Information for Van Dwellers and Nomads

This wiki will help you live your best life if you want (or need) to live in a vehicle.

• Learn what to expect from “the van life”
• Learn how to choose and modify a vehicle to fit your unique needs
• Find tips for a great experience in an unconventional home
• Dig deeper for lots of ideas to incorporate into your own vehicle
• Read about common mistakes to avoid

Start here for a quick intro to life on the road. (The next section gets into more detail, or use the search box to find specific information. Check out acronyms we use if you run into an unfamiliar one.)

If you need to quickly move into a vehicle for financial or other reasons (homeless, etc.) start with this emergency quick start.

• Why would anyone live in a van?
• Why a van and not an RV or something else?

• How will I use the bathroom?
• How will I stay clean and do my laundry?
• How will I cook food or make coffee?
• How can I refrigerate my food?
• How do I keep my van at a decent temperature? Can I run an air conditioner while parked?
• Is there a basic guide to solar power? What about a “solar generator”?
• How do I get internet access and charge my laptop?
• How will I get mail, and what address do I use for my taxes and accounts?
• How can I earn money on the road?
• How will I find things to see and do?

• Will it be just like Instagram? #vanlife #vandwellers
• Where will I sleep?
• Can I just park wherever I want? Or go camping for free?
• How much does it cost to live on the road?
• Living out of the van vs. living in the van?
• Won't my friends and family freak out?
• What core skills do I need?
• What do vandwellers wish they had known beforehand?
• What are some avoidable beginner mistakes?
• Is there a checklist for going full time?

• Is it possible to live in my car?
• Should I buy a pre-built campervan or build my own?
• What is the best van to get?
• How to I get started building out my van?

Check the site map for a list of all pages.

Since this site is a wiki, you can help us make it better! Learn how to become an editor.

• Overview of Vehicle Options
  • Vans - Cargo vans and passenger vans. Read Van comparisons and learn model-specific weak points.
  • Trucks - Skoolies, box trucks, step vans, and ambulances
  • Motorhomes - Class A, Class B, and Class C
  • Trailers - Travel trailers and cargo trailers
  • Smaller vehicles - Minivans, cars, and pickup trucks
  • I need AWD!
• Getting your own van or RV
  1. How to find your desired van or RV for sale somewhere
  2. How to assess a van or RV you have found. Is it a good one?
  3. Purchasing the van or RV
• Keeping your van or RV running
  • maintenance
  • Troubleshooting - electrical, engine, leaks
  • Be aware of any known issues with your vehicle
  • Rust - The cancer that kills vans

• Choosing your type of build: minimal, luxurious, or otherwise
• Tools
• Electricity -
  • Solar - Solar charge controllers, Solar panels, Shallow-cycling microsolar for cardwellers and minimalists
  • Shore power - Converters
  • Alternator Charging
  • Generators
  • House DC (12v) power
    • Battery Overview
    • Deep cycle batteries
    • inverters
    • 24v
    • conservation
• Communication
  • Internet
  • Mobile devices
  • Phone
  • PLBs/Satellite trackers
  • Zello
• lighting - LED, solar (LUCI)
• Water
  • hookup
  • drinking water
  • fresh water
  • gray water
  • black water
  • purification
  • conservation
  • showers
• toilet
  • plumbed with black tank
  • cassette
  • bucket
  • composting
  • hole in the ground
  • being "self-contained"
• Food
  • cooking
  • Making coffee
  • refrigeration
  • stoves
  • ovens
  • microwaves
  • dehydration
  • canning
  • sprouting
• climate control|Climate Control
  • heating
  • roof vents
  • cooling
  • insulation
• Awnings
• TV

• checklist for hitting the road
• core skills
• collected words of wisdom
• Nomadic retirement
• not getting stuck
• Camping - snowbirding, boondocking (dispersed/free camping), private campgrounds, public campgrounds, truck stops, walmart, stealth, LVTA, rest areas, safety, camping in Canada
• hobbies - sewing, geocaching, reading, writing
• involuntary vandwelling

Nomad Life Wiki project

Learning from others - websites, forums, mailing lists, books, blogs, youtube channels, podcasts.

unoffical reddit /r/vandwellers FAQ

Synopses

• HandyBob's RV battery charging puzzle
• Cruisers and Sailing forum LiFePO4 batteries thread

• About this wiki
• Credits
• edit this wiki!
• affiliate info