Telcobilly
Observer
TacoDoc, There are cradle brackets that bolt into the bed tracks. Then there are stout clamps that grab the clamps. I had to have them sent from Canada to the dealership in Colorado. $20 parts, $200 shipping.
Poor man's "Earth Roamer" Tacoma.
- Thread starter Telcobilly
- Start date
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Congratulations on the build. It looks to be going well.
Your inverter will run the microwave, but when you turn the microwave on, the current draw will be roughly 70 amps DC (dividing AC watts by 10 gives a quick-and-dirty estimate of DC amps). This is a very rapid discharge rate for the average battery. When you take into account that for longest life, AGM batteries shouldn't be routinely discharged below 50% capacity (about 12.2 volts) and flooded cell batteries more like not-below-70%, there's a potential problem. Plus, the capacity of the battery is usually given as what it would take to draw it down over 20 hours and the battery will have a significantly lower capacity when discharged faster. For example, a battery with a twenty-hour 100 amp-hour rating discharged by a 100-amp load would only give 32 amp-hours of capacity, rather than 50, before being discharged 50%. So the microwave should be run for only about 32/70 hours with an AGM; less with a flooded cell.
Credit: bmt.wiki.com
Of course, the good thing is that the microwave only runs a few minutes at a time. But while you're running it, the battery current will likely drop into the low 11 volt (maybe even upper 10 volt) range. This is a considerable burden for your battery, so be aware that it will not last as long as if it was handling lesser loads. (FWIW, C/8, C being the 20-hour capacity rating, is the rule of thumb for permissible sustained discharge from a flooded cell; C/4 for an AGM.)
There's nothing practical to be done about this--more batteries would help, but it'd take 5 or 6 to eliminate the rapid discharge problem entirely--and the convenience of a microwave is likely well worth buying a battery somewhat more often. Just keep an eye on the voltage and don't be surprised if the battery's life doesn't meet your initial expectations.
Enjoy the benefits your work.
tanglefoot
ExPoseur
Whew--you've been sleeping in the camper? It's been nose-hair-freezing cold!
Nice updates with the truck. I always thought teflon tape was what to use on connections (if they're threaded)--that's what I've been using.
Nice updates with the truck. I always thought teflon tape was what to use on connections (if they're threaded)--that's what I've been using.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
To meet some codes (I know, irrelevant . . . but still a good indicator of good practice) you need to use the appropriate pipe dope, but if tape is allowed for thread sealing, it's sometimes required to use "double density" tape. This tape, twice as thick as the normal plumbing variety, is resistant to "petroleum gases" and is yellow and usually comes in a yellow case and is marked as being for "gas use." (And if you use pipe dope, make sure it's marked as resistant to petroleum gases.)
That said, you should not use any sealant, dope or tape, on the flared fittings that are common in propane piping. The threads on flared fittings do all sealing and adding tape or dope makes things more prone to leakage, not less.
Telcobilly
Observer
Thanks for all of the battery & propane fitting info! On the battery subject, I do watch my Scanguage voltage reading and it never dips into the 10's while running the microwave. The inverter has a voltage gauge as well, also not in the 10's. Could the battery be up sized/ upgraded to a larger, deep cycle battery?
Going to run a longer propane line to a filter, then the heater from a larger tank. The tank will be secured outside when in use. I'm not going to use anything on the threads, but I will buy a sniffer for extra safety.
Going to run a longer propane line to a filter, then the heater from a larger tank. The tank will be secured outside when in use. I'm not going to use anything on the threads, but I will buy a sniffer for extra safety.
Mrknowitall
Adventurer
We use either standard white thread tape n all gas connections from H2/He blend to bulk liquid O2 and H2 and 100% Propane connections. Especially in terms of serviceability, tape performs much nicer than dope.
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
Yes, but the battery bank would have to be lots bigger to get around the rapid discharge issue. However if microwave use is currently sucking up half of the available amp hours of the current battery, if you could somehow double the amp-hours, you'd have three times more power for other uses, like the fridge.
And if your current battery is a "starting" battery, that's not too good; they're designed for delivering a lot of current for seconds at a time. Deep cycle batteries are designed to provide lower currents for hours at a time. You can generally do OK in warm climates starting the truck off a deep cycle battery, as the massive current draw is only a couple seconds at a time. However, if you'll consistently be in the cold, you may want to look for a "dual purpose" battery, one that has decent starting power but also some deep cycle characteristics.
It may be only the fittings from hose to tank and at the heater are flare fittings. You can (probably should) use gas tape or dope on any regular (NPT) fittings in your system. Be sure not to let any tape fragments or dope get into the lines; it'll cause trouble.
Best wishes for the continued development of your rig.
Arctic Taco
Adventurer
Be sure to leave the first 2 threads of the male threads clear. I prefer use pipe dope, you just need to wrap the tape in the same direction as the threads so it doesn't unravel while making up the connection.
Clutch
<---Pass
old tip passed down to me for wrapping right handed threads...hold fitting in left hand, and wrap away from you.
For anyone who's interested, I just talked to Fleetwest, and the Durashell 165 and 90 models (for midsize pickups) are no longer available. Tufport (in British Columbia with one U.S. dealer) still makes similar units. http://www.tufport.com Also, Hallmark Campers will also be selling something similar, built by Colorado Expedition Vehicles, starting in the fall of 2017. http://www.hallmarkrv.com/campers/hallmark-raton/
washington taco
Explorer
The photos you posted are Tufport pics. Looks like CEV shell is a Tufport. Ill be interested in pricing as Tufport is about 2 hours from my house just south of the border.