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It isn’t much of a photo op, but we are super excited because Jon from Sunselectric.com came over yesterday and hooked up our solar system. We set up our devices so we can link them to the Victron system with bluetooth, and monitor the electrical system from our phone and iPad. As you can see, the solar panels charged the batteries to 100%, and we’re ready to plug in whatever we want.   
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While we’ve made some invisible progress on the electrical system over the past few weeks, the only visible progress is that all the external lights are hooked up, AND they work! So, we are now really visible!    We’ve made a lot of progress over the past couple of weeks, but it isn’t super visible. The floor is done, like done-done. The electrical system is creeping towards finished, and when that’s in, we’ll finish the plumbing and put in the gas lines. Getting outlets put in the bedroom will also mean we’ll be done working up there, so we can then see if we need any modifications on our plan for the bed. When that’s all done, we’ll probably get a few more things done at Koops’ including racks and some sort of storage systems for the bathroom and the garage. Then, shrinkwrap, and then…we’ll be ready to get on the road.  Last week, Jon from Sunselectric spent a whole day getting the wiring almost done. It still needs to be connected to the batteries, and Tom wants Jon’s blessing before the final hookup, but then we’ll be ready to park in the sun and charge from the solar panels.  Tom spent yesterday doing lots of things, and one of them was putting the cabinet back together.  Tom also built a shelf over the batteries for the shore power charger, one of the DC circuit boxes, and other miscellaneous things. Don’t worry, before he did this get got on line and double checked his research to make sure it was really okay to have lithium iron batteries in a closed box with flammable material. It is.  Tom also connected the battery monitor. I have no idea what the numbers mean, but they change frequently and it looks significant.  Wires have been run from the electrical system through the water box and around the corner so they can run along the wall where the refrigerator and washer will be plugged in. We’ll also have a couple of AC outlets on that line, as well as DC for the ceiling vent fans and toilet fan. Note the new pump ready to be installed as well.  The floor is done! Tom oiled it with boiled linseed oil, and then installed the molding to hold it down. Since it will be on a moving platform, it’s designed to float with the moldings at both ends of the boards holding it down.  View of the floor from the door. For the past few days, when Tom hasn’t been attempting to stomp out unrelated fires, he has been working on putting the hardwood floor in the camper. If I do say so myself, he is doing a magnificent job. What these pictures show is the completed floor, minus the inch and a half or so of molding which will hold it in place.  From the door.  From the bed.  Long view from the door. It doesn’t look like we’ve done much in the past week, but we’ve actually made progress that makes us very happy. Tom and Jon spent all day on Sunday getting the bones of the electrical system hooked up. Most of the components in the cabinet are wired, and they are connected to the solar panels, the alternator for the truck, and the battery. Now, they just need to do some cleanup and start running the wiring so the electricity generated by the system is actually usable.  Tom also got a VERY good start on the floor. He sorted through the boards so they can go together in a pleasing order, and so the ones that need bits chopped off the ends can go where the floor isn’t as wide. He has done a bit more than what is pictured below, and has most of the boards cut…but we’re going to save that picture for the finished product.  This will give you an idea of what the final results will be.  And you only get to see that little piece because this is what the rest of it looked like as Tom planned out how many boards he would need. |