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Sienna Van Camper Re-Conversion

April 6, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

Sienna Van Camper Re-Converion

Thank you for reading my post on the Sienna Van Camper Re-Converion. The van in question is a 2014 Toyota Sienna with about 135,000 miles on it. It’s just about broken in, I’d guess.

The original build, done in 2021. This baby is gone!

 

Susan relaxing in the original build. Main problem? You couldn’t sit up.

Motivated by Susan, I tore the original camper build apart and started from scratch. These photos show the new build.

1. From bottom left, clockwise:
– at the bottom on a vertical support is a small blue-black dot, the light switch for the “trunk.” Directly above it is a large black square, the electrical distribution panel, a.k.a. fuse box. Above that is the charge controller, which takes the raw electrical input from the solar panel (not shown) and feeds it to the battery. The fuse box and controller are mounted on the face of the main storage cabinet. Along the top is a rack, storage for linens, towels, shopping bags, etc. Along the top right side of the frame is Susan’s storage cabinet. On the bottom right is a yellow extension cord. The red and black cables are the solar panel electrical feeds. In the center is the couch/bed, shown in the couch position. You can couch out the back or in the van. All the interior lights are turned on.

2. Close-up of the fuse box and charge controller. Above the fuse box is a light switch and a 12-volt plug. You can see I’ve tossed some essentials into the cabinet. Don’t forget the loo roll. The red-orange thing below it is a knife sharpener.

3. Same shot as 2, with the panel open. There are 15 different circuits, not all in use.

4. View of the “trunk”. The usual trunk junk and the all-important battery.

5. View from passenger sliding door, from top left. Susan and I both have reading lamps. In between is the ceiling storage rack, currently just holding a couple shopping bags. The main storage cabinet’s front face has 12-volt plug, a power strip (we have an inverter that changes the 12-volt DC current to 110-volt AC current), the battery power gauge, and the switch that turns the inverter on/off. In front of that is the sink on a vanity. Extending across the van from that is the dining table, and of course, the couch/bed, still in the couch position.

6. The back windows are screened. The sink has a 5-gallon reservoir in the vanity, along with an electric pump to deliver the water (cold only). It drains (by gravity) into another 5-gallon jug. The counter top was polyurethaned to protect it (we hope) from moisture.

7. View from the couch, from left clockwise. Above the sink is a black blob, my fan. Next to it is a 12-volt plug that supplies its power, and a light switch that turns the light strip on and off. The headboard has hooks (actual fishhooks!) that keep clothes and hats off the floor. To the right of Susan’s hat and the paper towel roll is Susan’s fan with another 12-volt plug. And the table.

8. A view from the table, dominated by the guy who did all the work. He looks like he’s wondering, When did I get to be the same age as old people?? You can see Susan’s cabinet with a 12-volt plug and her reading lamp.

No holes were made in the van for this build. If this van dies, I could remove all this stuff and put it in another Sienna in a day or two, and most of that time would be spent on the wiring.

I would like to thank Eric enjoys Earth for his many design ideas that were incorporated into this build. Anyone considering a van conversion should check out Eric’s youtube channel!

And that, folks, is the Sienna Van Camper Re-Converion post. Thanks again for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Convert a van! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, © John Kumiski 2024. All rights are reserved.

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Virtual Tour of Sienna Van Build

March 27, 2021 by · 2 Comments

Virtual Tour of Sienna Van Build

The beast.

Thank you for reading this week’s Virtual Tour of Sienna Van Build.

Anyone who reads these posts on a regular basis knows that I have been working on a camper van conversion since purchasing the Sienna. I’m finished! thank you for your patience!

The solar panel supplies the power.

As you peruse the photos, keep in mind that I don’t have any sort of shop. I do have a rickety folding table and a couple of c-clamps, as well as a skil-saw, an electric jig saw, and an electric sander. And an electric drill, that was real important.

The power feeds into a charge controller.

