisions to do all this on just a 2wd gas van, but I wouldn’t be able to afford out of pocket the upgrades if I went 4w or awd so hoping it’s still worth it. Interest rates these days too crazy to want a loan lol

Super helpful and informative as usual! One thing I've been thinking about is if I was to do mine over again, I'd go with a couple of things different regarding my electrical system. One is that I'd go with 48V rather than 12V for a couple reasons because the wiring can be much thinner as the current running around is 1/4 as much (voltage doesn't require thick wire). I also think that the way we all use solar is rarely do we need it while we're driving (alternator charging is generally much better than solar), so I'd go with some kind of simple unfolding system that could even double as an awning, and could provide 2x or 3x the amount of solar. And it could be somewhat productive when moving and secured. Thanks for all the learnings!

I used series 10 aluminum extrusion for every structure in my van. Saves weight and money. If you design it right it’s plenty strong enough for the places that really take a lot of weight, like the bed. My build is over three years old and I’ve had no problems with using series 10.

Building to same van model. Your videos have been a huge influence. I’m right with you on more accessibility to wall panels and what’s behind them. 👍👍

As far as temp control my best solution to accomplish the same goal is the Hydronic heating system which is a game changer and helps any air heat much more efficient and no cold spots. On the AC side, a under mount mini split is my choice. More than enough to keep the van cool everywhere. Many choose a layout using the cab seats but I wanted separated living space so the use a wall gave me also keeps my living space at the temp control I select. These options require a hefty battery bank as well as the alternator.

@12:20 I agree with your thesis regarding there is not enough space on the roof for "enough" solar. But that being said, you could do much better with commercial grade panels. Those dark flexi panels on dark metal are going to get hot quick, and hot panels are not efficient panels. I chose to build on an ambulance, I have 1,560 watts of solar and 15 kW/h of battery, and I still want more energy collection.

Thinking of how much air is accumulating in that heater box with the extra long tube, id say a reflective bendable tube is best. Relating to woodwork, I believe they call their devices 'storm gates', which changes which direction the shop vacuum flows and thus, more efficient suction. In this scenario, I'd suggest a 'Y' pipe with a heat proof storm gate thing to choose where the air blows out and also a curtain to close the cab off if applicable :) that way you could just permanently lay the long pipe under the units or whatever and out at the feet of the sitting area :)

Great work Steve, I always learn and enjoy watching your videos !

