Cover of the fifth edition of Rova Magazine

Not everyone who converts a camper van is required to ditch their 9-5s and take to the open road. There are many ways to RV and our story is just one of many. Check out the magazine at your local Barnes and Noble or subscribe to not miss an issue.

Gidget featured in ROVA magazine during a trip to Joshua Tree.

Gidget buried by snow in Mammoth Lakes, CA during the winter of 2017.

The Instant Pot is numerous devices in 1. It can be used as a rice cooker, pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, sauté, yogurt maker, and food warmer. The mini size will make up to 6 cups (12 cups cooked) of rice at once, keep food warm for over 10 hours, and has a 24 hour delay start timer. Have I peaked your interest yet?

Instant Pot in the van kitchen. It takes up less space compared to the 2 burner camping stove.

Camp stove set up in our van kitchen. As you can see, it takes up a lot more counter space than the Instant Pot.

So what makes the Instant Pot my new favorite van cooking method? Well there are many reasons, but let’s start with ease of use. I have a stove top pressure cooker for our home that I used to love using, but it now basically a large hard boiled egg cooker. With a normal stove top pressure cooker, you need to constantly watch the cooker to make sure it is at your ideal pressure for what you are cooking. Which is a pain if your kitchen is in a cubby of your home away from say a seat and the TV. But with the Instant Pot, you just set the cooking method, set the timer, and just let it do its thing. No need to monitor the heat from a stove top or even turn the device off, when the timer finishes, it turns itself off. It will even keep food warm. In a van this is great, it means you can put everything in the cooker, then be outside enjoying the day, and come back into the van with dinner ready.

Clean up with the Instant Pot is a breeze. Instead of using numerous pots to make a dish, everything is cooked right inside the cooker. So that is one pot to clean up. And because of the way a pressure cooker cooks, you rarely have food stuck to the bottom of the pot.

The small 3 quart pot fits great inside the sink, making clean up a breeze.

The model I choose for the van was the Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 quart. The standard size is 6 qt and the large is a 8 qt. The reason I am telling you this, is because most recipes are designed for a 6 qt model, but I have only had to do slight adjustments since most of the recipes for the 6 qt don’t actually max out the pot. The mini size has successfully made enough for 1 meal and then leftovers, so 4 meals since I am cooking for 2. I have then used it to heat up the leftovers since we don’t have a microwave. Multifunction for the win!

I found this great blog post showing the difference between the 3 sizes. One of the things she did not mention was the reason the Mini Instant Pot takes longer to come up to pressure is because it is only 700 Watts compared with 1000 Watts for the 6 qt size and 1200 Watts for the 8 qt. Some people online have been complaining about this, but to me it is fine and to be expected. Spending an extra minute or 5 to get up to high pressure is no biggie in my book.

Size difference between the 3 qt, 6 qt, and 8 qt Instant Pots. Picture credit: MamaShire

We went on a week long trip over the holidays and I did not take out the propane stove top once. I cooked every meal in the Instant Pot. Now I didn’t cook every meal we ate since we were in urban areas and went out a few times, but we ate at least 1 meal a day in the van. I made chicken and rice, potato sausage soup, pasta bolognese, and okay I made chicken and rice twice, don’t judge. Water conservation in the van is always on my mind, and the Instant Pot is great at that. White rice cooks with a ratio of 1:1 instead of 2:1. Pasta cooked right in the pot, so 12 ounces of gluten free pasta only needed 1.5 cups of water and 1/2 cup of wine, instead of boiling a whole pot of water. Pressure cooking locks in steam/water/flavors/etc so nothing is lost during the cooking process which means less water.

When I bought the pressure cooker I also bought this book, The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook. There are no pictures which is always a bummer, but the book is super helpful. It has a wide range of dishes including labels to help you decide on timing of the recipes. Cooking with the pressure cooker is not always super quick, it does take about 10 minutes for the cooker to get to pressure, then cook time, then if the recipe requires slow release it can take another 10-20 minutes for that step. So labeling the time required is helpful for someone who is new to pressure cooking. I have seen numerous recipes online that say something like, “Only 5 minutes in the Instant Pot”, which is a lie. So don’t be fooled.

The Instant Pot Cookbook I purchased when I bought the mini Instant Pot.