On the roof is mounted a 200 watt, 12 volt solar panel from Rich Solar. Wires feed the generated current into a Rich Solar charge controller. From there a steady 12V current feeds into a positive busbar, which routes the energy to whatever circuits might be active (lights, fans, refrigerator, 12V sockets) or charges the auxiliary battery, or both. Or it might go into a Renogy inverter and get changed from 12V DC to 120V AC, for charging computers and i-pads, running an electric shaver, or what-have-you.

The positive busbar feeds power to the battery and to the 12V circuits, including the Dometic refrigerator. The inverter is under the busbars, hidden from view by the fridge.

There’s also a cable from the battery to a Renogy DC to DC charger, so I can charge my auxiliary battery from the car’s alternator.

The electrical distribution panel, full of fuses and two circuit breakers. We’re under the bed here. The yellow plug is the shore power line. There is an LED strip under here, too!

Again, I used a wiring diagram I got from ExploristLife.com. The only difference is that Nate uses his panels to charge four auxiliary batteries. He’s got a beefier vehicle than I, however. My thoughts were, if he uses these gauges of wire for a 400 watt system, they are way more than adequate for mine.

The rear cabinet, passenger side. Light strip underneath.

I have lots of fuses and circuit breakers in that wiring. And a fire extinguisher in the van!

The rear cabinet, driver side. Light strip underneath.

Lights- I have seven separate light circuits. Five of them are LED strips, two are LED reading lamps.

Switches and 12V plug, driver side. Top switch for under cabinet light, middle switch for under bed light, bottom switch controls inverter.To the right of the switches find the battery gauge. Above that is the reading lamp base. Below the gauge is a power strip, but I took the photo before installing the strip.

12 Volt plugs. There are five separate circuits for 12V plugs. Two of them are dedicated to our fans. The other three are for charging devices with a USB adapter plug.

Battery monitor.

There’s a battery monitor, analogous to a fuel gauge on a vehicle.

Looking in from the rear.

Under the rear bumper is a plug for plugging into the grid. I carry an extension cord.

Looking back from the sliding door.

Mounted inside the vehicle at the back of the driver side sliding door is a power strip that either plugs into the grid power or the inverter, for using devices requiring 120 volt AC power.

A headboard makes use of formerly unusable space, with lots of hooks for hanging things. At each end are our fans, those black things. And another light strip.

There are four small cabinets. There are plenty of hooks for hanging things.

The water box, filled with odds and ends. The front end of the bed is folded up.

I built a wooden box, for carrying bottles of water. It holds four one-gallon bottles and a five-gallon jug.

Of course there’s the bed, but the mattress is not in the van in these photos.

There’s also a little port-a-potty for buggy night-time urges.

We’re ready to pack it up and go.

Thank you for reading this week’s Virtual Tour of Sienna Van Build!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

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Van Conversion Update, Fishing and Sunset

January 31, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

Van Conversion Update, Fishing and Sunset

Thank you for reading this week’s post. It’s certainly not exciting from a fishing standpoint, but I am excited about progress on the van conversion.

Since the weather forecast showed a front coming through Monday night, with cool temperatures and blustery winds Tuesday and Wednesday, I went to Mosquito Lagoon on Monday. It’s like a ghost town over there! You can always tell how the fishing’s been by the number of trailers in the lot.

A pair of my sliders.

Even though I didn’t start until noon, I had a couple shots and actually caught a redfish, still using the brown slider. I almost spent more time watching birds than fishing, though. Looking for fish gets tiring when you’re not seeing many.

The sun set, and then the colors came out.

It looked like it would be an awesome sunset, so I knocked off from fishing and got the camera out. I believe it was a smart decision…

Some kayakers came.

 

Then they went!

Tuesday through Sunday I worked on the following items on the van-

Interior view, from the rear. The mattress is not in the vehicle.

