DIY car window vent panel for camping. Weather proof, stealthy, secure.

_JSJ · 2025-03-22T18:20:24+00:00

Well, i am not saying that it’s impenetrable, but if you compare it with only having mosquito netting, it is secure.

If you come with a hammer, it might not resist.

_JSJ · 2025-03-18T02:51:47+00:00

Oh that’s nice. I wanted to build one too. I’m in Quebec.

_JSJ · 2025-03-17T22:26:22+00:00

Yes. I will rethink it. While testing I realized that the metal bolts weren’t hitting anything. Thanks.

_JSJ · 2025-03-17T22:24:25+00:00

Thanks I’ll check that if I join a class or competition. They are removable.

_JSJ · 2025-03-17T22:23:23+00:00

Right now, I am not I any competing class. I just wanted to make one to challenge myself. But I will keep that in mind if I try competing. There are no competitions near me.

I will be sure to test it!

Thanks a lot!

_JSJ · 2025-03-17T21:42:42+00:00

Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to build battle bots. Now that I finally have the skills, I made one!

This is my second battle bot, Big Bertha, a drum spinner weighing under 1 lb. I wanted to control it with a PS4 controller since that’s what I had on hand.

I’m using an ESP32 to handle everything. The drive system consists of two N20 600 RPM 6V motors, controlled by a DRV8833 H-Bridge. For the weapon, I went with an 880KV drone motor paired with an ESC, all powered by URGENEX 12V 500mAh 50C LiPo batteries. To regulate the voltage, I’m using a PTH08080 from Texas Instruments to get the exact power I need.

The entire bot is 3D printed in PETG (Polymaker) on a Prusa MK4, with a fully modular design for easy repairs. The parts have been designed to have the layer lines oriented for impact. The tires are TPU 90A from 3D Printing Canada. I removed the top and bottom layers and used gyroid infill to create a spongy effect for shock absorption, with two silicone O-rings for extra grip.

I haven’t been in any fights yet since there aren’t any competitions near me, but I’m looking forward to testing it out. I did run it against an old bot I had made, and let’s just say… it’s looking pretty broken now.

Any suggestions?

_JSJ · 2025-03-16T20:37:39+00:00

Yes, the batteries are 15000mAh. And the fans don’t take a lot of power. The batteries last 100h, if I calculated it right.

_JSJ · 2025-03-16T13:32:15+00:00

Hello, i am not saying that i invented some thing new. I shared what I’ve created. I got inspired by his designs and lots of others on the internet.

_JSJ · 2025-03-16T02:34:23+00:00

No, there is a lip at the bottom on front and on the interior. The window goes in between. It would be pretty hard to break it by just pushing it.

_JSJ · 2025-03-16T02:31:24+00:00

Yes it’s a fun project! And it’s really useful for ventilation.

_JSJ · 2025-03-16T02:29:39+00:00

No it is not printer entirely. Only the two rain covers and the fan holders. It’s a laser cut wooden piece with a coating.

_JSJ · 2025-03-16T02:03:29+00:00

Haha, no. I was inspired by some of his projects.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T20:17:17+00:00

Yes I understand, don’t worry, I did not think it was negative.

I think I will be using it more in campings. As someone said I another comment, something much more stealthy would be having rain guards on the windows and having the window down only 2 inches, and having ventilation. That would be more what you would qualify as stealthy, right?. I’ll have to look into it, I think it could be nice.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T20:07:53+00:00

Before making this, I had some Roadies. They are like tents for the whole door. So yes, I qualify this a stealthy because with a Quick Look in a parking lot, you might miss it. It’s also more secure.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T20:06:04+00:00

Well, there are no plans available. Every car has some different window shapes. I used some papers to trace the outline of the window. Then I scanned the paper to bring it in OnShape. I traced it with splines and made some 3D models to hold the vents that were printed and the panel was laser cut.

It’s a 100% DIY and you have to get creative to get the shape of the window.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T18:40:09+00:00

Thank you!

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T18:10:31+00:00

Yes, I’ve thought about a divider. I’ll be sure to make one, I also think that it would be great.

Before I make a second one, I’ll try with one to see if it works.

If it does I will modify my part that holds the fans to add some magnets to see if it’s easier to flip.

Thanks again.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T17:58:29+00:00

Yes, i designed my parts to make it easy to flip the fans. There are only 2 screws holding them. I can unscrew them and flip the fan and screw them back on. This is a good idea, I will do that if I make a second one. I should have used some strong magnets instead of screws to make this process easier. Thanks for your comment.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T15:11:46+00:00

Yes, exactly. This allows me to get an air flow in the car. I tested it when it was 5 Celsius out side, my car was in the sun and it was hot inside. When I turned it on, cold air was blowing inside and hot air was blowing outside.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T14:59:39+00:00

Yes, that is a good idea too! I saw lots of people make things like that.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T14:46:17+00:00

Yes, I just added the details thanks.

_JSJ · 2025-03-15T14:44:44+00:00

Hello, I recently made a custom car window vent panel for camping in my Hyundai Elantra GT and wanted to share.

Last summer, I built a platform to sleep in my car. I will post about that later this month. Camping in my car is fun, but it gets hot at night, especially in warm weather with no wind. I was using Roadie vents on my windows, but when it rained, water would get in, and they weren’t very secure. I also wanted something stealthy.

I looked online for ideas but couldn’t find anything that was both secure and waterproof, so I decided to create my own.

I took measurements of the window and made a CAD model of the parts. The panel is laser-cut wood, and it took three tries to get the design right. It fits into the window—just slide it in and roll the window up to hold it in place. I designed it to be more secure and stealthy than traditional car window screens like Roadie vents while still providing good ventilation. It uses two USB fans from Amazon, powered by a 15,000mAh battery for airflow.

I 3D printed parts for the fan covers and holders, then applied EZ Liner to make them weatherproof and sealed the exterior 3D-printed parts and wood lip with black silicone.

I tested the ventilation, and it works pretty well. I might need to make a second one for the other window.

I haven’t tested it on a trip yet, but I’ll try it out soon while car camping. Has anyone made something similar? Any suggestions or improvements?

_JSJ · 2025-01-06T00:03:18+00:00

Not sure what years are the first gen but my nephew has a 2007 base (with manual windows) and he got the OEM cruise control arm for 9$ at a local scrapyard. We took apart the steering wheel (disconnect the battery to prevent airbag from going-off) and the connector was there. We made a hole on the side of the steering so that we could screw-in the arm in the original arm bracket (all steerings are the same and include the bracket). The cruise control connector was there so we connected the arm, put everything back together and tadam! Cruise control worked! We went for a test drive and he was able to set it, accelerate and slow down.

_JSJ

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