Making it work and look better and safer

[MGfromBC]

My first experience with 'house' power in my car, about a dozen years ago, was a charged deep cycle battery sitting on the floor in the back seat. There were outlets attached with clamps so I could plug in some lights, a fan and a radio. Sometimes I would top up the charge with booster cables from the car.

As time went on, I added bits and pieces and improved on the quality or size of others. Things got added to the system wherever they would fit, with whatever materials were available. I usually strayed in the general direction of best practices but, didn't always make it. Sometimes wires were twisted together and wrapped with tape. Speaker wire and lamp cord sometimes made their way into projects. I lost track of how many different kinds of in-line fuses I had and where they were.

This summer I started collecting bits and pieces. Proper connectors in various sizes. Marine grade wire in 4, 6, and 10 gauge. A fuse box with all the fuses in it the same size. What was holding me up was the decision on where to put everything.

About 2 weeks ago I opened the right, rear door on the car. Inside, where the seat used to be is a box that extends from the floor at the back of the car. It provides a lot of storage and a surface for my bed. What I noticed, for the first time, is that I had a perfect use for the 4 inch space between the wooden box/bed and the door.

This is what I did today.

 

[maki2]

Sounds like you went through the typical learning curve of someone who never had mentors teach you how to do electrical wiring.

 

[MGfromBC]

never had mentors teach you how to do electrical wiring.

It's more a case of being comfortable around electricity to the point of complacency. I used to buy stuff from an electrical wholesaler where the wires on the ceiling lights had simply been stripped and stuck into wall outlets without covers on them. They were electricians and they sold the plugs and covers to contractors. They were comfortable with it. It's sort of like the cobblers children having no shoes.

 

[RonDean]

My first experience with 'house' power in my car, about a dozen years ago, was a charged deep cycle battery sitting on the floor in the back seat. There were outlets attached with clamps so I could plug in some lights, a fan and a radio. Sometimes I would top up the charge with booster cables from the car.

As time went on, I added bits and pieces and improved on the quality or size of others. Things got added to the system wherever they would fit, with whatever materials were available. I usually strayed in the general direction of best practices but, didn't always make it. Sometimes wires were twisted together and wrapped with tape. Speaker wire and lamp cord sometimes made their way into projects. I lost track of how many different kinds of in-line fuses I had and where they were.

This summer I started collecting bits and pieces. Proper connectors in various sizes. Marine grade wire in 4, 6, and 10 gauge. A fuse box with all the fuses in it the same size. What was holding me up was the decision on where to put everything.

About 2 weeks ago I opened the right, rear door on the car. Inside, where the seat used to be is a box that extends from the floor at the back of the car. It provides a lot of storage and a surface for my bed. What I noticed, for the first time, is that I had a perfect use for the 4 inch space between the wooden box/bed and the door.

This is what I did today.

Your setup looks cleaner than anything I have ever managed. The next time I do something like that I may post and follow a printout of what you did. Thumbs-up.

 

[abnorm]

Why are there TWO shunts ?

Those set-screw terminals are frequent problems.... avoid the car-audio components...Go Crimp !

 

[MGfromBC]

I already had a monitor and shunt for solar. I bought an identical one for consumption.

Those set-screw terminals are frequent problems

I've heard that, but solar breaker, charge controller, inverter all have set-screws. I figured adding a fuse box with set-screws, with the wires secured to the board, in an easy to check area is a vast improvement over the assortment of in-line fuses attached to these devices in the past. Thanks though.

 

[maki2]

I already had a monitor and shunt for solar. I bought an identical one for consumption.

I've heard that, but solar breaker, charge controller, inverter all have set-screws. I figured adding a fuse box with set-screws, with the wires secured to the board, in an easy to check area is a vast improvement over the assortment of in-line fuses attached to these devices in the past. Thanks though.

