DaMechanic

and after install....

Starting on the roof. THis was the worst vent of the two. Place called Ickes in montpelier IN had both of them, powered for 35 bucks each new!!!

Hello everybody. It has been forever since I posted, because we lost our house due to an explosion from a gas leak. I still have the rolling dumpster, and am starting on it again. It isn't in any better shape after sitting as long as it has either. I have had to basically start over, and I am still replacing tools and supplies I lost in the house. Nobody was home fortunately when it happened. I am going to take more pictures when I go go the storage unit later, possibly tomorrow.

I'm at work right now,so I don't have exact specs, but there's a considerable size difference in those panels and the ones I have. Those are about 1/3 the area of mine. Mine supply almost 19 amps a panel at 43 volts I think? I bought them at a special deal fr my local co-op. They had to buy 11 more than they needed to get a considerable discount. Of course they are a 3by8 panel too. Not normally available to the general public. I have to wait until I get home for more precise information.

I couldn't afford the fee!! Lol I seriously considered a roll-off, but because it would have construction debris in it, I was looking at 900 bucks!!

As far as the solar,Ohave 95 amps available. For 24 hours, at 5 1/2 hours direct sun a day, I have 24 amps constant load. Still not shabby!!!

Okay, my computer genius son finally got the interior pics of the rolling dumpster resized for me. lol Here is what I am working on. Keep in mind I have already pulled out 4 40 gallon trash cans of junk at this point.

Ummmm, no, I will actually have 95 amps at the controller on a full sunny day at 110v. It's not the little cheapie coleman panels. lol it's actually a home off the grid system modified slightly to fit an RV. (smaller batteries to save weight.) I am using 4 residential panels.

Actually, it is a steel C channel frame. This thing is built better than a lot of commercial buildings I have worked on! I am NOT inside. But I have all kinds of Construction heating equipment. The only issue I have right now, if I can't find new vent covers, so I have to replace them with all new assemblies.

Hey Everybody!

Don't worry, I didn't fall off of the earth. lol I've had 2 large family emergencies, so RV stuff had to stop for a little while. I am starting on it again tomorrow, so I will post pics of the (Disgusting!) interior then.

 

If you have the room, put in a larger TV...19" is pretty small, IMO. When the TV comes down from the ceiling, can the person(s) watching it see it head on, or will they have to crane their necks up to watch it? If the latter, then consider locating the TV elsewhere where it can be watched head on.

 

 

 

Called a "wet bath," they are common in slide-in truck campers and small trailers. We've had wet baths in a couple of slide-in truck campers we've owned and I prefer a bathroom with a separate shower. However, since you say you won't be selling this rig, then do whatever will make life easier for you.

 

 

 

Yes, you can. Consider, though, whether or not a microwave/convection oven will be able to be run from your proposed solar system since you say you're not going to have a generator. We have only a microwave/convection oven in our motorhome and almost exclusively boondock. Although I don't use an oven frequently, I really miss having a "regular" oven for those times that I do have to use it. As it is now, we have to run the generator in order to use the microwave/convection oven.

 

 

 

We've had both kinds of cabinet doors. Personally, I prefer the latter rather than the former.

 

 

 

I'd prefer a regular house refrigerator...it's safer since you don't have to worry about it catching fire. It sounds as though your proposed solar system would run a compressor refrigerator just fine even if you do a lot of boondocking.

 

Hey Pat and Pete!

95 amps is almost sticks and bricks capacity for 70 percent of the homes in the US. Most of them have a 100 amp service. Basically, after the rather high cost of the system, power is totally free. That and a 400 dollar battery every 4 to 6 years. The 19 inch TV is more for the grandmoochers than us, lol and it will be about 12 inches above eye level at 4 ft away. Not too bad. Since my Titan has a fold-down overhead front bunk, when that is down it will agtually be about a foot below eye level. It will have a high gain digital antenna and a dvd/blu-ray player. Nothing else.

