New FWC Finch Shell Build (2008 Tacoma)
- Thread starter specjoe
- Start date
Belated updates...
Well, I finally am getting around to some updates here. Haven't had the cash to put into some of the bigger items I've been dreaming of lately (solar setup, extending the battery bank under the hood - if I can find anymore space, Relentless front bumper, swing-out rear bumper, custom Deaver springs in the rear, etc.), but I have done a few things in the last 11 months since I last posted.
-Reflectix arctic pack - Don't know quite how much it has helped, with the furnace kicking on and off quite a bit in the really cold nights last winter/spring, but glad to have those two rolls for the sides as it gets colder here than in Page.
-Digital thermostat - blessing and a curse. Have the Hunter unit and no issues with it thus far. One thing to note is that it doesn't like rechargeable AAs, though! Only issue is seeing exactly HOW cold it is in the A.M.!
-Firestone Ride-Rite Airbags - really lifted the rear of the truck up to level well. Haven't forgotten about actually beefing up the rear springs as well - just don't have the $1k right now.
-Gas lift struts - Mounted on sides. This really tested my engineering drive as I hit frustration after drilling holes for mounts, only to find I hadn't done it right and had to drill others in the sides. Quite a stretch on them and all the way collapsed when down, but I do like the ease they bring...especially with a 60# canoe!
Thinking I'll be doing the LED light upgrade soon as my ARB fridge and furnace have been depleting my aux batt. just overnight and the nights are getting longer. the $60 for new lights all around is a lot easier to swallow than the $500 I'm looking at for a solar setup with a thin film panel on the roof and MPPT charge controller near the aux batt...
Well that's about it for now...guess I'll go update WTW on my frustrating strut install...
Well, I finally am getting around to some updates here. Haven't had the cash to put into some of the bigger items I've been dreaming of lately (solar setup, extending the battery bank under the hood - if I can find anymore space, Relentless front bumper, swing-out rear bumper, custom Deaver springs in the rear, etc.), but I have done a few things in the last 11 months since I last posted.
-Reflectix arctic pack - Don't know quite how much it has helped, with the furnace kicking on and off quite a bit in the really cold nights last winter/spring, but glad to have those two rolls for the sides as it gets colder here than in Page.
-Digital thermostat - blessing and a curse. Have the Hunter unit and no issues with it thus far. One thing to note is that it doesn't like rechargeable AAs, though! Only issue is seeing exactly HOW cold it is in the A.M.!
-Firestone Ride-Rite Airbags - really lifted the rear of the truck up to level well. Haven't forgotten about actually beefing up the rear springs as well - just don't have the $1k right now.
-Gas lift struts - Mounted on sides. This really tested my engineering drive as I hit frustration after drilling holes for mounts, only to find I hadn't done it right and had to drill others in the sides. Quite a stretch on them and all the way collapsed when down, but I do like the ease they bring...especially with a 60# canoe!
Thinking I'll be doing the LED light upgrade soon as my ARB fridge and furnace have been depleting my aux batt. just overnight and the nights are getting longer. the $60 for new lights all around is a lot easier to swallow than the $500 I'm looking at for a solar setup with a thin film panel on the roof and MPPT charge controller near the aux batt...
Well that's about it for now...guess I'll go update WTW on my frustrating strut install...
Attachments
Northern Explorer
Explorer
Good job on the modifications. The gas struts will be my next project.
Solar install
**Sorry for the sideways pictures. They appear in portrait on my computer, but I don't know how to rotate them on these posts.**Moderator assistance?
Well, I finally got around to getting solar setup on my camper. Went with one of the closeout Unisolar 68-watt stick on types and a Morningstar Sunsaver 10 solar charge controller.
Decided to put the solar panel leads at the front in order to shorten the length of cable to my house battery, which is under the hood on the passenger side. Don't have a great mounting of the solar cable coming off of it and down the edge of the front windshield, but hopefully I can get some advice on a good alignment? Right now I'm just thinking a couple clips on the underside and front of the cabover and maybe getting the windshield replacement guys to use some of their great adhesive to mount the cable a little better alongside the front windshield when I get it replaced in the next few weeks.
Charge controller is mounted behind the 68 amp hour house battery on the firewall of the engine compartment. ARB fridge wiring loom is connected to the "load" terminals on the charge controller. Not the best wiring job with crimp connectors, but I got fuses in-line from the panel and to the battery. Will look into borrowing a soldering iron sometime soon and making the connections better.
I'm really impressed with the performance thus far. I have been making a point to park in the sun in the driveway, but I'm definitely seeing a full battery in the early afternoon everyday. That's with my ARB 50L fridge constantly set at 39 degrees and running in 90-95 degree heat (ambient outside) in my truck cab. I do see about 50% battery in the early mornings before the sun. Placement of the panel does mean that I get shading from my canoe with it on the Yakima bars on top, unless I mount the canoe on the extreme driver side with straps barely on the load bars. I'm not expecting great performance (or even adequate voltage for running the fridge and/or charging the battery) with the canoe mounted center or with my Yakima Megawarrior cargo basket, but those aren't on very much.
I was thinking before of getting one of the AM solar 100 watt panels, but that would have increased my initial investment by about $140 dollars and would have meant months more waiting to get a solar setup installed (money and time for more involved install on roof). I may go with one of these panels in the future (even this winter), with an under cabover slide-out tray and removable option for angling with the lower sun angles when I'm depleting my house battery with the furnace. I figure I'll just unplug the 68-watt and plug in the new panel if I do go in that direction (the morningstar 10 PWM controller will still suffice).
