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Old 12-10-2009, 01:30 PM   #41
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Originally Posted by 2xS View Post
Thanks!

I think I'm going to try my hand with a wind turbine though. I found a $450 unit that pulls 400W. Solar just can't do that....

Amazon.com: Sunforce 44444 12-Volt 400-Watt Wind Generator: Automotive
I tried that one last Spring. Nice unit....but. I found there was no convenient, way of adapting it for portable use. They no longer supply the mobile tower needed, and it was rather bulky and hard to store. Kind of a pain to remove/install the blades every time.
Where we "dock" the tower would have to be too tall to get above the tree-line.

It was a very well made unit though and if your are able to find a suitable tower and have enough wind, (steady above 15mph) it should work very well.
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Old 12-10-2009, 09:10 PM   #42
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The Univolt

Think I have the same configuration, an Intellicharger sitting on top of the old univolt, using the original fuse block. Must have been a common upgrade path and a pain to remove.
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Old 12-10-2009, 10:16 PM   #43
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Terry, that's my problem exactly. I have the new converter, and I even bought a new distribution panel (fuse panel) but when I went to sketch out a plan to do the swap, I looked into the current Univolt's home there, in the corner of the closet, and I could NOT imagine how my big hands would be able to manoever in there to undo all the bolts.

I had a nightmare-type flash that I would be forced to remove the tub.

I asked when I was at JC, and they (half-jokingly, I thought) suggested that I get a 7-year old to do it for me.

On mine (and probably on yours too) there is a U-shaped metal cover over the Univolt, making the access to the rear bolts look impossible for an adult hand.

Any hints? Oh, just re-read your description, and you took out the closet wall adjacent to the tub, is that right?
I removed the floor in the closet, and removed the screws holding the plywood board holding the Univolt in place, and slid the plywood out through the hole. After I got it out, I placed the new converter on the plywood, and replaced it. Then I removed the old fuse panel from the Univolt, and bolted it to the divider wall where the access panel was. I then built a small cover for the fuse panel to keep anhything from coming in contact with it and causiung a short.
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Old 12-10-2009, 11:26 PM   #44
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Cool Kudos on getting that post removed...

But you know what, I'm still man enough to extract some relevant points from it:
1) When adding things to the trailer, be sure to choose lightweight materials so you don't overload your frame; perhaps consider having someone inspect your frame first.
2) Do research beyond what people tell you, especially 2xS (that guy is crazy!)...

See how easy and cordial that was? And without being a total jerk about it...

The fact is when you get there WILDR, you'll have to do SOMETHING with your bathroom as it is dismantled. I used some lightweight 3/8" water resistant luan from Home Depot as the paneling for the shower and counter face. Then I got waterproof tileboard (Home Depot again) and a whole lotta liquid nails: shower wall adhesive. I used a 3/4 plyboard for the counter top and glued down tiles with mastic and sealed the whole thing. Most all of the materials are super lightweight, and the weight difference between the old bathroom setup and new bathroom setup is negligible: +50lbs. maybe. Those pipes you see in the photo are under the pan; the line meets up with kitchen drain and has an air vent on each side of the pan. I left as much of the existing line as made sense.

As for the weight of the ARC that was in question, (don't look old dogs!), I believe I more than negotiated the weight difference after the first trip to the dump.

But hey, just a forewarning, I'm an electrical engineer and I have not been formally trained in the arts of construction or plumbing. I did however (and still do) have skillful people working with me throughout this process WHENEVER I was unsure about ANYTHING. My electrical advice and credentials though, I'd say, are pretty bulletproof. But you never know what jerks they let on the internet these days; they could be telling you anything...

By the way... how accurate was I with your univolt wiring? Have you had a chance to check it and see?

Good Luck!!!
Dennis W.
MPA, MBA, BSEE, PM1
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Old 12-10-2009, 11:41 PM   #45
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I removed the floor in the closet, and removed the screws holding the plywood board holding the Univolt in place, and slid the plywood out through the hole. After I got it out, I placed the new converter on the plywood, and replaced it. Then I removed the old fuse panel from the Univolt, and bolted it to the divider wall where the access panel was. I then built a small cover for the fuse panel to keep anhything from coming in contact with it and causiung a short.
I'll second that... I don't think I removed the bathtub and wall there before I removed the Univolt... I'm pretty sure I was able to remove it while things were intact...

