Forum: General Discussion Forum
08-10-2023, 07:48 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
08-10-2023, 03:36 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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At some point, they...
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At some point, they strip everything back to the raw van and do the plumbing, cut holes, and other rough-ins.
All these pictures are arranged in chronological order. They...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
08-10-2023, 03:29 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
As I mentioned briefly before, CMI has an...
As I mentioned briefly before, CMI has an interesting methodology for taking a completely custom one-off design from concept to a finished rig. This is a bit of a challenge, since you can't really...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
06-26-2023, 10:51 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Datacomm Cabinet
All modern high-roof vans have an awkward space above the heads of the driver and passenger, formed by the sloping "brow" above the windshield. This space is usually either left as an open shelf or...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
06-24-2023, 06:13 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Yes, both data and controls are accessible...
Yes, both data and controls are accessible anywhere in the world, assuming that the van has connectivity. Home Assistant's UI is via web browser, so anything that can be done in the van can be done...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
06-24-2023, 06:03 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Knowing where to measure "ambient" outdoor...
Knowing where to measure "ambient" outdoor temperature in a van is always tricky. Here are data from a sensor under the van (intended to measure the input temperature for the battery fan):
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
06-24-2023, 12:43 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Thermodynamics in action
Little by little, the van's automation system is coming on line. A few days ago, several of the many temperature sensors became functional.
Just for fun, here is a three-day snapshot of two of...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
06-14-2023, 03:53 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
The Smart-Plug is mounted in a custom...
The Smart-Plug is mounted in a custom powder-coated box that CMI fabricated. Don't know if it aluminum or stainless steel -- probably the former. On the Transit, it would have extended down...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
06-14-2023, 12:41 AM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Exterior
The body of the vehicle has no penetrations whatsoever anywhere below the porch lights at the roofline. Shore power is via a SmartPlug mounted on a small custom box in the rear next to the trailer...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 09:11 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 08:23 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Trick question? :)
No. The "cold" side is...
Trick question? :)
No. The "cold" side is the return glycol, just before it enters the Espar. So, yes, there will be a limit to how cool I could make it using this technique. However, the...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 05:45 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
I think Espars output something in the range of...
I think Espars output something in the range of 160-180 degrees F. However, the freeze-prevention loop has a dedicated tempering valve, so I can make it as cool as I like. Probably a constant gentle...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 04:20 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
I'm no expert, but that isn't my understanding....
I'm no expert, but that isn't my understanding. It is true that such exchangers are designed to leak if one of the barriers (or the gasket) fails (so that the failure is evident), but as I understand...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 03:55 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 03:49 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Rixen's uses double-walled heat exchangers for...
Rixen's uses double-walled heat exchangers for DHW.
It will be interesting to see the longevity of the pressure sensors. They were deliberately located for easy access if needed. (You can see the...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 03:42 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
The internal tubes were the recommendation of...
The internal tubes were the recommendation of CMI, although I immediately liked the idea when I saw the proposal. If I were doing it alone, it probably wouldn't have occurred to me and I would likely...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-28-2023, 02:27 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Tanks
The van uses a conventional black-tank toilet system with the usual three tanks. The black tank is mounted above the floor of the bathroom, forming a pedestal for a low-profile porcelain toilet. I...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-27-2023, 08:15 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Yes, the hot glycol line runs parallel and...
Yes, the hot glycol line runs parallel and proximal to the macerator to prevent freezing. I will probably add a wrap of insulation to contain the heat. All the other outside pipes (there aren't many)...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-27-2023, 01:27 AM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-26-2023, 11:47 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Redundancy
The design of the van had three main goals:
1) Reliability
2) Comfort and convenience
3) Élan
Of these, reliability was #1. By "reliability" we don't primarily mean saving money on repairs,...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-24-2023, 07:13 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-24-2023, 01:32 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-24-2023, 12:33 AM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
HVAC
Here's a summary of the heating and air conditioning system:
Cabin heating is via a standard Rixen's Espar hydronic furnace fueled by gasoline from the chassis tank. The current generation of...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-20-2023, 07:27 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
Yes, definitely. Our contract specified that we...
Yes, definitely. Our contract specified that we would receive all original CAD files created for the project. So, we have complete documentation, both mechanical and electrical. which I can keep up...
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Forum: General Discussion Forum
05-20-2023, 03:43 PM
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Replies: 124
Views: 15,340
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