Stepvan conversion, eco-style

New engine...

2008-10-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

My engine blew last spring, breaking my heart. As I was a student it took me a while to get together the $5000 or so that it would cost to get a replacement (rebuilt, not new) engine. In the meantime it sat around in various spots, none of which allowed me to do any work on the thing. So I missed all of the nice sunny summer months! Dammit!

But... I got a new one and it is installed. Here's what it comes with, for you gearheads:

2004 Cummins 4BTAA
33,382 miles on it and runs mint
100% complete ready to run
Rated at 130hp/356ftlbs stock
It was in a 04 Cummins Repowered Utilimaster fed-ex type van
Perfect for high performance applications; easily capable of well over 250hp/700ftlbs
P7100 Inline pump (best for performance and fuel economy)
Transmission is a Allison 545 installed with the engine new
Behr air-to-air intercooler
Entire bell pack (starter, adapter plate, flywheel, etc)
Alternator
3" mandrel bent turbo down pipe
3" air intake
New aluminum radiator
Large bar and plate aftermarket transmission cooler
Power steering pump
Hydroboost brake booster
Radiator hoses, coolant overflow tank
Hydraulic motor mounts and cross member
Complete wiring harness and LED warning system

Also, I got another new rear end with a better gearing ratio.

The kid is CLEAN!

2007-09-23T18:43:00.000-07:00

I finally had to clean the truck becuase it looked like
the Creature from the Mossy Lagoon. I think he is happier now
and will get more respect out in public.

Building in the Northwest

2007-09-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

This is the mountain I get to look at every day-- Mount Si.
This is literally the view I have when I stand outside the back doors.
It is infamous for being the peak in "Twin Peaks"..

Building in the Northwest involves a canopy.
It has been raining for most of the last month.

Framing out the inside

2007-09-23T18:27:00.000-07:00

Passenger side of the interior with built-in benchs. I ditched
the couch because it's too wide but am keeping
all of the day-glo orange and silver cordura for the bench cushions.

The galley area with the sink cut into the counter
and the fridge set in place. The stovetop is going because it's kind of a piece
of crap and it is straight out of the 70's which makes it a design nightmare.

The bedframe, looking in through the back doors.

We have completed most of the framing inside the truck including the toilet, the galley, the closet, the "pantry", the overhead storage, the benches and the bed. I still have to make the tabletop-- it is going to drop down to bench level so the bench will become a bed.

Look. A roof vent.

2007-09-23T18:24:00.000-07:00

It is now fall in the Northwest, meaning rain. But finally the weather
let up enough to get the roof vent in. It has a light and a fan,
but it's kind of a piece of shit-- flimsy. I expected more for 50 bucks.

DAMMIT

2007-09-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

The stepvan I got the rear end out of. The truck is rated at 14,000 GVR and mine is 9000. Beefy.

The stepvan came from Mr. Moo & Co. Notice the eight udders on the
cow and the white droplets flying out. I think the mechanical milking
machine went amok, sucked out 4 new udders and the flying juice is
actually pus. It is running as fast as it can to get away from the CAFO lot.

The new read end. SERIOUSLY beefy.

So I haven't been posting because I live in the mountains now and the internets are broken (dial-up, no less). And my cell gets no signal out there.

So I had to pay $1400 for the fuel injector pump, $350 for a new rear axle/ring and pinion, $1000 for a new drive shaft and some other bits and pieces. My truck has decided it wants to be mechanically sound, which I guess is a good thing, right?

I start school in two days and I will be basically living in an insulated plywood box. No solar, plumbing, electrical etc. At least not yet...

SHIT GUYS

2007-09-04T19:28:00.001-07:00

I haven't been making any posts recently because I had to move out of my apartment, which was a nightmare. Sean, Kat and I were all moving our stuff out at the same time, on top of each other. Also, we were getting rid of half our stuff at the same time so it was like 3 moves going on in one 2-bedroom apartment. Good times. I did get rid of half my 1000 or so books (which is a stunning achievement for me, I must say) and Sean got $400 for them. I was planning to just get rid of them. Nice.

So anyway, I drove my truck into the city and loaded it up. I went to my friend Eric's house for the night because I had to meet the land-bitch the next morning and didn't want to go out to Snoqualime. It was 11pm and I was falling-over tired. I drove right past his house on his little small road and had to go all the way down somewhere and turn around (remember, this is my third day of driving a dodgy truck with questionable steering). I turned it around and then couldn't find his road from the other direction-- shot right past it. So I had to turn around on this almost-country road (which was still a throughway) with a 105-point turn, holding up traffic. The rear axle was scronking and gnashing and it would reverse about 5 feet before the ring and pinion gears started grinding and shuddering the whole truck. I called Eric and he told me where to turn, which I did, and then I drove straight past it again. At this point I was ready to cry or scream.

