Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-11-2019, 06:13 AM   #41
Senior Member
 
ConnieKat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Cotopaxi, Colorado
Posts: 292
Just WOW! That last photo is exactly the kind of thing I’d like to have!!! Unfortunately I have a much less than flat roof top that is curvy and higher in the middle. Would you mind asking them ( Tiny Solar) if
they could accomplish such a thing?
Thanks,
ConnieKat

ConnieKat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-11-2019, 09:36 PM   #42
Senior Member
 
nyyankees588's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 314
I'd suggest reaching out to them yourself - they have a contact page on their website. I don't actually have a relationship with them - just have been following/admiring their work for the past year or so!
nyyankees588 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-12-2019, 12:36 AM   #43
Senior Member
 
ConnieKat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Cotopaxi, Colorado
Posts: 292
Nyyankees
Hi there, thanks for the info! It’s definitely worth finding out, and there may be someone a bit closer to
me that may be able to duplicate! You never know, but I’ve wanted this for years now and hopefully have
enough saved up to get ‘er done at last! Fingers crossed of course, and if anyone knows of a place in
Colorado that can do the same thing...please, please let me know? I’d much rather have the panels “ stuck to my roof” rather than on a rack! Trying to be as stealthy as possible, while still getting those benefits!
I have no generator so it’s pretty much a necessity!!
ConnieKat
ConnieKat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-15-2019, 10:57 AM   #44
Senior Member
 
nyyankees588's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 314
There are a lot of resources around the internet about using the 100 watt flexible solar panels that are super low profile. They're a bit pricier than rigid panels when it comes to the $ to watt ratio and they require drilling ~6 holes in the roof per panel. You can avoid using screws if you use 3m VHB tape to adhere them to the roof.

If you're looking for the best bang for the buck and don't plan on using your roof for anything, I'd honestly recommend mounting a single residential solar panel to your roof. They're around 40"x60", typically about 260 watts and only ~ 2" thick. If it's centered on your vehicle's roof and mounted directly to the roof, nobody is going to be able to tell that it's up there unless they are looking at it from above (and any solar panel will be obvious from above.
nyyankees588 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-26-2020, 11:15 PM   #45
Senior Member
 
nyyankees588's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 314
Debated reviving this because I keep going such long time between updates...

Been fortunate to have some time (thanks to the periods of nice weather and Corona2020) to finish up some long overdue projects. But before I ever got to do that, I ended up spending more money on mechanical issues in two months than i spent to purchase the van originally. Seems like the 150k mile gremlins are starting to emerge.

First an ignition coil went bad so I ended up having all the coils and the glow plugs replaced... $1,800. Then I noticed the driver-front coil spring was snapped while rotating tires. Suspension was something on my list to do... but with only one car and little time, it turned in to $1600 bill for new front MOOG springs and Biltsein shocks (those were overdue and rust made the job a lot longer). Then the one of the u-joints **** the bed, so a refurbished driveline swap was added in to the mix... and finally the rear main oil seal leak got to a dangerous point and that ended being another $2,300 job. Turns out the last time this was done, the mechanic put in 3 gaskets. 3. There is only supposed to be 1.

After all of that... I finally found a set of heavier duty donor leaf springs in good condition at the junk yard. I went ahead and ordered new Bilsteins for the rear as well while I was at it. The rear suspension refresh was my first true venture in to the mechanical world of my van (outside of oil changes, tire rotations, etc)... I picked up a Haynes manual, which was great, and everything went decently well. Haven't had a chance to drive it much (all the natl forests are closed around seattle), but around the neighborhood it does seem to feel a lot better.

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200224_130212.jpg
Views:	18
Size:	99.9 KB
ID:	32982
The old, snapped front coil

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200228_164912.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	106.0 KB
ID:	32983
New front shocks & coils. Looks slightlyyyy cooler than the 'ol rusty stuff.

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200405_160209.jpg
Views:	15
Size:	96.6 KB
ID:	32987
Junk yard leafs

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200415_145747.jpg
Views:	17
Size:	102.9 KB
ID:	32984
Thankful to have a space other than a parking lot to work on the van.

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200419_125258.jpg
Views:	14
Size:	103.9 KB
ID:	32985
Old shocks --> new shocks

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200419_141343.jpg
Views:	12
Size:	112.2 KB
ID:	32986
Some shot bushings....