For anyone who is wondering. We have a 2000 watt inverter, 400 amp hour battery bank, 270 watt solar panel, and can charge our batteries via the alternator while driving. We were up in the California bay in winter and had no issues running the Instant Pot with our set up.

Leave me questions or comments below if you need more help or advice.

Now, we don’t live in the van full time (yet), but I (Tricia) like to have it fully stocked with all of my skin care needs. The whole point of the van was to not have to “pack” to go on weekend getaways or weeklong trips. You can argue, why is your skincare routine any different when staying in a van? Well there are some additional things when staying in a van that you need to worry about. The number 1 item being water. Our van only has a 10 gallon water tank which goes FAST (the average American uses about 17 gallons per shower). So my skin care routine typically revolves around keeping my water consumption down. Here is how I do it, plus some other additional items I keep in my beauty bin.

(Disclaimer – All Amazon links are affiliate links and all Beautycounter links go to my consultant website. If you already have a consultant, please shop through them, if not I would be happy to have personal discussions with anyone who has additional questions regarding the products.)

1. Clarisonic face brush and Beautycounter Charcoal Bar – I can literally see everyone rolling there eyes at me on the first item. Isn’t a Clarisonic brush a luxury? But hear me out. I am prone to horrible acne. Ever since I was a kid, I easily break out. Van adventures for us usually mean lots of sun, surf, hiking, etc, which all involve lots of sunscreen. The most efficient way for me to get sunscreen, dirt, and oils out of my pores is with one of these face brushes. You just get it wet, work up a lather with the charcoal bar, and the brush does all of the work. Then splash a little water on your face and you are done. It’s the best way to get a deep down cleaning without a lot of water.
2. Dr. Bronners Peppermint Castile Soap – (This is in the yellow soap holder at the top right.) I love Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint soap when we are using our outdoor shower and when doing a wash cloth bath inside the van. I really don’t like the smell of baby wipes, not sure what it is about the fragrance, but to me they usually smell really fake. So instead I do a wash cloth wipe down using this soap when I can’t shower outside. It leaves me with a clean tingling feeling. If it is cold outside, I use my electric tea kettle to warm up some water and I feel almost as clean as if I took a full shower.
3. Beautycounter Cleansing Balm – If you have never used a cleansing balm, what are you waiting for? This cleanser is AMAZING. What makes it amazing is you can slather it on, then just use a washcloth (or when I am in the van, a paper towel) and wipe it off. A damp warm wash cloth helps it take the day away a little better, but it is not necessary. I use this stuff when we are in the desert or mountains skiing. It wipes the dirt and oil off from the day and then leaves your skin super soft. Perfect to super dry climates. This stuff also works wonders as lip balm, a hydrating night mask, makeup remover, and a chafe cream.
4. Tooth Builder Toothpaste – This toothpaste is actually fragrance free and has a very limited ingredients list. So when we do have to dump the grey water in the bushes and not down a drain, it makes me feel a little bit better.
5. Beautycounter Eye Cream – I am over 30, I need eye cream, this one seems to keep the wrinkles at bay, basically end of discussion.
6. Beautycounter Cream Exfoliator – I don’t always wash my face in the morning when we are in the van, but this is what I use when I do. It is a really gentle exfoliator that use jojoba beads instead of plastic micro-beads that are bad for the environment.
7. Ursa Major Face Wipes – These are the ultimate lazy, no water, face cleanser. I try not to use them that much, since they are over a dollar a wipe, but they work really great and have a lovely scent. They also come in real handy on backpacking trips since they are so lightweight.
8. Off Deep Woods bug wipes – I hate bug spray, especially if I can’t shower before bed, but sometimes you have to put it on. I like these wipes, because I can put some loose fitting clothes on and then apply only where needed. Like the face wipes, they are really handy to have in the van for backpacking trips.
9. Softy Sanitizing Wipes – Apparently these are no where to be found, so they must be out of business. I really liked them because they had no scent. But I will probably buy these when I run out. Having sanitizing hand wipes are a necessity in the van. I use them after going to the bathroom, after touching meat, etc since I don’t want to transfer germs in such a small space.
10. Beautycounter Sunscreen – There are 2 types of sunscreen I use regularly in the van. The first one is in stick form that I use on my face while surfing. It stays on for long surf sessions and I haven’t burned while using it, even while in Indonesia surfing for several hours a day. The second is a cream that is a great non nano zinc sunscreen that doesn’t turn you pasty white.
11. Radiance Serum – This is my 30 year old plus beauty skinsavor. This product got rid of several sun spots on my face, I am a Florida baby. My mom took us to the beach almost daily when I was a child. Obviously I love her for my love of the ocean, but when I hit 30 I noticed lots of sunspots showing up. This keeps them at bay and makes my skin glow. This is a luxury item, but I feel it is a necessary one.
12. Schmidt’s Deodorant – I used to make my own deodorant, but this one uses roughly the same ingredients and is way more convenient. Pretty sure it is cheaper at Sprout’s, but if you don’t have one near you, amazon is obviously your friend.
13. Beautycounter Volume & Shape Shampoo and Conditioner – When we are surfing a lot, I tend to not actually shampoo my hair. For one, my hair is thick and it takes a lot of water to rinse shampoo out of my hair. Two, sea water tends to dry out my hair, so I don’t really feel the need to shampoo that much. Most of the time, I just use a small amount of conditioner and rinse with as little water as possible, or leave the conditioner in and put my hair in a ponytail. Using this lightweight formula also helps if we aren’t surfing and I can go a few days with my hair looking decent.
14. Lush Dry Shampoo – This dry shampoo is amazing. It really works. But I would recommend using it outside of the van, since I haven’t figured out a way to use it without getting powder everywhere. Dry shampoo tip, use it at night before going to bed. You wake up with wonderful hair.
15. Mack’s Ear Plugs – These aren’t a beauty product, but they help you get some beauty sleep! These are the best ear plugs we have tried. They are like a putty and you can mold them to your ears. These are the only plugs that I can use and not wake up in the middle of the night with my ears killing me. They are great for urban camping or when you are at a campground. Do yourself a favor and get these for a good night’s sleep.
16. Beautycounter Face Oils – I LOVE face oils. People are afraid to put oil on their face, but I am hear to tell you, they are one of the best moisturizers you can use. Face oils mimic your own face oil, and the right combination can do everything from reduce wrinkles to brighten skin tone. These bottles are the mini travel sizes from a holiday set. I keep all 3 in the van for different weathers we could encounter. Dry, desert climate – #2. Humid, hot, beach climate – #3. Skin looking dull – #1.