Stop arguing about the use of set screws!!! Because sometimes they are are exactly what works best engineering wise in situations. A screw with a head on it does not work when there might be a variety of wire gauges involved going up into a recessed area that needs to be pushed against to secure it. That includes using them in solar controllers. It is not cheap or shoddy design work to use them to secure wires.

If you are having trouble with set screws backing out use a little dab of thread locker fluid on the set screw. The type that is made to allow for removing the screws. Many times but not always those set screws that come with the components already have thread locker applied to the set screw. That is easy enough to see if you look for it. If you do not see it get out the little bottle of thread locker that really should already be part of your project supply kit. Hardware, auto parts and marine supply stores and aisles stock thread locker fluids. If you have screws backing out just go get a bottle of it and use it. Read the instructions and watch videos, a little dab will do it.

Abnorm let me use his square ferrule crimper on the ends of the wires going into my solar controller. Thanks Abnorm, it made it a lot easier to insert and remove those wire ends. A nice tool to have had access to at Pirate Camp!

When you are having issues with things coming loose just try to remember that there already are existing solutions to those problems because you are not the first person to experience the issues.

 

[MGfromBC]

Another part of this project was a bit of a step up in some of my tools. Better tools for cutting, stripping and crimping wires up 8 gauge. These tools aren't happy happy stripping 6 or 4 gauge wire. Linesman's pliers are still the main cutting and stripping tool for the big stuff. When it come to crimping the larger gauge wires, a hammer crimper is such an improvement over a hammer alone.

 

[MGfromBC]

It's far from finished, but I reached an important milestone before the sun forced me inside. After installing the fuses, I turned on the main power switch and then the inverter. The green light came on and there were no alarms. That was as far as I tested it for now. I turned on the solar panel switch and saw that power was going to the battery. I started the car and the DC charger also charged the battery. Then I turned everything off and put all the tools and materials in the car for now.

I still have to hook up the monitors and the 12 volt outlets. I have a box with 3-12 volt outlets with switches for little things and 2 heavier marine outlets which will each have their own fuse, for higher amperages. Then I need to put everything back together. I need to put a cover on the back of the upper part of the board because there are a lot of bolts sticking through to where I sleep. I need to put the bed, some shelves and other things back in place from where I tore everything out when I started this project. Things were scattered everywhere.

 

[bullfrog !]

Looks like a really compact set up with short DC runs.

 

[MGfromBC]

Looks like a really compact set up with short DC runs.

Thanks, The only significant runs are from the panels and the car battery. I ran the wire for the DC charger in through the air intake for the car ventilation system, so it's not really to bad. I didn't want to drill holes in the car and I was tired of the wires from the panels entering through a window or being closed in the door. The wires still in the way inside. I ran wires back up through the vent with plugs on the end for the solar. They are just below the wiper on the right side, near the hinge, but under the hood. I did the same with an extension cord from the inverter.
When I'm setting up camp, I lift the hood, run the solar wires between the edge of the hood and the windshield and set the hood back down gently, so it doesn't latch. This leaves just enough room for the wires to move around a bit rather than the alternative, slamming them in a car door. I also have an extension cord with a box and plugs on the end that plugs into an extension under the hood the same way. They are both the heavy cords for air conditioners and things like that. This way I can have electricity at my table.
Back to short runs. The battery is just out of sight to the right, in the 'basement', where the front seat used to be. The run from the battery to the main switch/breaker is less than 2 feet. All of my grounds are made to bolts that used to hold the seats in place, but are now holding my bed and basement in place.

 

[bullfrog !]

