Dang it sounds like you've had a really rough go at it. I'm glad you're finally getting some help. I hope it all turns around for you.
I'm not sure how big of a difference fiberglass vs metal makes, but I lived in my metal van for two years, and with some insulation and a vent fan, it stayed pretty comfortable.
I'm in the US, so I have no idea about the laws or options available in Europe. What I can recommend is a cooling option for your medicines. If you have the funds to get a small solar setup (you can likely find a kit of ample size for under 500 euros), you can get a small 12v chest fridge that has a pretty low power draw.
You can use that to keep your medication and a few groceries cool. I had a very cheap, very small one (I think it cost $150 new and I bought it used off a friend for $70) and it worked great until it quit on me 2 years later. I probably could've repaired it, but I didn't bother and just used it as a cooler until my vanlife journey was over.
Best of luck to you!
31
u/Efficient_Raise7695
Mi spiace molto per quello che stai passando, dev'essere davvero brutto!
Detto ciò, non è vero che non puoi camperizzare un furgone se non passando dalla motorizzazione; a parte il fatto che non ho mai sentito di nessuna multa fatta per "camperizzazione illegale", quello che dice la norma è che non ci devono essere strutture fisse/che non sia smontabile su richiesta di un agente. L'unica restrizione è che devi progettare le cose diversamente, ma è tutto assolutamente fattibile in base alle reali esigenze.
Per il caldo, non c'è materiale che tenga, se lo lasci al sole diventerà un forno, devi progettare bene dei sistemi di aerazione che ti permettano di far fuoriuscire in fretta l'aria calda (e umida).
Per i medicinali puoi pensare di prenderti un piccolo frigo a 12v.
18
u/Nerd_Porter
Fiberglass is a better insulator, but honestly in your situation I wouldn't hold out for it. Focus on something that will be reasonable to keep that certificate going so you have a stable home.
A little solar power and a 12v fan would help a lot to keep the temps down. You'll need a panel, small charge controller, small battery, and a 12v fan. Don't bother with an inverter and an AC fan, wastes too much power. And don't use your van battery so you don't get stuck with a dead battery.
As for medicine, get a small cooler. See if you can find someplace that will give you a bit of ice daily. Maybe talk to the morning manager at a local restaurant and see if you can get a cup of ice daily early in the morning, before the restaurant gets busy (or late, or whenever is easiest for them). Just be honest and keep the story short, let them know it's for medicine and you're really in need of some help. I'm sure you'll find someone sympathetic.
8
u/imrzzz
In the Netherlands you can build out your own van (it must have certain specifications but these are pretty easy and normal for a camper) and register it as a camper so the road tax is 50% of a normal car.
There is an insurance company here that insures the vehicle if you're living in it full-time.
I'm only saying all this so you know there are other EU countries you can move to and register as a resident if you want to do a self-build.
The Netherlands isn't easy to boondock in though, it is illegal in most council areas but can be done if you are careful. Also, the Netherlands is very far from Italy but there are options!
8
u/Lavendercrimson12
Where are you? Someone mentioned Italy? If you are in Italy, specifically Sicily, or would want to go to Sicily, message me. I know people there who live a very good eco village life. It would be a good place for you to visit and learn or maybe live.
7
u/Visible_Document_376
If you cover your roof in a black plastic hose, with a water tank higher than your roof you can cool your home and creat hot water at the same time. Look up solar water heater + thermosiphon.
7
u/Visible_Document_376
I'm in mexico, it's hot here as well, I ve found that if you can simply keep the sun from heating the metal roof it goes a long way towards a cooler home.
5
u/Every-Difference5561
If you can get something on amazon, buy a shade cloth to go over the roof on hot days. That will lower the temp by 15-20 degrees. It’s only $10 for a 8x10’piece
5
u/Honest-2325
Ciao , in che città sei ? Magari in base a questo posso darti qualche consiglio migliore. Buona giornata 🙂
5
u/0992673
Honestly it sounds like you just need to rid yourself of the van problem and find a cheap shithole apartment, everything is solved immediately.
