Camper Conversion Cabinet Progress, Toilet Upgrade, Air Conditioner Decision Promaster 118

Welcome to Vanity Bitty!
I wanted to share the progress on my cabinet top! Not bad if I do say so myself. I also wanted to show you the upgrade on the bucket box, and share my Air Conditioner decision with you.
VanityBitty‪@gmail.com‬
8/25/2024
Deck Box
www.amazon.com...
Zero Breeze Mark3 Pre-order
zerobreeze.com...

[@VanityBitty]

I’ve added the link to the box. Yes, I explain in the video and previous ones that I’m going to raise the bucket up and how. It’s a must! Thank you 😊

[@CindyCaVANas]

It looks awesome!! You're better than you know. 2 thumbs up! 👍🏼👍🏼😊

[@VanityBitty]

Thank you, Cindy! I’m really trying with this one 😊

[@54bonkers]

I think you’ve come up with a great solution for the shorter cabinet. Can’t wait to see it finished.☮️❤️☀️

[@VanityBitty]

@@54bonkers Thank you! ☺️

[@goodcitizen1611]

Keep on truckin'!

[@terrizseleczky9794]

Good for you. You know you can always rent a router from a rental center.

[@VanityBitty]

@@terrizseleczky9794 I did try calling around last week but can’t find a rental place that rents routers. ☹️. 😄

[@mytrueserenity5666]

Nice work! You have ingenuity which is far more valuable than skills; those will come with time. Inspiring, as usual, Dawn.

[@VanityBitty]

@@mytrueserenity5666 OMGosh, thank you. That means a lot to me. ☺️

[@lorimarino2173]

You did a great job Dawn!!!👍😊

[@VanityBitty]

@@lorimarino2173 Thank you so much! ☺️

[@Pam-R290]

Great job!!

[@VanityBitty]

Thank you! 😊

[@erikayenser8720]

Sink and box looks good

[@VanityBitty]

Thank you so much 😊

[@RuthAnn-f4j]

You did a nice job on the top of your kitchen cabinet.🙌 That’s going to work out great!

[@VanityBitty]

@@RuthAnn-f4j Thank you!! I’m trying my best. It remains to be seen what the finished product will look like but at least I know I did the best I could do. ☺️

[@CraftHarlot]

Use a hand plane to soften the edges. Test your depth on a piece of scrap, and try going shallower instead of deeper. You can even use a $10 small hand plane from harbor freight.

[@VanityBitty]

@@CraftHarlot That’s not a bad idea! Thanks so much. 😃

[@willarddenton4360]

Very nice work

[@VanityBitty]

@@willarddenton4360 Thank you! 😊

[@clarasmith1873]

The pillow board really extends your kitchen area.

[@VanityBitty]

Thank you, I’m so thrilled with that. Funny how a simple thing can make such a difference! 😊

[@nancyjohnson2070]

Hi Dawn. I really like the counter top you made. It will look fabulous when you stain it. I have no tools and poor building skills. If I had a shed where I could practice building items, that might be beneficial. For now I’ll just do tiny projects. 😊😊

[@VanityBitty]

@@nancyjohnson2070 I would love to have a work area as well, and especially a work table. I’m so jealous of people who have shops and tables and all the saws and tools LOL. But for the few things I actually build, it would be quite a waste. I can’t decide what to do for the top of the cabinet top. I don’t want something combustible and I learned that polyurethane is. So I’m considering my options. 😊

[@bettysclassctohightopvanca4451]

You really need to put some insulation in that van! You’d be surprised the difference it will make when you’re trying to use AC or heat!!! I did it myself & I know nothing about cutting insulation but I did it anyway. I know I didn’t get it tight enough but it still helped tremendously!!! Interesting videos you put out!!! Thank you for info!!! ❤😊👍👏

[@VanityBitty]

@@bettysclassctohightopvanca4451 Yes, I agree. I’m not done with my build, I’m not camping or sleeping in it yet. It’s not ready yet and insulation is one of the reasons. It wouldn’t be livable without it, even for one day. I did address this a few times in the last few videos but yes, definitely, I will be insulating when I get to it! Thanks for watching!

[@maitildamcintyre9344]

I spent a lot of money on a zero breeze with two batteries and they were garbage. I thought maybe I got a bad unit, so I sent it back and got a second one. Didn’t work an all. Yes it cooled right in front of it but the van never cooled down. Customer service was useless and told me it wouldn’t work in humid conditions. It’s not stated anywhere about that. I hope the improvements you mentioned make it feasible. I hope you test the stain on a piece of wood the same as your cabinet top before you stain the top. Of you don’t like it you will have to sand it off. Best of luck, you’re doing a great job.