Overall, with the great deal on the Unisolar stick on panel ($100 on simpleray.com, though without warranty with the manufacturer out of business), the PWM charge controller, solar cables and assorted other electrical components (crimp butt connectors, 10 gauge wire, fuse holders, fuses, etc.), I think I made out with an investment under $220. Upgrade of the panel will only require a new panel, itself. I think this will work for me for the near future - and give me peace of mind that my homebrew keg will stay cold in my fridge for those longer backpacks away from the truck!
-joe D.
**Sorry for the sideways pictures. They appear in portrait on my computer, but I don't know how to rotate them on these posts.**Moderator assistance?
Well, I finally got around to getting solar setup on my camper. Went with one of the closeout Unisolar 68-watt stick on types and a Morningstar Sunsaver 10 solar charge controller.
Decided to put the solar panel leads at the front in order to shorten the length of cable to my house battery, which is under the hood on the passenger side. Don't have a great mounting of the solar cable coming off of it and down the edge of the front windshield, but hopefully I can get some advice on a good alignment? Right now I'm just thinking a couple clips on the underside and front of the cabover and maybe getting the windshield replacement guys to use some of their great adhesive to mount the cable a little better alongside the front windshield when I get it replaced in the next few weeks.
Charge controller is mounted behind the 68 amp hour house battery on the firewall of the engine compartment. ARB fridge wiring loom is connected to the "load" terminals on the charge controller. Not the best wiring job with crimp connectors, but I got fuses in-line from the panel and to the battery. Will look into borrowing a soldering iron sometime soon and making the connections better.
I'm really impressed with the performance thus far. I have been making a point to park in the sun in the driveway, but I'm definitely seeing a full battery in the early afternoon everyday. That's with my ARB 50L fridge constantly set at 39 degrees and running in 90-95 degree heat (ambient outside) in my truck cab. I do see about 50% battery in the early mornings before the sun. Placement of the panel does mean that I get shading from my canoe with it on the Yakima bars on top, unless I mount the canoe on the extreme driver side with straps barely on the load bars. I'm not expecting great performance (or even adequate voltage for running the fridge and/or charging the battery) with the canoe mounted center or with my Yakima Megawarrior cargo basket, but those aren't on very much.
I was thinking before of getting one of the AM solar 100 watt panels, but that would have increased my initial investment by about $140 dollars and would have meant months more waiting to get a solar setup installed (money and time for more involved install on roof). I may go with one of these panels in the future (even this winter), with an under cabover slide-out tray and removable option for angling with the lower sun angles when I'm depleting my house battery with the furnace. I figure I'll just unplug the 68-watt and plug in the new panel if I do go in that direction (the morningstar 10 PWM controller will still suffice).
Overall, with the great deal on the Unisolar stick on panel ($100 on simpleray.com, though without warranty with the manufacturer out of business), the PWM charge controller, solar cables and assorted other electrical components (crimp butt connectors, 10 gauge wire, fuse holders, fuses, etc.), I think I made out with an investment under $220. Upgrade of the panel will only require a new panel, itself. I think this will work for me for the near future - and give me peace of mind that my homebrew keg will stay cold in my fridge for those longer backpacks away from the truck!
-joe D.
AeroNautiCal
Explorer
Er', Uni-Solar appear to be very much still in business, according to their website, here!
So you still have your 25 year warranty!
Checked out the latest press release on their website - looks like I just need to hope for a buyer of United Solar: http://www.uni-solar.com/2012/05/en...ancels-going-concern-auction-of-united-solar/
AeroNautiCal
Explorer
Oops!
I'd looked through their website, yet I completely missed that page, sorry!
I'd looked through their website, yet I completely missed that page, sorry!
Oops!
I'd looked through their website, yet I completely missed that page, sorry!
No worries - you gave me hope, though!
Had Sierra Expeditions in tempe, az install the battery and system on the passenger side. They knew of one place in my model year where they could move the ABS module to just fit a reverse-polarity odyssey 1500 battery (check pics on my first post of this thread). I was VERY impressed with Will's in-depth knowledge of our trucks, even over the phone. Expensive install with all the components, but I love having the battery (and most components, for that manner) out of the camper. Can't even imagine spending our the long nights of winter having anything but the stove and furnace in there! Solar has made the beeping of the IBS system (low battery warning) in the mornings a non-issue, so I think I have the perfect size battery for my ABS/LED light/furnace electrical needs.
ETAV8R
Founder of D.E.R.P.
Tacoma's are strange creatures. Some have the ABS on the pax side and others on the drivers. Mine is already on the drivers side and I have that nice space there already. I have a tray which I've drilled out two holes to compliment the three posts on the pax side and the one that the airbox mounts to. Originally I wanted a Group 27 but after making a cardboard mock up and seeing it wouldn't fit I am going with a group 34 like you have. Other than the battery and wires, I have the other components for my project.
I don't have a heater or stove inside mine. I had some very cold nights in the flippac and made it. Looking forward to testing out my Finch with the "thermal pack" this winter.
I don't have a heater or stove inside mine. I had some very cold nights in the flippac and made it. Looking forward to testing out my Finch with the "thermal pack" this winter.