Now you know my secrets for being a 30 something, sometimes van dweller. Any questions or comments, add them below. Also let me and others know your favorite products in the comments below. How to deal with day to day “normal” issues are some of the most common questions I get, so the more comments we get on this post, the better.

View of the ocean from our hotel room.

We decided to walk around and see some of the area.

Matt and Jesse at the Padang sign.

Girls in front of the Padang sign.

After our 2 day stay, the boat crew picked us up from the hotel and took us to the marina. We then loaded up all of our stuff on to a small boat and headed to the big boat.

All of us piled into the small boat.

Tengirri boat waiting for us in the harbor.

Tengirri Boat

Once we got on the boat, the crew greeted us, we picked out our cabins, got our surfboards all set up, had a beer, and then settled in for a rough night crossing to the Mentawai Islands.

Heading out of the harbor to the Mentawai Islands

We woke up to stormy conditions and rough seas, but that didn’t matter, we still headed into the water.

Matt surfing at Moots

Matt surfing at Moots

Matt surfing at a break called Thunders on the 3rd day.

Matt paddling back to the lineup. Look at that smile

The first few days of the boat trip were pretty rough. We got some real stormy conditions, see the rain and chop on the water at Macaroni’s in the next photo.

Matt surfing at Macaroni’s on Aug 25th.

I (Tricia) had a pretty rough time with the constant rocking of the boat. Luckily it ended up calming down around day 5 of the trip.

Indonesian islands

Look at that clear water and postcard looking island.

Indonesia man canoeing around an island

Around day 5, we made our way over to a right hand reef break called Bintangs.

Matt surfing at Bintangs

Matt surfing at Bintangs

A few days later we made our way North to a break called Suicides. What an inviting name, right! It was home to a perfect right hand break that broke over a shallow reef. We got there about an hour before sunset. There was quite of bit of people out, but to our luck, about 20 minutes after we got there, they all got in boats and left so we had the break to ourselves till the sunset.

Matt surfing suicides surf break

Tricia surfing at suicides

Tricia watching sunset from her board

We decided to stay at that break for another day and got out in the water before anyone else in the morning.

