DIY Sprinter Window Insulation

Our Roadtrek is surrounded with single pane glass windows, although tinted, they don't do much to reflect/ block suns radiant heat. The AC struggles to cool the inside of the RV during summer, and there is a lot of heat loss through the glass windows during winter camping. Insulated window coverings should help.

I made the window covers using Reflectix insulation (available at your local Lowe's home improvement store) backed with an ironing board cover with special aluminized coating and padding (available at Joann Craft Store). I used newspapers to make window templates. The template is then laid into the Reflectix and traced the edges with a marker; I then cut about 1-cm. allowance outside the line to compensate for the Reflectix sagging overtime. The layers were fused together using spray adhesive, then a grey color seam bindings were sewn around the edges. The rear window covers just slips into the frame around the windows and they stay put real well. The covers make a huge difference in interior temps, both in the summer and winter.

For the front window covers, super strong neo-magnets were used to hold them in place. A more rigid reflective insulation was used for the windshield. I found a cheap ready-made windshield sunshade for trucks/RV's at Campingwold. It is thin and rigid and perfect for the sprinter, just needed some trimming to fit. But with the addition of the aluminized backing, the windshield cover becomes heavy enough that collapses on its own weight when installed. To prevent the windshield cover from buckling, I placed plastic ribbings in-between the reflective front and the backing for rigidity. The plastic ribbings were salvaged from a broken beach umbrella. The windshield cover is just held in place by the sun-visors.

If you decided that the DIY solution is not for you, Amazon has wide variety of window/ windshield sunshades from the fancy Remis privacy blinds to the pre-cut custom fit reflective sunshades- check them out first: Covercraft UVS100 and Coverking Custom Sunshade for Select Sprinters are available on Amazon.

Tap pictures to enlarge.

Portable Blongo Ball/ Ladder Ball Game

My kids love this game. Camping is always fun if they have something to do/ play with, and this is perfect. It is portable and cheap to make. For those who rather buy them ready-made, Amazon has them listed from $29.99 to the more expensive $89.98 sets. Here are the links: $29.99 set, $56.07 set, and the $89.98 set.

For this project, you need a PVC pipe, PVC fittings, golf balls, a nylon rope, and a PVC cement. How much PVC pipe you'll need depends on how big you want your ladder to be - see the sample measurements below. You can use any size PVC, it's a personal choice, I used a smaller 1/2-inch pipe. You can find PVC pipe at a hardware store, as well as nylon rope. Buy 6-elbow fittings and 6-T fittings. Make sure the golf balls you choose are solid all the way through.

Cut all of your PVC pieces to size. Use a hacksaw, a miter saw or a plastic pipe cutter, I use the later, it's so much easier. For this built I ended-up using about 20 feet of 1/2-inch PVC pipe.

• Cut (7) 24-inch  PVC pieces.
• Cut (2) 18-inch  PVC pieces.
• Cut (4) 8-inch PVC pieces.

Fit the pipes together. Build the ladder from the base upward. I did not use PVC cement on some of the PVC pieces so you can easily disassemble them for portability. I then painted (optional) the detachable PVC pieces for easy identification. Click on pictures to enlarge.

Sand-Free / Dirt-Free Multimat for Camping, Beach, and Picnic

We bought a CGear Sand-free Multimat (Amazon link: CGear Sand-Free Multimat) about a year ago and really loved it. I got the small 6 x 6 foot orange mat, the top side is a bright orange color and the bottom side is a lighter orange with gray color binding. It came with a carrying bag, which is made by same material. The mat has a dual layer weave which is tough and resilient. The material used could be a little rough for someone with sensitive skin like a small child, but for most people, it's not going to be a problem. If you prefer a softer top layer, you can opt for the CGear Sand-free Rug (Amazon link: CGear Sand-free Rug).

We used it on the beach, campgrounds, and picnics. But most of the time I just lay it outside the RV as a doormat to minimize transfer of dirt and sand from outside to inside the rig. Small dirt particles, dust and sand just falls through the mats top layer to the ground beneath, but not back up therefore creating a sand free outside area. If a big lump of sand falls onto the mat, simply wipe your hand over it once and the sand will go straight through. The only gripe is it does not work well when sand and dirt is wet, it sticks to the mat...well they stick everywhere anyway.

Online seller promotional image

Elk Prairie Campground (Orick, CA.)

Elk Prairie Campground @ Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Elk Prairie campground is one of the 4 developed campgrounds operated by the California Department of Parks and Recreation in Redwoods Forest Northern California. Enjoy the ancient coast redwoods, grazing Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer in Elk Prairie, easy access to over 70 miles of hiking and biking trails, and seasonal campfire programs.

• Location: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, 6 miles north of Orick, Calif. on the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway.
• GPS Coordinates: 41.361875,-124.025439 (Opens Google map in new window)
• Open: Year-round.
• Sites: 75 tent or RV (no hook-ups, no dump station); hiker/biker sites available.
• Facilities: Hot showers, ADA accessible restrooms, picnic tables, firepits and barbeques, food lockers and trash receptacles, visitor center, campfire center.
• Vehicle Length Limit: 27-foot RV or 24-foot trailer.
• Fees: $35 per vehicle, $5 per hiker/biker, $8 for day-use only.
• Reservations: January–September, ReserveAmerica or call 1-800-444-7275.

Elk Prairie Campground Map: Click here.

Video tour of Elk Prairie Campground (HD available):

DIY Solar Powered Holding Tank Vent Fan / Cap

There are times that the RV black holding tank creates a source of undesirable odor within the coach, especially during hot summer months. I needed something to help with the holding tank venting, so I searched the net for possible solution. I've heard good things about the Lil' Stanker vent fan device, but unfortunately it's no longer available anywhere. The Cyclone Sewer Vent device also has good online reviews, but it's not going to work with the Agile holding tank vent because of its location. The vent is located close to the awning housing preventing the Cyclone to freely rotate 360 degrees. Then I tried the solar powered vent fan made by Ultra-Fab available at CW, but found it to be noisy, big, and expensive. The Ultra-Fab fan motor makes clicking noise as it spins, which is really annoying.

So I decided to DIY a solar powered vent fan. Here are the materials you need for this project.

• One 2-inch diameter PVC coupling
• One 3-inch diameter PVC cap
• PVC cement
• One 60-mm PC case fan (rated 5-12 volts)
• One small solar panel (with at least 6-volts output)
• Stainless screws
• Spray paint for plastic (Optional)
• Silicone sealant

Using a Dremel rotary tool, I started working on the PC case fan by carefully cutting the 4 supporting legs from its square casing. I then mounted the fan facing down on one side of the 2" PVC coupling using PVC cement to glue the fan support legs on top (see picture below).