Thanks, The only significant runs are from the panels and the car battery. I ran the wire for the DC charger in through the air intake for the car ventilation system, so it's not really to bad. I didn't want to drill holes in the car and I was tired of the wires from the panels entering through a window or being closed in the door. The wires still in the way inside. I ran wires back up through the vent with plugs on the end for the solar. They are just below the wiper on the right side, near the hinge, but under the hood. I did the same with an extension cord from the inverter.
When I'm setting up camp, I lift the hood, run the solar wires between the edge of the hood and the windshield and set the hood back down gently, so it doesn't latch. This leaves just enough room for the wires to move around a bit rather than the alternative, slamming them in a car door. I also have an extension cord with a box and plugs on the end that plugs into an extension under the hood the same way. They are both the heavy cords for air conditioners and things like that. This way I can have electricity at my table.
Back to short runs. The battery is just out of sight to the right, in the 'basement', where the front seat used to be. The run from the battery to the main switch/breaker is less than 2 feet. All of my grounds are made to bolts that used to hold the seats in place, but are now holding my bed and basement in place.

Be careful with the hood on the safety catch! I have had the wind vibrate it and break it loose slamming the hood into my windshield requiring new hood hinges and windshield! I now put a strap across my hood hooked to the wheel well openings resting the hood on a piece of wood so the safety catch barely hooks as a safety.

 

[MGfromBC]

slamming the hood into my windshield

Thanks, I'll do that. I do usually put a prop under it. About 40 years ago I had a hood come up while driving. I should have thought of that.

 

[MGfromBC]

My schedule is dictated by Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), so this has taken a while. I've got the board and its components hooked up. I built a panel for the box where the front seat used to be. It has a monitor for power going into the battery from the DC - DC charger and the solar panels. Since I have to plug the panels in when I camp, this will usually be one or the other. The other monitor shows consumption from the inverter and 12 volt plugs. These were the last things hooked up, so I made coffee and watched as one monitor showed the watts used and the other went from almost no solar watts to a full battery, to almost 150 watts. It made me happy.
Under the monitors are AC outlets, plugged into the inverter and 2 heavy duty marine 12 volt outlets, each on their own 15 amp fuse. Beside them is a box with 3 12 volt outlets with only 10 amps between them. This is for satellite radio, CPAP, phone amp and a few other small things. Next to that is the phone amp.
Now I am busy cleaning up and putting things away. I have a medical apointment this week and then I can go see what kind of damage the Chilcotin river has done to some wonderful camping places.
A huge landslide blocked the river 5 days ago, creating a lake 10 km long. I started to break through this morning.

This is a place I've camped before.

It used to look like this. The cabin was near the little roads just left of the centre of the picture.


This is what I've done to my car.

 

[townline]

My first experience with 'house' power in my car, about a dozen years ago, was a charged deep cycle battery sitting on the floor in the back seat. There were outlets attached with clamps so I could plug in some lights, a fan and a radio. Sometimes I would top up the charge with booster cables from the car.

As time went on, I added bits and pieces and improved on the quality or size of others. Things got added to the system wherever they would fit, with whatever materials were available. I usually strayed in the general direction of best practices but, didn't always make it. Sometimes wires were twisted together and wrapped with tape. Speaker wire and lamp cord sometimes made their way into projects. I lost track of how many different kinds of in-line fuses I had and where they were.

This summer I started collecting bits and pieces. Proper connectors in various sizes. Marine grade wire in 4, 6, and 10 gauge. A fuse box with all the fuses in it the same size. What was holding me up was the decision on where to put everything.

About 2 weeks ago I opened the right, rear door on the car. Inside, where the seat used to be is a box that extends from the floor at the back of the car. It provides a lot of storage and a surface for my bed. What I noticed, for the first time, is that I had a perfect use for the 4 inch space between the wooden box/bed and the door.

This is what I did today.

Very nice! I am wanting to put a small system in my car for my garmin and a fridge for store trips. My van system is not near that nice looking but will soon probably be 24v and using the rover 20 instead of rover 30. I really need a coffee maker.

 

[MGfromBC]

I really need a coffee maker.

Sometimes it's lovely to just pull over to a rest stop or scenic spot and make your own cup of coffee. I once had a 12 volt coffee maker I got at a truck stop. It used less power but took a long time. When it died I switched to a small domestic coffee maker which requied a larger inverter. It was one of the things that lead to rebuilding the entire system.