The instructions for removal suggest the same.
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Old 12-11-2009, 11:15 AM   #46
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Originally Posted by 2xS View Post
But you know what, I'm still man enough to extract some relevant points from it:
1) When adding things to the trailer, be sure to choose lightweight materials so you don't overload your frame; perhaps consider having someone inspect your frame first.
2) Do research beyond what people tell you, especially 2xS (that guy is crazy!)...
Thank you for that suggestion.

See how easy and cordial that was? And without being a total jerk about it...

ONE in every crowd! I wont spend another moment on HIS negative post wastes GOOD energy on a very fun hobby.

Loved your post on my thread. Enjoyed reading, the you tube and the the schematic. Thank you for all your time and effort. Your AS system is perfect for you. Its shows your an electrical engineer and very creative with the box. Mine AS will not be near as "electrically" entailed, a simple system for a simple yet happy trailer.
Happy Holidays and Thanks again.
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Old 12-11-2009, 12:40 PM   #47
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Unintellipower Univolt Replacement

Introducing Unintellipower
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Old 12-11-2009, 02:10 PM   #48
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Introducing Unintellipower
LU That looks familiar...too familar
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Old 12-11-2009, 02:13 PM   #49
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Troubleshooting Electrical Systems Remotley...

Quote:
Originally Posted by WILDRTEXAS View Post
Your AS system is perfect for you. Its shows your an electrical engineer and very creative with the box. Mine AS will not be near as "electrically" entailed, a simple system for a simple yet happy trailer.
Happy Holidays and Thanks again.

Didn't mean to throw you off with my power supply... but I never gave any indication on how I actually built it... That post/blog hasn't been written yet, and I would NEVER advise someone to design one without about a year or three of electronics classes.

However, the 12V system handled by your Univolt you will apparently have no choice but to deal with. I was more interested in knowing if my wire identification was correct for your trailer e.g. blue wire = charge line, purple wire = kitchen +12V, white wire = ground etc... You can verify the connections using the continuity tester on any multimeter (DMM) e.g. connect one DMM lead to the connection in question and find the other end (same color wire) to your other DMM lead; you should do this for EVERY connection in your trailer to ensure you don't have an open anywhere. Once that test is complete, you can hook up power to your charge lines and measure the voltage between your lines. They should all be hooked up with your ground connection as the common connection; at this point, all of your +12V should read so on a DMM e.g. V_blue > V_white = 12V, V_purple > V_white = 12V, V_brown > V_white = 12V; where the connection to the red terminal on your DMM is the +Voltage, and the black terminal on your DMM is connected to -Voltage (white).

Good Luck!

P.S. You aren't in any danger messing with your 12V system, 12VDC cannot hurt you; at worst you'll see a spark if your 12V is on and you short a connection e.g. if the white wire touches any other wire, or if any wire (besides white) touches the shell in the trailer. The only way I've ever heard of someone hurting themselves with 12VDC is by shorting out connection on say a wedding ring; the conductive metal on a ring will heat up very quickly and burn you if you manage to get it between the any +12VDC connection and ground. Don't believe me? Try it yourself... find a car battery, and touch the positive terminal with one hand and the negative with the other. FYI: scaring people is fun, do the test with someone around and scream and shake like you're being electrocuted... Good Times!!!!
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Old 12-11-2009, 05:11 PM   #50
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Somebody with a couple of thousand posts under their belt is going to get my attention more than a relative newby, and though I may not like what they have to say, I know I have a better chance of getting good, relevant information.
Just a thought:

Perhaps some of the wisest ones read & research & listen more than they post.


"Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds."
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Old 12-11-2009, 05:15 PM   #51
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400lbs added to the tongue weight of a 39yr old coach, good luck. What have you done to beef up the frame?

The workmanship on the ARC is excellent, the concept is excellent.

The placement, IMHO, not so much.

The original lasted 40 days and 40 nights, I hope that holds true for you.

Stream Safe
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Old 12-11-2009, 05:26 PM   #52
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The original lasted 40 days and 40 nights, I hope that holds true for you.
LMAO! Me too!!!!!!!!!

