'70 Caravanner restoration

[dbj216]

I'm inclined to think the same way. The pressure regulator is what, 2 psi, or 13" water column. If you put two in line, I think the result would be the same.

Jeremy, you're so old fashioned. New tanks have those hand tightened fittings on them anymore. No wrenches required. They work good. I can't remember what they are called.

David

[Jeremy9107]

I bought this battery disconnect from Fastronix. 2 pole. 180 amp.


Here is a crude wiring diagram for what I currently have. The positive battery terminal is connected directly to the battery monitor shunt, the converter (in addition to the jack and fridge). The negativ battery terminal is wired to the battery monitor shunt then grounded to the frame.


It was a late add on after heard stories of batteries dying from unknown draw....but I can't figure out how to connect it. Can anyone offer help? I am thinking one pole of the battery disconnect switch wires to the positive terminal of the battery. Then the second pole of the battery disconnect switch wires back to the loads (converter, battery monitor, etc). But do I need to add a bolt to connect those wires to and do I need to have a big fuse at that point too for protection?? Thanks.

[rmkrum]

At the battery positive terminal, add a bolt-on fuse holder with a fuse sized to protect your battery wiring. Run a heavy jumper from the fuse to the switch. Then connect all the positive load wires to the other side of the switch. Be sure to mount the switch so nothing can short the terminals to ground.

On my rig, since I’m using 4-gauge wires to the batteries I have an 80 amp bolt-on fuse at the positive battery terminal from BlueSea Systems.

I also used their disconnect switch because it’s totally enclosed and waterproof. I do not currently have an inverter, but the switch I used is good for 150 amp loads so i could add one if I wanted to and just upsize the fuse.

Note that the fuse is there to protect the wiring from any short circuits. That’s why you put it right on the battery positive post. It protects all the wiring downstream from the fuse.

[Jeremy9107]

rmkrum. thanks for responding. trying to follow you. a few questions.

does that bolt on fuse holder connect to positive battery terminal with heavy gauge wire or does it slip right over the battery terminal?

any idea what size fuse i would need? i have a 75 amp hour battery if that factors in.

"Run a heavy jumper from the fuse to the switch". by jumper do you mean heavy gauge wire?

my switch is quite a distance away from the battery, so i don't have the ability to connect the loads directly to the switch. i have heavy gauge wires coming off each post of the switch to and from the battery. would i use another bolt on fuse holder at the end where the loads would connect? or some kind of similar bolt on post? thanks

[rmkrum]

Bolt on fuse holder goes directly on the 3/8 inch stud on the positive terminal of the battery. The wire to the switch goes on the other side of the fuse. Idea is to have minimum distance from battery to the fuse. Ideally right on the battery post.

Battery rating has nothing to do with fuse size. It’s based on wire size that is connected to the battery. Look for an “ampacity table” on google to get the fuse rating for wire size.

Jumper is a heavy gauge wire to the switch that can handle all your maximum loads added up, plus some extra. That wire size should define the fuse size. I.e. if the fuse is 80 amps, the wire should be able to carry 80 amps minimum.

The fuse on the battery terminal protects all the loads. Just use an insulated bus bar or junction point with a 3/8 inch bolt on it to connect all the wires from the switch and to the loads. Place it where nothing can easily short that connection to ground or the body of the trailer or frame.

Also, I believe your shunt needs to be on the negative side of the battery. Check the instructions for your shunt installation.

[Jeremy9107]

Thanks for the follow up. Its making more sense now and I have ordered the bolt on fuse holder. My battery monitor description may have been off. I double checked and yes it is connected to the negative terminal.

[Jeremy9107]

going to eventually have a Juniper live edge counter top. found a burn scarred tree that will work great and got permit to cut it down but will need time to season it. so in the meantime installed some 3/4" birch ply so we can get to using this thing.



initially rough cut it then used washer to scribe edges. neat trick that a cabinet maker friend suggested.


cut a hole for the new sink. it came with a template but somehow it got lost so cut hole then scribed the inside of the sink from within the hole.




we are now functional. the live edge counter top will be nearly 2" thick. this is only 3/4". weight will be an issue so devising a plan to "hollow" out the Juniper slab and replace with Coosa. not yet sure how to do it or if it will work....

[Jeremy9107]

We marked the calendar to be camping by Memorial Day. Granted, it was meant for last year, but realistically we were ready to go this year. But darn mother nature got in the way. Wind, rain and snow are forecasted in most areas within reasonable driving distance around here. So camping is on hold for us. Hoping most others are going to enjoy Memorial Day weekend in the great outdoors. Here's to you.

[Jeremy9107]

have been getting some little things done here and there and will continue to do so this weekend.

those plastic latches on the original cabinets and closets had worn down over the years. it had gotten to the point that the vibration of the travel caused the latches to give and spill all the contents. made for quite the scene when we opened the door. hoping these little aluminum latches will work better and keep things sealed.



also installed these door stays on the upper cabinets in the kitchen. got rid of the tambour doors so needed a way to keep them open for loading/unloading. they are aluminum, light weight, compact. a bit tricky to install the first time, but from there piece of cake.


we are going with only 4 outlets in the trailer. 1 at the front end cap, 1 at the rear end cap, and 2 in the kitchen area. put up these outlet covers. can't remember where they came from, but they are meant to be floor outlet covers. just liked that they were made of aluminum, had the round shape, and are solid construction. they didn't install flush against the skin so had to use a 3/16" piece of gray sheet silicone to fill in the gap.





put up a coat rack in the closet. it is 1" aluminum tube and the ceiling mounts are also aluminum. riveted them on through the shelf above with an aluminum washer on the shelf side to keep everything tight.

