7'*18' V-Nose Cargo Trailer Toy Hauler Conversion

[flboy]

The stove top cover came in today also. It really is nice and adds extra space when not cooking. It is on hinges so I can partially slide back for one burner or all the way for three.

[McDave]

[quote="flboy"] No more cabinets to build... all done in that department.

Oh,...? really...? OK,.... if you say so... .. .. .....

Just kidding. Looks great, as always. That stove cover will be handy for a bit more work surface, plus you can hide any culinary mishaps till you get home. Ya' know? Can't have anybody know about the Cajun Carmel Rolls, can we?
Anyways, it's ALL good.

Hey Martin,
Glad to hear yer still out there. Doin' good, I hope. .... ..

McDave

[Padilen]

The stove top cover came in today also. It really is nice and adds extra space when not cooking. It is on hinges so I can partially slide back for one burner or all the way for three.

I don't remember did you paint the stove ?


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[flboy]

Hi Padilen. No, the stove is the original off white color. I have not painted it. I did clean it up and painted the interior parts of the stove under the burners. It was rusting and very messy when I got it. This was recovered from the donor camper and I had to repair it. It is a nice oven and stove for what I got into it. If I didn't get it for free, I probably would have just went with a stove top and no oven. ... But now that I have it... I like it. I have been taking frozen pizza's with me camping... always nice that first night.

[flboy]

I noticed the other day that I did not have the output of the Solar charger wired up like I should have. I had a short 6 gauge run from the solar charger output/sense to the 12VDC distribution which goes back to the battery through an 80A breaker and the battery cutoff switch. To the Solar Charger, all was good. However, if I cut off the 12VDC through the main battery cutoff or the 80A 12VDC breaker, there was no 12VDC applied to the Solar Charger output/ sense input while there was (or could be) Solar input to the charge controller. That really confuses the regulator in the Solar Charger since it is seeing 0VDC on the sense input with up to 18.5 volts coming in from the panels (it will actually start oscillating as it tried to regulate).. The 12VDC should never be cutoff before the solar inputs are opened up ( or after sunset), and you never want to run appliances directly from the charger output without the battery also on line which is what would happen if the battery cutoff or breaker was pulled the way I had it.


Gotta watch that stuff... can ruin electronics that way.

I fixed the problem by wiring the Solar charger output/sense directly to the battery through an 80A ANL fuse (the way I should have connected it from day 1). Now I cannot inadvertently remove 12VDC to the Solar Charger output/sense circuit... The 80A ANL fuse protects the wire going to the charger controller which also has its own fuse at the termination end. The ANL fuse is also a good place for me to open the circuit if I need to troubleshoot.

[m.colley]

Thanks Martin (good to hear from you, I hope all is well).. Glad you gave me encouragement to try it myself. I like them with the flaws and all. It is amazing what is possible with some ordinary power tools and some persistence. Only could imagine if I had a real wood-shop with all the jigs and etc..

I mounted the cabinet today. I still have a piece of trim for the top to pick up and the rare earth magnet latch to install, but it is essentially done. No more cabinets to build... all done in that department.

No more cabinets to build... all done in that department.

Oh,...? really...? OK,.... if you say so... .. .. .....

Just kidding. Looks great, as always. That stove cover will be handy for a bit more work surface, plus you can hide any culinary mishaps till you get home. Ya' know? Can't have anybody know about the Cajun Carmel Rolls, can we?
Anyways, it's ALL good.

Hey Martin,
Glad to hear yer still out there. Doin' good, I hope. .... ..

McDave

Doing well now after the wife having bronchitis, pneumonia, the flu and kidney stones in a two month period of time and myself having the flu too. I finally got around to getting the wiring straightened out and everything put back in place, turned out to be a side marker light on the RH fender causing the problem. I hope to start my fold-up bed next week and then I'm installing a inverter after that.


Martin

[Padilen]

I didn't go out and look but now I'm thinking mine isn't painted but the front is "black" glass. I want it in my
house not my CTC. I have the new 2 burner stove top that I just had to have and then didn't use.



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[flboy]

I found a decent 600w Pure Sine Wave inverter at a low price. I am adding a backup circuit to run the fridge if I have a primary 1500W inverter failure. I like the idea of a reversionary mode if I am out boondocking and have a failure. When I start going on extended trips to remote places, available power is important.

Is that crazy? Anyone carry spares for key systems when they travel? I was also thinking about getting a spare water pump to keep onboard.


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[Padilen]

Nah,
Heck I'm thinking about a portable spray tank for water. Because I ran out- but had forgotten to top tank. I was hoping to have earned enough for a nice Gen. But my new health insurance has a co pay and it's using up my earnings. I mentioned that the AC tried to run on this little Gen I have. I was reading and I'm confused at my power (Gen) needs. Can you guesstimate for me?
I have a 1350 start (1100 run) and my AC is a LG8000 btu. I read somewhere that a 12,000 btu only uses 800 watts!


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[flboy]

Padilen, inductive motors have a large in-rush current or surge that can exceed 3 to 7 times the run current. A hard start cap on your AC if not already installed, can help, but the rule of thumb is you should have 5 times the run current to start. That is why these 1600w (2000 surge) small generators such as the Honda 2000 wont run a 12,500 BTU roof mount AC. They simply can't start them, but could run them if startup was not an issue.

The 1350W start probably is not enough to start an 8000 BTU AC. A 2000W start up like a Honda 2000 would probably do it. In any case, I'd try it before I bought one if you know someone who has one. You may also try a $12.00 hard start cap with your generator/ac to see of it helps. It should help some. I have seen them help borderline setups.

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[Padilen]

That's kind of what I'd been told/read learned. But I think, on the CT Facebook page someone claimed they used a smaller Gen with no problem with their 12,000 btu AC. I'm already worried I damaged something when I only wanted to run the fan. I thought it always defaulted to fan only when power was shut off. I wasn't expecting it to start on AC and the compressor trying to kick in. I won't forget that again!
Still hoping to get ahead of medical bills and get a nice Gen. But my P.U. Will need new tire's for winter and some other things. Yep it's May and already planning for coming winter.


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[flboy]

Your AC should have a "brown out" circuit to protect it when voltage drops like when a generator cannot start it. It is probably fine. The brown out has a delay built in so it wont try to restart for at least 5 minutes if it senses low power. That keeps it from destroying itself.

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[Padilen]

That's a relief. I really didn't want to mess with redoing and going with one of the 2 window AC's I have.
Thanks for the help.
It feels like Florida here the last 2 days upper 70'& low 80's. Not what we're use to in May.


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[Padilen]

I ordered one from eBay local place wanted to much.
But I've waited for you to "catch" that I have extra of just about everything. And you wondered if it was crazy to carry a spare


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[McDave]

Is that crazy? Anyone carry spares for key systems when they travel? I was also thinking about getting a spare water pump to keep onboard.


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Oh, you know I do. I got backups for my backups, and backups for my backup lights! I'm not quite the Boy Scout that you are, but you know there is an extra bottle of Jameson and a couple cigars stashed in the First Aid kit...."Safety Third"... just sayin'...

McDave