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More thoughts on occasional use - The main problem for 24/7 usage is that the 12v cig outlet in the dash goes dead when the key is shut off. If you were willing to install another cig outlet that is wired directly to the battery (always live), the unit could then sip current all night long. It uses less than a 60 watt light bulb and would probably only cycle on/off a dozen or so times. The unit also has a battery protection feature that will help to keep you from waking up to a dead battery. By having a choice between the factory outlet and the user installed always live outlet, you would gain a lot of control over battery management. But all of the above is extra work and a little bit of expense - valuable only to those that recognize their need for it.

andy_george - Indel B for occasional use - When you are not using it as designed, the main compartment makes an excellent dry storage box - very similar to the cavity in the factory console, but without the hanging file folders. The smaller section is good for coins, pens, notepads, etc. But we haven't used it that way yet because in less than a minute you can plug it into the cig outlet on the dash and be chilling the leftover BBQ you discovered along the way. It is positioned like it is with the lid opening forwards for three reasons. First - it allows the unit to breathe because the compressor is placed forward and not buried between the seats. Second - the 12v plug is then right up front and easy to reach. And third - the controls and temperature display are front and center. It is usable 24/7 even if you haven't done a partial or full van conversion. Just run a small extension cord to provide it with shore power when needed. It automatically switches to an AC current supply when detected. I'm gathering results on how well insulated it is for the times that you might need to let it drift for several hours - especially overnight. But I already know that two or three hours of downtime during moderate ambient temps is no problem. Most convenient feature to me is the way it remembers settings. After buying gas or hitting a rest stop, it starts right back up as soon as you start the engine. No need to adjust anything or remember to turn it back on. That also applies even if I haven't used it for weeks - just goes back to working.

Great White - the light and dark grays on both the Dometic and Indel B are so similar you might think they were made in the same factory. :-) I have the Dometic CF-110 waiting to be installed once I get the Ctek system going. The Indel B will be used for ice and the Dometic for refrigeration. Both seem to be good quality machines that have a huge following overseas but are not as well regarded here yet.

I'm afraid there are too many variables to that scenario for me to be able to give you much of an answer. My best guess is yes but I wouldn't bet raw chicken on it. I'll try to test that out for you but might take a few days

Wish I had - just never occurred to me at the time. The size and shape of the panel will vary anyway depending on how you place and shape your filler blocks.

I'm giving up on ice chests. My $400 one keeps ice 10% better than my $40 one from Walmart. I don't make this change without giving it much thought. My plan was always to keep things simple and an ice chest fits that criteria. But I think the recently discussed Ctek dc to dc charging system will make dc refrigeration feasible without complications. So the first thing installed is an Indel B 12v fridge/freezer. Space is always at a premium so we decided that the center console could go away and the Indel B take that spot. Why this brand over any of the others out there? Because the 50 liter version is a near exact replacement for the center console. And because the light and dark grays make it look like a factory option. I bought the optional mounting plate - for $75 there was no need for me to try to build something. All this kit is available from equipt1.com - I think they are the only US distributers. So far I have only used it with the cig plug in the dash. But I am in the process of wiring it up permanently. After a couple of months of use I have to say I really like it. Does everything I wanted and is very, very low maintenance. Just wipe it out between uses and remember to keep the lid propped open a little if you aren't going to use it for an extended period. It has the wife's seal of approval for looks and functionality.

KMG - Here are a few other views of my attempt at dressing up the sliding door interior. Looks like two of them will be sideways. The dark band cleaned up the area between upper and lower. More hardboard and Velcro - this time covered with black imitation leather.

An even 6 ft - I'll probably bash my brains out now that I've brought it up.

Well , mine wound up in my box of NV parts. Took it off while doing the conversion and couldn't see the point of putting it back. Have always wondered if I was overlooking some important intended use.

