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rv:build:minimal [2020/01/05 15:44] frater_secessus [survival + power] |
rv:build:minimal [2020/05/06 15:35] frater_secessus [survival + micropower] |
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| Vandwelling is a mental challenge more than anything else. You will be living in a way that [[lifestyle:faq_objections|onlookers probably will not understand]] and may be hostile to. You will no longer be surrounded by comforting/distressing amounts of material possessions. You will no longer have a single fixed place to call home; lacking a fixed home will confuse governments, employers, businesses, and pretty much everyone else other than RV and van dwellers. |
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| If you are doing **voluntarily vandwelling** you are probably adventurous and chomping at the bit. These pages are designed to help you learn from the mistakes of others so you can make mistakes never seen before! :-) |
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| If you are **involuntarily vandwelling** you may feel shame, fear, or embarrassment. There are two things for involuntary 'dwellers to remember: |
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| - **a van is shelter** when you need it (right now!). Humans have taken opportunistic shelter in places as long as we've been around. Caves, tents, trees, whatever. It's what our species does. We survive. //You// will survive. |
| - a vandwelling life is **a better way of life** for many people than living in a "sticks and bricks" house. Bob from Cheap RV Living, for example, started out in a van as emergency shelter after his divorce. Now he thrives in his van and [[https://homesonwheelsalliance.org/|has helped thousands of others]] to thrive, too. |
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| ==== stuff ==== |
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| Vandwelling will force you to confront your relationship to //stuff//, and by extension to consumer culture. You simply [[rv:build:steps#downsizing|will not have room for stuff]]. It sounds scary but can be freeing. |
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===== the build ===== | ===== the build ===== |
* pee bottle: wide mouth Gatorade or similar for men, widemouth jar (or [[https://amzn.to/2GEgBIkgo girl]] device + bottle) for women | * pee bottle: wide mouth Gatorade or similar for men, widemouth jar (or [[https://amzn.to/2GEgBIkgo girl]] device + bottle) for women |
* poop emergencies - kitchen sized trash bags, toilet paper, baby wipes | * poop emergencies - kitchen sized trash bags, toilet paper, baby wipes |
* a can opener | * toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. |
| * a [[https://amzn.to/37AYg7y|good can opener]] and the know-how to use it. Practice beforehand! |
| * a change of clothes or two, especially underwear and socks. If cold, a knit cap will really help keep you warm |
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[[https://amzn.to/2ZYJwwH|{{ https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Xr+5pcOBL._AC_UY218_ML3_.jpg?75}}]] | [[https://amzn.to/2ZYJwwH|{{ https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61Xr+5pcOBL._AC_UY218_ML3_.jpg?75}}]] |
The cheapest way to have a bit of power for charging and running USB loads is with a small/handheld [[https://amzn.to/2ZYJwwH|power bank]]. They are small, charged from USB outlet, and can usually charge a phone or run something tiny like a personal fan. | The cheapest way to have a bit of power for charging and running USB loads is with a small/handheld [[https://amzn.to/2ZYJwwH|power bank]]. They are small, charged from USB outlet, and can usually charge a phone or run something tiny like a personal fan. Keep the bank and charger with you all the time so you can charge it any time you see an outlet. |
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If you want to charge a laptop or run a CPAP, you can pick up [[https://amzn.to/2Lemg6j|a lithium "power station"]] and charge it when you stop for a sit-down meal, coffee, or anywhere else with an electrical recepticle. This type of unit charges very well from an outlet, ok from solar, and poorly from a ciggy lighter socket unless you are driving. The [[lifestyle:faq_solar_generator|fancier units]] get expensive quickly and are heavily driven by marketing. At some point it will be cheaper to build [[electrical:12v:intro|a "real" power system]]. | If you want to charge a laptop or run a CPAP, you can pick up [[https://amzn.to/2Lemg6j|a lithium "power station"]] and charge it when you stop for a sit-down meal, coffee, or anywhere else with an electrical recepticle. This type of unit charges very well from an outlet, ok from solar, and poorly from a ciggy lighter socket unless you are driving. The [[lifestyle:faq_solar_generator|fancier units]] get expensive quickly and are heavily driven by marketing. At some point it will be cheaper to build [[electrical:12v:intro|a "real" power system]]. |
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A backpack and extension cord come in handy for smaller units; you can put the battery in the backpack and run the extension plug to the wall. No one needs to know you are charging a pack. | A **backpack and extension cord** come in handy for recharging the power stations; you can put the battery in the backpack and run the extension plug to the wall. No one needs to know you are charging a pack. The key is to //charge every time you have the opportunity//. Be relentless about power - you are responsible for every watt that goes in and out. |
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| ==== minimal build ==== |
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| The main difference between the survival and minimal builds is the survival build is purely temporary and the minimal build is intended for a longer term. |
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| For a minimal build you will need the survival items above and will likely add: |
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| * a flashlight or area light, USB rechargeable if possible |
| * an upgraded bed, like a cot or maybe simple bed frame |
| * a camp stove or some other way to [[food:cooking|cook]], lighter |
| * a [[toilet:bucket|bucket toilet]] |
| * laundry detergent for the laundromat. |
| * a pocketknife |
| * cooler for chilling small items |
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| ==== fulltiming build ==== |
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| People who //fulltime// (ie, live in a van full time) typically add |
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| * a [[electrical:12v:intro|separate battery system]] ("house power") for running electronics. This may include charging from [[electrical:solar:gentle_intro|solar]], [[electrical:12v:alternator|alternator]], or [[electrical:shore_power|shore power]]. |
| * interior lighting |
| * a compressor [[food:refrigeration|refrigerator]] to keep food((ie, beer)) chilled |
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Larger units will be able to power [[electrical:CPAP|CPAP]] and similar devices. | |
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==== a literary example ==== | ==== a literary example ==== |