Lots of B-asic Questions

[ExpressVan]

I'm trying to wrap my brain around Class B travel after traveling in a simple van set up for years. I wonder about lots of "little" things, and would like to hear from experienced owners about them:

1. Has anyone put a conventional, box spring mattress on top of the existing bed? The Ontour2.2 would work for us in terms of bed length, but we are very set on the mattress we use in our current van.

2. Refrigerators: Do the larger compression fridges keep up in extreme temps? How is the noise level? What do you do for ice for drinks (we like lots)?

3. Where in the world do you put cups, phones, eyeglasses, etc. given the lack of bedside surfaces in most B's I've seen? (We have deep window sills with cupholders, etc.)

4. Is there enough space for a few basic tools, hoses and cords along with two camp chairs and a two-burner stove behind the sofas? (I suppose our small CLAM has to stay home.)

We had hoped to go to an RV show and answer some of these questions ourselves, but somewhere between Kansas and Texas, we managed to get COVID and had to miss it.

[KurtFranz]

I can chime in as I am in the process of looking for a decent priced folding memory foam mattress for my 02 Chevy Versatile. I plan on removing the factory cushion set and using the mattress as a full time bed - since we never use that area for anything but the bedroom. In my opinion the sleeping arrangement is the critical component to enjoyable living

[Bud]

Originally Posted by KurtFranz

I can chime in as I am in the process of looking for a decent priced folding memory foam mattress for my 02 Chevy Versatile. I plan on removing the factory cushion set and using the mattress as a full time bed - since we never use that area for anything but the bedroom. In my opinion the sleeping arrangement is the critical component to enjoyable living

Why folding if full time bed?

[ExpressVan]

Originally Posted by KurtFranz

In my opinion the sleeping arrangement is the critical component to enjoyable living

Thank you for replying! I totally agree about the importance of the sleeping arrangement. It took a lot of trial and error to find what works best for us, and it's the one thing we don't want to compromise on. Many Class B's have been dropped from consideration based on that.

[KurtFranz]

Originally Posted by Bud

Why folding if full time bed?

i use my van often for picking up and hauling things when necessary, and i remove cushions and such when doing so. if i buy a new mattress i want one that folds so can remove and store it easily when i am not in rv mode so to speak.

[hbn7hj]

The compressor fridges require an enhanced electrical system and robust charging system. That means a lot of solar or a generator. Probably 200 AH minimum of lithium battery.

The compressor fridges do handle high temperatures very well. You do need a lot of battery and a quick way to charge them. Lithiums charge very quickly.

The Roadtreks and Pleasureways have all the storage you need. There is no storage behind the sofas. There is some ahead of the back doors.

I can’t imagine putting a box spring mattress in a B van.

[jeana]

Originally Posted by ExpressVan

I'm trying to wrap my brain around Class B travel after traveling in a simple van set up for years. I wonder about lots of "little" things, and would like to hear from experienced owners about them:


3. Where in the world do you put cups, phones, eyeglasses, etc. given the lack of bedside surfaces in most B's I've seen? (We have deep window sills with cupholders, etc.)

4. Is there enough space for a few basic tools, hoses and cords along with two camp chairs and a two-burner stove behind the sofas? (I suppose our small CLAM has to stay home.)

We had hoped to go to an RV show and answer some of these questions ourselves, but somewhere between Kansas and Texas, we managed to get COVID and had to miss it.

IF your van does not have cubbies- ours came with lots although there are always tradeoffs- we have v virtually no space that is tall to hang anything up..- then use command hooks to hang a shoe organizer or a light weight shelf We keep camp chairs hoses and the cord and leveling blocks in the "trunk"; we removed the odd table that was too high and jiggled and easily slide a folding tray table under the bed for use as needed. We keep small tools overhead above the driver space. One has to live in it for a while to figure out how to live in it What i still find funny after three yrs is that we lose things Look all over Cannot find that jacket or bag In a small van! Then it turns up Have fun

[engnrsrule]

Several of the youtube influencers I follow have praised Brooklyn Bedding RV mattresses. For my class B I also prefer leaving bed set up. The factory cushions are actually pretty good, but we improved the comfort by adding a 3" memory foam topper and a tight fitting mattress pad. (This of course makes breaking it down more difficult). Also came up with a bed-making hack. I keep one of those "grabber" gadgets under the edge of the mattress and use it to position the covers when making up bed.

