I'm 62 years old and if I had the opportunity to watch your videos when I was your age I'm certain I would have been inspired to buy a Prius and modify the hell out of that sucker and try my own hand at stealth camping. As it is, I feel I'm too old and vulnerable to be quite that adventuresome today. I own plenty of guns so I'm not so worried about human predators as I am about being too far from a good hospital LOL. I am a tinkerer myself so I have a real appreciation for what you're doing and I will be keeping my eye out for an opportunity to suggest things that I might have done were I younger and on your journey, if that's okay with you. Love your channel. All have gotten a thumbs up from me so far.
Thanks for your awesome comments! I'm in my 50's and it took a lot of thinking on this before I took the plunge. I slept in my driveway first, then walmart. Hospitals are a great place to camp. I eased into it and it wasn't near as challenging as I thought. Just take whatever vehicle you have and see if you can make a place to sleep. Then use blankets to make some privacy. There is a guy in his 70's that camps in his Prius. You can too! Thanks for subscribing and liking my videos!
Hey John mony, I just turned 68, sold my house, and in two months will hit the roads in my basic outfitted Prius... not letting age stop me! Just wish I could find someone to do some these more complicated PSC-camper conversions, being electrically untalented, heh.
Some great ideas here -I could use a few of these ! I’m subscribed but hadn’t turned on the “ALL” button for notifications so I wasn’t getting your videos for a while ! I will be catching up on them
bought several bug zappers for the house and they are great for the noseeums. about once a week we go around and blow out all the dead bugs. Sure makes sleeping a whole lot better in summer. we have screens and AC but the buggers still get in. The zappers are effective. Thanks for bringing them to our attention.
Awesome! I went for about 2 months of not checking them and founds 100s of dead knats. It was almost solid black. So cheap, simple and effective. Put them in my moms house too. Also fun when you get a big one that sparks and lights up the evening living room.
Fantastic. I will be starting my travels in November, and this answered so many questions I had. Love the clam shell phone holder. Keep up the excellent work. Whatever you decide to video, I’m sure will be helpful. Thank you.
I'm watching more and more of your vids and I love the compact creativity and all the gadgets I have learned a lot. All the ideas can be worked into any shape pickup camper I end up with, thanks for the time you put into making your vids.
I love the disco ball, that's hilarious. I would love to see how to get started with the microwave and how does someone with little to no experience with electrical do this? I am not afraid, but need more knowledge of electrical basics. TH-cam will provide some but where to get started would be great.
So glad you are enjoying the videos and finding them helpful. I really like the phone holder. It has held up great and is easy to see and control the phone.
I'm excited about the heated bed AND the pressurized water system! I'm planning on moving into my Prius eventually so I'm in the planning stages. I'd love to see what you come up with! Thanks for the gadget tips!!
So happy to hear you are embarking on a new adventure! Glad to hear you find my videos helpful. I will subscribe to your channel in hopes you will post some videos of your adventures. Thanks for watching!!
PriusStealthCamper Adventures Thank you so much!!! I will most likely post my Prius videos to my 'Living Big in a Prius' channel, so if you like, you can subscribe to that one! I will probably post my first video soon, as I am documenting my journey to Prius freedom as well as once I am on the road. I don't know how long it will take (gotta save some money first), but I'm intending sooner than later! Maybe I'll see you on the road some day! :)
How’d you get the dashboard cell phone holder to stick? I cleaned my dashboard but it wouldn’t stick. I even tried quick seal tape and gorilla tape. No go. It will not stick.
I don't have one that shows the USB connections. It wasn't a very elegant solution, just ran them around trim and under the mattress, underseats. I got some helpful things. I used a USB splitter and a couple USB extension cords. Get the better cords as 5v drops pretty quick, when that happens the connectors overheat when you charge your energy hungry phone.
Have you ever considered turning a Prius + into a camper? Just wondering what you think about the pros/cons would be. I enjoy your videos very much. Thanks
I have not checked into the Prius+ but I did have a comment on the Prius V - it is larger but the bigger battery means that the back is not flat when you put the rear seats down. I am not sure about the "+" but need to take a look at it. I am glad you are enjoying the videos and I appreciate your comments!
