Author Topic: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)  (Read 9463 times)

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Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #75 on: January 01, 2016, 07:37:33 pm »
I know very little about building a van like this but what is with all the plywood? is 1/2" really needed?  How much does this thing weigh?  Also batt insulation in the walls?  Or is it a fiber board?
Anyway cool project makes you think twice about how much work/components are in a campervan.
No, 1/2" isn't always necessary. We ended up with what was already previously installed by the PO and tried to spend as little as possible finishing it off

Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #76 on: January 01, 2016, 07:37:48 pm »
Progress at 01-Jan-2016:
  • Here's a rough wiring sketch I put together at a family Christmas bash. Obsessed? Yes, yes I am. I threw this together before I attempted the AC wiring:


    Finished wiring up the receptacles. Here's a stage 1 photo of the receptacle near the electrical cabinet. I found the multi-strand wires were a pain in the oosterray to get clamped down properly so I ended up soldering the ends together to stop them from splaying wildly when the screws were tightened. After this photo was taken I ended up buying more extension cable because I was short. New cable was 25' long 12 AWG heavy duty shite routed from this receptacle to the one in the back of the van. I felt a little better about running the heavy duty sheath under the van, being exposed to nasty road stuff.


    End result (it ain't pretty because I re-purposed an old one I had in the basement):


    Test fit the CO/Propane monitor:


    Test fit the surge protected USB/power socket. Of course, this thing is so uckfaying bulky that both can't be plugged in at the same time. Never fear, the USB thingy can be plugged into a power board from the back of the van:


    Rear receptacle:

     
  • Modified the cabin door draft seal tape and installed a 1/8" thick version. Thankfully the door no longer bulges open. Looks like this now:

     
  • Back to the ground cable... I discovered the van shell and subframe were isolated by these rubber thingys. Obviously, grounding AC to the shell (only) is going to end in tears so I had to find a way to connect it all up:


    Luckily, BIL had purchased an extra battery cable (okay, so it's red) and I was able to utilize this connecting the shell to the subframe. Shell:


    Subframe:


    Picture of the cables where they enter the upper shell (top to bottom = chassis ground, shore AC, AC to the rear of the van):

     
  • Finally cut in the battery vent. Started with my trusty hole saw:


    Siliconed in the vent cover. I suspect this is going to pop out given that the ambient temperature isn't helping the curing process:


    View from the inside:


    Redesigned the vent pipe because I had a light bulb moment worrying that inclement weather is going to fill the battery box with water. The hose is tilted slightly upwards to prevent water from finding its way into the inside of the van:


    Test fit. Not complete with silicone because I need a second pair of hands pushing on the outside vent cover:


    Had to modify the drawer to fit around the vent:

     
  • End result of the electrical cabinet. Just need an electrician to check my work:

     
  • Cleaned up the dogs breakfast of wiring in the back of van. Went from this:


    To this (aaahhh, much better):

     
  • Tried staining a scrap with some deck oil to see how it looks. I can't justify spending $25 on some outdoor polyurethane sealant just for 2 square feet of painting so I'll try to use what I already have. Picture for BIL's benefit:

     

Offline seat safety switch

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #77 on: January 01, 2016, 08:25:27 pm »
Usually you crimp those wires into a C- or ring terminal before putting them into a side terminal switch like that. Solder is fine too though, just uglier when you take it apart later.

Offline Canuckrz

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #78 on: January 01, 2016, 09:08:51 pm »
Also is that the filler neck?

Offline seat safety switch

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #79 on: January 01, 2016, 10:00:19 pm »

Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #80 on: January 01, 2016, 10:33:28 pm »
Please tell me you are going to put rubber grommets on those wires going through the body.
Silicone FTW
Edit:: I ground off the sharp edges and siliconed the joint solid so there's no chafing.

Also is that the filler neck?
Yes

Offline Canuckrz

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #81 on: January 01, 2016, 11:01:29 pm »
I'm pretty sure having electrical cables carrying that sort of current strapped to the filler neck isn't kosher.