[@VanityBitty]

I definitely have heard that about the Mark 2, which is why I didn’t want to choose this option. I felt new hope when I watched demos and reviews of the Mark 3. It actually had a humidity setting to remove humidity so that is encouraging. I will call them before I buy and make sure it works in humid climate. I know swamp coolers don’t but this isn’t a swamp cooler. I will make sure. If it doesn’t, then I’m out of options and will be crushed!

[@VanityBitty]

Oh and yes, i have some scrap left over that I will test the stain on first. 😊. Good looking out!

[@maryhight6030]

You did an absolutely amazing job 👏.way to go ❤

[@VanityBitty]

@@maryhight6030 Thank you so much!!! ☺️

[@amypellerin2368]

I think it's kinda hard to match stains but since your color scheme is grey, black and white, have you considered painting your cabinet and the top one of those colors? That'd look good too. You're getting there...good job.

[@VanityBitty]

I was thinking about it but I really don’t want to sand the cabinet down. It’s glossy and polyurethaned I think, it would be a real job. But it’s an option if the stain doesn’t match. 😊thank you!

[@VivecaV2020]

For no skills, you’ve done really well!! I’m glad you’ll be able to take advantage of the mark three !! The batteries usually have to stack the way they hook them together. I only have a single battery however, unless you’re gonna be gone for a prolong period of time, I don’t see why you have to have them both up there at one time you could just put the additional one on or change them out, when and if you’re not hooked up to. when I’m camping at a campsite, I don’t even have a plugged into the battery. I just have them marked too directly into my little outlet and then the outlet is hooked and shore. Thanks for keeping us updated. I enjoy watching your videos.

[@VanityBitty]

@@VivecaV2020 That’s a very good point! I figured to make sure it would run all night I’d need them both hooked up but I only sleep 5 hours so I could swap out in the morning and get to recharging the other. So you use shore power to run it sometimes too? Do you have 15amp or 30amp? And do you just plug it right into your outlet which goes out to shore power or do you have a fuse box and other protections in between? I have 15am shore power and a circuit breaker outlet but that’s it. I plan to get fuse bar and 30amp down the road but wasn’t sure if it’s needed to run the zero breeze.

[@VivecaV2020]

@@VanityBittyI use it mostly with all shore power when I’m at campgrounds. Usually I plug into 110 or 30 amps. But once at a KOA campground they asked me to plug into a 30 amp because of the condition of their facility. I did also have to purchase optional cords to upgrade to charge the battery while I drive and one to hook up to solar panels (for future adventures). I’ve also used mine in our condo when we’ve had a power outage. It’s been a Godsend!!

[@livintheretiredlife6713]

Gosh, for someone with "no skills" you did an incredible job! I look forward to seeing how the Mark 3 works. The zero breeze prior didn't seem that effective. I am also building out a van, so it is of interest to me as well.

[@VanityBitty]

@@livintheretiredlife6713 Thank you! ☺️ I’m cautiously optimistic that the Mark 3 really is that much better than the Mark 2. I did watch actual reviews on it, and it appears to be so. I really am out of options so I guess I will find out the hard way. I’ll be sure to share what I learn.

[@livintheretiredlife6713]

Appreciate that!

[@Mary-ft9tj]

I'm So excited for you!😊 I am going to do the same thing.. I'm buying a PM Van for camping/ traveling only instead of getting hotels. I own a house on 2 Acres I want to keep and build out the van as I've been saving for it, little by little I will get it done! I have a want and need list going of the way I want it! You inspire me...😊

[@VanityBitty]

@@Mary-ft9tj I’m excited for you!! You won’t regret it. I especially love it when I have to take someone somewhere for an appt and I can relax in van instead of in a dentist lobby or something, which is often. Or when my fridge or bathroom breaks and I can bring in the mini systems from the van. It has happened 3x now. Having a mini home on wheels is very very handy, even when not camping or traveling! Idk why everyone doesn’t have one. ☺️

[@BittyBooBrown]

Come to Oklahoma hun I have a router lol. Hubby and I also prob have all the tools you would need lol. My little pugs name was Itsy Bitsy baby Brown. She was my itty bitty baby. So to honor her after she passed I named my channel after her. Whatever you do please do not cook with the stove in the case. HUn you may want to add a little false floor to your potty box so it would raise the toilet up a little. It may be a bit hard to get up from using the potty if you don't. Plus with us women getting older it will help with your knees. can you put a link to the plastic garden storage box?