-cabinet upgrade. The camping trips we’ve taken showed us that my original idea for the cabinets was flawed. I removed the fixed doors, added shelves inside the cabinets, and added hinges to the doors. The upgrade allows way better use of the space within.

Hinged doors and a shelf allow better use of available space.

-Water box. I built a box for carrying bottles of water. It holds four one-gallon bottles and one five-gallon bottle, and fits just behind the seats.

The box will securely hold nine gallons of water containers.

-Headboard. Across the roof of the van, just behind the seats, I installed a headboard. This will be a mounting point for interior lights, clothes hooks, and interior fans.

The headboard is for fan mounts, clothes hooks, and lights.

 

Interior view from the driver side door. It’s shaping up!

-Solar panel. I’m figuring out how to attach the solar panel to the roof rack. I think I have it worked out, but that test will happen later.

If the weather is favorable this week I’ll fish a day or two. If not, there’s a lot of wiring to be done!

Thank you for reading this week’s blog post about the van conversion!

Life is great and I love life!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! or walk on a trail!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.

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Sienna Mini-Camper Van- The First Trip

November 6, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

Sienna Mini-Camper Van- The First Trip

camper enjoying campfire
At our Davidson River campground site.

 

This blog post is about the Sienna mini-camper van- the first trip! It was to North Carolina and it was delightful!

The Plan

Our plan had several threads-

-stay off the interstate as much as possible
-visit Susan’s sister in Athens, Georgia
-visit Jim and Kathy Tedesco in western North Carolina
-hook up with John Gilbert
-go hiking
-go fishing
-and perhaps most importantly, test the livability of the mini-camper and make notes on necessary tweaks.

As a result of all of this, the post may be long for some readers. My apologies.

Plan Into Action

On a Friday morning we were loaded up and were off. Our goal that evening was Suwannee River State Park. We took SR 46 to US 441 to US 90. The construction on 46 made driving that portion unpleasant.

US 441 was a succession of ugly strip malls until we were past Ocala. After that it was lovely. We stopped at a pull-off at Paynes Prairie State Park. A boardwalk went out onto the lake there. Under the boardwalk was a large alligator. There were three guys there. One was leaning over the rail, arm extended, phone in hand, taking pictures of the alligator. I said to him, “Don’t drop your phone.” He said, “If I drop it, he can have it!”

pier, Paynes Prarie State Park
The pier at Paynes Prarie

 

alligator
Waiting for a telephone.

 

Lake City is not a place you’d want to visit.

 

 

Suwannee River State Park was pleasant. I’d had an idea of fishing there but the water was too high. We went for a short walk, with beautiful views of the confluence of the Suwannee and Withlacoochie rivers. We hadn’t budgeted much time there, not enough to see the place.

 

 

confluence of WIthlacoochie and Suwannee Rivers
At the confluence…

 

Susan, SRSP

Sleepy Time

Soon enough it was time to test the camper. I’d slept in it once but Susan had not. She suffers from claustrophobia. Would we have to turn around and go home?

We had too much stuff in the Sienna mini-camper van. The cooler took lots of our floor room, and her portapottie took the rest. I had hung a cargo net for our bulky clothes items. We laid down on the bed with our heads to the back of the van and she said, “I can’t do this.” “Do a spin!” I said. “Put your head at the other end.”

It worked. That’s how we sleep in the van now, with our heads forward.

The mattress that we bought on Amazon was awesome. We were very comfortable, even though the cargo net was in our faces.

On to Georgia

Due to the distance to Athens, we spent three hours on I-75 before hitting more back roads through some lovely Georgia countryside. The cotton was ripe in the fields. There were big bales of it, round, like hay bales. We didn’t stop, though- we had an agenda.

It was great seeing Kathleen, it had been a long time since I had. Visiting is weird in pandemic time. We sat outside, with masks on. No hugs, no kisses. Hopefully no COVID either. Two of Kathy’s children and some of her grandchildren were visiting too. The kids made happy noises until after dark, while we told stories, shared old memories, and laughed.

