Meet Ruthie! She is a 2019 Ram ProMaster 2500 and 159″ with high roof. She was converted by a professional van builder in Vermont in 2020 and I am the second owner. I purchased Ruthie last fall. I absolutely love her…. I would not be selling her as she’s in excellent shape and a great rig except that I am heading to New Zealand in September and want to continue exploring abroad!
Highlights:
- King Bed (modified)
- Upgraded stereo + subwoofer, rims and wheels
- Large garage – fits up to 3-4 mountain bikes
- Fiamma Awning & Roof Rack
- 2 work stations – perfect for digital nomad couple
- Fully off grid and ready to go!
- Title in hand, no liens.
Have a read and please let me know if you have any questions. Price is fair and firm. If you see the ad, Ruthie is available!
Only serious offers or individuals, please!
Van Details:
- 2019 Ram Promaster 2500 159″ wheelbase non-extended
- 65,000 Miles
- Gas powered
- High roof
- 2WD
- Full Set Dynapro AT2 Off Road Tires (Tires have less than 14,000 miles on them)
- Vision After Market Rims and Wheels for improved look and ride
- AMA Slider Door Window
- Sportscraft Driver and Passenger Swivel seats.
- Driver side lowered seat base.
- Newly replaced rear brake pads and rooters – August 2022
- Stock stereo with backup camera, Bluetooth, aux, and standard radio capabilities.
- Upgraded Audio Package including speakers, subwoofer and amp. Enough to party whilst driving or parked! I love my music.
- Front flood light for off-road driving and camping. Plus it looks cool.
- Large side mirrors for blind spot monitoring.
- Fiamma Roof Rack and Brackets
- Fiamma Awning
- Chrome Ladder
- Receiver Hitch
- Insulation throughout for maximum heat and noise management.
- Lightweight wood construction and a little bit of metal. The floor is vinyl faux wood flooring is scratch resistant and waterproof. The walls are wooden shiplap and painted white. The ceiling is wooden shiplap painted light green (known color to be soothing and comforting).
- Simple Window & Vent Coverings for light and heat/cold.
- Heavy duty blackout curtains for house and cab to prevent heat / cool escape through cab. And ultimate, quick privacy.
- Additional accessories include Chains, step ladder, brand new toilet, curtain, window coverings, box of tools and supplies for van (including extra fuses, fiamma parts etc)
Electrical System:
I lived and worked from the van for seven months and electricity was never a problem. I never lost or drained the battery with my usage. The solar panels generated more than enough and the alternator fills the battery (on cloudy days) in minutes. The original owner considered adding shore power and / or more solar or another battery but she never needed it, and saved the additional cost and weight.
- Two 100 Watt Solar Panels
- 2000W Renogy Inverter
- AIMS 200 amp/hr Lithium Ion Smart Battery
- 40 AMP Charge Controller
- Battery Alternator on van charges the house battery. (Note: you can use that function to jump start the van if that battery ever dies. I never had to use that but it was reassuring and less gear you would need to carry.)
- Two 120V plugs – one in the living room and one in the ‘office’
- 7 USB and 12V outlets throughout to charge any and all devices.
- 5 Separate 12V Lighting options. The main house and the kitchen galley have recessed pocket lights are dimmable. Two bedside reading lights and small fairy lights around the bed make it cozy and easy to read.
Heating and Ventilation
Ruthie kept me very toasty whilst skiing / working / living at some of NA highest peaks this past winter. I camped at temperatures below -20 and was warm to sleep, work or relax post snowshoe / ski. It is very efficient. I never noticed an impact on my gas tank whilst being stationary and using the heater.
- 12v Webasto Heater is located in kitchen and floor level (e.g. heat rises so this is the best location) and provides immediate and sufficient heat to the van.
- It’s piped into the van gas tank to reduce complexity of refilling. One refill requirement!
- Smart Controller - There is a wall mounted digital controller that provides a range of options for heating from always on to timer to temp ranges.
On the other side of the temperature spectrum, ventilation to manage excess heat or moisture is great. There are two vents in the ceiling and a screen window that provides excellent ventilation and air flow. I was in 90+ degree weather from Arizona and Arkansas and with the fans and window coverings, it was a good 10-15 degrees cooler in the van.
The one in the Living Room/Kitchen is a MaxxAir Fan and there is a hatch above bed. Each come with a screen and magnetic covers to block bugs, light and conserve heat in cooler climates.
Plumbing:
- 20 gallon water tank over the left wheel well
- Sink in kitchen with Shurflo water pump 40 psi / 12v
- 5-gallon grey water tank under the sink that is easily removed and dumped.