Pretty good vid, maybe think of bear spray vise personal spray. Bear spray is legal everywhere while some places the other isnt. Besides, the bear spray is 20x more spray and a greater range. I hang mine in a break away fashion for quick access. Ciao
I think I mentioned on one of your other videos that I'm just starting to look for a Prius V. As a single person I definitely don't need or want either back seat. Just wondering if you ever considered or investigated how to remove seats in a Prius?
Joel V oh that’s Brent...saw his Prius on a couple other channels and he designed a table to fit in the door. That was inventive and interesting as well.
I’m interested in knowing where you purchase your gadgets? eBay, Ali Express, wish/geek and or fast tech have a lot of gadgets for me but they come on the slow boat from China (other than eBay)
I have been getting mine on Amazon because of their psin-free return system. They have never given me a problem and issue a refund as soon as you drop off the package at a UPS store. I hate waiting for 2 weeks for a package from China.
Chris Barclay I have spent a great deal of time pondering that question. I did a nice solar setup on my Land Rover and I love tinkering with solar. The only way to make solar be an advantage is if I would not put the car in the ON position for greater than 24 hours and stayed in the car in one place. If I ever put the car in the ON position or drive for appx 30 min in 24 hours then my 12v batteries are recharged. If batteries were to get low I can just put in ON and engine will run for 30 sec to a min and recharge the 200v battery and then that battery recharges the 12v batteries with the engine off. The disadvantages - decreased fuel eco for having roof rack and panel (flexi panels are not durable and mounting is a problem) and loss of stealth (though I found a 50 Watt panel that would fit on the dash). I estimate the mpg loss from my research would be 10-15 mpg for standard roof mount panel, none for dash panel but not great wattage.
I'm thinking that the new 400 watt Goal Zero Yeti Lithium might be the way to go. Weighs just 15 lbs, so you can carry it to your gym, Starbucks or whatever and put a charge on it or use their foldup panel and put that on the roof when parked. I suppose the Prius could be used to also put a charge on it. Trouble is do we trust Lithium? What about a larger flexible panel that could be put in front of a windshield sun shade? Tell me more about that 50 watt panel.
Chris Barclay rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F151646151228 This is the largest panel I could find that would fit in the windshield or dash and also be stowed in the rear hatch area. The Yetis are very nice but so expensive. I also am a bit weary of lithium. I had an overheating Samsung phone.
@@timdillen have you ever thought of a roof rack that is open air flow and has the cage around it? You could place the solar panels in there and they would be hidden from passers by and not ruin fuel economy? If you know which one I mean. Hard to explain haha
Ack ... I think I bought the wrong cigarette lighter gizmo to get an AC plug for charging a Macbook. It's 160W. Can I use it cautiously or do I need to return it. Finding anything local has been a hassle.
MJ Worcester To pull 160 watts you will need probably a 250-300 Watt inverter. That’s a good bit to pull through a cigarette lighter plug. 160 watts at 110volts down to 12 volts puts you over 13 amps. I wouldn’t run that much power through a cigarette lighter plug. It could overheat and damage your car and Mac.
I don't want to pull 160 watts. I just want to charge my laptop from the power port the safest way. Sales guy said this is what I needed but when I got home and googled it looked like 120 or less for the Prius power port. I'll return it. Is the Prius up to charging a macbook through the factory power port and a less than 120W gizmo? OMG I hate shopping! And electricity. Thanks for the response.
MJ Worcester 120 watts seems reasonable for a 12v Power port. That’s 10 amps. That would be the max I would go. Feel the cables, connectors and Mac for heat. If a plug feels hot then there is a problem.
It’s funny but I went to a solar panel supplier and discussed about transforming my Santa SUV and fitting a solar panel on the roof. Went over like a lead balloon with the sales person and ended up with : the only way you could do this is to drill a hole through my roof top. Silly me. I could simply do like you and pass the wire through the door frame. The balloons where: 1- it will catch in the rain, 2- what about ice, 3-topping up your batteries while driving puts too much strain on the alternator since it is already making everything working. Now the killer question: what do you do about your waste? Sooooo interesting.