I had a professional inspect and reinforce the tongue and frame.... I let them know of my plans; the weight distribution has been meticulously scrutinized. Unfortunately, I'm not a welder so I took the monetary hit and left that one for the pros.
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Old 12-11-2009, 05:53 PM   #53
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how to get relevent answers from highly competent long-time Airstreamers?
You can pretty much count on getting answers to questions you already know the answer to. So, if you say in your post you already know the answer to the question you are asking, but don't, you may increase the odds .
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:01 PM   #54
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Just a thought:

Perhaps some of the wisest ones read & research & listen more than they post.


"Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds."
~Albert Einstein
True 2xs, but how do you know if they are wise if they are not sharing their wisdom?
What 2air had to say about gathering good information was a "great idea"(see Einstein quote above) and is more important than a lot of people know. It takes time to learn how to get to the really good info here and his suggestions were meant to help those seeking that info find it.
There are also some very helpful folks who do not know what they are talking about, yet they have a lot to say. This is where newbies get into trouble. Having some idea of the skill level and experience of the person you are taking advise from is the best way to filter out the irrelevant stuff as far as I can tell.
With regard to your posting about the ARC, I would be fascinated to hear about the rest of the story, like how do you off-set the weight of the unit? (Extremely important information) A relative new-comer might just think that adding another 5 to 6 hundred pounds at the other end would do the trick!
How loud are the fans? Can you sleep with them running within a foot or two of your head? How do you vent the batteries to the outside?
I'm not trying to knock your idea. I really am fascinated with it, I just want to see how well thought-out this is. The answers to these questions could possibly help you and others here to understand all of the ramifications of this kind of modification, such as: front-to-back balance, tongue weight increase, GVW increase, axle capacities, battery expense and longevity, etc.
And don't forget about the benefits of the system like: how long you can boondock for at a time, and how you could power your house from your Airstream in an emergency.

Looking for more info....

Rich the Viking
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:02 PM   #55
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LMAO! Me too!!!!!!!!!

I had a professional inspect and reinforce the tongue and frame.... I let them know of my plans; the weight distribution has been meticulously scrutinized. Unfortunately, I'm not a welder so I took the monetary hit and left that one for the pros.
:hew:: That's good to know! Please post a few pictures of the work the pro did to reinforce the frame?

You take great pictures, by the way.
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Old 12-11-2009, 06:41 PM   #56
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Very thoughtful posts there....

Understanding the problem in as great 'a detail as you can is always the best start to the best solution; 2air's suggestion on digging further information was never a bad one. The thread just had no tact.

Let me gather specs and info and write up a formal technical specification sheet for the modifications I made to install the power supply and for the supply itself... It'll take a little time of course, I am about 80% complete on my work for the trailer (which means it's probably more like 60%, right???), and am trying to get it road ready as quickly as possible. I'll also need to allocate measuring instruments for several of the calculations being requested. Plus there are cad designs, load cell data to sift through, etc... The info will require a bit more effort to obtain and formalize into something suitable for presentation. I'll notify all curious members in this thread when I post it, and I'll keep quiet about it until then.

This all started because I'm Mr. Worst Case Scenario, and if the whole world goes to crap (which it could), I might not have propane, but I'll still have hot water and electricity...

I must admit I'm surprised it has gotten the attention it has...

I'll keep you posted!
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:01 PM   #57
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It might be fun to get some input from a mechanical engineer to help you with all that data that you need to look at, 2xs. For example, one of the points that 2air made that I found particularly valid was the one about your modifications to the bathroom floor.

As you probably know by now, an AS is a monocoque device; i.e. the body and frame are interdependant in supporting the whole TT. By cutting the sheet of plywood from one end to (almost) the other under your shower, in your study you may find that you have seriously compromised the strength of the rear section. This could result in calamatous results, once you are on the road.

However, I am but a lowly enthusiast, and not an engineer, and as such I eagerly await the results of your study.

We look forward to reading about more of your innovations. You certainly are "stirring the pot"!
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:22 PM   #58
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I thought the blu prts came furst
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Old 12-11-2009, 07:26 PM   #59
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Seriously...when did a simple thead become a such a p*ss*n contest?
So, so wrong. Its like when a cat goes to the bathroom in a childs sandbox...it's JUST wrong.. Im OUT.
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Old 12-11-2009, 10:06 PM   #60
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This thread has been closed at the request of the original poster. If you wish to take this topic up on a new thread please feel free to do so.

Thanks,

Kevin
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