So am I supposed to use the closed or open cell foam around the blue boards?
basic van outfitting
- Thread starter LDB
- Start date
So am I supposed to use the closed or open cell foam around the blue boards?
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
12v fluorescent lighting fixtures with integrated ballasts are available at Camping World/RV World - connect two wires and you are good to go:
RV Lighting
Leo, having a dead space between the Reflectix and the attic roof is ideal. Not so much in a van where the matte plus won't provide a strong enough inner wall. It'll get bumped and crack, poked, ripped and torn down. You'd need something like a plywood paneling base, then the Matte Plus, then the Reflectix. You're much better off insulating the voids with foam than leaving it uninsulated for dead space.
Sorry for being clear as mudd, but you want the Open-Cell foam (door and window) because it's far less dense, and lighter than the closed-cell foam. It is also flexible, whereas the closed-cell foam cured rock hard. The closed-cell foam will add quite a bit of weight.
RLENT, yes, I'm aware of the 12-volt lighting. Camping World and boating stores carry them. Most cost more than I want to pay for lighting, most draw more amps than I want for lighting, and most are too big for my application. The kinds of lights they have there are great for RV's and houseboats, but are too big for what I want. All I need is the under-kitchen-counter types of lights, small fluorescents is fine. The ones they have that would work are either too big or designed for recess lighting, and in any case, 2-3 times more than I want to spend. They have 12-dome lighting, but nearly all of those have the wrong kinds of bulbs.
My first choice for lighting was 12-volt lighting, but I quickly moved on because I couldn't find what I want. I even looked at converting the 120-volt lights to 12-volts via an external ballast. I settled on regular lighting with the florescent bulbs. Others may be perfectly happy with the larger lights, or the low profile oval lights, but the oval lights just don't put out enough lighting where I wanted it to be.
These LED Lights are very nearly exactly what I want, but I don't wanna pay $80 a pop for 'em. In "full bright mode" it's the same output as a 16watt florescent light, but draws only .63 amps (same as my 8 watt florescent light currently, except twice the brightness), and in half power "energy-miser mode" it only draws .32 amps and outputs the same brightness as an 8 watt florescent. It's like having two lights n one, both at twice the brightness and half the power draw.
Sorry for being clear as mudd, but you want the Open-Cell foam (door and window) because it's far less dense, and lighter than the closed-cell foam. It is also flexible, whereas the closed-cell foam cured rock hard. The closed-cell foam will add quite a bit of weight.
RLENT, yes, I'm aware of the 12-volt lighting. Camping World and boating stores carry them. Most cost more than I want to pay for lighting, most draw more amps than I want for lighting, and most are too big for my application. The kinds of lights they have there are great for RV's and houseboats, but are too big for what I want. All I need is the under-kitchen-counter types of lights, small fluorescents is fine. The ones they have that would work are either too big or designed for recess lighting, and in any case, 2-3 times more than I want to spend. They have 12-dome lighting, but nearly all of those have the wrong kinds of bulbs.
My first choice for lighting was 12-volt lighting, but I quickly moved on because I couldn't find what I want. I even looked at converting the 120-volt lights to 12-volts via an external ballast. I settled on regular lighting with the florescent bulbs. Others may be perfectly happy with the larger lights, or the low profile oval lights, but the oval lights just don't put out enough lighting where I wanted it to be.
These LED Lights are very nearly exactly what I want, but I don't wanna pay $80 a pop for 'em. In "full bright mode" it's the same output as a 16watt florescent light, but draws only .63 amps (same as my 8 watt florescent light currently, except twice the brightness), and in half power "energy-miser mode" it only draws .32 amps and outputs the same brightness as an 8 watt florescent. It's like having two lights n one, both at twice the brightness and half the power draw.
Based on one time purchasing and the power savings provided when running from batteries I wouldn't mind buying those lights. I'd think a pair of them placed well would provide excellent lighting with only one of them being needed for most of the time and the second available if lots of light was needed.
Leo, it appears that the someone with two left thumbs and limited attention span is you. Welcome to the world of van expediting! I know you have been kicking the van idea around for a few years. At one point you were talking about going the over 10,000 GVWR route. Would you share your thoughts?
I breakdown expedite vans into 3 basic setups:
1. Open floor plan, see Jack's pictures.
2. Sleeper with full bulkhead separating the cargo area.
3. Split bulkhead directly behind the seats with a pass through.
Each setup has its pros and cons and comes down to personal preference. I prefer the split bulkhead. It allows me access to the ignition switch, QC and other things in the cab. It also gives me full use of the entire cargo area while providing some noise/heat-cold insulation and protection from cargo.
First decide which setup will work for you. Then determine the placement of lights, switches, electrical outlets and roof fan. I ran 2 circuits from my aux. batteries to the cab to power my compass, clock, cb, Garmin, phone charger and other goodies. Some of which draw continuous power.
When RLENT put his Sprinter together a few years ago he had a great thread that covered most aspects of building an expedite van. I did a search, but could not find it. Randy?
A handy tool for the Chevrolet van is a small ratcheting socket wrench with a short extension. A 10mm socket will allow you to change headlights (composite style), all rear lights and temporarily remove the rear door clip thingy for an extra inch of clearance.
Give me your mailing address and I send you a BAN THE VAN bumper sticker. No expedite van should be without one!
I breakdown expedite vans into 3 basic setups:
1. Open floor plan, see Jack's pictures.
2. Sleeper with full bulkhead separating the cargo area.
3. Split bulkhead directly behind the seats with a pass through.
Each setup has its pros and cons and comes down to personal preference. I prefer the split bulkhead. It allows me access to the ignition switch, QC and other things in the cab. It also gives me full use of the entire cargo area while providing some noise/heat-cold insulation and protection from cargo.