For fridge we stayed with a 3way, and upgraded to a newer one. Class B's have minimal ability to expand battery or inverter capacity beyond how they are originally configured. I am quite satisfied with the performance of my 3 way on propane (parked), and on 12v (driving), or 110vac when hooked up..

Previous owner added cup holders over each side of the bed. I recently added a pair of mesh holders that sit flush, but can hold a cellphone or TV remote. I also switched out the closest 110v plug to one that includes two USB charging ports.

We have pretty good storage for a class B under the bed(accessible from outside), camp chairs, table, propane grill, basic tools, hoses, extension cord. I also removed the two passenger seats and made more storage inside.

[joelm]

If you are near any RV dealers, go see some models to get an idea of the space. Our experience is to be open to what's available. i.e. Take a look at the available space and decide if you can adapt or accept the compromises. All Class B owners have misc. things at bed time (I keep mine in the window slot) and they find a solution. Same for all storage, it's just always different than you expect!

If you put the rear sofa up, there's space behind it and in many models there is space under (if it's not take up for systems).

Check out available storage which is in online pictures and also be ready to take a leap of faith that you will figure it out!

[ableami]

Most of the new compressor fridges like Isotherm are very quiet and use only `17 watts when they are on. They are on less than half the time. They are also completely quiet.
We never plug into shorepower even during prolonged stays but rely on our 4000AH li-ion battery and our 400 watt solar on the roof.

[LVPHYL5031]

Originally Posted by ExpressVan

I'm trying to wrap my brain around Class B travel after traveling in a simple van set up for years. I wonder about lots of "little" things, and would like to hear from experienced owners about them:

1. Has anyone put a conventional, box spring mattress on top of the existing bed? The Ontour2.2 would work for us in terms of bed length, but we are very set on the mattress we use in our current van.

2. Refrigerators: Do the larger compression fridges keep up in extreme temps? How is the noise level? What do you do for ice for drinks (we like lots)?

3. Where in the world do you put cups, phones, eyeglasses, etc. given the lack of bedside surfaces in most B's I've seen? (We have deep window sills with cupholders, etc.)

4. Is there enough space for a few basic tools, hoses and cords along with two camp chairs and a two-burner stove behind the sofas? (I suppose our small CLAM has to stay home.)

We had hoped to go to an RV show and answer some of these questions ourselves, but somewhere between Kansas and Texas, we managed to get COVID and had to miss it.

We bring our clam on ALL trips-the extra space is invaluable! Our 7.5 cu ft Dometic is awesome, quiet and loves 12 v, as well as shore power. The best thing ever is UHG underhood Genny-that sucker works so good to cool us off at the Cracker Barrel overnights, and uses so little diesel-6 hours overnight and less than 1/4 tank and doesn’t disturb your neighbors.

[hbn7hj]

Originally Posted by ableami

Most of the new compressor fridges like Isotherm are very quiet and use only `17 watts when they are on. They are on less than half the time. They are also completely quiet.
We never plug into shorepower even during prolonged stays but rely on our 4000AH li-ion battery and our 400 watt solar on the roof.

You must mean 400AH which is a large battery bank for a B.

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by KurtFranz

I can chime in as I am in the process of looking for a decent priced folding memory foam mattress for my 02 Chevy Versatile. I plan on removing the factory cushion set and using the mattress as a full time bed - since we never use that area for anything but the bedroom. In my opinion the sleeping arrangement is the critical component to enjoyable living

We liked this one in our 200V.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Beachlife]

Originally Posted by ExpressVan

I'm trying to wrap my brain around Class B travel after traveling in a simple van set up for years. I wonder about lots of "little" things, and would like to hear from experienced owners about them:

1. Has anyone put a conventional, box spring mattress on top of the existing bed? The Ontour2.2 would work for us in terms of bed length, but we are very set on the mattress we use in our current van.

