Need help building a 'smart' dorm in a Westy...

[shagginwagon83]

Okay so I have one more semester left till I get my bachelors in Computer Science. I just moved back into my parents place to try out the van life - and invest some time/money on the Westy. I live an hour away from the University

I plan to stay 2 nights around campus/downtown. I have class Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Pack the Yeti 45 cooler for 3 days. Shower at the gym. Boondock around campus/downtown. Maybe stay a night at the top of the 4-story parking garage. There is late-night study open 24 hours for a bathroom. If campus police come knocking - just say I'm studying? Who knows.

I don't know how the University will react to this, but I think I can work around that. If all goes well, this is going to be the best semester ever.

I finished my internship and the company wants me to work part time. They even mentioned letting me work remotely from campus

So here is the plan:
Get rid of carpet, install Pergo.
Finally install my Yakima Roof Rack
Buy Jack's pop top shocks
~150w Solar Panel
Buy a bluetooth Solar Controller (to see info on app)
Install ~600w Pure Sine inverter

Later in semester - a GoWesty Hitch for my Yakima Full Swing bike rack

...and I might be planning to add an LCD monitor arm mount on swinging table. Dual monitor is so handy. Maybe a lightweight 23". Maybe not...I'm on the fence on that. I have the 50Ah house battery that GoWesty sells.

Am I missing anything in the list below for installing the yakima system?

Yakima 1A Towers x4
Yakima Wide Body Bracket x2 pairs
Yakima 66" Cross bars
Yakima Yakima 1A HiRise Spacers (Cut in half. PM me if you want to buy the other half)
4x Aluminum brackets same size as Yakima brackets (for rear reinforcement)
Silicon for the new holes in the Westy's top


Here's my thoughts/questions:
1. HD shocks or medium? I will also install a yakima frontloader full bike rack on the roof also. This will work until I get the money for a hitch from GoWesty. Next year I plan on getting a Kayak. Am I missing anything else in the pop top installation?

2. If I do the Bluetooth Solar Controller, I can monitor the status through an App on my phone. What is your thoughts on that? I think it would be sweet to show people. I am looking at this.
ENZPOWER 40Amp PWM 12V With LCD Intelligent Solar Panel Battery Regulator Solar Charge Controller Temperature Compensation Built-in Bluetooth
https://www.amazon.com/ENZPOWER-Intelligent-Contro...controller

If I went this route could I hide the solar controller in a cabinet/discrete location? I can just look at the app for info. I have my 50Ah under the passenger seat. I plan to hide the inverter and wire it to one of the shore outlets.

3. Is 150watt solar panel too much for a 50Ah system? I would like just one panel at this time. Or get one 100w panel and add another 100w panel later down the road.

At max load in the van I imagine this situation: Me charging a gaming laptop, playing Rocket League, listening to music through rear speakers (maybe front if I have the power), fan blowing on me.

4. Pergo the way to go? I have an 83.5 brown Westy. I think some darker hardwood would look good. I really like some of these:

5. Can you guys think of anything else I should do/need?

I plan to tackle lighting with led strip and a remote 8-way remote controlled 12v relay system. I have some experience with a Arduinos. Could you imagine an app-controlled Westy!? I love coding. There are so many cool things you can do with Arduinos. If the app is too much I could go with a a key fob controlled relays (numbered 1-4).


https://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-iMatic-Controller...lay+remote[/list][/list]
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan

[ThankYouJerry]

Ditch the GW 50 aH aux battery and go to a dual aux battery under the bench with a Blue Sea ACR. 100-200W solar panel should do fine. Go with 200W for the winter months. Speaking of winter... how about a Propex HS2211 to stay warm/healthy? Also, ditch the Yeti for an ARB50 fridge. Wet food sucks. Med pop-top shocks will be great. When you add the kayak, if the med shocks aren't working out it's easy to swap in the HD shocks. Inverters are terribly inefficient (read: drain your batteries FAST!!!). Buy as many 12v chargers as possible for all of your equipment.
_________________
1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD

[shagginwagon83]

[ThankYouJerry]

1. You will want the Propex installed before it gets cold. It's not fun studying while you have your 2nd or 3rd cold/flu of the semester and you're sleeping in a 30F van in a sleeping bag.
2. The Yeti will be fine. You'll survive.
3. You need to determine if the 50Ah aux battery will serve your needs. Honestly, given what you listed, this may need to move to top of the priority list.

PS - Pergo is COLD on the feet. Why not simply cover the carpet (which does provide a marginal amount of insulation vs. zero insulation from Pergo) with this GW mat that is easy to sweep etc: http://www.gowesty.com/product-details.php?v=&id=3240

PPS - The stock fridge can be replaced in the same location with a much better TruckFridge 49. However, other than taking up more floor space, the ARB is more energy efficient and can hold more food (packs better because it's a chest fridge). Again, you'll certainly survive with a Yeti for now.
_________________
1990 Multivan - "Ohana"
1.8T, Auto w/3.27 R&P + Peloquin TBD

[inoperapineapple]

Injecting some cynicism; "living the dream" is oftentimes a dream for a reason.

