Short trip 2012 Kia Sedona

[Fandrel64]

Started working on my Kia. It's also my daily driver and grocery getter (along with wood, feed, people.....) so don't want to do a complete permanent conversion. This way I can go when I want and take everything out and use it day to day when I want. From there we shall see if the bug bites or not. So far It's just been fitting in stuff on the cheap to make it usable for the purpose. Twin mattress (BJ's $90 already had it in my living room for my "puppies" so not really a van expense but put it here in case someone wanted to price things out), Twin metal frame (Amazon $95 already had it in my living room for my "puppies" so not really a van expense but put it here in case someone wanted to price things out), F40C4TMP 12V Car Fridge ("Bob recommended" Amazon $280), Plastic bins, 2 short, 2 long (Lowes $20 ea "ish"), 3/4" EVA foam matting (Amazon $70), 15 compartment cube organizer (Lowes $36), 2 stacking shelves (Lowes $16 ea), 4x8 sheet of 1/2 plywood to level the floor out (4 billion dollars.... LOL).

Took the armrests off both seats (I don't use them anyway because they are too low) and the between seat folding shelf and the fridge fit perfectly.

A number of other things ordered and on the way, the Amazon driver is going to hate me.....

 

[Fandrel64]

The mailman was good to me today. Just waiting on the battery and a few more minor pieces and parts and I can build the box and wire it all up.

 

[highdesertranger]

Nice, thanks for the pics. Be sure to keep us updated. Highdesertranger

 

[Fandrel64]

I was hoping that the panels would nestle in between the cargo rails, kind of out of sight out of mind for a bit more stealth. Unfortunately they are about 3" too wide and even more so turned the other way. I could run them end to end down the middle but then they stick out the front too far. My thinking is that I might make faux rails for the side and at a glace make them look like a luggage rack to casual glances.

 

[Fandrel64]

Well today didn't go quite as planned... I find that I sometimes struggle with changing gears in the middle of something. Most of my adult life I lived knowing pretty much every day what the day was going to be and what we'd be doing or where we'd be going often months in advance. So I find that sometimes i struggle with frustration when people change up plans on me at the last minute. On the flip side of that though because of what my job was I was often in the position of having to adapt and overcome out of the blue when it came to things and natural disasters and broken gear etc. So I'm a contradiction of self to be sure.

So I had today pretty much planned out in my mind. I finished up the initial work on building a rack for putting my panels up on my roof and am now in a holding patter for batteries to arrive while doing some final tweaking. In addition the fabric I ordered for the inside of my window black out panels came. I've really been looking forward to that because it's really cool. So now I just need the fabric for the outside of them and I was going to run out today and pick that up so I could get them sewed up. In addition to that I had planned to run by a local sign shop to talk to them about getting some cut vinyl done for a window sticker design that I had done as well as seeing if I could buy some coroplast from them in single sheets so I didn't have to order a whole pack so that I can make louvered vents for my windows for when it's raining and I still want some air. So that was my plan for the day, run out and get the stuff, bring it home, and work on those projects.

Well after I got up and ate and got myself together this morning I went out to the van to leave and when I started the van I got both an alternator light and a brake light.... That's a Kia code for a toasted alternator.... So instead today after emergency shifting gears I put the charger on my battery so that it was charged to be able to make a short run out and spent the rest of the morning tracking down a new alternator. This afternoon with fingers crossed I ran out and got the alternator and spent late afternoon because of waiting for the heat to die down some swapping it out, about 2 hours total time. On the bright side of things it happened while I was home and near all my tools and in an area I knew where to get what I needed and it happened before I got out on the road so now I'll be hitting the road when I do with a new alternator. And I took it one thing at a time and didn't stress over plans changing even though I was a bit disappointed at not being able to do what I had planned.

Trying to be more Dude like as the days go on.

 

[Cammalu]

You got lucky on that alternator fix for sure!!!

 

[Fandrel64]

Another plus is now I know just exactly what I need to take apart to be able to squeeze it out of that tiny engine compartment.

 

[Fandrel64]

So it turns out that the mounting holes for the front passenger seat are the same in either direction. Now a small table and I've got a dining room and a computer office. 5 bolts total to flip it, 4 for the base and 1 for the seatbelt so easy to put back for normal driving use.