I also finished tinting the windows, which I'll try to post some pics of later this week. Only shattered one window in the process
nyyankees588 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2020, 02:46 PM   #46
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: B'ham, AL
Posts: 28
Quote:
Originally Posted by nyyankees588 View Post
I also finished tinting the windows, which I'll try to post some pics of later this week. Only shattered one window in the process

Congrats on the successful replacement on the front suspension components! Did you tint the windows yourself? I'm assuming from the sound of it that you pulled the windows to do it?
Sigg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2020, 10:48 PM   #47
Senior Member
 
nyyankees588's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 314
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sigg View Post
Congrats on the successful replacement on the front suspension components! Did you tint the windows yourself? I'm assuming from the sound of it that you pulled the windows to do it?
Thanks! I did. I pulled the 40-60 side barn door windows and rear windows. The side windows (all aftermarket via original conversion van manufacturer). Can't really be pulled... so I did those in place. Broke one window when re-installing it by tightening one of the mounting bolts too much... whoops.
nyyankees588 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-2020, 02:36 PM   #48
JWA
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Posts: 3,765
Send a message via Yahoo to JWA
Quote:
Originally Posted by nyyankees588 View Post
Thanks! I did. I pulled the 40-60 side barn door windows and rear windows. The side windows (all aftermarket via original conversion van manufacturer). Can't really be pulled... so I did those in place. Broke one window when re-installing it by tightening one of the mounting bolts too much... whoops.
What caused the broken glass? ( I ask out of interest---I'm actually in the auto/truck glass replacement biz.) I've pulled some glass out of E-Vans to tint, have since kinda sorta learned how to do the tinting with the glass still in place without that "dangerous" step.
JWA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2020, 01:15 PM   #49
Senior Member
 
nyyankees588's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 314
Quote:
Originally Posted by JWA View Post
What caused the broken glass? ( I ask out of interest---I'm actually in the auto/truck glass replacement biz.) I've pulled some glass out of E-Vans to tint, have since kinda sorta learned how to do the tinting with the glass still in place without that "dangerous" step.
Fresh butyl tape & tightening the nuts down too much... I put new butyl tape around the plastic window flange & each bolt that goes through the window... the window shattered right at one of the bolts that I tightened down probably 1 turn too much. Butyl tape is a tricky thing... it's thick enough that you can pretty easily over tighten things... I've done the same a few times on roof vent installs, fortunately those just crack the plastic flange without any real negative results. The window on the other hand....

The top-right bolt was the breaking culprit. You can see the white butyl tape being squeezed out around the bolts.
Click image for larger version

Name:	20200411_113458.jpg
Views:	13
Size:	102.7 KB
ID:	33078

Drawing out the cuts for the window tint. I found a really good deal on the tint online - it's ceramic (aka not crappy dyed) limo tint (I believe it's 80%?). Spent around $100 on two bulk rolls of it, which was enough to tint all of the windows and have room for a couple of re-do's.
Click image for larger version

Name:	20190511_183710.jpg
Views:	9
Size:	77.2 KB
ID:	33079

I used that translucent packing padding to trace the window shapes and them used that to cut the tint.
Click image for larger version

Name:	20190511_183643.jpg
Views:	9
Size:	99.9 KB
ID:	33080

The application itself went ok. There were some bubbles and some spots where I didn't cut perfectly along the edge of the window (which unfortunately is readily visible because they are way lighter from the inside). Lessons I learned:
  • Don't try tinting when not sober....
  • Try to do it in a garage or somewhere with zero dust. Even a gust of wind is enough to kick up dust/hair between prepping the window and pealing the backer off of the tint. Any dust/hair will show up once applied...
  • Quadruple check that you are orienting your tint correctly... I cut a couple pieces mirrored (tinted side facing inside, rather than outside)

I never expected this to be perfect, but I'm happy with it. I was quoted around $600-$800 from tint shops for the work (and that was not using great tint). Hopefully this tint lasts a while without fading/pealing. The inside of the van is a lot darker with the tinted windows, which is a downside at night. But it's super nice to be able to chain in the van at trail heads/parking lots without being on display for the world.
nyyankees588 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2020, 03:13 PM   #50
Senior Member
 
nyyankees588's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 314
A few more images from inside the van...

You can see some of the edges that I didn't cut perfectly... even with a sharp razor blade, it's hard to follow the contour of the window perfectly. That is one key component that I forgot to mention - using one of those break-off razor blades is great. I used almost 2 blades per window. As soon as they start to dull, it will start to catch the tint and screw it up.
Click image for larger version

Name:	20200501_134703.jpg
Views:	10
Size:	103.7 KB
ID:	33083

Click image for larger version

Name:	20200501_134711.jpg
Views:	10
Size:	103.8 KB
ID:	33084

You can kind of see the difference here between the tinted side windows and non-tinted windshield/front-side windows. Camera exposure isn't great and it's a pretty sunny day out, but it gives you an idea of the start difference between tinted vs. non-tinted.
Click image for larger version

Name:	20200501_134742.jpg
Views:	10
Size:	100.5 KB
ID:	33085
nyyankees588 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.