Solar (and "renewable energy") manufacturers in general rate their systems off optimal conditions. In this case, 60 degrees Fahrenheit at a 24/7 solar noon on the equator. You will get significantly worse capacity with latitude, which gets even worse once you account for changing time of day, which gets even worse in the winter months, which gets even worse with obstructions, which gets even worse with temperature deratings, which gets absolutely terrible if you're not angling your solar panel towards the sun. It is not a simple/passive equation.

You will struggle to power a gaming laptop, even for an hour a day. You will also spend a lot of money on the kind of inverter you'd need to not fry your laptop (though maybe batteries are better abt power regulation now. I fried my 2008 Mac Book on an inverter three years ago). You will not want to get an $85 Bluetooth charge controller, you want a $250 MPPT charge controller. You do not want to skimp on your electrical, because you will burn your van down. You will not want a 50Ah battery (idk, maybe if you live in AZ), you want 100Ah+. Understand that accurately monitoring your battery capacity, especially with battery age, is either really difficult or expensive and just regularly difficult.

My opinion? Scrap the entire solar panel. Find a friend who will let you plug your van into their socket at night. If it's a campus dorm, you might feel awesome about getting free electricity until campus safety finds out and then people will start getting in trouble. Campus safety is usually pissed off with college shenanigans and just start liberally writing "theft", "arson", "b&e" in files.

Propex is LOUD. Stealth camping in the winter? You'll have a hard time. Big deal? Nah, I don't think so. Unless you're at a really crazy school (e.g. ones with legitimate police working for the campus), then chances are your university is private property and as long as you get a permissible parking spot then you're more than likely allowed to hang out there. Check your local laws.

Play rocket league at the library.

Get heavy blankets and spend a lot of time inside other people's places in the winter. Cook and eat soup.

Do van work, worry about pop-top shocks when you have something too heavy on your roof. They're about $120, 3-5 day shipping, 2hrs labor compared to the thousands of $ and weeks of labor you're proposing.

If you're still set on solar, there are really only about 6 commercial models available and only one is really worth it. It's a 150W panel. Two websites sell it; one requires an additional $350 freight shipping charge. The other is UPS (which is riskier) but only runs maybe $100 depending on how close you are to Florida.

[E1]

Edit After the Post: WARNING: Uge!

My post presumes you want a configuration you can use to work and play well beyond college...

I run a 24" monitor and a laptop with a 120W portable panel and two 100aH AGM batteries. If reasonably sunny I can work all day and into the night.

50aH will be nowhere near enough if you do a monitor, in fact I think it'll barely run your laptop for long enough when you really need it to. We first had a single 100aH battery and it wasn't enough for the monitor unless it was totally clear all day -- and even then was a challenge.

Part of the equation is not running your batteries down too low regularly, batteries hate that and will fail prematurely if doing so.

A bigger panel charges faster, but in my experience our controller regularly indicates the batteries are taking as much charge as they're able to with a 100W panel, so more amp-hours is a better friend than is a larger panel in my opinion.

If I were in your shoes, I would buy a portable panel and make a roof mount above the luggage rack for passive solar charging at times you're not working. I don't have a roof mount, but in your case of being low-key, I'd want passive solar but also the option of pointing the panel when you're able. The difference in solar power to be gained by pointing the panel square to the sun is immense, hence I bought a portable for that but also to be able to park in the shade for working while still putting the panel in the sun.

Parking in the hot sun and running delicate computer equipment is nothing short of idiotic -- just to make this point clear. I also have a 25' extension cord for the panel just to stay shaded while getting power -- and your panel's not screaming "steal me" all the time by being on the roof -- and being pounded by the elements day after day after...

I would also HIGHLY recommend having a valid installer do all this. I cannot recommend the GW wiring kit, all wiring needs to be large-gauge to make everything work at maximum efficiency, so you want a top-shelf isolator and pro-level wiring as well. Everything done right up front will pay long-term dividends every time you fire up.

We have an 1100-watt inverter (from GW), but have concluded that while it's great for running our blender and other high-demand things, it does take some power and maybe 400 watts would have been enough for the computer bits -- but that's a guess. For reference in real battery drain, if I space that the inverter's on and go to bed, when waking up I am only down maybe 0.1 volt.