I turned around again and just parked pointing the wrong way in front of his house, which is what I should have done in the first place. Reversing was almost impossible as the back axle was completely uncooperative and making horrid noises. Then I noticed what smelled like burning transmission fluid. Eric came out and, unfortunately, so did his uptight neighbor who looked extremely pleased. I got out and fluid was leaking out of the engine area. After several awful forwards and reverses, I got the thing parked off the road.

The next day I talked to Seamus. It's not transmission fluid as there is no power transmission. Apparently it's the injector pump, which is a major deal in diesel engines (I have only worked on gas engines and didn't know). There are no spark plugs or distributor on a diesel engine-- the whole thing is handled by the injector pump. The fuel combustes due to the 12,000 to 20,000 psi into the cylinders. Oh. Basically, since the ring and pinion are hosed, the gearing makes the drive shaft jump, especially in reverse due to the way that the gears are angled. So when it's in reverse and the gears start chattering, the drive shaft yanks on the transmission/engine and the whole thing jumps. Since the diesel engine that I have is a retrofit (it originally came with a gas engine) the injection pump is dangerously close to the wall of the engine compartment. The engine jerked, slammed the pump into the wall and broke the throttle intake valve, making diesel pour out all over the place. That was what the fluid was and the smell was it burning off the hot engine block. You can see the dent it made in the steel wall.

On Monday Seamus brought his 16' trailer and we transferred all my crap into it and took it down to stroage. It was Labor Day so there wasn't much I could do about fixing the truck.

We took it down to H & H Diesel today to get fixed. It should only be about $250 which is better than the last time this happened when it was $1500. I drove it down pouring fuel out of the broken seal onto the road. Nice and environmentally friendly. Sigh. It ran out of gas when we were almost there and Seamus had to go and get more in a can.

The whole experience was AWESOME. And now I am several days behind schedule. So if I show up with my project to show off and it's not quite as polished as I'd like, don't blame me. Well, I guess you should as I'm the one who caused the damage.

It LIVES!!!

2007-09-02T12:20:00.001-07:00

The truck is now running and officially on the road. Seamus drove it around a bit to demonstrate the quirks (the steering box and rear axle/ring-and-pinion are a bit dicey), then I drove it back to the house. It's fun! But the steering wheel is not really for steering-- it's more like for influencing.

I got "full-timer RV" (meaning someone who lives out of their RV) insurance through Progressive for less than $75/month-- it covers the usual full-coverage auto insurance stuff but also covers Mexico driving, Fire Department Service, emergency expenses in case of breakdown, $2000 of personal effects inside the truck, roadside assistance, trailer towage, medical coverage for me and my passengers in an accident, storage shed coverage, etc, etc, etc. Sweet! Partly it's so cheap is because I am 39, female, clean driving record, own the vehicle outright and registered in a small town (Snoqualmie).

I am going to drive it into Seattle and use it for moving my stuff because Sean needs to use Seamus' trailer.

Running costs so far...

2007-08-23T15:39:00.001-07:00

Installing the windows

2007-08-23T13:30:00.004-07:00

Scoring the aluminum flashing.

Snapping the aluminum along the score line.

Putting it in the window opening to cover the gap between the inside and outside walls.

First window installed. You can see the additional
insulation in the second window-- the yellow stuff is the
toxic crap and the lovely white is the Tiger Foam.

Installed windows. You can see by the look on Seamus' face
that we were pissed off and exhausted by the time we finished.
We got done after 9pm. Sucked.

So... when you last tuned in, the window openings had been made in the walls of the truck. We now move on to window installation.

We sprayed more insulation into the space between the outer and inner walls of the truck. At first we tried Great Stuff which wasn't so great and probably caustic and polluting. Luckily, the TIGER FOAM! still had some juice and once again worked stupendously. I heart the TIGER FOAM! Can you tell?

Because the windows were made for lesser (and less insulated) vehicles the inside and outside frames had about a 3" gap between them. I decided to use aluminum flashing (the kind that is used around the chimney on the roof) to cover the innards. Very easy to work with-- measure, score with a utility knife, then fold along the score line and it will snap. I measured around the window cutouts to get the length of the flashing strip. We stapled it into place (and of course this took several cursing tries to get it right).

I ground the old caulk of the windows with a motorized grinder and cleaned the outside surface around the windows with denatured alcohol. We applied new caulk and fit the windows into place using self-tapping sheet metal screws to attach the frames together. Unfortunately, whoever assembled the windows in their previous life put the screws in wherever and didn't evenly space them, which sucks cause they are all crooked and random. Something to fix in the finishing stage.

