YOU AND JAX DEFINITELY LOOK A LOT HAPPIER THESE DAYS.....LIKE MEETING AN OLD FRIEND AFTER A LONG SEPARATION ...SAFE TRAVELS ....HAVE YOU NAMED THE RV 2.0 YET????
I'm glad that you are back in an RV. I just got mine last month, a 1981 Fleetwood Pace Arrow class A motorhome. Next month I will be starting my adventure.
silicone is an inferior cauld to use on the roof exposed to uv. The best product is flowing caulk you can get a any RV supply store. Flowing caulk is used by most every manufacturer to seal anything piercing the roof.
Manuel Hernandez I can't even imagine what Eric would do with a $250,000 Class A Diesel Pusher. Probably sell it for a 1988 Tioga, and have a 240,000 Maintenance Budget. =)
Nomadic Fanatic This is your journey, don't let subs or anyone push you to leave until you are ready. You have no one to answer to, well except Jax and he is pretty easy going. Love the joy you show in sharing what you have done so far. This is exactly what you and the rest of us needed a new start. Keep up the great video's and education of all things RV.
Glad to see you back in an RV. Rather than eliminating the under hood house battery I'd be tempted to just replace those old 6v batteries with one good 12v deep cycle and keep the two electrical systems separate to back each other up. With the newer high draw items on the badass battery bank and reduced workload on the old system you'd be in pretty good shape if either system crapped out. Looking forward to more videos. Good luck.
Glad to see the improvements! Hopefully you will be able to get the water pump and propane sorted out. Glad you are so happy in your new home on wheels! Jax looks happy too!
Hi Eric; Been watching for some time now. My wife and I are really enjoying what and how you share your journey. Luv Jax. I am trying to sell my home and begin a temporary life on the road with our dog Bella and our cat Jello. Planning for 2 years now. Prob a 34-36' class A will be what we will end up with. Pac Nor West bound...Putting faith in God for our new journey to begin. I also like it when the vids are longer like the 14 min ones...and all the education that comes with it.
As twocents pointed out, your prep videos are useful to the rest of us AND entertaining. The Lovely Bride and I looked at, but did not buy, a six year old Class C (one owner, no pets, non-smokers) the other day that had MORE problems than you have found on your "older but gently used" model thus far. The sad part was it was a nicely designed "C" that had the owner-seller just been honest about it's shortcomings we might have purchased it on the spot and worked our way through the problems one or two at a time before taking it out on the road. And just so you know....It was thanks to your videos and those of one or two other Class B and C YT providers that made it possible to spot the problems in the above mentioned "C" that we looked at. For that I must say thank you because you helped save us what may well have been several thousands of dollars we just don't have. Take care and keep up the great work! Hope to meet you on the road one of these days.
June Bug Joe, you got that right!!! In the used Class C we looked at, I found four leaks that were "hidden" so to speak by replacement carpet and wallpaper....It took a bit of stretching and crawling around on all fours but I at least found those four. I strongly suspect there were others that the seller had found ways cover over or disguise others....I have also thought about the wiring possibly having been compromised somewhere in the vehicle as a direct result of water leaks. Neither The Lovely Bride nor I are sorry we walked away from that "deal".
I really enjoyed this video. I love seeing how you put the systems together, and all the other mechanical stuff. Thanks for taking the time to walk us through it. It was fascinating! Eagerly awaiting all the rest of the modifications and upgrades. Best of Luck, and Keep On Rockin'!
Eric don't forget your first and most important priority soon as you get enough funds. Good Tires! I've seen a RV class A blow a tire and they lost control and it flipped and rolled sideways on the road which totaled the RV. My opinion for RV nick name, T2
What you may want to do is checkout a battery selector switch from a marine application.This can give you a battery choice of a,b or both.(basic model.) Also on a boat ,an additional common choice for a stove is an alchohol stove... a little pricier to operate but as the fuel is non pressurized, it is less likely that a leak will not blow you to smitherines.( I once had a propane camping stove hose break loose while using) If you want a semi permanent caulk try poly-sulfide compound.( Poly sulfide compound)) It is semi permanent because it don't let loose without one hell of a struggle......even wood to fiberglass..includeing teak.