So many people can't and don't want to think out of the box. I did the wire 2 different ways. In the Rover I poked a hole in the boot at the top of the opening of the hatch and fed the wires through. Then I silicone sealed the hole. Works great as the rain passes around the boot - it's where the other electric wires pass, had to pop open a ceiling panel inside to get access. Method 2 was to run the wires around the hatch (just outside the rubber gasket) to under the hatch opening then over the gasket at the bottom. The water runs of the sides of the gasket and not to the bottom, has worked great while driving in the rain. I haven't had any problem with charging the house batteries off the alternator (generator on Prius). My understanding is that the alternator always has excess power to donate and is sized as if every electrical thing was on running on high at the same time. But I could be wrong. On the restroom side, I am a member of Planet Fitness so I can go to them all over the country. I like to overnight there so I have access to all their facilities. Otherwise a 24 hour walmart, grocery store or hospital work just fine. Thanks for your comments and questions and for watching!
The Permissible Parts per Million known as PPM is 35 ppm. However if you are inside an enclosed space like a vehicle, 25 ppm should be the action level. Source is OSHA standards.
Yes sir. Btw I just bought a 2017 Prius and I'm about to take a road trip from Alabama to Colorado. Might do some stealth car camping. Just checking out how everyone does it
Ben Rhea That is awesome! Wish I had a newer one but I’m happy with my old one. Still runs amazingly well and I get 55-60 mpg still. Have a great trip.
That's a good idea and one I have been working on. The options I have found are the ceramic element type heaters that put out 100 watts to 300 watts at 12v. The reviews on those units were very poor so I have not ordered one to try it. I bought a small 100 watt core ceramic unit that is 12v but I have to rig up a fan, power cord and thermostat. It ended up being a bit too much time and wasn't sure it would put out enough heat. So I'm still on the hunt for the perfect 12v heater. Let me know if you find something interesting. Thanks for your comments and for watching!
The prius is a tight space! I went to the dealer and put down the seats and layed in the back. The salesman was fascinated when I told him what I wanted to do with the Prius.
Do you see many mosquitos or usually other bugs ? Mosquitos aren't attracted to light but our carbon dioxide that we and other warm blooded mammals exhale attracts them.
I live in the mountains of NC and we have sometimes constant rain which can really bring out the bugs and mosquitoes. It is a beautiful 4 seasons place but the high humidity can promote mold and mildew if you don't keep on top of it. This summer was particularly wet. If I leave my door open it must turn on the "Welcome All Bugs" sign.
awesome video, priusstealthcamper! hopefully more people will subscribe to you (like i did) when they see how interesting your uploads are. under-noticed channels like yours and mine could use the attention. : )
I'm 62 years old and if I had the opportunity to watch your videos when I was your age I'm certain I would have been inspired to buy a Prius and modify the hell out of that sucker and try my own hand at stealth camping. As it is, I feel I'm too old and vulnerable to be quite that adventuresome today. I own plenty of guns so I'm not so worried about human predators as I am about being too far from a good hospital LOL. I am a tinkerer myself so I have a real appreciation for what you're doing and I will be keeping my eye out for an opportunity to suggest things that I might have done were I younger and on your journey, if that's okay with you. Love your channel. All have gotten a thumbs up from me so far.
Thanks for your awesome comments! I'm in my 50's and it took a lot of thinking on this before I took the plunge. I slept in my driveway first, then walmart. Hospitals are a great place to camp. I eased into it and it wasn't near as challenging as I thought. Just take whatever vehicle you have and see if you can make a place to sleep. Then use blankets to make some privacy. There is a guy in his 70's that camps in his Prius. You can too! Thanks for subscribing and liking my videos!
John mony hi there! I’m 74 and the only reason I don’t start right away this adventurous project is a “temporary” shortage of cash... wait and see...
Hey John mony, I just turned 68, sold my house, and in two months will hit the roads in my basic outfitted Prius... not letting age stop me! Just wish I could find someone to do some these more complicated PSC-camper conversions, being electrically untalented, heh.
Never too old to take on new adventures
Some great ideas here -I could use a few of these ! I’m subscribed but hadn’t turned on the “ALL” button for notifications so I wasn’t getting your videos for a while !
