I just bought a second generation Prius on March 12th 2024 and my dog and are loving it. I have a small section of Army wool blanket on her passenger seat when we sleep engine off. Last night we tried the climate control and it kept us oath toasty warm in Fairbanks Alaska. We are planning for a trip to the Lower 48 later tbis summer ❤
Great video. Been living in my Toyota Prius for about 7 years, mostly in Miami Beach FL, with extreme heat and humidity outside. I honestly feel like I struck gold with this lifestyle
I live in Miami too but I just rent a small studio that I only sleep After work and my days off I just travel. I bought a Prius with hatchback with the intention of traveling stateside
Been living in my Toyota Prius for over 10 years now, mostly in San Diego California. Retired from my job in San Fransisco. I feel like I struck oil with this lifestyle! Loving it.
I went car camping in my Prius last January. I was in Quartzite, AZ and the night temps were around 40 degrees. I set the heater to 65 degrees with the fan set to low. I used a small fan for ventilation. The engine would come on about every 30 minutes for about a minute to recharge the big battery. I also use the car to run my Engel fridge and my computer. I used about a half gallon of gas a day. 👍
I have had to change my inverter coolant pump twice now. Prius has 135k on it. One thing I learned is that when the accessory is on or the main power is on then this pump always runs whether the engine is running or not. So if you leave your car on overnight that pump is going to be constantly running. Just something to keep in mind and watch and maybe keep a spare one on hand because when they go out you will fry your inverter if you don't fix it. And use a genuine Toyota part for that learned that lesson. The other lesson here is that you can use a Prius to power part of your home when the power is out using an inverter like you use for your microwave and fridge. I did that for a few days once. You can at least keep the refrigerator going and Wi-Fi and a few lights etc and not be booted back to the Stone age
@@ehsanulli'm sure he is, $250 + will cost, triangle will be there, when goes bad, notice when your car is on engine not running, you can hear that electric pump running, and you can see the coolant moving if you open the white fill deposit for the inverter coolant right next to the inverter in the 2nd generation Prius.
Works the same in a Toyota Sienna. Another video I saw said it takes about a gallon of gas per night for AC. So more than a Prius, but still a great deal for the larger space. Great point about looking for steam in the exhaust system!
YES. The whole reason I've Never attempted to do a vehicle conversion is because of the heat in the Summer. Problem FINALLY solved. I can deal with very limited space. I CAN'T deal with sweating my balls off all night though.
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Getting me one SOON. Can't wait. Do u know of any place that checks the health of the battery besides the dealership? Or does the car tell u ? Really my only concern being that whatever one I buy will definitely be used, if not VERY USED. 😆 Hopefully 6k can get me a half decent one. Just don't wanna buy one than find out it needs the battery replaced a week later.
@@life5161 I paid 3100 for mine, it was in like new condition when I bought it. 2006 with 116k. You can test the hybrid battery using an app called Dr Prius and a Bluetooth OBD2 reader like the Carista
Since finding your channel and watching your videos you have me wanting to possibly buy a new Prius do the same thing that you're doing. I had a Dodge ram ProMaster, one of the commercial vans that you could stand up in. It was just two bulky, too big and I wound up selling it after a couple of years. I like the little cozy effect like you have going with your Prius and the fact that it is so stealth you can pretty much park anywhere. I like the idea of being able to use the heat and air during the night too. Anyway, thank you so much for all of the information.
Hey I got a hack for you. You should get black trash bags and put them on the windows roll up the window with them attached and it will make a dark cozy environment.
I've camped with my shorthaired dogs. To keep them warm go to the blanket section of the Goodwill and find a Grandmas knitted afghan lap blanket. They are small in size, usually knitted out of acrylic yarn that makes them water and odor resistant and they can be tossed into a washing machine. They are an open weave compared to a regular blanket but that's what you want bc they provide the loft that forms an insulating wrap for your dog. Just pile it on top of the dog. Be sure its large enough for the dog to sink his nose into it. Dogs give off alot of body heat. Their temperatures run about 101 versus the body heat of a human at 97 or 98. You want to capture the heat in the air pockets of these knitted afghan aphghan blankets. That's why our Grandmas invented them for keeping warm. They make a good lap blanket if you are in the drivers seat snoozing too. I rely on these on my bed at home. Happy Tails to you.
Good ideas, thanks. It's starting to get warm now but I have a winter coat that I put on my dog for while she's sleeping. She won't stay under a blanket, I've tried. Also, I don't like blankets with "rough" type of fabric because my dog sheds a lot in her first sticks to that fabric. Thanks for the info
Prius heat is a complex thing for sure..I had a Gen II Prius myself and I can tell you it's both..electric and coolant produced heat..The coolant flows through a heater core and the fan blows air across the core..BUT when you call for HIGH heat on the control then there are also small electric heaters built into the dash (Only on GEN II **I think**) called PTC Positive Temperature Coefficient So the info you heard was correct on both! The plug in Prius uses a home like heat pump that uses the AC compressor...The whole system basically on the regular hybrid is to minimize the ICE coming on as much as possible to maximize fuel savings.. The Toyota Prius is probably the best car ever made!!!
There will not be any problem with Carbon Monoxide. I am a retired truck driver and had my trucks running with different systems over the years and the was never any issues with Carbon Monoxide. Now if you were using a Propane heater in your vehicle then I would say that you would need to worry about Carbon Monoxide.
What needs to be done is a Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan with a pop top. This would give more room, would allow a 12 volt ac with heat pump, hot water heater, small toilet and tv, microwave.Ac and water hookups for campgrounds.Would be head and shoulders above class b vans and probably 2- 2 1/2 times better mileage
I just can't decide between Hybrid+plug-in vs full electric car! Full electric doesn't need to worry about carbon monoxide and can safely camp during snowstorm! With hybrid I don't think it is safe to leave the climate control on due to snow covering exhaust. But man the MPG and climate control sounds amazing during non-snow season. Electric car still give me range anxiety. Took a ski trip with friend's tesla. Had to keep charging and waste a lot of time. But was able to stay so comfortable in the car overnight with their camp mode, while snowing outside.