Loving the video mate. I work in a battery warehouse and I often get asked about Gel batteries to replace old lead acid (that's what you have under the hood, two 6v making 12v). There's a company called Sonnenshein that make exact replacements for these. They're a lot safer (as they don't vent as much) and will last a lot longer because they're gel. Just food for thought. And the part number is GF06180V if you ever wanted to look them up. I hope they're available in USA. If not, I'm sure there's an equivalent.
Your Trojan 6 Volts batteries are connected to each other in SERIES so that you final Positive and Negatives adds up to 12 volts. Putting the two 6 volts in series just makes the total battery look larger in size currentwise.
Eric, put a battery disconnect on the Trojan batteries. when you plug into your inverter turn the Trojans off and they wont draw any power from your solar batteries. Another quick fix for now.
Jax seems to really like his extra room, you should be happy this is an exciting project getting the RV comfortable, and in tip top shape for safe enjoyable journeys throughout the country. This should be your main goal right now, and the project videos are interesting.
Hi Eric! I have been one of your subscribers for a while now and I enjoy your vids very much. I think this may be the first time that I have commented .I always give your channel a thumbs up! . As I recall There were positives and negatives with Bertha when you first got it, you made yourself a too-do list and little by little you addressed them by importance til you got the van road ready and as comfortable as you and Jacks could be in such a small space. The extended roof was a real savior vs a regular top van. So, Just hang in there and do what you have already started with your new class 'C' make your list and check it off as you go down the list. You have learned quite a bit about RV;s and doing things yourself , just be patient and take lots of breaks as not to get overwhelmed with trying to get your new home just the way you want and need it to be. It will take a little time but you will get it there. Take care Eric.
I'm looking to put inverter/converter/charger into my travel trailer. I did it with an old trailer 2 decades ago and it worked great. A bit of rewiring of the trailer and that first time you turn it all on is pretty scary but it worked great. It looks like you enjoy upgrading your rig to be just how you want it and thats awesome.
Heads up for you Eric - Silicone based caulk etches aluminum because of the acetic acid content. It's the Acetic Acid that attacks the aluminum, not the silicone. RV manufacturers recommended the following caulks, that have 30-50 year service life: Butyl Flex Dap 3.0 (Silicone hybrid w/o acetic acid) Latex Other makes include Vulkem (Sikoflex) and Parbond can be used. ATB Richard
I confess; I like it when you hit snags. Not that I wish you ill will, I just like watching how you overcome them. I am about to become a newbie RVer, and am likely to need all the help I can muster. I was surprised that you traded away the van, but also can appreciate all the extra room in the Tiago. Your (and other's) videos have given me the itch to try out setting up a solar system. You just won't find me up on the roof of my RV. I would be installing a sunroof in a most precipitous and unfortunate way. You see, I was a farm boy, so my ass covers a lot of acreage. Keep on adventuring1
When i tried this or even just plugging into someones house outlets with my 30 down to 20 amp adapter, anytime I tried to run the air conditioner it would either trip the breaker or blow the fuse in the house because the amps really require at least 30 amps and when use your house adapter you arent getting that. Hopefully it works for you and i learn something here.
Very useful info. As a newbie RVer still trying to learn the ropes this is the kind of stuff I need to know. The electrical is particularly confusing. I know you've done a couple of vids on the topic but a few more would be welcome.
I have a similar set up on my cabover camper, I put the converter which is what charges your batteries from shore power or generator on its own circuit breaker which is cheap and easy to do and if you are plugged into shore power and not using your inverter for power flip the breaker and it will charge your batteries
Eric, Thanks for the How your doing it video. Appreciate it! Also like the fact, if you can swing it moneywise, going from van to RV, More room i am sure. liked the idea of van, but like the room of an rv. thanks!
