69 Roltite Rebuild

[Steeze]

Well I got my emergency escape window today.. haven't installed it yet but I'm ready to make the final cut and put it in.

So along with solar panels there's another free energy source I'd like to tap into... wind.

I plan to build my own wind turbine that will help keep my battery bank charged. I know how they work and what's needed to build them so that's not an issue. What I'd like some opinions on is where to mount it so it's safe, effective, and efficient.

The cool part about this is that as I'm towing the trailer, I want the turbine to catch the passing air from driving down the highway. So I have to consider highway speeds, cross winds etc... that's why location is so important... I have to examine how the wind hits the trailer behind my Xterra. What is the average wind speed? What is the best location to mount the turbine to get the most benefit.

I would like it to be on the roof.. it's got to be low-profile though... so not your typical windmill style turbine. I'm thinking a horizontally mounted cylindrical style turbine. just forward of the peak in the roof.

Any thoughts or opinions?

 

[lilgription]

I to have used the Restore. And I loved it.
I put it on the interior floor and interior side walls of my teardrop. Great stuff

 

[washington taco]

Nice build! Please continue to post!

 

[Steeze]

Ok got the window installed... it's awesome! It hinges up, props open and has a easily removable screen. Of course it's tinted which was a must... I won this window on Ebay for $14... It was a score for sure. It seals really nicely and it's the perfect emergency exit window.



I glued and screwed the window in place and then I taped it off, sealed and restored just around the window. I'll get to the second coat in the next couple days.





So back to the roof mounted wind turbine...

This is the concept...



And this is more of the look i'm going for. I'd like the whole thing to be less than 18" tall and maybe 36" wide... plus a box that'll house the generator. I'll run the wiring through the roof rack and into my utility space where my batteries will be.

 

[BuffaloFunk]

If you will be using the wind turbine while driving, you are just going to be lowering your MPGs. Wind turbine's have a maximum theoretical efficiency of around ~60% (see Betz' Law). Realistically, they are much lower than that due to the drag of the turbine blades and other power sapping losses. Modern industrial wind turbine's can get around 75% of the Betz limit, so 75% of 60% is only 45% efficiency, with top of the line massive turbines, not a small thing you can mount on a trailer. So, the added drag of the turbine while driving, will just cause your MPGs to drop to have 55% of that energy lost. My opinion is to only use the turbine while stopped and not actively towing.

Sure, there are ways to rig it up so it isn't just dragging off the air slipping over the body, but I don't see that being very easy or having a much air moving.

 

[kingg5]

Subscribed for the ending!

 

[Steeze]

The interior is coming together... got 90% of the floor installed. Also changed colors and got that done. I just nailed the baseboard up and filled the holes. I'll caulk it in and paint it when the filler is dry. After the base is done I just have a few touch up spots to get and that's it.

 

[Mark Harley]

Looks amazing!

Excellent work.
Great score on the window too!

 

[Steeze]

Thanks!

So I'm planning on building more of these trailers.. totally custom no two trailers alike. I've already registered the name and it's under my LLC. I got myself a professional sticker/decal machine for the trailers and the custom motorcycles I build. It's been super fun to play with... I can now cut whatever I want.

 

[thanks28]

Post up a pic of the whole trailer from the outside it sounds and looks awesome from what I've seen.

Sent from my Note 2 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Steeze]

Post up a pic of the whole trailer from the outside it sounds and looks awesome from what I've seen.

Sent from my Note 2 using Tapatalk HD

I will tomorrow assuming its not raining.

I've been wanting to get a pic with it hooked up to the X but here in Whidbey Island it rains every damn day all day. Tomorrow I'll pull it out...

 

[thanks28]

I will tomorrow assuming its not raining.

I've been wanting to get a pic with it hooked up to the X but here in Whidbey Island it rains every damn day all day. Tomorrow I'll pull it out...

Sounds good man. I'm on CX and XN too so I'm familiar with your X old and new and your bikes. This build is awesome. I have an old camper I just bought for $100. I want to tear it down and build some sort of off road tear drop type camper like you've done here.


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[k9lestat]

looks great

 

[Steeze]

looks great

Thanks

 

[Steeze]

Here's some pics of it hooked up.. it's sunny out so I thought I'd drag it out for some fresh air and get some pics with it on the X.

I pulled it around the neighborhood... rides smooth and is balanced well. It's still lighter than I thought. I can easily spin it around the driveway by hand.

The big tasks on the exterior is welding up my diamond plate armor with built in fenders. I'll be mimicking the mountain silhouette on my 1st gen. The other task is the solar panels and roof rack... Once the rack and lower armor and fender pieces are on the trailer will have a lot more dimension. Won't look like a box on wheels anymore... There's much more to do with the exterior...



You can see that the back portion of the trailer needs to be Restored and the access doors need to be bedlined. Also the step and grab bar need to be pulled off and bedlined. I'll try and get on the bedliner today. I need one more gallon of Restore to finish.