4
u/Angry-Coconuts
I see a running theme of “nobody would help me, my mom FINALLY helped me”…. Nobody is coming to save you. You’re on your own. Nobody owes you anything.
4
u/mcdisney2001
You’ve gotten lots of good comments here, so I’ll keep it short with just a few suggestions.
You can get free ice at a gas station by just buying the biggest cup you can find at the dollar store or thrift store and filling it when you go in. I took a 10-day trip with a cheap cooler and this was enough ice to last a few days at a time, keeping the meds I used back then cool enough, as well as some drinks.
Can you relocate to a cooler area for the summer? Even finding shade during the day would make a huge difference.
I have a great fan I’ve been using for years. I took it on trips, and now I use it in my van. Charges with USB and lasts several days of constant use. Here’s the link.
Try adding XPS board (the big purple foam sheets) to the walls and roof. They’re cheap and really do make a difference.
And I recently discovered they make Xbox controllers with extra A and B buttons on the back—mine is by Turtle Beach. I don’t have limited mobility, but there’s one game with weird controls that was causing tendon issues for me, and I accidentally found that this controller makes it much easier to play that game.
I hope this helps. Please stay safe!
I keep a spritz bottle around to spritz myself when it’s hot.
3
u/Hour_Gas_36
Fiberglass leaks… OG van body is less maintenance.. campers need resealing yearly.. bi yearly if you’re lucky
3
u/Visible_Document_376
I'm suggesting you put up a solar Shade of some sort, not that you move your vehicle
3
u/plastic604
I read your whole story, I'm so sorry society has treated you this way. I'm deeply ashamed hearing stories like this, human-to-human.
I've been in a van for many years but I have resources. I have spent so much time and money on my build and upkeep of my vehicle, including rebuilding the transmission... I just don't see how a vehicle is the right answer, personally.
If I'm imagining myself in your shoes given the story you've told, I would get even more creative than the van. I've spent a lot of time in Portugal and Spain and have come into contact with these communities that are all over if you know where to look.. Between happy-go-lucky hippies trying to make do in very simple ways in these countries, I think this might be your best bet in finding people, support, and basic infrastructure at extremely low costs to be able to sustain yourself. Portugal has free healthcare once you register there. 5 years ago I stayed in communities with my van for 100 eur/mo.. No electricity except my own panels, but communal kitchen, water, showers, toilets.. Even some basic internet and power in the general area. Some people stayed in a place like this in large tipis or caravans that were basically immovable, too.
Essentially, I would find a place like this, or a few, try to get in touch with them or go there and inquire, and see what possibilities they might have that may work for you. I'm sure there are ones in Italy as well! For sure on Sicily...
I would try to find them by googling, checking off-grid living or communal living kinds of forums or reddits or whatever, marketplaces on WhatsApp or Telegram in the locations, villages, etc that are nearby (you can search for this within the apps).
Best of luck and while I can't help directly right now, feel free to DM with any questions or if I can advice on anything <3
3
u/AxomaticallyExtinct
If you get foil bubble insulation it'll make a massive difference to both keeping heat out in hot weather and keeping it in in cold weather. Insulation is everything when it comes to keeping both cooling and heating simple and inexpensive. So invest in some of that up front and you'll feel the difference forever.
3
u/rileyabernethy
I'm not sure but a metal van is much cheaper at the mechanics. So sorry about your struggles
3
u/Substantial-Today166
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3
u/SlightLeading9203
Just my input...I built my own conversion it's not cheap about 12 thousand euros...but i brought the best..as mentioned in another comment 12v fridge/freezer 680 euros...3x 215 watt solar panels and controller..3500watts inverter..2x 200ah lithium batteries all that about 3000 euros...due to mine been well insulated 10mm dodo,25mm insulation board loft insulation again all not cheap...chinese diesel heater (winter)purchased from northern Ireland no import tax ...did alot of research before starting...left bulkhead in No windows just a small roof hatch...(no condensation issues)..lovely and warm in winter...during summer insulation kept van cool till doors open so warm air during night..I brought 2 usb desk top fans kept me cool at night...I lived at my companies trailer yard for 3 years sleeping in van 4 nights a week as up at 2am driving to Dublin...it took me 10 months at weekends to do build...I have really benefited from it.. firstly i did everything myself the build,wiring,tapping into diesel tank for night heater,etc etc...secondly if i go to Dublin i pay about 40 euros to park and the train into Dublin and obviously sleep in van in car park saving hundreds on hotels..plus use van most weekends to get away and again save on hotels. I am just telling you this as to let you know someone like myself with only basic DIY skills can do it and also the time frame and cost...Pm if you would like to see my build wish you all the best...ps i am in southern Ireland (Waterford).