It really looks like a labor of love. You've invested a lot of time, effort and money on this strive for perfection. It's very informative and I got quite a lot out of watching you these last years. My hot take though and I'll go off on a rant here so fair warning :) A van lasts about 15 years, and there's always the possibility of a crash or theft. Spending over a year and a lot of cash makes sense for a passion project and perhaps also as the basis of youtube content but if not for those reasons I'd be skeptical about the cost vs. reward. That sort of approach of metal framing and doing everything to production standard perhaps makes sense for vans sold as a business and of course such a heavy battery system needs proper bracing, but generally it's much easier to do rudimentary standards with wood framing and 'good enough'/'functional' quality as it's quicker, cheaper, and easier to modify as there's not as much sunk cost and you can saw or screw into it easily. This sort of popular boxy framing with plain walls is nice for photos and it looks clean and in a house boxy cabinetry is a no brainer but practically speaking I think things like tiny boat galleys and van interiors are better off being more shaped to fit the human and more strictly toward form=function, by which i mean stuff like not having non functional surfaces anywhere it can be avoided, including walls, ceilings and side panels. Boxy cabinetry inevitably creates a lot of empty pockets of space and harsh corners protruding into living space where they get bumped into. For example the backsplash behind the sink could store a lot of stuff useful for cooking, the ceilings could have bungy nets where they makes sense, hooks can be everywhere to hang stuff up, cubby holes can be in many places everywhere, and everything built in a more temporary way so that it can be removed, heck even industrial cable channels where you can easily add/remove cables. We like to have closed cabinetry because it hides the mess, but especially in a small space it can be very useful to have more open storage. What's often annoying is all the steps to get at something: needing to open many doors and move many things out of the way to even find stuff, and then put it all back after you have it gets old fast so even though it can look messy it can be nice to have stuff in view where you can see and grab it. When you look at your drawers and cabinetry and think of the amount of space lost to big bulky framing, rails, gaps, bulky paneling and empty gaps behind it it's easy to see the actual volume of storage you get for the volume it takes up is quite low. It's super sturdy and really nice looking but it's also pricey and more storage is so nice to have. IMO vanlife becomes a lot easier with a pragmatic approach and being flexible or things get crazy, for example if you want airconditioning and a beefy gaming laptop and induction cooking you need a gigantic power system, but if instead you focus on good ventilation, gas burner cooking and an efficient laptop for example with an intel u-range processor and integrated graphics and a slightly smaller display to do more lower spec gaming(actually you can run quite a bit on them these days) you can get by with a lot less. On that topic by the way, it might be possible to fit a larger alternator from another vehicle instead of getting an expensive second one if you have the space. Perhaps get one for cheap from a car graveyard. There's other techniques to be cool like a spraybottle to mist yourself, having plenty of water to take regular showers to cool off, parking in the shade, having an awning, solar panels with some spacing and airflow under to get less heat from the sun, and maybe even consider renting a spot with power hookup during the summer so you can plug in an air conditioner. You can rent a spot with a power hookup for a long time for what you invested in that power system. I'm also a bit unsure about insulation, if living in canada it makes sense but I think in many places it might be worth while to at least try going without it at first because it saves cost and work and weight and ideally there's ventilation to the outdoors in the winter too so instead I think it makes sense to focus on heating for which there's many options, electric blanket, electric footpad, if you work a lot at the computer, a small 100 watt hot air blower to blow across the hands, a beanie hat, a catalytic heater and/or diesel heater but here I think I'd opt for the catalytic because it's so simple, so cheap to get and maintain and install and run, and radient heat makes sense in a ventilated space. I'd lean towards the architectural idea which in dutch we call "ruwbouw is nieuwbouw" which rhymes but translated it means "rough construction is finished construction" and you see it when people take old buildings or build new ones and leave things like rough surfaces bare with wiring and piping visible. That approach makes a lot of sense in a van too, or at least some middle ground. Just some 2 cents, don't take it the wrong way I have a lot of respect for your skills and expertise and your build really is a great accomplishment, just thought I'd share my unfiltered thoughts.

Electrics: In my upgraded system I have 7.5kw of batteries, 800w solar, and a 780w dc-dc charger. In my last built I used only flexible panels and they deteriorated quickly. Since I travel slow and stay in one place pretty often, I think it makes sense to have flexible solutions to increase solar input if I'm parked in a way that I want to run an AC unit or heavy appliances or power tools, or if it's continuously cloudy. So, the plan for this summer is to make an awning system of sorts with anchor points on the roof for a 99% reflective tarp, then use strings to mount foldable solar panels above that. Or to place them on the ground or similar to have the perfect angle in severe conditions or in winter times. If someone came up with a modular 'wing' system for common van roofs and common panel sizes I think that could be a game changer, too.

Great insights, thanks

Thanks for your negative information, your information is so useful and being a imfomation garooh is what a lot of us need to help our creativity. You are the Van man. Much love. Afriend.

I’ve built several vans with both built in cook top and stow away. I even bought a dual burner built in but never installed it. One issue to think about is the cooktops get broken more often if they are built in. It’s actually common because they are glass. Mainly from dropping something from above from one of the cabinets. Plus we didn’t want to lose the counter space. Your next girlfriend might want it stowed away. 😆

Class A solution for more off grid power has always been to run a generator to charge batteries or during high demand periods like suppertime, or even overnight for AC. Good generators just sip gas or diesel and are relatively quiet.

Thanks for sharing your real-world experience and reviews.