And this is why Prius will be my next car. It’s summer & it’s about 70-80 at midnight & it’s humid which makes it uncomfortable. Definitely saving for one
I’ve always limited my camping to October thru December here in the southwest New Mexico. The Prius will expand my camping capabilities in warmer months.
I have this set up. It's fabulous. I didn't remove the back seats and am quite comfortable. My batteries are in the back. Just make sure to have gas in the car. I never use the heater while traveling. AC absolutely.
As a mechanic, do you think it’s ok to leave the car running like this? I think this will shorten the life of the engine and battery as it’s coming on every 10 minutes and not really warming up
I have a 2013 Prius. I'm making plans to move into it. I recently got my hands on a Habitent. Slick! Gives you more room to do things inside the car. It took three or four months to arrive, they're in such high demand. I do recommend only using it in places where you're totally alone or feel really safe. P.S. If I threw back a shot every time you said, "Yeah," I'd be drunk. LOL
Going to hit up the Australian outback next year with my 2007 Prius, will be setting it up just like this. Hopefully it can deal with the heat of northern Australia!
Awe. So glad you put your dog’s bed in the back with you from previous video where he slept alone on front seat. Anyhoot, when sleeping at night in the cold, just pull your dog up to you and snuggle with him underneath your own blankets to keep you both warm. Loved the info about the Prius’ ability to keep AC/heat going all night while sleeping. By the way, for your dog, while traveling, your dog can pick up parasites and such on the ground left by other dogs. So just use Revolution Plus once a month topical on the skin of the scruff of his neck and that will treat and prevent ear mites, fleas, ticks and worms such as round room and hook worm and also mange. It will prevent heart worms If he does not already have heart worms. But it will not treat them if he does have them so be sure and get a heart worm check. Revolution for cats works the same way. All of those listed are painful or uncomfortable for the dog and we humans won’t know the dog is felling bad because he cannot tell us so the Revolution is only once a month and very well worth it for any dog to live a healthy quality life. I learned a lot from your videos and I will subscribe. Great ideas about the inverter and lights and fridge, heck, really everything was good info. Thank you and be safe out there!!!
Thanks, yeah I like my dog to be able to spread out and stretch instead of being cramped in the front seat. But, I don't let her in my sleeping bag because she sheds so bad. I put her in the back when I'm camping in a wilderness spot, but when I'm sleeping at a Walmart or in a city somewhere then I can't really do that. thanks for the suggestion for revolution plus, I'll look into it, I actually just found a massive tick the size of a raisin on my dog yesterday after hiking in the mountains a lot the past few days, and I think she picked up some fleas also because now she's suddenly starting to scratch
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Oh, your dog's a female. Sawy! Well, if you can't share a blanket at least cover her up with her own blanket or better yet, her own zero blanket like maybe a child size. And you can still pull her close to you. She would love your arm around her I just know it. Just don't cover her face unless she tolerates it. You could try a grain free food to help with the shedding and avoid any food with gluten. Dogs and cats do not digest it so it passes through their bodies undigested leaving them hungry quicker. No supermarket stuff unless it's IAMS. I envy your life! When I retire soon I will get out there too. I first have to find out if the Toyota Highlander's hybrid battery works the same as in the Prius so I know the gas engine will recharge the battery throughout the night to keep the AC or heat going. It should but don't know. That alone is a gold nugget of info. Thank you so much!!!
@@MountainSpringsAdventures do you have your dog on a heartworm preventive? If not, I would strongly recommend it. The preventive will protect against fleas and ticks as well and heartworm is almost a death sentence for an older dog. We use Brovecto for our dogs and it works great.
When my Prius is on, the headlights come on and can’t be turned off. How do you turn off your headlights, and keep them off, while you’re sleeping and the Prius is on?
This is all such good information for me....tyvm. I have an Lexus CT 200h (basically the exact same as a Prius under the hood) and was thinking about buying a used truck or SUV to camp and overland. But after watching some of your videos, I think I could do an almost exact build as your Prius - kind of getting excited thinking of the possibilities. Again, thanks for the info and look forward to future vids.
@@conejozanahoria The engine/transmission/hybrid system is exactly the same as a Gen 3 Prius. So yes, the climate control works on a CT as it would on a Prius.
Research this before buying a Toyota hybrid, but I read that not all of the Toyota hybrid vehicles can be left on all night for the AC feature. Some models might shut down after a period of time.
Lock car doors with button on armrest Then engine will remain in ready mode and not shut down after an hour The reason is that Toyota doesn’t want your car running when you’ve forgotten to shut it off If you’ve locked it from the inside then the car knows you’re in it It will then let you decide how long to run it
Man I am such a fan of the Prius and Sienna hybrids for car camping, but my main detracting factor that is rarely discussed is the noise. As a tent camper, I can attest to the fact that state parks at night can be very quiet and spaces can be close together. A car engine starting up and running continually through the night is very disruptive and some parks have rules about idling your car at night.
Pretty sure the heat is elec and also uses coolant. I know for a fact there is a (for lack of better words) mini radiator in the exhaust pipe under the car that the exhaust flows through. If you ever jack your car up you will notice two coolant hoses going the the exhaust about where the driver seat is. Its like a square block attached to the exhaust pipe with coolant hoses going to it.
@@user-kx1lz8xz1m I don’t know, but those coolant lines at the exhaust are to warm the engine up quicker as far as I know. Has nothing to do with cabin heat.
I wonder if you put some thinsulate cloth on the windows if you could use even less gas. It would also make for great window covers for privacy and light in the mornings.
Almost right on the heat , it is off of the engine coolant, with one exception, the engine runs with no coolant running threw the engine until it gets up to temp. then the coolant starts to run through the engine to keep it cool. That's why it starts to get warm about 60 seconds after you turn the heat on.
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Yes, but half the gas mileage, which is fine if you are not driving the entire country. The van will be the one I get, I need more room, lol.
