Guest wunntenn Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Nails from the pop rivets. Be interested to see how much you get for them! How's the condensation/moisture problem working out - any more concerns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Condensation and water ingress seems fine. We're off to the HUBB next week so a weeks use should tell the tale. The "nails", well they'll all go into the scrap together with the bits of aluminion, the ally and steel separate of course. Now when you sell scrap you get a cheque. If it's less than ten quid you get an IOU for the next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wunntenn Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Glad to hear the moisture has been reduced. Enjoy your week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted June 26, 2014 Author Share Posted June 26, 2014 So the toilet tent side canvas is done. We now need to make the side panel, we borrowed one for this time, it fits where it touches ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 Great build, glad you're getting out and using it, in what looks like cracking weather! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 7, 2014 Author Share Posted July 7, 2014 Today I've had the lifting roof off with help from both Margaret and Rachel. The roof was taken off to fit a nice new 100Watt solar panel. I've fitted the panel so during the rest of this week or next week I've got it to wire up. The hope is that we do not need 240 Volt at the camp sites that charge extra for 240V. It also means that we can go anywhere and we are self supporting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wunntenn Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Excellent! My panel's been great so far and I'm really surprised at how quickly it's been charging the battery. Mind you its not been used in earnest so our first trip away will be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 The solar panel is now wired in. I had to remove the left battery, which I expected, to access the C-Tek. It was still too tight so I cut and opening in the side panel. That made it easier to get to the C-Tek. I then made a cover for the hole, four screws hold it in place I've left the battery cover off for now as I intend covering the Pos terminals with some rubber. I've taken the wires from the panel to the C-Tek down the outside. Any other way was too difficult. At some time I do intend getting some alli channel to cover those wires. I hope this solar panel will let us pitch up for quite some time without having to pay for 240 V electrics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wunntenn Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 That looks good Mike. Agree some ally channel to cover/protect your wiring would be good in the long term. Is the Ctek device one of the ones that connects alternator/solar/ etc and juggles the lot? Do you have any type of readout device to let you know what current the panel is putting out? If not then this thing Turnigy Meter has been highly recommended to me. Not tried it mind, but it's not outrageously expensive for what it does and with a 130amp capacity it seems robust enough. I've had my panel & fridge testing this week during the tropical spell we've had and the panel has put out 3.9 amps at one point when the fridge was switched on and was initially pulling 2.4 amps as it went into rapid cooldown. Once the fridge had cooled sufficiently and was into cycle mode to simply maintain the low temp it was drawing 1.5 amps or so off and on. I reckon that once the fridge is cooled down to operating temp the panel is putting out sufficient current to maintain that low temp and charge the aux battery. Crucially it was able to do this right into early evening 6.00 to 6.30 or so. I need to do some meter probing when it's all working to obtain exact readings, but simply using the solar controller's built in lcd and comparing its readings with the meter probes across the battery terminals - all the readings match within a fraction of a volt. So it seems ok with the same reading at the solar controller and the battery. Do you have any other control devices on your electrical system at all? Either for main battery or aux battery? Split charge system of some kind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 This is what I'm using,, http://www.ctek.com/gb/en/chargers/D250S%20DUAL undortunately where it's mounted I can't see the lights. This is the split charge system. I also have one of these inside the trailer using a push to make switch http://www.digital-speedos.co.uk/slimline-volt-meter-red-dial-265-p.asp I could have bought cheaper but I knew this company supplied good stuff. I do have an Engel volt meter/ cut off panel but for some reason I couldn't get it to work in the trailer so it might go back to the Defender. If you go back to the electrical stuff, you can see that when driving the alternator should charge the trailer battery. Then over to the solar when parked. I haven't looked to see what is happening when the Defender is running, I might do that this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wunntenn Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Aye thats the CTEK I thought you might have. And that wee meter looks ideal. Even these fairly cheap devices seem worth having so that you can get a sense of what's going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 The CTek chargers are fantastic! I have two of them! Are you going to be at Billing or Peterborough? I'm dying to have a look up close! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 Hi Si No neither. We are refusing to pay the high prices for Land Rover shows. We are going to be at Stratford for the overland show in September. Then in December sometime near Portsmouth. At this point we don't expect to be at Donington next year. All will be revealed later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 At Donington I noticed Margaret hung the tea towels over the fridge slide door. So a bit of tube, tapped at each end, two brackets popped in place results in this The red hangers came from IKEA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 An up-date We've had five weeks away including the Overland Show. All we used electricity was the two 85 Amp batteries charged by the 100 Watt solar panel. Yes for the last two weeks cooking and eating was done in the dark, the Defender reversing lights LED fitted were more than enough. We've found a couple more things to do to make life easier. They can be done over the winter. Th full set-up. On the left as you look is the Howling Moon gazebo. To it's right an awning we had made with the sides Margaret made, in the middle, the trailer. Then the washroom/ toilet Gazebo off here. The gazebo and the awning off to make it quicker/ easier to pack away in the morning. You can see the Bush Pig which I used for cooking, by we do eat well while away. My Defender is actually on the wrong side here but it was getting used as a wind break Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 A couple of night shots. The only lighting used is the two Defender reversing lights on the Defender gutter and one light on the trailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hope I get to see it next year at Donnington! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted October 31, 2014 Author Share Posted October 31, 2014 A couple of small jobs done The rubbish bin was alright fitted on the front when there wasn't an awning fitted. So I've moved the bin to the bottom door. I've also fitted one to the other side door for the washroom. Remember me fitting an inflateable jockey wheel ? This one Well this didn't work for two reasons. Sometimes when lowering the wheel got jammed under the chassis. That I could live with. The other was the valve would pull away from the inner tube. All that fixed that was a new tube. One of the reasons I fitted that wheel was for the width so it didn't sink in soft ground. So I looked at the old wheel and the new one. Yep there was room to fit two wheels side by side. It seems to run much easier. You'll also notice I've swapped the jockey wheel to the left side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted October 31, 2014 Share Posted October 31, 2014 Good idea with the double jockey wheel! bit of luck too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted November 2, 2014 Author Share Posted November 2, 2014 A couple more jobs done The Frost Watche heater bought and fitted. We saw one of these a couple of years ago but couldn't find one anywhere. Amazon found this under Convector heater.The idea is to use it in winter or to dry the condensation up ? It's fitted onto the front panel inside. Tried it last night and it does take the chill off the inside. Second, a couple of lights above the wash basin. The darker mornings didn't have enough light, hope this works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 Another change. This time to the left door storage. This is how it was I've added more storage. The jars are something we've been looking for a long time. Now Margaret has larger storage for coffee, tea and sugar. Beakers and wine glasses on the top. Tea/ coffee mugs on the bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studmuffin Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Looking good Mike. Best regards Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 For those of you who are going to Donington 4X4 show. We are attending and Our Project should be on display with the display vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 A couple of extras... The Pee light, this will be above the Pett toilet so I can see in the dark without blinding myself at night. Two amber LED's are fitted I had some jank bases to drive onto in soggy ground. They didn't do the job so I bought some track mats, These were initially stored in the lockers but they had to be at the bottom of the locker, so everything had to be removed to gat at them, this was made up to carry them The two bars just lift/ slide up and the cheap caribinas hold them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted December 1, 2016 Author Share Posted December 1, 2016 I can no longer post pics on here so later I'm going to try and post the up-dates from my phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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