Thanks for sharing

About your electrical system: I think at that stage, if you are thinking about a 7k alternator system (crazy btw) I think the solution could be a bigger array of solar blankets to set up outside when needed and folded when you don’t. I personally have just a 100a/h battery and a foldable solar blanket of 250w. That will work for my set up that it’s basically a fridge and some battery powered items. I do live in Australia as well where the sun hits great almost every season unlike you. But if not, man just consider a generator. Anything will be cheaper or more cost effective than that I reckon! ☺️

Fantastic insight on all of this

This was really helpful 👍

Amazing video, you have a lot of good pointers. Looking forward to the new van build.

You are the first person I've ever heard use #7. Seems like a no-brainer now that i think about it

Love the flooring covers. We have 2tec2 woven vinyl (which is what inhabit uses). The best floors!!!!

I’ll probably go through one of these too soon. Like you I built with 15 series, but I’m not so sure about swapping to 10 series. I’ll go through the reasoning in my video. I also gave a crazy battery and solar (1110 ah and 800 watts). Yes, a big alternator would be great! I am looking forward to seeing your 11 things you love. Mine will probably surprise people.

Thanks! You put this out just in time! I'm currently redoing my van interior using a lot of the 8020 tips from your previous videos. I literally just got done working on my bed. Still covered in aluminum shavings. Haha Good to know 15 series is overkill for certain places. With that in mind I'm going to redesign my cabinets to use 10 series instead. Also, I had no clue what I was going to use for flooring. I've left it unfinished thinking I was going to put vinyl or something down. I'm going to look into Inhabit.

Would you consider a flip-down cooktop in the current van? I'm thinking a box to hold a cooktop that mounts to the side or against the van, maybe 1-2" up. To cook it drops down onto the counter top, then flips up for travel days or when you just need more counter space. Run the cord thru a cabinet for permanent power, but leave enough play so the cooktop comes out for cleaning.

We learned a lot from this video. I'm building a habitat and custom building everything. We know that the choices are too many. Learning what was not good enough was great. May I suggest one new concept of raw floors screwed down for removing later. One KZfaqr had a secret water leak and lost $10,000 while tearing every thing up to fix it. I would coat all floor panels with redguard

Awesome notes! This is one of the top van build changes I've seen.

Great video thanks for the info. Can’t wait to see the next build. I wondered how the pipes were going to work out being run underneath. Keep up the great work.

Nice video, it was thought provoking, thank you. If I was designing a luxe van like yours, I'd research a 48v electrical system. Gotta cut down the amps.

I would say yes to using more 8020 10 series instead of 15 series. It's much lighter and one can use braces or rely on the ply panels to stiffen longer spans if needed. Another thing I did was switch to the 3395/3360 style fasteners. Much stronger, less expensive. and less prone to getting in the way of other things. They do require a small drill press, which you will more than pay for with the savings from omitting all the 4119/4302 corner brackets and hardware.

Thanks for the top tips ✌ Just finshed cutting all the holes in my van and just about to do the interior 🤞

Great video, thanks for sharing. I'm leaning towards electronically activated magnets for my drawers and doors. I don't want any resistance when I'm opening/closing them and I also don't want any noise ie: clicking, snapping, latching, velcro(ing), etc. I like Everlanders setup where everything locks when he steps on the brake pedal. Or I'll use those cheap plastic ones that you use a magnet to open. For counter space, I want a smooth, flat, uninterrupted area for the 90% of the time I don't need a cook plate. I have 1 drain line under my van, from my shower, that will be heated and insulated. It tees into another drain that drops straight down through the floor into my gray tank (also heated/insulated). My kitchen sink drain runs under the flooring from the passenger side and then down into the gray tank. I didn't want any kind of dump valve on my gray tank that would have to be heated/insulated. So I came up with the idea to locate a macerator pump inside the van. It will pump the gray tank up into the heated space in the van and then back down through the floor and under the van where I'll connect a drain hose and pump into a dump station.