2. Refrigerators: Do the larger compression fridges keep up in extreme temps? How is the noise level? What do you do for ice for drinks (we like lots)?

3. Where in the world do you put cups, phones, eyeglasses, etc. given the lack of bedside surfaces in most B's I've seen? (We have deep window sills with cupholders, etc.)

4. Is there enough space for a few basic tools, hoses and cords along with two camp chairs and a two-burner stove behind the sofas? (I suppose our small CLAM has to stay home.)

We had hoped to go to an RV show and answer some of these questions ourselves, but somewhere between Kansas and Texas, we managed to get COVID and had to miss it.

Hello, and I have made many adjustments to my Travato for the things you mentioned. So here goes. 1. I put foam on the beds over the supports but have seen straps used like on an Ikea bed which may work. 2. We have a 12v ref and it works great but a bit small. It means I don't have to level as much saving the use of blocks, however we put an electric cooler behind the passenger seat which holds all the drinks plug into your inverter as you drive. 3. We added a car item holder behind or on the back of the passenger seat to keep glasses etc. Works great. Also a mess shoe holder by the beds for shoes. I put a pair of water sandals in the door lower pocket so when we shower I can walk around. 4. I have a small tool box, but found that if you add a sports rack with ladder on the back you can carrier your Clam tent and small tool box attached to the ladder. I also added a cargo carrier rack that folds up and have two plastic boxes I strap down to give a lot of storage for things (great for pet stuff) and we take it when we need.

If you read the forum and Class B RV blog you can get great ideas on space savings and maintenance. I just learned a lot about tires and shocks. Best Wishes

[jrobe]

Originally Posted by hbn7hj

The compressor fridges require an enhanced electrical system and robust charging system. That means a lot of solar or a generator. Probably 200 AH minimum of lithium battery..

I don't agree with this although it depends on the size of the refrigerator and the outside temperature. Our compressor refrigerator is very efficient and very quiet. We have no problem running this on our two 100 Ahr AGM batteries. We have no solar panels or generator but we do have a 2nd alternator to recharge our batteries. We probably have to drive 15 min per day or so to recover the battery capacity that our refrigerator uses each day even in hot weather. We can make ice but you won't be able to make mixed drinks on ice all night as if you were in a bar.

I would also never consider going back to a 3 way refrigerator after have a modern compressor refrigerator. I am surprised that they even make them anymore.

[ExpressVan]

Originally Posted by hbn7hj

I can’t imagine putting a box spring mattress in a B van.

I am curious to know why. Is it because you lose the option to covert to living space? Or because it could make it difficult to access components in the benches? Another reason?

We currently have a full in a north/south orientation on a regular bed frame in our van and like it very much. An ideal scenario for us would be to transfer it to a Class B.

[ExpressVan]

Originally Posted by jeana

One has to live in it for a while to figure out how to live in it What i still find funny after three yrs is that we lose things Look all over Cannot find that jacket or bag In a small van! Then it turns up Have fun

LOL! Both of those things are so true! It's taken us a long time to get everything just right. So long, in fact, that the van is beginning to age out.

[ExpressVan]

Originally Posted by engnrsrule

Also came up with a bed-making hack. I keep one of those "grabber" gadgets under the edge of the mattress and use it to position the covers when making up bed.

We have pretty good storage for a class B under the bed(accessible from outside), camp chairs, table, propane grill, basic tools, hoses, extension cord. I also removed the two passenger seats and made more storage inside.

Next time I make the bed, I will definitely grab the grabber! Great idea!

Would you mind telling what model B you have? I really like what I see in the pics, and underbed storage accessible from outside is a big plus.