Thanks for this. I've got a Prius and plan on using the climate control. I'm wondering if the car going on and off would be a problem for stealth camping in more public spaces...if it would bother other campers at a campsite or make you less stealth at a Walmart parking lot? Any experience or thoughts? Also, do you find the noise or vibrations caused by the car coming on a problem when trying to sleep? Thanks
I always sleep right through the engine kicking on at night. I try not to park close to cars or close to other people sleeping at a campsite when my climate control is on all night, but I've never had anyone tell me my engine was waking them up. I even parked like five spaces down from someone sleeping in their car and it was fine. But, a cop knocked on my window at 2 in the morning one time because he heard my engine kicking on and off oh, that was in a Walmart parking lot
I have an RV and am in Walmart parking lots a lot. Never been kicked out of a Walmart, but we use the iOverlander app to find ones that are good. In general, most places that might kick you out will kick out anyone who’s there and who doesn’t belong. Stealth is overrated. The few times we’ve been asked to leave, there was someone whose job it was to ensure that nobody was in the lot. Also, if you move even a little bit in the vehicle, it’ll bounce. It’s hard to hide.
The heat kicks the engine on more because your engine heats your car, it turns on less when you use a plug in heater because it doesn't use the engine except to charge the battery.
What do you use for internet while in your Prius? Mobile hotspot, your cell phone? Do you still use your Jackery to power all of your electrical devices?
To use the internet on my tablet or laptop I have to park outside somewhere that has internet so I can pick up on the Wi-Fi but I plan on switching to visible cell phone service because they have unlimited mobile hotspot
Is cracking the windows a bit and while using a fan an option for you? Maybe by putting the fan up to the window to bring in air? I've gotten by with this method as it usually cools off in the late evenings where I live.
I mean! You can run the heater and AC on a reg van... You just need to let the engine idle 😅. Cost depends on engine size! Smaller the cheaper! Great vid
How are you powering that 12v portable fridge? Is it going into just the basic cigarette lighter? If so, is that connection running off the hybrid battery then? And just to be clear, you have an inverter going straight into the small starting battery, and that gets charged via the hybrid battery? Any idea how big of an inverter you can do that type of connection with? Thanks!
Hello, were can I have someone set me up with all the electrical set-up like yours, and roughly how much will it cost to install. I don't think I can do it myself and the time. Please advise. Thank you.
I'm not sure, maybe you can try a car stereo shop? I've never heard of anyone offering to do this stuff except stereo shops to install power inverters. There are shops that custom buiild camper vans though
I've tried sleeping in the prius with the a/c on. Every time the engine turns back on the car shakes a little and wakes me up. The prius can run all night with the battery running the a/c and the engine has to turn back on to charge it up. I have a 3rd gen prius plugin, I will have to test charging up the battery to 100% and not using EV mode to see if that's enough to run to a/c all night without kicking back on the engine.
* No bed platforms in small vehicles! You won't have enough room to sit up straight & move around in such a small interior. Also, sleeping on the floor, BELOW the windows gives you more privacy. * The smaller the vehicle, the less building you should do! Just live in a Prius like a long distance pack packer would; less & light is MORE! Happy Trails from a 12yr nomad.
Does anyone know if there are other hybrid electric/gas vehicles that have this? The Honda CR-V, for instance? Just wondering for a bigger size vehicle but would love the climate control myself. Thanks.
I'm considering a prius because I get physically sick if it's too hot. I work in the city so I'll have to do stealth camping. When you mention the gas engine turning on every 5 or 10 minutes does that make a lot of noise?
Hey, dude! I love your videos. I'm seriously considering getting a Toyota to do this too. Your videos are really helpful! I know I'm a year late here, lol, but I wanted to offer some advice for keeping the dog warm at night. Igloo dog houses work really well. Now, I assume you won't want to take up the space in your car with one of those; I know I sure wouldn't. But maybe work with something with the same concept. Maybe one of those little cubes they make for cats? IDK exactly how to explain it. It's like soft blanket material. It's firm enough to hold it's shape but still could probalby be smashed down. IDK exactly what would work, but there's a seed to grow some ideas from.
3:28 I'm guessing it's a basic heat pump, i.e., an air conditioner running in the opposite direction. Technology Connections has an excellent recent video explaining these.
The standard Prius uses the heat from the engine. Only PHEV uses electric to heat the cabin, usually a water heater on the coolant. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has a 5kW water heater. I do not know What the Prius PHEV have.
I left my Camry on most of the night last summer to run the AC, as it was so hot in Colorado last summer, and as a result had lots of carbon buildup in my engine.
A $50 dehumidifier might be an idea if you don't have ventilation. Peltier technology mimics the window effect by using a ceramic plate one side hot and one side cold just like condensation on a window. It uses tiny anount of electric and will reduce the temp unlike larger compressor units which generate a LOT of heat. Depending on climate this could be a plus or a minus. If you have AC on no need for this.
Hi! I am heading out to Colorado from the east coast on my Prius tomorrow!!! You've been a huge inspiration I, and a wealth of knowledge. I am a female traveler, and I'm concerned about the car doors remaining locked while I'm sleeping inside the car since I have the keys with me. Is there a way to prevent this? Thank you.
Cool, have fun, I would love to back out to Colorado, its insanely beautiful out there. What year Prius do you have? I just lock my doors and they stay locked, no issues. Other gens might have an issue, ive heard about it, but theres a way to fix it
@@MountainSpringsAdventures i have a 2015 Prius. Safety is a huge issue for females. I want him you at the BLM lands and I get jealous. Not sure I would feel at ease.
@@allisonboston5738 Hi Allison! I’m also in Massachusetts. I had an amazing trip, and was able to keep my doors locked without a problem. Just make sure you lock the doors manually before going to bed. Awesome experience!