My NV is actually the plain white version. I wanted the silver one but there weren't any in my area at the time. White makes it easy to get nearly anything to go with it but the remaining white (edges) after the other work is done is often hard for me to overlook. Easy really isn't the correct word - I couldn't begin to do it (I'm practically color blind). My wife has those skills and coordinated everything that went into our conversion. She did a very good job. Everything in the cargo area coordinates with the tones of gray in the cab. We are lucky enough to have a fabric wholesaler in our town who also sells to the local public. She found our fabric for $2 per yard and bought the remaining partial roll which gave me plenty to work with. The spray glue to attach it cost far more than fabric itself.

Inside the sliding door area and up the interior wall near the roof is a molded lump of black styrofoam held on by two bolts. Purpose? I'm referencing my 2012 high roof - other models may vary.

ASD Dad - thanks for that update. I think VStar650CL plans to continue monitoring this thread - which is apparently far from dead. Hopefully the two of you can work towards a solution. I'm still not certain I have a solution - feels like more of an impasse.

KMG - I'm still not clear. I understand that all of the grounds (from Smartpass, Service Battery, Solar Cell)come to C. But then how are you grounding C itself? - to the frame or ?

Update on Manual Shift Mode problem / Gene said early on when he referenced Sherlock Holmes that, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. " I've spent parts of the last four days testing Gene's explanation of the meaning of the P1815 fault code that was finally captured. During that time I have left the washer (my "fix") taped to the end of the shift lever restricting my access to the button. With the washer in place I can only press the dead center of the button. During these four days of testing I have not had the button deny access to manual shift mode - which is to say that I have not generated a P1815 code during that time. I cannot argue with that result. But I am left with a nagging question of why, after 3 years of absolutely no problem, I have suddenly had multiple occurrences. And we are also left with ASD Dad's statement that he can't duplicate the forced failure that Gene described and I was able to recreate prior to taping on the washer. Perhaps the one thing Nissan needs to consider is the fact that, whenever and however a P1815 code is generated, there is no warning given to the driver that manual shift mode is disabled. You stand the chance of finding that out at a very inopportune time. Nissan Consumer Affairs (which has been great during all of this - thanks Vic) has assured me that they remain open to providing assistance with this situation should I have future occurrences. I accept that with thanks. I also want to thank North Point Nissan (Brad, Gene, Fred) for their helpfulness and patience during the entire process. But for now - this button pushing idiot is getting back out on the road :-)

KMG- Is your ctek d250s dual / smartpass setup located under the hood or in the cargo area? If it is in the cargo area, how are you grounding it (connection C) ?

Thanks! - but I'm convinced the darker it gets and the further you move away from it - the better it will look. :-) I started out with a large piece of stiff paper (I had some leftover floor protector from Home Depot ) attached with blue tape to draw in an oversized rough idea. I nibbled away at that until I was ready to transfer the shape to the hardboard. From there I just gradually refined the shape and fit. It's nowhere near perfect but it was near 100 degrees in my driveway that day so eventually it was good enough.

Try that again... What you see is tempered hardboard covered with upholstery fabric using Scotch 77. I just had to make several wooden attachment points that I also glued in place to the door itself. Around the edges everything is secured with Velcro but you can see where I used four screws with plastic snap covers in the center area. It could be removed but of course I hope it never happens. Anyway, you have a pretty good cavity behind the hardboard for sound deadener and insulation.

Thanks for the post on headliner removal. I'm not nearly so intimidated by the process after your detailed explanation. Im attaching a photo of my attempt to dress up the sliding door area. The bottom was easy, of course. But I wanted to mimic the look up top. What you see is tempered hardboard with u

I really like the looks of it and it should prove to be very useful. Seemed pretty low in the head on shot but looked just fine in that last shot from the side. I'm thinking several forum members would be interested in one if your source is interested in further production.

