More Class C Mods

Friday - It looks like we dodged another one. The storm is moving northeast. Harlingen got hammered with over a foot of rain in this one storm. 

Saturday - The receiver on the class C is a couple of inches higher than the class A so I picked up a 2” drop receiver extension from Amazon. The tow bar is almost perfectly level and the additional distance from the rear bumper should help on sharp turns. The extension is solid steel (not a tube) and rated at 10k pounds which is more than the hitch or the tow bar. Plus, we could add a bike rack and still tow the Jeep.

I tried the setup down Hwy 90 and you can definitely feel the additional weight when accelerating or braking. On the class A, you can’t tell anything is back there. I ended up disassembling the Ready Brake mechanism as it was pretty filthy from the 25k miles of use behind the oil spewing RV. 

I turned on the Multiplus to see how much power it uses with nothing running as this would be the norm. I initially noticed that it was drawing 15amps. This was the converter charging the AGM battery. I turned off the breaker for the converter.

It was a hot, humid day today and we ended up having dinner at Cowboys in D’Hanis. I was too tired to cook tonight.

Generator Charging Test

Thursday - After watching a YouTube video last night where some friends upgraded the electrical system in their RV and while on their shakedown trip,they discovered that their house batteries weren’t being charged from their generator, I figured that I should test try this out.

I started the generator on the class C and turned on the Multiplus (inverter/charger). From the screen shot, you can see the generator was putting out 868watts and 54.3amps were charging the house battery (SOK LiFePO4). The AC out was the converter which was charging the original AGM house battery. 

There was 5.02amps going into the AGM battery which is around 68 watts. A few minutes later, it jumped up to around 15amps. I turned off the generator after around 5 minutes of run time. 

One surprise to me was that the Multiplus needs to be running to allow any AC power into the RV. Not really an issue as it will probably be running all the time while the RV is being used. 

This is the SmartShunt showing the battery voltage and current. The AGM battery voltage is shown at the bottom labeled as “Starter battery”. As I mentioned before, the AGM battery is used to start and run the generator only. 

Spring Storms

Monday - Around 9pm yesterday, there was a severe storm advisory and the radar showed a storm to the north. High winds, hail to 1.25” possible, and moving southeast at ~25mph. I moved things into our shed and watch the Texas Storm Chasers YouTube channel for the next hour and a half. The northern sky was lit up by the lightning. Around 10:30, the radar showed that we would be spared. 

The news this morning showed the damage in Kerrville, a larger town about an hour north and a little east of here. Damaged roofs, vehicles, glass. Other parts of Texas were hit by the storms. They also got up to an inch and a half of rain resulting in flash flooding. 

My only activity today was my annual visit to the clinic to get my prescriptions renewed. 

Tuesday - I didn’t get much done today. I tried using the stud finder on the roof of the class C and it was very inconsistent. Maybe the battery needs to be replaced. The new mattress from Brooklyn Bedding finally arrived today. We had ordered it from the store in Casa Grande to be delivered here. It took almost 3½ weeks to get here. 

The 2/0 cable for chassis ground arrived today. I may install it this afternoon. This will finish up the wiring on the inverter/charger. One other task is moving the positive cable on the stock converter to the original house battery. This will allow the converter to charge the original battery whenever we are plugged into shore power or running the generator. 

Wednesday - Today, I rerouted the positive wire from the stock converter to the original AGM house battery. I also connected the alternate battery wire from the Victron SmartShunt to this battery. The only function this battery performs is starting and running the 4.5KW generator. It can also be used to jump start the engine using the dash mounted switch.

Removing the Solar Panels

Saturday - It’s another warm day today. This morning, I removed three of the four solar panels from the class A to be installed on the class C. The plastic glue-on solar panel mounts are really junk. All of them are discolored and brittle from UV and the Sikaflex doesn’t stick to them very well. The Sikaflex is well bonded to the fiberglass roof material but the fiberglass isn’t very thick. I would not recommend just gluing down the solar panels. 

I will wait for cooler weather before removing the plastic solar panel mounts and sealing up the screw holes with Eternabond and Dicor. The roof also needs a good cleaning. 

But burgers with grilled onions and tater tots sounds good today!

Sunday - I finished up the DC-DC installation today. I installed an MRBF fuse on the positive battery terminal and ran a 6 AWG cable from there to the input of the DC-DC charger. I picked up the common ground model as it was a little cheaper. Plus, I didn’t need to run a separate ground wire from the start battery. After setting it up via Bluetooth, I tried it out. It works as advertised. Up to 30amps to the SOK battery when the engine is running. 

The stock AGM battery was only 80ah and you could only use about half of that without damaging the battery internally. The SOK battery has about five times the usable capacity but the addition of the inverter adds new capability but potentially.

Electrical Upgrade Continues

Thursday - The inverter/charger is mostly installed. I need more large wire nuts to splice into the shore/generator line as they are all 10/2 romex (large gauge solid wires). 

