pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Arizona.
Project "Autonomous" F-350
- Thread starter pappawheely
- Start date
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Actually did some work on the camper. I've decided to spray foam insulate it. I waited a while to see if anything leaked; it doesn't. Fixed some old stuff, did a bunch of wiring and got the diesel heater plumbed and wired. I had to create some bulkheads to get the hot air from outside the camper to the inside. I'm probably going to have to make something sturdier out of steel or aluminum. My heater has 4 outputs. Three are going into the camper and I'm going to fabricate a removable 4th piece that will go in the sliding back window. That will keep the cab (and the house batteries) warm when it's really cold.
I have a whole bunch of cut off switches and others to switch from alternator charging to solar. I have remotes run into the camper for the heater and controller. I located the switches so that I can open the escape hatch and reach into the cab to shut things down in an emergency. The charge controller has to be disconnected from the panels before shutting down power so I needed a master switch for the panels and the battery feed. The instructions say you should run a fuse inline, but that makes no sense. If something trips the fuse, you will have solar going into the unit with no battery input?!? Still tons more to do. I need to fabricate a stand for the fridge, get new batteries and then install the water tank, plumb it and make a spot for the sink.
I have a whole bunch of cut off switches and others to switch from alternator charging to solar. I have remotes run into the camper for the heater and controller. I located the switches so that I can open the escape hatch and reach into the cab to shut things down in an emergency. The charge controller has to be disconnected from the panels before shutting down power so I needed a master switch for the panels and the battery feed. The instructions say you should run a fuse inline, but that makes no sense. If something trips the fuse, you will have solar going into the unit with no battery input?!? Still tons more to do. I need to fabricate a stand for the fridge, get new batteries and then install the water tank, plumb it and make a spot for the sink.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
Took her out camping. Bed was comfy, but I really need it insulated. BRRRR!
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
I had a chance to check out the free truck I got a while back. I could barely see a holley carb sticking out under the air cleaner. I knew this was supposed to be an EFI truck. I hoped there was some trick set-up, but boy was I wrong. The holley carb was a 600cfm street carb. Too small in my opinion for a 460. It was probably the cheapest the P.O. could find. The mounting bolts were threaded into the intake manifold; one went into a runner, not even the base. The injector bungs had bolts sticking in them. Not sure if they were threaded or glued. I know a lot of you back east have to deal with rust issues. We don't have rust, we have rats and heat. All the plastic bits turn to dust and the rats chew wires and make nests. Their favorite material to use is cholla cactus. Those little poky things are barbed. They go in and then have to be pulled out. I moved as much as I could out of the way, but pulling that carb I had to stop a few times to pull the spikes out. 
Of course this ran when parked.
Of course this ran when parked.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
It's spring time in the desert.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
All trails are becoming UTV trails.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
I spent years in the desert photographing off road racing. It was usually either too hot, or too cold. Every once in a while it would be just right. Which do you prefer?
Too hot?
Too Cold?
Too hot?
Too Cold?
NevadaLover
Forking Icehole
Oh definitely the cold! it can never be "too cold" for me.
Too hot is subjective, but for me that means 70 + Fahrenheit.
In near 0 F or below I camp alone, sissy girl throws in the towel around 32 F.
Kingsize24
Well-known member
I'm with you on this one. I'd much prefer the cold, and yet I somehow ended up in Texas. 😆
NevadaLover
Forking Icehole
I would nope the heck out of Texas quickly!
I'm a desert rat like papawheely, I can deal with the heat and complain about it, but add in humidity and it's a whole different hell, I'm out.
Kingsize24
Well-known member
Unfortunately all my family is here so I'm stuck a while. But, when it's just the wife and I, we plan to be up there as often as possible.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
I burned out a ballast on my HID headlights. I was looking through my parts stash and found a box "F350 headlights." It was a new set of clear lenses. My old ones were all yellowed and barely translucent so I swapped them out. Had to replace the clear bulbs with ambers. Not sure I like them, but they are an improvement in quality off light. I stuck with the fluted headlight lenses. They just work better. And I painted the griille and headlight bezels while I was at it.
pappawheely
Autonomous4X4
After getting heatstroke a couple times, I have a hard time once it gets in the teens myself, but I would rather be too hot than too cold. Either way, you need to be careful in remote areas. Both extremes can be killers.