 

[Fandrel64]

Finished sewing my blackout panels for the windows. Not a perfect fit but nothing a bit of doubled over tape can't fix to close up the gaps.

 

[Cammalu]

Those look great

 

[kklowell]

Sounds like you're making some quick progress. When do you think your maiden voyage will be?

 

[Fandrel64]

Soon I hope! Couple more things to wire and then I can put all the interior trim back in and then put the bed and shelves back in and that should be about it. Meanwhile I still need to go and put new tires on it . Last time I was there they only had three and the van would sit funny with only three tires on it. LOL Supposed to be a truck in sometime this week so I'll check back mid-week. My low tone horn isn't working lately (connect it to the battery and tap it with a hammer first and if that doesn't work a trip to the pick-n-pull). So except for a small bit of wiring it's just a matter if putting everything back together at this point so my guess is on about 2 weeks at most. Soon as I can though I want to stay in it a few night in the driveway even if I'm not completely done just as a test run and items check so I can add anything before I get going. I bit the bullet and put an entry gland on the roof for the panel wires. Didn't want to punch a hole in the roof but after a lot of searching for alternate holes to route the cables through it was just the best way. Spent today doing the most "difficult" part of the wiring. Wasn't super hard just a pain in the neck, and the back, and the knees, and..... Added a 30 amp breaker and ran 4 awg "welding cable" from the engine compartment through the firewall up under the dash and down through the wire race under the trim all the way to the back stow and go seat well to hook up the DC to DC charger. So now all the incoming power lines are run, both solar and DC (thinking about a shore power hook up WAY down the road). And I didn't even hit a single airbag (it's got 10). LOL I also pulled the DVD player down finally and tested it and it's definitely the player that's toast. Oh well I don't think I'd use it much anyway and down the road it might be a good spot for a fan. So that's where things stand at this point.

 

[Fandrel64]

WOO HOO it fits! LOL Anyway, all the gear, switches, breakers, and buss bars are mounted. Second battery is supposed to be here today. Now to cut, terminate, and hook up wires.

Oh, FYI, the Renogy batteries don't come with bolts so if you order them you'll need bolts. 5/15" I believe.

 

[Fandrel64]

Correction. Got my second battery today and it did have bolts so I went back and checked the packing for my first one and it did too but they had somehow gotten stuck down in the packing material and I missed them.

 

[Fandrel64]

Well I finally got all the wiring run and hooked up and the system tested and running. Now to clean up all my mess, vacuum, and put everything back in the van.

Here's a short clip for anyone interested. The description lists the major components used.

 

[user 30781]

What a great job you've done!

I've got nothing between my two front seats but a nice empty space I bet a 12-volt fridge would fit right into.

Well, I mean I've got it filled up with various crap right now but you know...

 

[Fandrel64]

Yup I know! As a daily driver that spot is a catch all for all my random junk! I've got a F40C4TMP 12V Car Fridge Portable Fridge Refrigerator 30 Quart(28L), Portable Freezer (-7.6℉~50℉) with 12/24V DC and 110-240 AC, Travel Refrigerator. It just fits between my front two seats after I took out the folding center shelf and the arm rests. I didn't use the arm rests anyway because they were too low for me and not adjustable. I figure that if I decide I really need a place for my arm I'll put a pillow on top of the fridge. Since measuring and checking the fit of the fridge I ended up turning my front passenger seat around to face the rear so I could have a place to sit and work but haven't checked the fridge for fit again yet but I think it'll be fine. Wish I could find a swivel for it, maybe one day I'll look into a custom one but not in a big hurry, five bolts and I can swap it back in a jiffy if I need a seat for someone.

 

[user 30781]

I'd love to swivel my passenger seat around, I'd have to move my bed to the other side but that's ok, except I have a daily passenger in my daily driver. lol

It would be nice to have that seat for whatever. Just to sit and not hit my head on the ceiling.

 

[Fandrel64]

I managed to get everything back in today and the fridge does fit between the front seats with the passenger seat turned around. It doesn't go as far forwards because it hits the seat tilt lever and I have to scootch it back to move the seat away from the dash but that's ok.

 

[highdesertranger]

Nice. Highdesertranger