adamis
We postponed the inverter to pay for the 2nd battery. It is shipping now so not in yet. My measurements show it will fit fine. On the inverter our use case was for my wife to occasionally use the microwave (I'd prefer to remove it as it's weight in a high CG area and takes up storage space) and my computer. I also thought about running the A/C off of it. After doing some math and my EE friend looking at me like I was more nuts than usual it was determined that was not a feasible plan without pulling a battery trailer. With the solar and the 12v powered 4.8amp USBs and 25 amp power points I can run the computer(s) that way. We have the now working Onan if we need 120v. In your use case that microwave is critical equipment!
I put the Trimetric just above the dinette outlet. It was not hard to pull the wires over there. Like you it seemed like a good place to do the monitoring. On our 88 it was not viewable from the dinette. You had to sit on the bunk step to play with it.
I am definitely going to look into charging the truck batteries off the solar. This truck often sits a lot and I forget to put the charger on periodically. I'm also investigating switching to a dual alternator set up since it was a factory option. Also looking into running welding cable from the engine bay to the rear bumper of the truck with a winch connection and tying that to the camper to get a higher charge rate off the truck. If no solar and dead house batteries then the truck can charge the camper while on high idle. Just out of time for that project.
I also have no plans for 120 degree desert camping. Driving through places like that in the summer will happen. Parked in the back yard we often see 105-108 degree days in the summer.
Keep me posted on your rot situation. I have not noticed any except in the front wall over the bed. Seems to be very old and before my ownership. Appears a clearance light leaked, but all is sealed. New light are on the wish list.
I haven't posted pics on here in years. Do you still have to host them offsite and link to them?
If you have not inspected your interior and exterior shower hoses you might give it a good look. We pressurized the plumbing for the first time last weekend and blew holes in the two plastic fitting that screw the shower hose to the faucet. Gave me a nice shower even though I was not in the shower. We assume them to be 21yo originals (September 1999 manufacture date on the camper).
Do you have the Happijac system? Ours was mounted at the back of the closet which seemed to be an catastrophe waiting to happen when closet contents hit it. We moved it under the bottom shelf which is also where the solar controller is. We also ran higher gauge wire to the jacks.
srschang:
I have a breaker so I can cut out the batteries from the charging circuit. We currently are able to plug in at the house. With the solar we probably have no need to be plugged unless we need the A/C. I sometimes use the camper as a family free office or as a guest bedroom so A/C can be needed 9 months out of the year.
At the moment the solar is charging enough to do everything. We did cut the solar out to test the charger but that is about it. We'll know a lot more after being in Yellowstone with no hookups for a week. We decided to jettison the toad so we will have truck charging from driving around. It won't be much as we ran out of time to run a higher gauge wire through the tow harness to the alternator.
