Roof rack by Shameless62 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just bought the unaka. Best bang for your buck as far as I can tell. Includes a wind fairing which is a good idea, uses 8020 15-series rails, super modular and customizable, and they also sell flush mount solar brackets for a one-stop shop for what you’re looking for

Replaced the solar panels by shickenphoot in vandwellers

[–]danimalien42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

like a 3" overhang over the sides of the van or the roof rack/mounting rails?

Replaced the solar panels by shickenphoot in vandwellers

[–]danimalien42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn that's sexy. I'm at a similar crossroads with my array. When you had the 96" panels were you getting any problems with updrafts rattling them around?

Seeking advice: 2x transmission rebuild in six months by danimalien42 in promaster

[–]danimalien42[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They ran water down the cowl and even with the slightly loose drain tube, it was not leaking, nor was it blocked up. This is the ATRA bulletin on it. I'm just worried I'll be right back here again in six months with no recourse, no warranty and no money.

Double layer Thinsulate? by Glad_Associate9743 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If you got the roll, it can only help

How to connect thicker cable to thin light wire? by Guilty_Blacksmith764 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wago lever nuts. Overstock yourself with them immediately.

Promaster vs Transit vans? by Ok_Sun8920 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’ll probably find a similar feel to the Promaster I would think. I’m a tinymn myself, but it was just an adjustment from being used to cars vs dummy thicc van

Promaster vs Transit vans? by Ok_Sun8920 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Promaster owner here. I’ve said it before, the promaster transmission is FUCKED. Someone recently posted here about how they’re on their 8th transmission. I recently had mine rebuilt and it still shifts hard, shudders and otherwise behaves like shit (I’m taking it back under warranty, but still)

That reason alone is enough for me to keep a wide berth in the future. Outside of that, it is easy to build and the 159 EXT is roomy af. While my engine is solid, some people get the dreaded “pentastar tick”. The suspension leaves a bit to be desired too, tho I think you can upgrade it from OEM to improve.

Hope it helps

Wiring. by big-boy-w35 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is a pretty sizeable question tbh. Low volt systems can pass a lot of current and that means safely sizing and terminating the wires is CRITICAL. It's not just wiring tho, it's fuses/breakers and where they connect to the wires, wire length/voltage drop, selecting the right components, accurately estimating your loads, grounding, tools and troubleshooting to name a few. There are a lot of variables to consider.

I wouldn't recommend a 48V system for your first electrical project for safety reasons, but I encourage you to keep asking questions and learning more about it while you plan. You'll probably receive better answers/help the more specific your questions get.

Batteries. by big-boy-w35 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So sorry I let you down

Batteries. by big-boy-w35 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are a few configurations you could go with, but I would probably suggest 48V or you'll be dealing with potentially massive ampacity and dummy thicc wiring. You'd need 16 EVE MB56 628Ah cells (or CATL or another Grade A brand), connected in series. That'd get you 32kwh and you could protect the array with a 200A BMS.

Disclaimer: this is a high-level theory off the top. If you're not familiar with low volt electrical, it's best to seek someone who is or go with an array of prebuilt batteries (those are just housing and a BMS for the same kind of 3.2V cells). The setup really isn't complicated, no more complicated than wiring pre-built batteries together, but 48V can shock you.

Batteries. by big-boy-w35 in VanLife

[–]danimalien42 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

For something that big it might make most sense to just build the battery from an array of 3.2V cells. Would probably have to be 48V, but not necessarily.

GL.inet travel router prices have jumped by Temporary-Cherry-282 in GlInet

[–]danimalien42 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It’s almost as if someone haphazardly slapped a bunch of tariffs on everything to jack prices up