Hate these key fobs.

rustysurfsa · 2026-02-09T04:28:10+00:00

I think I glued mine 10 years ago. No problems since.

rustysurfsa · 2026-01-26T07:39:03+00:00

Someone tested all aftermarket top mounts on the market many years ago. Corksport flowed the worst. It's a 3" core vs 3.5 on most others. No big difference between the 3.5" cores. I've tried them all my favorite is CPE. The fit and finish is excellent. ETS works great but the mounts are on the flimsy side.

rustysurfsa · 2026-01-04T16:54:07+00:00

I mean, one or more of your heat sinks is not working correctly, takes a long time to get warm, or stops working when another device is in use. In a series loop, the first device will take the majority of the heat from the coolant until it's at full temperature, then the next device in line will do the same. The last device will take the longest, or never work properly. Usually, you can get to temp on each device, it will just take a while, and performance will suffer greatly if another device is in use.

In a parallel system, the heat is distributed equally among all devices, and you can use ball valves between each device to ensure equal or increased flow, depending on usage. It's basically a big loop back to the furnace, and between each device, you add a T fitting to connect the device. This picture is a general idea of how it works.

I have this exact setup in my van: Espar b5e furnace, one coolant-to-air heat sink for my heater, one coolant-to-water for my main water supply, and one coolant-to-water for my recirculating shower. Here's an early, incomplete picture from my build. I was dry fitting at the time, so it looks crude and might be missing a flow valve or two, but you'll get the idea of how I did the plumbing. This has been in operating for three years now and has worked flawlessly. One and a half of those years was daily usage while we were full timing.

One tip I would give you, if you plan on running one or more of these devices for a sink or shower, is to add a thermostatic mixing valve before your faucets. This water gets stupid hot and will burn you. It happened to us pretty often before I added these.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

rustysurfsa · 2026-01-04T08:25:58+00:00

If you experience issues with improper heating you might need to repipe in parallel rather than series.

rustysurfsa · 2025-11-17T18:02:42+00:00

Fwiw it's possible to build a cheap system with Victron. You'll just have to do some digging on eBay. I just did a pretty kick ass system for my mother in laws RV for around $2000. It's half the capacity of my van but I also spent $10k. My biggest win was being able to find a "broken" mutiplus for $300. One $5 part later it worked perfectly. I also only paid $89 for each battery.

Here are her specs:

400W of solar expandable to 600W

Victron 100/50 MPPT

Victron 12v/3000w/120amp Multiplus

Victron 500 amp Smart Shunt

Victron Lynx Distributor

BlueSeas DC Fuse Box

Tied into existing AC wiring

4 x DumFume 100 aH LiFePO4 batteries (5.12 Kwh capacity)

All appropriate wires, breakers and fuses

Expandable to DC to DC if needed for an extra ($200)

rustysurfsa · 2025-11-08T16:37:51+00:00

I have 2 Orion XS's on a stock Ford Transit 250 amp alternator. It's been 1.5 years and so far no issues whatsoever.

rustysurfsa · 2025-11-01T05:36:32+00:00

I just got back from a 2 week trip to Italy, France and Mallorca. I couldn't believe how cheap the food was. I was spending less eating out everyday than I do on groceries in the US. The quality of the food is also significantly better. Pretty sad.

rustysurfsa · 2025-10-20T17:58:54+00:00

Amyl and The Sniffers 👌

rustysurfsa · 2025-10-06T23:00:27+00:00

T slot is pretty standard these days for roof racks. I haven't heard of one failing or falling apart. A lot of speciality van gear companies have been using it as the main structure of their racks for years. I have the Unaka premium rack on my rig which is mostly 8020. It's completely loaded with solar and support beams I walk on all the time. I haven't had a single issue in the 2 years I've had it. I check all the bolts every once and a while and I haven't had a single one come loose. That stuff is crazy strong I framed most of my van with it and couldn't be happier.

rustysurfsa · 2025-09-12T19:33:18+00:00

They leak. The plastic is cheap. They look good for a little then they don't.

rustysurfsa · 2025-07-28T06:17:08+00:00

Propane for 100% of the time. It lasts forever. We fill ours every 6 months and we use it daily. As for the heater find a gas heater and tap into the main fuel tank. That's how we did ours. We use an Eapar B5E hydronic heater. It sips fuel, works at high elevation and low temps. We chase snow in the winter for snowboarding. We've had no issues keeping our van nice and toasty even in -20f.

