Interstate Mods - I'll go First

[toskeysam]

Solar and power upgrade photos as promised. 4(100 watt) solar panels, 3000watt hybrid inverter, cell booster, Jack TV antenna, switches for solar array-battery disconnect-alternator charging.......works like a charm!

[toskeysam]

Hmmmmmm photo upload seems to be lost in space........

[toskeysam]

Oops forgot the 480 ahrs of lithium batteries

[LB_3]

I love me some van upgrade porn.

[Boxster1971]

Beautiful set up! Lew sure does nice work.

[JayP]

Finally got all the parts and tools together to swap out my two 80 amp hour batteries for four GPL-4CT's. Took me both weekend afternoons. Total storage now at 440 to match the 400W solar I put on the roof earlier this year. Had brackets made to hold two batteries in the same place as the originals on the driver's side behind the rear wheels and two in the same place on the passenger side. Now the batteries will last more than one night.

Next project is to design/build/buy a high idle stick so I can put the bulk charge in during breakfast while idling and let the solar do the absorb and float for the rest of the day. Anyone have any experience with idle sticks? The MB needs the high idle.

[amirm]

Originally Posted by JayP

Next project is to design/build/buy a high idle stick so I can put the bulk charge in during breakfast while idling and let the solar do the absorb and float for the rest of the day. Anyone have any experience with idle sticks? The MB needs the high idle.

That is what I thought until I measured the batteries getting over 100 amps of charge during idle on mine! No high idle needed. The 220 amp alternator that is standard in the newer sprinters is a high-output one that provides such performance. Indeed I charge my batteries just like you say.

[JayP]

Not concerned with the amount of amps, I am very happy with the alternator charging. I'm referring to MB not wanting idling, I think for the reason of something to do with the DEF system or prevention of carbon build-up, can't remember right now but heavily discussed on the Sprinter Forum. They offer a factory installed High Idle kit which I do not have nor want to install. Roadtrek used to offer it, not sure if they still do. I think the stick should be fine.

[amirm]

I researched that online extensively and there is no definitive word and certainly none from Mercedes that I found. The High-idle is often used to get more current out of the alternator than anything to save to engine.

With my diesel boats and tractor I use high idle together with light load to warm up the engine quickly. High idle by itself would do very little.

Vast majority of our charging occurs while driving. I don't feel idling for 15 to 20 minutes once in a while will result in anything meaningful as far as long term cost.

[Pahaska]

Even though there is some little padding on the jackknife seat ends, I found that they hurt if my knee or shin hit them when climbing in or out of the bed. Some folks have removed them completely, but I found that unattractive. Like some others on the forum, I decided to modify them.

They are easy to take apart by pulling a few staples. I ran the boards through my band saw and removed the higher portion of the wood, along with the padding. I did not measure, but the wood removed was probably between 1/2" and 3/4".

I happened to have a length of U-shaped self-adhering rubber weatherstrip, left over from work on my Classic 28. The weatherstrip was almost the exact height of the wood removed. With the weatherstrip glued in place, I glued the original foam back in place with spray cement.

The appearance is unchanged, but I can no longer feel the boards when the bed is made up.

[LB_3]

Originally Posted by JayP

Not concerned with the amount of amps, I am very happy with the alternator charging. I'm referring to MB not wanting idling, I think for the reason of something to do with the DEF system or prevention of carbon build-up, can't remember right now but heavily discussed on the Sprinter Forum. They offer a factory installed High Idle kit which I do not have nor want to install. Roadtrek used to offer it, not sure if they still do. I think the stick should be fine.

If you're looking at a high idle kit to protect the emissions, why not just retune the ECU. Some of these eliminate the limp home mode as well.

[Pahaska]

Today, I ran the wires from the electronics panel to beneath the cup holder at the rear couch where they are temporarily coiled. Running the wires turned out to be a lot easier than I expected. Across the wardrobe behind the fuzzy panel, into the area behind the sink, down to the floor, and back under the curbside jump seat. The TV served as a handy place to park the panel while I worked.

I have very limited tools at the storage yard. I'll bring the rig home tomorrow morning to finish the job if it isn't raining. I'll use a large Forsner bit to cut an indented area on the back of the panel for the toggle switch at the spot marked with a check on the photo.