Matt surfing in the morning

Playing in the Mentawais with the #gopro @tengirrisurfcharters #ucp #icantunderstandaustralians #birdsound

A video posted by Matthew Morey (@matthewmoreydotcom) on Sep 11, 2016 at 7:25pm PDT

One of the last breaks we went to was called Goodtimes, and we did have a good time at it.

Matt surfing at Goodtimes

Tricia surfing at Goodtimes surf break

Matt surfing switchfoot at Goodtimes

Exploring different islands

Overall it was a great trip. The food, accommodations, crew, and surf were top notch. It was extremely difficult to come home and put on a wetsuit again. Warm water and great waves will keep us longing to go back to Indonesia.

Us and the tengirri crew.

Unfortunately this trip required us to leave Gidget in Southern California. I’m sure she was lonely sitting in the LAX airport parking lot for 3 weeks. It made us sad to leave her there, but sometimes you just got to get away.

We started our trip off by getting on an A380 double decker Singapore Airlines flight.

Singapore Airlines Flight

Look how big that plane is, insane. We decided to upgrade slightly to premium economy since the flight was like a million hours long with a stopover in Tokyo. It turned out to be a pretty good decision.

Getting ready for takeoff

We left Saturday and arrived in Singapore Monday early morning. A quick nap was in order, then it was time to explore and get some food.

Walking to our first meal in Singapore

We started off our eating at the Old Airport Road Hawker Center for breakfast. Breakfast in Singapore doesn’t seem to differ that much from lunch or dinner, which was fine with me. We got a iced coffee, wonton soup, and a spicy crispy wonton bowl served with broth. Everything at this meal was great. The total was around $5.

First meal in Singapore, wonton soup and spicy crispy wontons.

After our bellies were full, we headed over to the Gardens by the Bay. The gardens are huge and include 2 air-conditioned dome gardens. Even though it was still early the heat was already strong, so the fact that they had air-conditioning, allowed us to linger longer in the gardens.

Gardens by the Bay Dome

It was Orchid Celebration, so there were so many gorgeous orchids. I will spare everyone the massive amounts of pictures I took and just show one.

Orchids at the Gardens by the Bay

Okay I lied, I am going to show two.

Bright Pink Orchid at the Gardens by the Bay

This is Tricia’s, I’m in Singapore face! Photo by Claudia

The gardens had some awesome wood carvings on display.

Wood Carving at Gardens by the Bay

Outside of the domes, the rest of the gardens were just as pretty.

Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay

The next day we decided to explore Chinatown. Our first stop was some food at the Chinatown hawker center.

Chinatown Hawker Center, chicken and duck meal

We then went over to the Amitabha Buddhist Center. The buddha center was beautiful and ornate. Most of the center forbid cameras, but there was a few places you could take pictures.

Buddhist Center

Inside Buddhist Center

Statue inside the Buddhist Center

Offerings outside of the Buddhist Center

After Chinatown we walked through Little India.

Colorful building in Little India

By this point of the day it was hot and jet lag was starting to take over. We decided to go back to our AirBNB and relax a little. After some time out of the heat, we headed to the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands to get some food and walk around.

Outside of the Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands

A rare group shot at the Marina Sands Bay area.

I had also convinced everyone that we should go on the Singapore Flyer. The Flyer is the largest observation wheel in the world and gave us some pretty good views of the city.

Waiting in line to get on the Singapore Flyer

We got real lucky and was on the Flyer during sunset.

Gardens by the Bay from the Singapore Flyer

City view at sunset from the Singapore Flyer

City lights from the Flyer

The next morning we got up early to head to the airport.

Singapore Airport en route to Indonesia

Bye Singapore, time to head to Indonesia.

To save space we decided to install it width wise in the back of the van. In the side cutouts of the van, there was exactly enough room to install a full size mattress.

Bed finished and Tricia testing it out

Parts 

• Casper Full Size Mattress – $750
• 2 2″x6″x8′ pieces of Douglas Fir wood for supports – $9.78
• 6 2″x3″ pieces of Douglas Fir wood for slats – $12
• 2 11/32″ AC exterior plywood – $41.46
• 2 0.625″x5.375″x96″ pieces of Red wood for edge trim – $38.40
• White wash semi-transparent exterior wood stain – $37.96
• Pre-Bulbed 1/4-20 .280 Grip Plus Nuts – $55.86

Tools

• Drill and various drill bits
• Chop saw
• Orbital hand sander
• Plus nut installer tool – $59.00
• Spade bits

Video

Instructions

After making a few rough sketches we purchased all the wood we thought we would need. 2×3’s for slats, 2×6’s to mount to the van frame, and some plywood for the top of the platform.