@@MountainSpringsAdventures i saw a video on another site where a woman just chained both doors toeach other, and unchain when ready,perfect solution to safety
Does it do any harm on your accessory battery? I have a toyota kluger hybrid and I want to set it up like what you did, i am just worried if it will decrease the life span of the battery. My second option is to put a second battery paralled to the accessory battery.i need your thoughts please. Thank you
I'm late to the game here, my question is, what is this "ready on" mode? I had a 2012 Prius C and never heard of it, nor had I seen anything about ut in the manual. As far as I knew, just starting the car and letting it idle would do this. Maybe the C doesn't have this feature? It didn't have a button start, either,just started the old fashion way with a key. I miss that car!
I have same idea, to make a plug for recharge you hybrid battery so the engine will not run to recharge only if the ac comsums more engine than the charger can handle
Just got a prius V and am so excited to try climate control for camping! Question: is there any way to turn the display off? or do you sleep with it blocked?
Do you know if the rav4 hybrid engine can have this climate control also ? I have been trying to find out but no luck so far. I know the Prime does but I have an older 2016 hybrid model, not prime.
I deliver pizza in my 07 prius... I'm wondering if I should leave it running or turn off between deliveries? Between deliveries can range from 2min-15min
Are you able to lock your car while you’re in it? One time I slept in my Prius with it locked & everything off. When I woke up, the battery was dead. I had the key inside the car so maybe that was draining it somehow?
Hey Bo, great information. I always wondered why so many full timers preferred a Prius. I see this an older video but I was curious how many years back has Toyota had this system in their Prius. Basically, what is the earliest model year you can buy this great set up?
2004. The first-gen 2001-2003 Prius doesn't have electric A/C. However, it has a "cold-storage" evaporator core that keeps blowing cold when the engine (and thus the compressor) is stopped. The engine will eventually have to idle to replenish the cold reserve in the evaporator. Typically during an 85-degree sunny day, my 2002 will idle for about 20-30 seconds and shut off for about 45 seconds to a minute.
I have a gen 2 Prius like the one in the video and there are not daytime running lights all the time. You can turn on dim "parking lights" but I always leave them off, so no lights on the outside, even while the car is running. The dash is annoyingly bright when trying to sleep, so what you do is turn off the LCD screen: Go to "display" and press "screen off". Then you just place some object in front of the upper illuminated panel (Turning its brightness down does not work, because you can't adjust brightness with headlights off for some reason).
I just bought a second generation Prius on March 12th 2024 and my dog and are loving it. I have a small section of Army wool blanket on her passenger seat when we sleep engine off. Last night we tried the climate control and it kept us oath toasty warm in Fairbanks Alaska. We are planning for a trip to the Lower 48 later tbis summer ❤
Great video. Been living in my Toyota Prius for about 7 years, mostly in Miami Beach FL, with extreme heat and humidity outside. I honestly feel like I struck gold with this lifestyle
What made you start living in your car? This lifestyle is fascinating
I live in Miami too but I just rent a small studio that I only sleep After work and my days off I just travel. I bought a Prius with hatchback with the intention of traveling stateside
I can't imagine choosing to live in a place so humid.
Have you had any battery issues doing this? How often are you living inside?
Can you tell me if it wears down the battery faster running the car over time ?
Been living in my Toyota Prius for over 10 years now, mostly in San Diego California. Retired from my job in San Fransisco. I feel like I struck oil with this lifestyle! Loving it.
Why do you love it so much?
I went car camping in my Prius last January. I was in Quartzite, AZ and the night temps were around 40 degrees. I set the heater to 65 degrees with the fan set to low. I used a small fan for ventilation. The engine would come on about every 30 minutes for about a minute to recharge the big battery. I also use the car to run my Engel fridge and my computer. I used about a half gallon of gas a day. 👍
thats awesome, sounds about right. every 30 minutes is awesome
That’s so tight. It’s just like a generator! I gotta get a hybrid for my next car camper.
@@MountainSpringsAdventures doesn’t the staring of the engine wake you up ?
@@kenkuchnicki9012 nope
But the prius heater gets its heat from the engine. Not the battery
I have had to change my inverter coolant pump twice now. Prius has 135k on it. One thing I learned is that when the accessory is on or the main power is on then this pump always runs whether the engine is running or not. So if you leave your car on overnight that pump is going to be constantly running. Just something to keep in mind and watch and maybe keep a spare one on hand because when they go out you will fry your inverter if you don't fix it. And use a genuine Toyota part for that learned that lesson. The other lesson here is that you can use a Prius to power part of your home when the power is out using an inverter like you use for your microwave and fridge. I did that for a few days once. You can at least keep the refrigerator going and Wi-Fi and a few lights etc and not be booted back to the Stone age
Are you talking about electric water pump?
@@ehsanulli'm sure he is, $250 + will cost, triangle will be there, when goes bad, notice when your car is on engine not running, you can hear that electric pump running, and you can see the coolant moving if you open the white fill deposit for the inverter coolant right next to the inverter in the 2nd generation Prius.
What a awesome dog you have guy, keep her safe any happy forever
Thanks, yes I agree!
Works the same in a Toyota Sienna. Another video I saw said it takes about a gallon of gas per night for AC. So more than a Prius, but still a great deal for the larger space.
Great point about looking for steam in the exhaust system!
really do u think the van is better ??
Interesting you chose the driver side. I use the opposite moving the seat fully up with cut out plywood for the base.
YES. The whole reason I've Never attempted to do a vehicle conversion is because of the heat in the Summer. Problem FINALLY solved. I can deal with very limited space. I CAN'T deal with sweating my balls off all night though.
Yeah the heat in the summer was the number one problem I had, glad it was helpful
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Getting me one SOON. Can't wait. Do u know of any place that checks the health of the battery besides the dealership? Or does the car tell u ? Really my only concern being that whatever one I buy will definitely be used, if not VERY USED. 😆 Hopefully 6k can get me a half decent one. Just don't wanna buy one than find out it needs the battery replaced a week later.
