2010 3500 RV build

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
VHS tape questions:

1. where do you buy it?
2. Are there different versions? What brand & part number do you use?
3. Do you clean the surfaces? With what?
4. What widths have you used?
5. Do you clamp the connection and if so for how long?
6. Will it work between wood and steel?

Anything else I should have asked?

Thanks.
 

hein

Van Guru
1. where do you buy it?
McMaster Carr has it: http://www.mcmaster.com/#vhb-tape/=qc2s61
Also available in most hardware stores. Look for 3M heavy duty mounting tape.

2. Are there different versions? What brand & part number do you use?
Yes. I use 3M: http://www.3m.com/product/information/VHB-Acrylic-Foam-Tape.html

3. Do you clean the surfaces? With what?
Yes, soap and water (allow plenty of time for surfaces to dry) or Isopropyl alcohol works great. Warming the surfaces with a blow drier helps. There is special VHB that can be applied in cold temps.

4. What widths have you used?
All, I buy 5" wide rolls from a client who uses it on some of my products. I cut what ever strip or piece I need. I unroll a big piece and place the exposed side on some 4 or 6 mill poly sheeting and then cut it to size with a straight edge and single edge razor. The OEM paper and red backing won't stretch. But some poly film will so you can stretch wider strips into long thinner ones if you use it for the final release.

5. Do you clamp the connection and if so for how long?
Although VHB sticks instantly like contact cement, you can usually pull it up (to reposition) if you haven't pressed it down at all. Clamping helps but not needed or possible in many cases. Normally you can press it together manually. Good fit is important. It conforms well but relies on a consistent gap to fill.

VHB tape needs to set for ~24 hours before attaining full strength. It's most vulnerable of coming loose during that time. Everybody wants to test the strength of the bond right away. DON'T! Clamping can reduce the set time.

6. Will it work between wood and steel?
It won't stick to raw wood but if you apply a coat of contact cement that might work. -Never tried that. I use contact cement prior to applying VHB to porous surfaces like the exposed edges of the Celtec. 3M does make a primer.

Anything else I should have asked?
It doesn't smell bad. Keep it sealed up in a zip lock bag to extend the shelf life that George refers to. -I hadn't heard that but it makes sense.

P.S. We sell stick on handles with VHB tape.
(I put one on the inside of my rear door)


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-Sti...rall-length-/131095155213?hash=item1e85e1520d
 
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hein

Van Guru
To finish off the cabinet top, I added a barrier around the opening for the fridge. We will likely store a newspaper and maybe a magazine or two up there. To fab it I cut some strips of 6mm Celtec and glued them to the top with some CA glue.

I wanted to make the cabinet top removable (to access refrigerator electronics) so I used some Velcro strips to secure it. Velcro also eliminates any possibility of it rattling.





Today I spent some time finalizing the kitchen/galley module. We are planning on carrying both a single burner camp stove and an induction hot plate for cooking. Nothing built in so we can cook outdoors if weather permits.

Construction will be CNC'd Celtec panels, with a Corian top and more Southco hinges and latches. The inverter is in the cabinet below the microwave. I'll probably add a vent to the top of that door. Access to the electrical/breaker panel is through the door on the side. On the far end is a desk area for a laptop. The other end will be supported by a bulkhead not shown. CAD render below:

 
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GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
I am repeating myself, it really looks great. The power of doing a prototype in CAD is well worth its effort to eliminate too many trials and errors.

You could consider a pantry, we had one in our previous RV and it was a great way to load a lot of cans of food or drinks with well-organized retrieval. Since a few weeks ago I am waiting for all drawers from Barker’s. See post #373 https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21773&page=38 I copy this concept in our conversion.

Cheers,

George.
 

Attachments

hein

Van Guru
I might be able to fit some roll out trays inside the cabinet under the sink. Thanks for the picture. To save space I could mount a couple of wire trays directly to some slides and attach those to the inside right wall.
 

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
Be careful about the ventilation for the inverter. I had my vehicle inverter in a SS enclosure with what I thought was adequate vent holes in and out. That proved incorrect because the 600 watt Xantrex inverter tripped on high temperature. In 100 degree ambient it tripped quickly and in normal ambient I had to limit the Magnum charger to 30 amps DC or the Xantrex inverter would trip. I removed the enclosure and doubled the inlet and outlet vent hole sizes. I also purchased a 120 volt 4" pancake auxiliary fan that will add airflow. Do not know how much the changes will help until next summer.
 

hein

Van Guru
Dave's post inspired me to update my inverter ventilation with a more deliberate approach using a section of PVC pipe running across the back to a 4" fan on the end where it exits the cabinet. This combined with an inlet under the door on the near side should give plenty of airflow through the inverter cabinet. CAD rendering below shows the arrangement.