I installed the Victron VE.bus configuration software on my Windows laptop and connected to the inverter/charger via USB. I configured the SmartShunt using my phone via Bluetooth. I have most of the setup done and found a YouTube video from the SOK importer with their recommended settings. 

This space is cramped as I still need to install the DC-DC charger and the solar charge controller. I’m leaving the stock AGM battery in place but disconnected from the RV. It will be used to start and run the Onan 4.5K generator. I may have the built-in converter charge that battery whenever the generator is running or plugged into shore power. There is an isolation relay with some electronics to charge the built in battery when the engine is running. The generator adds a some complexity that I hadn’t thought about before. 

Friday - Inverter/charger installation is complete. New addition are the DC-DC charger on the left, the solar disconnect right above it, and the junction box on the floor where I inserted the inverter into the shore/generator cable. I tested the all of the outlets and the microwave. I plugged in shore power and limited the current to 12amps and turned on the A/C. It works with the additional power being supplied from the battery. 

I need to order a long (25’-30’) of 6awg cable to run from the start battery to the DC-DC charger. And I need about 6’ of 2/0 cable to run from the Lynx Distributor to chassis ground. 

D’Hanis, TX - SKP

Tuesday - Yesterday was a busy day. We “hosted” a St Patrick’s Day dinner here at the park. Corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, Irish soda bread, and applesauce cake. We had over 50 people and there was a lot of cabbage and potatoes left over. I didn’t get around to taking any pictures. Afterwards, I was too tired to do much else.

We went into the outskirts of San Antonio for some shopping. Including Daiso, which is kind of a Japanese dollar store. Lots of cheap items. I didn’t see anything I had to have. Then on to Hobby Lobby. Followed by a delicious lunch at Chicken Salad Chick. I had a toasted spicy pimento cheese BLT. Very different as I never had pimento cheese before. 

Wednesday - The regular early morning coffee got me up and about. I picked up the class C and started installing ½" plywood on the inside of the one of the dining seats. This will allow me to install all of the components for the upgraded electrical system. 

On the left is a Vctron 2000 watt sine-wave inverter/charger. It also functions as a configurable battery charger and will deliver up to 70amps. In addition, it has features such as PowerAssist. This allows you to add additional power to your shore power connection. For example, you choose to limit shore power to 10amps to avoid blowing a breaker. And you want to run a high current appliance. The inverter/charger will add up to 2000 watts to allow the appliance to run by combining battery power with shore power. 

To the right is a Victron Lynx Distributor. Basically a positive and negative buss bar with up to four fused circuits. Next to that is a single SOK 206ah LiFePO4 battery. Above the battery is a Victron 500amp shunt, and to the right is a 300amp ANL fuse. Two more components need to be added to this space. A 30amp DC-DC charger and a solar charge controller. 

The two lengths of romex will get patched into the shore power connection after cutting the existing cable. I still need to finish the 12V run between the SOK battery, the ANL fuse, the main shutoff switch and the Lynx Distributor. Then on to configuration. 

Misc. Activities - SKP

Thursday - This morning, before it got too warm, I rode the Ural to Uvalde to pick up a prescription. I also wanted to check out the building supply store for half-height strut channel. They had it and the cost was the same as Home Depot. This location is more convenient as I need to use the trailer to pick them up.  By the time I got back to Hondo, it was getting pretty warm. Most of the rest of the day was spent in the RV with the A/C. 

Friday - I'm starting to build out the revised electrical system for the class C. I will be moving one SOK 206ha battery from the class A, installing a Lynx Distributor, Multiplus 2K inverter/charger, Orion DC-DC charger, and probably moving the solar charge controller from the class A. Here is a "before" picture.

By noon, it was approaching 90°F. Too warm to do much work outside. I started to remove one battery but need to turn off most of the DC which would include the A/C control boards. I’ll wait until it cools off. Tomorrow, the wind is forecast to be over 45mph.

D’Hanis, TX - SKP

Tuesday - It’s another warm one today. 

Wednesday - I worked on the class C a bit this morning before it warmed up too much. 

The storage compartment locks were keyed with the ultra common CH751 locks. I replaced them with tubular locks like I had done on the 5th wheel. 

The next task was a rear view camera. Power for the camera is from the center clearance light so the camera is on whenever the taillights are on. I am trying having the 7” monitor zip tied to the rear view mirror. There is no rear window so the mirror is kind of useless. I still need to route the monitor power cable.

The next task was opening up one of the dining seats where I plan to install the upgraded electrical system. I suspected that there would be plenty of room. I’ll need to remove the white tube which is storage for the table leg. 

D’Hanis, TX - SKP

Friday - Now to start on the “list” for the class C RV. I plan to move some things from the class A such as one lithium battery, solar panels, solar charge controller, and DC-DC charger. I’m still wondering about a charger. I need to open the bench to see what kind of a converter is installed. 

I plan on using Unistrut on the roof of the RV. This is what I should have used on the class A. They are available in 10’ lengths in both steel and aluminum. 