Great points, particularly with the floor, it makes sense and will also save a lot of weight. I put my floor down first and regret it now, as I have a little bit of movement at the join between panels, and have no idea how I'm going to fix it without trying to drill and cut out some of the flooring to pack it a little (glue). I'm doing a similar concept with my ceiling at the moment, but also to save weight. I'm using 7mm and 3 mm ply and using the rib panels in the van to create 7mm batons (lengthways) and the 3mm panels that simply slot between each baton (they're about 300mm apart which suits the mounting points in a VW crafter). The roof is only going where the roof is seen, as there's simply no point in lining the ceiling or walls of cupboards/ overheads if it doesn't need it. I'm using 80/20 as well in my van build here in AU, and the 25mm metric which seems to be fine - and has the best profile availability here. (equivalent to your 15 series I think) I like the sound of the inhabit flooring, but can't see that it's available in Australia - drat. Big vans here in AU are really hard to get hold of, and can take a couple of years to arrive with upgrades (like GVM). I do think that great 12V aircon systems are on their way. Eco flow is an AU one.

the 1010 series of the 8020 bends like crazy

I spent a lot of time looking at air conditioners. There’s one now that you can get in a 2 ton that is solar as well as 220. I’m going to use it for solar and not get the inverter. The inverter does not make sense to me when I look at the cost Also being what it does I’ll need about 800 W of solar, which is two panels. I’m going to use a different kind of panel I’m going to use Merlin solar panels. They are the best by far way less than the others so weight is always a factor.

I have a 1680AH (12V, so 22kWh) of Lifepo4 batteries and 1300watts (4x335) of solar, and I also run low. With cooking electric, 2 people in the van, starlink, etc I use about 4-5 kWh ( ~350Ah) of power per day, and on sunny days I can reach that. But in the winter period (about 4 months, November till february) I still need to recharge about once a week. My hope for camper 3.0 of mine would be more solar. I am thinking about doing like a solar awning on the side of the camper, this can give you an extra few m2 of solar.

I appreciate your info you have one of the nicer builds that I followed

I'm a little puzzled why you would need a removable floor. Our subfloor extends under our cabinets, but the top finish layer doesn't ..... and in three years of use, we've never needed to get under there. Same with our walls. Access is important, but we've never needed it. (Perhaps I should knock on some baltic birch for luck.) I remember all your angst about your floor install and it's sad you're not happy with it now. We just put in regular ol' interlocking fake-wood vinyl planks from Home Depot, and they're fine, although the gap-causing contraction-thing (in one small spot) is a little annoying. We just keep a rug over it. Still looks good. Cooktops - I'm the female (and reluctant main cook) in our van and I pushed for a stowable cooktop. I've had both and prefer an open, clear countertop. Finally ..... your next build? You're planning to do another one? Yay, for us because .... more videos!

Great follow-up update. Most van builds lack modularity, which allows easier maintenance and reworking over time. This also forces you to start over from scratch to make significant alterations. 8020 has its places, but it isn't optimal for a van. It is not optimal for the contours of the van shape, space efficient, strength optimized, nor affordable. Scrape rates can be high when adjusting builds, too many fasteners to keep tight, and messy cutting. I would make the most of quality plywood. Where strength is paramount, I would look for metal suppliers or, better yet, a metal fabricator to make structural assemblies. This would be for heavy items like water tanks, batteries, and refrigerator.

Point 11 is always the most contentious. I was apprehensive about your choice of batteries when you first set them up. You're a smart enough guy to build your own battery bank and save space and money. For the next build, just get some 280 to 300 Ah, Prismatic, Grade A, LifePO4 cells from China and build your own battery bank. I got my 285 Ah cells from an Alibaba seller in 2020 and couldn't be happier with their performance. You just have to do your research, which I'm quite confident you'd do :) As far as charging goes, even diesel automotive engines (as opposed to gasoline), don't like running at higher RPMs for extended periods of time while the vehicle is not moving. They're just not designed for that. Cold seasons are obviously more friendly to that kind of abuse, but you'd want an all-season solution. If you find yourself needing to run the engine a lot, while stationary, just to charge the batteries, I wouldn't advise it. You'd be better off getting a traditional Onan type diesel generator, or a super-quiet Honda gasoline generator. All that being said, I can't really say which way you should go, because you've never really posted a hardcore, extended, battery/electrical/charging systems test, in a real-life scenario. Even though I've requested it a couple times, haha. Well, just my thoughts. You seem to have been posting more regularly lately, so I've "re-subscribed" :) Cheers, Sev