This update and some other changes actually simplifies the galley cabinet. Thanks again, Dave. My wife really likes George's pantry idea too so will try to make that part of the design. Great feedback, guys!

In the process of preparing the pretty picture, I discovered a modeling error and interference which I fixed. Can't have my battery switch protruding through the door.

I normally do drawings of all 3D design work as an accuracy check of the 3D model. Sometimes hundreds of dimensions are specified and entered during the process of creating a 3D CAD model. They are not readily visible until you go to modify something and then they disappear again. That is the nature/power of a parametric model. The only way to check them all is to regurgitate them on a proper drawing with views, details, and most of all tolerances. I would never release a model for someone else to make unless I had a detailed drawing to go with it.

But because I'm programming and machining my own parts, I can check things there and always run a new part if I miss something. Not so if I release data to one of my fabricators. I can't afford for them to run bad parts. And neither can they.
 
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OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
...that reminds me & before I forget/ocd, again... you posted a reply to someone recently that pointed to your water holding tank post(s). Not sure if any were late or finish stages on the install, and I did notice a pump, but the question I have, as it wasn't apparent, is there a plug/valve in the bottom of the tank (to aid in quick evacuation and cleaning) & an atmospheric vent/tube for previous and pump action?






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OrioN

2008 2500 170" EXT
In the process of preparing the pretty picture, I discovered a modeling error and interference which I fixed. Can't have my battery switch protruding through the door.

I normally do drawings of all 3D design work as an accuracy check of the 3D model. Sometimes hundreds of dimensions are specified and entered during the process of creating a 3D CAD model. They are not readily visible until you go to modify something and then they disappear again. That is the nature/power of a parametric model. The only way to check them all is to regurgitate them on a proper drawing with views, details, and most of all tolerances. I would never release a model for someone else to make unless I had a detailed drawing to go with it.
Reminds me of a time during my general contractor days... when I designed & built a custom wardrobe with 100" high x 54" wide mirrored sliding doors... that wouldn't a) negotiate the reversing stairway to the upper floor, nor b) fit through the upper floor windows.... :bash:








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hein

Van Guru
...that reminds me & before I forget/ocd, again... you posted a reply to someone recently that pointed to your water holding tank post(s). Not sure if any were late or finish stages on the install, and I did notice a pump, but the question I have, as it wasn't apparent, is there a plug/valve in the bottom of the tank (to aid in quick evacuation and cleaning) & an atmospheric vent/tube for previous and pump action?
.
Your timing is uncanny. I was just out in the shop before dinner tinkering with the fresh water tank. I just got it back from having fittings spin welded on. There are 4 vents in the corners of the top, a clean out in the bottom, plus the suction port. I need to plastic weld on a filler neck (cut from a wide mouth HDPE Nalgene bottle) and then it can go under the van. I added an aluminum pan to my support tray and will have a 12"x 18" 80 watt battery heater pad between that and the tank.

Edit: added some pictures of the fresh water tank tray:

Tank tray with Kat's 80 watt heater pad. The two angles sticking off the far edge are where the pump goes. And the long C shaped piece is one of 6 hangers for the tank. More tank details starting at page 12 of this thread.


Wire exit out of the bottom of the pan. Some edge guard around the hole and slathered with urethane sealant. I also poked a few drain holes in the tray.
 
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hein

Van Guru
It's alive:


I spent the last of couple days crawling around under the van installing the batteries, routing the cables and making connections to the electrical chassis. 4 Full River 6V GC-2 250 for a total of 500 Ah. I have a Magnum MS 2800 inverter with the ME-RC remote and BMK.

Driver's side tray: Grey wire hanging is a temperature sensor yet to be routed to the solar controller. Drip/run on the side of the battery terminal coating spray. May have gotten a little carried away with that.


Below: Passenger's side tray with DC main fuse located in the PVC conduit outlet body mounted to the side. Back of shore power plug box on left. The maxi fuse holder (no fuse atm) is for the Magnum battery combiner yet to be installed. I'll be adding a heat shield around the top and side of the exhaust pipe.


Below: Tray fastener arrangement. Each tray has eight M12 fasteners into nuts welded onto backing plates.


Below: Driver's side tray before installation showing the 6V series jumper. All the cables are 4/0 and covered with high-temp silicone rubber electrical insulating sleeving for added protection.
 
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hein

Van Guru
Is there solar in the works to help charge that beautiful battery bank?
Yes, I have two 105 watt panels and a Morningstar Sunsaver controller. The controller is mounted, wires run and I have completed some preliminary design work on the panel brackets: https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27822&page=25. Just need to make a few updates and release them.