And we still didn't get to the damn roof vent which is still not done. Dammit.

Where does the time GO???

2007-08-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

More tardiness in posting. It's been TWO WEEKS almost and not a peep. I am getting behind schedule between getting through my last week at the crap office job (hell yes), moving out of my apartment and working on the truck. Shit guys.

Not great

2007-08-17T11:15:00.002-07:00

Do not use this crap.

My pa

2007-08-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Some of you know that my dad passed away this year in May. The reason I bring this up is because he is pretty much responsible for the skills I have and need to build this truck into what it's going to be. Every time I work on it I think of him at least once and wonder if he can see me and what he might make of this whole thing.

My dad worked for Martin Marietta (a subcontractor of NASA) as a logistics engineer designing systems for electrical, plumbing and the like. He had a shop in the garage at home that he used to tinker in and he built furniture and cars and repaired everything in the house (usually with at least a little bit of epoxy in it). He didn't get a son so I think I was recruited as the proxy-- my years growing up were spent in the garage helping him build and fix all kinds of stuff.

He lost half a leg during WWII, had a few heart attacks and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1989. For the last few years he has been fading.

My sister called and said my dad was in the hospital so I went down to California. He wasn't aware of his surroundings or us but seemed stable so after a few days I went back home. I was back in Seattle for two days and then my sister called me again. I flew back and this time seemed like it was it. Thankfully, he had signed a Do Not Resuscitate form so he had all IVs and tubes removed and was only on oxygen and morphine ("comfort care").

For seven nights I sat with him, all night, for 16+ hours each time. I would hold his hand and sometimes talk to him. He never came out of his near-coma. We got him a private room with a view of San Luis Peak after the first couple of days which was nice. My stepbrother's daughter got us a little stuffed walrus which became the mascot-- we set him on my dad's chest and I would look for it going slowly up and down when he breathed. He was pretty calm.

On the eighth night I didn't think I could do it any more-- I was exhausted. I showed up at about 4pm-- my sister had gotten the good idea to bring in a boom box with old jazz on it so I put that on. "Heaven" by Irving Berlin will always remind me of that time. My sister showed up after work around 5pm and it was just the two of us. It was sunset, on the last day of May, and I was holding his hand with the music playing. We started talking about the afterlife and our beliefs. Then I looked over at him-- his breath had stopped and I put my head on his chest. Nothing. I told my sister to get the nurse.

They let us sit there with him as long as we wanted to, which was about an hour and a half. Finally, the man from the mortuary came in and we had to go. I think the hardest part was walking away.

Here's one you should read: Vanzilla

2007-08-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

the urban rv: the revision of a type, Vanzilla

The green machine: think going off the grid means a big cash outlay for secluded land and solar panels? Think again. Vancouver eco-activists have figured out a way to go easy on the earth, and the pocketbook.
July-August, 2002, by Rebecca Atkinson

Cutting the windows

2007-08-13T16:36:00.000-07:00

We attached the interior window frames to the walls inside the truck and used them as stencils...

...then we cut them out with a jigsaw.

Whoops.

The interior portion of the windows after the cutouts were made.

Using the plywood cut-out from the inside as a stencil on the outside.

Window openings.

Test fit of the toilet window.

Whoo-hoo!!!

We cut the window openings out of the side of the truck yesterday. It was nerve-wracking as there is only one chance to get it right. I bought a new De Walt jigsaw and everything (with fine-cut wood and medium-density metal blades).

We started inside, marking the window locations on the walls of the interior box. I used the window frames (from Singleton's RV Salvage & Sales) as templates. Apparently, my measurements between the vertical support ribs was wrong. Seamus drilled a pilot hole for the jigsaw with a hole saw and saw rib through it. So we had to stop and reconfigure. The foam underneath the plywood made it extremely difficult to reach behind and feel for the ribs. We found most of them but we still had to remove and then replace one panel. Cursing. So then Seamus drilled the rest of the pilot holes and then cut the openings in the plywood with the jigsaw.

Then came the scary part-- drilling reference/pilot holes through the aluminum body of the truck. If you don't get it right the first time, you're screwed. He drilled 8 holes for the first window (the small toilet window) and then I went outside with the plywood cut-out from inside and used it as a stencil. The holes were off a bit so I measured from the top and front rails and got it as close as I could. The windows are at least 6 ft off the ground so they're pretty good, security-wise.

Then Seamus got up the ladder and started cutting the body. Easier cutting than we expected, even though the aluminum is about 1/8" thick. We put the window in place and it looks like it had been there all along!!! It was great! We did the rest of the window openings that way and they all look great. Blades were flying off and bending but we made it through with the four we had.

