4 Essentials For Your Skoolie Bus Conversion

It is no question; living life on the road is unlike any other. A truly rewarding experience, diving headfirst in what being a human is all about. The thought of wanting to be there and boom, you’ve arrived in the comfort of your own little home. You’ve entirely redirected the path of your life, from being stuck in the same area your entire life to being in a new area at the snap of your fingers.

It’s interesting to think, there was a time where humans could only travel by foot. But since we’ve been able to get around by vehicle for lifetimes now, it seems as though many of us have forgotten this potential. It’s such a thoughtless concept nowadays, but you can truly go anywhere. Why have we limited ourselves to one location? I won’t lie, there are an endless amount of reasons why it is more common to live in one spot. But, for those who are restless, seeking something more out of the experiences that could be had in this lifetime, you might understand this way of life. Maybe it is something you have thought about, or even planning to do.

This article will run you through the 8 essentials for your own vehicle or tiny home conversion, whether it be a school bus, a van, or your soon-to-be decked out shed.

The basic necessities of a human being are food, water, air, shelter, sleep, and health. These essentials below will cover all these needs, so that you can find comfort and a peaceful state of mind while on the road.

1.) Diesel Heater

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This is a very important utility, especially if you’d like more versatility in your travel destinations. If you know you will be staying at warm locations then why would you get a heating system? You want your bus to be a force, adaptable to any place and time.

Bus life is very hard to plan, and sometimes things will change at the drop of a hat. As much as you plan out every little piece, things ALWAYS change in bus life, whether desired or not. Joey and I did not realize the true hardship it was to keep a metal box cool in the dead of summer. It’s hard to believe that a window unit A/C did not work as well as we’d imagine. Therefore our entire itinerary changed, to destinations that are cooler and more comfortable for us.

Our diesel heater works wonders. You can warm a bus entirely easier than cool it down, it is extensively more cheap to buy diesel than a heating bill, and the set up process is decently straight forward. We used the amazing Isaac Turner’s video to help, where he goes over every step in a very easy to understand manner. Click here for the video.

Here is a short instagram video on our diesel heater install!

https://www.instagram.com/p/C323WamLVFp/

2.) Maxx Air Fan

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Our maxx air fan swooped in to save the day on many different occasions. It has a beautiful cooling ability among the temperatures of 60°F-80°F. We are not here to say that it is able to cool down your bus in the hottest of weather. Although we do use this fan year round, mainly when we cook our meals. The exhaust mechanism collects the steam, moisture and pungent smells. Also we use butane stoves to cook, which can be very dangerous to cook in closed spaces. That’s where this utilities exhaust mechanism is so convenient.

Even when the hatch is up for air flow to come in or out, it is perfectly operable in rain and snow! This specific model comes with a remote and holder, depending on your build that may come in handy. They sell so many different models so just be sure that it specifically states both exhaust and fan if you prefer a different model! Otherwise the link to this amazing product is here.

3.) Shower Head

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When looking for a good shower head for your vehicle, there are a few aspects to contemplate. Water conservation and versatility is key. First and foremost, you might want to consider how many gallons per minute (gpm) the shower head puts out. A typical shower head puts out 2.5 gpm. If you’re looking to conserve your water as much as possible, then go with a lower gpm shower head. Next you may want a shower head that’s handheld, because that opens you up to a variety of uses. If you have a window in your shower, you can bring your handheld shower device outside for outdoor use. Also with limited space, it may be hard to get a throughout rinse if you can’t move the water to different areas. Next, you may want a shower with multiple settings for example, trickle, jet, spray, massage and mist. The mist setting is by far the best setting in my opinion, because it conserves water, and it truly feels like a regular shower.

When we were designing the layout of our shower, I was super stoked about the shower head. We were looking for one with a low GPM (gallons per minute), then stumbled across this one. It comes with multiple holders, so we attached one inside the shower and outside the window for outdoor use. My favorite part about this shower head is its on/off switch located at the handle. Unless you have a city water hook up, or have a huge tank that you don’t mind filling up, believe me when I say you will get really comfortable with military showers. This on/off switch is a game changer when taking military showers, so you don’t ever have to touch the actual handle of the shower. Turning off the shower in between usage has become a normality here. It’s one of the more humbling aspects to bus life, that water is sacred and surely not always at our disposal.

4.) Toilet

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There are so many options when it comes to portable toilets, but choosing the right one is very important! You don’t want a cheap toilet that is hard to set up, or especially clean because well, that will be a nightmare. When we were starting our conversion, I wish that someone recommended us this toilet because this has been the best toilet that we’ve used so far.

It has so many amazing features. You install four triple A batteries for the flushing mechanism. There is a level reader, that way you can see easily when it’s getting full. It has a toilet paper compartment so you don’t need to install an extra toilet paper roll holder. I truly am bewildered that some portable toilets don’t incorporate a toilet paper compartment. This toilet is at a comfortable height just like a typical toilet, not too short and not too high. When it’s time to empty the basin, it easily comes apart without leakage.

We had one other cassette toilet before this, which was smaller and started to leak overtime. We hope in the future to get a nice composting toilet, but this one is a great for the time being.

3.) Mattress

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Before I did my research, I thought we would just throw in a regular mattress and call it a day. But I was wrong! When it comes to bus living and mattresses, mold is one of the biggest factors to consider when choosing your mattress. A regular mattress needs a box spring so there is adequate airflow throughout. But we did not have the space to install a mattress and boxspring, that is why we went with a spring box hybrid mattress. The springs inside the mattress are meant to avoid mold, providing enough airflow within.

Every person has their own preferences to an ideal mattress. Some like soft memory-foam, while some like a firm feel. Quite frankly, this is one comfortable mattress providing both firmness and alleviation. It is also memory foam and the company’s most popular mattress on the market. They generously provide a 10-year warranty alongside all these benefits.

Before we bought this mattress, we installed a grid-like base made from 2in x 3in wood. That way we can further assure the airflow and combat mold. When the mattress arrived, it came to us rolled up. We opened it on top of our bed structure and allowed it to set for 48 hours. I have absolutely zero complaints with this bed, it is perfect for us!

4.) Solar Generator

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You will need a way to power all of these utilities without being connected to a stationary power source. That’s where a solar generator comes in. There are many solar generators to choose from, in many different price ranges.

We chose the Jackery 2000 Pro. It is a powerhouse when it comes to longevity, and meets all of our needs on the road. Some awesome components to this device is the range of ports, such as a 12v DC cigarette port, 2 fast- charging C type and USB ports, and 3 traditional 3 prong AC outlet ports. A 12v port is very important, since most bus life appliances are 12v. It also incorporates a super bright SOS signal light for emergencies and convenience.

The solar panels are very portable and easy to carry, which is beneficial since they are on the heavier side. It can be zipped closed and opened, and stand on an angle for direct sunlight capturing. They can be bought together through the Jackery website but we have them here to purchase separately.

I hope this article was helpful in building a skoolie, van, or even off-grid tiny home! I know that this information would have been vital for us in the beginning phases of our project.

Feel free to reach out via social media or email for more questions that I can answer for you in future articles!

Happy Building!

The Road We Wander

Email: Theroadwewander@gmail.com

Instagram: @TheRoadWeWander