2
u/i-Poker
If you're going with a metal van, then cover ALL the metal surfaces with Armaflex - if they're left exposed they act like a radiator. When it's cold they similarly radiate cold directly into the van. 19 mm or thicker on the roof, 9-19 mm on the walls, the floor is obviously not as important. Armaflex is quite expensive (€500-800 for a Transporter/Custom sized van depending on thicknesses used) but easy to install and you can leave it exposed if you don't care about how it looks. Also doesn't mold.
Cover the windows with reflective window covers for the same reason as above.
With some ventilation this will drop the temp significantly.
White vans are cooler because they reflect sun. Black vans are hotter.
Fiberglass warms slower than metal and a fiberglass camper typically have insulation in sandwhiched panels. Armaflex in a metal van makes the performance relatively similar, it will just heat up and cool faster.
Ventilation is tricky due to your budget constraints. A skylight or some windows will help with passive ventilation.
If budget allows Renogy sells a 400W solar blanket that folds up neatly. You can pair it with a small Bluetti power station. It's enough to run a small 12V fridge and ventilation if you're not running it continuously. Will also run lights and a hot plate. Total €830. If you're driving there's also alternator chargers that charges the battery with 800W while driving, so will top up the small power station in a little more than a hour.
2
u/Appropriate_Low6575
Be proud of the progress you have made. You have taken steps towards your goal while to many of us the van life is still just a thought in our heads. Life throws unexpected problems at us and dealing with them having ocd or adhd can be overwhelming. Do one small thing a day to move closer to your goal and write it down - eg. "asked for advice about the van on reddit". I find decisions to be very difficult especially with ADHD. Since you have the van already I would stick with that. Plenty of people here will give you good ideas to keep your medication from getting too hot. Go with the cheapest and easiest option to start (maybe a 12v cooler) - you can always upgrade later.
2
u/Soft-Translator-934
I’m in the U.S. and was born and raised in Texas, a very conservative, pull yourself up by your bootstraps state with very little to no social services and even less empathy for anyone in need. It’s also ranked #50 (out of 50) in the states for access to mental healthcare. I was a Registered Nurse at 19 and in my own since 16, and had the terrible experience of being misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at 23, the first time I ever saw a psychiatrist. By 26 I was unable to function, suicidal, the meds they had me on had put me into a very, very deep depression because as it turns out, I wasn’t bipolar. I ended up on disability and spent a couple years unable to get out of bed, merely surviving and completely broke. Social security disability paid enough to pay rent on a small 1BR apartment, but I couldn’t afford my car payment or insurance so had to let it go, was too depressed to take the bus to get groceries, and my family has never been there for me either. Fast forward to me being undiagnosed and given an antidepressant at 29, I was able to get into a halfway house in another city and lived there several years until I could get back on my feet. I started cleaning houses, got a car, and eventually moved to another state. It definitely wasn’t easy, I lived in my vehicle on and off for years, and moved back to Texas a couple times when things got hard, but once I discovered the stark difference between a red state like Texas and the blue state I moved to, I knew I had to get out of Texas for good, and I finally have. I was able to get into “affordable” housing (nothing is truly affordable anymore, unless you live somewhere very rural and I need access to services) and qualified for Medicaid so I could go to the dentist. Access to healthcare in general is like night and day. I was correctly diagnosed as being on the spectrum, and while I haven’t gone back to nursing I did get help going back to school. Things are better now but it took about ten years to leave Texas after the misdiagnosis and I suffered a lot, not knowing the grass was truly greener in another state. I’m not familiar with Italy or how it would work out moving away but I will say that you have options and getting away from the place where you’ve been so miserable is something to consider. I hope this helps…
2
u/KQ4DAE
An alminum bodied vehicle is the best for corrosion, I went with a stepvan but its too large for most Europe drivers lisences there should be some sort of similar delivery vehicle that might make a good fit for you.