4:40 min cook top A couple of years ago I saw a van tour and the dude mounted his cook top on a hinge to store it folded against the wall if not in use. The titel of the video is "Cleverly Designed Camper Van w/ Murphy Bed, Office & Tesla Power System" by TinyHomeTours and the relevant clip starts at 11:40 min. I am not sure what you store in the cabinet below the AC but finding a thin cook top and mounting it "inside" the Wall of the closet (?) sounds like a worth wile upgrade.

regarding the second alternator... mine makes about 150-200 amps which is fantastic when driving however... when parked high idle on the main engine burns alot of fuel for the electricity generated. I carry a 3100 watt generator which can recharge my 1500 amp/hr battery in about 4-5 hr using only 2.5 gallon of fuel.

Love the build, we did a lot of similar things. I agree with going with the smaller 80/20, the 1" would have been more than fine. I have a 1000w of solar on the roof, 600ah of battery, and a 12v split ac. I used foam insulation on the ceiling and* 1/2 foam board under the tongue and groove roof paneling. I think your dark colored van is not helping you out trying to cool the interior. My AC can get the interior colder than you want it and I think its because its not fighting the exterior heat as much, it being white and having my whole roof solar. I also think you are right about the alternator upgrade, look around though I found a 450a alternator for $500 and I've already run a 00 wire. You can build that kit for much less. Thanks for the vids over the years, its helped me with my build.

About never having to worry about running out of electricity, are there any stand-alone generators out there, that can be mounted under the vehicle? That way, you can always carry an extra jerrycan and can access extra power from diesel without having to idle the car.

You should try Evomatic door catches , specifically design for campervans. We can send world wide.

im finishing up my boil now and when I started I was =using your videos as reference. building a van is not for the faint of heart

Pull the draw handle off, grind a bevel on the edges so stuff doesn't catch when moving past them and re-install.....

Couple of things that I would do differently.second 48 V nations alternator with Victron system. Use 10 series 80/20 only were I need it for Strength. Upper cabinets ( battery box, bed frame)

Great tips! I've noted down "inhabit floor covering." Regarding heating and AC, a small mini-split might be the answer. I've seen some of them running at 350W while cooling at 70°F.

My n+1 experience with a Balmar XT250 secondary alternator in a '22 Sprinter... great when it works and expensive when it doesn't. We've spent over $2k and 4 trips to the mechanic during the past three weeks to troubleshoot/fix a squealing/whining noise that was related to the second alternator, serpentine belt, or pulleys. That doesn't include the $800 cost of the replacement alternator that we ordered from Balmar at the mechanic's recommendation. At this point we could've just about bought an entire new alternator kit. This is after only 5k miles on the second alternator that was installed by a shop that's very familiar with Balmar and Nations alternator installation. Just about every time my van has been in the shop there's another van in there to fix a secondary alternator issue. So yeah, when it works, it's a gamechanger for charging. When it doesn't, get ready to empty your wallet.

Very good points, things I may need to consider when I plan my build. I might suggest considering a 48V AC, and even though it may not eliminate the cold/hot spots, but will cool everything so much better/efficient. Fans to move the air.

Watch some Humble Road videos I think he over builds with 80/20 but his practice of accessibility is a foundation of his builds. I think you’re right about the floor too trapping moisture in the multiple layers is a mold habitat. You’re gonna love my solution to that this spring great van thank you

It's great learning from others what works and what doesn't. Regarding Baltic birch, that is almost impossible to find in my area, and if you can still find some, the price is exorbitantly expensive, but strength to weight ratio, does make the most sense. But with Russia's war and sanctions, I doubt Baltic birch will be making a comeback anytime soon. For the solar, in order to get more wattage on the roof of such a tiny vehicle, I think the best option would be to slightly elevate your existing panels, and create a sliding tray with additional solar panels that rests underneath that you can pull out when stopped to add additional wattage, and pushed back in and locked in place for traveling or if in tight quarters. Also having the means to tilt the panels to obtain the best efficiency in light gathering would be very beneficial. And depending on design and space available, the sliding tray could even double as an overhead awning to provide shade when wanting to setup some kind of outdoor seating or cooking area

1" x 1" extrusion flexes significantly more and can't really be torqued down like the 15 series as the nuts/bolts are smaller.

