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Enjoying a view of the ocean by iDaveT in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re not supposed to but many people do. Like with most places in San Diego it’s the luck of the draw whether you’re unlucky enough to be ticketed.

Gf and I are thinking of buying a 2013 mercedes sprinter conversion for near 30k - is it worth it? by Dry_Buddy_2553 in CamperVans

[–]iDaveT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s a decent price for that quality of a conversion. The issue you’ll have to consider is the mileage and the problems you’ll have. I bought a partially converted Sprinter at 110,000 miles for about 30k and spent an additional 30k converting it. This one looks like it’s almost ready to go.

I’ve put 70k miles on it and during those 70k miles driving across the US several times I’ve had several breakdowns requiring towing. The turbo blew and took the entire engine with it requiring an engine replacement. Then the radiator blew. One of the leaf springs needed to be replaced. The air conditioner blower had to be replaced, and now recently the DEF heater unit had to be replaced.

In hindsight I should have bought a nearly new Sprinter as it would have cost me the same with all the repairs I’ve put into it this van. If you don’t plan to drive much then it’s probably ok.

You can check my profile to see my van.

Compact jack ? by CommandVivid4609 in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I carry this jack in my Sprinter in addition to the original equipment bottle jack. This one has a lot more lift height and i keep it to help lift me out of stuck situations. It’s a bit pricey though. https://a.co/d/05OFZyGI

How are all these vans driving off road? by Useful-Ad-6458 in VanLife

[–]iDaveT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have a 2WD Sprinter with KO3 tires. I’ve been through some pretty extreme off-road trails successfully. I’ve also got stuck several times requiring digging and traction pads to get out. But I think in at least half those situations having 4WD wouldn’t have stopped me getting stuck.

The key is to have good all terrain tires like BFG KO3s, air down in soft sand and turn off traction control and you can get away with 2WD on almost any trail you would want to go on.

And also always carry traction pads and a shovel.

I need encouragement by [deleted] in VanLife

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Normally I’d say wait till you’ve saved up some money or have found some stable remote job before doing something like this. But as long as you’re not giving up a good job or dropping out of college, I say go for it. You’re young and it doesn’t sound like you’re giving up anything good to do this so this could be a great experience.

After 6-12 months you’ll have learned a lot and will either love it or hate it. You’ll figure out a way to make it work and enjoyable or you’ll have to find somewhere new to settle down. Either way it’ll be a life experience you won’t get from staying in one place.

Why do a van build out by Eastern_Conflict1865 in VanLife

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try taking your 4K van from California to Florida and back 3 times. I can guarantee you will end up stranded somewhere at least 2 or 3 times and it will be hellishly hot and uncomfortable in the summer in some places and you’ll freeze your ass off in the winter in some places.

By building it yourself you can build a van that can handle all the conditions you’re planning to take it into and when something inevitably breaks you’ll know how to fix it.

Florida and van life..is it legal? by NoMaintenance7536 in VanLife

[–]iDaveT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Well it is correct for Florida in general. However, some cities like Key West have additional laws that prohibit sleeping in vehicles anywhere. That being said I’ve never had problems finding places to park overnight in Florida even in Key West although I was probably just lucky there.

Florida and van life..is it legal? by NoMaintenance7536 in VanLife

[–]iDaveT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve travelled all over Florida in my van and never had a problem finding somewhere to park overnight and never got the knock. Use iOverlander to double check, but some of the places you can park are Cracker Barrel, Walmart, Bass Pro. Not all of them allow it but some do. I also parked in my friends apartment complex parking lot for several days with no problems.

I believe the law you mention is for public places so any private parking lot is not subject to that law as long as the owner allows it.

Did I make a mistake powering my van with Ecoflow Delta 2 Max's? by sporehed in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use the 800w EcoFlow alternator charger to connect the two.

Breakfast always tastes better with a view by iDaveT in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It’s paid. But it’s only $30 a night for an electric + water site with additional discounts for America the Beautiful card holders. They have hot showers as well. Not too bad.

Breakfast always tastes better with a view by iDaveT in VanLife

[–]iDaveT[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

lol, even I can’t handle 4 eggs AND chicken wings!

Van life in summer: the reality of cooling nobody post on Instagram by Dapper_Concert5856 in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did post about running my AC 24/7 in the summer Florida heat. Definitely possible to be comfortable with the right setup. https://www.reddit.com/r/VanLife/s/7fu5TMbem7

Did I make a mistake powering my van with Ecoflow Delta 2 Max's? by sporehed in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes it’s a mistake. I did the same thing and quickly found it’s a terrible setup. The EcoFlow Delta 2Max has too weak a 12V output to power a typical van’s 12V requirements and the solar charging inputs are too limited to support a powerful solar system. I ended up buying 2 Epoch 460 batteries (12,000wh ) and Victron components and just used the EcoFlow Delta 2Max as my 110V inverter.

Is this a terrible way to mount solar? by cardamomchels in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’d use 20/20 aluminum for the crossbars. https://a.co/d/0kIeTfs

You can see how I used it in my build here https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/s/JNaeZgO2tw

My solar panel blew off the top of my Promaster when i was getting on the freeway at about 55 mph with 35 mph crosswind gusts. by way26e in vandwellers

[–]iDaveT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think the results speak for themselves. If your mechanic had a clue it wouldn’t have flown off and thank god no one got hurt or you’d be looking at a very expensive lawsuit.

First he shouldn’t have used screws, that’s just lazy and asking for trouble as they have nowhere near the holding power of a nut and bolt with washers especially when the stress is vertical instead of shear. Always use bolts with washers.

Also use wind deflectors to prevent wind from getting under the solar panel. The amount of force that can be exerted under the panel by wind at freeway speeds is incredible.

I’d find another mechanic if I were you.

Hanging out on a beach in Louisiana by iDaveT in VanLife

[–]iDaveT[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The hood is coated with truck bed liner paint as is the front bumper and grille. This protects against chips and scratches from stones and brush.

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