Saturday - An early morning for me since I volunteered to help in the kitchen for today’s yard sale. I helped with breakfast and lunch and we were done at 1pm. 

Yesterday, while cooking, I was running the convection/ microwave, the rice cooker, and the induction cooktop. These circuits all pass through the inverter and unbeknownst to me, the breaker providing shore power to the inverter tripped. This turns off battery charging and when I got up at 5 this morning, the batteries were at 22%. Everything except the A/C units had been running off of the batteries all night. Kind of confusing to me at 5am but I traced it to the inverter breaker within a couple of minutes. After resetting the breaker, everything was back to normal and the batteries were charged up to 100% by 1pm. 

An interesting morning but it has caused me to rethink my plan to remove one of the 206ah lithium batteries from the class A and install it into the class C. 

Sunday - More things making a mess on our driveway and yard. I think they are domestic escapees from somewhere around here. 

Almost Home

Thursday - A very windy travel day with both cross and head winds. So the gas mileage has dropped to about 7mpg. This RV is much less stable than the class A in the wind. And, much noisier as it would downshift a lot just from the headwind. We stopped for lunch just east of Del Rio near the Air Force base and noticed this in the median. 

I’m not exactly sure what it is maybe the logo for the flight school. It is really only visible from the air. 

At this point, we were less than 100miles from the SKP park so we forged ahead into a 35mph headwind. At least it’s fairly flat and there isn’t a whole lot of traffic. Bridget is driving now even with the wind. It’s nice to have a second driver. 

No issues with dry camping last night though I really would prefer more information. I already ordered a Victron shunt and plan on an inverter. 

We arrived back at the SKP park around 3:30 fighting a quartering headwind for the last hundred miles. It didn’t take long to unpack then move the RV into storage. 

Fort Stockton, TX

Wednesday - We left Deming around 9:30 after a cold-ish overnight low of around freezing. The propane furnace works fine but the thermostat doesn’t actually show temperature. It just has a slider for warmer or cooler. We left with a full tank of propane and I’ll get it refilled when we get back to Hondo. Bridget doesn’t seem to mind driving this RV. As long as it isn’t in the city. El Paso was, as usual, a pain to drive through. Lots of construction, traffic, and narrow lanes (due to all of the construction).

I’m not sure if the tank sensors actually work so I emptied the tanks in Deming since we were at an RV park. We’ve identified a few more things that are needed for more functionality and they have been ordered.

We stopped at the Fort Stockton rest area around 4pm. We lost an hour of travel time due to the time zone change. It’s a nice rest area and Texas allows overnight parking. Once we pass Fort Stockton, there aren’t many places to stop especially not this nice. We really want to see how things go dry camping in this RV. Only 311 miles to go.

Mesa, AZ

Monday - Sitting in the dealership this morning waiting. A lot of waiting. The dealership needs to fix a leak in the kitchen sink drain and convince us that there is no real damage to the wood floor underneath the cabinet. Plus, we are waiting to hear back from the credit union in Fairbanks that they received our wire transfer request and that they can process it as soon as possible. 

We were on the road around 3:30. This RV has a harsher ride and noisier than the class A. More like driving the truck. We filled up in Eloy, AZ, at the Love’s and the gas pumps are much slower than the diesel pumps in the truck lanes.

We stopped at a friend’s home in Tucson leaving the RV on the street in front of their home. 

Tuesday - After picking up some groceries, we headed east towards TX. It was windy for most of the day but it was mostly from the west so more of a tailwind. There was only one time that the dust storm was on the highway and only for about 1/4 of a mile. 

We stopped at the Escapee park in Deming, NM. We had stopped here before back in November on our way to California so it is familiar. The only “problem” is the city water connection is really worn so it’s somewhat challenging to tighten the hose. 

I filled up the gas tank here in Deming even though it was just under an half tank. I was wondering about the gas mileage. We are getting just under 10mpg which is about what I expected. That’s with me driving around 63mph mostly with the cruise control engaged. All gauges readings were nominal for the entire trip. The ride is harsher than the class A and it’s much noisier since the engine is up front and runs at a higher rpm. Plus, there was a lot of rattling from the stove burners and the almost empty cabinets. 

Mesa, AZ

Friday - We had dinner in Mesa, AZ, at a Denny’s and arrived at our hotel after 1am. It was a long day and the day really reinforced my dislike of flying. I was up and about in time for the free hotel breakfast. Nothing special but more than adequate. 

We then headed to Cruise America, which is a business that rents RVs. We are considering purchasing one of the former rentals that they refurbish. The exterior looks almost new and the interior, while not pristine, looks to be in decent shape. 

Saturday - This morning, we had an RV inspection done to identify current and prior issues. She was very thorough and identified several minor and one major problem which need to be addressed by the dealer. 

We then headed down to Casa Grande to visit with friends Kevin and Charla at the Encore RV Park. We had stayed at the park numerous times over the years. We had dinner at Black Bear Diner in Eloy, AZ, before checking into our hotel in Casa Grande.