Campervan Mods ~ Solar Water Heater & A/C

Building & Installing my discreet home-made solar water heater, beginning solar install, and Van A/C.

[@godiskungen27]

I just want to say. Do you all understand how great it is by Eric to do these videos and he does them while out on the road and on the go. He isnt sitting behind a nice large home office editing he is doing it while living during curcumstances that maybe most of us would find pretty hard day to day living. And still he manages to get out videos of High quality that is impressive. Its all so easy to critizize from youre own comfort at a home apartment or house but he really does an awsome job filming editing and same time living out on the road most of the time. Awsome job Eric really impressed. Regards Marcus

[@diane2826]

godiskungen27 And your comment is an awesome, good and right on comment!

[@wotsken]

i am impressed with your comment i agree

[@peterstewart8725]

godiskungen27 Same with Troy at Do it yourself world !

[@0HARE]

I love this concept. I would tweak it in a couple of ways: 1. 90 or 45 degree elbow at the low (front) end, to get the spigot as low as possible. 2. Putting the "Fill" port at the high (back) end, instead of where it is now, on the low end. 3. Using Teflon Plumbers Tape on the pipe threads, instead of silicon sealant, to allow for easy disassembly for cleaning, inspection, or modification. Excellent first shot, though. The van is coming together nicely. Best of Luck, and Happy Camping! p.s. it was great to see Jax the Cat again!

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

so true, Mr. Hare.

[@gklinger]

Hot diggity! That was one of the most interesting videos Eric has ever done. The time flew by and when it was over I was left wanting more. I almost feel bad for those whiners who quit the channel when he sold Tilly. Silly people.

[@DonDecoste]

True that!!

[@kevic0714]

Don Decoste Oh my God!!! Eric!! you are Amazing!!!!! i am so exciting what you doing!!!! i can't wait another video Go Eric & Jax !!!!!

[@swheatrv1284]

Yes, very informative...for me the speed charging of two batteries was a big help for me in the future. Great video :)

[@none-qe4qx]

swheatrv

[@1timby]

I have to agree. This is much better than many of the other ones. Also got to see Jax...

[@nancywolfe1983]

Very interesting Eric. I love all the explaining about why you do what you are doing. I am sure it helps out all the people that are watching you.Nice going Eric.

[@pegb856]

Eric, you're a very resourceful young man and I am always impressed at the thought and care you put into your projects. It's a joy to watch you tackle and conquer your challenges. Kudos to you!

[@alexoneal1029]

Good to see you happy and working on your RV again Eric...neat project...

[@wanderinmoose5534]

Nice job Dude ! When you get caught up, a suggestion ; add a second pipe to the other side. Glue them together and put a tee in the middle of the one on passenger side over the side doors. You now have doubled your hot water !This way with the spigot over the side doors you can take your showers between the doors ! Just a thought ....

[@secretsquirrel280]

Excellent idea Wanderin' Moose

[@pottmishayne]

Wanderin' Moose And throw a kayak up there too.

[@agems56]

I know a guy who has a camper van, with logo on the sides saying "RV MECHANICAL FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL NEEDS" and stealthily stays in campgrounds, occasionally moving around, and no one questions his being there!

[@SheketEchad]

Loving this new direction and watching you improvise, but I do agree with the wood supports for the water weight and keeping your Genny inside! Happy Trails :)

[@darkile]

You should locate the spout on pvc tank at the bottom of the end of pipe so you have access too ALL the water it holds. Putting it in the middle of end cap allows only half of your water to be used while always leaving it half full and water will get old and smelly. Awesome video Eric! Keep em comin!

[@jerrybates5791]

Looking good. I am glad to see the happy Eric again. Stress is the cause of most failures. Keep up good work and we'll keep watching. From your friends in the Lone Star Star

[@jj19731]

Good to see you both happy again! Vans looking good.

[@DavidMNewbold]

I love this hot water in the PVC pipe idea! Can't wait to see if it works well. I think the best thing about this video is that it looks like you are really having a great time outfitting this van. I think this is going to be better for you than Tilly. Sad to see it go but you are onto something all new and exciting. Looking forward to all of what comes next.

[@ericbronstein3293]

Nice job with the Solar Panel and Water tank! Only thing that I would of done differently is place the Water Tank on the Passenger side to balance out the weight difference when you're driving. Looking forward to seeing more upgrades to Bertha! Congrats on your new ride. And I for one will not unsubscribe due to changes, as long as you're out there seeing the world, I'll keep watching your channel!

[@C-TOS]

The section when you are installing those extra features on the roof gave me flashbacks of the A Team TV show when the team was building booby traps and weapons before they went out on the bad guys. Love it.

