simple/solo boondocking: Promaster 159 high roof

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Forgot one:

Lesson #7:  there is a quick way to cap tubes

I got tired of taping them off each time.  Because I am cut, glue, cut, glue, I didn't want to leave them open.

 
What specific device(s) are you using for the load shedding / opportunity circuit?
 
John61CT said:
What specific device(s) are you using for the load shedding / opportunity circuit?

The chain looks like this: 

  1. Tracer 1210A is used with a power supply as a poor man's converter, but also does double duty in the opportunity circuit.  The disconnect on the LOAD output is 12.7v and the reconnect at 13v.  Price with MT-50 monitor:  $80 on eBay.  I could have used a standalone LVD but I already had the CC and its load output was unused.
  2. When LVR turns on the load output it triggers a generic 12v timer;  <$10 on Amazon. When the timer is up it connects power to...
  3. a 40A relay.   I have an continuous duty solenoid to put in there instead but haven't done it yet.   Relay provides power to...
  4. a blue sea dualbus 100A distribution block

I'm sure there's a cleaner way to do it but for now I am pleased that the experiment is working as expected.
 
Wow not exactly KISS is it? ;-)

But very impressive.

Makes me want to learn doing this stuff with Arduino or Raspberry Pi.
 
The KISS version would be a controller that can signal when it's in Float. I don't have that kind of money. The rest is a workaround for us poor folk.
 
Yes, but really no need to wait for 100% full. I guess a BM triggering a relay based on SoC would do.

But really, based on declining amps accepted by the bank would be best.

I like the idea of the solar controller handling it, like the wind ones do, but really the ideal would work with any charge source.

I don't think the hardware to implement this is expensive, it's the engineering skills and a bit of programming, so time and effort.
 
I've hit a bit of a snag.  A beloved and worthy/respectable family member is in trouble and I need/want to redirect my resources in his direction.

The bad news for the build:  I will not be able to purchase anything for a while.
The good news for the build:  I have enough stuff bought in advance that I can continue on for a bit.  And I already have power and ventilation so it can be a "steel tent" camper already.  

With any luck the work on stuff I already have will carry me through until I can start feeding the project again.

goals for this weekend

  1. finish putting the 2" xps on the ceiling, so I can...
  2. finish with a sheet of lightly polyurethaned lauan, currently drying.  The panel will be centered so It won't reach to the sides, but the eye-level cabinets will cover the gaps on the side.  A 2nd panel is drying and that will cover the last 4' of ceiling in the back, and few more visible places.  Will need a third sheet probably but austerity measures are in effect...
  3. install an matching exhaust vent on the back door to allow the forward-mounted maxxfan to push/pull air through the length of the van.  




this is the vent installed on someone else's promaster: 
 
Frater, hope all goes well with your relation's troubles.

Sometimes slowing down for a bit yield an improved setup.

Amazing how much needs that doing doesn't have to cost much.
 
Made progress.  I got the 2" installed 8' back;  there is a bit left to do over the bed area. 

I was working alone which made it difficult to keep stuff suspended overhead.  I used a few paracord runs to hold foam in place while drying.  Re-used those runs to hold the lauan overhead where I could start working with it.



Got it screwed up into the overhead ribs.  Rough, but works:



Made a couple of mistakes in the fan area but nothing hideous.  Stopped there as it's 15mins until my bedtime.

Earlier when the foam was drying in place I took my water tanks to the car wash and blasted the insides.  The flat one is destined fresh water, a 35gal tank pull from a junked class C for $40.   The cylindrical one will be used for gray water.  It's a 15gal that was given to me.



I couldn't get to all the parts of the rectangular tank so I set the jigsaw at 45deg and cut out a little port.  I'll figure out how to seal it up again later.
 
Marked out the spot to cut out for the rear exhaust vent.  The top of the back doors on these is a good spot because there is no hardware there, and there is a wide cutout  in the door that the air can flow through.



Originally I was going to put it on the driver's side door, but reconsidered.  The galley will go on the passenger side, so air going down that side will be more likely to exhaust cooking smoke and odor.  At least that's my guess.

I recyled some screen, glueing it in place on the inside of the flange (?) piece that goes throught the door.  This should allow bug-free ventilation when the van is closed, as both the vent and the fan are screened.