2nd post from avid follower my rig is almost exactly as yours, continue to do as you do plugging rv into inverter its fine its way i operate and it wont hurt a thing, the batteries you think are "crap" are the best available those trojan batteries are the best and properly maintained last well over 10 years, you go tying in your bank you can get a ground loop problem that can affect the way your charge controller "sees" your batteries, when im on solar i plug into inverter and turn off the first breaker on your fusebox that powers your built in converter/charger and charge your onboard batteries via a smartcharger, this keeps systems separate just use your solar setup as you would a power pole at dock god bless
I like your idea with running the coach 115 system off the inverter, but if I may make a recommendation on that. I don't know which sine wave your inverter is (pure or modified), but if its a modified, its most likely gonna kill the compressor in the roof A/C rather quickly. That, and a 2000 watt inverter won't be able to sustain that amp load for more than a few minutes before dropping along with the battery voltage. I believe the standard 13,500 btu A/C pulls at least 8 amps running with the compressor and fan at the same time, not to mention the compressor start load will be somewhere around 20 amps for about half a second, just long enough to trip out an inverter overload fuse/breaker. I think it could be done, just you would need a super large inverter and have a great many solar panels, the inverter trying to run the roof unit would drain the batteries faster than they could charge. I'm not trying to barge in and say "that's not gonna work", but I'm just throwing my 2 cents out there. I work on motors, contactors, relays and the like on a daily basis, and I've seen many electric motors that were cooked from voltage spikes/drops. Remember, the lower the voltage, the higher the amperage. Its the amperage that burns them out.
Not sure if anyone mentioned this or not but when you plug your rv power cord into your inverter you may be able to turn your on board converter charger off at the converter. Some RVs had a separate breaker for the charger part of the converter but some piggy backed off another breaker if that is the case you can install a separate breaker or separate switch for the charger part of your converter, O just eliminate the charger part all together and use a better charger. Most converter chargers aren't worth their weight, (most) some out there are better. At camp we used the same set up and the charger part and house batteries is eliminated and we use a better charger on the solar bank of batteries when running the generator. Like NW hiker mentioned your 2000 watt inverter will not run that roof top A/C My battery bank inverter will run mine but to run an ac you will need a very large battery bank just add up the amp hours need and remember you only want to count on half of them and you will see the picture very quickly.
Hi guys,looks like you're pretty much on the roll with your new RV now,if I will make an opinion or suggestions,I will focus more frist in the engine,suspension and chassis of the vehicle.The internal features of the RV will just come next.Top shape motor or engine will be a flawless trip anywhere and peace of mind.Just my two cents.God Bless.
+Alaskan_Gypsy actually... two batteries wired in parallel (positive to positive) doubles the amp hours. wired in series (negative to positive) doubles the voltage. the two 6 volt batteries in his rv are ran in series.
Running your solar/battery bank through your on board AC/DC is a very inefficient way of doing things. Old converters like what you have will run about 150 watts just on idle and will only put out a little trickle charge to your house batteries. The pair of Trojan 6volts are excellent batteries, so don't throw those away if they keep a good charge. 2x6 equals 12 volts, so you can use that in your system without any problem. Look at getting a CTEK smart charger for your engine while driving. Running a charge system off the alternator is very poor way to charge what you have. You'll shorten the life of your batteries considerably. You might want to block those 80 lb batteries you have a little better. Make an inner box or put some tie down eye bolts and strap them down otherwise the first rough road you get on will tear your seat area apart. No way will you be able to run your AC, mircowave, heater, electric fridge on the 2,000 watt inverter you have. The start up voltage will trip the inverter right away. You might be able to get your microwave to run, but will be sucking your battery down in a hurry. You don't have enough solar for back up or to fully charge your battery bank. You might want to add another 300 watts to keep your system optimal. Ohhhh and the voltage you see on your charge controller is what it's charging at not the level of your battery. As long as you have a charge going into your battery it will read up high like that. You need to let the battery rest at least 30-60 mins before you can get an accurate reading of the voltage level and state of charge your batteries are at. I've been living off grid in my truck camper for the past 1.5 years, so have picked up a few things along the way. Solar is wonderful if you are in a sunny place most of the year, don't expect it to run everything in your RV though.