- Rear Shower for humans, dogs, bikes or other toys.
- Lockable refill access. I will include a hose, tube & keys for easily refilling.
Kitchen:
I love to cook so having room and efficient tools was a priority. Ruthie did the trick.
- Dometic CFX3 55IM – Powered cooler with Ice Maker. It comes hardwired into the house battery (very low usage) or you can remove and plug into a 120V. This unit was replaced in Feb 2022.
- Dual burner propane stove integrated with sink and faucet. This unit is covered by a glass top that reduces clutter and improves counter space when not in use.
- 2.5 gallon propane tank is under sink. I refilled once in 7 months.
- 5 Gallon greywater tank below sink that is easily removable.
- Ikea cabinets and counter top. Easy to clean, close and manage.
- Handmade upper storage cabinets for dry goods and others household items.
- Magnetic spice rack included.
- AMA Slider window with screen for ventilation and views!
Living Area & Office
- Two swiveling captain seats with seat belts
- Great for entertaining new friends on the road - Social seating for 5 people! 3 on bench and two on swivel seats.
- Recessed table that also can be used as prep area for kitchen or as a desk.
- All cushions for seating included.
- Office. Turn driver side swivel chair around, extend the counter with specially made extension and you have an instant office including hidden paper/computer storage and 120V plug.
- Storage cubby or easy and quick bag storage.
- Two roomy overhead storage lockers – I used one for clothes, one I used as a large pantry.
- Two deep cubbies for dirty laundry, boots, hats, jackets, etc
- Hatch access to garage below bed. Ideal for stealth camping or poor weather conditions… or additional sleeping option.
- Toilet cubby including a NEW Dometic 5 Gallon Portable toilet.
- Control Panel wall – for managing all your van systems (solar, heating, water pump, inverter etc).
- Deep tinted windows for privacy and stealth, plus insulated magnetized covers for all windows and black out curtains to wall off driver / passenger cabin from living area.
- Fiamma Roof Rack doubles your space and offers an awesome ‘front porch’ vibe for social time, whatever the weather throws at you.
Bed:
- Fixed modified king platform bed with large garage below. You can fix your bikes inside – see garage section.
- The bed dimension is 72 inches by 68 inches. It was a king that was cut down. It is 8 inch memory foam mattress. I am 6’1” and it was perfect – seriously one of my favorite beds of all time. I will miss it.
- Two baskets for storing books or other personal items. etc.
- 12V reading lights with USB chargers over each side of bed.
- 12V Maxxair Vent over the bed
- Small storage with baskets. I used these for books, water bottles, phone and charger, Kindle and charger, tablet and charger, toiletries, daily meds / vitamins, etc
Garage
If you love outdoor adventure, or just want to haul a ton of stuff, this is one of the best features of Ruthie. She’s got a huge open garage perfect for many uses. I was able to travel with two bikes, 2 pairs of skis, snow shoes, poles, boots, all season camping gear, tons of extra clothes, guitars, recording equipment, pet food, and other supplies. All out of sight, stowed securely in the van so I didn’t worry about theft or damage. That is key for stealth camping or easy parking.
- Room for up to 4 bikes – up to a Large frame with front tires off and dropper post down.
- Room for skis, blow up paddle-board, toys and more.
- Easily washable flooring with heavy duty rug (included).
- Outdoor shower for people, fur babies or gear.
- Garage light
- Additional 12V outlets.
- Hooks and bungee cords. I wanted a versatile space but that was secure. So, I used various bins to store and organize and bungee cords and hooks to secure. Note: I originally planned to build out specific cabinets and storage but I am glad I didn’t as it enables flexibility on needs.
- Shoe and other tool holder on garage door.
- ALSO, you can fit another large bed in the garage if you need extra sleeping. Flexible space!!!
Storage Space:
- The cubby area above the cab stores the window shades, black out / uv curtains, laundry bag, emergency kit and fire extinguisher.
- The kitchen has three medium-depth drawers and one large and thin drawer for cooking/eating utensils and other small items.
- Under the sink contains the greywater and propane tank but plenty of room for cleaning supplies, wine bottles, and more.
- A deep cubby next to fridge in bench is great for tools, blankets, towels, dry goods, clothes and more.
- Storage cubby under bed next to bench is perfect for quick bag storage or cozy small pet bed!
- Small storage for bags, hats, lights, gloves and more above sliding door.
- Ample hooks to hang coats – great for wet winter drying needs etc.
- Office storage – sneaky space behind driver side for laptop, papers, food, documents, other supplies.
- Under chair storage. I used these for my shoes for easy grab and go!
- See storage in bed area
- Garage area is all storage!
