Doin' the buildout

[rvwandering]

 Great job on the buildout! I love the mailbox cupboards!

 

[MrNoodly]

Here's a report after a couple of months in the van.

"lets us know how the south Dakota registration goes."

Getting a driver's license was laughably easy. You go to the license bureau, show them two forms of ID and a receipt for one night's stay somewhere in the state (motel or campground receipt), sign a paper stating that you promise to pass through the state again sometime, do the eye test, have your photo taken, and walk out a SD resident.

Vehicle registration is another matter. That job falls on the counties and can be slow and Kafka-esque. So I had my mail forwarding service take care of it. They also set me up with a vehicle insurance guy. Initial registration is for 6 months.

So, how's my van working out? It fits my new life very well. I was initially worried about getting by with less, but I have since discarded about two cubic feet of stuff. If I'd gotten an extended van, I might be rattling around in it. Or be tempted to acquire stuff.

I couldn't keep the fridge in the cabinet. There wasn't enough ventilation for the compressor. Now it's between the driver's seat and the cabinet that's where the passenger seat used to be. I moved things around so that cabinet contains things I don't need to access very often, so I'm not always needing to move the fridge. The former fridge cabinet now holds supplies I use frequently. I have some insulation to wrap the fridge with. I haven't really needed it yet. I might install it in the summer. For now, I just block any direct sunlight with some Reflectix draped over it.

The solar power system is working like a charm. I have more than enough to run the fridge, charge my laptop/phone/camera/etc., run the vent fan and a second fan and have lights at night.

The bed is fantastic.

The insulation works well, but there are limits to it's abilities. I've slept in sub-freezing nights without the heater on. I was fine under the covers even with frost on the inside of the windows. I'd run the heater for a few minutes to cut the chill, then the sun would warm things up. The insulation also only limits some of the heat build-up when it's warm. It's cooler than outside, but I think that's mostly a function of the inside not being in direct sun. So the fans help a lot. And it's MUCH easier dealing with the dry heat here in the west than the humidity farther east and south. Evaporation actually works to cool you.

The rear view camera really comes in handy in cities and parking lots.

The driver's seat can get stop being comfortable after a while. I saw a lumbar support thing at a truck stop but didn't get it at the time, thinking I'd see one at any truck stop. Rats, I haven't seen one since.

My van doesn't have cruise control. I wish it did. Power locks and windows would have been nice, too.

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Oh, and here are the solar controls all installed and working.



When I was in Flagstaff I went to Northern Arizona Wind & Sun whom I'd bought the panel and charge controller from. I showed them what I was trying to do and they fixed me up with all the additional cables I needed. Nice people.

 

[psytechguy]

Very cool! Good to hear it's working out well.

That's the same charge controller I have... now I've just gotta find the vehicle to put it in!

 

[Simran]

Thanks for the update on your travels.
How much did the mppt controller set you back and what size is it?
I've got an mppt controller but looking to expand with more panels and larger controller.

Good to hear from you.

 

[MrNoodly]

How much did the mppt controller set you back and what size is it?
I've got an mppt controller but looking to expand with more panels and larger controller.

I paid about $400 for it from Northern Arizona Wind & Sun. It's the 45 Watt model handling a 270 Watt panel. I don't know how much more panel wattage it can handle before needing to go to the 60 Watt model.

 

[psytechguy]

That's a Morningstar TriStar-45 MPPT

It's rated 45 amps and I believe will handle around 500-540 watts of panels.

I paid $409 for mine awhile back from Northern Arizona Wind & Sun. If you want the meter for it, it's an additional $89. The meter's not absolutely necessary, but nice to have.

(Sorry to hijack! I've just got controllers on my mind at the moment!)

 

[MrNoodly]

Right, 45 apms rather than Watts. It also includes a sensor for temperature compensation. I have that little MidNite monitor that gives me a rough idea of the charge percentage. I also have this cheapo voltage meter that plugs into one of my 12V outlets.

http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3721-B...qid=1384566390&sr=1-12&keywords=voltage+meter

 

[TheMadTitan]

Hey Noodly is that a standard sized mattress, or something custom?

 

[MrNoodly]

It's a Twin XL (extra long) which is less common but standard. It's typically used in dorms, hospitals and other places that accommodate adults. They're six inches longer than regular twin mattresses. Mine is an all-foam model from Mattress Firm. I added a 3" memory foam topper to it.

http://www.mattressfirm.com/Sealy-Posturepedic-Mattresses-0-C15.aspx

 

[MrNoodly]

I insulated the fridge today. Here's my blog post about it, with photos.

http://rollingsteeltent.blogspot.com/2013/11/dealing-with-it.html

 

[andyhor]

This is very cool, and it's given me some good ideas. Thanks!

 

[MrNoodly]

I cobbled together an awning the other day. Got a tarp, some nylon rope and some carabiners at Walmart, two long paint roll handles at a hardware store, and some 18" stakes made of rebar I got at an RV supply place here in Quartzsite.

One corner of the tarp is clipped to the roof rack with a carabiner and the other end is clamped to the gutter with several spring clamps. It has withstood wind and rain -- so far.

Here's a link to my blog post about the tarp:
http://rollingsteeltent.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-rainstorm-is-headed-this-way.html

And here's a video of my solution to the tarp flapping in the wind:
http://rollingsteeltent.blogspot.com/2013/11/improvise.html

 

[wagoneer]

will you be staying in Quartzsite a while?

 

[MrNoodly]

Until the end of the month (November). But I'll be back for RTR.

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Now with kung-fu tilt action!