I'm not sure why Eric hasn't exploited Jax's cuteness to his fullest potential. Eric, all you need is one video of Jax that goes Viral and it'll break 3 million views. There's a freaking annual meetup of people who loves cats and watches cats video on the internet that are currently celebrating its fourth year. Name ONE Cat travelling around the United States outside of Jax that is on youtube? Consider that for a start, Eric. That fat furball is your claim to fame beyond just your regular viewers.
Wanderersea Haha. Yeah, he's quite a star. But I can't manage 2 themes. We share the RV and our experiences. However, I'll film him playing fetch again here for you. :)
No hurry Eric but I think I would do a couple of things. 1.Replace all lights with LED 2.Paint all the out dated interior Hopefully this rig stays together for you. Tim.
Glad that you are getting things done nicely. Good idea on the power set up.
Alright ! Back in business ! Finally a class C RV man ! :-)
Congrats Eric !
Cheers,
Roger.
YOU AND JAX DEFINITELY LOOK A LOT HAPPIER THESE DAYS.....LIKE MEETING AN OLD FRIEND AFTER A LONG SEPARATION ...SAFE TRAVELS ....HAVE YOU NAMED THE RV 2.0 YET????
Jon Spoonamore I like it!
I'm glad that you are back in an RV. I just got mine last month, a 1981 Fleetwood Pace Arrow class A motorhome. Next month I will be starting my adventure.
Most of us like the prep vids before you hit the road. No need to rush, right?
I agree with you.
twocents I agree
yep I'm in agreement with you
+Derek Simmons If your not subbed you may miss them. LOL
Ph come on Eric works harder than anyone on youtube, if you sub anyone it should be Eric. He is awesome!!
RV is coming together nicely.
This is a good video on how to run your battery set up , plus more. that is great, thanks for sharing Eric, take care . ( keep your wheels rolling )
You and your cat look like your home again
It's nice to see you back in an RV, I look forward to the new adventure
So grateful for these DIY videos. I'm so ready to embrace to RV lifestyle. Thanks, Eric, for the inspiration. Safe travels.
silicone is an inferior cauld to use on the roof exposed to uv. The best product is flowing caulk you can get a any RV supply store. Flowing caulk is used by most every manufacturer to seal anything piercing the roof.
john g That was my same question/concern. You are thinking of a product like Dicor self leveling sealant. Good stuff!
If I were a millionaire I would buy him a brand new RV. He deserves it.
+Awesome Enertain If I had a few million $ I would buy one of those houseboat RVs. drive it on land & drive it into the water as a boat.
Manuel Hernandez I can't even imagine what Eric would do with a $250,000 Class A Diesel Pusher.
Probably sell it for a 1988 Tioga, and have a 240,000 Maintenance Budget. =)
That's great. All your experience with previous RVs is translating into Olga very quickly getting ship shape. It's getting outfitted fast.
Nomadic Fanatic This is your journey, don't let subs or anyone push you to leave until you are ready. You have no one to answer to, well except Jax and he is pretty easy going. Love the joy you show in sharing what you have done so far. This is exactly what you and the rest of us needed a new start. Keep up the great video's and education of all things RV.
I AM HAPPY to see you are back! I enjoy your videos and LOVE JAX! You have a KNACK of conveying INTEREST with ACTION....MANY THANKS!!!
Sure can tell the better attitudes. Jax is so great. Great Vid. Thanx for the info.
Glad to see you back in an RV. Rather than eliminating the under hood house battery I'd be tempted to just replace those old 6v batteries with one good 12v deep cycle and keep the two electrical systems separate to back each other up. With the newer high draw items on the badass battery bank and reduced workload on the old system you'd be in pretty good shape if either system crapped out. Looking forward to more videos. Good luck.