Thanks for the info on your truly terrific build. Coupla questions: 1. How can you have "removable" floor under cabinets and such? And if you do not have floor material in that location does that mean you forego insulation there? I get the spill problems, but am unclear how you also maintain insulation of any sort under the cabinet footprints etc. 2. The fact that you are shy on power is amazing. What use case do you employ your van for? Do you remote work IT with many hours stationary inside with AC running and parked in the shade for less solar but less interior solar heating? Don't you migrate to comfortable altitudes or other locations depending on season/location? Victron came out with a new 50A charger that can run in parallel with another one for 100A charging {and maybe daisy chain even more? not sure}. I plan on a 400AH system and I have a hard time foreseeing any troubles with power. But I will not be installing AC, only driving to higher elevations during hot muggy months. I'm a climate nomad and simply go where it's comfortable seasonally. Another thing is if you use electric cooking, gas can take a big load off your wattage draw. Anyway thanks for the update, very good info from the very best build I've seen. 👍

Power requirements (or preferences) are strongly related to use cases. I installed 500W of solar, and a 240W DC-DC charger, which are both moderate suppliers. However, they are paired with 14,400 Watts of battery storage. The large battery bank allows the system to go long periods without being charged, then when charging is available store a lot of electricity thus creating a lot of power versatility. I don't have Aircon, which might increase my desire for rapid charging from the engine. But I'm hesitant to buy a $7k generator that increases complicity in the engine compartment, and may push my mileage even lower.

Great Video, been following along through both vans. Its nice to see the other side of build videos come to fruition. Im on my third iteration of the same van and get it! Regarding the extendable heater hose, Ive had luck with flexible dryer hose. It doesnt melt. We used ours in sub zero temps this weekend to add a boost from the seat heater to the rear door drafts and it worked well. The flange you have with a foil and wire hose may be a good solution. Keep up the great content and thank you!

I've used push to open drawer runners, no handles, work a treat, I'd imagine they might fly open in a crash but I don't like to think of the carnage of crashing a camper!

I don’t think the issues you face with the plywood is the plywood itself, but the prep work and materials used to finish it. Baltic birch requires less prep work but if done well the finish quality can be done as well with another type of quality plywood. Just don’t use big box plywood that is made with layers of MDF. Totally agree with the 1 inch aluminum extrusion instead of 1.5 in. I did that in my van to save weight.

I am of the mindset of putting solar dollars towards more battery or the extra alternator. I just don't see a good ROI on flat roof solar. Your thoughts?

how about harnessing wind energy?? The tech has improved, for small installations! How about just storing & using DC, not AC? There's plenty of DC fridges, stoves and pumps! The heating & air conditioning should be a reversible system, with cold air vents up high and returns below them, then when it's winter, you swap the returns as hot output and the higher vents are the return... but the system should be piping heat along the walls to every location, not just one spot that tries to vent to the whole van. Think of the hot/cold air system AS A SYSTEM that also includes INSULATION and sealing against the wind.! I do love the 8020 aluminum framing, esp when you're in an accident or you have to stop fast.

Love the flooring mats! I have marmoleum (which is awesome), but I love a rug on top. I have tried several to no avail. Def gonna check out the inhabit!

I installed $200 worth of the RV Labs latches because of your review video. 😮 If I recall you latched the drawers to each other. I came up with a custom design using some 3d printed parts and flat bar. It was way too much work but they ended up functioning.

I used the 1 inch 8020. It is totally strong enough, but due to the size, the hardware for assembly is more expensive and you need to be more careful with it. No impacts can be used. This trade off was ok for me.