In case you're wondering why Seamus was using MY new toy, the jigsaw, it's because he is very accurate and has worked with cutting metal much more than me. Sometimes it's good to abdicate your power. Besides, I was too freaked out to cut into the aluminum myself. If I cut it wrong the truck would never forgive me.

Behind a day

2007-08-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

I helped with more landscaping around the Hassard property on Saturday. Seamus said "let's just start with the yard and we can get to the truck a little later..." We didn't, of course. But I finished up some little bits and pieces. I still had some rock borders to do and of course digging said rocks out of the ground. A glacier had carved the valley so some of the rocks I dig up can be 2 - 3 ft across.

And now I have matching blisters on my thumbs.

The lord of the manor

2007-08-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

This is Seamus and Sean's dad, Larry Hassard. He can be a hazard. He makes much fun of my green ways (but that's because he makes jibes at everything-- it's his way of showing affection). He calls my FSC 2x4s "free range".

He is graciously allowing me to build out the chip truck behind his house out in Snoqualmie. And pay for it at the end of all the customizing, at a reduced rate. I did quite a few back-breaking weekends of landscaping on their 3+ acre property to help get ready to sell it, so I guess we're getting even. Anyone want a beautiful home right beneath Mount Si, let me know!

(This is not his usual look-- he's a conservative. He probably wouldn't like this picture. On the other hand, he probably wouldn't care one whit.)

Vicious schedule

2007-08-08T11:29:00.001-07:00

Schedule

Creepy driver's seat

2007-08-08T11:06:00.001-07:00

Creepy, icky driver's seat

Recliner that is donating material to re-cover my seat
(it is sitting in the recliner's lap).
And notice the TIGER FOAM box in the background.

Seamus' mom generously offered the leather covering from the clapped-out recliner they are getting rid of to re-cover my driver's seat. Plush!

(can you tell I love saying T-I-I-I-G-G-E-E-R-R-R FOAM!!!)

ExFrito

2007-08-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

The truck's name is now ExFrito (with a bit of a Juan Valdez accent). Seamus thought that one up. It's because it used to be a Frito delivery truck-- they're the ones who put in the Cummins 3.9 liter turbo diesel engine. Seamus' dad bought it and turned it into a Tim's Chips delivery truck and now it's MINE.

The name can also be combined with a number of mexican curse words:
pinche blanco ExFrito
pinche Exfrito, la panocha blanca grande
ExFrito culo
etc.

TIRED

2007-08-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

I have this very aggressive schedule for finishing this thing, plus finishing the couch that will be going in (new cushions) and packing my stuff and moving out of my apartment with no days off. It is going to kill me.

Building the interior box

2007-08-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

Me with the jigsaw
(I made Seamus take a picture of me doing something
because I am taking all the photographs and it looks like he is
doing all the work while I stand by and act like a ditz)

Interior floor finished

Still a lot of headroom

The finished interior

On August 5, we built the interior box in the truck. We used 3/4" ply for the floor and 5/8" ply for the walls, all FSC-certified.

First we had to scrape off any excess insulation from the 2x4 structure to allow the plywood to sit flush against the framework (which was very easy). Then we measured and cut the plywood-- we had to cut notches for the wheel wells and other little weird structural variations. The circular saw was shit so we used a jigsaw to make the cuts, which wasn't optimal. We then screwed it down with drywall screws.

Reinstalling the headliner (sucked)

2007-08-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

Pre-drilling the rivet holes

Lifting the sheets in place

Riveting

One sheet up, three to go

Finished ceiling

We replaced the headliner with 4' x 8' sheets of Homasote between it and the ceiling for extra insulation. And we used the exact same rivets that were such a bitch to remove. Seamus pre-drilled the holes through the aluminum and Homasote, then we hauled it into the truck. We had to lift the sheets up and try to hold them in place while Seamus drove the rivets. They weighed a ridiculous amount and the sheet metal kept flapping around, the holes wouldn't stay lined up and there was much cursing and frustration. I tried to do the yoga thing and breathe, close my eyes and use my bones (not muscles) to hold the sheets up but couldn't hold them for very long. Then I got the bright idea to stand on a milk crate and balance them on my head which worked but gave me bruises on my skull. It pretty much sucked. I will have a LOT of holes to patch as well from previous users.

And I look goddamn fat in the photos (that...I didn't include).

Insulating with TIGER FOAM!

2007-08-07T13:00:00.001-07:00

The tanks

The spray nozzle

I kill you by foam.