Glad to see the improvements! Hopefully you will be able to get the water pump and propane sorted out. Glad you are so happy in your new home on wheels! Jax looks happy too!
Fascinating stuff, Eric! Thank you! I'm learning a lot about how RV systems operate thanks to your videos. Thanks again!
Great update Eric and Jax. Good seeing you both so happy with your new home on wheels! I'm looking forward to seeing all your up coming travels.
Hi Eric; Been watching for some time now. My wife and I are really enjoying what and how you share your journey. Luv Jax. I am trying to sell my home and begin a temporary life on the road with our dog Bella and our cat Jello. Planning for 2 years now. Prob a 34-36' class A will be what we will end up with. Pac Nor West bound...Putting faith in God for our new journey to begin.
I also like it when the vids are longer like the 14 min ones...and all the education that comes with it.
This is your most important video due to the detailed explanation. Excellent.
Eric and Jax are Happy Campers !!
Things are looking good! Like the way your taking time and planning your repairs and your trip. Thanks for all the helpful tips.
As twocents pointed out, your prep videos are useful to the rest of us AND entertaining. The Lovely Bride and I looked at, but did not buy, a six year old Class C (one owner, no pets, non-smokers) the other day that had MORE problems than you have found on your "older but gently used" model thus far. The sad part was it was a nicely designed "C" that had the owner-seller just been honest about it's shortcomings we might have purchased it on the spot and worked our way through the problems one or two at a time before taking it out on the road. And just so you know....It was thanks to your videos and those of one or two other Class B and C YT providers that made it possible to spot the problems in the above mentioned "C" that we looked at. For that I must say thank you because you helped save us what may well have been several thousands of dollars we just don't have. Take care and keep up the great work! Hope to meet you on the road one of these days.
Water leaks and damage are the most expensive repairs to do on RV's. Beware and check carefully for such.
June Bug Joe, you got that right!!! In the used Class C we looked at, I found four leaks that were "hidden" so to speak by replacement carpet and wallpaper....It took a bit of stretching and crawling around on all fours but I at least found those four. I strongly suspect there were others that the seller had found ways cover over or disguise others....I have also thought about the wiring possibly having been compromised somewhere in the vehicle as a direct result of water leaks. Neither The Lovely Bride nor I are sorry we walked away from that "deal".
👍 I'm hyped up seeing the progress on 2J.E.T.
So glad you went back to Olga...she suits you both...hugs to Jaks, glad your happy in your new home.
Keep up the good work Eric. I am just so glad to see you out of the van. It served it's purpose but really living in it was sad.
Good stuff! Glad to see you back in a RV.
I really enjoyed this video. I love seeing how you put the systems together, and all the other mechanical stuff.
Thanks for taking the time to walk us through it. It was fascinating!
Eagerly awaiting all the rest of the modifications and upgrades.
Best of Luck, and Keep On Rockin'!
Eric don't forget your first and most important priority soon as you get enough funds. Good Tires! I've seen a RV class A blow a tire and they lost control and it flipped and rolled sideways on the road which totaled the RV. My opinion for RV nick name, T2
What a surprise. I hadn't watched for a few days. Congrats on the new used RV. Love watching your improvements. Hello Jax.
What you may want to do is checkout a battery selector switch from a marine application.This can give you a battery choice of a,b or both.(basic model.) Also on a boat ,an additional common choice for a stove is an alchohol stove... a little pricier to operate but as the fuel is non pressurized, it is less likely that a leak will not blow you to smitherines.( I once had a propane camping stove hose break loose while using) If you want a semi permanent caulk try poly-sulfide compound.( Poly sulfide compound)) It is semi permanent because it don't let loose without one hell of a struggle......even wood to fiberglass..includeing teak.
hi your so clever, there's no end to your talents. glad to see you and Jax so happy
Peter Jenks We shall see... Thanks!
I enjoy watching the build/fix it videos! You obviously have some well thought out plans. Hope the propane isn't too big a hassle!
Cool, Jax looks very content and can't wait to see how Olga turns out! Both of you look way more comfortable.