I will be catching up on them
bought several bug zappers for the house and they are great for the noseeums. about once a week we go around and blow out all the dead bugs. Sure makes sleeping a whole lot better in summer.
we have screens and AC but the buggers still get in. The zappers are effective. Thanks for bringing them to our attention.
Awesome! I went for about 2 months of not checking them and founds 100s of dead knats. It was almost solid black. So cheap, simple and effective. Put them in my moms house too. Also fun when you get a big one that sparks and lights up the evening living room.
Fantastic. I will be starting my travels in November, and this answered so many questions I had. Love the clam shell phone holder. Keep up the excellent work. Whatever you decide to video, I’m sure will be helpful. Thank you.
I'm interested in seeing the video(s) you mentioned doing which show how to take seats out and assessing any car for camping. Thanks!
Nat F cool! I’ve been working on it in my head. I’m going to use my mothers sedan as an example. Should be fun! Thanks for your input.
I'm watching more and more of your vids and I love the compact creativity and all the gadgets I have learned a lot. All the ideas can be worked into any shape pickup camper I end up with, thanks for the time you put into making your vids.
I figure if it can be done in a Prius, it can pretty much be done in any vehicle! Thanks for your great comments and for watching!
This was fun!! Love anything USB! “Dirt cheap. From China”😁😄😆
I love the disco ball, that's hilarious. I would love to see how to get started with the microwave and how does someone with little to no experience with electrical do this? I am not afraid, but need more knowledge of electrical basics. TH-cam will provide some but where to get started would be great.
wow so cool the clamshell phone holder..
never seen that..
your channel is so full of nuggets!
So glad you are enjoying the videos and finding them helpful. I really like the phone holder. It has held up great and is easy to see and control the phone.
Really great video on useful gadgets. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for your kind comment and for watching!
I'm excited about the heated bed AND the pressurized water system! I'm planning on moving into my Prius eventually so I'm in the planning stages. I'd love to see what you come up with! Thanks for the gadget tips!!
So happy to hear you are embarking on a new adventure! Glad to hear you find my videos helpful. I will subscribe to your channel in hopes you will post some videos of your adventures. Thanks for watching!!
...I see I am already subscribed to you!
PriusStealthCamper Adventures Thank you so much!!! I will most likely post my Prius videos to my 'Living Big in a Prius' channel, so if you like, you can subscribe to that one! I will probably post my first video soon, as I am documenting my journey to Prius freedom as well as once I am on the road. I don't know how long it will take (gotta save some money first), but I'm intending sooner than later! Maybe I'll see you on the road some day! :)
Areya S. I’m having trouble finding the channel. Can you post me a link to the channel or a video?
PriusStealthCamper Adventures Here it is! I'll be posting my first video soon!
Great info - thx for sharing!
Jen Clark Glad you liked it. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
How’d you get the dashboard cell phone holder to stick? I cleaned my dashboard but it wouldn’t stick. I even tried quick seal tape and gorilla tape. No go. It will not stick.
Thanks! That's some really good stuff!
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
Wondering if you have a video that shows how you connected the multiple USB ports to .... thx
I don't have one that shows the USB connections. It wasn't a very elegant solution, just ran them around trim and under the mattress, underseats. I got some helpful things. I used a USB splitter and a couple USB extension cords. Get the better cords as 5v drops pretty quick, when that happens the connectors overheat when you charge your energy hungry phone.
I just happened by your videos, love the thought and detail you do! You are OCD! Guess I am too 😛. Really enjoying watching “things done right”!!!
Hehe. I do like things neat and tidy - thanks for your comment and for watching!
Really useful items. TFS
Sure wish you were still in the game. Godspeed.
Great video
So. How did you set up the USB power section?
I made this video on the electrical and usb system. Let me know if this answers your questions: th-cam.com/video/yvq6ObcdFtY/w-d-xo.html
Have you ever considered turning a Prius + into a camper? Just wondering what you think about the pros/cons would be. I enjoy your videos very much. Thanks
I have not checked into the Prius+ but I did have a comment on the Prius V - it is larger but the bigger battery means that the back is not flat when you put the rear seats down. I am not sure about the "+" but need to take a look at it. I am glad you are enjoying the videos and I appreciate your comments!