Insulating the wall

Insulating the floor

Cake frosting

We got to wear Tyvek suits and spray the TIGER-FOAM on-- very fun, I must say. The only drawback is that it wasn't as thick as I would have liked. We are going to end up adding Homasote to the ceiling for extra insulation.

Wait... I forgot a step

2007-08-07T12:53:00.000-07:00

The weekend of 7/28 I prepped and sprayed the insulation in the truck. I sanded the entire interior aluminum body (not the driver's compartment) with steel wool and then rubbed everything down with denatured alcohol. It took forever and for some reason pissed me off to do it but prep work is key to a properly done project.

I also had to remove the headliner which was a total bitch. I want to keep it because it's textured aluminum sheeting which is pretty cool and will help lighten up the interior. It was held up with nylon rivets and these feckin' little almost-screws with a flathead slot. I tried to drill them out but the bit just kept jumping off the rivet and scratching my aluminum. Bastard. So I ended up trying to carefully back the "screws" out with a screwdriver and then yanking them with pliers. Every third one wouldn't unscrew so I'd have to dig it out with a combination of screwdriver and pliers. And it was ferociously hot and humid and all the work was holding my arms above my head... for 2-3 hours. I couldn't lift my arms on Monday. But hey, I just sit at a desk.

UPDATE: Sean was peeved that I didn't mention that he also removed part of the headliner. So I am mentioning it-- he took out the screws which connected the bulkhead to the ceiling. One of them sheared off and he tapped most of it out (until the drill died). We got the last headliner panel almost all the way down except for the one hole that was stuck on the sheared-off screw, necessitating the use of crowbars.

Building the interior framework

2007-08-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

2x4 structure on the walls

Different view

2x4 structure on the floor. All the little cross pieces help make the floor squeak-proof!

We got the FSC-certified 2x4s from Dunn Lumber (love them!)-- they are beautifully straight and clear. The yard guy talked to us for almost 10 minutes and proudly led us around to show us all of the different and quality) stock they had (although don't tell his boss that unless you mention that he loyalized me as a customer).

Seamus' dad calls them "free-range". Ha ha. He makes fun of all this greenery. But then again, he makes fun of everything. New York Irish. I can curse at will around him, even at him. It's nuts. If I don't rip on him he thinks something is wrong. Definitely not like my family. But it's fun and low-stress because I don't have to watch my mouth.

We anchored the 2x4s into the structural posts on the walls and into the floor inside the body with square-bit (don't strip as easily as phillips-head) coated self-tapping screws. They need to be coated because aluminum and steel apparently have a chemical reaction an will break down the metal. So says my technical adviser, Seamus.

It's not that I haven't been working...

2007-08-07T12:33:00.000-07:00

...I just haven't been posting. I am pretty much beat every day. I work full-time and then on the weekends I work 18- 20 on the truck. No days off. I have an aggressive schedule to meet and am using my project manager experience to stay on track.

Singleton's RV Salvage and Sales

2007-08-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

This place is like a junkyard crossed with Christmas! It is out in the country west of Olympia/Chehalis and is a big rambling yard full of every part you can think of. I picked up some windows (heavier-duty than the camper windows and with rounded corners), a stainless-steel double sink (the one from the camper was a microscopic singe), a couple of doors for the toilet and the closet and a couple of other bits and pieces for less than $300. Other things I need to go back for as soon as I have more exact measurements: water and sewage storage tanks (at excellent prices), sheet metal, a stovetop (in such colors as deep turquoise blue and bright red).

I cannot recommend these people enough!

Singleton's RV Salvage and Sales

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Decontamination

2007-08-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

Driver's seat and steering wheel-- notice the mold, mildew and rust

Box of trash and rotten food next to the driver's seat
(I won't say whose it is lest I lose my vital help on this project)

I cleaned out the truck yesterday. It was filthy disgusting.

In the driver's area, there was mildew and garbage everywhere, including rotten food. At one point, I had to run out of the truck because I thought I was going to barf. Good times! There was probably a lot of nice composted topsoil in there, on top of all the rust.

The box was better. It had years of cardboard plastered to the bottom that I had to scrape out with a flat shovel. But nothing was rotten and it's made out of aluminum so there's no rust.

Then I removed the aluminum headliner. I want to keep it because it's pretty cool and it will lighten up the interior. It was held on with like 5000 pop rivets that had a kind of screw/nail with a flathead slot punched through a nylon rivet. So I had to try to unscrew the pin (even just a little) back it out more with pliers and then yank it out. Over my head. In 80%-plus humidity. All of this nasty moldy fiberglass insulation fell out. But otherwise it's pretty clean up there.

