Mercedes 1222A.. The beginning!
- Thread starter Sitec
- Start date
Sitec
Adventurer
The second tank is going inside under the bed. It'll have the chest fridge/freezer in front of it that can be accessed from inside. As several have recommended here having two tanks is good in case of contaminated water. I plan to run two pumps on separate switches. With one being inside we at least have a frost safe option.
Iain_U1250
Explorer
Resist getting a generator, they are noisy and irritate all the other campers around. 
VerMonsterRV
Gotta Be Nuts
I agree about the generator, but we are traveling with our Honda petrol 2kw generator. Mainly as a backup in case the truck DC-DC charger or solar panels (1,000 watts) will not keep up. Hopefully will rarely use it, though we just had about 7 days of rain/clouds and unless we drove the truck the batteries did not get fully recharged each day.Resist getting a generator, they are noisy and irritate all the other campers around.
shade
Well-known member
If that's one of the quiet Honda EU models, they aren't too bad to be around, especially when throttled down. Aim the exhaust away to minimize the noise. Seems like a good plan to have one around for additional charging when the alternative would be to run the main engine if solar can't meet demands.
Sitec
Adventurer
Resist getting a generator, they are noisy and irritate all the other campers around.
If we are in a campground with others around, we'd have a powered site.... It's more for that initial pull up on a stinking hot day and turn the AC on to cool the box on sundown, or as the emergency when for some odd reason we have flat batteries. The EU20's and EU22's are very quiet, and tiny to carry.
Iain_U1250
Explorer
We have camped with people who think their brand new Honda EU20i is quiet, until we were out in the Outback when it is really quiet - and then they start there generator.
Then they realise how noisy it is. If you are by yourself, feel free to make a noise, but if you are within 100m of other people, leave your generator off please. honestly there is nothing more irritating that someone pulling up at a nice remote campground and they switch on a generator. With solar, DC-DC chargers and decent batteries, there is no need for a generator.
Then they realise how noisy it is. If you are by yourself, feel free to make a noise, but if you are within 100m of other people, leave your generator off please. honestly there is nothing more irritating that someone pulling up at a nice remote campground and they switch on a generator. With solar, DC-DC chargers and decent batteries, there is no need for a generator.
shade
Well-known member
I agree about the nuisance, and would obviously prefer not to hear anything of the sort in the bush.
I think the point was more about having a quiet genset along in the event that other sources fall short, and the alternative would be to run the main vehicle, which would be louder and more wasteful. Use a long, high capacity extension cord, park away from others, try to put some terrain or foliage between the genset and everyone, aim the exhaust away, etc. All good practices if the genset is needed, but try to avoid that in the first place.
luthj
Engineer In Residence
The good thing about lithium packs, is that you don't need to fully charge every day, and doing so slightly reducing cycle life. Go figure!
A Honda 1k or 2k gasoline gen is pretty quiet. Much better than the big diesel shakers on some rigs!
Sitec
Adventurer
Hi Neil. Yeah, we are only really carrying it for the AC. If we find we don't utilise it, then we'll free up some space by selling it.
Talking of space, I had a small space left between the LH rear wheels and the secondary water tank, as mentioned above. There's not quite enough room for the generator so I have made a locker for the hydraulic tank and pump to run the wheel lowering unit that I'll eventually build on the rear... I watched a video on Faceplant this morning of a unit with an electric winch mounted up high, lifting wheels up in the air... Not a fan. When playing with that sort of weight, they need to be on or near the ground... especially if Wifetec is going to have a hope of changing a wheel in an emergency! Here's a pic of the outer face being made with the splash guard.
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Talking of space, I had a small space left between the LH rear wheels and the secondary water tank, as mentioned above. There's not quite enough room for the generator so I have made a locker for the hydraulic tank and pump to run the wheel lowering unit that I'll eventually build on the rear... I watched a video on Faceplant this morning of a unit with an electric winch mounted up high, lifting wheels up in the air... Not a fan. When playing with that sort of weight, they need to be on or near the ground... especially if Wifetec is going to have a hope of changing a wheel in an emergency! Here's a pic of the outer face being made with the splash guard.
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Sitec
Adventurer
Lastly was to add the rest of the locker into the equation and tack it to the end of the water tank carrier giving that rigidity and support. After lunch I hope to weld it all up, sand it down and trial fit it.
Having built this locker and spent quite a bit of time head scratching, folding materials, trimming etc etc,I decided to farm out the job of the two rear lockers... It'd realistically take me several weeks to muck around making them, using the folder at work etc. By the time I buy materials etc it adds up. The fella who has bent the longer sheets for me and folded the awning boxes is making them. $1400 AUD for the pair inc hinges and seals. No brainer really! It allows me to spend the next week pulling the cab off and the engine out of the donor truck, as there's things I want off that on the build...
Having built this locker and spent quite a bit of time head scratching, folding materials, trimming etc etc,I decided to farm out the job of the two rear lockers... It'd realistically take me several weeks to muck around making them, using the folder at work etc. By the time I buy materials etc it adds up. The fella who has bent the longer sheets for me and folded the awning boxes is making them. $1400 AUD for the pair inc hinges and seals. No brainer really!
It allows me to spend the next week pulling the cab off and the engine out of the donor truck, as there's things I want off that on the build...
Iain_U1250
Explorer
Great fab work, with all that weight down low, you should won't have a problem on side slopes . How thick is the steel you are using SImon 1.6mm?
. How thick is the steel you are using SImon 1.6mm?
Sitec
Adventurer
Great fab work, with all that weight down low, you should won't have a problem on side slopes
Hi Ian. Thank you. Takes a while but it's worth it in the end. Most of it is 1.6mm. The cover skirts (diesel tank and water tank) are only 1.2mm. I thought I'd asked the fella who folded them for me for 1.6 but I had asked for 1.2... Doh!! It's a little light for welding but actually pretty rigid with the folds in it. I'll see how it sticks the abuse. Once the rear lockers and wheel lift are built and on, I'll be able to take the body back off and service/prep and paint the chassis and cab. If i can get it to an externally finished and painted stage by the end of this year I'll be happy! At least its usable then!