Contemporizing 1976 Argosy D - opinions please

[SmokelessJoe]

Bill B., thanks for your interest.

The compressor, painted black, has been permanently mounted now. The simple connections to the inside unit should be completed this week.

The Webasto diesel coolant heater was also re-installed and ran beautifully. It’s aluminum enclosure will be completed this week as well.

Inside, the Blue Sea electrical distribution panel has been completed.

We’re on a roll now, everybody.


Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

This is the Blue Sea 110v distribution centre, already enclosed now in the combination wardrobe/desk as we moved ahead with the work today.

The toggles on each breaker move with a quiet but solid “click”. LED lights indicate power. There is even a built in Reverse Polarity Indicator.

The circuit nameplates remain constantly backlit with 12v power. You can read the labels in pitch darkness. I really like that feature.


Sergei

[bhayden]

Originally Posted by SmokelessJoe

The circuit nameplates remain constantly backlit with 12v power. You can read the labels in pitch darkness. I really like that feature.

Sergei,
The back lighting is on even when AC isn't plugged in? That sounds like a battery killer on par with the stupid Dometic "Climate Control" that stay's on unless you flip the hidden switch irregardless of whether or not the fridge is running. Hope you've got that 12V on a separate switch that's in a spot that'll remind you to turn it off.
-Bernie

[SmokelessJoe]

The LED's draw 7 mA (.007/Amp) per label. I don’t know about things electrical but that’s probably not very much.

I’m not worried about 12 v draw. I have a modest amount of devices and when I don’t have shore power, I will have either an inverter/battery pack and/or a generator on the truck producing 110v.

There will also be a Blue Sea marine style on/off switch at the house battery.


Sergei

[bhayden]

Ah, I think you'd mentioned they were LEDs previously. Not a problem exepct for times you leave the trailer parked for extened periods. Since you'll have a battery disconnect switch that shouldn't be a problem either. In fact the glow of the LEDs should act as a "battery OK" indicator for you. -Bernie

[SmokelessJoe]

In #216 above I called for advice on 12v equipment; charger/converters, panels and batteries.

Safari Tim and Malconium contributed and Uwe, Lewster, Wabbiteer, Markdoane, Road King Moe and Bernie Hayden all gave good advice when answering PM’s.

Thanks to everyone.

Many recommended Randy at Best Converter and a ParaMode 4455TC with TempAssure is on the way.

In the next day or so I’ll order a BLUE SEA 12v distribution panel and battery Shut-off.

Things seem to be moving faster at this stage.


Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

All the work at the trailer tongue has been completed now.

The Webasto TSL coolant heater has been fully enclosed in the small aluminum box.

The compressor for the LG split air unit is on it's aluminum stand.

The new Ultra Fab 3500 Electric Jack has been installed.

(There are no propane tanks on this Diesel Powered Trailer).

The equipment has been painted black to match the lower front wall of the trailer, which has already been painted black in that area only.

Most people following this know that the Argosy will be painted two tone white and black, to match my MINI.

Sergei

[juel]

I've been watching your progress from the beginning and may I say that I feel so inadequate. I'm heading down to the lake tomorrow to give my Argosy a bath and repair the front curtains. I have new vinyl inserts for the outside but can't drill out a rivet to save my life. Guess some things will have to wait for the husband to come home. I'll do what I can and wish I could do what you've done. Mine is so plain and conventional compared to your show piece. Congratulations. Of course I have been having fun camping in mine all this time, so I got you there. More pictures please.

[bhayden]

Originally Posted by juel

I have new vinyl inserts for the outside but can't drill out a rivet to save my life. Guess some things will have to wait for the husband to come home.

If I remember right the end pieces for the side molding are pop rivets which are pretty easy to drill out since they already have a hole to center the drill bit. If you don't already have one I'd recommend a Dremel tool. They make drilling out rivets "a snap" so to speak. Curtains, now that's a complicated job -Bernie

PS. What color and where did you get the insert material for the Argosy? I've seen lots of discussion about red and blue for the Airstreams but nothing about Argosy inserts.