@@life5161 I paid 3100 for mine, it was in like new condition when I bought it. 2006 with 116k. You can test the hybrid battery using an app called Dr Prius and a Bluetooth OBD2 reader like the Carista
@@MountainSpringsAdventures NICE. I actually have that exact app and OBD2 Reader. Awesome 👌 Thanks
@@MountainSpringsAdventures great tip
Since finding your channel and watching your videos you have me wanting to possibly buy a new Prius do the same thing that you're doing. I had a Dodge ram ProMaster, one of the commercial vans that you could stand up in. It was just two bulky, too big and I wound up selling it after a couple of years. I like the little cozy effect like you have going with your Prius and the fact that it is so stealth you can pretty much park anywhere. I like the idea of being able to use the heat and air during the night too. Anyway, thank you so much for all of the information.
You've convinced me this is a great hack for being on the road. Smart!
Hey I got a hack for you.
You should get black trash bags and put them on the windows roll up the window with them attached and it will make a dark cozy environment.
Yup and cheap insulation
I've camped with my shorthaired dogs. To keep them warm go to the blanket section of the Goodwill and find a Grandmas knitted afghan lap blanket. They are small in size, usually knitted out of acrylic yarn that makes them water and odor resistant and they can be tossed into a washing machine. They are an open weave compared to a regular blanket but that's what you want bc they provide the loft that forms an insulating wrap for your dog. Just pile it on top of the dog. Be sure its large enough for the dog to sink his nose into it. Dogs give off alot of body heat. Their temperatures run about 101 versus the body heat of a human at 97 or 98. You want to capture the heat in the air pockets of these knitted afghan aphghan blankets. That's why our Grandmas invented them for keeping warm. They make a good lap blanket if you are in the drivers seat snoozing too. I rely on these on my bed at home. Happy Tails to you.
Good ideas, thanks. It's starting to get warm now but I have a winter coat that I put on my dog for while she's sleeping. She won't stay under a blanket, I've tried. Also, I don't like blankets with "rough" type of fabric because my dog sheds a lot in her first sticks to that fabric. Thanks for the info
Prius heat is a complex thing for sure..I had a Gen II Prius myself and I can tell you it's both..electric and coolant produced heat..The coolant flows through a heater core and the fan blows air across the core..BUT when you call for HIGH heat on the control then there are also small electric heaters built into the dash (Only on GEN II **I think**) called PTC Positive Temperature Coefficient So the info you heard was correct on both! The plug in Prius uses a home like heat pump that uses the AC compressor...The whole system basically on the regular hybrid is to minimize the ICE coming on as much as possible to maximize fuel savings.. The Toyota Prius is probably the best car ever made!!!
Putting a carbon monoxide detector on the ceiling is a really smart move. Great video!
Thank you!
carbon monoxide is heavier then air. put the detector below the level of your head when you sleep and keep it there all the time.
😮🙏🏼
Carbon monoxide is lighter than aur
How does carbon monoxide get created? In car , enough oxygen if sleeping over 8 hrs
There will not be any problem with Carbon Monoxide. I am a retired truck driver and had my trucks running with different systems over the years and the was never any issues with Carbon Monoxide. Now if you were using a Propane heater in your vehicle then I would say that you would need to worry about Carbon Monoxide.
thx
@@cliffordmeberg1443
Your puppy dog looks so content. Livin' the dream! ☺️
What needs to be done is a Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan with a pop top. This would give more room, would allow a 12 volt ac with heat pump, hot water heater, small toilet and tv, microwave.Ac and water hookups for campgrounds.Would be head and shoulders above class b vans and probably 2- 2 1/2 times better mileage
Limo tent in the back half is a huge plus for privacy.
I just can't decide between Hybrid+plug-in vs full electric car! Full electric doesn't need to worry about carbon monoxide and can safely camp during snowstorm! With hybrid I don't think it is safe to leave the climate control on due to snow covering exhaust. But man the MPG and climate control sounds amazing during non-snow season. Electric car still give me range anxiety. Took a ski trip with friend's tesla. Had to keep charging and waste a lot of time. But was able to stay so comfortable in the car overnight with their camp mode, while snowing outside.
I just set temp, recline driver seat flat, put on black wool cap over eyes and sleep comfortably
And this is why Prius will be my next car. It’s summer & it’s about 70-80 at midnight & it’s humid which makes it uncomfortable. Definitely saving for one
I’ve always limited my camping to October thru December here in the southwest New Mexico. The Prius will expand my camping capabilities in warmer months.
thanks so much! will be living out of an 04 Prius very soon so these videos are amazing
Thanks, good luck with your Prius!
Awesome set up. I'd recommend getting a security plate installed over your catalytic converter tho
Good call!
I have this set up. It's fabulous. I didn't remove the back seats and am quite comfortable. My batteries are in the back. Just make sure to have gas in the car. I never use the heater while traveling. AC absolutely.
Toyota mecanic here. im from norway. love your setup
As a mechanic, do you think it’s ok to leave the car running like this? I think this will shorten the life of the engine and battery as it’s coming on every 10 minutes and not really warming up
I have a 2013 Prius. I'm making plans to move into it. I recently got my hands on a Habitent. Slick! Gives you more room to do things inside the car. It took three or four months to arrive, they're in such high demand. I do recommend only using it in places where you're totally alone or feel really safe. P.S. If I threw back a shot every time you said, "Yeah," I'd be drunk. LOL
That's cool, I was thinking about a habitat but I don't think I'm going to get one, I'd want to get an SUV tent instead
I got a Habitent, too.
There's these fans called o2cool box they're about a 10" fan $20 WMT. 5-7 watts. Use them to stay cool. Use electric blanket heating pad for winter .
Going to hit up the Australian outback next year with my 2007 Prius, will be setting it up just like this. Hopefully it can deal with the heat of northern Australia!
That little heater can heat a 10x10 room. Put it on an outlet timer to cycle it throughout the night if too hot.
I hope you are enjoying your time in Silent Hill. In used to go there all the time with my wife.
