My Van Conversion Diaries - Episode 1

[@ChristineIC]

You’re doing great! Stay with it. Looking forward to seeing your journey building your van. We ordered ours and we wait. Good luck 👍🏼

[@ErikJohnson2020]

Thank you for the encouragement! What model did you decide on?

[@pampettingill3233]

Well Erik, you've done it again! Good job. I might need to get a jumper cable like that!

[@GirlsGuide2Packing]

I'm super proud of your openness and vulnerability. I have a feeling the more practice you get, the more comfortable you'll become with telling your tale and sharing your self. What a powerful first step to take. Brave and bold.

[@saintbyron5150]

Kinda slow getting started here…but I’ll watch a few more. Great looking van to start a project.

[@billogrady882]

I agree with much of Emily's post. Like you, I consider myself private, introverted, sometimes anxious, sometimes depressive, always in debt, insecure . . need I go on? But Emily is right - the more you do it (blogging), the better you will get. That said, onto the electrics. You need to separate the 'van' powerplant electrics from the 'living space' power. And that will be a matter of wiring, which shouldn't be that difficult. The powerplant electrics should be maintained by the van alternator when running, but isolated from the LS electrics when stopped. The LS electrics should be maintained by a battery which is charged by . . . an outside power source, like an AC outlet? A small generator (Honda, or the like)? PV cells? Squirrels in a cage? If you get a more sophisticated wiring job, the alternator can and will charge the LS battery (-ies) when then engine is running. Alternators do generate significant unused amperage which is then regulated down (choked) to charge the standard van battery without overheating or burning out components. It can easily supply more than one small battery. Again, separate your two power needs, and DO NOT rely on a jump starter kit. That's false security. On a 4k mile van, 5 attempted starts tells the owner that something is wrong, or unreasonable. Separate the two because it is one matter if you don't have hot coffee in the morning, and another matter if you want to Get Out of Denver, but you can't! Bill

[@ErikJohnson2020]

Thank you Bill!! As for the electrical systems - right now (and at the time of my filming) I haven't added any electrical components for the actual house systems, and so that can't play any role in the battery issues I had. I've already replaced my battery as an in-warranty service, but I believe what killed the battery really was just the default systems built into the van, and the fact that they all seem to power on every time you open one of the doors, and then they seem to stay powered on for nearly 30 minutes. Anyway, do that enough times in between driving the van to give the battery a chance to recharge and I think it's a perfect formula for a permanently ruined battery. I guess moral of the story is to either drive the van at least once or twice a week, or put it on a battery tinder (which is what I'm doing now).