Then I scrubbed the inside down with this anti-bacterial industrial strength cleaner that Seamus' parents use for their dog runs. And then I got to hose down the entire interior. Black dirt and debris poured out. I still need to prepare the aluminum walls and floor for primer and then apply the spray insulation.

Batteries

2007-08-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

From what I am reading, Lifeline seems to make the best battery. I'm looking at getting 2 GPL-8DL RV batteries:

Voltage: 12v
Length: 20.76"
Width: 10.89"
Height: 9.73"
Weight: 162.00 lbs
Cold Cranking Amps: 1975 at 68°; 1675 at 32°; 1350 at 0°
Rated Capacity: 255 amp-hours/20 hour rate
Minutes of Discharge: 475 at 25 amps; 825 at 15 amps; 1670 at 8 amps

They are almost 700 DOLLARS apiece. Feck. I guess that's a month's rent, right? Which I won't be paying anymore.

I am thinking about putting them in the "dirty storage" accessible from the back doors and insulated as batteries work better when they're not cold. The slide-out battery trays are cool but not necessary-- maybe in Phase II.

Everything you ever need to know about batteries can be found here.

Water tanks, fuel tanks

2007-08-07T11:53:00.000-07:00

There is quite a bit of room under the driver's side "skirt" (between the axles) so I will have to cut the body and weld in some frames to carry the holding tanks (fresh, grey and black). I am going to have to cut a bunch of holes for the vents for the fridge, furnace, propane, etc anyway.

I want to save the space on the passenger side (where the fuel tank is now) for the SVO/WVO conversion later from Greasecar.

A couple of days ago I found a 1979 Chevy P30 Stepvan brochure on eBay... hoping it has schematics I can draw from. I will probably also just crawl under it with a tape measure.

I'm getting a terlit

2007-08-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

So I decided that I can't live without a toilet. Especially not a camp toilet that is going to slosh around and stink. And where would I dump the damn thing? So I need to install a grey and a black water tank. And a small toilet. It's a pretty cute toilet: Thetford Bravura.

You can dump the black water at hook-ups at truck stops or RV parks. So I am going to try to minimize usage big-time.

And apparently, this is the newest thing to vent the black water tank so the place doesn't stink like a Greyhound bus: RV 360 Sanitation Vent

Although I do find Camping World to be kind of a rip.

Solar power

2007-08-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

This was the hardest bit to figure out-- serious pain in the butt. I did a lot of searching online and found a number of resources including RV Solar, AM Solar, ICP Solar(Insane Clown Posse Solar-- ha, ha), US Solar Radiation Resource Maps and the best one, Mobile Homestead.

Also, my books on solar helped:

"Independent Energy Guide: Electrical Power for Home, Boat, & RV"
Kevin Jeffrey

"RVer's Guide to Solar Battery Charging: 12-Volt DC 12-Volt AC Inverters"
Noel Kirkby, Barbara Kirkby

It really took me days but I finally figured it out. Here it is:

Equipment	amps@12v	x	hours/day	amp hours used
2 bed xenon lights (10-watt)	2.40	x	4	9.60
1 kitchen florescent light	1.40	x	1	1.40
1 toilet florescent light	1.40	x	0.5	0.70
2 couch xenon lights	2.40	x	4	9.60
3 ceiling flourescent lights (30-watt)	4.20	x	1	4.20
Cooling/Heating ceiling vent fan	5.00	x	2	10.00
Forced-air furnace	5.00	x	2	10.00
2 oscillating fans	3.00	x	2	6.00
Microwave oven	125.00	x	0.1	12.50
Juicer	15.00	x	0.1	1.50
Toaster oven	120.00	x	0.1	12.00
Laptop charger	1.50	x	1	1.50
Phone charger	0.20	x	0.2	0.40
Battery charger	1.00	x	0.2	0.20
Inverter loss	1.15	x	8	9.20

Total amp hours used				79.44

So, this means that since I live north and the sun will be weaker, especially this winter, I need more battery capacity (2 -12V, 225AH, gel-sealed 8G8D) and I need about 500+ watt charging capability. Plus, I need a power inverter for 110v appliances and I need a charge controller with meter readouts.

After much searching (story of my recent life) I found a place in AZ called, guess what, AZ Solar. They have a complete kit that includes two 110 watt solar modules and flat mount kit, lag bolt mounting hardware, electrical terminal package, 50 feet of sunlight and water resistant tray cable, weather tight fittings for the solar junction boxes, solar supercharger, 1500 watt power inverter kit with inverter leads, plus installation instructions and live tech support. For the pretty low price of $1665.00 (believe me, it can get expensive quick especially with purchasing separate components).

