Nate and Kara take their converted Sprinter van on a first trip to the mountains and Asheville, NC. They empty the composting toilet, fix a miswired electrical system that sparked when reconnected, and get 21.3 mpg over 427 miles.
Questions this video answers
June 24, 2020
427 miles
Approximately 21.3 mpg
About 20 gallons (427 miles ÷ 21.3 mpg ≈ 20)
Chapters
Whoa. We have big time messed up.
Oh.
I need your help. Okay. Put the camera down. I need your help.
We're Karen Nates. We've been traveling the world full time since 2016. After making countless memories in over 100 countries and 7 continents, 2020 has led us back to our hometown in Tennessee, where we bought a converted sprinter van to be our new home for a while. Since we were completely new at this whole van life thing.
Before we finish renovations, we decided to go on a little test trip to get a real idea of what we've gotten ourselves into. In the last episode, we met up with Nate's brother Dusty and his wife Sarah. Filled up with diesel for the first time.
No way is that finished.
I win. Drove a few hours east to the mountains of North Carolina, survived an insane mountain biking trail.
Had a very memorable time tubing down a freezing cold river in the rain.
And unfortunately learned that we're having some serious power issues that we still haven't quite figured out.
I did not think that was gonna happen.
I thought we were gonna get to try out the shower for the first time on this trip, but.
Our voltage is so low that we can't run the water pump. Doesn't mean we're not gonna shower, just that we have to go use the public bathroom. Oops.
Look at this view right now.
All right, we're moving the van for the first time after having all of our stuff unpacked. So we're gonna see how much time it takes us to get everything ready to go again.
It's currently 1101.
Let's do this.
Feel like this is gonna be easy when there's a system, but right now it feels very overwhelming. How does this place turn into such a mess in two days?
11, 13, 12 minutes. Not bad. I mean, we didn't, like, clean everything. We just threw it in drawers. But just to move from one place to another, not so bad.
We were a mess too.
All right, there is actually one more thing that we have to do before we leave that I've been putting off as long as possible.
Hello.
What's up? What's up?
Hi. What's up, bud?
Okay, so, kind of awkward question for our composting toilet. Our pee tank filled up. Where can we appropriately empty our pee tank?
Any toilet. The conservative answer is put it into any toilet, gas station, or anything. You pick, man. You choose your favorite spot.
Well, what? What? Like it?
This is going to be your job. There's no way Kara's going to be doing this.
Yeah, definitely. She's not doing it.
You're the best.
I feel like we shouldn't have filled it up all the way. Okay, these latches unlatch.
You smell it?
No, but look, it's like it's completely. I can't move it.
Are you serious?
Oh, that's an issue. Oh, there's pee. There's pee.
Oh, no.
Oh, and it smells like pee.
Oh, no thanks.
We have Big time messed up.
Oh dear.
Oh, it stinks.
What if we just pour it down the shower drain? Right there.
Gross. Could you see how full it was?
No.
Look, when you lift it up, like it's just full to the brim. Yeah. And like I've got to lean it to get it out. So.
Maybe I can just take the top of this off. Yeah, I think we're just gonna have to get a little pee. Oh, don't go. My toes, please.
Oh, I'm scared it's going to swing out. Oh, I need your help. Okay, put the camera down. I need your help. So you just hold the toilet. Yeah, hold the toilet. Okay. Okay. That was not so bad. Yeah, there's just a little bit down there.
Just a little pee. Okay, don't spill it.
Where are the people that were caring? What are you laughing at?
Just like not surprised.
Just carry my pee bucket across the campground.
They even said just dump it in the toilet.
That's a lot of pee.
I will say it's not as. It doesn't smell as bad as I would have thought. Oh, look. Okay, so don't feel bad about that. It just flushes like a normal toilet. I didn't do anything.
I can smell it.
Oh, you can smell it. Freddy. Nate. Thanks.
All right.
Find this.
I mean, it's not gonna be my favorite thing to do, but it's not that bad. There we go. Just hose it down. Alright, I think it's time to hit the road.
You should wash your hands again.
So we have about an hour drive to our new campsite in the city of Asheville and listen.
Silence. We were super nervous once we put all of our stuff in this van that once we started driving, everything would be moving around and banging against each other. And we don't even have any organizers in the drawers yet. But it's still super quiet. So that was a pleasant surprise.
Keep going. Stop.
Keep driving.
Thanks.
Asheville is known for being one of the top cities in the US for the most breweries per capita. It was our first time here and our only plans for the afternoon were to walk around, enjoy the beautiful weather, and of course, try Some craft beers. I don't really like beer, but I do like pizza. I don't think I've ever had Chicago style before.
We've heard a lot of great things about Asheville, and we are having a good time, but at the same time, I don't really feel like we're getting the full experience with a lot of the buildings being boarded up because of the protest and then, I guess, just not a lot of people being out because of the pandemic, which is totally understandable.
So many places are closed. There's not a ton of people outside.
It just all feels a little empty.
Last night, somebody thought it'd be a good idea to wake up this morning and drive 45 minutes to catch the sunrise.
It'll be worth it. It always is.
25 minutes to sunrise. I didn't think about how cold it was gonna be on top of a mountain. Wow. It's already good. It is.
This is awesome.
I feel like I'm walking for, like, base jump.
It is crazy how big of a difference it makes with the wind getting up out of the trees. We are literally up in the clouds.
That is not sped up at all. Those clouds are in real time, and it looks like a time lapse after 15 seconds.
Was it worth it? Yeah.
I'm ready to go downhill.
One last shot.
Wow. It just keeps getting better. Nothing.
Wow.
I can't really feel my face anymore. Am I drooling on myself? That was great. Too late to end the trip Very early, very cold. But also the best views of the trip.