Jax is definietley one of the cutest cats on the internet
Love watching jJax so happy. Seeing how you are fixing the RV up is fun, too! Always an adventure :)
Loving the video mate. I work in a battery warehouse and I often get asked about Gel batteries to replace old lead acid (that's what you have under the hood, two 6v making 12v). There's a company called Sonnenshein that make exact replacements for these. They're a lot safer (as they don't vent as much) and will last a lot longer because they're gel. Just food for thought. And the part number is GF06180V if you ever wanted to look them up. I hope they're available in USA. If not, I'm sure there's an equivalent.
Your Trojan 6 Volts batteries are connected to each other in SERIES so that you final Positive and Negatives adds up to 12 volts. Putting the two 6 volts in series just makes the total battery look larger in size currentwise.
Eric, put a battery disconnect on the Trojan batteries. when you plug into your inverter turn the Trojans off and they wont draw any power from your solar batteries. Another quick fix for now.
Jax seems to really like his extra room, you should be happy this is an exciting project getting the RV comfortable, and in tip top shape for safe enjoyable journeys throughout the country. This should be your main goal right now, and the project videos are interesting.
Nice tour of the RV. Glad it's working out for you.
Exciting! I hope I remember that electric/solar set up when I get my RV! Super clever!
Excellent, glad to see you back in a C Class again and some more room for Jax.
i just know you are gonna make this RV work for you and Jax, so glad for both of you.
your solar system and that battery pack is very impressive...one day I would like to get a solar setup like that....looking forward to your next video
Congrats on the progress ! Name the Tioga, The Sea Hawk .
Errol Flynn!
already named her "Olga"
Glad to see the systems coming together. You'll be back to boondocking before you know it. Peanut says hello to Jax!
Great video, thank you for sharing your time and information on your RV. This will help me out with my RV. God Bless Brother.
Hi Eric!
I have been one of your subscribers for a while now and I enjoy your vids very much. I think this may be the first time that I have commented .I always give your channel a thumbs up! . As I recall There were positives and negatives with Bertha when you first got it, you made yourself a too-do list and little by little you addressed them by importance til you got the van road ready and as comfortable as you and Jacks could be in such a small space. The extended roof was a real savior vs a regular top van.
So, Just hang in there and do what you have already started with your new class 'C' make your list and check it off as you go down the list. You have learned quite a bit about RV;s and doing things yourself , just be patient and take lots of breaks as not to get overwhelmed with trying to get your new home just the way you want and need it to be. It will take a little time but you will get it there. Take care Eric.
I'm glad your back in a Tioga!
Great update on the rig.
take your time and get her up to snuff.
it's looking goooood.
And thanks for the info.
I'm looking to put inverter/converter/charger into my travel trailer. I did it with an old trailer 2 decades ago and it worked great. A bit of rewiring of the trailer and that first time you turn it all on is pretty scary but it worked great. It looks like you enjoy upgrading your rig to be just how you want it and thats awesome.
YOU FREAKING ROCK!!!!!
stay safe.
Nice Video. I'm working on my solar right now. Thanks
Heads up for you Eric - Silicone based caulk etches aluminum because of the acetic acid content. It's the Acetic Acid that attacks the aluminum, not the silicone.
RV manufacturers recommended the following caulks, that have 30-50 year service life:
Butyl Flex
Dap 3.0 (Silicone hybrid w/o acetic acid)
Latex
Other makes include Vulkem (Sikoflex) and Parbond can be used.
ATB Richard
I really enjoy and learn from your videos.. I'm new to Rvs and last year bought 1993 Itasca .. So many things you cover help me.. Thanks
It is so cool that you are putting a bunch of hew technology in older model RVs. Look into a roll of reflextix at Lowes you can mad
Video Ramblings of Matthew Never even heard of that. Thanks.
