It can still be done @Billrw136 , I'd like to do a pop top so I can work out dimensions! Actually all I need is for someone to tell me the measurement from the bed base to the top of A frame.
Our 18-57-6
- Thread starter Burnsy
- Start date
Great Mod Burnsy!
Copper has been used for decades. Copper connections are still cheap, as long as you use a decent spanner the connections will be fine for years. They have an amount of flexibility, so fit various locations. Bottles are a little harder to be stolen depending on what type of nut connection is at the bottle. A copper connection will not blow apart. They can be polished
. Old saying,"do it proper do it copper" Just my opinion as a gas plumber for over 25 years.
Hi Burnsy, made for an interesting read all this. Glad you have it all sorted and the mods are interesting, have to ask what is the ball weight now with the extra frame? I have the same van got it in March this year and have enjoyed it so far with only minor issues of boot locks not working. Also have you worked out how long your battery lasts free camping without using the solar just out of interest as off soon free camping for a week and have only one 100amp battery.
Cheers
Chaser
Cheers
Chaser
G'day Chaser, welcome to this great site!
Ball weight varies depending on....empty or full water tanks, gas bottles, where you store stuff and of course what you put in the front boot. I have found it to be a heavy little sucker, I don't know where Jayco get the ball weight stated in their pamphlet. I travel with full canvas annexe and outdoor table under bottom bunk (so behind axles) and don't have too much or heavy stuff in the boot.
The ball weight is the same wether you have both water tanks full or empty, so with both tanks full or empty I'm right on 250kg :eek-53: this includes the frame I made. I always travel with the rear water tank full, as well as having advantages it takes 24kg off the 250!
I haven't actually worked out how long I'd get with no solar so not sure, however it all depends on what your using and how often. There is some good information on this site regarding battery life if you search through. Here's a thread I started a while ago which tells you how many amps appliances use....could be helpful for you. http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/amperage-for-appliances.2947/
Glad to hear your enjoying your new van, it is a great model and don't have too many issues with it. You should intro yourself in the "new members" section and post up some pics.....everyone likes pics including me! Where are you from? Hope to see you around!
Cheers.
Ball weight varies depending on....empty or full water tanks, gas bottles, where you store stuff and of course what you put in the front boot. I have found it to be a heavy little sucker, I don't know where Jayco get the ball weight stated in their pamphlet. I travel with full canvas annexe and outdoor table under bottom bunk (so behind axles) and don't have too much or heavy stuff in the boot.
The ball weight is the same wether you have both water tanks full or empty, so with both tanks full or empty I'm right on 250kg :eek-53: this includes the frame I made. I always travel with the rear water tank full, as well as having advantages it takes 24kg off the 250!
I haven't actually worked out how long I'd get with no solar so not sure, however it all depends on what your using and how often. There is some good information on this site regarding battery life if you search through. Here's a thread I started a while ago which tells you how many amps appliances use....could be helpful for you. http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/amperage-for-appliances.2947/
Glad to hear your enjoying your new van, it is a great model
and don't have too many issues with it. You should intro yourself in the "new members" section and post up some pics.....everyone likes pics including me! Where are you from? Hope to see you around!Cheers.
Hi Burnsy,
My van is as standard at the moment so the two 9kg gas bottles on the front and the spare on the back, we got a light weight canvas annexe which is under the bunks along with the beer store at the begining of the trips anyway. Camp chairs tools box and fishing gear in the front boot, I use a easylift WDS which seems to do a good job, I do get a bit of bounce on uneven roads but otherwise the Challenger goes quite well with it. I agree it does seem to be a heavy van and for us a big step up from the Jayco Hawk that we were pulling. So far we have only done short trips and most on power due to the winter and trying to heat the van, so the lenth of the battery life has not been an issue so far but we are about to do approx 10 days off power on the Murray and at Bonnie Doon, so I might just borrow the father in-laws generator which is a 22 year old honda that he has been free camping with on and off for that length of time. Thanks for the thread I will check it out and I will get the intro done also.
