Van life is a term that has grown in popularity during recent years, and while it may mean living minimally and full time in a converted van as depicted in the Oscar-winning movie Nomadland, van life is also popular for those looking for a custom rig for traveling part time and for vacations. Some may choose to purchase a stock class B motor home. Some may purchase a new or used cargo van and take it to a custom outfitter for the conversion, while others may take on the challenge of a do-it-yourself project.
Of course, the first step is the purchase of the cargo van. The most popular style is the high-roof model, and today, there are popular offerings from Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Ram. The high-roof models allow users up to (or even a little over) 6 feet tall to stand up in the van — even after installing insulation and the floor and ceiling. However, there are still a lot of self-conversions being done on the low- and mid-roof models.
Speaking of insulation, it is one of the first things to consider in a conversion. Some converters use none, but most opt for some form of insulation. Popular insulation choices are wool, Thinsulate, denim, spray foam, polyiso or XPS foam board. Some choose to include vapor barriers and/or sound deadening material. All the choices have their pros and cons, and a cursory review of YouTube will help you decide which one is right for your project.
Ventilation is critical in the small living space that a van affords. Even before the insulation is in place, one must decide whether they will have adequate ventilation from windows, or if cutting a hole (or two) in the ceiling for installing an electric fan is in order. Most of the available fans require a 14-inch hole to be cut for the fan. It is critical that the installation include sealing with butyl tape and some kind of lap sealant to prevent leaks around the opening. While air conditioning may be an option, it seems most van lifers do not consider it viable if they are going to be living/camping where there isn’t a shore-power connection.
That obviously leads to consideration of how to power the living area. Lights, outlets to charge cell phones and computers, water pumps, refrigerators and electric cooking are all conveniences that van lifers tend to enjoy with their self-contained electrical systems. A general layout of the van can be drawn on graph paper. Some choose to put tape on the floor to indicate where the sleeping area, dining area, living area, cabinets and perhaps bathroom will be. After this is done, wiring for the van outlets and appliances can take place.
Most conversions will include a house battery (not the same one that powers the ignition and vehicle systems). The house battery may be a DIY project of its own including several batteries wired together along with an inverter and charge controller, or it may be one of the “all in one” systems that include the various components and are essentially plug and play. Batteries can be charged in various ways, including a special connection to the van’s alternator, so it charges while the engine is running but will not discharge the engine battery. Shore power should be an option for charging the house battery, and most van lifers today install solar panels on the roof of the van, so the batteries can be charging while parked in remote areas for days at a time.
Having running water in a van is common. Fresh water can be stored in plastic containers and pumped to faucets with either manually operated or electric pumps. Gray water also must be accounted for, so the conversion should plan for storage of both fresh and gray water.
Cooking may be done with electricity if you have a large enough battery bank or with shore power, but many van lifers choose propane. Great care must be taken when installing propane to insure it is properly installed and vented. One may choose to do the majority of their cooking on a portable propane stove outside the van, and perhaps use a small electric induction cooktop inside during inclement weather.
Converting an empty van may include the skills of a number of trade contractors, including electricians, plumbers and carpenters. Thankfully, the van life community likes to share, and there are a great number of resources available that can be Googled and found on YouTube.
Written by Bill Smith
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