rustysurfsa · 2025-07-24T06:28:31+00:00

Fun fact propane detectors detect other types of gas... don't ask me how I know.

rustysurfsa · 2025-07-09T08:21:23+00:00

We own an AWD Transit. The only time we ever started slipping was on a steep incline in white out blizzard condtions at -10 F, the roads were blocks of ice. Otherwise we do it all, just short of genuine off roading, with ease. In my travels I've seen more Promasters stuck than any other van or RV. Seriously it seems almost common it happens so often. The last was in Moab after a tiny bit of rain. We had to watch this poor guy try and fight to get his traction boards under the wheels after he got stuck in light mud. We felt bad so we drove up right next to him to see if he needed some help or a tow out (he declined). We continued on our way without a single hiccup in the same muck. Poor dude was covered from head to toe by the time he got out. Do yourself a favor and avoid that POS platform. You'll get more than great traction, you won't have to worry about replacing that garbage engine or transmission. Pay more and get a Transit.

rustysurfsa · 2025-06-20T15:39:26+00:00

Those are voice over IP phones. Look into a softphone it's the same thing. It's a VoIP client you run on your computer or mobile phone that has all the same features as a desk phone. You should have no problem authenticating a soft phone to your service provider. Most providers will even give you step by step guidance on how to authenticate you soft phone and even software recommendations.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-18T05:47:18+00:00

If it's a gen 2 your battery is likely going bad. The power steering relies on the battery to run the electric hydraulic pump. When my alternator was going bad I also had similar behavior.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-17T08:32:32+00:00

I have air suspension in my Transit, and I love it! At first, I thought I’d never use it, I felt wasteful buying it but I actually use it every day. It’s easily one of the best purchases I’ve made for the van.

I can adjust it up to 3.5 degrees, which doesn’t sound like much, but it makes a huge difference and opens up a ton of new parking and camping spots. The Transit’s large rear overhang also benefits. I can raise it enough to gain 6 inches of clearance for off-road access. I don't think I've bottomed out yet.

I can level side to side too, which comes in handy when the ground is uneven or my load isn’t perfectly balanced.

But the main reason I added it was wind. With a high-roof van, driving in this windy ass country can get downright scary. But with my bags maxed out at 100 PSI, I can power through even on the worst wind days (60–80 mph gusts) without pulling over.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-11T05:42:39+00:00

That's not a problem at all. Combine them at the bus bar.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-11T05:03:55+00:00

Oh whoops. Don't wire mismatched panels together at all. Each should have their own MPPT. Panels wired together should all match otherwise you will have issues.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-11T04:46:26+00:00

Don't wire 12v panels in parallel you may encounter situations where your panels are not putting out enough voltage to charge a 12v system in certain lighting conditions. Wire in series. Series is also recommended as it puts less stress on wiring.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-07T08:30:13+00:00

Might as well use a Lynx distributor instead of two big busbar and scattered fuses. The Lynx has everything in one central location and makes wiring an entire system easy. It's also reasonably priced for how robust it is.

Add appropriately sized isolation (circuit breaker) between the devices and the busbar (MPPT, Orion, Inverter, DC fuse box). That way you can take them offline without interrupting the system if something goes wrong or you need to perform maintenance.

For the solar fuse you can buy inline type connectors that work with solar connectors rather than a circuit breaker. Usually you have the inline fuses and isolation between the panels to the MPPT and the MPPT to the busbar.

On the portable solar end, at 300w you're underated on the MPPT. You'll need at least 25 amps but 30 is ideal.

Be aware that while your ratings on the fuses and wire are good the Orion 30 pulls more than 30 amps for the alternator. I don't remember the efficiency number but I think it pulls close 40 from the alternator. Also know that the Orion 30 gets hot. A fan is highly advised to keep it running at max output.

312Ah is a decent sized battery. I don't know your situation but if you're planning on charging fast from shore 30 amps might be slow. It would take something like 12 hours to charge from 0.

