Registration in Australia includes compulsory 3rd party insurance for personal injury.Wow! Those are some big numbers. I just renewed my reg. in Utah $88.
If you add the 2 costs you have for registration + personal injury, it will get pretty close
FG84 Camper Build
- Thread starter Maninga
- Start date
If you add the 2 costs you have for registration + personal injury, it will get pretty close
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
Registration in Australia includes compulsory 3rd party insurance for personal injury.
If you add the 2 costs you have for registration + personal injury, it will get pretty close
Hmm, still seems quite a bit more to me. RVs can be dirt cheap to insure and tag in the US.
Just sent off an updated set of drawings to the Styromax guys, after the spare wheel carrier changes, some things had to get rearranged to make everything work. They're converting them now into solidworks ready for me to ok and start the panel manufacture. There's going to be some cost overrun, but considering how it's evolved since initial quote 6 months ago, I was expecting that.
But something that's been on my mind a lot is water tanks. Most of the time, this will be used in temperate climates where we don't have to worry about the cold. But I fully expect to be in some freezing areas for a few weeks at various times. Figuring on 300l fresh and 100l of grey water. I don't want to plug in, will have a diesel water heater onboard, 400ah lithium battery pack and ~1kw solar. What's a good way to keep the tanks from freezing up?
Joe
But something that's been on my mind a lot is water tanks. Most of the time, this will be used in temperate climates where we don't have to worry about the cold. But I fully expect to be in some freezing areas for a few weeks at various times. Figuring on 300l fresh and 100l of grey water. I don't want to plug in, will have a diesel water heater onboard, 400ah lithium battery pack and ~1kw solar. What's a good way to keep the tanks from freezing up?
Joe
LeishaShannon
Adventurer
Hydronic similar to gait's setup sounds like it would work well for your truck.
We have the main tanks outside between the rails with no heating. A smaller ~130L tank inside is primarily for drinking water but its also able to be used for general purpose water when we're somewhere very cold via a ball valve. Grey water is plumbed internally into a small sump where it is then pumped to a connection outside, from there it can be directed to the grey tank (also outside between rails) or via hose to somewhere appropriate.
We have the main tanks outside between the rails with no heating. A smaller ~130L tank inside is primarily for drinking water but its also able to be used for general purpose water when we're somewhere very cold via a ball valve. Grey water is plumbed internally into a small sump where it is then pumped to a connection outside, from there it can be directed to the grey tank (also outside between rails) or via hose to somewhere appropriate.
whatcharterboat
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
Hi Joe, if I remember you were still uncertain of wether or not to run a Webasto Dual Top o ra Webasto Thermo Top (hydronic type) .....the latter would always be my preference, especially if you wanted to run a heater circuit though your water tanks....so by that, I mean you have a pipe loop into and out of your tank. Then plumb the hydronic circuit through the pipe .... with an isolation valve too so it only has heat in the circuit when you open the tap.
You can do the same thing for heated towel rails, underfloor heating, battery warming pads, etc.
gait
Explorer
I plastic welded my polypropylene tanks and made the coils from 12mm copper pipe (sand filled and wrap around a 75mm former) then a diy "gland" through the tank wall so there were no pipe breaks to fail inside the tanks. Towel rail is just copper pipe.Warm the tanks (and towel rail and hot water and space) from engine or thermotop. Automobile heater valves.
I've probably hit the limit for easy balancing with available flow for three space heaters, hot water calorifier, 4 warmed tanks (in series), towel rail, all in parallel.
I missed a bit of lagging on the exit drain for grey water tank and a cold path to my pump hatch means an extra bit of insulation and heating required there. Another job on the to do list is move the cold water outlet pipes from tanks closer to the heating water supply pipes. Other strange place that freezes is the ring of small (1mm) holes for flushing water entry to my vacuum loo which also calcify.
Pipes are more vulnerable to freezing than tanks. Pipes have small volume large surface area.
I've probably hit the limit for easy balancing with available flow for three space heaters, hot water calorifier, 4 warmed tanks (in series), towel rail, all in parallel.
I missed a bit of lagging on the exit drain for grey water tank and a cold path to my pump hatch means an extra bit of insulation and heating required there. Another job on the to do list is move the cold water outlet pipes from tanks closer to the heating water supply pipes. Other strange place that freezes is the ring of small (1mm) holes for flushing water entry to my vacuum loo which also calcify.
Pipes are more vulnerable to freezing than tanks. Pipes have small volume large surface area.
Yeah, I was originally intending on using just the Dual Top. Changed my mind to the Thermo Top now.
I think I'll use this. Mentioned to the wife this morning about installing heated towel racks, she asked what came over me, too luxurious.
Figure I'll run the pipes leading to the tanks along side the heating pipes a short distance into the cabin and fill the space around it with wool insulation or something similar. Likely put some foam insulation around the tanks also.
Lots of impatiently waiting around of late while the guys finish off the cad drawings for panel cutting and assembly. Will be worth the wait, but running a few weeks later than expected on finalising the details. Still, got my first set a couple of hours ago.
Front angle
Rear angle
There was going to be a delay on these while I ordered a toilet for them to model in the access hatch. Was originally going for a cassette toilet, seemed like a logical choice. But between the wait in modelling and extra cost, decided to go a different direction. Going to try a natures head composting toilet instead. I had looked into them a long time ago, but sort of forgot about them until now.
Figure another couple of week modelling this up before giving the ok for it, but at least there's progress.
Front angle
Rear angle
There was going to be a delay on these while I ordered a toilet for them to model in the access hatch. Was originally going for a cassette toilet, seemed like a logical choice. But between the wait in modelling and extra cost, decided to go a different direction. Going to try a natures head composting toilet instead. I had looked into them a long time ago, but sort of forgot about them until now.
Figure another couple of week modelling this up before giving the ok for it, but at least there's progress.
Well, today was fun. I was going over the plans and a bunch of dimensions sent to me. Came to one realisation, it wasn't a tardis. I couldn't get the internal height I wanted while keeping the windows covered during travel and get it into a container and be able to see out of the windows while sitting on a seat that's comfortable.
Will need to add some height to the lower section. Will let me see out of the windows and give some extra room height. Had a chat to John about the height and doesn't sound like it'll be an issue.
Getting a bunch of other things changed around. Hopefully a couple of days and will get a new set.
Will need to add some height to the lower section. Will let me see out of the windows and give some extra room height. Had a chat to John about the height and doesn't sound like it'll be an issue.
Getting a bunch of other things changed around. Hopefully a couple of days and will get a new set.
Yeah, the amount of time spend on the design work is a concern. I'm surprised by how long it's actually taken. But I look at it in this mind, there's been 2 main changes to the design since giving it to them, one shifted it back to allow for spare wheels, one for the bed platform, and I've paid the difference for them. The rest should be covered by their original quote, which I've validated a couple of times since.
4x4coaster
Adventurer
G'day Joe,
how are you planning to get your spare wheels out of the rack?
how are you planning to get your spare wheels out of the rack?
I'm thinking something like this (taken from David Deeres MAN truck build).
Then use a small electric winch to lift it