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  1. DiploStrat

    Unicorn on the Ocean - 1120AF Coming to Canada

    My current rig has the spare below the garage. As the spare is really heavy, this requires a heavy steel frame and a winch to lift it. Put it at the bottom/front/side of the garage and use a ramp to lower. A simple hand/electric winch will handle lifting. Lay it on the floor and the tie down...
  2. DiploStrat

    Unicorn on the Ocean - 1120AF Coming to Canada

    Actually, internal mounting is much easier and lighter and length is length. Less weight and lower. (Actually, you want the spare up front, as the military do it, but that might interfere with a pass through. But it is your truck and your money. I have a rear mount and know what I would do if...
  3. DiploStrat

    Unicorn on the Ocean - 1120AF Coming to Canada

    Free comment: Don't hang your spare tire on the back. Extend the box and put the spare inside. Your overall length will be the same and you can avoid all the weight of reinforcing the back wall and mounting a winch or similar. Likewise bicycles, etc. - put 'em all inside. The extra panel length...
  4. DiploStrat

    where_the_heffalump_roams 917 AF

    I have found fuel, oil, and air filters to be easy. Take the actual filters into an auto parts shop I used Advance Auto, and they can find the actual filters. (They won't be able to find by vehicle.) The filters come up as made in Mexico filters for Massey Ferguson tractors, etc. Typically not...
  5. DiploStrat

    LiFePO4 Charging: AC to DC Charger: Multiple batteries?

    Since we are spending yer money ... -- Batteries are made up of cells, typically about 3v each. Put 'em together in series, ya get 12v. Need more amps, put groups in parallel. Connecting batteries in series or parallel is not a problem, but, as noted, there are rules and best practices. -- I...
  6. DiploStrat

    LiFePO4 Charging: AC to DC Charger: Multiple batteries?

    The short answer is that two batteries in parallel act as one battery. So your charger only needs one output. The broader question is the wire distance implicit in your setup. -- The batteries in parallel should be charged (and discharged) "diagonally." That means that the charger and the...
  7. DiploStrat

    Sanity check before I run new wire

    So, problem solved?
  8. DiploStrat

    Provan Tiger TX, $120k, Montrose CO SOLD

    Quick scan of the specs ticks all the right boxes!
  9. DiploStrat

    Sanity check before I run new wire

    You have the answer, but, to be a wag, I would say that the only insanity would be to use the 7-pin plug!;) B2B or DC-DC chargers are about 90% efficient, so a 30A charger needs to be fed with wire big enough to provide 35A within the input voltage tolerances. Bigger is ALWAYS better.
  10. DiploStrat

    Is there life without propane?

    I'll play. First some maths: Two of us in an expedition camper with a two door electric refrigerator, toaster, espresso machine, microwave, etc., use about 125Ah to fix dinner and continental breakfast. Up to 150Ah for a really complex dinner and eggs for breakfast. Under 100Ah if we grill...
  11. DiploStrat

    Hierarchy of hard sided campers that handle the snow/winter?

    I'll throw in a ringer. We have a reasonably four season camper, at least down to -15F with no freezing with the heat on. They actually made some bad decisions on placement of the water pump and heater, but with Total Composites panels it still works as long as the heat is kept a bit higher...
  12. DiploStrat

    A Few Auxiliary Battery Questions

    Bravo! I feel your pain. I have been chasing a gremlin in my alternator to camper battery charge for over six years. Used two different products - nothing worked. Turned out that the camper builder never grounded the camper batteries. There were negative cables everywhere, but none connected to...
  13. DiploStrat

    A Few Auxiliary Battery Questions

    The only reason to buy Battle Born, Lithionics, etc., is the known quality control - the BMS will work when you need it to - and the long guarantee. Also, if you are new to this stuff, they are more likely to be plug and play. Lithiums are coming in easy to mount packages these days -...
  14. DiploStrat

    A Few Auxiliary Battery Questions

    Ran AGM's for years. Lifeline makes a great product. Read and understand the manual and you will be good for at least five years. All the best!
  15. DiploStrat

    A Few Auxiliary Battery Questions

    Some random thoughts, having had AGM and now having built my own lithium iron bank. -- Lead acid batteries (AGM) are actually much harder to live with as they demand a full, plate shaking charge, ideally once a week. -- Lead acid batteries HATE sitting at less than full charge; they love to be...
  16. DiploStrat

    A Few Auxiliary Battery Questions

    If it worked two years ago and now it doesn't, and nothing has changed, and you only have a 100A alternator, and the batteries date from 2018 ... -- The batteries have aged out, especially if they did not get a full absorb cycle ever two weeks or so. (That would require solar or shore power...
  17. DiploStrat

    Adventure Tool Company's (ATC) 4wd Provan Tiger adventures

    We are now on our second year, with interruptions for the 90 days in/90 days out of the Schengen Agreement. (United Airlines loves us!) Starts here: https://diplostrat.net/2023/04/23/the-euro-saga-begins/
  18. DiploStrat

    Adventure Tool Company's (ATC) 4wd Provan Tiger adventures

    We are in Remagen, having dinner behind our camper, 200 meters from the ruins of the famous bridge.
  19. DiploStrat

    Reliable vendors for North America?

    Confess I haven't actually measured - comes from chatter. Get out your tape measure and get under the truck. Also take a look at what you have for mounting points.
  20. DiploStrat

    Reliable vendors for North America?

    Sadly, I could only find EU spec. There is a really nice, if expensive, heated LED from these folks: https://www.jwspeaker.com/products/led-headlights-model-8910-evolution-2/ But would take some fabrication to mount. Might be temped if we ship back to the US, but, in reality, we rarely drive at...
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