Davidson River

Susan and I slept in the van, and left for North Carolina the next morning. All beautiful back roads, with 15 MPH speed limits where the switchbacks were. Setting up camp once at Davidson River campground was a breeze- just prep the kitchen!

If I could have dialed up whatever weather I wanted for this trip, I could not have done as good a job as what we actually got. Cool, crisp nights, warm, cloudless, sunny days, just spectacular.

The next morning Jim Tedesco showed up with flies and fly rods, and waders for Susan. We all went fishing in the Davidson. Fishing wasn’t epic but we got a couple of trout and had a lot of fun. They day passed quickly, too much so.

on the Davidson

 

tiny rainbow trout
My soft hackle trout

 

Jim was there again the next morning. We went to Pink Beds hiking trail and took a five mile walk through autumn woods.

At the trailhead, Pink Beds

 

map of the trail, at the trailhead

 

Jim and Susan pose along the trail.

 

The autumn colors were beautiful.

 

This was a snack stop.

 

Another spot along the trail.

 

After lunch we went hiking up a tributary of the Davidson, wearing waders, carrying fly rods. We found some trout up there and on a dry fly I caught one of the smallest ones I ever have, little larger than a salmon smolt.

fly fishermen
Jim and Susan work a pool.

 

waterfall
This fall drops into the pool shown above.

 

Susan works a different pool.

 

Wednesday Jim and Kathy came to pick up Susan, and John Gilbert came to pick up me. Sue was going sightseeing, I was going fishing. Gilbert and I fished all morning, returning to the campsite for lunch. There was a magical moment there when a gust of breeze knocked a lot of leaves off the trees. We watched, spellbound, as the leaves drifted down like giant, colorful snowflakes falling from a cerulean sky.

fly fisherman
John Gilbert works a pool on the Davidson.

 

We fished all afternoon, too. Neither of us touched a fish all day. At least one of us didn’t care.

Back Roads Take Longer

Thursday saw Susan and I packing our van and rolling out. We intended to stay at Crooked River State Park in Georgia that night, again travelling by back roads.

These roads were really slow, at first because they were steep and curvy, and then because there were lots of small towns. At lunchtime we were a quarter of the distance we had to go. We had lunch at a local eatery in Clinton, South Carolina. Then we hit the interstate. As it was we pulled into our campsite at sunset, after a very long day in the van.

Heading Home

In the morning we pulled out, looking forward to sleeping in our bed at home that evening. We again took back roads, thus avoiding I-95 through Jacksonville.

For lunch we stopped at a fantastic little eatery in Palatka, Caribbean 450. I wish it was closer to home!

Things We Learned

A few of the things we learned on this trip-

-we need to learn how to better budget our time on the back roads. I think 200 or 250 miles is the most you can comfortably expect to drive in one day. If you want to stop and visit at interesting places, and we do, then it will be less.

-our cooler, an absolutely awesome Orion 65, kept our food cold with only two gallons of ice for the entire trip. Sadly, it’s just too big for the van. I think we need a small refrigerator.

–the cabinets were a must-have. They came in so handy!

-the cargo net needs to be moved further aft, if I can manufacture attachment points back there.

-most importantly, camping in the minivan is entirely viable. We had room for our clothes, cameras, fishing gear, books, computers, food and kitchen gear, books- everything we need to make an extended trip. And it’s comfortable!

We’re already planning another trip!

Special thanks go out to Jim and Kathy Tedesco and to John Gilbert for helping to make our trip so memorable!

A few facts from the trip-

Distance travelled- 1,427 miles

Average fuel economy for the Sienna- 22.9 miles per gallon

Expenditure for fuel- $125.27

Thanks for reading about our Sienna mini-camper van- the first trip!

 

No affiliate links are included in this blog. If/when we start adding them, we will add a disclaimer. All links are for the reader’s benefit.