First decide which setup will work for you. Then determine the placement of lights, switches, electrical outlets and roof fan. I ran 2 circuits from my aux. batteries to the cab to power my compass, clock, cb, Garmin, phone charger and other goodies. Some of which draw continuous power.
When RLENT put his Sprinter together a few years ago he had a great thread that covered most aspects of building an expedite van. I did a search, but could not find it. Randy?
A handy tool for the Chevrolet van is a small ratcheting socket wrench with a short extension. A 10mm socket will allow you to change headlights (composite style), all rear lights and temporarily remove the rear door clip thingy for an extra inch of clearance.
Give me your mailing address and I send you a BAN THE VAN bumper sticker. No expedite van should be without one!
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
G,
The thread you are probably referring to was entitled "Sprinter Cargo Securement" and is linked below.
The title is a little bit misleading, as the the thread eventually morphed into more than just cargo securment - dealing with how I insulated van, etc. (Mostly towards the end of the thread)
Sprinter Cargo Securement
Sadly, it appears that a conscious decision was made not to expend the time and effort to retain all the linked/attached/embedded pictures in the threads that existed at the time they upgraded the forums software (which really added to the value of at least that thread in particular)
Unfortunately that decision makes EO of far less value than it could have been, had the decision been to retain all the valuable user-submitted content.
And the reason you couldn't find the thread is due to an artificial and arbitrary limit imposed on the forum search engine, which when using the "Find All Posts By User X", will only search back to a maximum of the most recent 500 posts .... thereby rendering all older posts essentially unfindable - unless you already know exactly what to search for.
It should really just be called "Find Some Posts By User X .... Up To A Maximum Of Only The 500 Most Recent ....." ..... since it doesn't actually deliver what it claims to ......
(.... maybe Lawrence needs to see if he can score an old Cray or something off Ebay to handle the server traffic for searches ....
)
Dakota
Veteran Expediter
do not use spray in foam leo, it adds weight. it makes it quiet but heavier.
the truck came bare except for a 1" hdf floor board. coming out for a 1/2" piece. added alloc flooring to make the frt slide easier.
i used 2 sided industrial velcro at the top of the frame. then unrolled the bubble wrap insulation and applied it to the tape....maybe i had help. bubble wrap under the floor is a good idea.
then i added 1" blue single sided foam board. then took it out as i needed the room for storage.
if you want 12v electronics add a battery to the frame. still looking into that.
here look at these............
load area walls made from a 4x8 cut down at the lumber yard.
bed goes across the 2 x 4's
with one ski the bed can be moved forward and the skid is at the very back. with 2 skids the beds can be stacked over the white pipe frame
the mattresses were from mattress factory whse. the frame is 3/4 plywood. the red box, we have 3, are from ikea.
the clothes go into those blue bags which are a new product from sc johnson, ziploc flexible totes. there are 2 sizes xxl and xl. the xl will takes 3 pr shorts, and 5 polo ****s with undearwear and socks. enough to get you thru whatever.
look for a pm.
Beautiful setup Jack, do you have flowered shorts like OVM?
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That's exactly how I went about my futile search.
(.... maybe Lawrence needs to see if he can score an old Cray
Is there any other kind of Cray?
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
Heheheh .... yeah ....... but ya gotta admit ..... at least it didn't take up alot of space ...Uhm, "re-quote"?
Reminds me of irregardless.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
jeffman164
Seasoned Expediter
Question to Leo . Just out of curiosity , are you getting out of straight trucks and into cargo vans now ??
I am switching to a van for myself to run solo. A straight truck is an awfully big piece of equipment to sit idle for the amount of time a solo sits. I'll also have more freedom for museums etc. during my waiting time with the van. I've got good h/w teams for the trucks.
I didn't realize Cray was still around. That desk top model looks a wee bit smaller than the Cray 1.
Here's a couple of pics of what I call a split bulkhead with pass through. This setup gives me access to the cab. I can sleep crosswise as shown or easily turn the bed and sleep lengthwise.
With the Truck Screens in place, the Fantastic Fan on exhaust mode, the bed in the lengthwise position, the pass through creates a Jesse Venturi Effect. Ahhhh, the cool breeze blowing through my hair and wafting the entire length of my body while I sleep!
With the Truck Screens in place, the Fantastic Fan on exhaust mode, the bed in the lengthwise position, the pass through creates a Jesse Venturi Effect. Ahhhh, the cool breeze blowing through my hair and wafting the entire length of my body while I sleep!
Attachments
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
Doggie Daddy
Veteran Expediter
Try that in Dallas in June or July and it would be like a convection oven, I'm just sayin'.
21cExp
Veteran Expediter
Reviving an old thread, I know, and tried to send a PM, but it isn't showing in my Sent folder, so am asking here. Have you found, Turtle, that Minwax Polycrylic has held up since you recommended it here 2.5 yrs ago? Slap another coat on once a year?
Thanks, by the way, for all the good and informative posts. I've gained a lot of great info on these boards over the last week.
JP
Thanks, by the way, for all the good and informative posts. I've gained a lot of great info on these boards over the last week.
JP
Got the PM, but just haven't been able to answer it until now. I clean it about twice a year, give or take, with a deck brush and either some degreaser/detergent or just hot soapy water. Then I give the plywood deck another 3 or 4 coats of Minwax. Sometimes with a paint brush, usually I'll just use a spray can and do it that way. Relatively thick coats, too.
I've had the same deck in place for 6 years. Twice I've had to fill in deep gouges or ripped-up deck areas where a forklift has caught it. For that I use Bondo, sand it down smooth, and cover with Minwax.