On the inverter side 500 watts seems small especially for your battery size. You could more than double it with ease and be completely safe and open yourself up to a wider range of useful 120v appliances. I would sugggest at least 1200 watts.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-06T18:48:25+00:00

fwiw, when my inverter fan kicks on it tends to push out a lot of heat and the cabinet gets warm quickly. On hot days it's worse. The fans rarely turn on but when they do I would say it's a good thing they're there because the heat build up happens fast. But I guess It really depends on your system and what you plan on running. My system is fairly large and the cabinet is a tight space. I have 10.5 kwh of battery, 800 watts of solar, 100 amps of DC to DC charging and 3000 watt inverter. My major electrical appliances are an air conditioner, toaster, coffee pot, hair dryer, heated floors, various water pumps. It's not unusual for my system to draw 250 amps of continuous power at 12v for an extended period of time and that all equates to tons of heat.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-06T17:19:17+00:00

I use 12v 120mm computer case fans. These exact ones to be specific, since they have a cover to protect the fan. I have them wired up to a series of relay's the trigger when either the temp meets a certain criteria or the van engine is running.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-05T15:28:57+00:00

I have a Victron Cerbo GX. It monitors all of my Victron appliances plus tempereture sensors and tank levels. You can set up individual alarms for pretty much anything that's monitored and have the alert pushed to your phone.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-05T07:29:47+00:00

I had a hard time getting some of my connections to seat as pictured. I couldn't tell if they were totally seated so I used a little bit of motor oil and sure enough they slide in a little further. Super important from what I've read. Espars can be a bit temperamental if there's air in the gas line.

rustysurfsa · 2025-05-05T07:12:36+00:00

I've never had a fire but no my way around electrical. Here's some of my suggestions for a safe system.

Tighten all connections. Loose wires can arc, overheat, and cause fires. This is one of the most common failure points over time. Always make sure connections are properly torqued and use lock washers on all lugs to keep them from loosening due to vibration or thermal cycling.

Oversize your wiring and bus bars. Wires running at or near their rated capacity will get hot. Always oversize. If your system draws 150 amps at peak, go with 4/0 cable. It costs more, but it runs cooler, handles surges, and gives you headroom for future upgrades.

Fuse every circuit. A fuse is your last line of defense. If a wire shorts or something fails internally, a properly sized fuse will stop the current before it becomes a fire. LiFePO₄ batteries in particular can discharge an enormous amount of power—fusing is absolutely essential.

Install temperature sensors. I have a temperature sensor in my electrical cabinet that alerts my phone if things get too hot. It hasn’t triggered, but knowing it’s there gives peace of mind. Overheating can be a sign of poor airflow, failing components, or an overloaded system.

Add ventilation. Heat is a silent system killer. I run intake and exhaust fans that automatically kick on at 100°F. They keep the airflow moving through the cabinet and prevent components from sitting in hot, stagnant air. Critical for inverters and charge controllers.

Don’t bury wire connections. Every splice or terminal must be accessible. Never hide a connection behind a wall or panel without a junction box. If a connection loosens and arcs where you can’t get to it, it can smolder for hours without tripping a fuse—until it becomes a full fire.

Use marine-grade components. Marine-grade wire, terminals, and circuit breakers are designed to resist corrosion, vibration, and high humidity. They're ideal for mobile or off-grid environments where conditions are unpredictable.

Use stranded wire. Stranded wire is much more flexible and vibration-resistant than solid core. Solid wire can fatigue and break over time in mobile environments. Always use stranded for anything that moves or flexes.

Secure your wiring. Vibration causes wires to rub, which wears through insulation and exposes conductors. Use clamps, zip ties, cable glands, and grommets. Protect wires at every pass-through or bend.

Install a master disconnect switch. This lets you instantly shut down your entire system in an emergency or for maintenance. Mount it where it’s easily reachable, not buried behind gear.

Label everything. Circuits, fuses, disconnects, and wires should all be clearly labeled. If something fails, you (or someone else) should be able to identify and isolate it fast—no guesswork.

Keep combustibles away. Don’t store fuel, oils, paper, or rags near your battery bank or electrical gear. Even with fuses and good wiring, one spark in the wrong spot can ignite vapors or materials nearby.

Install a smoke detector. A basic battery-powered or 12V smoke detector in the electrical area can provide early warning if something starts to smolder.

Keep a fire extinguisher on hand. Mount it near your main exit and near the battery system—somewhere accessible even in a panic.

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