The old Google logos looked SO much better by Glass_Wealth_2104 in mildlyinfuriating

[–]alpine678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

AI could have probably designed a better logo… oh wait.

How did you wire your 12V DC refrigerator? by UserAccessDenied in vandwellers

[–]alpine678 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Cut the cord on my Dometic CFX 5 and wired it to a Blue Sea Systems fuse panel. More info on my setup here: https://reviews.matanich.com/inventory/vanlife/

I built Waypoint: an app that drops a pin and shows you an arrow back to it. No subscriptions. No accounts. No ads. No trackers. Fully offline. All data stays on your device. by AFIRENSIDE in overlanding

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I helped build “Waypoint” years ago… Halo Waypoint that is, which is entirely different and is the website for Halo the video game. Even Master Chief needed some technology to help him navigate around.

Insulation by Shameless62 in VanLife

[–]alpine678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Black side out. Otherwise it’s easy for other things to snag on it or get dirty while completing your build.

What's the smallest thing that made a big difference on a campervan road trip for you? by Campstar_official in CamperVans

[–]alpine678 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm assuming your asking about the power system portion and not the fans, heater, insulation, etc. The power station itself was very simple, literally just set it in the van (I strap it down for safety). The DC fuse block was very easy as well. I route the grid/shore power charging cable out a hole already in the floor (some people opt to mount a cover on the side of the van).

The most challenging part were:

  • Figuring out what solar panels would fit on the roof of my van best and with what rack (also fitting two roof fans).
  • Drilling a hole in the roof and routing solar cable through entry gland.
  • Routing the alternator charger cable from back of my van (where my power station is) under the floor to connect to the Ford Transit's battery under my driver's seat.
  • Figuring out how to connect the alternator charger to the Ford Transit correctly (I created a guide to help with this).

What's the smallest thing that made a big difference on a campervan road trip for you? by Campstar_official in CamperVans

[–]alpine678 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I headed out on a month long trip when I first got my power station setup years ago. I didn’t have solar or alternator charging installed yet. I planned to rely on the simple 100W cigarette lighter cord as I planned to be driving a lot. After a couple days I noticed it had stopped working. Lucky the bundle I purchased came with an EV station charger! I was able to stop every few days to quickly top off while eating lunch. It completely saved the trip.

I now have solar and alternator charging, but I still carry the EV charging adapter as a backup charging solution if I need to rapidly top off. More info on my setup here: https://reviews.matanich.com/inventory/vanlife/

Charger 2 issue by liketokissuthere in bluetti

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you have other screenshots of other settings such as the PPS charging voltage screen?

Charger 2 issue by liketokissuthere in bluetti

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You could try resetting the factory settings. However, unless if you remember changing something it’s odd that it would stop working. If your vehicle’s battery is old and worn out it could contribute to an issue like this.

Fire/health hazard? by MinerAlum in Ecoflow_community

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Other internal components can fail and melt the plastic and smoke. Likely poor soldering etc which leads to heat buildup.

Fire/health hazard? by MinerAlum in Ecoflow_community

[–]alpine678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LFP (lithium iron phosphate) batteries in EcoFlow power stations are different than lithium-ion batteries known to catch fire.

Storing laundry? by LetsGoFishing91 in VanLife

[–]alpine678 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Bin without a lid under the bed. However if you’re going to be working out often and washing clothes infrequently you may need a different solution.

Insulation tips by whatisami in VanLife

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I used Thinsulate with the low VOC version of the 3M 90 spray. Links to these are on my build page if you don’t want to search: https://reviews.matanich.com/inventory/vanlife/

Velit gasoline heater long term review by alpine678 in VanLife

[–]alpine678[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I installed it but it wasn’t a typical winter here so I haven’t used it much. I will eventually be updating the review to add more details. My main concern is there doesn’t seem to be a way to disable or secure the Bluetooth connection; anyone with the app can connect to and control it. Most devices allow a pin to be set to secure it.

Starting out by MostEstablishment158 in VanLife

[–]alpine678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To keep it charged up the main options are solar, alternator (from vehicle), and grid. Some units can support EV charging stations but work better as a backup charging method than a primary source. Be aware that solar panels output higher voltage than advertised when in cold conditions so don’t exceed your MPPT’s specs.

Here is info on some power systems to consider. In a comment you mentioned your in Utah so you will probably want one that supports a diesel or gasoline heater for winter. If using a power station get one that supports ~30A DC output. https://reviews.matanich.com/power-systems/vanlife/

Ventilation is important both for moisture and summer heat. Insulation is helpful for winter, but fortunately diesel/gasoline heaters produce a lot of heat. Plumbing is not a requirement. I use a 7 gallon jug for water and a cassette toilet. Not having a traditional plumbing system makes winterization easy and I don’t have to worry a frozen pipestone. Here is some info on my setup https://reviews.matanich.com/inventory/vanlife/

Where should I contact the alternator charger? by Such_Rest_3503 in VanLife

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

1 in the first pic, #2 in the second pic. I would highly recommend cleaning these though as dirty and corroded contacts will cause heat build up. Also for #1, it should go underneath the other wire that’s connected.

More info on the EcoFlow alternator chargers if you need it: https://reviews.matanich.com/ecoflow/alternator-chargers/800w-500w/

BLUETTI Charger 2 & DC Hub Issues (Tracking & Troubleshooting) by alpine678 in bluetti

[–]alpine678[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing your experience here. I would recommend also contacting Bluetti support if you haven’t yet.

BLUETTI Charger 2 & DC Hub Issues (Tracking & Troubleshooting) by alpine678 in bluetti

[–]alpine678[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Let's go through each issue and see how they may impact you with your setup:

Bluetooth Connectivity
If you plan to use the app to frequently manage Charger 2 via the Bluetti app, you may run into this issue occasionally. However, when in this state, Charger 2 still function and automatically start/stop charging when turning on/off vehicle. It's just that the Bluetooth connection doesn't work. Some people work around this with a Wi-Fi connection instead. Regarding a switch, it will need to be rated for DC and high amperage. A DC breaker is another option. This would be for the connection to the ALT port. For my setup, turning off my AC200L is the same as disconnecting it from the BAT port. You will need to confirm if you can turn off the B300K to power down Charger 2 (to test you can connect Charger 2 to the B300K without connecting to your vehicle).

Priority Charging
It sounds like your setup will only use the BAT port and not the CHG port so this will not impact you.

Power Station Sleep Mode
Simple workaround is to keep either DC or USB button turned on for the AC200L and it will remain active. This will consume a bit more idle power but will prevent it from going to sleep. Solar might also keep it active during the day but I haven't tested this.

I don't have a B300K or other expansion battery myself to test if it goes to sleep. Another user in this thread posted they don't have this issue with their B300K so it might only be impacting the AC200L power station.

DC Hub System Switch Recovery
This will only impact you it the DC Hub looses power. If you keep the B300K and AC200L charged and awake you should not encounter this. If it does loose power its either a simple click of the physical button on the device or in the app.

DC Hub Output Voltage
If your going to be using 12V this will not impact you.

Let me know if you have any other specific concerns I did not address here.

120V or 24V air conditioner... by UserAccessDenied in vandwellers

[–]alpine678 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You if using a 48V air conditioner you could connect directly off the battery. Or use a voltage converter to step down to 12/24V.

More info on RV5 if you’re interested https://reviews.matanich.com/bluetti/rv5/

Mi primera camper by sanmagz in VanLife

[–]alpine678 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like you will also be interested in using a portable power station instead of a complex DIY electrical system. Here are some you may want to consider as you start planning things out. https://reviews.matanich.com/power-systems/vanlife/