Why I Never Used a Generator in 8 Years of Van Life
Eight years full-time in a van, no gas generator. How we actually handle bad weeks — and what I'd recommend if you're ready to …
Archive
Every post — all 32 of them
Sorted newest first. Eight years of van life, no fluff.
Running a Power Station in a Black Van in Arizona Heat
A black ProMaster in Arizona is an extreme thermal environment. Real observations on how heat affects power stations, fridge draw, …
We Almost Went Off a Cliff: Van Life's Hidden Risk
Icy hill, hidden slope, no traction. We stopped just in time. What happened, what we learned, and what nobody tells you about van …
The Alternator Charger That Changed How We Power Our Van
Seven years on solar alone. The alternator charger we added in 2025 changed our recovery math in winter and cloudy stretches — …
The Van Life Upgrade We Thought Was Overpriced
We put off buying a cell signal booster for years thinking it was a luxury. Eight years in, it's one of the best purchases we've …
The Power Upgrade That Changed How We Cook
Going from a Goal Zero Yeti 1400 to a Bluetti Elite 200V2 didn't just mean more watt-hours. It unlocked appliances we couldn't run …
Staying Cool in a Van Without AC
Managing summer heat in a van with no rooftop AC — roof fans, window covers, parking strategy, evaporative cooling, and lifestyle …
Which Power Stations Can Expand Later?
Expandable vs. fixed-capacity power stations: which platforms let you grow, which are dead-ends, and when expansion actually makes …
Solar Input Explained for Portable Power Stations
Solar input limits, panel matching, and what 400W of input really delivers on a van roof — the reality vs the spec sheet, after 8 …
How Many Watt-Hours Do I Need in a Van?
Sizing your van's portable power station around real daily loads — fridge, fans, work laptop, and the reserve you actually need …
Cold Weather Killed My Power Station Charging
The Yeti 1400 wouldn't charge below freezing. Solar, wall, nothing. What actually happens to power stations in the cold — and what …
Alternator Charging for Portable Power Stations
Alternator charging strategy for portable power stations — speed limits, when it beats solar, and why recharge speed beats raw …
When Our Power Station Died in the Mountains — What We Did
The Goal Zero battery crash hit us deep in the mountains with no replacement option. What survival-mode power management actually …
I Ran 300W Solar for Six Years: What I'd Change
300W worked most of the time. But cloudy stretches in Colorado and winter in the Northeast showed the gap. What I'd build today.
Chest vs Upright Fridge for Van Life: Karlee Was Right
I chose the chest fridge. She wanted upright from day one. After eight years of daily use, she was right — and here's exactly why.
Why Your Power Station Battery Percentage Lies
How power station battery percentage readouts drift over time — and the calibration cycle that gets your numbers back to accurate.
Ventilation Mistakes New Van Lifers Make
Top airflow mistakes that cause condensation, poor sleep, and comfort issues in van builds — and the two-opening rule that solves …
Van Life Power in 2018 vs Now: What's Changed
In 2018 the portable power market was simple — good products or bad, not much between. Here's how much has changed, and why that …
How Much Power a Van Fridge Really Uses (8-Year Data)
Real measured power draw from a Dometic CFX65DZ running 24/7 across climates — Florida summer, Colorado winter, and everything in …
Seven Years on the Yeti 1400: Why We Switched
Seven years on a Yeti 1400. What finally pushed us to the Bluetti Elite 200 V2 — and what we'd tell anyone making the same …
The Truth About MaxxAir Fans After Years of Van Life
Long-term honest ownership perspective on MaxxAir fans — what holds up, what doesn't, and what to consider if you're buying now.
Is the Ram ProMaster Reliable? An 8-Year Verdict
Eight years full-time in a 2017 Ram ProMaster 2500. The real reliability verdict — what held up, what didn't, and whether we'd buy …
Stop Obsessing Over Watt-Hours: What Actually Matters
Everyone looks at storage capacity. Almost nobody checks input wattage. After eight years of full-time van life, here's why that's …
Power Station Charging Speed Explained
What AC input wattage actually means for van life recovery windows, how to read the specs, and which stations refill fastest.
Why I Chose Portable Power Over a Fixed Battery System
Eight years full-time in a van with a portable power station. Three times it saved me in ways a hardwired system never could.
How Much Solar Do You Need in a Van?
Sizing van solar for your real daily loads, climate, and battery strategy — plus the 300W vs 500–600W question we now answer …
Budget Van Electrical: Simple vs DIY
Plug-and-play power station vs full DIY electrical for a van build — cost, complexity, headroom, and how to choose without …
What I Wish I'd Known Before My First Power Station
Eight years of full-time van life condensed into the three things that matter most when buying your first portable power station.
Van Build Mistakes After 8 Years on the Road
Eight years of full-time van life reveals the build decisions that cause long-term problems — and the ones that were worth every …
Remote Work From Your Van: Inexpensive Setup
An affordable remote-work station in a van — hotspot routing, dual-carrier failover, power sizing, and ergonomics that hold up …
Van Conversion Tools: Buy, Borrow, or Skip
A real guide to van conversion tools — what you actually need to own, what to borrow, and what exists only to generate clicks.
Solar 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 …