Cheers
Chaser
My van is as standard at the moment so the two 9kg gas bottles on the front and the spare on the back, we got a light weight canvas annexe which is under the bunks along with the beer store at the begining of the trips anyway. Camp chairs tools box and fishing gear in the front boot, I use a easylift WDS which seems to do a good job, I do get a bit of bounce on uneven roads but otherwise the Challenger goes quite well with it. I agree it does seem to be a heavy van and for us a big step up from the Jayco Hawk that we were pulling. So far we have only done short trips and most on power due to the winter and trying to heat the van, so the lenth of the battery life has not been an issue so far but we are about to do approx 10 days off power on the Murray and at Bonnie Doon, so I might just borrow the father in-laws generator which is a 22 year old honda that he has been free camping with on and off for that length of time. Thanks for the thread I will check it out and I will get the intro done also.
Cheers
Chaser
Another mod done on the weekend, I replaced my brakeaway battery with 200 amps of 12v! Basically just ran another circuit from my battery links through a fuse box and connected using insulated spade connectors, I can still disconnect and put the 7 amp battery back in.....not that I plan to. No issues now with charging the brakeaway battery as I charge the 200 amps with solar and mains.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Today I took my van to the repairers after discovering one of my worst nightmares .....a bloody water leak! I first discovered this after we had a heap of rain and I went inside to check for leaks, the evidence was a water damaged ceiling with a "pimple" effect. A few days later while listening to the radio inside, one speaker was playing up so I undid the 4 screws and took it down, the first thing I noticed was a rusty magnet and a rust ring on the ceiling where the speaker was.
I then felt up in the cavity and it was wet. It was coming through the Junction Box that Jayco fitted for solar, undid the lid and had water in the box. The repairer took it off today and replaced with a much better J Box (thanks hamish22). The bottom of the Jayco fitted box was cracked (story of my life) and had no sealer underneath, it seems as though the water entered through the lid with a pretty ordinary O ring.
The box hamish22 got me has a rubber gasket which also seals around the screws and you have to drill your own holes in the side for cables whereas Jaycos have pre moulded holes with plugs! My advice.... if you have factory solar provisions fitted then check your J Box for leaks, it might just save you some heartache. The repairer will send Jayco a bill for the work plus a quote to replace the effected ceiling panel, a fairly big job but that's their problem!
I then felt up in the cavity and it was wet. It was coming through the Junction Box that Jayco fitted for solar, undid the lid and had water in the box. The repairer took it off today and replaced with a much better J Box (thanks hamish22). The bottom of the Jayco fitted box was cracked (story of my life) and had no sealer underneath, it seems as though the water entered through the lid with a pretty ordinary O ring.
The box hamish22 got me has a rubber gasket which also seals around the screws and you have to drill your own holes in the side for cables whereas Jaycos have pre moulded holes with plugs! My advice.... if you have factory solar provisions fitted then check your J Box for leaks, it might just save you some heartache. The repairer will send Jayco a bill for the work plus a quote to replace the effected ceiling panel, a fairly big job but that's their problem!
I'm thinking so.....glad I'm not going away this Friday (13th).
I finished another mod on the weekend.....my led strip light for the tunnel boot. I used 2 switches, 1 at each end and have a length of wiring duct between them, then the strip light is stuck onto the cover....all up $50 plus still have 3m of strip light!
Cheers.
Cheers.
Hey Burnsy,
Just wondering did you wire up for 2-way switching i.e. the 2 switches are wired to be dependent on each other, switch on with one, switch off with the same one or the other one and vice versa, or, are the 2 switches wired in parallel so that the switch you switch on with you must switch off with i.e. they are independent of each other.
My reason for asking is that I can only see a single pair cable in the first pic which leads me to believe the two switches must work independent of each other.
Dave
Hi mate, your right they are wired independent of each other and the only way I knew how to really!