I knew there would be a lot of stuff hidden behind that panel, but 35 years designing machines for IBM left me surprised at the total lack of organization.

[MILATV]

Originally Posted by Pahaska

Today, I ran the wires from the electronics panel to beneath the cup holder at the rear couch where they are temporarily coiled. Running the wires turned out to be a lot easier than I expected. Across the wardrobe behind the fuzzy panel, into the area behind the sink, down to the floor, and back under the curbside jump seat. The TV served as a handy place to park the panel while I worked.

I have very limited tools at the storage yard. I'll bring the rig home tomorrow morning to finish the job if it isn't raining. I'll use a large Forsner bit to cut an indented area on the back of the panel for the toggle switch at the spot marked with a check on the photo.

I knew there would be a lot of stuff hidden behind that panel, but 35 years designing machines for IBM left me surprised at the total lack of organization.

Nice Job - I wired an Inside LP Solenoid cut off in my 2013.5 in that panel; was very nice. In my 2016 the panel is up front (1st top cabinet, driver side)
I'm not running anything to that!

I installed the LP cut off in the small cabinet under the curb side rear bed/seat in the 2016. 5' wire + 1" panel switch. Have to get on my knees to turn it on / off - but easier than going outside.

[JayP]

If you simply take out the refrigerator it gives access to fish wires to the panel and then also back to the inverter, solar controller and BIM under the driver's side jump seat. Did my LP switch last year at the same time as adding solar, replacing solar controller and adding a shunt/monitor. Connected right at the LP solenoid and ran up through one of the access holes into the driver's side wall.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by amirm

I researched that online extensively and there is no definitive word and certainly none from Mercedes that I found. The High-idle is often used to get more current out of the alternator than anything to save to engine.

With my diesel boats and tractor I use high idle together with light load to warm up the engine quickly. High idle by itself would do very little.

Vast majority of our charging occurs while driving. I don't feel idling for 15 to 20 minutes once in a while will result in anything meaningful as far as long term cost.

I'm beginning to think you are correct AMIRM. No definitive answer on idling. My use of Luna does not include driving every day, sometimes parked for a few days in one spot. I will experiment this year during my trips with charging using my alternator first thing in the morning, but only a maximum of 1 hour, as I think that is the max the BIM will go before it disconnects based on it's programming. It may disconnect earlier if the voltage gets high enough. So in theory I could be idling as long as 3-4 hours total elapsed time if I stay in one place for 5 days, which seems to be about the maximum stay before needing to dump or get fresh water or food.

[Coolrunnings]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

We had magazine racks made and stained to match the interior, two at the rear on the cabin ends of the benches, one larger one directly behind the driver's seat.


Maggie

Do you have pictures?

[Coolrunnings]

Originally Posted by JayP

If you simply take out the refrigerator it gives access to fish wires to the panel and then also back to the inverter, solar controller and BIM under the driver's side jump seat. Did my LP switch last year at the same time as adding solar, replacing solar controller and adding a shunt/monitor. Connected right at the LP solenoid and ran up through one of the access holes into the driver's side wall.

Great job and info. I will be looking into doing that evolution.. Thanks

[Coolrunnings]

Originally Posted by BL1996

I'll go first. I changed out all the Sprinter speakers for Alpine and added a powered sub woofer. I placed it the overhead compartment above the passenger seat.

The radio now sound much better in my opinion.

Let hear about everyones modifications.

Sweet. i recently installed an additional 4 6" Kenwood speakers underneath the overhead storage around the rig and a sub with 2 10" kickers. In the near future I will be replacing the door speakers and bulding a dual function speaker box to be mounted above the sliding door that can 1st be swivelled to direct the sound externally when sitting under the awning and watching TV/listening to music and 2nd to cover the deadspot when directed inward between the kitchen and drivers cab.

[InterBlog]

Mini-project...

On one of the other threads, reading lights were mentioned and this product was cited as having been acquired by at least one Interstate owner (Amazon description): ITC 69923S-NI3K-DB Brushed Nickel LED Adjustable Reading Light.