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Sienna Van Conversion- Cabinets

November 6, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

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Sienna Van Conversion- Cabinets

This Sienna van conversion- cabinets post is about making and installing cabinets in our Sienna van!

Once again I used Bruce Parks’s design. And again, Bruce Parks’s work is far superior to mine!

This is a beautiful piece of work by Bruce Parks.

The four cabinet legs were first measured, cut, sanded, and screwed to the bed frame.

Making Templates

Once again I used corrugated cardboard to make templates. There were four of them for one cabinet. There are no flat surfaces where the cabinet was going, so the bottom, each side, and partition all needed templates cut. It was a slow process. Cut, check fit. Cut some more, check fit. For four pieces. Took an entire afternoon.

The diligent reader may recall in my last post I wrote, “although starting with the cardboard was an excellent idea, the cardboard cutout only approximates reality.” That was certainly true here!

Once satisfied the templates were close, I traced the outline on a piece of 1″ pine board. Next a jig saw was used to cut out the piece I wanted from the rest of the board. Then there was sanding. Then we tried the fit.

Trying the Fit (and my patience)

None of the pieces fit the first time. More cutting, more sanding, another fit. Repeat as needed. There’s a good argument that, even now when the “finished product” is in the van, they don’t fit.

My version of Bruce’s cabinet.

A trip to Home Depot happened, where, sadly, I had to purchase three eight foot 1″x2″ to make the frames for the cabinet fronts, and supports for the partition. It was the first wood I had to buy for the entire project! I also needed 1 1/4″ screws to hold everything together.

Once I had everything I needed assembly started. I attached the two sides and the partition to the bottom, then mitred the corners for the frame for the front. Once that was all done I measured the “windows” to get the sizes of the front panels, which I cut out of polycarbonate. A hole was cut in each polycarbonate panel- got to get your hand in and out of the cabinet!

I tried putting the cabinet on its legs. Didn’t fit. More cutting and sanding. More fitting. More cutting and sanding. Etc. Finally got it on there and used five screws to hold it down. Put the front panels on. Voila! Must say, not bad!

It took an entire day. The second one went faster- the templates were already cut, and all the problem-solving had been done. That one only took a half day. I cannot say it fits any better, however.

Looking in from the back hatch.

They look good (if not completely professional). They are secure. They don’t have huge capacity but they turn wasted space into storage space. If I were to do it over again I absolutely would.

The happy builder, resting in the van, glad the first phase is done!

There are odds and ends to finish and a trip to take before the electrical phase starts. We’re not done with the build just yet!

Thanks for reading about our Sienna van conversion- cabinets!

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Sienna Van Conversion- Installing the Bed

November 6, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

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Sienna Van Conversion- Installing the Bed

In our last installment about the Sienna van conversion I discussed how the rear seat well of the Sienna needed to be framed before I could install the bed. Once that was done, and I had the slide-out drawer finished, it was time to install said bed.

Tools Used

Before we get there, though, I’d like to thank my tools. Simple though they may be, they have done me right. I’ve used (and will continue to use) two power hand saws, a basic Skilsaw and a Black and Decker jigsaw. I also used a small hand saw for a few jobs. I used a Black and Decker cordless electric drill quite a lot. Also used on every piece of lumber was a small DeWalt electric sander armed with 60 grit sandpaper. Rounding out the kit- a tape measure, a speed square, two C-clamps, a level, and various pencils and markers. I don’t have any kind of shop, so all work was done on an ancient folding table.

My tools and workspace are basic.

Lumber Used

For those readers who hate throwing stuff away, here’s my take. You can keep useless stuff around forever. It gets in the way, collects dust and spiders, and is a pain in the neck. If you don’t use something for a year or two, it’s time to donate or sell it to someone who will use it.

Having said that, all the lumber I have used in this project so far is stuff I had hanging around the property, in some cases for decades. I live in a building, and lumber is building material! Makes sense! My out-of-pocket expenses so far have been limited to fasteners, the mattress, the window rain guards (which I need to install), and the potty.