Awe. So glad you put your dog’s bed in the back with you from previous video where he slept alone on front seat. Anyhoot, when sleeping at night in the cold, just pull your dog up to you and snuggle with him underneath your own blankets to keep you both warm. Loved the info about the Prius’ ability to keep AC/heat going all night while sleeping. By the way, for your dog, while traveling, your dog can pick up parasites and such on the ground left by other dogs. So just use Revolution Plus once a month topical on the skin of the scruff of his neck and that will treat and prevent ear mites, fleas, ticks and worms such as round room and hook worm and also mange. It will prevent heart worms If he does not already have heart worms. But it will not treat them if he does have them so be sure and get a heart worm check. Revolution for cats works the same way. All of those listed are painful or uncomfortable for the dog and we humans won’t know the dog is felling bad because he cannot tell us so the Revolution is only once a month and very well worth it for any dog to live a healthy quality life. I learned a lot from your videos and I will subscribe. Great ideas about the inverter and lights and fridge, heck, really everything was good info. Thank you and be safe out there!!!
Thanks, yeah I like my dog to be able to spread out and stretch instead of being cramped in the front seat. But, I don't let her in my sleeping bag because she sheds so bad. I put her in the back when I'm camping in a wilderness spot, but when I'm sleeping at a Walmart or in a city somewhere then I can't really do that.
thanks for the suggestion for revolution plus, I'll look into it, I actually just found a massive tick the size of a raisin on my dog yesterday after hiking in the mountains a lot the past few days, and I think she picked up some fleas also because now she's suddenly starting to scratch
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Oh, your dog's a female. Sawy! Well, if you can't share a blanket at least cover her up with her own blanket or better yet, her own zero blanket like maybe a child size. And you can still pull her close to you. She would love your arm around her I just know it. Just don't cover her face unless she tolerates it. You could try a grain free food to help with the shedding and avoid any food with gluten. Dogs and cats do not digest it so it passes through their bodies undigested leaving them hungry quicker. No supermarket stuff unless it's IAMS. I envy your life! When I retire soon I will get out there too. I first have to find out if the Toyota Highlander's hybrid battery works the same as in the Prius so I know the gas engine will recharge the battery throughout the night to keep the AC or heat going. It should but don't know. That alone is a gold nugget of info. Thank you so much!!!
@@MountainSpringsAdventures do you have your dog on a heartworm preventive? If not, I would strongly recommend it. The preventive will protect against fleas and ticks as well and heartworm is almost a death sentence for an older dog. We use Brovecto for our dogs and it works great.
@@firegal2k thanks for the info. yeah the Highlander hybrid should do the climate control feature from what I've been told.
@@bryanh_yjg yes I do, heartguard
That's one happy lookin' dog. So cute!!!🐕🐕🐕
When my Prius is on, the headlights come on and can’t be turned off. How do you turn off your headlights, and keep them off, while you’re sleeping and the Prius is on?
Very in depth walk-through, nice setup! Hoping to do this soon
Glad it was helpful!
@@MountainSpringsAdventures what year is you car? great job man!
This is all such good information for me....tyvm. I have an Lexus CT 200h (basically the exact same as a Prius under the hood) and was thinking about buying a used truck or SUV to camp and overland. But after watching some of your videos, I think I could do an almost exact build as your Prius - kind of getting excited thinking of the possibilities. Again, thanks for the info and look forward to future vids.
Glad it helped, good luck
I wanted that car pretty bad. It's like a prius but prettier.
Does the Lexus CT 200h have that feature too? Could someone confirm what year? Thank you
@@conejozanahoria The engine/transmission/hybrid system is exactly the same as a Gen 3 Prius. So yes, the climate control works on a CT as it would on a Prius.
@@EZee213 That's great to know. Thank you for your response. I sincerely appreciate it.
This is the best video on the prius' air qnd heat. Thanks.
Research this before buying a Toyota hybrid, but I read that not all of the Toyota hybrid vehicles can be left on all night for the AC feature. Some models might shut down after a period of time.
That shut off feature can be overridden in the car menu.
Lock car doors with button on armrest Then engine will remain in ready mode and not shut down after an hour The reason is that Toyota doesn’t want your car running when you’ve forgotten to shut it off If you’ve locked it from the inside then the car knows you’re in it It will then let you decide how long to run it
Man I am such a fan of the Prius and Sienna hybrids for car camping, but my main detracting factor that is rarely discussed is the noise. As a tent camper, I can attest to the fact that state parks at night can be very quiet and spaces can be close together. A car engine starting up and running continually through the night is very disruptive and some parks have rules about idling your car at night.
Have you owned a Prius 😂
That gas engine cycling on and off is incredibly quiet. Users of this aspect of climate control have found no complaints from nearby neighbors.
@@susanevans1294 appreciate you sharing your experience. Some of our state parks have sites 5-10 feet apart. Would that still be okay?
Dude have you heard a prius engine idling? You can't hear it
No, I haven’t.
Pretty sure the heat is elec and also uses coolant. I know for a fact there is a (for lack of better words) mini radiator in the exhaust pipe under the car that the exhaust flows through. If you ever jack your car up you will notice two coolant hoses going the the exhaust about where the driver seat is. Its like a square block attached to the exhaust pipe with coolant hoses going to it.
Why do you point this out? Is it dangerous for the health or costly to run or repair?
@@user-kx1lz8xz1m I don’t know, but those coolant lines at the exhaust are to warm the engine up quicker as far as I know. Has nothing to do with cabin heat.
GREAT VIDEO! I plan to refit my 2008 for travel. Happy trails.
thanks and good luck!
Toyota. “Let’s go places..”
I wonder if you put some thinsulate cloth on the windows if you could use even less gas. It would also make for great window covers for privacy and light in the mornings.
Almost right on the heat , it is off of the engine coolant, with one exception, the engine runs with no coolant running threw the engine until it gets up to temp. then the coolant starts to run through the engine to keep it cool. That's why it starts to get warm about 60 seconds after you turn the heat on.
Thanks for the info
WHat the world needs is a PRius VAN
There is a Toyota sienna hybrid and it has the climate control feature from what I have been told
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Yes, but half the gas mileage, which is fine if you are not driving the entire country. The van will be the one I get, I need more room, lol.