Even better news!!!!!

I told them yesterday that I seriously had to think about it and I would give them a call this evening. She texted me at 10:30 this morning that if I hauled it off tomorrow, I could have it for 400. Guess what I am doing tomorrow? lol

A tv that you can watch without craning your neck looking upward or sideways.

A full size shower

Plenty of kitchen cupboards, counter space and a microwave/convection oven rather than a traditional oven.

A large comfortable bed that you can walk around

A button to start the generator from inside ( power goes out - pouring rain, dark - nice to have)

Back up camera

Power shades for the windshield instead of a curtain

Aluminum wrap on awnings - awnings over slides as well as main one. Helps keep the light out in early morning, or sun when it's hot.

Large refrigerator

Drawer dishwasher

Fireplace/heater

Storage and more storage

Okay, the TV I have already considered. I am thinking a 19" flat-panel in the forward section that folds down out of the ceiling just behind the driver's compartment.

Full size may be a bit more than I have room for, but I can get pretty close. A normal stall is 36, so I may be able to make a custom pan at 32. What about making the bathroom all waterproof floor, so I can use the toilet to sit down on when I shower? I have bad hips, so I don't move well for the first 2 hours of a morning.

Can you bake cookies and cakes in that type of oven? I have no idea myself....

The kitchen cabinets I have a question about. Do you prefer the type that uses a gravity lid that comes down, or would you rather have a sideways latch like a normal cabinet?

The bed is a given. I am almost 50 after all. lol

No sliders on my unit. It's a 1975, and I'm a mechanic, not an engineer. lol I will do the wrap thing though...

If you had your druthers, would you use a dual source, or just a regular compressor type refrigerator?

I will look nto that type of dishwasher.

A forced air furnace is a given too. I will be using it year round. That part will be propane powered.

I plan on adding basements, I think they are called? I have two thoughts on this. One for more storage. (obviously) One for keeping the heavier stuff lower for center of gravity reasons.

I am not using a generator. I am using a solar system with lithium battery packs, and a dedicated 120 amp auxiliary alternator on the engine. Between the two I will be able to keep about anything running. The panels I am ordering from AltE will give me 95 amps @ 12 v on a sunny day. I will be able to do that system for about 2200 dollars.

Sounds like a great project...wish I had the skills, time and shop facilities to do the same thing!!! We haven't been RV'ing as long as most on here so my input is minimal, at best...I would like to see pics when you strip it down inside and as you re-construct...please think about doing a blog with pics and solutions to problems you fix along the way...it might help some of us that are severely lacking in those types of skills!!!

I definitely plan on doing at least YouTube videos. I am not that good a writer so the blog thing will probably be out. Also, I am very very good at figuring out the easiest way of doing things. I've written most of the repair manuals for the equipment at work.

Okay, I may be a little insane in the membrane, but what the heck. Tomorrow, if the engine isn't locked up and the steel frame is good, I am buying a 1975 Dodge Titan, that is a total basketcase. The interior is completely ruined due to a roof leak that went on for many years while it was left parked. I have restored and customized about 30 cars in my 20+ years in the hobby, so I want a REAL challenge. There will be no stone left unturned on this setup. I am not doing this because I am on a budget or because I can't afford a new one. I want a project that will take me a year or two to do, and let me really get away with whatever I want, with alo less constraints. It's only 500, and the scrap and rebuildable value is almost twice that. The motor alone I can get 700 for if it's not locked up.

My main question is, of all the features you have on your RV, which is nicest and really makes life easier and more fun? This is NOT going to be sold, and I am a danged good fabricator both in metal and wood, and I have a rediculously stocked shop. Price really isn't an issue. NOTHING is out of the question at this point, from air suspension to self leveler, 4WD, Network with server and full A/V, etc. I am wanting ALL of the good toys that I can add. lol Here is what few pics I have at this point....