I bought my monitor mount from a vendor in LA -- VersaTables -- and it works wonderfully even on rough-ass roads. I had to painfully drill two holes on the top of the rear cabinets to mount Fastex-buckled straps to hold the monitor in place no matter what, by strapping around the table arm, and I custom-made a wood tabletop for the task. I decided I didn't want to ruin the original table, but more importantly I wanted a stronger table. All I did to design the shape was use the original table and tape cardboard into a new shape fitting the space -- then make sure my mounting plate (via the drill holes) was positioned identically on the new tabletop. On the right (forward when strapped) end of the table, I cut it as a 180-degree half-circle, otherwise it's difficult to get around the table to get out with the monitor set up. But ultimately, the comfortable way to work is with the bed flat and pillows against the hatch... damned-near working in bed, and your back will thank you.

I determined where the hole needed to be bore-sawed by strapping the table tight to the driver's side wall, finding the fore-aft center point, and stacking cans (or anything similar in diameter to the computer mount) up to the height of the mount. This will ensure the computer is as far back on the table as possible without the top of the mount hitting the window behind it when strapped down. Just make sure to leave two inches behind the bore hole for table strength.

I have worked waaaay over 5,000 hours with the above configuration with few issues -- none of them wiring or configuration issues. One is alternators don't last long in charging three batteries, but that is minor to me compared to what I get and will be addressed soon. And I firmly believe whatever extra funds are spent on alternators are paid back by having charged batteries whenever we drive -- both in terms of saving the batteries and in having them charged so I can work.

When all else fails, only a few times a year, I use what I call "The Big Generator," firing up the van and having an opposed-4, 1.9L power-generating source. I use just under a gallon for an hour of idling, and that generally gives me between 0.5 and 0.8 volts when I really need it.


I also think if you're trying to stay low-key and unnoticed, a cargo box is a clear sign of longer traveling and cops know this -- though I'm not sure you're getting a box rather than just a rack. One tip there, a cargo box is a huge aero drag so mount as far back as possible provided you know how it all lays our BEFORE drilling (not assuming you don't know this...).


We use a Yeti 50 and have lived out of it for 1,464 days. We've never had wet food by using watertight containers. While I'd love an ARB, when tapped on power I never wanted to choose between work and food as we'd go hungry in that choice. We get a solid week from a 10 lb. ice BLOCK, half that with cubes. We have no heater nor need one, but we're rarely below 20 degrees where we go. The computer works fine even if the van's cold.

I won't post photos here and don't want my gear online, but would be happy to email them if you PM me.

Good Luck, if done right a Vanagon may be the best work studio on earth.
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[E1]

Just noticed the post above mine.

I agree with the 50aH part, but would advise the OP to know there's buzzkillers throughout life -- and to learn to weigh the naysayers starting with much of that post.

Plugging in at a friend's may help sometimes, but it's college after all and I'd want to do my studies on my terms -- and for me anyway those wouldn't include marginalizing my productivity with distractions like rejecting the eighth offer for a beer from your college buddies.

What you're trying to do is nowhere near an "impossible dream." Go big and do it your way even though you'll make mistakes. Just buy good bits and hire a qualified auto electrician or RV solar shop to configure it safely. And keep it simple, gadgets are expensive and failure rates makes life simpler by sticking to basics.

By the way, my panel is made by Zamp Solar of Bend, Oregon -- and has a built-in though simple controller that for all practical terms works perfectly. Not a cheap panel, but then again it's not cheap.

Tell them what you're doing and ask for a discount to help with tuition and your future. Remind them the VW circle is small and refers the good guys. They've made a ton selling panels to Go Westy ONLY because it was I who connected those two companies.

All I have to do to know my power level is view the readout on the inverter.
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[djkeev]

Just an FYI,
My Sister In Law works in the traffic department of a major private University here in NJ.

She is office staff not "walking the beat" but boy does she have stories to tell!

Don't go thinking that the University security force is staffed with baffoons and are as dim witted as Bart The Mall Cop makes them out to be.

Campus security and student security is an issue taken very seriously. Campuses tend to collect "odd" people who may not have the most honorable intentions in mind.

NEVER pop the top at night, don't ever let light leak out of window curtains. If you have a commuter parking pass, spending the night in a commuter lot is a red flag.

My suggestion? Use it as a day pod to do as you must, but after dark, simply go to sleep. Park in an area that cars are expected to be parked in all night and not off alone.

Odds are high that the institution has empty dorm rooms, they want you in one paying the fees, not sleeping in your car!
Don't become a "party vehicle" like that TV show the Middle depicted with the old RV. You'll be gone in a heartbeat!

This is only advice, it is free, do with as you will but if you lie low and stay invisible at night, it might work for you. Curb the Lights and activity in and out! If they notice you (and they will) it's Bye bye and no more parking pass for you. Probably an initial warning but the staff is small, everyone will know to look for you.

Dave
_________________
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[jimf909]

It sounds like you're about to have a wonderful semester! One of the smartest guys I knew in college lived in laundry rooms, porches, backyards and other spots for a semester. He was fine.