"....when the button failed." I think I understand that they are suggesting that the button didn't fail at all - but that it had already been deactivated. How? They have to be suggesting that unconciously or arbitrarily I touched the button long enough (2 sec) and lightly enough to throw a P1815 code before the obvious "failure" that came later in the same cycle. And that I have done this multiple times over the last 4 weeks after having never done it even once in the previous 3 years. And if that is so, I would have no way of knowing it because no warning is displayed onscreen (which is perhaps a safety concern in itself). I've pretty much worked thru my initial defensiveness about this "easy fix" and really just want to test out any suggestion that might lead to a viable solution. I'm still as much of an NV fanboy as ever - I love my van, enjoy driving it, and always look forward to showing it to people who seem drawn to something so different from the usual. I just need a solution that restores my confidence in the hardware enough to get us back out on the road.

Gene suggested something to restrict access to the button - perhaps it is more accurate to say focus your attention as you press the button. Here is what I will be trying for the next few days. The washer is slightly over one inch with a 1/2 inch hole. I attached it with some electrical tape - nothing fancy yet since it is still just a test. It only allows me to touch the dead center portion of the button. And, yes, I also wonder why I should even have to be doing this. But, as ASD Dad has indicated, we just need to get to an answer.

To your question first, I don't think it matters in either case. But what do I know, I can't even push a button properly :-) Obtaining control of manual shift mode is something that should never be denied - even if you are in your driveway with your foot on the brake. The same goes for when you are on a perfectly level road just wanting to utilize a lower gear in bumper to bumper traffic. I think Gene addressed your concern about the possibility of getting stuck in manual shift mode. I will add that during this whole process I have NEVER had any problem with shifting via the paddle or exiting manual shift mode. It is just the random denial of access to manual shift mode that is baffling me. I'm certainly no expert but I think your concerns about downshifting above a certain speed causing damage are probably just a case of overthinking the problem. In your case, you know to use common sense and, as you have indicated, wait until an appropriate range of speed is reached. If someone asked for 3rd while going 75 down the interstate, the control module in charge would delay that request until speed is reduced to the appropriate range. You might sometimes hear a revving of the engine when downshifting but I don't think it is hurting anything. Think of the end of the earth sound any vehicle makes when you put the pedal to the floor to engage passing mode - sounds awful but no harm done.

ASD Dad - If you will, try it this way: do the light contact by running your finger around the circle formed by the inner edge of the bezel and the outer edge of the button. Then try to do the quick center tap. This has worked for me today but not every time. While this is reproducible (at this point for the service tech and myself), I'm still not convinced that it covers all of the occurrences I have experienced - and over the course of the last 4 weeks I have a bunch of them. No pattern emerges and that bothers me.

I went with a Coleman unit mainly because it emphasized how low profile it was. But the Dometic Penguin units look nice also. Also installed the optional heat strip. Best if you turn the heat strip on while you go elsewhere for 20 minutes or so while it warms things up. I don't use that feature much and probably wouldn't go to the extra expense again. I'm actually using a $20 heater from Walmart which is smaller than a football and stores well. I did install the wall mounted thermostat which I think provides better control of the unit (AC or heat) and keeps you from having to get up and fumble with the control knobs on the ceiling assembly. This is all powered up by a shore power plugin -AC 30 amp. I installed mine close to the back of the cargo area thinking that it looked better back there. The downside is that the air blows over you from that position. Guess I'm spoiled by the memory of the ducted air system in a previous motorhome. Go with the lowest btu rating you can find - it doesn't take much in such a small space if you have insulated well. Installation was ridiculously easy. It came with the seals in place and even had "depth gauges" to let you know when everything was tightened up properly. There is one important consideration that needs mentioning. An AC unit adds 100 lbs to your roof - which the NV is fully capable of supporting. But you are also adding 100 lbs to the fulcrum - if I'm using the correct term. If you have added upper cabinets and any other weight to the upper region of the cargo area, stability might become a concern. So I installed a Roadmaster active suspension system from strutmasters.com and have already had occasion to be glad it was there.

I've said before that the top of my van looks like it was put together by a first year shop class - but this work around your windows makes my van top look good. The raw edges in that first photo look like skin slicers - I'd definitely like to see a trim piece covering that up if it were mine (something they should have installed for you).