I am 90% sure that this fixture is the same one being installed as a workstation light in the current GT Tommy. I got to meet that fixture in person a few weeks ago at the Houston RV Show, and I was surprised at how bright it was.

I bought two of those reading lights as candidates for replacement of our galley lighting. We still had the OEM single garish "Grandma's RV" fluorescent fixture in place over the galley counter. We had replaced the tubes with LED chips, but it was still perfectly awful in terms of light quality. The trouble was that I'd been unable to identify a suitable replacement. I didn't want a broadcast fixture - I wanted directional task lighting.

Here's what two of them look like installed, one over the sink and one just to the left of the stove (at the left edge of the metal protective plate that lines the underside of the cabinetry). You can see the fixture heads in shadow near the tops of these two photos, and these depictions of lighting conditions are fairly true-to-life. It's completely dark outside, obviously, and there are no other lights on in our Interstate.

My husband would prefer that I install a third fixture on the right side of the stove for symmetry, and I might do that eventually, but I'm satisfied with the set-up as-is. If I'm not using the sink or stove, but am rather working on the counter, I can bend the little goose-necks together to target just that area. Perhaps best of all, if I'm sitting on the couch, I can aim both fixtures away from the couch and it eliminates the sideways glare from having one's eyes at a lower level than the fixtures (that was an annoyance for me with the OEM fluorescent fixture).

This was also my first start-to-finish wiring project executed by myself. Simple, but nothing ever seems to go to plan on the first attempt. I'll skip the gory details for brevity.

[mvinterstate]

Hello all,
I am a new owner and car nut. We purchased our GT in December but have yet to actually take it out due to several personal complications. This has not stopped me from "personalizing" our Coach over the past few month's.
Thanks to you all for sharing many great ideas and experiences, I have been a voier here for nrearly a year
Here is my list of "upgrades" done so far;
2017 Airstream Grand Tour Upgrades Installed
Homelink Gate/Garage Opener (EBay $29.00 used!)
Valentine One Radar Detector hard mount/Bluetooth
Scan Gauge Engine Monitoring System (plugs into OBD II)
Focal Separates Front Speakers (kept stock tweeters and added Focal’s firing vertically into side windows, REMARKABLE sound!)
Focal Coaxial Rear Speakers
Fosgate 8” Fast Action Subwoofer in stock location
Rockford Fosgate PBR300X1 Punch 300-Watt Ultra-Compact Mono Amplifier (stock subwoofer unimpressive), system now VERY IMPRESSIVE!
Pioneer 4 Channel Amp added to Fusion Head unit for front & rear speakers
Video out upscaler from Fusion head unit now wired to HDMI switcher (#3) now allows headunit and stereo to provide video feed to F & R TV’s (full theater sound now!).
Verizon 4G Hotspot
IPad RAM Mount
Samsung Smart DVD Player
ROKU Premiere to stream Amazon, Netflix etc.
Rear Stainless Steel Ladder
Rack for Yakima Skybox (not installed yet) for flyfishing gear

TPMS for future cargo trailer
EEZTire Tire Pressure Monitoring System - 10 Sensors (TPMS)
Sold by: EEZ RV PRODUCTS
$449.00


TPMS SYSTEM REPEATER (BOOSTER for lengths over 53 FT) (1 EA)
Sold by: EEZ RV PRODUCTS
$55.00

Towing accessories for Jeep Rubicon (Toad)


Blue Ox BX7420 Class IV Avail 10,000 lb. Capacity Tow Bar with Safety Cable
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
$820.64



Blue Ox BX1134 Baseplate for Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
$340.92
Buy it Again


Blue Ox BX88231 Aventa LX Towing Accessory Kit
Sold by: Camping Connection
$227.32
Condition: New - Brand New


Blue Ox BRK2012 Patriot Brake
Sold by: RVSUPPLIES
$978.11


Roadmaster 643 Safety Cable
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
$45.95

10 motion lights in cupboards

5 of Little Cherry Stick-on Anywhere Portable 10-LED Wireless Motion Sensing Closet Cabinet LED Night Light / Stairs Light / Step Light Bar (Battery Operated)
Sold by: Gloriest
$10.99 each