Hybrid Sienna definitely has the same feature.
Great info, nice camper set up. I'm thinking of putting one together ad a ski camp instead of $150 hotels...
Sounds great!
Thank you for the info and video. Blessings in your days.
Thanks, same to you!
Ingenious! I never knew! Thanks!!
You're welcome, glad it was helpful
Thanks for this. I've got a Prius and plan on using the climate control. I'm wondering if the car going on and off would be a problem for stealth camping in more public spaces...if it would bother other campers at a campsite or make you less stealth at a Walmart parking lot? Any experience or thoughts? Also, do you find the noise or vibrations caused by the car coming on a problem when trying to sleep? Thanks
I always sleep right through the engine kicking on at night. I try not to park close to cars or close to other people sleeping at a campsite when my climate control is on all night, but I've never had anyone tell me my engine was waking them up. I even parked like five spaces down from someone sleeping in their car and it was fine. But, a cop knocked on my window at 2 in the morning one time because he heard my engine kicking on and off oh, that was in a Walmart parking lot
When you sleep with the climate control on, put the e-brake on or else the car will rock back and forth a little bit every time the engine kicks on
@@MountainSpringsAdventures Thanks!
I have an RV and am in Walmart parking lots a lot. Never been kicked out of a Walmart, but we use the iOverlander app to find ones that are good.
In general, most places that might kick you out will kick out anyone who’s there and who doesn’t belong. Stealth is overrated. The few times we’ve been asked to leave, there was someone whose job it was to ensure that nobody was in the lot.
Also, if you move even a little bit in the vehicle, it’ll bounce. It’s hard to hide.
Is the Prius engine kick started like some motorcycles? My ice Toyotas all have electric starter motors.
The heat kicks the engine on more because your engine heats your car, it turns on less when you use a plug in heater because it doesn't use the engine except to charge the battery.
What do you use for internet while in your Prius? Mobile hotspot, your cell phone? Do you still use your Jackery to power all of your electrical devices?
To use the internet on my tablet or laptop I have to park outside somewhere that has internet so I can pick up on the Wi-Fi but I plan on switching to visible cell phone service because they have unlimited mobile hotspot
@@MountainSpringsAdventures I was going to recommend them, you read my mind. 👍🏾
Is cracking the windows a bit and while using a fan an option for you? Maybe by putting the fan up to the window to bring in air? I've gotten by with this method as it usually cools off in the late evenings where I live.
I mean! You can run the heater and AC on a reg van... You just need to let the engine idle 😅. Cost depends on engine size! Smaller the cheaper!
Great vid
Great video and really nice voice. It seems to soothe me. Lol
How are you powering that 12v portable fridge? Is it going into just the basic cigarette lighter? If so, is that connection running off the hybrid battery then? And just to be clear, you have an inverter going straight into the small starting battery, and that gets charged via the hybrid battery? Any idea how big of an inverter you can do that type of connection with? Thanks!
Thanks!! Have a great day!! 👍
Thank you too
So forgive my ignorance but the key is in the ignition so the car is on, we set the desired temp and thats it? Just lock yourself in and sleep?
Yes that's all, just leave the Prius in ready mode and it will keep the temperature inside what you said it at all night long
Hello, were can I have someone set me up with all the electrical set-up like yours, and roughly how much will it cost to install. I don't think I can do it myself and the time. Please advise. Thank you.
I'm not sure, maybe you can try a car stereo shop? I've never heard of anyone offering to do this stuff except stereo shops to install power inverters. There are shops that custom buiild camper vans though
I've tried sleeping in the prius with the a/c on. Every time the engine turns back on the car shakes a little and wakes me up. The prius can run all night with the battery running the a/c and the engine has to turn back on to charge it up. I have a 3rd gen prius plugin, I will have to test charging up the battery to 100% and not using EV mode to see if that's enough to run to a/c all night without kicking back on the engine.
Thank you for sharing! Do you have a video on how you removed the seats and built a "bed frame"?
* No bed platforms in small vehicles! You won't have enough room to sit up straight & move around in such a small interior. Also, sleeping on the floor, BELOW the windows gives you more privacy. * The smaller the vehicle, the less building you should do! Just live in a Prius like a long distance pack packer would; less & light is MORE! Happy Trails from a 12yr nomad.
Does anyone know if there are other hybrid electric/gas vehicles that have this? The Honda CR-V, for instance? Just wondering for a bigger size vehicle but would love the climate control myself. Thanks.
Stick with reliable Toyotas, they've been doing hybrids for decades now. *Toyota Sienna hybrid van or the Highlander are large interior rigs.
I'm considering a prius because I get physically sick if it's too hot. I work in the city so I'll have to do stealth camping. When you mention the gas engine turning on every 5 or 10 minutes does that make a lot of noise?
where we can buy that air bed? It looks great
Hey, dude! I love your videos. I'm seriously considering getting a Toyota to do this too. Your videos are really helpful!
I know I'm a year late here, lol, but I wanted to offer some advice for keeping the dog warm at night. Igloo dog houses work really well. Now, I assume you won't want to take up the space in your car with one of those; I know I sure wouldn't. But maybe work with something with the same concept. Maybe one of those little cubes they make for cats? IDK exactly how to explain it. It's like soft blanket material. It's firm enough to hold it's shape but still could probalby be smashed down. IDK exactly what would work, but there's a seed to grow some ideas from.
Love love it
I damaged my engine by running ac while idling too long.
U sure this won't damage anything?
If.so I'm in to getting a hybrid.
have,you idea on ypu hybrid toyota how much radiation elmf from battery theres? and you sleep on it so un healty and cause cancer?
3:28 I'm guessing it's a basic heat pump, i.e., an air conditioner running in the opposite direction. Technology Connections has an excellent recent video explaining these.
thanks!
The standard Prius uses the heat from the engine.
Only PHEV uses electric to heat the cabin, usually a water heater on the coolant. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has a 5kW water heater.
