Looking for camps in Slab City to join

[Batsy]

Hey everyone!

I hit the road in my van a few days ago, and living on the road has been great so far!

I’m gonna go to the slabs some time in November, December, or January, and I plan on spending the winter there. I’m looking for camp to join while I’m there.

I’ve been to the slabs once before, And my brother and I ended up getting taken in by some hippies who were camping on the outskirts of the Slabs. They called their camp The Medicine Post. If anyone knows if they’re there this winter, please let me know.

If any of you are in the Slabs right now, and your camp is open to having new people join, please let me know as well!

And if I don’t find a camp to join before I show up, how does one usually go about joining an already existing camp there?

Also, I saw in a video that there’s someone who lives in slab city who installs solar setups for people’s RVs. Does anyone know if he’s still there?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Gypsybones]

find an empty spot to park/camp, then go to the Oasis Club in the mornings and start talking to folks.

 

[Sameer]

Going to the Oasis club is a good idea. It's a wonderful place to spend the winter. Lots of friendly people and interesting camps. All you have to do is be friendly and open. I have spent many winters at the slabs. A place of many interesting smells. Hahahaha!

 

[Lotus Shaped Potato]

I go to Oasis in the morning if you wanna find me there, can make some suggestions. Flow with the hat and banjo

Gunna be in slabs until March

 

[Matt Derrick]

Also, I saw in a video that there’s someone who lives in slab city who installs solar setups for people’s RVs. Does anyone know if he’s still there?

I believe solar mike retired a few years ago.

 

[roguetrader]

hey @Batsy - i just wanna say that installing a basic solar set up in a vehicle is pretty simple and you could probably do it yourself with a few basic tools... like everything else these days, there's plenty of info online... might save you a few shekels..

 

[Batsy]

Thanks for the help everyone! I’ll definitely have to check out the Oasis club once I get there!

 

[zenchop]

I'm headed that way myself around February after stopping in Vegas to see friends. I just did an 800 watt solar setup with charge controller and 2000w inverter that's working great. Ugly as hell but I'd be glad to help if I run into you. My setup is a bit rough but it works and with four panels on the roof I haven't had anything fly off yet.

 

[Batsy]

I'm headed that way myself around February after stopping in Vegas to see friends. I just did an 800 watt solar setup with charge controller and 2000w inverter that's working great. Ugly as hell but I'd be glad to help if I run into you. My setup is a bit rough but it works and with four panels on the roof I haven't had anything fly off yet.

Glad your setup is working out for you!

I have a Kyng portable battery and a solar panel by the same brand. The solar panel is held together by a black fabric, so I think it would blend in with my van’s black high top pretty well, and wouldn’t compromise the stealthiness as much as most solar setups.

My goal is to somehow secure the solar panel to the roof of the van (on the high top), and have the charging wire connect to the battery while it’s inside the van. That way it could charge throughout the day, rather than me having to set it up on the ground outside and keep an eye on it.

I’m just not sure how I’d secure the fabric to the roof. And I’d need to figure out how to have the cable be able to plug into the solar panel up there on one end and the battery inside on the other end, without having an open hole in the roof that rain can get through. And my last concern would be water getting into the plug on the solar panel for the cable, when it rains.

If you can share any tips on how you figured out these issues with your setup, that’d be great!

Thanks for reaching out!

 

[zenchop]

So fabric is a real interesting option, I've seen flexible panels but would be interested in the science behind that. It's advancing so quickly now you know? Do you need ventilation under the panel or can it be directly mounted flush to the roof? If you have a pic that would be cool. I'll show you my van, it's way past anything resembling stealth but i was always the loud one in the group so it's fitting. The wire can be run through a small hole drilled into the roof, then use liquid electric tape to soften the metal edges to not fray the wire over time. Bath and tile caulk works great, don't know about it's versatility in the sun but it's cheap and easy to apply. I actually drilled thru and used 1/4 inch bolts on all my mounting hardware (z brackets) and because of that just today I was spraying flex seal everywhere I could because I got tired of laying in the van with a towel to collect the rain. I've also used about 9 cans of expanding foam gap filler but that was just to block the wind and make it look extra ugly. I can recommend I think 3m 90 strength permanent spray adhesive but use it like they tell you (spray both sides, let it dry about 2 minutes to get tacky, press together for a solid minute) but that doesn't allow air to flow to cool the panel. Send a pic of your roof if you can, I'm curious to see how flush you can mount it or if your roof is curved.

 

[Wytukay]

I believe solar mike retired a few years ago.

Solar Bill had this covered last winter. He was talking about leaving but may still be there.

 

[reeed]

I believe solar mike retired a few years ago.

do you know if that guy moth is still out there? remember meeting him at the stp meetup in like 2011?

 

[Matt Derrick]

do you know if that guy moth is still out there? remember meeting him at the stp meetup in like 2011?

nah he left like 7-8 years ago. last i heard he was in Michigan somewhere.