[@MindiheartsMusic]

I like the neat pipe solar water heater. That's such a good idea. Amazing that it holds that much water.

[@bobglover949]

One of your best videos Eric (IMO). I love the new van and it really has serious stelth possibilities. There are some good comments in there and onstructive criticisims. It is good to see you are bouncing back with this new vehicle. I love the solar water heater. I am going to look into that for sure when I get my van ready.

[@TheMaryb1]

Awesome. You looked like you were really enjoying yourself too.

[@Hatch61]

Nice job Eric, and great video. Isn't designing and building so much fun. Planning it out, building it and the joy of using something that you built. Have fun!!!!!

[@PURPLE_SHADE_SMOOTHIE]

Genius!! Love it!! Space permitting could always add a second PVC pipe in parallel adjacent to the 1st 13 gal water filled pipe to make it 26 gal. Sweet idea. Great job Eric!! Thanks for sharing valuable info with us vicarious vouyers.

[@tlk2214]

Great job....just last night I was thinking you should build the water heater. Enjoy your channel immensely. Looking forward to your future travels

[@AlchementorLab]

Awesome! I've always wanted to build one of those solar water heaters too. You're making a lot of progress fast! I'm happy for you. I can't wait to get my RV back from the mechanic when I get back to the States and see what will happen next.

[@stephenhansen6603]

I found your channel recently and am binge watching your videos. Very interesting and what a journey!

[@scottboyd5733]

As a future van dweller I am looking forward to what Eric comes up with for the van, He seems to have some great ideas ,,I would like JAX to get a cool co-pilot seat though

[@righttoroam2638]

Taking the front passenger seat out was a mistake, it's so nice to spin it around and stretch out, just saying. Hell yes someone lives in the van look at the cab area ? I'm in Los Angeles, and it's rough out here with cops...dead give away and BIG ticket, they don't play.

[@GaryPClark]

True North Go watch KalebS vids and see what he was told by the cops in LA. Not against the law to live in your car, van or whatever, three day limit on parking is all.

[@righttoroam2638]

I will watch his video, Thank you

[@michaelg6652]

Hey Eric, great videos thanks so much for the information you put out there. My current lease ends in October and I am looking at class B's, used of course, really like the Stealthy factor. Your vids and experiences have been quite helpful. THANKS!

[@galmagen4140]

so so happy for you! i love to see you building your home! keep it up!

[@lpiclothing]

Good job man. Love watching the videos when your doing things to improve. Keep up the great work and I cant wait to see where the road takes you.

[@odnewdylee]

Loved the video, love to see the diy stuff n learning along the way. So cool getting the rig set up for self sufficiency. Good luck & keep posting

[@GoSutto]

I know everyone's an expert at what you're doing (I'm not) but Dan Travels did something similar and installed a pressure valve so he could pump air into the pipe to create more pressure. If you haven't already seen it you may want to check it out. Van looks great, glad to see things looking up for you!

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

i used a solar shower twice, it was ok, no need, IMHO, for more pressure.

[@markwinder.]

Great job Eric, the van is progressing nicely.

[@TheDUNLOP6]

Wow Eric this is fantastic, I had seen someone else do something like this! This was so enjoyable to watch you work and think things out! I think you are not going to lose viewers but gain,good luck in all your endeavors!

[@thebugman2007]

Well done Eric! I thought you were crazy at first but now I better understand. This video was very informative and entertaining. Keep up the good work my friend!

[@howiebroyles1257]

That's awesome man. I love the new van and the water heater and solar setup.

[@EVCarGuy]

Yay! I'm always into projects like this! Eric, I have wanted to build a water heater like that too. I was surprised to learn it holds around 15 gallons! That's quite a lot! Enjoying the Bertha Buildout!

[@stayenergyefficients]

thanks for slowly explaining things. i was able to follow your video and I think i can start building my own solar water heater now.. great job..

[@travelingtourers8654]

This van is really taking shape. Awesome project!

[@sunni7768]

Thanks for the perfect timing on these vids. Always a great watch before I sleep

[@cindyhatch5062]

Jax, loving the solar water heater. Your human did a good job

[@northernexposurephoto]

Very cool Eric! It's awesome to see you so happy

[@MrBcamerad]

Very nice mods, really looking forward to the next installment.

[@JonEhBee]

25,000 views in 6 days? Hmmm, your channel sure took a hit alright! Funny, I've been watching all kinds of videos for about a year and never saw that kind of solar water heater. It's very practical. I will probably go for a couple of smaller slanted pipes that all come together at one end for filling and come together at the other end for draining but that may interfere with solar panel install. Either way, the way you set it up it looks brilliant! I'm half way saved up for my e350 super duty and my solar kit is complete. When I am ready to start modding I hope you know you have already given me a huge boost of confidence with your ideas and creativity! You never cease to amaze me. F**king brilliant!