It's not obvious from the outside but it's actually a two-part vent:  the vent itself with damper, and a shroud that snaps in place over it.  Unless you are standing under it you only see the shroud.  Dicored both so I don't expect leakage.

You can get a better view of it from the cutaway image on the amazon listing for it.
 
HI Frater! VERY nice build!

Do you have a more complete tutorial type build thread on your DIY converter.
I.e., what do it do? Lol! Day to day useage, etc....
Just lots more info?
 
Here's the dinky RVwiki entry on DIY converters and my blog entries on the topic

Assuming you have a 12v battery bank:

Stuff to acquire

An MPPT charge controller with configurable settings (PWM won't work for this).  For something like a flooded 2x 6v 200Ah deep cycle bank we are supposed to charge at a minimum of C/10, which would be 20A.  But since this isn't my only charging method and having shore power suggests I might be in one place for several hours I went with a 10A controller.  Using a slower charge rate will really bring down the cost of this DIY converter.  [If you are running AGM you might want to go 30-40A for a more forceful charge. They like that kind of thing, ya know. ]

Wire the controller up to your bank.  Configure the setpoints the way you like.



A 24v power supply.  This will be something like maybe 7.5-10A; remember the volts will roughly halve and amps double when the MPPT bucks down to battery voltage. 

This can be a nice one like the $50 meanwells (Sternwake's preferred manufacturer), or a cheap $20 one that like Bay or amazon.   Something like this less expensive meanwell might be good. 

Do look for an adjustable output votage pot (potentiometer, you turn it with a little screwdriver) so you can tweak the output.  There are ones with LED voltage meters but I just set it with a multimeter and save the $10 difference.  I run mine at 23v since that's what Genasun specified.

The normal wires and stuff.



What to do


Pretend the power supply is a solar panel:  the supply's output goes into the controller's PV input.  Turn power on to the power supply.  Behold the charge controller happily pumping 9.7A (conversion losses) into your underfed battery bank.  

Have a beer and strut around.   <-- this part is optional but I always do it  :)
 
Finished insulating the roof. Rear section will get the lauan layer this weekend.

I ordered nutserts and a weird size bit for them (17/32"). Will use these to suspend rails from the roof ribs that will hold up the eyelevel cabinets. The rails will be hidden inside the cabinets when done.
 
Are you familiar with PlusNuts?

Just FFR, I'm sure your pullout loads aren't very heavy in this case.
 
Yes, I have followed a few threads mentioning them and they look top-notch. Since my loads are minimal the generic rivet nuts should work for about 1/5th the cost. If they don't hold I'll upgrade to plusnuts.

Never used rivet nuts before. First time will be this weekend if everything goes right.
 
Key is using a good install tool purpose-built for that size. Doesn't need to be fancy or expensive, make sure to try a few out on scrap to get a feel for it.

Also getting the hole sized just right, you don't want the rivnut spinning when you are trying to tighten it up.

If you are ocd, get 100% zinc galv paint for the drill hole against rust. Essential for an outside hole, inside prolly not
 
My beloved family member is back on track, my savings were made whole,  and I can start spending some of my paycheck again.   :D

To make it even better, I had an optimistic price watch on the camelcamelcamel for a twin size foam mattress.  It was over $120 when I set up the watch, and was targeting $90.  I got a notification that it had dropped to my desired price so I went to buy it.  It was actually $83! Woot woot wooooooooot!  It will arrive mid-week. 

Now that I knew mattress size for sure I built the transverse sleeping platform out of lumber crosspieces and some steel 3" x 3" grid trellis/shelf panel.  I am thinking the grid underside will allow the foam to breathe.  The grid on my residential foam mattress' frame is 4" x 10" so I am confident 3x3 will work fine.

Storage under the platform is 32" tall;  this will allow the double stacking of some pretty big bins.  The volume of the underbed space is about 43.5 cubic feet; It's reduced somewhat because half of the wheelwells intrude on the space.

Total bed height with mattress will be ~40" above deck.  My current residential bed height is 23" so I will need at least 18" of step-up to make the dogs happy.  My office chair seat is 18" from the floor so I think a 18" high bench in front of the bed will do the trick.  That will also allow me to have a place to sit for doing laptop work.


Pics and another update toward the end of the week as I get the sleeping arrangement sorted.
 
Check out 4' x 2' greenhouse bench shelving, lots lighter that steel, very rigid / flat and maybe better circulation.

Need good support all round the edges though.
 

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