I confess; I like it when you hit snags. Not that I wish you ill will, I just like watching how you overcome them. I am about to become a newbie RVer, and am likely to need all the help I can muster. I was surprised that you traded away the van, but also can appreciate all the extra room in the Tiago. Your (and other's) videos have given me the itch to try out setting up a solar system. You just won't find me up on the roof of my RV. I would be installing a sunroof in a most precipitous and unfortunate way. You see, I was a farm boy, so my ass covers a lot of acreage. Keep on adventuring1
When i tried this or even just plugging into someones house outlets with my 30 down to 20 amp adapter, anytime I tried to run the air conditioner it would either trip the breaker or blow the fuse in the house because the amps really require at least 30 amps and when use your house adapter you arent getting that. Hopefully it works for you and i learn something here.
"Sweet Caroline" just like the song. Great vids once again .
Eric,Love your videos keep them up,I love watching you and jax
Nice to see all of the work on the new rv.
I'm trying to decide between a class c or a class a to live in myself.
Just a suggestion...Wal mart has cheap blinds in a different colors, Good thing you brought that hot water heater...awesome rig glad your back in a RV
Yer gettin' there...looking forward to hearing about the fix on the propane system and water pump.
We like watching these videos. Nice work.
Very useful info. As a newbie RVer still trying to learn the ropes this is the kind of stuff I need to know. The electrical is particularly confusing. I know you've done a couple of vids on the topic but a few more would be welcome.
I have a similar set up on my cabover camper, I put the converter which is what charges your batteries from shore power or generator on its own circuit breaker which is cheap and easy to do and if you are plugged into shore power and not using your inverter for power flip the breaker and it will charge your batteries
Eric, Thanks for the How your doing it video. Appreciate it! Also like the fact, if you can swing it moneywise, going from van to RV, More room i am sure. liked the idea of van, but like the room of an rv. thanks!
2nd post from avid follower my rig is almost exactly as yours, continue to do as you do plugging rv into inverter its fine its way i operate and it wont hurt a thing, the batteries you think are "crap" are the best available those trojan batteries are the best and properly maintained last well over 10 years, you go tying in your bank you can get a ground loop problem that can affect the way your charge controller "sees" your batteries, when im on solar i plug into inverter and turn off the first breaker on your fusebox that powers your built in converter/charger and charge your onboard batteries via a smartcharger, this keeps systems separate just use your solar setup as you would a power pole at dock god bless
Enjoy your journey...All the best Eric & Jax
Starting to look good Eric! So excited for you!
I'm so happy for you , you look happier now! Good luck Bro!
Sounds great .. looking forward to the How-To videos !
I like your idea with running the coach 115 system off the inverter, but if I may make a recommendation on that. I don't know which sine wave your inverter is (pure or modified), but if its a modified, its most likely gonna kill the compressor in the roof A/C rather quickly. That, and a 2000 watt inverter won't be able to sustain that amp load for more than a few minutes before dropping along with the battery voltage. I believe the standard 13,500 btu A/C pulls at least 8 amps running with the compressor and fan at the same time, not to mention the compressor start load will be somewhere around 20 amps for about half a second, just long enough to trip out an inverter overload fuse/breaker. I think it could be done, just you would need a super large inverter and have a great many solar panels, the inverter trying to run the roof unit would drain the batteries faster than they could charge. I'm not trying to barge in and say "that's not gonna work", but I'm just throwing my 2 cents out there. I work on motors, contactors, relays and the like on a daily basis, and I've seen many electric motors that were cooked from voltage spikes/drops. Remember, the lower the voltage, the higher the amperage. Its the amperage that burns them out.
Not sure if anyone mentioned this or not but when you plug your rv power cord into your inverter you may be able to turn your on board converter charger off at the converter. Some RVs had a separate breaker for the charger part of the converter but some piggy backed off another breaker if that is the case you can install a separate breaker or separate switch for the charger part of your converter, O just eliminate the charger part all together and use a better charger. Most converter chargers aren't worth their weight, (most) some out there are better. At camp we used the same set up and the charger part and house batteries is eliminated and we use a better charger on the solar bank of batteries when running the generator. Like NW hiker mentioned your 2000 watt inverter will not run that roof top A/C My battery bank inverter will run mine but to run an ac you will need a very large battery bank just add up the amp hours need and remember you only want to count on half of them and you will see the picture very quickly.