Pretty good vid, maybe think of bear spray vise personal spray. Bear spray is legal everywhere while some places the other isnt. Besides, the bear spray is 20x more spray and a greater range.
I hang mine in a break away fashion for quick access.
Ciao
Thanks! Good idea - thanks for the tip and for watching.
I think I mentioned on one of your other videos that I'm just starting to look for a Prius V. As a single person I definitely don't need or want either back seat. Just wondering if you ever considered or investigated how to remove seats in a Prius?
Dannie N I’ll see if I can put together a video on how to remove the seats. Thanks for watching!
Here's another Prius dweller that did exactly that and posted an extensive write up on his blog: macaloney.blogspot.com/2016/11/
Joel V He has some great stuff. That would definitely add more storage. Thanks !
Joel V oh that’s Brent...saw his Prius on a couple other channels and he designed a table to fit in the door. That was inventive and interesting as well.
Here’s another one : th-cam.com/video/HmT-lmbjfKc/w-d-xo.html
I’m interested in knowing where you purchase your gadgets? eBay, Ali Express, wish/geek and or fast tech have a lot of gadgets for me but they come on the slow boat from China (other than eBay)
I have been getting mine on Amazon because of their psin-free return system. They have never given me a problem and issue a refund as soon as you drop off the package at a UPS store. I hate waiting for 2 weeks for a package from China.
Just curious PriusStealthCamper.... do you have solar or are you depending exclusivity on the Prius generator?
Chris Barclay I have spent a great deal of time pondering that question. I did a nice solar setup on my Land Rover and I love tinkering with solar. The only way to make solar be an advantage is if I would not put the car in the ON position for greater than 24 hours and stayed in the car in one place. If I ever put the car in the ON position or drive for appx 30 min in 24 hours then my 12v batteries are recharged. If batteries were to get low I can just put in ON and engine will run for 30 sec to a min and recharge the 200v battery and then that battery recharges the 12v batteries with the engine off.
The disadvantages - decreased fuel eco for having roof rack and panel (flexi panels are not durable and mounting is a problem) and loss of stealth (though I found a 50 Watt panel that would fit on the dash). I estimate the mpg loss from my research would be 10-15 mpg for standard roof mount panel, none for dash panel but not great wattage.
I'm thinking that the new 400 watt Goal Zero Yeti Lithium might be the way to go. Weighs just 15 lbs, so you can carry it to your gym, Starbucks or whatever and put a charge on it or use their foldup panel and put that on the roof when parked. I suppose the Prius could be used to also put a charge on it. Trouble is do we trust Lithium? What about a larger flexible panel that could be put in front of a windshield sun shade?
Tell me more about that 50 watt panel.
Chris Barclay rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F151646151228
This is the largest panel I could find that would fit in the windshield or dash and also be stowed in the rear hatch area.
The Yetis are very nice but so expensive. I also am a bit weary of lithium. I had an overheating Samsung phone.
@@timdillen have you ever thought of a roof rack that is open air flow and has the cage around it? You could place the solar panels in there and they would be hidden from passers by and not ruin fuel economy? If you know which one I mean. Hard to explain haha
Please make on for taking seats out! Thanks v
Ack ... I think I bought the wrong cigarette lighter gizmo to get an AC plug for charging a Macbook. It's 160W. Can I use it cautiously or do I need to return it. Finding anything local has been a hassle.
MJ Worcester To pull 160 watts you will need probably a 250-300 Watt inverter. That’s a good bit to pull through a cigarette lighter plug. 160 watts at 110volts down to 12 volts puts you over 13 amps. I wouldn’t run that much power through a cigarette lighter plug. It could overheat and damage your car and Mac.
I don't want to pull 160 watts. I just want to charge my laptop from the power port the safest way. Sales guy said this is what I needed but when I got home and googled it looked like 120 or less for the Prius power port. I'll return it. Is the Prius up to charging a macbook through the factory power port and a less than 120W gizmo? OMG I hate shopping! And electricity. Thanks for the response.
