Adding Auxiliary Power Plug to Van Using Greywater Drain Storage Pipe

[@blkted2945]

Man, you must be reading my mind. I don't use that storage and it is takes up so much space. I want to remove it but I try to keep the integrity of the van but that thing is really useless to me, same with the water connections. We won't use water in our rear, heck, we don't even use the water tank or pump, on occasion in the summer. I did buy the knock off Xtreme heater that automatically keeps the van between 31 to 42 degrees, it works ok. The original one is $450, knock is $140 but I just shut the cord thru the back door, so I may do this hack so I dont have to do that. Thanks again. Keep up the ideas.

[@jtbrv23]

Yeah, the van doesn’t need any more punctures from the outside. I don’t use enough water to justify all the holes in the van either. If the water system ever has a big malfunction, I’m pulling it out. I’ll do shelf’s where the freshwater tanks is. I’ll put a cabinet under the sink and place a grey water jug for drainage and a blue clean water jug with battery operated pump to kitchen sink. Then I can drop the external grey tank as well. I’ll never have to winterize but can have water on winter trips.

[@junglehomes6525]

Not sure I understand. I thought shore power allows your interior plugs to be used for what ever you need so why is it necessary to add this extension cord? Please explain also is it safe to use an oil heater in the van and if so what type of electrical extension cord would be considered safe for this high voltage accessory?

[@jtbrv23]

In the winter I fully shut down the back of the van to let the batteries “sleep” through the extreme cold. Lithium batteries won’t charge when below 32 degrees. Trying to keep my van heated all winter isn’t really feasible. I will fire up batteries for multi day trips but 90% of my winter usage will not involve rear batteries. I do try and maintain stuff or upgrade in winter so would be nice to plug stuff in or use space heater. Oil heater is probably the safest style portable heater. I wouldn’t use when driving though just to avoid tip overs. This one I bought is only 700 watts max and the extension cord I linked in description is rated for 1800 watts to be safe. I have gone to a campground north of me that had too “dirty” of a shore power supply. The volts would go up and down and the van would reject using it. This could have been helpful in that situation because I had to run the van to charge the batteries.

[@junglehomes6525]

@@jtbrv23 So when you plug into shore power you don;t have power at your interior power recepticles ?

[@junglehomes6525]

@@jtbrv23 Ok fully shutting down the back of the van will also disconnect everything and the van will be "off line". So could you do a video explaining how to restart everything and also put your van back "online"?

[@jtbrv23]

@junglehomes6525 Yep. I’m just trying to avoid the potential for damaging batteries in extreme cold. When I do wake the batteries up, it takes hours for them to actually get warm. I made a video last February about waking them up when I drove to IKEA. Here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaPao6ajZ7mZb5osi=B_CbMSFSb1q71QNP

[@blkted2945]

@@jtbrv23 yeah, I do the same as jtbrv23, according to Mastervolt, your batteries need to be around 42 degrees f. so I keep a 400watt heater during the winter to keep them warm. I used to use a small heater but now I use a knock off Xtreme that only keeps it at 41 degrees right near the battery compartment and I turn everything off. When I go to use my van. I ensure everything is warmed up before I turn my batteries on. Your batteries have a discharge temp and a charging temp. I've locked my Mastervolt batteries up and you can't revive them, Camping world had to hook them up to the computer, it sucks. As Jtbrv23, it is better to shut them down during freezing temps and put heat on the van when necessary. To answer the guy below question to, if you use shore power, the system has to be on, which would be charging and discharging the batteries, it would be nice to bypass the batteries and just use the 12v system straight from shore power but that is not how my system works.