Sep 8, 2026
Newest post
How Much Power Do Van Lights Use? Six LEDs, 13 Watts Measured
Six dimmable 12V LEDs measured in our own van: 13W on full, under 5W dimmed low. The numbers, and why the dimmer matters more than the bulbs.
8
years full-time
2017
Ram ProMaster 2500
42
guides
0
sponsored posts
Recent Posts
New to van life?
Start here: our guide to getting on the road without overcomplicating it.
→Power & Electrical
See all →Power stations, solar, alternator charging, and watt-hour planning.
PowerThe Power Upgrade That Changed How We Cook
Going from a Goal Zero Yeti 1400 to a Bluetti Elite 200V2 meant more than extra watt-hours. It put appliances on the menu the Yeti could …
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PowerWhich Power Stations Can Expand Later?
Which van power stations actually expand (Apex 300, DELTA 3 Ultra Plus), which are fixed (Elite 300, Elite 200 V2), and when a second unit …
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PowerSolar Input Explained for Portable Power Stations
What a solar input rating delivers on a van roof. Panel matching, the flat-mount tax, and our harvest numbers from eight years on 300W.
Read More →Build & Gear
See all →Ventilation, tools, fridge, kitchen, and van build decisions.
BuildWhere Everything Lives in Our Van After Eight Years
A walkthrough of where everything lives in our ProMaster after eight years, including the one spot we built, used for a few months, and gave …
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BuildEight Years on 300W of Solar: What I'd Change
300W worked most of the time. A Florida summer and a Colorado winter showed the gap. Why more panels was never the answer on a van roof.
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Build12V Upright vs Chest Fridge: Eight Years On the Chest, I'd Switch
Jesse picked the chest fridge on the spec sheet. I'm the one who opens it every day in our van, and after eight years I'd buy an upright …
Read More →Life in the van
See all →Stories from the road, living as a couple, and the hard parts.
RealityProMaster in Snow: What Front-Wheel Drive Costs You
Front-wheel drive is the ProMaster's real limitation, and it is not the one people expect. What it handled, what it did not, and the only …
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RealityProMaster Engine Failure at 98,000 Miles: The Pentastar Tick
A clicking noise that got louder, a warranty about to expire, and a video scope down our 2017 ProMaster's engine. What the rollers cost us, …
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RealityIs an Extended Warranty Worth It on a Van? Ours Returned Double
We paid about $2,300 for a 100,000-mile policy on our ProMaster. It came back roughly double when the engine went. Here is the math, and …
Read More →Getting Started
See all →First van, first build, and how to begin without overcomplicating it.
StarterHow Many Miles Does a Ram ProMaster Last? Ours Is at 130,000
Our 2017 ProMaster 2500 reads 130,000 miles after eight years full-time. The lifters failed at 98,000. Every repair, what it cost, and the …
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StarterVan Conversion Tools: Why I Bought the Cheap Drill
Six years in construction before we built our van out, and I still bought Ryobi. The rule that decides it, and the one tool on this list …
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StarterSolar Power for Van Life Beginners
Beginner solar for budget van lifers: panel sizing, MPPT vs PWM, what starter kits get wrong, and the upgrade path that doesn't waste money.
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