I would avoid any sort of rv or caravan style vehicle they require a ton of external maintince that if not done will cause serious water problems.
2
u/Soft-Translator-934
If you’re not an outdoors person, aren’t traveling, and have physical limitations, a van doesn’t seem to be the best option, at least right now. Getting indoors where you can take care of your health until you’re in a better place mentally and physically would be a much better idea. Speaking from experience.
2
u/tmblweed85
To answer your question to the point and simply, Yes, fiberglass campers are better in terms of leaks and insulation but that also depends on the manufacturer. I would not buy a regular van but a fiberglass campers.
2
u/BodhingJay
If you arent driving it you can try other options like a makeshift shelter.. hammer, framing nails and 2x4, rockwool insulation and vapor wrapped would do the trick..
Some solar panels, controller and battery, max air fan, water tank and small pump
Propane hookups for heating and warm running water
A tiny home like this would be a lot cheaper than another junk vehicle
2
u/Prestigious_Yak_9004
I’m truly sorry you fell through the cracks of the system. From my experience this happens to people whose parents do not do what it takes to help unfortunate youths get a stable footing in the system and to navigate it. I actually lived a somewhat similar life in the USA. We immigrated to USA when I was a child then I had a massive head injury and my parents did nothing except argue, neglect, and abuse us. I developed ptsd on top of the head injury. So I lived almost like an animal for a long long time. Untreated health issues and poverty prevented me from stability. I clawed my way near to stability several times but setbacks happened and I fell back down each time. I’ll stop the sad story here and try to answer your questions. Focusing on solutions is a good way to keep going. Focus on what you can do today to make life better. Ok?
I’m an off grid solar designer now. I met someone who helped me learn and and I studied and practiced on my own for years. A basic energy system to keep food and medicine cold is achievable on a small budget. Ive also had good luck with used equipment . It is sunny in much of Italy so the solar gain is good. It was a struggle for years to do it with lead acid batteries but now that LifePO4 batteries are about the same price as lead acid it has become easier. They are lighter, more powerful, easier to maintain, and last longer.
You will get more power by buying each component individually over a portable power generator or all in one. A basic 12 volt energy system is a little complicated but it is achievable. Perhaps you can find someone to donate an all in one generator. Try that first.
As far as what fridge to buy I have read there are several that work well enough for Vanlife. Ive read many comments of fridges on forums but don’t remember the specific model. Check the reviews of a fridge you are considering.
As far as heat is concerned parking in the shade is best. Fiberglass will heat up as but slightly slower than metal. Parking in the shade causes shading on the solar so some people have portable solar panels and place them in the sun while parking in the shade. Can you do this?
Finally, fans are a cheap way to stay cool. One expert at Vanlife experimented with fans and solar. He tried many different fans. Some of the computer muffin fans are free or cheap. They make big ones also. He had up to 5 of them running at a time and it made a big difference. They use very little power. It’s possible to also make an evaporative cooler to keep the van, medicine, and food cooler.
Thank you for reaching out to the community and take good care of yourself.
1
u/jonkolbe
I read a post, I think it was here, a few weeks ago about a van lifer who was broke and actually broke down in a Walmart parking lot. Walmart allows people in vans to stay there. He got a job at the Walmart and saved enough money to fix his van save some cash and move on.
1
u/yodagoat
Where are you? If in the UK/Scandinavia then present yourself as homeless to the local authority. They'll get you somewhere to stay and begin the housing process. If you are somewhere like the USA all I can do is with you luck and suggest making a double skin "safari" roof to shield the van ftom the sun.