I do not know What the Prius PHEV have.
No, gen 2 has a standard compressor that only goes one way. Heater is used via the engine.
Cool.... now I am thinking of hybrid car only cause this camp mode !
Good choice!
I would try setting it as the low with 65 and the high as 85 it’ll turn on for a lil longer but it’ll kick in less lol
How about the headlights on? Mine cannot turn off headlights when the car is on.. how can I sleep at night when my headlights are on?😊
I left my Camry on most of the night last summer to run the AC, as it was so hot in Colorado last summer, and as a result had lots of carbon buildup in my engine.
What part of the engine did carbon build up?
Im guessing this is a traditional Camry not hybrid Camry?
A $50 dehumidifier might be an idea if you don't have ventilation. Peltier technology mimics the window effect by using a ceramic plate one side hot and one side cold just like condensation on a window. It uses tiny anount of electric and will reduce the temp unlike larger compressor units which generate a LOT of heat. Depending on climate this could be a plus or a minus.
If you have AC on no need for this.
Can you get your amazing posters a heating pad to sleep on for cold days?
Do you have a microwave in the Prius as well? And how does it run. Thank you
Hi! I am heading out to Colorado from the east coast on my Prius tomorrow!!! You've been a huge inspiration I, and a wealth of knowledge. I am a female traveler, and I'm concerned about the car doors remaining locked while I'm sleeping inside the car since I have the keys with me. Is there a way to prevent this? Thank you.
Cool, have fun, I would love to back out to Colorado, its insanely beautiful out there. What year Prius do you have? I just lock my doors and they stay locked, no issues. Other gens might have an issue, ive heard about it, but theres a way to fix it
@@MountainSpringsAdventures i have a 2015 Prius. Safety is a huge issue for females. I want him you at the BLM lands and I get jealous. Not sure I would feel at ease.
@@JV-pd8wg I have a 2015 as well. Were you able to keep your doors locked while inside the car? TIA
@@allisonboston5738 Hi Allison! I’m also in Massachusetts. I had an amazing trip, and was able to keep my doors locked without a problem. Just make sure you lock the doors manually before going to bed. Awesome experience!
@@MountainSpringsAdventures i saw a video on another site where a woman just chained both doors toeach other, and unchain when ready,perfect solution to safety
Does it do any harm on your accessory battery? I have a toyota kluger hybrid and I want to set it up like what you did, i am just worried if it will decrease the life span of the battery. My second option is to put a second battery paralled to the accessory battery.i need your thoughts please. Thank you
I'm late to the game here, my question is, what is this "ready on" mode? I had a 2012 Prius C and never heard of it, nor had I seen anything about ut in the manual. As far as I knew, just starting the car and letting it idle would do this. Maybe the C doesn't have this feature? It didn't have a button start, either,just started the old fashion way with a key. I miss that car!
I have same idea, to make a plug for recharge you hybrid battery so the engine will not run to recharge only if the ac comsums more engine than the charger can handle
ANOTHER GREAT VIDEO MOUNTAIN SPRINGS!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 CONTENT.
Thanks! Glad you are enjoying the vids!
Just got a prius V and am so excited to try climate control for camping! Question: is there any way to turn the display off? or do you sleep with it blocked?
Go to settings and find display there will be an option to shut display off. Touch screen to turn it back on
Do you know if the rav4 hybrid engine can have this climate control also ? I have been trying to find out but no luck so far. I know the Prime does but I have an older 2016 hybrid model, not prime.
Unfortunately, only models of rav4 2019 and above
I deliver pizza in my 07 prius... I'm wondering if I should leave it running or turn off between deliveries? Between deliveries can range from 2min-15min
Wonder if it will do the same for new sequoia hybrid
Does your prius turn off automatic? I have a 22 and it turns off by itself after sometime. I did not see any settings to change this
Are you able to lock your car while you’re in it? One time I slept in my Prius with it locked & everything off. When I woke up, the battery was dead. I had the key inside the car so maybe that was draining it somehow?
Great videos keep them coming 🙏
Thanks!
Great vehicle for that sort of lifestyle but what can’t figure out is why no one lives in a Prius V? It’s more spacious & almost as efficient.
it's more expensive than gen 2 or 3.
Bless you for this tutorial
If they made a hybrid van/rv system with advanced climate control options, solar, and a bathroom that would be insane.
You should get custom hightop roof installed
Hi, how loud is it when the engine kicks on? Can I park in the city and still be stealthy? Greets&thx from Europe :)
Will this feature work with a Honda CRV hybrid or Toyota RAV4 hybrid as well?
Why not just use a Jackery instead of over-straining the Hybrid battery?
Would this eventually deplete the cells in the hybrid battery from doing this every night for long periods of time months etc…
Hey Bo, great information. I always wondered why so many full timers preferred a Prius. I see this an older video but I was curious how many years back has Toyota had this system in their Prius. Basically, what is the earliest model year you can buy this great set up?
2004. The first-gen 2001-2003 Prius doesn't have electric A/C. However, it has a "cold-storage" evaporator core that keeps blowing cold when the engine (and thus the compressor) is stopped. The engine will eventually have to idle to replenish the cold reserve in the evaporator. Typically during an 85-degree sunny day, my 2002 will idle for about 20-30 seconds and shut off for about 45 seconds to a minute.
Thanks for the camping tips.
Any time!
Have you reset the battery? It should deplete longer before the engine turns on
do you have to leave the key to on? what happens to day time running light and dash board?
I have a gen 2 Prius like the one in the video and there are not daytime running lights all the time. You can turn on dim "parking lights" but I always leave them off, so no lights on the outside, even while the car is running. The dash is annoyingly bright when trying to sleep, so what you do is turn off the LCD screen: Go to "display" and press "screen off". Then you just place some object in front of the upper illuminated panel (Turning its brightness down does not work, because you can't adjust brightness with headlights off for some reason).
I’ve been trying to figure out if the new Jeep 4xE is capable of this