Will you be able to plug the van in at home Thu-Sun? That can help a bit with the batteries, but more than 50ah will be helpful. Adding a 100 ah battery is a start but you may need a second 100 ah batt as days get shorter. I've got a 50ah Betty under the driver's seat (you mentioned yours is under the pass. Seat?) and a 100ah batt under the kitchen sink. A 70 watt solar panel mounted in the roof and a portable 100 watt. I can run off the grid with this set up but I mainly run a TF49 fridge and a propex in the winter. A portable solar panel will be difficult to manage when boondocking.

Finding a driveway or backyard to park in has its benefits: you know where you'll be sleeping and you won't have to worry about the cops chasing you away.

Your Yakima rack sounds good but I the riser blocks aren't necessary. Your call. I hope you can find the Yakima gear used. Full-retail is not inexpensive and many of the retailers had their 20% off sales already in May.

Pergo? Yuck (I think you asked for opinions ) I don't get the interest in putting wood floors in a Vanagon. They don't look good to me. If you must, use a hardwood engineered floor option, not a fake wood laminate. Life's too short to live with fake wood floors. If you must replace the floor, consider marmoleum: it's all natural, it's a closer match for the design of the Westy interior and you might find a suitable sheet as a remnant at the dealer. The rug is also a great option if you keep it clean.

Yakima 1A towers w/out spacer blocks. 100watt solar panel in the luggage rack (it's now my portable panel). Yes to Jack Bombay struts! The setup below uses super HD struts (150 psi). Jack suggested I get them off Amazon when I exceeded the capacity of his HD (120 psi) gas springs with my excessive rack (4 bars, box, huge basket, etc. it's subsequently been replaced with a high-top)

Enjoy your adventure!!!
_________________
- Jim

[JanglerVan]

Are you going to a Virginia Institution? If so which side of the state? The weather can be quite different from one side to the other.


Shoot, if you are on my side of the state I would consider letting you camp in my driveway for a semester for a low low rate, some lawn mowing and babysitting. I live near one of the big VA uni's

[MarkWard]

You mention a parking garage on campus. I would verify the ceiling clearance before you start adding stuff on the roof. They usually have a horizontal bar at the entrance.
_________________
☮️

[shagginwagon83]

[dobryan]

X8 on a bigger battery setup. My sons laptop pulls 8-10amps when he is gaming, it is an Alien laptop and is a power hog, and uses the 12V plug in so no inverter. Get that 100AH second battery and put it under the sink before you go to school. I have two 110AH trolling motor batteries under the sink and my MPPT solar controller is there too. My 100W panel is adequate. 150W would be better.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[WestyKlaus]

"Where there's a will, there's a way"

Hope this works for you and you'll share your experience here as it goes (pictures too please).

Wish I were 30 years younger and able to do something like this without all the responsibilities life comes with as you "grow up" !

Sounds like a great adventure that should give you many memories/stories to reflect on for years to come.

Some good advice by others here. Glean from their advice as best you can and adjust along the way as needed.

[[email protected]]

Solar is goinng to be hard. Especially if you need to be incognito. I would go for the biggest battery bank you can afford both money and space wise. You could get two 125amp hour batteries at Wallmart for about 80 each. Put them under your bench seat. Buy a 45 amp iota or similar battery charger. Got mine used for 30 shipped on Ebay. Buy a 12v digital guage about 5 dollars on Ebay. Monitor you volts at 12.3-12.2 time to plug in. Plan on plugging in every two-three days for 4-5 hours. Get a big buddy heater for about 80 dollars. Don't fall asleep with it on!
So batteries $200
Charger. $50
Monitor. $20
Cabling. $50
Heating. $100
About $450 or less.

Easy.

[E1]

Hi, Brandon:

In your rather-unique case, I think you'd battle having enough control in getting a charge with a roof panel when you want to control the sun angle. I might want 200 watts for that route, but now that you might bail on the large monitor, maybe 100 is enough. I doubt it, though.

What I can say is you don't want to have to pop the top to work, not incognito at all -- DJ is dead on all-around above -- and the odds of having a decent angle for very long are really low without changing position constantly. You might be a candidate for a folding panel, the soft type. I know little about them except they're light and out of the way when not using them, but are pricier. If available when buying mine, I may have gone that route.

Sorry, wasn't suggesting setting up a portable in town, rather elsewhere wherever possible and for after college. I don't know how you could build a rack to quick-mount a portable, but a good fabricator or RV guy should know. My main thought in a portable for you was to have the option to charge more squarely when needed.
_________________
‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman

[shagginwagon83]

[dobryan]

See if your local Walmart has this in stock.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Maxx-Marine-Battery-Group-Size-29DC/20531539
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[shagginwagon83]

[dobryan]