AmboLander

[FDM2012]

Drilled some holes today......

- Bumper + Hitch (and stuff)



Hoping to get the light bar mounted tomorrow. (Just sitting up there in pic) It will be about level and
in the front of the basket. I want to be able to see ALL of the Zombies before I run over them. And Liberals, too.....



I would have finished it today, but the bugs came out early...



AND, I am strongly considering deleting my under the hood battery, and putting a cold air intake (truck style) in
its place. I will still have 2ea 1000 CCA Interstates, that will be plenty for engine/cab power.
The rear box will eventually be isolated on it's own battery bank that will be powered/charged by solar,
generator, and shore power.

Why not?

 

[patoz]

Yep, we have those in Pensacola too!


IMO, the startling and house batteries should be kept separate on the discharge side, but capable of being charged by common means, i.e. solar, shore power, vehicle alternator. I recommend staying away from Battery 'Isolators', and using something like the Blue Sea Systems Automatic Charging Relay (ARC).

Normally the starting batteries are a quick charge automotive type, and the house battery bank is a slow charge, very deep cycle type. Two completely different jobs and two completely different types of batteries.

 

[Bikersmurf]

If your E350 is set up like mine, you've got a second starting battery mounted on the outside of the passenger side frame rail. I'd either delete the second from under the hood or more likely mount a second beside it on the frame rail. I like having the house and starting batteries and the option of connecting all four together to help start it on those below freezing days when the glow plugs have failed and the timer shut off the power to the block heater.

Don't ask... been there done that. I'm sure people in the surrounding area were wondering where the fog rolled in so quickly from.

 

[FDM2012]

Yeah, the 2 systems will be totally independent of each other. The solar will have 4ea, 6 volt 530AH batts,
and a couple of 150 watt Poly panels that I will pull from my current system here at the house. The batts
will be heavy, but I found a screaming deal on them, and will probably buy 8 of them.
I only plan on using around 125-ishAH per day, so my intention of that large of a bank is for longevity, not daily usage.
If overcast or rainy, I want to be able to still have power for a couple of days, without discharging the batts below 70-75%.
The 150 panels will be mounted on top of the box, and I will also have a 160 watt folding set, that I can use as stand off
collectors (so that I don't always have to park in the sun) to trickle some goodness of the sun back to the rig.
And not that I intend to use it much, but I will also carry a Honda EU3000iS, to use as shore power, so that I can
charge through the converter when needed, and occasionally the A/C.
Once the weather is a little more enjoyable, I will be going even harder on this build, And once I dig into the electrical,
I'm sure I will have some questions from you guys to identify a few things.

Meanwhile, time and $$. But hey, nobody said it would be easy or cheap!

I sure am enjoying this build, and reading about others that are also doing the same.

 

[Abitibi]

Pretty sure this guy has done it

Sent from my SGP511 using Tapatalk

 

[FDM2012]

I actually have 3 batteries, that are all tied together. All Interstate 1000CCA starting batts.
One under the hood, and two in the slider drawer that is just to the right of side door to the module.
View attachment 362102
This pic is under my hood. I pulled the battery for a bit to snoop around. The cable end was HOT from being tied
to the other two, so I had that lock out cup on it. They are all tied together at a power point in the drawer area.
To change things, I will go from that power point to the starter, and disconnect the module system from that power point,
and connect the module system to my solar battery bank. Sounds simple........but I know better.
1.)I still need to figure out exactly what the relay is that is just to the side of the hood battery up by the passenger
side headlight. It has what appears to be 4 gauge cable on it incoming from the hood battery and then going
out somewhere. Again, bugs and rain got the best of me that day, when I was looking into it.
2.) How will the control voltage get to the module circuit board? Will that be fed from the chassis batts,
or the bank batts? I think/hope from the bank batts.
3.)I also have that 2 position switch on the side of my drivers seat pedestal, that cuts on and off
some functions. (such as ear A/C) Need to see how that gets effected by any of this.

I plan on keeping the front and rear switch boards intact. But, I will hide them, and then (since the switches are
on spade connectors) just use wire extensions to put the one's that I will still be using, wherever
I want. Hopefully overhead and cockpit style.
I will do the same with the rear switchboard. I have no intention of reinventing the ENTIRE electrical wheel,
and hope to repurpose as possible.
Tedious will be word of the day when I do that, but it is in my wheelhouse, so I'm not scurred.

All in time.

 

[FDM2012]

Dude, I was just looking at his rig an hour ago! I have toyed with the idea of going that snorkel route, just not sure....
I doubt that I would EVER attempt to push water to where I would need it, but I doesn't look too complicated.

 

[tgreening]

Pretty sure this guy has done it

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Where's this from? I don't care all that much about a snorkel, but I'd like to get my air filter out from where it is, and I'm not sure there's room to stuff it above the spot where the batteries would normally be. Figured I might have to end up with an external filter somehow.

 

[FDM2012]

Got some data today;

Took a load of random metal to the scrap yard, and got some weights.

After dumping my load and holding half a tank of fuel, total weight came in at: 9310

With just the rears on the scale, 5240.

Good to know, I reckon.

 

[Abitibi]

That's pretty decent and similar to mine if not a bit lighter. Can't remember if you started building the interior or not?

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[Bikersmurf]

Riding in the truck mine weighs about 8500 lbs (with only one diff and no T-Case).

Rear axle ia about 5800 lbs with the Dana 70 dually axle and Crestline type 3 box.

 

[huskyhauler]

I'm currently sitting at 10,200 pounds with a half tank and me.

 

[Bikersmurf]

I'm currently sitting at 10,200 pounds with a half tank and me.

:Wow1:

You've got 1700 lbs on me and 900 on Fdm2012... What you smuggling in there?

I know Cerstline claims their rigs are lighter... And I know mine is a wee bit smaller, but that surprises me a bit.

 

[huskyhauler]

If I remember mine weighed in at around 9500 lbs when I got it as a bone stock ambulance. The box on my rig is wider, longer, and probably taller than yours so I'm guessing much of the weight is in the structure.

Just think, mine came with an autochains system which I ditched. Getting rid of that saved me around 200 pounds.

 

[tgreening]

If I remember mine weighed in at around 9500 lbs when I got it as a bone stock ambulance. The box on my rig is wider, longer, and probably taller than yours so I'm guessing much of the weight is in the structure.

Just think, mine came with an autochains system which I ditched. Getting rid of that saved me around 200 pounds.

Mine was right around that as well as I recall. Last I weighed it she was hovering around the 10.5 mark. Not really surprised though. Added a heavy axle, a transfer case, swapped an aluminum driveshaft for steel and added one more, a set of 4 tires/rims that weigh around 350-400 lbs more than the 6 I took off, heavy wheel adapters, and whatever misc what-zits related to the conversion I missed. Almost afraid to hit the scales anymore.