[juel]

I called my local Airstream man, who is really just a repair shop, but they ordered it directly from Airstream and a fraction of the price some other RV places had charged me before. There are two sizes on mine. The two mid stripes and then the lower large stripe. It's a snap to pop in. Now about those rivets. I have a dremel tool. What bit do I use? I've tried to drill them out with a drill and end up with a huge mess. As you can see I replaced this insert with the very expensive one, but it faded badly. Now I have new inserts from Airstream that I'm hoping will hold their color. I painted the end pieces which are metal. PM me if you need the name of the place that got me my inserts. He will be happy to ship them to you I know.

[Happycampers]

Hello Juel.. I hate to tell you this but it does FADE... big time..Our came from Airstream, it was in only 6 months and it had faded considerably.. we are going to use black on our 30' Argosy when it is done... cream with charcoal grey on the bottom.

[lewster]

Red is the most susceptible color to UV wash-out. I'm surprised that it lasted that long!

[SmokelessJoe]

Juel, Bernie,

I use a Dremel around the trailer from time to time. It’s very handy. Somehow I’d never thought to use it for drilling out rivets.

Juel, your trailer is a very, very nice one. I know because mine was once exactly like yours. I liked it so much that I decided to remake it in my own style, if you know what I mean.

We’ve roughed in the wardrobe / desk unit now. Soon we’ll mount the sliding doors on the unit and I’ll post more photos then.


Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

The aluminum hardware for the sliding doors at the wardrobe/desk combination is up now as are some of the frames for the gallery counter/cabinets.

The 12v fuse panel and the Bussmann circuit breaker, both by Blue Sea Systems, have arrived. When the charger/converter gets here we can start on the low voltage distribution system.

Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

I’ve found a lot of help and picked up a lot of crucial information on this forum.

We are just about to start installing the battery compartment and 12v distribution. After reading references to “sealed”, “no gassing” AGMs over many months, I was lulled into thinking such batteries were perfectly safe, in the open, under my bed.

They are probably not. I was glad to come upon this thread just in time:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...2-a-31854.html



Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

This is the compact 12v BLUE SEAS distribution panel and Bussmann 187 Circuit Breaker and On/Off switch.

We are still awaiting the Paramode charger/converter and hope it will be as neat and well built as this equipment is.



Sergei

[SmokelessJoe]

This week we will have either Wiltsie or Rigidized Metals in Buffalo cut satin finished stainless steel panels for the divider wall and a 28” high back splash along the back wall of the galley counter.

I hope to finish final details on the desk/wardrobe unit and do more work on the kitchen counter.

I am designing a stove exhaust made from a chromed exhaust stack for a diesel truck and a cool looking diffuser used in commercial air handling systems.

Wendell should start in on installing the 12v fusing and the new ParaMode charger/converter.

Sergei

[lewster]

Originally Posted by SmokelessJoe

This is the compact 12v BLUE SEAS distribution panel and Bussmann 187 Circuit Breaker and On/Off switch.

We are still awaiting the Paramode charger/converter and hope it will be as neat and well built as this equipment is.



Sergei

Sergei,

That is one GREAT panel! I have 3 in use currently; one in my CCD as an auxiliary fuse panel and one in eack of my motorcycles to fuse and control any electrical/electronic additions.

Good choice!!

[SmokelessJoe]

In re-manufacturing the sliding door system for the Argosy,
it was easier to remove a slice from the doors than re-install all the hardware.

The resulting “scar” is of no consequence. We will fill and sand it but only to make a smooth bed for the 4” high band of brushed aluminum that will wrap around the doors at this point.

I’ll post an “After” photo of the doors later this week.



Sergei

[3Ms75Argosy]

Sergei - I bet you're feeling even more excited as the days go by! Any date in mind for the maiden voyage?
Marc