2010 3500 RV build

OrioN

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
hein said:
Bought some hose & fittings for the plumbing system.

Hose: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=97920&catid=736
Fittings: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=465&parentcatid=969
PVDF Tees are better/cost more: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23727&catid=551
hose clamps: http://www.mcmaster.com/#54235k51

Rough sketch of the system:
Click to expand...
After reviewing the schematic, I've noticed your system is missing an integral part or feature.

I've taken liberty, and corrected the omission, as detailed below...


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Attachments

hein

hein

Van Guru
Darn it, how could have I forgotten that? Now I need to order more fittings.
I did stock the fridge in case you decide to stop by and check out my progress.

 
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OrioN

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
hein said:
Norcold DE-0061 with a Danfoss compressor. It can be ordered R opening or L opening but the doors can be reversed (which I did). Trim panels are extra.
Click to expand...
You must have teenager(s) with that size!

Here a trick to help with efficiency. Fill all the un-used space in the freezer with frozen 1L tetra packs (juice/milks). Packs are pre-frozen in your home freezer, as it take too long/much energy if you do via this one.
 
J

JohnY

Member
hein said:
Bought some hose & fittings for the plumbing system.

Hose: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=97920&catid=736
Fittings: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=465&parentcatid=969
PVDF Tees are better/cost more: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23727&catid=551
hose clamps: http://www.mcmaster.com/#54235k51

Rough sketch of the system:
Click to expand...
I did not see an isolation valve on the water supply tank. I recommend one at the tank outlet so that you can isolate the tank without having to drain it (emergent work on the rest of your system. For example, removing and cleaning a clogged strainer, replacing a faulty pump or addressing a leaky whatever).
 
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J

JohnY

Member
hein said:
Click to expand...
Relative to the picture of the muffler on the Espar exhaust, it should have a minimum of 8" of the flexible metallic tubing after the muffler, per Espar installation guidance. This picture may be reflecting partial completion rather than finished installation, in which case you can ignore my comment.
 
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hein

hein

Van Guru
John,

Thank you very much for looking over my drawing and sharing your insights.
Isolation valve will be added per your recommendation.

I did add about 4" along with the stainless tip to the muffler. Could make it
longer, I suppose. Do the Espars make soot?

 
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OrioN

OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
hein said:
I did add about 4" along with the stainless tip. Could make it longer, I suppose.
Do the Espars make soot?
Click to expand...
Soot, no or not really. My tube barely has soot in it...

...However, over time, as the glowpin screen carbons up, the espar will smoke. At first it will be only be noticeable at start up, as a light stream for about a minute or two. Eventually, and prior to faults/no starts, it will smoke like a steam locomotive. Changing the screen is very easy and part of an 'annual' maintenance. Annual if you use it like trucker or mariner, or every 3 years as a weekend warrior. The espar will spark, as the carbon on the screen & combustion chamber burns off during starts/high speed.
 
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J

JohnY

Member
hein said:
John,

Thank you very much for looking over my drawing and sharing your insights.
Isolation valve will be added per your recommendation.

I did add about 4" along with the stainless tip to the muffler. Could make it
longer, I suppose. Do the Espars make soot?
Click to expand...
I do not get much soot at pipe outlet but over time will have carbon buildup internally in combustion chamber as Orion points out. I do not know why Espar cites a min length following the muffler, however in the absence of knowing the why's, I follow manufacturers instructions as there usually is a reason.

Another comment on plumbing. When I redid my plumbing system (original work done by Oregon outfit) to reduct the floor space of their setup, I relocated the pump, strainer and accumulator to a newly made up vertical bulkhead. As part of that process, I discovered that Shurfo pump manufacturer recommends that the pump be not be plumbed directly into a rigid piping system. Rather, Shurflo recommends using reinforced flexible tubing for a short run between the pumping subsystem and rigid piping (see manufacturers website for details, just go to pump section). My system went from fairly quite to a little quieter and I was able to reduce the floor space used by almost a factor of 4X.
 
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hein

hein

Van Guru
Lately, I've been hunched over the electrical chassis hooking up circuits. Some of the terminals were a little bit hard to get too but it all worked out. I still need to wire in some relays for the water pump and AC water heater. Then it's under the van to install batteries, run the 4/0 cables, install the shore power cord/connection and some additional wiring.



Batteries: Four GC-2 sized Fullriver DC250-6


Next pile of parts to work through:


Below. Finished gluing together and painting the corner formed by the bath front wall the bath door jamb:


Plumbing parts are starting to show up.
 
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hein

hein

Van Guru
Espar D2 dosing pump install. Fuel line to the heater is routed above the fuel tank and along the inside of the frame rail to the back where the heater is located. The plastic fuel line is threaded inside 7/32" ID washer hose and shares a split sleeve conduit with the dosing pump wires.


Shore power connection box. A waterproof PVC junction box with the cord receptacle mounted in the lid. Battery box will share the frame mounting bolts. For added protection, the cord is routed inside electrical insulating sleeving from MMC. Since there are nuts inside the box, I added a baffle inside to insure that the wires could not rub against them and possibly short to the chassis.


Cord exit. The sleeve is held/sealed the by the compression nut and the cord is free inside. I need to fill up the top of the nut with some caulking to keep water from collecting in there. -And add a couple of cable clamps or ties. Batteries still have to go in so waiting until then to finalize the routing.


Plugged in for the night. All AC circuits live.

(30A outlet was installed for our previous RV)
 
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hein

hein

Van Guru
Safety first! Made a cover for the 120VAC side of the panel. Bluesea makes one but I'm pretty handy with ABS myself. I'll probably make a better one with sides but this covers the exposed terminals well enough.

Also mounted the Morningstar SunSaver MPPT 15L solar controller (right). Having a picture of what is behind the wall is comforting when some new holes need to be drilled. I still removed some of the push pins and pulled the panel forward to put on a 1/4 thick ABS backing plate for the RH screws to bite into. LH screws go into the chassis sheetmetal.

 
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hein

hein

Van Guru
I really like GeorgeRA's solar panel cross bars made of rounded 80-20. I want to make some custom end brackets but need to know if the 80-20 can be tapped in the corner 'holes' rather than the center. If so, which thread size would be appropriate?





Edit: Went for a swim and the design has evolved (if only in my head). Maybe won't need the 80-20...
 
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