Sketching out potential support structure

Side sketch of planned supports and bolts. We ended up only using the 2″x6″.

Hardware store wood haul

To support the 2×6 at the rear edge we installed pre-bulbed plusnuts into the existing holes.

Matt installing a plusnut.

Installed plusnut at rear of van to support the end of the 2×6.

Figuring out the bolt locations on the wood was the hardest part. We must have make a 1000 measurements and installed and removed the 2×6 about a dozen times to get it right.

Once we figured out the bolt locations we drilled the holes and used a spade bit so the bolt heads would sit flush.

2×6 support test fit.

The second side was easier since we had a template from the first side. Thankfully the bolt locations on both sides are identical.

Test fitting the passenger side 2×6.

2×6 showing the various attachment points.

Before we mounted the 2x6s for good, we sanded them and applied a layer of wood stain for protection.

Support stained and installed in van

After mounting the support pieces we measured and cut 2x3s for the bed supports. 6 seemed like enough to prevent any sagging of the bed.

Test fitting the slats.

Bed slats installed looking from the back of the van.

Because van bodies flex while driving we decided to only screw down the passenger side of the 2x3s and let the driver side float.

Slats screwed into bed frame

On the driver side we screwed in blocks between the slats so that they could move and flex as needed. The 2×3 slats are not screwed in.

Test fitting the blocks between the 2×3 bed slats.

Pre-drilling holes for the blocks.

We cut 2 pieces of plywood as the base of the bed. We decided to install the seam closer to where our feet would be. Our mattress is plenty thick to not feel it.

Clamping the plywood down to the bed base before we screw it down.

Plywood being screwed into bed slats.

We then installed an edge on the bed to prevent the mattress from moving. We used a 0.625×5.375 piece of redwood and screwed it into the 2×3 slats.

Adding the edge to the bed frame.

Edges installed on the bed frame.

Before installing the wood pieces they were all sanded using an orbital sander and stained.

Staining pieces of wood.

It was now time to install the mattress and test it out. We choose a memory foam so that it could be squeezed into the allowed space. After lots of research we settled on a Casper.

Ready to install mattress.

The installed bed all made up.

Installing the bed width wise saves us almost 2 feet of space in the galley and living room. But it’s a tight squeeze between the 2 walls of the van and doesn’t allow any room to hang a foot or hand off the mattress. We plan on doing a few test nights to make sure that we can sleep this way.

Another thing we need to figure out is how to cover the insulation. We can’t really put wood paneling up as the mattress needs all the space it can get.

We are happy with how it turned out except when driving. Every little bump in the road results in a squeak. It kind of sounds like the metal is flexing where the wood attaches. Maybe we should have put something like felt in between the metal walls and the 2×6 wood? Or maybe we need to take some of the load off of the van walls with a support in the middle of the platform? We’re going to do some experiments to see if we can get the noise down.

Update 2016-07-04: We fixed the squeaks with felt

Laying in the bed for the first time.

Catalina Flyer Ferry

It was a pretty rough ride over as a swell had shown up. I concentrated really hard on not getting sick, while Matt was taking pictures on the second deck.

Almost to Catalina Island

We made it to Catalina Island

Avalon Pier

After we disembarked the ferry and got rid of our sea legs, we walked to the Wrigley Botanical Gardens. On the way we stopped at the Catalina Island Conservancy for a little island environmental information.

Catalina Island Conservancy

We then continued up the hill to the gardens.

Wrigley Botanical Gardens

Cacti blooming

Top of the Wrigley Memorial

Us at the top of the memorial

After the botanical gardens we walked back down to Avalon and went to the Catalina Island Casino.

Could not have asked for a more beautiful day

Catalina Island Casino

After we went to the museum at the Casino, it was pretty much time to head back to the ferry dock. We casually made our way back to the ferry where we then headed back to Newport Beach.

Bye Catalina Island, until next time.

For the #vanlife community insulation is the most debated topic. You have many options: fiberglass, rigid foam board, Reflectix, recycled denim, spray foam, 3M Thinsulate, vapor barriers, CLD sound deadening material, and many more. Each material has pros and cons and doing the necessary research can be overwhelming.