[dbj216]

Thanks for the photos. Your trailer is looking sooooo cool. I will remember the washer as a "story stick". That is a nifty way to trace a perfect fit.

We had a foot of snow a week ago. It is gone now. But it is very cool in the mountains. I am sure I will make a maiden voyage in the Overlander this summer, but no promises when. The axles are mounted. I still have many hours of work left, including my rather ordinary countertop (which is also birch ply). I will stick a laminate to it.

Keep on building that cool Caravanner of yours.

David

[Jeremy9107]

David. Know what you mean about that pesky snow. Got 2 inches today. Was planning on finally towing the Airstream to my house today but it will have to wait. Following your thread, and others, has motivated me along so I need you to get finished.

[Jeremy9107]

Really like that old control panel. Unfortunately, the only switch that worked on mine was the pump. Clock was broken. Never was able to check battery strength or tank levels. I couldn't come up with a good way to add switches to it so had to build a new one.


Not much planning for design and such. Just kinda winged something that was not a box.


These wires have lost their ID tags over the months so was a bit of a guessing game as to where they came from.


Cut the openings out with a jig saw, and hole saws when possible.


Secured the frame with rivets then screwed the face down. Used the old weather gauges and added a few things. Will be nice to have a battery monitor and went with the battery shut off switch up here as well to make it easy to access. The switches control the pump, tank pads, solenoid valves that will allow to empty the gray tank, fresh tank and swamp cooler reservoir if desired. Waste valve switches are up there as well.



plan to jazz this up a bit more at some point. maybe some decals up top or wood accents in places.

[dbj216]

Airstream was and still is big on "control centers". The one in the wife's limited still kinda works, except for the clock and propane tank levels.

I think I showed you the one from the Overlander. Mine got all discolored in the heat and humidity of the southeast. Like yours, nothing worked on the thing.

So I cut a square hole and installed my SeeLevel instrument in it. I did use the water pump switch which I got working somehow. Mine is in a galley overhead compartment. I close the tambour door. Out of sight, out of mind.

I like your control center quite well. Much better than mine.

David

[Jeremy9107]

i do like the look of those old control panels. you gotta get that think out in the open and share the vintage look. how does that SeeLevel work out? I went with iSeries. Think there was something about the SeeLevel that would not work with the shape of the tanks I had

[Jeremy9107]

have thought a lot about what to do for lighting. only thing that was certain was the old fixtures were not going back in. the roof top fixtures were a bit stubborn and known to shock so for sure they had to go
Attachment 341854

these Hemingray glass insulators came off an old telegraph line and have a neat look. the wife preferred the turquoise ones over the clear ones. watched a lot of YouTube videos for for how to drill through glass and saw there is a special bit for that, but decided to use a standard 1/4" bit on the drill press. the first insulator exploded, so went a lot slower and added water for cooling and kept it trapped with duct tape. the others came out great.
Attachment 341855

bought the sockets at Home Depot and used epoxy to secure them in place.
Attachment 341856
Attachment 341857

plan to hang with copper wire and use 2W 12V LED Edison bulbs to get that vintage look

[Jeremy9107]

[Jeremy9107]

completed the insulator lights. the roof lights are controlled by a switch on the wall by the door and the under cabinet lights are controlled by individual switches. like the look so am going to do all the end cap lights the same, just with smaller insulators.

[Jeremy9107]

Believe posted earlier that we went with an Optima battery after considering options (lead acid vs golf cart vs Lithium). Lithium would be awesome and when we are ready to jump into that cost will be sure to contact TouringDan.

Have been wondering if the Optima batteries need to be vented like traditional lead acid as seems there is a lot of debate about this on the forums. Here is a response from the company...

Hello Jeremy,

Thank you for your interest in Optima Batteries. It is important that ANY lead acid battery has proper ventilation. ALL lead acid batteries can vent gas. Traditional wet batteries do this immediately when recharged since they are not sealed.

Sealed lead acid batteries like Optima and all other “Dry Cell” batteries have safety release valves that will only vent if they are seriously overcharged. Under normal operating conditions an Optima will not vent gas.
Since alternators or chargers can fail, the safest and correct mounting method for trunks and passenger compartments is to make sure that any possible gas venting will escape to the outside of the vehicle. All vehicles with original equipment battery locations in trunks or passenger compartments will have a vent provision that should be used. If you are custom mounting a battery in the trunk or passenger compartment we recommend venting the battery to the outside of the vehicle also.

Optima group 31 batteries have ports for connecting a vent hose.

Thank you,
Mary Jo
Optima Customer Service

[dbj216]

Well, contrairy to the manufacturer's cautions, I have my AGM group 31 battery right under my gaucho. I'm taking a chance my converter will monitor the charge voltage, and that my leaky old Overlander is vented well enough with opening doors and windows. I'll let you know if it blows up on me.

David

[Atomic_13]

Awesome job on the lights, Jeremy