So... still not up to my battery charging needs. And I'm a bit worried about the weak sunlight up north in the winter. So I looked into adding a wind turbine to the system. That way I could power off two different sources, hopefully covering my bases. The Air-X 12VDC is 12 volts, 400 watts; KWH per month @ 12mph 38, start-up wind speed 7mph, maximum wind speed 110 mph for $555.00

I am hoping that this will cover me but I can always cut out microwave/toaster oven use (just use the propane stove) and I already own a 1200w gasoline generator that I will carry with me. Hey, I could drive around and let the wind turbine go! As long as I'm not going faster than 110mph...

OK... OK. No more interior design fluff

2007-08-06T18:27:00.000-07:00

Putting the cart before the horse, aren't I? Maybe I better worry about more important things, like... um... power?

Lighting

2007-08-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

Incandescent bulbs are a bad choice for mobile living as they suck the life out of batteries (4.75 Amps!). So... does one have to go with fluorescents? I find them so depressing. More searching, including marine sites which are a good choice for more stylish items. RV people seem to have bad taste.

I looked at halogens but as they are very directional I would have to get a bunch which again sucks amps. Then, at Sailboat Stuff I found xenon lights-- 12V, 1.2 amps. Decent. However, they are $29.95 - $34.95 each and I need at least 4. I might try to find some used ones somewhere.

Might still have to go with fluorescents in the galley and the bathroom. Puke.

PRETTY

2007-08-06T18:23:00.000-07:00

Recycled glass tiles

Glass subway tiles

Flooring

2007-08-06T18:21:00.000-07:00

I thought about bamboo but decided on cork flooring. I have about 55 sq ft to cover. iFloor has a store in Seattle that has tiles for $3.99 a sq ft.

Some marketing-speak about cork flooring, in case you need it:

Cork tiles glue down to the sub floor to create a completely natural flooring that's extremely pleasant to walk on. Cork is warm to the touch and cushy underfoot.

Cork tiles are suitable for any room in a house, even full bathrooms, as the cork itself does not absorb moisture because it consists of millions of tiny closed cells filled with air. Cork tile (solid or veneered) in general is suitable for bathrooms. Ideally one would install unfinished material to be finished in place to help seal joints. However, if prefinished cork tile is being used (a good choice for most residential situations), a coat of liquid wax cleaner over it optimal. Laminated cork planks are not suitable for bathrooms or other wet spaces.

Cork tiles are constructed in a solid or veneer style. In the solid style, the pattern goes all the way through. In the veneer style, the pattern is a thin cork veneer over a cork base. Solid cork tiles are the best choice for higher traffic areas (hallways and entryways) because it is easiest to repair the finish on these tiles.

Bamboo and other wood

2007-08-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

I've been looking at wood lately. There is a store in Seattle called Environmental Home Center Environmental Home Center that has environmentally-friendly building materials (as you might guess from the name) but they are EXPENSIVE. How is a piece of plywood (kirei) made out of reclaimed sorghum stalks cost $199.00 for 3/4"? They also have some beautiful European hardwood plywood that starts at $116.49. Ouch. Can't go that route. They also have beautiful hand-made recycled glass tiles but it's $28.49 - $62.89 per sq. ft.

There is a spot called Phoenix Organics in Phoenix, OR Phoenix Organicsthat sells bamboo plywood but it's feckin' $261.63 for natural edge grain solid 3/4" x 48" x 96".

After several more hours of searching (thank you, corporate job) I found some FSC-certified lumber stores right here in Seattle. Don't understand why it took so long to find them; I think I traced them from the FSC site. One is Dunn Lumber which has 11 stores in the area. They have FSC (min 70%) CDX 5-Ply 1/2 sheets for $22.33 each, and FSC Hemlock 2x4-8 studs for $4.44 each -- much better.

Insulation

2007-08-06T18:07:00.001-07:00

It took me FOREVER to find insulation that would work. I saw a lot of recycled denim batts that are used for house insulation-- excellent idea but made to fit between 2/4's and I will not have that much space in my walls. Probably 1 1/2" - 2" of space between the outside panels and the interior box structure I will build. I found this place in Iowa that sells a soy-based spray-in insulation. Very exciting. But they NEVER GOT BACK TO ME. I wouldn't recommend using them. Bad kids.

After hours more searching I found TIGER-FOAM! They sell spray kits of fast rise & slow rise polyurethane foams used as a high quality insulation material. You can spray, inject, pour or fill and fix various materials with rigid, closed cell polyurethane foam. Sweet! From their site:

"Tiger Foam: quick curing, disposable, two-component spray polyurethane foam insulation kits are manufactured to ASTM E-84 Specifications and classified as a fire-rated foam insulation. This product is manufactured using the most environmentally friendly blowing agents and fire-retardant chemicals available today and DOES NOT contain CFCs, VOCs, Formaldehyde or PENTA-BDEs. We are the ONLY supplier offering E-84 Fire Rating STANDARD in our surface spray product line. We believe safety is not optional."