We choose 3M Thinsulate (SM 600L) because it doesn’t need a hazmat suit like traditional fiberglass, it’s removable unlike spray foam, and it doesn’t absorb moisture like denim insulation. It’s also pretty light weight (642 g/m²), has a good thermal R value (5.2), is moisture wicking, and is easy to install. But it is the most expensive option.

Gidget with ceiling and wall insulation.

Parts

• 3M Thinsulate 50 Linear Feet 250 SqFt (Ebay affiliate link) – $509.00
• 3M 90 Spray Adhesive (2 cans) – $26

Tools

• Heavy duty fabric scissors – best quality you can get
• Long thin flexible stick for stuffing insulation into tight spaces
• Cardboard for protecting the floor from the spray adhesive
• Measuring tape
• Drywall T-square to make straight lines when cutting the insulation
• Marker
• Flat head and phillips screwdrivers
• Socket wrench to remove any D rings that get in the way
• Push Pin Pliers to remove protection panels
• Gloves to protect hands from van’s sharp edges

Time

It took us approximately 8 hours and would have been shorter if we weren’t documenting the process.

Instructions

We ordered Gidget with the wall panels option (Load Area Protection Package 96D). We figured it would give us a template for when we install walls. But before installing the insulation the panels need to come off. Before removing the panels we used painters tape and a marker to note their locations.

Marking each panel so we know where it goes later.

Next we removed every panel. The panels use several types of push pins and screws to stay attached to the van walls. We used Push Pin Pliers and flat head screw drivers to remove most of the pins.

The special Push Pin Pliers are not recommended. We found a flat head screwdriver worked better.

Using a flat head screwdriver to remove the push tabs.

Push pins come in two sections. Remove the inner section then the outer section.

Special tool to remove push pins. Not much better than a flat head screwdriver.

Phillips head screwdriver is required for removal of the larger panels.

Matt removing the panels.

The bottom push pins of each pin don’t actually need to be removed from the panels, just lift up the whole panel.

The lower front panel, behind the driver’s seat required removal of one of the D-rings to get the panel off.

Unscrewing the d-ring in order to get the lower panel off.

After all of the panels were off, it was time to start installing the insulation. We started by stuffing some thin strips in the ribs of the van.

The insulation arrived as a compressed roll.

Stuffing insulation in the van ribs.

Using flexible plastic door molding to push the insulation into the wall ribs.

Next we measured and cut some larger pieces for the sides of the van.

Cutting insulation for the side panel.

After cutting the insulation we checked the fit. Next we sprayed the insulation (white side) and the van wall with 3M 90. You need to wait a few minutes for the adhesive to become tacky. Then you just stick it on.

Spraying 3M 90 adhesive on van wall.

After we did the sides of the van, we insulated the top smaller sections. The van ribs in this section keep the insulation in place without the use of adhesive spray. We made the cuts big enough that the insulation wedges into the openings and overhangs each rib. Doing this held each section in place pretty well.

No spray adhesive is needed in the top sections.

Completed insulation on side panels.

Next we insulated the sliding door. This was more difficult because there are wires and mechanical linkage in the door. I am assuming because of this, Ford added a plastic layer behind the black protection panel. The plastic sheet attaches by a type of tacky putty. We managed to pull it off while keeping the top part still connected. A strong yank will pull the putty off of the van but keep it attached to the plastic.

Once the plastic was out of way we added the Thinsulate the same way as the top openings on the wall. First we cut a large piece and then we cut out portions to wrap around the ribs. After wedging the insulation into place the plastic piece was just reattached.

Insulating the sliding door panels. The panel to the right has insulation and the plastic piece reattached.

Next we insulated the ceiling. We stuffed small strips into the ribs and then attached large panels using the 3M 90 adhesive.

Installing insulation on ceiling of van.

After finishing the ceiling, we added painters tape to secure the insulation material. We wanted to make sure nothing fell or stretched before we get a chance to install the actual ceiling.

Finished insulated ceiling.

We didn’t insulate the ceiling section where the roof fan is because we may still add extra support.

Finally, we add insulation between the headliner and the ceiling above the front seats. If you detach the headliner from the 3 center attachments there is enough room to add insulation.

