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So is it possible? Can the Nerd Van EXIST?

LlathosLlathos __BANNED USERS regular
edited February 2005 in PAX Archive
My vision...

A giant utility van with only 2 seats in it. The rest of the space filled with a mattress, a TV, an Xbox, a couple SFF PCs with LCD displays, a mini fridge, and piles of D&D materials.

I live in Washington D.C., and I intend to drive this van and it's enclosed goodness with my friends (6 total) packed into it and begin the 2700 mile trek across the country driving non-stop and changing out driving shifts. With a non-stop schedule...I can reach the objective in less than 2 days.

So, can it be done? Can a van support those kind of power requirements? What kind of hookups would i need? Separate battery?

Can the nerd van......exist?

Llathos on

Posts

  • de4dmeta1de4dmeta1 Registered User regular
    edited February 2005
    Oh, it can exist, but the real question is this; can you handle it, brotha?

    I'm no mechanic, and definately not a custom car builder, but I'd expect to be packing at least one extra car battery to power the electronics inside. Maybe more. I'd also look into a bigger gas tank; odds are that extra weight (if there is any after you rip seats out) would be bad for gas mileage.

    de4dmeta1 on
  • tmonkeytmonkey Registered User regular
    edited February 2005
    Computer systems draw ~250-300 watts, monitors (assuming flat panels) 90-100, XBox, probably 150-200, TV 300. Overall you'll need at least a 1000 watt inverter if you ant to run all that. You can wire that up to a battery bank and get a beefier alternator, or a second one to charge the bank while you drive, and then run the power off the inverter. The inverter, if you get a used RV inverter/charger can also charge the batteies when you stop, just siphon some power from someone house or something along the way.
    Note, we're probably going to have 3 game systems with monitors on the GTA Bus. We might upgrade to more, but that's currently the plan.

    tmonkey on
    ~TMonkey~
    Gamer Transit Authority
  • LlathosLlathos __BANNED USERS regular
    edited February 2005
    I was dreaming of it since last year's PAX, but I couldn't pull it all together in time.

    Keep in mind I need to keep the modifications down to what I can do to a rental van. A battery wired to the interior of the car, perhaps...but I can't make any structural changes :-/

    Llathos on
  • de4dmeta1de4dmeta1 Registered User regular
    edited February 2005
    Llathos wrote:
    Keep in mind I need to keep the modifications down to what I can do to a rental van. A battery wired to the interior of the car, perhaps...but I can't make any structural changes :-/

    That's a big detail to leave out man. I'm pretty sure this is only something you could do with a ride you own.

    de4dmeta1 on
  • LlathosLlathos __BANNED USERS regular
    edited February 2005
    ....are you suggesting then that the nerd van is....impossible?


    :(:(:(

    Llathos on
  • tmonkeytmonkey Registered User regular
    edited February 2005
    It's possible, battery banks and an inverter, stopping a few places to recharge, it's doable. Just seek out a good RV electrician

    tmonkey on
    ~TMonkey~
    Gamer Transit Authority
  • de4dmeta1de4dmeta1 Registered User regular
    edited February 2005
    Llathos wrote:
    ....are you suggesting then that the nerd van is....impossible?


    :(:(:(

    Well, it would take a lot more work if it were to be done to a rental van, because all the modifications would have to be removeable, leaving no sign of their existence on the vehicle. I'm not entirely sure that's possible, but I'm not a mechanic OR a qualified electrician, so I could be mistaken. Once again, it'd be a lot easier to do if you could rustle up a van of your very own.

    On a side note, I was planning similar mods to my car, but I won't highjack your thread with that.

    de4dmeta1 on
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