[@wilreyes195]

Think you'll be a lot happier with a vehicle that you can count on. you got the van coming along pretty nice all you need are some tires and rims. good job can't wait to see the finished product.

[@TheShootist]

Cool. You don't need a slope on the pipe, if you can just re-position the van. You'll have to be conscious of van placement in any case. I vote for the tire valve stem pressurization solution.

[@ty_dye]

It's crazy to look at these videos compared to your new content and see how far you've come!

[@ericsweet8370]

Eric I sure do enjoy your videos and I enjoy your broad range of getting things done and the way you do somethings and I hear your new venture every day I've been following you ever since you left Washington and I really can sympathize with you guys my name is Eric and I love my motorhome been here for 20 years as well as his other demons if you got hang around after you don't need them and drop them potato and keep on going god bless you buddy

[@oadamo]

this is turning into a pretty bad ass build eric, that solar panel is massive.

[@albertmorrisontheaustralianyrs]

Great work Eric you are sold good at this stuff it's amazing that you have got so much done. Well done mate

[@c0ntrymouse]

Place a ball valve at the top of the hot water tube as well. This will allow you to pressurize the tube and get more water storage. Tie a string to it when showering so when the pressure dies down, you can bleed off the remainder of the water. I really enjoy your videos. Have a safe adventure!

[@lookin4grump]

Looks great Eric and you look like your have fun doing it ..........and on top where the rack is over hanging you can hookup a shower curtain good video thanks keep up the good work

[@JulieAiken]

Wow, you are industrious! Looking great.

[@jeffreyoaks7523]

Looking awesome Eric! Extremely excited for you!

[@MzelleRI64]

Pretty funny I was at Disney World same time as you and it rained a bit. I was interested in looking at Fort Wilderness. Funny that your video showed up in my search. I am hooked have been watching your videos all night and morning. You seem like a great guy with a lot of ingenuity. Good for you Eric looking forward to viewing more of your journey. Thanks for sharing. :)

[@randyh7204]

Oh, another thing I see your subscribers going up, I could see you hitting 30000 in two or three months. Your doing a great job keeping it interesting. Thanks and good luck.

[@richardp5161]

Saw a stealth camper going through Virginia last nite. Looked a lot like yours - including PVC roof mounted water stash. To make the illusion complete he had some orange road cones mounted on the rear. Good luck man! You're coming into focus...

[@toyhaulen]

Awesome job! Great Ideas and some minor adjustments and you will be set.

[@Launchpad850]

I have been watching for a while, and this is the best rig yet. The water heater pipe was an excellent idea, too.

[@3tailsRV]

WOW Great job. Just like starting over, but with all the knowledge. Glad to see you moving forward and being happy..

[@ozbulldog67]

Hey Eric, love the video mate, this is what you excel at and what people want to watch , how to's and diy videos, enjoyed it a lot, I think you will actually get more subscribers if you continue like this, all the best, Cheers.

[@rustynerdttv7950]

Awesome Videos Eric! I'm a long time watcher and glad that things have turned around for the better. Keep up the great work!

[@lemoncrinckles]

I hope everything falls into place quickly so he can get on the road again. I miss the view out the window when he's driving! (:

[@stephenhansen6603]

Really cool ideas, solar and water storage!👍

[@RubenFletcher]

Cool man!!! I watched the same video about the water tank not too long ago. I'm going to use the same idea in my off grid tiny homestead when I get it going. Only difference, mine will be encased in plastic to get the water hotter and I'll have about 10, 10' pieces linked together with a gravity valve the fill them back up as I use them. I'll be looking forward to the follow up video.

[@VideoMenu]

Hey! It's nice to run into another one of your vids. I random watch these things and it's nice to see certain channels again. :D

[@ryanhockley3140]

Great job!! I will be building something similar on my stealth van but will add a 45° at the discharge end, water to drain into 5 gal bucket and then I will use my ivation rechargeable portable shower(great unit and low cost). The psi from just the pipe is to low for my liking, but works great as a heat exchanger. I agree with the guy who said not to use silicone, Teflon tape is best. Give jax a belly rub.

[@ikane1]

Very nice. Man you are living the dream. Keep up the GREAT work. And thank you for posting the progress.

[@WindersRanger]

With a small air fitting you could pressurize your water pipe with 5 or maybe 10 psi and that would improve the water discharge. Trying to keep it simple you could use a 12v air pump would probably be just fine.

