The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build

[Overland Hadley]

Electrical Panel

Everything is mounted on the electrical panel!

L to R, T to B

-Blue Sea Systems Voltmeter

-Blue Sea Systems 2.1A USB outlets, x2 (2 USB per outlet = 4 USB) (Mounted with West Marine Dual outlet faceplate)

-Blue Sea Systems Battery Switch

-Fireboy-Xintex Propane Switch and Alarm

-Inline Switches, x6

-West Marine 12v Dual Outlets, x2


The empty space above and below the mounted items is reserved for the Blue Sea Systems Fuse Block that will be located inside the panel.

The CO detector that was previously mounted on this panel will be mounted elsewhere.

 

[SLO_F-250]

Everything is mounted on the electrical panel!

Nice work! Very Clean! You are giving me ideas. I like the volt meter. Probably better than the cheap-o battery level indicator I got. HUMMMM........... I got a box of stuff from ole amazon! Just no time! :drool:

I'm doing something very similar with my propane line for the propane fire pit I have.

Regarding those lights on the previous page. IMO, I am not impressed. They seem pricey and I have no problem with the overhead lights in the camper. Switched them all out to LED this weekend.

No I just want to work on my camper and not WORK! Grrr!!! :violent-smiley-031:

 

[Overland Hadley]

Regarding those lights on the previous page. IMO, I am not impressed. They seem pricey and I have no problem with the overhead lights in the camper.

Yeah, you could buy some mighty nice headlamps for that price. I also need to remember my original intent to use candle light when possible. Candles and headlamps, candles and headlamps....

Now I just want to work on my camper and not WORK! Grrr!!! :violent-smiley-031:

Agreed.

 

[Redline]

Thinking of getting a set of guns for the camper, Fastguns.

Fastgun Derringer
snip...

I like that idea/plan, as long as they stay tight enough. Regular turnbuckles seem fiddly.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I like that idea/plan, as long as they stay tight enough. Regular turnbuckles seem fiddly.

Regular turnbuckles on a FWC should only be hand tightened. So I see no problem getting it tight enough with the cam action of the Derringer, and the safety pin ensures it will not come open.

Working the cam lever and inserting the safety pin could be a pain, but working with the turnbuckles is definitely not ideal, so this could be an improvement.

I am also thinking of using a shackle to hang the Derringer from the camper, so when I put the camper on the truck the hook will be hanging right there.

 

[Redline]

snip...

I am also thinking of using a shackle to hang the Derringer from the camper, so when I put the camper on the truck the hook will be hanging right there.

I like that idea.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Gunther Holtorf's 23-year road trip

This is an inspiration.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18910560

Back in 1989, as the Berlin Wall fell, Gunther Holtorf and his wife Christine set out on what was meant to be an 18-month tour of Africa in their Mercedes Benz G Wagen. Now, with more than 800,000km (500,000 miles) on the clock, Gunther is still going.

 

[Carlyle]

This is an inspiration.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18910560

Wow

 

[Carlyle]

Regular turnbuckles on a FWC should only be hand tightened. So I see no problem getting it tight enough with the cam action of the Derringer, and the safety pin ensures it will not come open.

Working the cam lever and inserting the safety pin could be a pain, but working with the turnbuckles is definitely not ideal, so this could be an improvement.

I am also thinking of using a shackle to hang the Derringer from the camper, so when I put the camper on the truck the hook will be hanging right there.

I had a set of Fastguns on my first camper and they worked much better than the factory shackles. Guess I don't need to remind you to check them regularly as they can and will loosen.

BTW, My Laguna table leg is ordered.

Carl

 

[SLO_F-250]

This is an inspiration.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18910560

What an inspirational video! Thanks for posting Overland and thanks for completely draining any ounce of motivation I had to work today! :coffeedrink: Officially 2 weeks out of my vacation and the maiden voyage of the new to me refurb'd hawk!!

Wheres the next Overland adventure?

 

[Overland Hadley]

What an inspirational video!

Wow

Yes.

Gunther has given me some things to think about.

One of the things is how happy I am that I bought the FWC, and I plan on using it for years to come.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Wheres the next Overland adventure?

It will either be Montana/Idaho or Utah/Colorado this autumn.

BTW, My Laguna table leg is ordered.

Good for you!

 

[Overland Hadley]

Thinking of getting a set of guns for the camper, Fastguns.

The factory turnbuckles are a bit of a bother to work with in the limited space of a Gen2 Tacoma. Not sure if these will be better, but it is worth a try.

Well, I received the FastGuns and I am going to return them.

They are a lot larger than I had expected, and I think it would be mighty hard (impossible) to work with them inside the space available. They are also heavy, weighing 8 pounds for the set. They were a good idea, just not going to work the way I had hoped.

Instead, I am ordering a new set of turnbuckles. I am going with a set of stainless steel turnbuckles with shackle (or jaw) ends. With the shackle ends, even if the turnbuckle dramatically loosens up the camper will still be attached to truck, although loosely. I am also ordering a set of jam nuts for the turnbuckles. Turnbuckles are here at McMaster-Carr.

 

[Overland Hadley]

SS eh?, gee, I hope I didn't scare you off aluminum ! btw, our orig aluminum turnbuckles have held up fine (with a nut added)

Shackle on the top, I like. Shackle on the bottom, not so much. I hope you have thought that out because the requirement for a small cotter pin/ring in a confined space seems to me a receipt for frustration.

Yeah, you are probably correct about the shackle on the bottom. I am jumping the gun by working with the turnbuckles, but it was something I was working on the other night when I could not sleep. Ah well, I can order new end fittings.

How did you add a nut to the original turnbuckles to keep them from loosening? Easy to do to keep them from tightening, but loosening?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Or, I've read a wire can be used, presumably from the "adjuster" to an eye or perhaps a hole drilled in the hook shank/thread and made tight to prevent rotation and therefore loosening.

That is the way the turnbuckles on the boat work, they have a pin or ring going through the thread, thus stopping the turnbuckle body from turning.