Category Archives: repairs

Starting the solar install

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I have been wanting to put on solar for quite a while.  The tax incentive was expiring at the end of 2016 so I had to get on it.  I started getting parts in July which took a bit of research.  I will put my parts list at the end.

Unfortunately, we have had another project to work on.  Prior to leaving on our full-timing, we had to redo our house shower.  Partially to let our son have a nice workable shower and also to have it ready for resale when that comes to happen.  We have finally got the shower done:

This means I can now devote more time to the solar!  Yes!  The first thing was to figure out what to do with the batteries.  We currently have two 12v AGMs in our battery boxes.  In our vintage of Airstream (2012), the boxes are on either side of our propane tanks and are actually inside the trailer with doors to get them in and out.  Newer Airstreams have the batteries outside in a box directly behind the propane tanks.

I researched how to create a box for our batteries in our little (storage) box that is behind the propane tanks.  It couldn’t be done.  I was resigned to have only two batteries in their original locations.  However, there is another wrinkle.  We have thought about replacing our front couch with recliners.  This would not be possible with the battery boxes sticking into the habitable area.

In all the research of other peoples’ Airstream solar installs, I came across AStreaminLife.  Steve and Courtney have a Classic like we do with the same couch.  They had AMSolar do their solar install and were able to put 4 Lifeline AGM GPL-4CT batteries under their couch and still use the couch as it is.  Here is a Youtube video about it.  That was the plan.

Here is the battery bank as I will put them in the trailer under the couch.  I have them on a board to help distribute the weight and a strap to help them not move around too much.

These are 6V batteries and each has 220 amp hours but the way this works is that I will connect two batteries in series giving 12v (you add voltages in series) and 220ah then I will connect those two 12v serial connections in parallel giving 12v and 440ah (you add amp hours in parallel).  This is double our old setup and should be.

Here are two pictures.  One shows a single battery putting out 6.49v and two in series putting out 13v.

Now I have to clean up the area where the batteries will go.  Airstream was not real neat and clean in their wiring.  They figured out of sight, out of mind.   Here is what I started with:

The two black boxes are where the old batteries were with a door on the outside.  Those need to be removed.  The silver item is the inverter and it will have to be reconfigured somewhere else.  Additionally, I will clean up the wiring and put it on the front wall to get it all off the floor.  There is also a subwoofer to put in somewhere but that should be easy.

Here is a view of the old battery boxes from the outside and inside after my modifications:

I covered the inside with aluminum and will insulate between the inside skin and outside door.  I will update once I have the wiring done and the batteries in.

Parts list:

  • Blue Sky Energy SB3024IL MPPT Charge Controller
    Refrigerator Vent C-Box
    Cable 2Ga 10 feet
    High Current On/Off Switch (shipping 12.00)
    50′ Solar Panel Extension Wires with MC4 connectors
    Grape Solar GS-ZB-Fab1 Feet Z-mount (Qty 3)
    Renogy MC4 tool
    Renogy MC4 Male/Female connectors (5 pair)
    Solar Panels GS-S-160-Fab8
    1/4″ Copper Lugs
    Bussmann CB185-40 Circuit Breaker
    Blue Sky Energy IPNPRO Pro Remote
    2 Ga 600 amp cables
    35mm Rocker Foot Mount Set
    Lifeline GPL 4CT Battery (Qty 4)

A repair, some modifications and a new project.

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Repair:

When we were in Bishop I noticed a dripping coming out of a valve on the bottom of our tanks.  There were two valves there so I was unsure of their function.  I thought the freezing conditions may have broke the valve.  I also noticed it dripping at Calico.  However it was only during times where the water system was pressurized either via the pump or shore water.  First thing was to figure out what they were.

Using both AirForums and Airstream support, I was able to find out these were the low point drains for the fresh water system.  One for hot water and the other for cold water.  The cold water one was having problems.  I ordered a new one, actually two.

The good news is:  there is an access panel:

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The bad new is: you have to take off a wheel to get to it:

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Upon opening it up I see the two valves with PEX:

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You can see the corrosion from the dripping.  It took much consternation to remove the valve (I had to cut the PEX) but I got it off and it promptly broke:

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With PEX you are supposed to use a specific tool to connect the parts.  However I could not get the tool in there due to size constraints.  Also I didn’t have the tool so I would have to buy it (pricey) or rent one.  So I thought I would try an alternative.  I used the PEX connector but used hose clamps (see the nice new valve?):

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That was a great attempt but it didn’t work.  I put the system under pressure but the next day I noticed a droplet of water.  Not much but I don’t want any leaks.  I thought about it a bit.  How much do I need the drains?  We don’t winterize as it doesn’t get cold enough here.  Also when we are travelling we won’t go places that are cold enough.  Additionally if I need to drain I can work it out with my solution.

I used a Sharkbite connection to put on a simple plug.  This way IF I ever need to drain, I take off the access plate and remove the plug.  I also wire tied them together to stop vibrations:

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Modifications:

1.

In our overhead cabinet above the couch there is an electrical outlet that I noticed was broken.  I am replacing it.  However the Airstream outlets are not cheap and are rather odd.  I opted for a different one from the local home improvement store.  This outlet not only has two 110V outlets but it also has two USB charging port.  The more USB charging ports the better:

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2

We have a Dyson vacuum that we take with us on the road and will continue to use during full timing.  I needed to have a more permanent mounting solution.  The Dyson comes with a wall mount that is very functional but it needs a 110V outlet.  The ideal area is in our large wardrobe but there is no power in there.  The solution is to run an extension from the back of the microwave into the wardrobe and up the side of the wardrobe to a new surface mounted outlet:

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The Dyson charger brick is plugged in.  Its’ cord runs up over the doors and to the other side to the Dyson wall mount:

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3

In our bathroom we have one huge and bright LED (retrofit) light above the sink and mirror.  This is good for when you really need to see in the bathroom but it is not too great in the middle of the night, however there is a switch on the light.  There is another light attached to the main switch that is in the shower but it does not have a light.  I was trying to figure out how to put in a red light in the bathroom.  We had a homegrown version in our ’92.  I used a LED red trailer marker light that I put a switch on.  It worked well.  I could not find a good way to do this here.  Until I found a replacement light for the shower.  If found a marine light at Amazon.  It does both white:

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and red:

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Perfect.  Works really well.

 

4

Many years ago, while at an Ikea store, I found a LED strip of lights that could do multiple colors (Dioder).  I used them for a while on the back of our TV for backlighting.  One day I noticed that the controller and the lights ran on 12v.  That sparked an idea.  This idea was finally put into play.  We have an area on top of our cabinet above our couch that is recessed:

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I cut off the transformer and wired it into the 12V behind the radio.  I laid out the strips like this:

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Here is a shot of the lights on red:

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And a video of the cycling nature:

New Project:

Solar!

I am almost ready to start my solar project.  I will have one, or more, blog entries about this.  We have a lot of space on our trailer roof but you don’t realize how big solar panels can be until you get them.  Wow!  I was looking for more room when I was looking at my Winegard Sensar antenna.  It is nice that it folds down but it takes up 5 1/2 feet on the roof!!  I can use that for my panels.  Time to change out the antenna with a King Jack antenna:

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One of the fun things about owning a trailer is the ability to customize things but it seems to never end.