[@kikig5036]

Home Depot & Lowe’s have tool rentals 😊

[@VanityBitty]

@@kikig5036 yeah, I did call them about a week ago, and they don’t rent out routers. ☹️ thank you though, great minds think alike! ☺️

[@clarasmith1873]

The cabinet top looks good. The knots in the board will look really good stained.

[@jazziered142]

I think it looks nice. Glad you got the toilet box you wanted. In the long run you'll be better off for it. Wood filler for the slight gaps really help things look more professional.

[@VanityBitty]

I know I will be grouting inside where the wood meets. Other than that, there shouldn’t be any gaps but I will try to remember that in case! Thanks 😊

[@jazziered142]

@@VanityBitty You're doing a great job and I'm enjoying your videos. Thank you for sharing.

[@judilynaz]

I have a Sportsmobile with back windows like that, and they do not open because of the exhaust that would get into the van through that open window. Of course I have not a clue how your particular vehicle would be affected by this, but it might be worth a bit of an investigation before purchasing the unit and accompanying needs to mount it.

[@VanityBitty]

That’s a great point! I believe these types of windows shouldn’t be left open while driving or while the vehicle is running. The AC unit shouldn’t be running when driving either, and probably not hooked up to the window either, actually. But I don’t want to have to disconnect the plate itself that holds the tubes from the window each time I drive, like I would if it were put in the passenger window, for example. Still don’t know what I’ll use to fashion that plate but I’m seeing a little sheet of black plastic.

[@Jewellavergne]

Looks nice. Did you decide to use that nice cabinet that was in your house? It looks good

[@VanityBitty]

I took the bigger cabinet from the van, put it in the house and replaced with a smaller one that I got off Facebook Markeplace. It had the right width and depth but wasn’t quite high enough so that’s why I building up. 😊

[@54bonkers]

Wow that’s a lot to spend on an ac system. Why not go with an upright floor model for a couple hundred dollars. You could vent it out the side of your van. Just an idea?

[@VanityBitty]

@@54bonkers Some people do just that, but it’s a huge power drain and requires hook ups to keep them going. The Mark 3 is along the same lines, only it has batteries that last up to 6 hours, and if you buy an extra battery like I’m going to, and have a big power unit to back those up, it’s a much better option than the floor model type. Thanks for the feedback! ☺️

[@54bonkers]

@@VanityBitty how much camping are you going to do in the hot summer months. I have a window unit in my cargo trailer and any camping I do in hot weather I’m going to make sure I have electric hook up. Otherwise I’m going to camp where it’s cool. Just a thought.

[@VanityBitty]

@@54bonkers I’m in Florida and can not venture further for reasons I’ve gone into, and Florida has inhospitable weather 10 months out of the year. Also, electrical hookups won’t do me any good when I don’t have an electrical system in my van other than 15amp shore power. My options are limited unless I want to spend a boatload of money for all the necessary components to run regular air conditioning. As I said, I can’t justify that on a camper van that’s purpose is only short excursions, nor do I have it! It’s been a challenge for sure! ☺️

[@54bonkers]

@@VanityBitty I don’t have any extra electrical systems in my cargo trailer and can run an ac plus other appliances just on the shore power. I also live in Florida so am very familiar with the heat. Just trying to save you a lot of money! My little window ac freezes me out. I also have MS which makes me very heat sensitive. All you’d have to do is plug into your inside electric box.

[@VanityBitty]

@@54bonkers That’s awesome! I do need to be able to run it when not on shore power for extended periods of time. I won’t usually be on shore power. I’ve thoroughly explored all options. I don’t know yet if the Mark 3 will work for me, but I do know window unit or stand alone is not the answer for my situation either. It’s been a challenge and a rollercoaster but if the Mark 3 works as described, it’s the best solution for me. Thank you for your suggestions! 😄

[@msspgj]

Just curious.. I don't know the tube size of the zero breeze, but would it fit down the opening on the passenger side like the opening where you installed your electrical shore power? I know both sides have that same opening. Just a thought. 🙂

[@VanityBitty]

I know some people have done similar things. I’m not sure there is an opening on the other side, I don’t see a rubber plug thing under there, but there might be. It’s an option for sure. Wherever it ends up, i want it to live there permanently and be as much out of the way as possible so I’m still at the stage where I’m thinking. 😊