MJ Worcester 120 watts seems reasonable for a 12v Power port. That’s 10 amps. That would be the max I would go. Feel the cables, connectors and Mac for heat. If a plug feels hot then there is a problem.
It’s funny but I went to a solar panel supplier and discussed about transforming my Santa SUV and fitting a solar panel on the roof. Went over like a lead balloon with the sales person and ended up with : the only way you could do this is to drill a hole through my roof top. Silly me. I could simply do like you and pass the wire through the door frame. The balloons where: 1- it will catch in the rain, 2- what about ice, 3-topping up your batteries while driving puts too much strain on the alternator since it is already making everything working. Now the killer question: what do you do about your waste? Sooooo interesting.
So many people can't and don't want to think out of the box. I did the wire 2 different ways. In the Rover I poked a hole in the boot at the top of the opening of the hatch and fed the wires through. Then I silicone sealed the hole. Works great as the rain passes around the boot - it's where the other electric wires pass, had to pop open a ceiling panel inside to get access. Method 2 was to run the wires around the hatch (just outside the rubber gasket) to under the hatch opening then over the gasket at the bottom. The water runs of the sides of the gasket and not to the bottom, has worked great while driving in the rain.
I haven't had any problem with charging the house batteries off the alternator (generator on Prius). My understanding is that the alternator always has excess power to donate and is sized as if every electrical thing was on running on high at the same time. But I could be wrong.
On the restroom side, I am a member of Planet Fitness so I can go to them all over the country. I like to overnight there so I have access to all their facilities. Otherwise a 24 hour walmart, grocery store or hospital work just fine. Thanks for your comments and questions and for watching!
The Permissible Parts per Million known as PPM is 35 ppm. However if you are inside an enclosed space like a vehicle, 25 ppm should be the action level. Source is OSHA standards.
Good Vid....!!!
The strobe feature on those lights isn't meant to scare anyone. It freaking blinds someone. I had a guy I work with that did that to me and it works.
Ben Rhea Good to know! Thanks for the info and thanks for watching.
Yes sir. Btw I just bought a 2017 Prius and I'm about to take a road trip from Alabama to Colorado. Might do some stealth car camping. Just checking out how everyone does it
Ben Rhea That is awesome! Wish I had a newer one but I’m happy with my old one. Still runs amazingly well and I get 55-60 mpg still. Have a great trip.
I have a project for you: to find a 12v heater. Running off an inverter is no ideal. You have to charge the battery. And it’s trickle charging.
That's a good idea and one I have been working on. The options I have found are the ceramic element type heaters that put out 100 watts to 300 watts at 12v. The reviews on those units were very poor so I have not ordered one to try it. I bought a small 100 watt core ceramic unit that is 12v but I have to rig up a fan, power cord and thermostat. It ended up being a bit too much time and wasn't sure it would put out enough heat. So I'm still on the hunt for the perfect 12v heater. Let me know if you find something interesting. Thanks for your comments and for watching!
Aw I wished you lived in London . I buy gadgets but I can't read instructions! 🤣🤣
Hehe! I spend too much money on them and I am not good at reading the instructions either! Thanks for your comment and for watching.
I still can't make up my mind wether to get pyrius or SUV? Or high top or box van? I want a vehicle that will give me good gas miles..
The prius is a tight space! I went to the dealer and put down the seats and layed in the back. The salesman was fascinated when I told him what I wanted to do with the Prius.
Do you see many mosquitos or usually other bugs ? Mosquitos aren't attracted to light but our carbon dioxide that we and other warm blooded mammals exhale attracts them.
I live in the mountains of NC and we have sometimes constant rain which can really bring out the bugs and mosquitoes. It is a beautiful 4 seasons place but the high humidity can promote mold and mildew if you don't keep on top of it. This summer was particularly wet. If I leave my door open it must turn on the "Welcome All Bugs" sign.
You seem to know what your doing son!
awesome video, priusstealthcamper! hopefully more people will subscribe to you (like i did) when they see how interesting your uploads are. under-noticed channels like yours and mine could use the attention. : )
D-rok Roxx Agreed! Thanks for coming along with me. I’ll subscribe to you.
D-rok Roxx I’ll sub to you as well...always here to help a fellow TH-cam’er 👍