Hello from Utah!

[PhilRV10]

Hi All,

Bought an immaculate pre-owned 2018 28 foot FC rear twin bunk last summer, and used the year to figure our needs going forward. Everything works - no obvious issues other than the tired AGMs barely hanging in there. Trips to Oregon coast, California Sierras, Great Basin NP, Capital Reef, local mountains. Boondocked all except a week in Oregon.

This forum is a wealth of knowledge, sending us down the path of a solar upgrade - order from AM Solar coming any day to give us about 500W on the roof, 300 ah batteries, with all the associated goodies. Love these kind of projects!

Look forward to contributing as I learn more, picking your brains, and most importantly, seeing folks out on the road!

Drop a line if coming through Utah (we're in Salt Lake) and need anything! Originally from Oregon, but have lived here past 20 years. Plan to spend more time in the rain....

Phil

[ke6gkv]

welcome to the AS family and the forum! lots of information here. have fum making great memories. kurt

[Saluda372]

Welcome and congrats.

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

Brian

[Bearstream01]

Congrats! Shes beautiful! Love the flamingos!!!!!!!!

[barnhawk]

Welcome and congrats on finding that like new FC. Utah is a great place to get out and do some exploring, I was there for two years and still own a house there.

[Hans627]

Welcome to the forum. It’s good to have you as a contributing member.

And thanks for the invitation to help others. Very kind of you!

[Nelson428]

Welcome and enjoy the adventure.

[dbj216]

Welcome to the Airstream community. You have a nice looking rig, and it will last a very long time. Enjoy it. Utah is one of my favorite states. Many places to visit. And all the folks we met and dealt with on our trip were so very friendly. Just like Airstream owners. The snow in your eastern mountains was at record depths this year. Your Airstream won't float. Be ready.

David

[tmichalski]

PhilRV10 - I'm from Minnesota, but I'm storing my truck and Caravel in SLC so that I can easily fly into SLC from MN and take trips to discover the West. I just took my first trip to Nevada in August and it was great.

I don't have solar on my Caravel, so I'm looking at installing solar panels now. Did you install the panels yourself or did you have a local SLC shop install them for you?

I guess this question is open to anyone who wants to answer.

Would you mind sharing what you bought and perhaps who you used for installation (if you thought they did a good job)?


Btw, I'm also new to this forum and excited to learn more, especially from those around SLC!

[PhilRV10]

Great to hear - the West offers great Streaming, as you'll find out!

I ordered from AM solar:
(5) Noir 110 W panels
Victron 100/50 solar charger
Victron 12/12/18 DC/DC charger
(2) Easy starts for the AC
Victron IP65 SmartShunt

(2) 100 Ah Lithiums from Battleborn (they fit in factory battery box)
PD9160ALV Convertor on Amazon.

I did the full install at home in 3 days using the on-line guidance from AM solar - they provided panel attachment feet/brackets, sealer, wire, C-box, fuses, switches. I'm probably above average in handy man skills, but anybody could do this following along with the tutorials.

AM solar in Oregon would be a great place to have panels installed if you went that way.

I debated one of the multiplex invertor/convertors, but we don't have high AC needs - don't use the microwave, have never used air conditioning - mostly boondock in Utah and Pacific NW. Have a generator that can manage AC with the easy starts if we want. Left room for adding an extra panel and battery, kept the Zamp plug in for portable panel.

Biggest thing is planning for size/numbers of panels and matching to your expected needs. I don't know much about caravelle specific roof layout - if you hit the solar subforum you'll find lots of info from very knowledgable folks - helped me out immensely.

Drop a line when you come out next!

Best,
Phil

[tmichalski]

Thank you for the reply! I appreciate the info and the parts list. I'll take a pass at how I might do it myself first. I'm a bit below average when it comes to handyman skills , but I'm definitely up for getting as far as I feel comfortable before calling in the pros.

Heading over to the solar sub group now! Thanks for the tips.

[dbj216]

Hi PhilRV10: I find your username intriguing. At first I thought you might have a V10 engine in one of your tow vehicles. But the RV10 is the model name of a very popular and well designed home built aircraft. Maybe you build airplanes when not traveling in your Airstream. Just wondering.

David

[PhilRV10]

Hi David!

Wondering if anybody would pick that up. I do have an affinity for all things riveted aluminum - finished the -10 in 2018 after 9 years of slow build through raising my kids. Have had such a great time haven't gotten it painted - my "RVs" are twinners!

To top that off - I just started on a Murphy Moose. Aluminum trifecta i guess.

Phil

[dbj216]

Holy Cow! Wally Byam worked in airplane factories in southern California during the war years. Thats where he learned construction techniques and aluminum sheet metal work to create the Airstream travel trailer shortly after the war. It is built light and strong. I consider the Airstream body similar to an aircraft fuselage.

I am intrigued with homebuilt aircraft. I was a RC model enthusiast for years, but I'm not a pilot. A friend gave me a stack of EAA Sport Aviation magazines years ago. I decided to join EAA just for Sport Aviation Magazine and consider the organization top notch, similar to Airstream International and the Airstream owner's community. I've been to the EAA museum in Oshkosh, but not the Air Adventure event in July.

Building your own airplane twice is a very significant accomplishment. The Murphy Moose looks like a DeHavilland Otter in a way. It is a big airplane and looks great. I don't know what a twinner is, but I've seen pictures of twin engined RV10s.

You should put wings on your Airstream like the vintage Shasta canned ham trailers of the late fifties.

David