What did you do to your SMB today?

[Viva]

Neat water system mod. Without something, getting water into the hose fill is a real pain (when you want to fill via gravity). My SMB actually had a provision for this inside the rig (also shown in the manual, so I know it was put in by SMB). At any rate, it was a capped pipe near where the infamous grey valve is near the water tank. To use it you uncapped it and threaded on a "something" with a funnel on the end of it and then you could fill with jugs near the side door. Reason I say a "something" is that that something wasn't with my SMB when I got it, so I made my own from a fitting, flexible water hose, and a funnel.

That said, if there hadn't been an SMB provided "port" to work with, I like your idea better.

[1der]

Viva, was the inside water fill right next to all the electrics?

[arctictraveller]

I ordered 200 watts worth of solar panels, an MPPt charge controller, and an MT5 meter from these folks, (based on GCVT's excellent write up and his recomendation).

http://www.renogy-store.com/200W-Premiu ... um200p.htm

Sadly, I"ll have to wait to install them as I'm currently over 1000 miles from my van. I have a weeks vacation coming up and intend to attend the NW Overland rally viewtopic.php?f=11&t=15757

I'll have just one day to instal them, but I don't think it will be a problem.

Normally we don't spend more than a day in one place, and then we drive for a while to recharge our house batterys. As a fan of cold beer, the refer runs 24hrs a day and without driving every day, the batterys are only good for a day or so. After I return to work, the wife is off to a week long music festival, and once parked, she won't move all week. Hopefully these panels will solve this problem.

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

I ordered 200 watts worth of solar panels, an MPPt charge controller, and an MT5 meter from these folks, (based on GCVT's excellent write up and his recomendation).

http://www.renogy-store.com/200W-Premiu ... um200p.htm

Sadly, I"ll have to wait to install them as I'm currently over 1000 miles from my van. I have a weeks vacation coming up and intend to attend the NW Overland rally viewtopic.php?f=11&t=15757

I'll have just one day to instal them, but I don't think it will be a problem.

Normally we don't spend more than a day in one place, and then we drive for a while to recharge our house batterys. As a fan of cold beer, the refer runs 24hrs a day and without driving every day, the batterys are only good for a day or so. After I return to work, the wife is off to a week long music festival, and once parked, she won't move all week. Hopefully these panels will solve this problem.

Nice! You're gonna like that kit. Can't wait to see it installed on your rig.

[arctictraveller]

To go along with my new solar panels I ordered a set of Redoval's HID headlight's. With all the cold beer I'll have, seeing better at night will really help..............

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=15376&p=157227#p157227

[Viva]

Originally Posted by 1der

Viva, was the inside water fill right next to all the electrics?

Well, that depends on your definition of "right next to," but I'd say a provisional no. Everything was under the gaucho, which ran along the side wall behind the driver's seat. Starting at the rear, the electrical was in a walled off section, then a 12" open space (which did have the water pump in it), then the water tank (with the "emergency" fill), and then another open space of about 18" at the front end of the gaucho.

The "emergency" (gravity) fill was capped off just behind the fold down door between the gaucho and the aisle, and was so close that you would have to fold the door down (open) to attach the funnel/hose/what have you. So then generally I would fill either over the sink or out the side door. Of course with a pressure hose I'd fill using the normal "city" fill near the rear corner (outside).

The battery (then later batteries) were along the outside wall, adjacent to the open space.

[Scalf77]

The mysterious hose, at least this is what came with my van. I really have never used it, except as a extension.




I did rig up a adapter for katadyn base camp

[rltilley]

A few weeks ago I changed my rear differential fluid & ended up shearing off the head of one bolt. First time I ever did that. I was pretty irritated & planned on taking it to a mechanic to fix. A couple of weeks wait was enough time for me to talk myself into doing the job myself. I got some special tools to do the job & was able to get a drill into bolt to help start the removal tool without damaging anything else. The bolt is now out & replaced with a new one. Lucky for me it was a lower bolt that wasn't blocked by the large storage unit built into the rear.

[TexGX]

I have been wanting a motion activated light outside the van for awhile. The main brand has gotten mixed reviews so I have not broke down and picked one up. I was in Walgreen's Yesterday and found this light. It runs on 4 AA batteries. I attached the base to a sheet magnet I had. Now I can move it to where ever I needed it. It only works in the dark and when motion activates it. For $10, I figured it was worth the chance. It is rated indoor and out.



TexGX

[photographix]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

The mysterious hose, at least this is what came with my van. I really have never used it, except as a extension.

I have one too, never used it. I think it's for the inside fill inlet on the water tank.