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The Motorhome Tear Out and Build Begins

kmakar

kmakar

Janitor
After going through the coach and getting familiar with it, I ordered supplies and the tear out begins.......

Pulled the 3 burner stovetop out,

IMG_20220329_181728134.jpg

Pulled the backsplash, mirror (not going back in), and the countertop which was a custom built 1 piece fiberglass. It didn't want to come out, but I finessed it out and saved it in one piece. My brother wants to use it as an outside setup next to his wood smoker.

IMG_20220329_191416643.jpg

Next, I'll be pulling out the gas furnace to replace it with a 1 ton (12,000 btu) low ambient temperature ducted mini split with 21.5 SEER, so we'll be able to get rid of the 2 roof air conditioners and the furnace which should lighten the coach by 300 lbs.
 
Chevelle_Nut said:
You are a glutton for punishment.
Click to expand...

How so? This is easy work. Doing small stuff like this is super easy. Now what's going to be fun is pulling the 6600 watt LP generator out and putting the mini split condenser in it's place. Then having a custom exhaust grate made so I don't have to open the hatch when I run the A/C or heat (yes, it's a low ambient temp heat pump model). Then I get to modify the kitchen cabinetry removing the drawers to the right of where the sink is to put in a Bosch 18" wide full height dishwasher. Better than that, is when I put the new 12v fridge in, custom building cabinetry in the spare space. We haven't decided yet if we want a pull out pantry (on 1,000 lb full extention slides) or just a pull out for pots and pans with storage up top. Lisa's thinking about what she wants, and I build it.

This is fun relaxing work to me.
 
Back in the day I worked for a place in Yakima called Western RV. I worked on the assembly line installing the kitchen. It was a fun job. I don’t remember why I left. They are no longer there now. Have fun.
 
kmakar said:
How so? This is easy work. Doing small stuff like this is super easy. Now what's going to be fun is pulling the 6600 watt LP generator out and putting the mini split condenser in it's place. Then having a custom exhaust grate made so I don't have to open the hatch when I run the A/C or heat (yes, it's a low ambient temp heat pump model). Then I get to modify the kitchen cabinetry removing the drawers to the right of where the sink is to put in a Bosch 18" wide full height dishwasher. Better than that, is when I put the new 12v fridge in, custom building cabinetry in the spare space. We haven't decided yet if we want a pull out pantry (on 1,000 lb full extention slides) or just a pull out for pots and pans with storage up top. Lisa's thinking about what she wants, and I build it.

This is fun relaxing work to me.
Click to expand...
Just like a car, an RV project grows with the "while I am in there" syndrome.
 
Chevelle_Nut said:
Just like a car, an RV project grows with the "while I am in there" syndrome.
Click to expand...

Already planned for that.... can't grow when I'm doing dang near everything. Going to update the entire thing to our taste. The mechanics are perfect, she purrs like a kitty. I've already replaced all the exterior lights with LED and ordered new Sylvania Silver Star headlights.

Have sags in the headliner "like carpet", so since I'm refinishing all the cabinets anyways, putting in textured 1/16 FRP on the ceiling so it'll be clean and easy to wipe down.

Looking to get a quote from these guys for the roof after I remove the A/C's, pull the dish antenna, pull 2 vents (deletes), and pull the fridge vent (not needed for 12v fridge).

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kmakar said:
Next, I'll be pulling out the gas furnace to replace it with a 1 ton (12,000 btu) low ambient temperature ducted mini split with 21.5 SEER, so we'll be able to get rid of the 2 roof air conditioners and the furnace which should lighten the coach by 300 lbs.
Click to expand...
Are you going with a Mitsubishi mini-split ? I've heard of using solar to power the mini-split (if you are staying in one spot for awhile)
 
Nashville Cat said:
Are you going with a Mitsubishi mini-split ? I've heard of using solar to power the mini-split (if you are staying in one spot for awhile)
Click to expand...

Nope, I bought a Pioneer (in fact it was delivered this afternoon) that will run off the solar system I'm installing. BABs (as Lisa has named her for "Big Ass Bus"), is going to be offgrid providing all her own power. We're putting 3,115 watts of solar on the roof, and with a 21.5 seer, it shouldn't even pull as much as my 2 ton Pioneer minisplit in the garage which pulls 1,600 watts. The solar system comprised of two (2) 12v 4000 watt single phase inverters giving me 8,000 watts total (more than the 50 amp service needed now) and 1,000 Ah battery bank.
 
kmakar said:
Nope, I bought a Pioneer (in fact it was delivered this afternoon) that will run off the solar system I'm installing. BABs (as Lisa has named her for "Big Ass Bus"), is going to be offgrid providing all her own power. We're putting 3,115 watts of solar on the roof, and with a 21.5 seer, it shouldn't even pull as much as my 2 ton Pioneer minisplit in the garage which pulls 1,600 watts. The solar system comprised of two (2) 12v 4000 watt single phase inverters giving me 8,000 watts total (more than the 50 amp service needed now) and 1,000 Ah battery bank.
Click to expand...
Wow, sounds awesome :)

GO BABS !
 
Next stage.... time for the generator to come out to make room for the ducted mini split condenser unit.......

Had to cut the tailpipe off so I could drop the generator down.....

IMG_20220403_084927354_HDR.jpg

Next, removing the generator exhaust....

IMG_20220403_100415941.jpg

Disconnect the gas line and the electrical.....

IMG_20220403_100424685.jpg
IMG_20220403_100411694.jpg

Time to drop her down with a jack, use the leveling jacks for BABs to lift the left side so I could slide the generator out....

IMG_20220403_103327713.jpg

generator is heavy as hell.... 6,300 watt Onan with 346 hours on it.
 
77cruiser said:
The gen is not going back in?
Click to expand...
Chevelle_Nut said:
What he said.
Click to expand...

Nope, no need for it when I'll be solar. What I will be doing is buying a small portable LP generator (2000 watt inverter type that weighs about 25 lbs) in case of extreme cloudy days that will run a LiFePO4 battery charger. but based on my calculations, I've increased solar wattage on the roof and hope to install between 4,000 watts and 4,450 watts and a battery bank of 1,200 Ah, so even on cloudy days it should provide all the power I'll need and still charge the batteries with surplus to spare. The 3 biggest draws for power will be the central A/C and Heat, and then the portable induction cooktops (1 for regular daily use, and a second for lots of cooking), and the convection microwave. The mini split system in A/C mode will only draw 600 watts (ultra high efficiency 21.5 SEER), the induction cooktop at 2,800 watts (running for very short periods of 20 to 30 minutes), and the convection microwave at 1,000 watts (which typically will only run for 2 to 5 minutes at a time).

Given the current usage of our home (which I don't see much deviation from), we'll have a large surplus of power and be able to boondock indefinitely (or until the black tank needs dumping).
 
Can I ask what in general it would cost to set up a system for an RV that would let you
Run completely off solar? Sounds awesome to be able to be off the grid almost indefinitely
 
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