Stuffing insulation in between the headliner and the ceiling.

Insulating the van turned out to be easier than putting a hole in the roof. With good scissors the whole job is doable in a day.

We’re happy with how it turned out although we haven’t really tested it yet. Driving down the highway is quieter. Any insulation has got to be better than no insulation, right?

If we we’re to do it over we would have bought sharper scissors or at least a knife sharpener. The scissors we used were good at first but after several cuts they became dull and hard to cut the insulation.

Van walls and ceiling are now insulated.

When planning our van build we decided not to install a rooftop air conditioning unit. They tend to remove any notions of stealth, are loud, and need a lot of power to operate. But we also want some level of comfort so we settled on a roof fan. After significant research we discovered there is only 2 serious manufactures: Fan-Tastic and MaxxAir. We went with the MaxxAir MAXXFAN Deluxe 7000K fan because the lid can be open when its raining and when driving.

Gidget with the fan installed.

Side view of Gidget with fan installed.

Parts

• MaxxAir MAXXFAN Deluxe 7000K – $289.34
• Roof Adapter (Ebay affiliate link) – $44 (or $88 for both the top and bottom adapters)
• Butyl seal tape – $11.04
• Eternabond tape – $19.07
• 3M 4200 Adhesive – $25.08
• Zinc coated wood screws (#10 7/8″ and #10 3/4″) and washers (#10) – ~$8
• Painter’s tape
• Duct tape
• Acetone
• Isopropyl alcohol

Tools

• Drill
• Jigsaw
• Metal cutting blade
• Caulking gun
• Phillips screwdriver
• Safety glasses
• Gloves
• Ladder
• Shop vacuum
• Metal seam roller

Time

We started Saturday around 1:30 PM and finished before lunch on Sunday. Just in time for the little bit of rain we had on Monday morning. It was around 8 hours of actual work not counting the time for the adhesive to cure.

Video

Instructions

The first step is to decide where you want to install the fan. We choose the rear of the roof between that last 2 ceiling ribs, 21″ in front of the rear door frame. This spot will be above our future bed and leaves ample room to install solar panels. It also just so happens that the Transit has almost 14″ between the 2 roof ribs.

We decided to put the fan between the rear 2 ribs.

The Transit roof is thin and dents easily which makes installing a roof fan difficult. The location we chose for the fan is just close enough to lean over from the edge and perform the whole install. Our ladder was just tall enough to lean against the rear of the van. We put a thick blanket between the ladder and the van to protect the surface.

Use a blanket to cushion ladder against roof of van.

Then we prepared the top of the van by washing it with soap and water, and cleaning it with acetone.

Clean surface of roof with acetone.

We then taped off the area where the fan was going to go on the inside and outside with cardboard and painters tape. This stops any of the metal filings from cutting and drilling from landing on the paint.

Use painters tape to mark off location of vent fan.

Painters tape marking off where the vent fan will go.

Next we drilled holes in the 4 corners, starting with a small drill bit and ending with the largest drill bit we had. The hole needs to be just large enough to fit the jigsaw blade. While drilling the holes we used a shop vacuum to suck up all the little metal filings. No turning back now…eek!

Use a power drill to put holes in the 4 corners.

The next step is to connect the holes with a jigsaw and a metal cutting blade. This is where we ran into some troubles. The jigsaw we owned was not strong enough to hold the blade in place. We tried several times but the blade would just fall out onto the van floor. Luckily our friend happened to be at Home Depot and picked up this gem for us. It worked a thousand times better, and after our brief work stoppage, we were back in business.

While Matt was cutting from the top I was below vacuuming any metal filings coming off. After cutting each side we used duct tape to support it.

Using a jigsaw, cut along the tape to connect the drilled holes.

Matt after finishing the cut. The edges aren’t perfectly straight but that is fine as it is covered by the fan flange.

After cutting the the hole, use a metal file and sandpaper to smooth out the edges.

Use a metal file to smooth out the rough edges.

Next apply a coat of white paint to the edges to prevent any rust from forming. We did 2 coats and went real heavy on the second coat and let it dry for about an hour.

Use while enamel paint and a foam sponge brush to coat raw edges.

The Transit roof is curved but most roof fans assume a flat surface. Some Transit owners have used JB Weld and adhesive caulk to flatten the area out. Some have used spacers. We decided to use an adaptor (Ebay affiliate link) on the top of the roof which turns the curved roof into a flat mating surface for the fan base.

