1977 Sunline Truck Camper FULL BUILD
Hello all, My girlfriend and I got a classic 1977 Sunline truck camper (11 FKS Model) for a very reasonable price.....free. We started the large task of fully rebuilding this beast from the ground ...
Forum Discussion
You really designed yourself into a pickle on this one…that venting system is in no way adequate…even with the fan on, the equipment you have in there with the batteries all has spark potential. As it is, changing those batteries will be a nightmare, plus the fact that there is no way to check the water level with how they are installed. Even if you used a mirror to check the water, filling them will be a mess. Plus, ANY opening from the propane compartment to the inside of the camper is a big safety hazard.
I’m thinking you have two options to save this:
Option 1, use heavy duty drawer slides to create a platform where those batteries can pull out. Then you can mount the batteries in a plastic tub, sealed with a lid and vented to the outside. You've got them sitting on a plastic storage bin lid, just put them in that bin and put the lid on top. Run a vent hose to the exterior wall with a louvered grill. Leave enough slack in the hose and wires to pull out the tray so you can remove the lid and check water level. A variant on this is to install a vented hatch and have the tray slide out to the exterior.
The batteries have to be in a sealed container or compartment, and that container or compartment must be vented to the outside. It’s not enough to just vent the storage area, and the batteries must be isolated from any other spark producing equipment like converters and inverters. AND you need to patch up that hole you cut in the propane compartment.
Option 2, and the path I would probably take at this juncture, would be to pony up for lithium or gel batteries. These don’t need to be vented so it preserves the installation design. They also don’t have water levels to be checked. The only hassle will be changing them, but that’s a 7 year event. Make the countertop removable, so when the time comes they are easy to remove/replace. You’ll have to re-do the wiring for 4-12v but that’s not a big deal.
Otherwise, good design. Any solar in this setup?
I’m thinking you have two options to save this:
Option 1, use heavy duty drawer slides to create a platform where those batteries can pull out. Then you can mount the batteries in a plastic tub, sealed with a lid and vented to the outside. You've got them sitting on a plastic storage bin lid, just put them in that bin and put the lid on top. Run a vent hose to the exterior wall with a louvered grill. Leave enough slack in the hose and wires to pull out the tray so you can remove the lid and check water level. A variant on this is to install a vented hatch and have the tray slide out to the exterior.
The batteries have to be in a sealed container or compartment, and that container or compartment must be vented to the outside. It’s not enough to just vent the storage area, and the batteries must be isolated from any other spark producing equipment like converters and inverters. AND you need to patch up that hole you cut in the propane compartment.
Option 2, and the path I would probably take at this juncture, would be to pony up for lithium or gel batteries. These don’t need to be vented so it preserves the installation design. They also don’t have water levels to be checked. The only hassle will be changing them, but that’s a 7 year event. Make the countertop removable, so when the time comes they are easy to remove/replace. You’ll have to re-do the wiring for 4-12v but that’s not a big deal.
Otherwise, good design. Any solar in this setup?
