Leaderboard

Some pix from Acadia NP this week.

I hope the rally will be great, can’t make it this year due to other travel plans but if you have it next year please add me to your email list kathytewart@gmail.com thanks

Decided it was time to start the DC/DC charger install after I got the breaker replaced and the solar input working. Getting the Tundra wired up turned out to be fairly straight forward. Just followed the wire I had installed to charge the GZ for the old ARB fridge we used to store extra food. No issues once I figured out where to mount the Anderson connector to the Tundra (absolutely no flat places under bumper near hitch to mount), had to use a couple of longer bolts (removed OEM and matched) that were used to hold the bumper and then used a 6 in water clamp to hold right side of an aluminum 3 in wide x 12 in long x 1/4 in base for the Anderson plug to mount. Used 4 AWG wire from Windy Nation, it came with heat shrink and lugs, 60 amp Blue Seas, a manual 60 amp Blue Seas resettable breaker, 3/4 in sheathing for protection, and Anderson SB120 connectors. For my application, should have gotten 50 ft instead of 40ft wire total. You will also need HD crimper, wire cutter and heat gun. I had to get creative but the mount is strong and as conveniently located as I had hoped for... now for the Ollie install. Have to wait for more wire to ship. Big thank you to those that preceded me and posted their installs! Best, Mike Links: Kit https://www.windynation.com/products/4-gauge-welding-battery-cable-kit-includes-5-pieces-of-3-8-5-pieces-of-5-16-tinned-copper-cable-lugs-and-3-feet-black-heat-shrink-tubing? Blue Seas https://a.co/d/1DkubaD Anderson cover https://powerwerx.com/trailer-vision-tv201426-120-sb120variant=43802376339678 Could have used SB50.

Like many, I have been tempted to purchase from Amazon or eBay for such incentives as less money and free shipping, but it only takes one negative review that a product is a ‘knockoff’ to bring me back to reality! To answer your question, no I have never had or seen a failure as you described. For piece of mind, I buy direct from powerwerx.com to ensure authenticity.

Our 2023 Elite II with Truma air conditioning has a drain line on both sides, coming out the rear corners of the trailer, just forward of the bumper. I've used a 9-foot long sunroof drain cleaning tool to clear any obstruction on the street/driver's side of the trailer, but it is not long enough for the curb/passenger side. If I'm leaning right, the condensate will drain down the side instead of the drain tube. I need to try a longer string trimmer to clear that side.

Remembering to Plug the hole when 'not camping for extended periods' to prevent insects (i.e. mud daubers) from using it, is a good thing. Just add the step, to your winterization and de-winterization to remove the plug.

@jd1923 The Renogy 400W portable solar panel will likely be my next want, but for now pending installation of the Atmos 4.4 is forefront; one mod at a time!

btw, this is a real bus! rated at 400A, 5/16” of tinned plated copper. You want copper vs. brass and 1/4”+ for high amperage. The OEM bus I relegated to a low amp split bus is brass plated and <1/8”. https://a.co/d/2fpogyT

Yes, it has not been smooth sailing. I keep blowing the fuse in the 12 volt cigarette connector. I am on a trip and don’t have my tools. There is a possibility I may have made a wiring error but I have not had time to get into it. Before I left for the trip, it was fine so just not sure. Will let you know.

My 2020 OLEll line drips behind the rear driver side tire, the tip of the drain hose is visible from underneath. It is routed upward between the inner and outer hulls to the rooftop Dometic Penguin ll in my case. Although I have never had a need, a heavy monofilament fishing or string trimmer line could safely be used to probe for any obstruction. You may want to get a visual on the drain hose tip to verify location and if the condensate is dripping from it. If not then a more involved service is likely needed.

Same here. We fill our FWT w/softened water from our well - to include our 7-gal spare water container that lives in the TV. But on occasion, we find ourselves refilling with water of unknown pedigree while on the road - so we'll run a vinegar solution through the system (usually at some point over the winter months), FYI.

Don't forget the B- Ground Bus! Mine was full, not an open slot. Also, OTT glued and screwed two short busses together, the connecting jumper wire took two slots, and I needed to add several grounds for new chargers, etc. Found a Siemens 30 slot bus, nice! SIEMENS EC3GB30 Ground Bar Kit with 30 Terminal Positions - Wall Dimmer Switches - Amazon.com I could not get the old one off (OTT can glue to hold), so I removed all the original screws and used a pair of bolts to connect new to old, then a pair of long thin wood screws to hold it to the board. Cut off all the old wire ends and stripped clean news. There was only one 6 AWG wire to battery ground, so I added a second 6 AWG ground.

