A Power Pack For My Stealth Camping Van

I’m into making stuff, fixing stuff, practicing many arts, and, honestly, flipping from thing to thing in a way that may seem random.

I figure that there will always be many, many people who are better at their specialties than I, but I never accepted the limit of, “Doing one thing well OR many things poorly.” NO! That’s bad advice from a limited being. If you’ve ever heard it, go back in your memory and have a look at their face when they said it. Notice that was not a wise person; that was a sad, apathetic, defeated, or possibly sneakily vicious person.

A truer statement is, “You can do many things well and a few things greatly.”

I do not consider myself a great camper van builder. I have done exactly one-tenth of one camper van so far in this life. But I do have what I think is a GREAT idea for one. I call it the “Zen Garden.” Again, if you know me at all, you may know I’m fine with sitting and sleeping on the floor. I really am a natural born minimalist. I LIKE living outside. I don’t need much. An empty nothing design suits my temperament. So, for the van, I want mainly SPACE. I want lots of headroom and all the windows clear. I do NOT want luxuries. I do NOT want it to feel “homey.” My home is the earth and sky! I also don’t want my van to look like a camp-mobile. I want it to blend into a parking lot. But I DO need a way to cook, a way to wash my body, a way to clean dishes, a way to sleep, and a way to handle bladder and bowels. I also need a way to run my laptop, phone, and cameras because these are aspects of my arts.

That’s the subject of this post.

Bit by bit, as time and funds afford, I’m making that stealth camper.

I succeeded at getting a totally, totally flat floor. I figured out how to make a work desk and backrest for a floor sitting person like myself. I still need a fan, and I’ll need some mosquito screens, but these are not problems right now. I’m working on the window covers and forward light barrier that will allow me to have a lit interior with no sign showing from the outside. I have a portable propane heater that can really make it hot in there with almost no fuel.

But the electricity requirement was something I had to research. Solar? Fuck! I need to install a panel on top? How big a one? So much for stealth! What if I want ice? Shit! Refrigerators are juice sucking pigs! Arrgh!

But no. I don’t need a refrigerator, let alone ice. I don’t NEED anything more than I can carry on my back. But if I want to make money, I do need to run my laptop, cameras, and phone. I use these to make art and communicate. I NEED those. Good news: They don’t use much power. Neither do rechargeable batteries on lights, fans, or music speakers. OK! So what’s the best little unit out there that will do that job reliably?

Meet the Bluetti EB3A. It’s a kick ass little power pack that recharges via the car, a wall outlet, or a solar panel, and it’s a SUPER deal at this writing. The company is really pushing this unit right now. All the reviews are saying, “Best in class. Super deal. Get one. They are awesome.” Fits right between the seats in a new cutout I did for the center console I previously made. There’s still room for the garbage bag, hand cleaner, day planner, and coffee mug holder too. All the ports are accessible from where I need them, and even the cooling fans draw from under the seats.

I like to do things well, but I think this worked out great.

PS: Solar is a non problem. I’m going with a portable, folding solution I can hook up as needed. That’s in next month’s budget.