Below are a couple more shots of the battery trays. I started a design/group buy thread on the trays last year: https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25927.





You can see that I have the van raised up on blocks to get some added clearance to roll the batteries under using an ATV jack. Lifting them in place on the jack works great. Got the idea from George.

I have an extra tray on hand and can have more made if anyone is interested . They only fit the 3500.

update: we now have a full line of battery boxes for Sprinter and Transit vans.
http://stores.ebay.com/impactproducts
 
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PaulDavis

Member
I have an extra tray on hand and can have more made if anyone is interested . They only fit the 3500.
How extensively would the design need modifying to fit the 2500?
Do the bolts fit into any existing holes in the chassis?
Do any of the bolts pass through the floor?

Thanks in advance for any answers, and continuing thanks for documenting your designs and work!
 

hein

Van Guru
How extensively would the design need modifying to fit the 2500?
Do the bolts fit into any existing holes in the chassis?
Do any of the bolts pass through the floor?

Thanks in advance for any answers, and continuing thanks for documenting your designs and work!
I had a look at it sometime ago but recall that the area is not nearly as large due to the spring being further out on a 2500. There may be room for 1 battery on each side. The tray could be made shorter lengthwise very easily. Changing the mounting arrangement would take a bit more work.
 
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hein

Van Guru
Finished routing wires under the van for the macerator toilet, fresh water pump and tank sensor circuits. I use split loom, edge guard, vinyl coated loop clamps and self drilling screws.

Tools & Supplies:


Loop Clamps: http://www.mcmaster.com/#p-clamps/=qgtn2p
Edge guard: http://www.mcmaster.com/#trim-molding/=qgto4q
Split loom: http://www.mcmaster.com/#split-looms/=qgtn9f
Self drilling screws: http://www.mcmaster.com/#self-drilling-screws/=qgtnob

Some wires:


More wires:


I ran the Espar D2 but had to resort to jumping power to the yellow 'switch' wire to get it to fire. There must be a problem with the wires going to the controller or the controller itself. The controller self test shows low voltage but I have a solid 14 V at the connector. When the back light on the display is on, the text is very dim and almost unreadable. The wire run is accessible so replacing the controller and/or wiring shouldn't be too much trouble.

It did take a few start attempts to get fuel all the way to the heater. I did not prime and the dosing pump is at least 12 ft from the heater.

What little trouble shooting I have done has raised my limited understanding of the Espar electrics. I am now wondering if I can run the Espar with my regular RV Thermostat. It can supply 12V to a heater circuit based on the thermostat setting. If I connect that to the yellow 'switch' wire then conceivably the Espar would enable according to the thermostat. I need more information before committing to that scheme. It would be nice to be able to retrieve fault codes should the heater need service.
 
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GeorgeRa

2013 Sprinter DIY 144WB, Portland OR
What gauge wires did you use to power the D2 and at what distance? Based on my conversation with Espar folks I am using 10 gauge going from the front passenger seat D2 location to the left rear corner battery. The heavy gauge could be required for powering the glow plug.

I needed to extend the signal cable going to DigiMax and used 8 conductors 20 gauge from West Marine.

Is 14V measured at a maximum load?

Good luck,

George.
 

hein

Van Guru
14 V was at no load; batteries on float. I will take another reading while it is running in boost mode. The heater was not running (the controller won't start it) when I ran the controller self test.

The D2 harness came with a long power lead that appears to be 12 gauge. In my case, the distance to the breaker is ~8 feet so that should be good. I extended the controller harness by not more than 2 feet with 20 gauge. I soldered all the connections but could have a cold solder joint or something else wrong. I'll probably just pull the wires out of the conduit and take a look. I also need to order a Y for routing the hot air to two vents.

All other components and circuits installed are working properly. I configured my charger for my battery type and size. The Magnum controller is easy to operate and their documentation is well done. Glad I went with their system.
 
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hein

Van Guru
I am now wondering if I can run the Espar with my regular RV Thermostat. It can supply 12V to a heater circuit based on the thermostat setting. If I connect that to the yellow 'switch' wire then conceivably the Espar would enable according to the thermostat. I need more information before committing to that scheme. It would be nice to be able to retrieve fault codes should the heater need service.
Found out I can do this. Glad I dropped the 12V furnace signal lead from my thermostat down to the Espar.

I was told my RV thermostat will hold the temperature at a more constant level than the Digimax. (appears it's on/off points are 15F apart?) I'll still need to retain the Digimax for diagnostics and use the altitude sensor to compensate for lower air pressure.
 

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