[@jayjardine881]

Eric, Great video keep up the great work always look forward to your videos.

[@josef2006free]

Good morning Eric and Jax! Amazing job!

[@Rameman33]

Enjoying the new rig Eric.Here's to new adventures.

[@minmom45]

Love the DIY projects! Thanks-gonna try this.

[@highwatercircutrider]

Love it, stay with the contractor/service vehicle look, much more stealthy. God bless, Sgt. Gary

[@shiftlock4355]

He probably should have mentioned that with the batteries in series, you need to set the charger on 24 volts.

[@charlesmichael9188]

WOW I loved the solar water heater tube!!

[@robintimpson6755]

Looking good nice addition to the van

[@kimmyjeans2]

Ok that was epic cool idea for hot water!!! Very cool up grades I do think covering generator with something to hide what it is while parked could be good security idea . Looking forward to next adventures

[@thedriftingdreamers4851]

That's a great idea I love that your in a van now :-) giving me some great ideas for Zander!

[@TonyMayerTMANSBBQ]

So exciting i'm loving this new van and the mods that you're making to it keep up the awesome work dude

[@markparham3759]

It’s nice to go back and see some of the older how to videos. Also, nice to see Jax RIP

[@perpetualprocrastinator7561]

I like the shower idea and may try something like it out when i build my van with a few changes, i am going to have the fill port at the opposite end from the shower head to allow me to fill more water with a bit more aggressive angle (shower end low fill port high) Also i am thinking of adding air pressure to the tank so i'll get more of a true shower feel. Have fun playing with your new home on wheels.

[@vladius8521]

Im waiting now to see the panel up and all. excellent job Eric...come on next update!!

[@tinastheoutsider]

Yes im binge watching some vids I never saw b4..its the 3rd one in a row..lol..great to watch them..enjoying it..

[@tlbeadlegmailcom]

Good Job so far for sure! You might be able to use the ends of those metal struts that you mounted the solar panel to for an attachment point for a small ladder that you can use for refilling the water pipe. I also think a 45 or 90 on the end of the pipe would give you better water drainage. Water weights a little over 8 pounds per gallon. Therefore you have a little over 115 pounds in the pipe when it's full. I'd try and keep it nearly full so that it wouldn't slosh back and forth. The small ladder could be made from another piece of strut, cut, bolted and anchored. Just a thought.

[@Foilmagnet]

Nice to see you happy again.

[@campervandavid]

good job on the mods. If I was going to keep my van I probably would have done the solar water heater as well.

[@SamTravels]

VERY VERY EXITING :) I love what you have done so far, cant wait to watch the next episode :P

[@starblazer64]

Nicely done Eric!

[@robbsantos7050]

Eric this is at your best, and one reason I watch.. well done...drive on...

[@larrythomas4643]

Hey Eric, Nice job on the new campervan , Don’t forget to keep your total height in mind and put it on your dash for low spots. (drive thru )

[@mrmagoo9901]

Cool idea...I like your new rig...seems like a better fit for you dude.

[@mrcrackchecker]

Nice start Eric.

[@Ladyarcell]

Hey Eric, its so nice to see you and Jax again :)

[@Everyday-xj]

Im diggin the water storage set up, I would have never thought about that. Im currenty working on a Jeep XJ Overland project and I just might steal this idea eric :) but on smaller scale.

[@Brianuyahoo]

Awesome job! I would make some suggestions, but this comment section is loaded with them! LOL. Great stuff! Great to see Jax, the Boss, out there supervising!

[@courtneywalker8141]

nice! Great work! Lot's of good ideas as i build out a van Thank you

[@nolanhernandez116]

Hey Eric those are some grate idea you are doing good man keep it up.

[@TheConnieS]

Looking good, Eric! No...GREAT! Keep it comin'! ~Connie

[@lgg2pennyboard754]

Awesome and I really like your van!

[@catgrrrl6302]

Really cool, Eric! Love it!

[@gnametap1272]

Eric, your channel is getting even better keep up the great work ,and keep your chin up. Have a great time

[@ianwalton3112]

Hey thanks Eric great idea for the shower . I wonder how hot the water it will get here in the UK though . You guys have a climate we just get weather ,and lot of it !!!

[@crabbycakes0601]

Good job Eric!! It was nice that the van already came equipped with the ladder rack on top...you can do a lot with it. I'm anxious to see what else you'll attach to it. Give Jax a belly rub for me.

[@christiancowboy352]

I have the same ideas myself for my van. On your water storage though. You should have put an "L" on the end, so you have access to all your water, verses just half of it with the valve in the middle of the end. Great ideas though. Can't wait to watch the rest of the video.