Offline Rathburn

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #82 on: January 01, 2016, 11:34:53 pm »
I'm pretty sure having electrical cables carrying that sort of current strapped to the filler neck isn't kosher.

This thing is the Rape Rope Wagon, not the Safety Wagon. #YOLO
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Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #83 on: January 02, 2016, 09:31:13 am »
I'm pretty sure having electrical cables carrying that sort of current strapped to the filler neck isn't kosher.
It was perfectly fine for the city before when they were using it, but I'll have a closer look anyway. You'll note that the cables and piping cross perpendicular which is perfectly acceptable in your home basement gas/electricity routing. In refinery racks we typically provide separation distance between parallel flowing pipes/cables, but here there's either perpendicular gas flow or electrical current, but never both at the same time. If I'm really concerned I'll put another barrier around the one live AC cable crossing the filler neck.

Offline seat safety switch

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all we need is a miracle, no, an electrician)
« Reply #84 on: January 02, 2016, 10:09:10 am »
This thing is the Rape Rope Wagon, not the Safety Wagon. #YOLO
The Safety Wagon is a '63 Meteor wagon with a mini-tub.

Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #85 on: January 05, 2016, 04:32:54 pm »
Progress at 04-Jan-2016:
  • Lug nut!
    The old:


    The new... does my uckfaying head in (I see a red door and I want to paint it black):

     
  • USB chargers... one can never get enough. We already have an AC version, now we can haz a 12VDC version. Rough location:


    Scribe it in using the best possible tools; my eyes and a pencil (however, Rathburn is the ultimate tool):


    Found a 25mm boring drill in the basement. Win:


    A whole bunch of wires, solder and connectors later we have this:

     
  • Had another go at the draft strip in the cabin door. Found a 1/4" version and now the door doesn't bulge open:

     
  • Finished up the rear lighting location:

     
  • Yet another "finished" view of the electrical cabinet... Because I keep finding new stuff to install:

     

Offline seat safety switch

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #86 on: January 05, 2016, 04:34:03 pm »
This is pretty boss dude. You should just live in it.

Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #87 on: January 05, 2016, 04:36:41 pm »
This is pretty boss dude. You should just live in it.
Not me, him. And that's actually the plan.

Offline GrantC

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #88 on: February 19, 2016, 07:27:00 pm »
No progress?

Too cold, or did it drive off?

Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #89 on: February 19, 2016, 07:41:44 pm »
No progress?

Too cold, or did it drive off?
Got a real job.

The last of the progress was completed by the BIL. He had somebody give the wiring a cursory glance and we tested the AC wiring without killing ourselves so we declared it safe. We ended up swapping over the switch circuit so the AC would reset to shore instead of battery when there was an interruption. I'd wired it according to the instructions but our plan and the master plan differed.

Solved the gas leak by tightening some itshay up.

Closed up all the cabinets and now I think his only concern is that the ittshay little electric space heater runs too hot even at its lowest non-thermoswitch setting and  he needs one which auto switches the element off and on to maintain room temperature. The furnace works like a charm.

He's actually very close to chucking in his rental lease and moving into the van completely.

Offline darthekai

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #90 on: February 20, 2016, 04:55:06 am »
Can't you just wire the space heater through a $18 thermostat?
Or does it have a complex start up procedure?
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Offline Asstuna

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #91 on: February 20, 2016, 06:22:21 am »
Can't you just wire the space heater through a $18 thermostat?
Or does it have a complex start up procedure?
haven't really looked into it yet

Edit:http://m.grainger.com/mobile/product/DAYTON-Line-Voltage-Thermostat-15F626

Offline LilDrunkenSmurf

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Re: The Rope Wagon (all wired up)
« Reply #92 on: March 01, 2016, 05:59:47 pm »
If the sea was vodka, and I was a duck.
I would swim to the bottom, and drink my way up.
But the sea isn't vodka, and I'm not a duck.
So give me the vodka, and stfu.
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