No formaldehyde. For thermal insulation, sealant, vibration absorption, flotation, sound or condensation control. However, it is still polyurethane and it comes with its own spray tank which I feel a little uneasy about-- hopefully I can recycle it.

Anyway, sorry to be such a shill.

Books and other reference material

2007-08-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

I have been consumed with this project-- it's pretty much all I think about lately. I have this old graph paper notebook I carry around with me all the time and have done floor plans and elevations.

I bought books, all useful:

"RV Owner's Handbook, Revised (RV Owner's Handbook)"
Corp. Woodall Publishing

"Independent Energy Guide: Electrical Power for Home, Boat, & RV"
Kevin Jeffrey

"RVer's Guide to Solar Battery Charging: 12-Volt DC 12-Volt AC Inverters"
Noel Kirkby, Barbara Kirkby

"The Bus Converter's Bible"
Dave Galey

Much sourcing done on the web. What would we do without the web. Picture the amount of phone calls and whatever, only to find a fraction of the info. Before the internet, I remember going to the library and looking at their selection of out-of-town phone books as reference.

Basically I haven't had much to do at my fabulous corporate job (which I am ditching soon!) so I sit every day and search for parts. I have bookmarked many, many sites on my del.icio.us account.

I have decided to go as green as possible. This means bio-insulation, FSC-certified wood, recycled and scavenged materials.

I went to recycled building materials stores here in Seattle but didn't really see anything. Plus $45 dollars for a crap medicine cabinet that was painted about 50 times and didn't have shelves. I think they would be a good choice for doing a house but out of my weight/price range.

Building plans

2007-08-06T16:47:00.001-07:00

Floor plan; driver's area at left

Elevation; driver's side

Elevation; passenger side

These are the building plans-- floor plan plus two elevations. They are to scale-- 1 grid square = 6"

Tearing up the camper...

2007-08-06T15:34:00.001-07:00

Seamus hijacking the old propane tank

The interior, before it was cleaned out. Yum!

The field-stripped camper with the liberated fridge in the doorway.

The next weekend I tore apart the camper. Lots of mold, spiders, dirt and other unknown muck. I took out the fridge, stovetop, stove hood, sink, water spigot w/ electrical switch, 12-gal water tank w/ electric pump, water hoses, furnace, deep-cycle marine battery (12v 80 amp-hours), leveling jacks, breaker box, 110 outlet, romex battery leads and cables, propane tank, propane box, copper propane lines, external vents (fridge, furnace, etc), windows and door, curtain rods and hardware, cup hooks, cupboard latches (the hinges were shit or I would have taken them too)-- basically everything that was and wasn't nailed down that was in decent shape. Dirty, hot work. Now I gotta get rid of it-- not sure if an RV salvage place will want it as there is nothing useful left.

First weekend in the truck

2007-07-23T12:54:00.001-07:00

Truck from the front

Truck from the back

Interior, looking forward

Interior, looking backward

I decided to get the truck on Tuesday (7/3/07) and by Friday I had researched running it on solar. Make it as off-grid as possible. I kind of thought it was a completely ridiculous idea, but the more people I told, the more excited they got and that helped me to take on the project. Seamus and I had thought about converting it last year to use as a snowboarding vehicle so we already had a rough idea of how we wanted the interior to look.

That weekend I spent an afternoon in it-- measuring, photographing and generally sitting in it to get the feel. It's bigger than I remembered. The interior measures about 15' long, 7' wide and 6'9" high. Doable. The driver's area is nasty. Mildewed steering wheel, rotted seat, lots of glued-up garbage. I checked out the camper and it's pretty trashed as well. Yay.

Why convert a '78 Chevy P-30 stepvan into a moving home

2007-07-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

I am going to The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA this fall. This is my second time around and I am 39. I started looking for housing in Olympia at the beginning of the summer and have gotten no replies. I think that being 39 makes me sound over the hill and possibly a bore.

I started kind of freaking out-- I had no idea what to do. So I was talking to my boyfriend who runs a Tim's Chip route and I joked that I should buy his chip truck because it has a diesel engine (3.9 Cummins turbo-charged 4-cyl), then I could run it on biodiesel. By the end of the day, I decided to convert the bastard and live in it. Screw you guys, I'm going to go live in a chip truck. That night I bought his brother's old piggyback camper for $250 for the appliances which include a stovetop, 3-way fridge (12v, 110AC and propane), a propane furnace, sink and water tank.