Van life van conversion design for fridge cooler freezer promaster sprinter transit camper build

Рет қаралды 1,409

Жыл бұрын

In all van builds and for every van life there are a number of common concerns. Paramount is food. You may bein a camp with services, or boondocking in the desert. You may be a full time digital nomad or a weekend warrior camping in your families yard. In every case having food to eat and an adult beverage to drink will be on your list of must haves. Knowing that you have a reliable way to keep food good when overlanding is critical. There is a great debate about fridges vs cooolers. Which is better. There is even a debate about how to power you fridge cooler. Clearly if the van life you dream of incudes some off roading you’ll want a 12 volt system for your fridge. If you’re in a camp you may have constant access to shore power in which case a 120 volt fridge may appear OK. Of Coarse there is there is the drive between camps you’ll need to allow for. A DC-DC charger may do the trick. Perhaps a Renogy 50 amp dc-dc charger will work - ca.renogy.com/20a-12v-dc-to-d... - But even if your not a nomad having solar power saved in your battery can make life really comfortable. ca.renogy.com/products/batter... - There are many models to choose from. Do you want a fridge type such as TF65DC 65L/2.29 Cu. Ft 12V Refrigerator w/Freezer www.northernfridge.ca/collect.... Or a chest style such as the dometic www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor.... It will all come down to how you use your van, how much space you have and how much you like to eat.

Пікірлер: 13

@Soulvanlife 9 ай бұрын

Oh.. and thanks for the video. I plan on installing mine in the same place!

@VanOfAction 9 ай бұрын

@brendajo…. We have really happy with it there - but !!! If the opposite cabinet was 24” it would not be ideal. Being able to have at least 1 leg informs of the cooler is important for reaching all the way to the end… let Me know how you make out. …….. Dave

@joellekarma Жыл бұрын

Thanks for Sharing your video was very helpful. I have 1983 G20 Chevy van. I am a double amputee so I have make room for my wheel chair, I have prosthesis but I can't wear them all the time, I do wasteland and post apocalyptic events so there is no power available so I'm going to use solar and a generator. I really enjoy your videos.

@VanOfAction Жыл бұрын

Hi KraZy Joe - thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. The great thing about van life is that it's available to everyone. I'm sure you'll find a way to make it all work. I would suggest you look into a DC-DC charger - maybe instead of a generator. It would be much smaller and would not need fuel. I have 300 watts of solar on the roof and it's always been enough. You've seen my van, we want for nothing. However we are warm weather campers so I don't have a furnace. But the point is that the solar has always been enough. The dc-dc charger - this is what we used - ca.renogy.com/products/battery-chargers/mppt-battery-charger/ and it's also an MPPT controller. Being abler to pull 50 amps as you drive it recharges really quickly. Just a thought. Be well and stop back....... Dave

@albertanasoul Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this video, I am installing the same cooler in my transit. It is a big unit for sure, but I never thought about the extra room needed for when the lid is open. I appreciate the insight.

@VanOfAction Жыл бұрын

Hi Mchael. Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. You’ll love this cooler !!!! I didn’t think about the lid opening either, it was just lucky I could make it work at all. Be well and I hope you stop back…… Dave

@albertanasoul Жыл бұрын

@Van Of Action I hope it serves you well! Enjoy the van :)

@64MAGA24 11 ай бұрын

Why not cut the table top so you can get in from the top. Seems really awkward to open and get into. If you cut the tabletop, put piano hatch on back it seems so much more convenient. I have 2500 and I have a twin bed behind driver side that is elevated to put dometic (same as u have) under the bed on slider I made. I like i can sit on bed and look out slider door window or space when slider is open. You have more skills in your pinky then I have in my whole brain. But as a disabled senior I did best I could to make it work for myself. Great Van Conversion thank you for sharing.

@VanOfAction 11 ай бұрын

Hi RamblingGal. Thanks for watching and commenting. Making a top that lifted was a consideration but I’m the end we didn’t want to always clear the counter to get into the fridge. We like a work counter. I think all the different designs is what makes van builds so interesting……… hope you’ll stop back…….. Dave.

@thesplinteredfinger Жыл бұрын

I have to disagree with you on some facts. My 7:6 cubic foot Galanz refrigerator cost me $250 however it does use 150 watts but I think you paid more than $1300 for your Dometic that uses only 50 watts. Yours might be a better brand and efficient but how long would it take to use up $1300? I do like the dometic I just don’t think it is convenient to pull out and bend over to get something, but it is just a matter of opinion. Do enjoy your videos.

@VanOfAction Жыл бұрын

Hi Splintered Finger - thanks for watching and taking the time to comment. I’m not sure how I didn’t see this until now. I love comments like this because they get a conversation going which can help so many others who are trying to decide what’s best for them.. I appreciate what you’re saying about cost, and cost is always a consideration in everyone’s build. We chose spend more for our cooler because ……. it uses less energy - I don’t know how to quantify the dollars in terms of payback. But knowing our 300 watts of solar and 200 amp hours of battery would always be enough to keep our food good, even with days of rain has value to us. Also, we really wanted a BIG freezer space. The dual zone Dometic is fully programmable making a massive freezer compared to most. And we didn’t want a deep cupboard above the counter top to keep an open feel. So bending over was a given. At least with the cooler style mounted right under the counter we can look down and don’t have get on our hands and knees. Please stop back and join in ……. And thanks for the kind words about my videos. Be well……. Dave

@Soulvanlife 9 ай бұрын

Does it have enough air to breathe?

@VanOfAction 9 ай бұрын

Hi Beendajo…. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. This is an excellent question. I’m my build - because my bikes are longer than my bed is wide. (That’s another video). I left The end of the basement wall off at the cooler. It’s really not a lot because the wheel well is there. But that let’s air form the basement into that space. And at the other end I cut a 6 x 12 hole in the cabinet gable end between the cooler and the area under the sink. I put a duct cover over it. There is no question letting the air move is important. Hope you’ll stop back. Dave