Follow us on Instagram.
Elstrending.
All right, we're on our way back to Nashville. We've been 427 miles on this trip, and we're about to figure out what the gas mileage for this van is.
All right. 427 divided by 20. Wow. 21.3.
Is that good?
It's a lot higher than I thought it'd be. Man, I'm so happy with this van. Way.
Okay, y'.
All.
Nate thinks that he has solved the power issue.
So I've been staring into this wooden box on and off for a week now. I've bought this expensive tester thing. I had my uncle, who's an electrical engineer, help me test everything. And I think what we figured out is that the batteries and the charging, like, all that's actually working. It's the monitor that's broken, which. Which is this thing right here. So this morning, I finally made myself sit down and read the manual, and I think. I think I Figured out the issue. I think the previous owner just had one wire wrong. I think this. This thing right here, that is called a shunt. And it's like. I don't really know what I'm talking about, but from what I understand, that's like, what all of the current runs through before it goes to the monitor. And I think this wire coming from the inverter should be going to the shunt instead of running directly to the battery. So I'm going to take this off and put it here. And if it works, the current and the power on the app, it. It should be positive. And if that doesn't work?
I did not think that was going to happen. Uh.
Oh.
It makes sense that the power went off. I just didn't expect a spark.
Did it shock you?
No.
No, it didn't.
Oh, gosh.
Nate. Well, I think it's fine. I'm just now scared to touch anything. Hey, Siri, call Dad.
Hey.
Hey. I have a quick question. I unscrewed the screw from the negative side of the battery terminal, and it sparked quite a bit. Should I be concerned about that?
No.
Okay. I just wanted to check and make sure I wasn't gonna kill myself.
No, I don't think so.
No pressure on your answer here. Yeah, should be good.
Where are your rubber gloves?
The poop gloves. Let's get the poop gloves. Yeah, I got these for when I have to empty the poop tank, but now they're safety rubber gloves.
So. Why are these working? Too much happening in here. Oh, no. Maybe that's. What. It can't fit through the hole. Well, the screw is too big, so I don't know if this means that it's not supposed to go on there and it was made that way on purpose or. Yeah, because I can't have a smaller. Hey, Siri, FaceTime. Dad.
It'S extra hot in here without fans.
Well, I'm sorry.
Hey, quick question. The screw that goes into the shunt is too wide. Can you replace this?
I don't know. If you could just take a drill. Drill it out if it's that close.
I was kind of hoping you were gonna say that.
Why? My mom's come down here because she's worried I'm gonna kill myself.
I just had a few questions I don't know anything about. I'm nervous. Do your finger paint.
Going to be fine.
Oh, it's getting hot.
All right.
Woo.
Oh, God. Now I just have to reattach the ones that sparked. All right.
Oh, interesting.
You look like you really Know what you're doing?
I feel like a surgeon with these gloves on.
Come on.
All right, we're making progress. Okay. It worries me that those fans didn't start back up. Do you mind to turn them on and see? Yes.
That doesn't mean the whole problem's solved, but it does mean that I didn't break everything. Woo hoo. Oh, and it's a fail.
Crank that baby up, Nate.
All right.
You did something.
No, I didn't do anything. It's just back to where we started. Oh, but I appreciate the enthusiasm.
That's what I'm here for.
I think the app is the final test. We're getting a positive reading.
Then we fixed it. You tell me. I can't see it. Is it power positive? Where? Where?
I don't know how to read it.
So it's not positive, but I think it's more positive or less negative. Oh.
Oh. I really thought. Should you refresh it, that everything was just gonna be like, like fixed and positive.
Oh, wait, I didn't turn the inverter on. Okay, new test. It didn't explode.
That's a win.
Yes.
You did it.
It's positive and we have.
Power. It's going up.
Oh, this is like one of the most proud moments in my life.
I am so. How are you feeling?
What are you doing?
You're so sweaty. I just want to light.
Oh, man. I am so happy.
Let's call dad.
How'd it go?
It worked.
He did it.
You got the big solar panel?
No, the disc is fixed. Yeah. So this is the next issue that we have to solve. I bought a new one of these. What are they called? Charge controllers. Because the other one was melted and I was scared it was gonna catch our van on fire. Like where the positive battery wire wasn't hooked in all the way. And now I'm getting an error message. And when I googled it, it said call the company, but now it's flashing off and on, which seems even worse.
So.
We also haven't used the number two portion of it yet.
We haven't used it because we're sharing the van with two other people this week. And we have manners and other options.
We don't have a mirror in the van yet, so I made one. It works.
Wilson's River Front RV Park.
We have arrived, folks.
See if I can.
What are you doing over there?
Hiding. Uhoh.
Well, the problem with better what we can do.
It's clear.
So you're going to be walking around with a bucket full of Durant and It's very nervous.
You want to give me, like, a game plan? You get electrocuted.
I know nothing about electricity. So you're gonna be on your own to figure that out. I guess. Go get my mom. Pull me away. Kick me away from whatever is electrocuting me in case I'm stuck to it.
I am wearing rubber shoes.
That's good.
Which I remember from science class. Rubber is not a conductor.
That's why I've got these gloves. These rubber gloves really made me feel invincible, though. I feel like they should make wrenches.
With rubber handles. Those kind of stuff.
They probably do. Anybody's thinking about buying a van or building one. Like, spring or fall? Not when it's 100 degrees in the summer. That would be ideal building conditions. You. I'm gonna jiggle quartz.
Okay.
And you tell me what happened to. Okay.
It just went off. Just came back on.
Tell me it stays on.
Just went off. On.
Off. On. Yeah, I think. I don't think. Off.
You don't want me to say that anymore.
