New Member - This forum is awesome!

[van.on.the.run]

Hi guys - My name is Rob.

Last year I bought a 2015 MB RB 144" Sprinter Cargo van with plans to do 95% of the conversion myself. I've been scouring this forum since then, being constantly impressed by the wealth of experience and knowledge here.

In January this year I had a PH top installed in Austin TX. I got the manual because I'm cheap and I like a good challenge... "I'm sure I can add power to the top on my own, for less than $1300 dollars" That's all part of the engineers curse... "I can figure anything out eventually" It's a win-win curse though, because I either succeed, or learn a lot of lessons in my failure!

So far I've built a my own composting toilet for the van, and a bed for the Penthouse. Other than that it's still pretty Spartan. It will be a slow build, adding and modifying as needs are determined. Right now it's already sufficient for vacationing with my wife.

I'm in the research mode currently on power (&solar) systems, building my own Aluminess rack, and figuring out how options for adding power to the penthouse top.

Anyway, I just wanted to say "hi" and I hope eventually I can contribute as much to this forum as I've learned already!

[daveb]

Welcome. I'll bet there are a bunch of members wanting to see some pics. Good luck on your build.

[EmMay]

Originally Posted by van.on.the.run

Hi guys - My name is Rob.
"I'm sure I can add power to the top on my own, for less than $1300 dollars" That's all part of the engineers curse... "I can figure anything out eventual

Rob, check out Fitz's build and info on his assessment of actuators. If I recall he had his out and worked out how to synchronize them to a common effort.

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...tml#post196983

[van.on.the.run]

Thanks for the link! Starting at page one of 36! There's definitely no shortage of information to absorb when it comes do designing all these systems. I literally spent most of my weekend reading HandyBobs "The RV Battery Charging Puzzle". Since getting this Sprinter, this is the most I've read since college.

[Flux]

Start a Build Thread!!

All this knowledge and these ideas get passed along through the constant build threads.

Always want to see what people are doing.

[GrumpyBadger]

Welcome!

If you haven't already found this one... some good stuff for home builders (probably repeated elsewhere, but... his book is interesting):

Sprinter RV — US-made Sprinter RV and RV conversion info

[TomH]

Welcome. Do start a build thread. There is a lot of great info here. As far as Sprinter specific info the most exhaustive source is the Sprinter Source Forum.

[86Scotty]

Welcome.

It's not that awesome.

If it were there would be free bacon.

Like the Shoney's buffet.

[TomH]

Ha! Most people on this forum have never heard of Shoney's, but they may have heard of some other family member in this zoo of franchises, owners, and takeover artists.

Shoney's, Shoney's Big Boy, Bob's, Bob's Big Boy, Frische's Big Boy, Big Boy International, Wian's West Coast Big Boy, and just plain Big Boy are extant names while others have gone out of existence. Shoney's is a smaller, though popular, franchise cluster in the southeast.

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by TomH

Ha! Most people on this forum have never heard of Shoney's, but they may have heard of some other family member in this zoo of franchises, owners, and takeover artists.

Shoney's, Shoney's Big Boy, Bob's, Bob's Big Boy, Frische's Big Boy, Big Boy International, Wian's West Coast Big Boy, and just plain Big Boy are extant names while others have gone out of existence. Shoney's is a smaller, though popular, franchise cluster in the southeast.

You're right Tom, and the bacon isn't free anyway. Guess I was tired.

Anyway, no response from the OP. Hopefully he's reading up on gas vs. diesel or something else entertaining and informative like that.