In this article I go over how I built a rack for my Renogy solar panels and attached the rack to my ProMaster. This rack is a nice middle ground for my van. I don’t have a ton of holes in my roof, the rack works well/feels sturdy, and it will allow me to upgrade later on if I want something nicer.

Materials/Tools Required

Weatherguard Promaster Roof Rack Rails
Renogy 160 Watt Solar Panels
Loctite Heavy Duty Threadlocker
Diablo Metal Saw Blade
Simple Green Cleaner
Kraft Paper
Blue Sea CableClam
Electrical Tape
Stainless Steel Carriage Bolts
Aluminum Angle
Stainless Steel washers, lock washers, and nylon nuts

Ram ProMaster Solar Panel Rack Steps

1] Fabricate 4 more plates that are similar to the weatherguard plates.

2] Install the weatherguard roof rails. Make sure to slide in your custom pieces for the roof rack before attaching the rails.

3] Cut the aluminum angle crossbars. Make sure to use a saw blade specifically made for metal if you are going to use a miter saw and also make sure they are clamped down securely.

4] Drill holes into the aluminum angle so that you can attach the angle to the solar panels. Use the existing holes in the solar panels to figure out where to drill the aluminum.

5] Drill holes into the aluminum angle so you can attach the angle to the roof rails.

6] Attach the aluminum angle to the solar panel(s) using stainless steel hex bolts, washers, lock washers, nylon bolts, and Loctite.

7] Drill a hole in the roof for where your solar panel cables need to come down. Try to put them as close to where your solar charger will be.

8] Drill out the holes in the rubber of the cable clam. You’ll want to start really small and then gradually get bigger drill bits. Pour water on the drill bit/rubber as you are drilling so you don’t burn/rip through the rubber.

9] Thread the solar panel wires through the cable clam.

10] Attach the cable clam to the van. Do a spray test to make sure you aren’t leaking anywhere.

11] Attach the solar panels / rack to the roof rails.

In the next article, we’ll start framing the van!

In this article I cover how I insulated the walls and ceiling in my van. After many hours of research and banging my head against a wall, I ended up going with Thinsulate for insulation.

Thinsulate is low weight, non-flammable, does not absorb moisture, doesn’t off-gas, is meant to be used in vehicles, etc. For those reasons, I felt safe installing it in my vehicle. Once you get templates cut out, installation is very easy. I ended up buying 40’ for my 136” WB Ram ProMaster.

Materials/Tools Required

3M Thinsulate SM600L
3M Contact Adhesive
Kraft Paper
Auto Trim Removal Tool
Simple Green Cleaner
Dewalt Safety Goggles

Ram ProMaster Van Insulation Steps

1] Using Kraft Paper, cut templates for the panels that will be getting insulated.

2] Using the templates as a guide, cut the thinsulate material.

3] Attach thinsulate to the van with the 3M Contact Adhesive.

The trick to the 3M adhesive is to spray it first on both the van and the thinsulate, let it set for a few minutes until it’s tacky, and then place the thinsulate. If you don’t let the adhesive sit, it will not cure/adhere the materials correctly.

4] Stuff thinsulate into all the nooks and crannies of the van. Remove the door panels and insulate in the van as well. I recommend picking up an auto trim removal tool kit for like $10 to remove all of the plastic pins.

In the next article, I’ll show you how I built a solar panel rack for my ProMaster.

In this article, I finish the van floor insulation and subfloor installation in my van. This took me a lot longer than I had anticipated, there are a lot of steps that require patience, creating templates, etc. I am stoked with how it turned out though, my floor feels super solid and secure.

Materials/Tools Required

Miter Saw
Circular Saw
Jigsaw
3M Contact Adhesive
Sikaflex 221 Sealant
Rust-Oleum Primer
Por 15 Top Coat Spray Paint
Reflectix Tape
Loctite Construction Adhesive
Foam Brushes
Simple Green Cleaner
M8X1.25 screws (for tie down threads)
Dewalt Safety Goggles
Makita Driver Drill
Kraft Paper
3/4″ RMax Polyiso Rigid Foam Board Insulation
1×2’s (primed with rust-oleum mold/mildew prevention primer)
3/4″ Birch Plywood

Ram ProMaster Van SubFloor Steps

1] Create a template with kraft paper for the entire subfloor. If you aren’t certain on your template, use a cheap piece of wood to test before cutting your nice plywood.

2] Cut out the subfloor with a jigsaw. Drop the pieces in and make sure they fit. Sand any areas that are tight. Leave 1/8″ – 1/4″ around the edges for flexing.

3] Prime the subfloor with mold & mildew resistant primer.

4] Use as many of the existing tie down threads to secure the subfloor with long M8x1.25 bolts.

5] Put a few screws into the subfloor, making sure to hit the 1×2’s that were installed underneath.

You shouldn’t need too many screws, just put a few in, see where things are still moving around, and continue adding screws until the floor feels secure. Keep in mind that you’ll most likely have cabinets and things on top to also secure the floor.

In the next article, we’ll start working on insulation in the van.