Okey dokey... I'm back in the States and catching up on family time. But, that doesn't mean I can't sneak in a bit of progress on KETO 1.
Before leaving the States, for my 3-week trip, I had listed that beastly Westerbeke generator on CraigsList. We need that space more than we need the genny, and we'll use the money we got from the sale to put in solar and some interior items (like a bed). I had a few people who were interested and willing await my return. One guy, a super nice race car driver from Phoenix, came up and took it off my hands today. It took three adults, plus my daughter, to get the thing out... 6 bolts, lots of wiring connections (both AC and to the remote start panel), a surprise battery connection (for the 200 amp alternator, which I hadn't even noticed before), and lots of screws.
Here's that Power Line 200A alternator, which was run off of a pulley on the end of the flywheel/fan. It had a custom-made belt shroud, painted the same red as the genny, and it was so well incorporated that I hadn't noticed it until I started unbolting the Westerbeke from the floor. To be honest, if I'd seen it earlier, I would have pulled it off before listing it on CL. You never know when you might need a spare 200A alternator... But, since I'd already sent pics to the buyer, I didn't feel like I could do that.
We pulled it out onto a jack platform and then raised it up to his truck bed level. Here's the first attempt... it was too low to reach the truck.
So, we lowered it again and then used a 6-foot spud bar, and a couple of blocks, to lever each end up. Archimedes would have been proud, again. We raised the stand base onto some blocks and tried again. Worked really well and that's out of the way, now.
That entire cabinet is now available and it will become our exterior kitchen. There are AC (electric) lines there, running to a breaker panel above (inside an interior cabinet), and big *** 12V cables running to the batteries... I'll check the size on those, but they're easily as big as my thumb. Right now, our "stock" inverter is in another interior cabinet and it only feeds two receptacles. They're orange, for identification, and they're in the worst possible spot to be functional. They're behind the legs of whoever is sitting in the CPR seat, about 10 inches off the floor. I think I'll move this inverter into the newly vacated cabinet, fed by those big 12V cables and tie it into the main panel. We'll need to watch loads, so we don't run the microwave and the coffee maker at the same time. But, in this new spot it will feed all of the receptacles and they are spread around where they're functional. We may add another inverter, dedicated for an induction cooktop, but that will be located elsewhere.
And, after getting all dirty anyway, I was anxious to get the tires mounted. We've had the wheels and tires for a month now, but they've been sitting near each other in storage, just longing to be united. I hauled them, two sets at a time, to the Boss truck service center at the Pilot truck stop, about 15 minutes from our house. We couldn't get more than two wheels and tires into the Tundra.
I'd talked to them before and they had offered, basically, half price to mount the tires since I didn't need them dismounted first. They worked hard and commented that the sidewalls were quite stiff. They are rugged tires, indeed. I'll let you know how they work out, in use.
This guy earned himself some extra beer money! So, now the fun begins - tomorrow... Or, maybe Monday.
