No turning back now

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Adolphus

Member
After reading autocamp’s excellent brunnhilde blog until my eyes were blurry I got frisky and removed my Kerstner AC, convertors, and Onan generator with the plan to convert to the coleman mach 8 ac/honda eu2000i approach. I pulled up the orange Romex cable feed from the Onan and left it safely curled it up until I figure out what to do next. When I removed the two overhead cabinets I pushed the two heavy dc black cables from the Kerstner behind the vent cabinet (almost) back into the cavity. I'm over my head with regard to electrical connections and have some questions:

Would it be prudent to push these black cables all the way into the cavity so I can reattach the vent cabinet (the one with the tambour door) back on with the expectation that I could clean up and remove these cables at a later date from down below?

Would the orange cable be a good approach to feeding power from a honda generator into the van?

Do the cabin batteries still charge with the 150 A fuse pulled from under the hood?

Anyone interested in the Kerstner?
 
O

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
1. Autocamp Blog

http://eat-drink-men-women.blogspot.com/?m=1

Switch to web format (not mobile) for search function.

2. AC

Adolphus, please post whatever you figure out and do. I and other Westy owners may follow.

The following is just guessing so proceed with caution.

150 Amp Fuse Next to Engine Battery:

I believe the existing Air Conditioner setup bypasses the coach batteries. So coach batteries should charge from shorepower or engine alternator without the 150 amp fuse which I'm assuming is for the Kerstner air conditioner (But please tell us what you figure out).

Onan Power Feed Cord:

The Onan generator output should go to an automatic transfer switch behind the alternating current breakers. Have never seen in person but am guessing Airstream had to put one there to prevent conflict between shorepower and generator output. (Other RVs use a single power cord to plug into either shorepower or into the generator so no conflict.)

The Honda generator has less output than the Onan. If you use the existing power cord from the Onan into the auto transfer switch, then you'd be powering the entire Westy which may be too much (remember that the Westy battery charger uses power automatically unless you switch off the circuit breaker, so you'd have to watch the cumulative loads).

Don't remember how Autocamp did.

12v DC Air Conditioner Cables:

12v Cables: I'd suggest removing any wires rather than leaving "unknown" wires for later (like those weird mysterious disconnected cable tv or coaxial wires). Don't think thise wires could.be used for anything else. Of course, all wires should be disconnected from any power (so not live) and capped off.

But, now might be the time to run some solar panel wires for the future as the upper cabinet is out.

Don't have any info but hopefully Autocamp and others with experience and expertise do.

Thanks.
 
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Adolphus

Member
Thank you for your thorough and thoughtful response. My intention is definitely to remove extra cabling and wiring that would serve no future purposes. My hesitation regarding reattaching the cabinet above the stove is with respect to having some confidence that the cabling slipped back into the driver side cavity would be able to be pulled down from below with the cabinet reinstalled. If it can be handled exclusively from below but removal of the black tank is required to access this cabling I would prefer to leave cabling hidden out of the way until I have the gumption to install a Thetford cassette toilet (c402c). I’ve removed a black tank once but I would not want to put one back in again (ever). I had not given any thought to solar panel wiring future prep.
 
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Adolphus

Member
I couldn’t get the high current dc cables out from behind the black tank and I’m proceeding with the Thetford cassette toilet conversion. I miscalculated and cut shower pan shorter than I like even though I measured twice. Seems the front was tilting out some because it was stuck at the side walls (it’s a tight fit). I have recovered by using the removed section material to create the side curves and dam. I also used the discarded material to fill in the big semicircle and sandwiched it between polyethylene/heavy weave fiberglass on the back and fine weave on the top side. Still have a ways to go to smooth everything up to westfalia standards but getting there. I likely wouldn’t have started it without seeing Autocamp’s blog first.
I’m hopeful I can still use the existing power wire that fed the old toilet.
 
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Adolphus

Member
I’m struggling with removal of the kerstner cabling from the driver’s side cabinet cavity, even after removing the tank. It won’t budge from above or below. Would appreciate any guidance.
 

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OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
Do you have a cable or Depstech type camera to stick up in the area to see? If not, how about sticking your cellphone up into that area (the circle hole on side)?

The cables could be tied together with other wires or even tied/screwed to some wall?

Or, the cables could have pieces of foam glued over them to prevent noise rattling?
 
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Adolphus

Member
No cable camera but tried to use my phone camera after disconnecting and moving the vent hose aside. Can’t see well into this area with a phone cam. I may need to look into a flex camera cable.
On another frustrating note, there seems to be a “world wide” shortage of the spare tire undercarriage hooks (5118920AA)
 
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Adolphus

Member
Thank you for sending that link. Unfortunately everyone I’ve called says the part is on worldwide back order. That is until just now after a referral to Johnson Auto Plaza in Brighton, Colorado. Their number is 720-685-1026.
 
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OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
Another place to look is the junkyard. Another poster sent me a link to a Sprinter junkyard but I can't seem to locate.

You can try the used car parts websites and they give you various junkyards with that Sprinter part (so if yoir desired part is not listed, it may still be on the wrecked Sprinter in that junkyard).

Also, when you're designing your new spare tire carrier???, besides Autocamp and Eat Drink, Check the postings from Foster. He posted a diagram for making bolt-on supports near the rear axle for the spare tire carrier (versus weldng on the cutoff pieces).

Looking forward to seeing more photos of your projects.
 
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Adolphus

Member
I notice Foster used a pair of unique beefy hinge brackets that look different from the oem hinge plates in parts catalog diagrams. Any ideas where these hinge brackets can be found?
 
O

OldWest

2004 T1N Westfalia
This thread has photos of a stock T1N spare tire carrier for a shorter wheelbase. The hinges look different than what Foster used.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52088&highlight=Door+spare+tire+carrier

Foster's hinges only have one bolt (also, looks like they're installed differently than paper diagram?).

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=478693&postcount=10

Also, if you've moved to a slightly larger 245 tire, may want to search that it'll fit. Don't remember for sure, but think it wasn't a problem for AutoCamp/Eat Drink blog.

If you go with bigger wheels and tires like some Westy owners with a 4x4 or a VanCompass lift, there are a bunch of threads re bigger or modifed tire carriers for bigger wheels, etc. (Don't know whether the NCV3 parts are compatible with our T1Ns).

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69421&highlight=Door+spare+tire+carrier

Since you have a nice rear door custom tire carrier already and since the original spare tire carrier apparently is a hassle for the tire weight, you could convert the spare tire area to storage like this Sprinter owner did (probably for a NCV3):

http://www.onceagreenberet.com/adding-a-basement-to-the-sprinter/

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50256&highlight=Door+spare+tire+carrier
 
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