You can also buy an adaptor for the inside of the roof. But it won’t fit in the rear location because the roof ribs are too close together. If installing between the middle ribs or the front ribs the inside adapter will work.

We cleaned the roof and adapter with acetone, and then used 3M 4200 adhesive to attach the adaptor to the roof. 3 beads on all sides seems like a good amount.

We choose 3M 4200 because it allows future disassembly of parts. If we were to use 3M 5200 I’m guessing the paint would peel off if we ever tried to take the adapter off.

3 beads of the 3M 4200 adhesive was used on each side of the adapter.

Close up to see how much adhesive was applied to the adapter.

After placing the adaptor on the roof, we used 4 clamps to gently hold it down. You don’t need to clamp it down super tight, just enough to make sure there is a good seal. If you clamp it too much you will bend the roof.

By this point, the sun was starting to set, we were tired, and the 3M 4200 adhesive needed time to cure. We covered the van with a cardboard box and plastic tarp just in case it rained overnight, and called it a day.

Clamped each side to allow 3M 4200 adhesive time to cure.

Sunday morning we started around 8 am to be sure it was finished before the forecasted rain on Monday.  The adaptor had over 12 hours to adhere to the 3M 4200 and van roof. We put a little bit of pressure on it and determined it wasn’t going anywhere.

Close up of adapter adhered to roof.

It was now time to install the fan flange to the adapter. The surface was first cleaned with isopropyl alcohol. The fan instructions say not to use acetone and the 3M 4200 instructions say not to use alcohol. So when cleaning anything that touches the 3M 4200 we used acetone and for the fan we used alcohol.

Next we added butyl seal tape to the bottom of the flange. The flange is just wide enough to fit 2 strips of the tape.

Us applying the butyl tape to the bottom side of the MaxxFan adapter flange.

The flange was then attached to the adapter using #10 zinc coated wood screws and washers. The thicker side used #10 7/8″ and the thinner side used #10 3/4″. First pre-drill the screw holes. We did not drill into the van roof, just into the adapter. We recommend hand tightening the screws to avoid cracking the plastic fan flange.

We wanted to avoid using screws and just use 3M 4200 to attach the flange to the adapter. But 3M 4200 contains Xylene which according to the fan instructions shouldn’t be used on the plastic. In hindsight, it probably wouldn’t have mattered and we should of done a small test on the plastic to see what would have happened.

Screwing in the #10 screws with washers through the flange into the pre-drilled holes in the adapter.

Using the hole in the roof to install the screws instead of leaning over from the ladder.

After the flange was screwed down any excess butyl tape was removed using a box cutter.

Next Eternabond tape was laid down on the van, adapter, and fan flange. The white Eternabond tape is primarily used as a weather seal to keep water from leaking into the van and secondarily as another adhesive keeping the fan attached to the van. The Eternabond is extremely sticky, so be cautious while installing it, because once it is down, it is pretty impossible to remove.

After you place the tape down use your hand to apply pressure and then follow that up with a metal seam roller.

Installing the Eternabond tape.

It might not look pretty, but I do not see any water getting through that tape.

It was now time to actually place the fan on the roof. This part was easy, guide the wires down through the hole and then place the opened fan on top of the flange. The fan instructions require you to manually open the fan before installation. While Matt was on top of the van, I was down below and used a thin flat head screwdriver to push up the metal clips slightly. Then Matt screwed in the fan with the 4 provided screws.

If you want you can also take of the MaxxFan stickers. They peel right off.

Roof vent installed on top of roof.

Next was the moment of truth. Would the fan work? We hooked it up using our car jump starter and crossed our fingers.

Fan closing for the first time

With a sigh of relief, the vent closed when powered on, like the instructions stated it would. The fan works!

Fan rotating from the inside of the van.

Gidget with the fan installed.

Once we install our house electrical system we will wire up the fan. And once the ceiling is done we can place the interior trim piece to cover the raw edges.

If we did the install over we would have done a better job covering the top of the van to prevent metal filings from landing on the paint. We did a pretty good job with cardboard but it still allowed some filing to work there way under the cardboard. We would have used 3M 4200 to mount the flange to the adapter plate instead of screws. Finally, we would have used lap sealant instead of the Eternabond tape as the end result isn’t as clean looking as it could have been.