Might want to look into auto transfer switches.
Jax looks happy in the new (to you) RV.
The only way "currently"! That's comedy gold!
nice to see you happy... keep up the great vids..
NY aint going anywhere. I'm happy to see this coverage.
Looking good!
awesome! cant wait to get a truck camper!
Hi guys,looks like you're pretty much on the roll with your new RV now,if I will make an opinion or suggestions,I will focus more frist in the engine,suspension and chassis of the vehicle.The internal features of the RV will just come next.Top shape motor or engine will be a flawless trip anywhere and peace of mind.Just my two cents.God Bless.
thanks for the update,good luck with the propane and water pump,might suggest desulfating the 2 6 volt batteries under the hood..:)
Steve Nash doent it make the 2 6 volt batteries make it 12 volt?
cool thanks
+Alaskan_Gypsy actually... two batteries wired in parallel (positive to positive) doubles the amp hours. wired in series (negative to positive) doubles the voltage. the two 6 volt batteries in his rv are ran in series.
just a fleeting thought
its a catchall for me,
Running your solar/battery bank through your on board AC/DC is a very inefficient way of doing things. Old converters like what you have will run about 150 watts just on idle and will only put out a little trickle charge to your house batteries. The pair of Trojan 6volts are excellent batteries, so don't throw those away if they keep a good charge. 2x6 equals 12 volts, so you can use that in your system without any problem. Look at getting a CTEK smart charger for your engine while driving. Running a charge system off the alternator is very poor way to charge what you have. You'll shorten the life of your batteries considerably. You might want to block those 80 lb batteries you have a little better. Make an inner box or put some tie down eye bolts and strap them down otherwise the first rough road you get on will tear your seat area apart. No way will you be able to run your AC, mircowave, heater, electric fridge on the 2,000 watt inverter you have. The start up voltage will trip the inverter right away. You might be able to get your microwave to run, but will be sucking your battery down in a hurry. You don't have enough solar for back up or to fully charge your battery bank. You might want to add another 300 watts to keep your system optimal.
Ohhhh and the voltage you see on your charge controller is what it's charging at not the level of your battery. As long as you have a charge going into your battery it will read up high like that. You need to let the battery rest at least 30-60 mins before you can get an accurate reading of the voltage level and state of charge your batteries are at. I've been living off grid in my truck camper for the past 1.5 years, so have picked up a few things along the way. Solar is wonderful if you are in a sunny place most of the year, don't expect it to run everything in your RV though.
I'm hooked on ur channel.
I'm not sure why Eric hasn't exploited Jax's cuteness to his fullest potential. Eric, all you need is one video of Jax that goes Viral and it'll break 3 million views. There's a freaking annual meetup of people who loves cats and watches cats video on the internet that are currently celebrating its fourth year. Name ONE Cat travelling around the United States outside of Jax that is on youtube? Consider that for a start, Eric. That fat furball is your claim to fame beyond just your regular viewers.
Wanderersea Haha. Yeah, he's quite a star. But I can't manage 2 themes. We share the RV and our experiences. However, I'll film him playing fetch again here for you. :)
No hurry Eric but I think I would do a couple of things.
1.Replace all lights with LED
2.Paint all the out dated interior
Hopefully this rig stays together for you.
Tim.
Just use the breaker in the 110 volt panel to shut off the on board charger.
Great video Eric, thanks.
i love this kind of videos about rv upgrades Eric :D
Good stuff. Makes me want to make my own mobile home just that much more.
Good to see Jax has room to run
Awesome! Rock on dude!
like the fix up vids good to see you working away and improving it.
Love ur videos. Your cat Jax is so amazing.
Good for you. My cat plays fetch too lol. Looking to buy an rv soon. Luv your videos.
Great video Eric! Your editing skills just keep getting better! Keep up the good work my friend.