Bed Installation

Back to the van. After removing the middle seats and clearing out assorted debris, I backed the van up to the garage. I got Susan and Cheryl to help me. We lifted the bed out of the garage and inserted it into the back of the van. Voila! An almost perfect fit!

campervan bed
The bed is in the van, and the kitchen box is pulled out.

Both ends of the bed fold up by way of hinges, allowing you to get at whatever may be lurking below. A Sienna has less space than say, an Airstream, so maximizing storage space is important.

folding van bed
Susan shows the front of the bed folding up. The rear does the same to allow access to the well. The seat trolleys gotta go, though!

We bought a full-sized tri-fold mattress from Amazon, but we won’t install that until just before our upcoming North Carolina trip.

In the meantime, I still have window screens and cabinets to build and install. Time to get back to work!

Thanks for reading about our Sienna van conversion- installing the bed!

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The Sienna Van Conversion Begins

November 6, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

The Sienna Van Conversion Begins

First off, this is my first blog about a Sienna van conversion, converting a soccer mom van into a killer mini-camper, and maybe becoming a vagabond too. Thanks for reading it!

During my adolescence, a question that often came up in our stoned/drunk conversations was, “What would you do if you knew you only had a year to live?” In May 2019 (age 66) I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and always terminal affliction. I guess my answer to the above question is to get a van and become a vagabond.

The Sienna Purchase

Susan and I had been talking about getting a Sienna and converting it into a camper since we had to cancel our trip to Spain because of the pandemic. We’re going to go cross country, visit Maxx and Cat. We talked about our budget, how many miles a used van had to have to be acceptable for our planned use, etc. Talk, talk, talk. Elephant talk.

In September of 2020 I brought my RAV4 in for service. While at the dealer, I thought I’d see what they had for Siennas. They had a 2014 LE, with 67,000 miles, $14,999. The high end of our talkie budget, but the mileage was perfect. When the service coordinator told me the RAV needed $1800 worth of work, and the salesman offered me $3000 in trade, I drove the Sienna home, as surprised as anyone with the speed at which I’d made the decision.

2014 toyota sienna
The new chariot, in beautiful blue.

First Priorities

My first priority for our new camper was to get rid of the back seats. I drove to the landfill after removing them. One hundred twenty pounds of useless weight, transferred from my vehicle to the cosmos. I would have thrown the middle seats away too, but Susan said no. Where we’re going to store them is a problem. Anyway, the back of the van now had a big well into which the seats had folded when not in use.

Next, we needed a bed. I looked at several Sienna van builds on YouTube. The bed I ended up building was this one- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BlvZu7ZnWJszXVXKyM7uZX7eMM5FdzZ5/view – skipping the ratcheting part. For the frame I used all repurposed wood, stuff I had hanging around. Doing it over (and I may), I would use 2x3s instead of 2x4s to save weight. Didn’t have many 2x3s in stock, though.

For the sleeping platform I used polycarbonate panels, leftovers from the hurricane window protection project we’d done earlier this year. Seemed like a good way to repurpose the leftover material, and a good way to save some weight.

First Mistake

After the bed was “finished”, I tried putting it into the van. Since there was nothing supporting it in the well, the bed fell right into the hole. Crap! What seems obvious in retrospect had barely entered my consciousness before this little debacle. The well needed to be framed in order to support the back end of the bed. After sleeping on the problem I came up with a plan, and spent a morning framing the well.

The hole has been framed, and is ready to support the bed.

Next, I had to level the bed. The floor of the van slopes down from back to front. All the leg lengths on the bed frame needed to change to compensate. Directions on how to do this are found in this video-

That task is now finished. What remains? Take the remaining middle seats out, put the bed in, test it for fit and fitness. I’ll photograph the finished project in all its glory, and include it in the next blog.

Again, thanks for reading.

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