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  1. R

    Building our box out of wood?

    To second what Joe asked, what is the budget and long term goal here? If the idea is to make a 'tiny house on wheels' for somewhat local exploration, and it is really about the project, then 2x4 house like construction seems like a good option. Cheap, easy and fun to customize and get creative...
  2. R

    Utilize spare tire location

    I had a water tank and propane tank in that spot on my poptop landcruiser, but it was a custom install and I had no other choice. My other question would be why? A spare tire on the roof is not a great idea, extra weight up high all the time, inconvenient to actually use and a tonne of UV...
  3. R

    Critique my solar charger/battery monitor setup?

    Yes those are the bypass diodes. Each panel is actually two strings of cells in parallel, so if you were to shade half a panel the current would bypass that string and flow through the diode. No you don't need to add anything to separate the panels.
  4. R

    Critique my solar charger/battery monitor setup?

    Most/all modern solar panels have bypass diodes, so if you have shading or a cell go bad just that string or panel drop out, not the whole series of panels. The whole series/parallel discussion is a complicated one, there is no general rule that one is better than the other so I would go with...
  5. R

    Victron 75/10 not receiving power from battery

    It sounds like it is working as it should. What do you think it should be doing?
  6. R

    redarc manager 30

    That is a very basic charger. Probably fine for lead-acid, but not great for lithium as it doesn't really explain what the adjustment adjusts - float, boost, both?
  7. R

    Critique my solar charger/battery monitor setup?

    The solar controller is showing the current FROM the panels - 3.2A at 37V = 120W. The MPPT converts this to 7.3A at 15.6V = 114W into the battery. The measurements are entirely consistent. If you scroll down on the solar controller screen it will show you the amps into your battery as well.
  8. R

    DC-DC charger setup question

    I would also disagree about DC-DC chargers being 'terrible'. In some situations they are not necessary, but in may they are. In most modern vehicles the alternator is controlled by an ECU and the operation is dialed in to charge the starting battery and provide for the stock loads while...
  9. R

    Pop-up vs anything else

    I guess I am not seeing the truck camper upside for your application. I can think of two use scenarios that lend themselves strongly to the truck/pop-up - you really need high clearance 4wd or you really need (or already have) a pickup truck. I have a FWC flatbed for the first reason...
  10. R

    Pop-up vs anything else

    I guess I would call those 'forced air heat' as well. As far as I know, the only heating option that has any impact on humidity/condensation is using an unvented heater (Wave 3/6 or Buddy Heater are two common examples) which add significant moisture and thus condensation to the camper. All...
  11. R

    Pop-up vs anything else

    There are some van configurations that still allow you to haul at least some gear (bikes/backpacks etc). Otherwise you can use a hitch rack, same as you would need with a truck camper. Hitch racks are usually more inconvenient with a truck camper then a van because they block the only door...
  12. R

    Pop-up vs anything else

    I am not sure I understand the difference between forced air heat and air exchange heat? Can you give some examples?
  13. R

    Pop-up vs anything else

    You should get a van. None of the pop ups are really great in the winter. We use our FWC flatbed in the winter, and it works, but is not ideal. It is not really insulated so the heater runs a lot, condensation is an issue and the temperature is not very even. The GFC and other hinged...
  14. R

    Low BTU AC options ---> turned cheapo 5kBTU install in the Idacamper2.0

    Definitely an interesting idea. I like the low power draw (276W max, so only 22A or so at 12V). But I do wonder if it will be enough to make a difference. Shade has a good point that just removing the 'human heat' uses almost half the capacity, which doesn't leave much for either...
  15. R

    Electronic Circuit Breakers

    Latching relays would work well, or there are pre-canned options like these: https://www.amazon.com/DJI-4X4-Circuit-Universal-Stickers/dp/B07MVWYMM1/ These are only designed to work with one 'control panel', but it appears to be a serial link between the switch panel and control unit, so...
  16. R

    battery monitor SG200, BMV712, and smartgauge????

    If you don't mind looking on your phone for the data, then the Victron Smart Shunt is probably as simple and reliable as it gets, and you are already in the Victron ecosystem. A supposed few % of extra SoC accuracy is not worth twice the price, the crappy interface or the loss of future...
  17. R

    Why Do Government Officials Want to Ban Ham Radio? It’s Already Begun in California

    Let's delete this thread already. This is exactly how conspiracy theories propagate - an initial post citing a conspiratorial blog, then an echo chamber.
  18. R

    Why Do Government Officials Want to Ban Ham Radio? It’s Already Begun in California

    Seems to me that this is quite the opposite. No major news outlets are covering this because it is a blogosphere/youtube/forum conspiracy theory. Like most good conspiracy theory, there maybe a kernel of truth (a repeater owner probably did get a letter from a property manager) and then a...
  19. R

    Why Do Government Officials Want to Ban Ham Radio? It’s Already Begun in California

    And some more details from a slightly more reliable source........ ARRL
  20. R

    Outside (on roof rack) 12VDC power bus?

    You can also get almost the same thing in fine stranded, tinned wire, in a variety of gauges: https://www.amazon.com/Ancor-Marine-Grade-Duplex-Triplex/dp/B000NV0AZG?th=1 However, if you are considering running a relay box up there, it may be wise to run several more control wires to be future...
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