Notice in the first picture, the 3 fuses for the stabilizer jacks, breakers from the solar charger and to the B+ bus. This was all moved under the rear dinette seat. Still wanted a small bus though fused at the main bus under the dinette. I cut the center out of the original bus to create a low amperage spilt bus. Only new HW, the Victron SmartShunt, VE.bus and the Beech Lane cooling fans are now powered here. It amazed me that the wiring for the stabilizer jacks and all other wires on this bus, started from the front (even power to the jack that is 1 ft away). I removed 6' of wire and two butt connectors on all of these wires, added one new connector. I contacted Ryan Gurin at Sun Forge LLC and he verified that I could effectively turn off the Blue Sky SC by tripping the breaker to the battery. So, I moved the breaker but did not take the time to move the Blue Sea switch, to be left in the ON position. The blue colored device top of second picture is the Victron VE.Bus with Bluetooth, connected by the yellow ethernet cable to the Victron MP2 Inverter/Charger, app used instead of a display. The SmartShunt is also below on the main ground (not pictured). All of the Victron equipment can be programmed by ethernet-USB device (under dinette) and/or by the app.

Here's a close-up view of the Anderson SB50 connectors and environmental boots from Powerwerx. BTW, not easy to crimp these HD 10 AWG crimp terminals. My pneumatic crimper only goes as small as 6 AWG. I used a hand crimper with an extra-large channel lock on the crimper handles for extra leverage!

I did not see any increase in humidity in the cabin until I changed out the fridge and closed exterior vents. It has gotten better since the ambient humidity decreased. Due to the fact that I have made so many changes in short order, I am still processing the observations as seasons change. The Atmos to me has an advantage in this category mainly due to how it utilizes the fan and supposedly the design reduces mixture with outside air.

Finished the install this evening. Everything went as planned but the Orion is only reading 7-10 amps with Tundra parked. Run out of time to problem solve or change the settings too much but everything did seem to be correct in the settings.

Part 2/2 Did as much as I could today (waiting on more 4 awg wire.) All I have to do is pull the wire and hook it up. Did have to remove a small area of propane shroud to fit gland securely. Did not have to remove BR shelf (at least it was easy to fish some fiberglass wire.) Blue Seas gland is well designed, no need for sealant. Clean and easy. Almost bought the @Ronbrink double gland, very nice install. Orion DC-DC 50 amp charger is very light weight and has small footprint. Much less heat production, no heat sink needed. Best, Mike Test fit the wires.

No cutting of the propane housing involved, but did notch the gland for it to fit (see pic); it is slightly under the propane housing at the top. As I recall, I made a single 3/4” hole behind the gland through the hull to route both cables under the bath flooring and forward dinette seat hatch to the aft dinette seat hatch where the charger is staged. The fishing tool should suffice, but in my case the two cables had to be hand-fed by my Son as I pulled from inside forward hatch.

I like that gland and the fact that you went farther to the right, seems like it might make fishing the wires through the bathroom area a more direct shot. I have already purchased a Blue Seas gland but I will see how anxious I am to start on part 2. Waiting on more 4 awg wire and 3/4" loom. Way underestimated. Looks like to me you cut away more of the fiberglass propane housing to make a better fit? If so, how did you control depth. Don't want to cut into main shell. I am going to try and fish it without removing BR shelf, at least initially. Got this Klein fiberglass fish wire... it's pretty flexible but still stiff.

The hull passthrough was the most challenging part of my DC-DC install. I used this double cable gland to ensure a waterproof installation. Here’s a couple of views.

The ring in the toilet is easy to replace and is available on Amazon. We use a little Vaseline on both sides of it after we dump and clean. Keeps it operating smoothly and helps it from drying out. I’ve only replaced it once. Mike

I installed the below pictured Anderson SB 175 amp connection system a couple of seasons ago. I noticed several weeks ago that one of the plastic termnal guides had broken off. Yesterday, when I detached, the quick disconnect literally broke into several pieces. It appears to have either solared out or been chemically damaged. I'm wondering if it was a knock-off product as I have never had an Anderson Disconnect fail before. Have other owners seen this happen? Also is there a better housing for the TV plug to keep extreme road dirt out of it when in use and not in use? The below one does not. Thanks GJ