WanderFil said:
Any recommendations on who can help me with electrical work in San Diego or surrounding area? I plan on getting solar and charging from the alternator. I want this work done right so I don't mind paying someone to help me.
I would be patient.
Can you make a trip to Quartzsite in December/January??
There are people who buy T-Trailer loads of panels and resells them at pricing you would not believe.
Drive around during the rush and you will inevitably find someone putting panels on their rig in one of the BLM spots. Ask them where they got them. That's what we did.
We paid about 60% of the cheapest price we could find online, including all the hardware for mounting.
We were also able to hire the guy selling them and another traveler for one day for the roof work.
(Cash talks in Quartzsite.)
3 years now and zero issues. Could not be happier.
If you start scouring the solar sites and youtube, educate yourself and do not toss money at it till
you understand a bit about what you are buying.
Folks here are a free consult before you buy.
Solar advice:
Take what you think you will need and add 25% to it. Batteries last a lot longer if you only use 15-20% of their capacity between charges.
Most mobile people I know have increased their use as they go. Costs a lot more to upgrade than to just buy a ballsy setup to start with.
(We have 1,000 watts on our class A. Double what most people have on a 32 footer. Never have to tip the panels or worry about where we park though.
Our controller can put 65 amperes into our battery bank, so for the most part, our power system idles along. We like it that way and no longer even think about power...haven't in a very long time. Induction plates are awesome to cook with. Propane fridges co$t every month to run, while allowing for an electric in your solar planning means more independence, less long-term cost and less chance of a spiders nest burning your rig to the ground...)
Check on Flea-Bay for replacement LED bulbs throughout your truck. They make a big difference in power draw. Same with light fixtures you install for the conversion.
Using old-style filament lighting for your build will burn a ton of power in heat for no reason.
One more thing.
BEWARE when buying books/guides on solar for the RV'er.
Make sure you know the authors qualifications, experience level and solar-specific education before you buy.
There are books out there written by authors who have only installed one setup for themselves...incorrectly...and they sell their books like hotcakes online.
On the van:
Your van is easy on the fuel, but there are some common issues that can arise with that diesel.
These are easily preventable if you deal with them when the van is young.
Make certain you read the various sites that explain how to avoid these pitfalls
before they occur.
You can save yourself thousands of dollars down the road by doing this.
A lot more info can be had from overseas forums on the FIAT engine. (Which is what you have there.)
Besides that, making sure the synthetic fluid in the trans is keeping cool is paramount in its longevity.
If not factory equipped, an after-market trans cooler is a very wise investment. There may only be three or four time in the whole vans life when this cooler is truly necessary, but trans fluid loses its lubricity instantly. Literally, one minute on a long, hard-pulling hill the trans fluid is OK...a minute later, it turns to crap and ruins your unit.
If you are in for the long haul, make sure it is protected.
Purchase at least one fuel filter replacement and have it with you in a box at all times.
Just
one tank of bad fuel can plug three filters before you are done. Having them with you...even if you pay a mechanic to change them...is wise. Those are not super-common vehicles in the US and you could find yourself waiting for a couple days while a filter is shipped.
When you come off the highway or any use that is not "30MPH easy going" driving, wait a minute while it idles before turning it off. Highway use, at least 2 minutes of idle time before you shut it off.
Just running in the store for a coffee? Don't shut it at all. If the dealer says different, quite honestly...
he is wrong.
Those turbos run
hot on the highway. 2 minutes of cooling oil and air cycling through before shut-off allows it to dump more of that heat, preventing "bearing bake" and a bunch of other issues.
There are people who will pop one of those @ 120,000 miles and others whose engines are going strong after 300,000.
The longevity is most effected by: using quality synthetic oil/filters changed at proper intervals, allowing them to warm up and driving
gently (little to no turbo pressure) till full operating temp is achieved...and the "idle-down" I described above.
I would consider a "bunk heater" like they use for tractor trailer sleepers. You already have a tank full of diesel there. You could use induction plate cooker and one of these...avoiding the need for any propane.
I have yet to try one of those out. Sure would like to see some videos of it including under the hood with it running.
Also anxious to hear how you like that transmission. It is pretty new tech and only in that vehicle AFAIK.
Looking forward to seeing your build progress. Best of luck to you!
