Youtube Videos of my Truck

 

Down2Mob did this video, a high-level general tour

https://youtu.be/JGZP5CTbqOU

OutofOfficeCamping, water leaks in GFC? Fixes?

https://youtu.be/Dn8XZIK5d4s

 

 

 

Jeff's Flickr Slideshows

 

 

 

March/April 2023 Arizona/Utah trip

https://www.flickr.com/gp/mountainwocky/AU67ySn34L 

Dec trip Vermont https://www.flickr.com/gp/mountainwocky/AYnV1h5zN5 

 Sept trip https://www.flickr.com/gp/mountainwocky/7Jq4nFxmL8

New Surfski Bag

 

I made a new Surfski bag using my sailrite lsz1 sewing machine. The one I replaced was the very first thing I'd ever sewn using cheap nylon fabric from Jo-Ann Fabrics. This time I used Sunbrella and PTFE thread with a lifetime warranty.

Also, this time around I sewed the zipper to run along the bottom of the boat. All the commercial ones, like these, have the zipper on top. Hopefully i don't regret this, but it makes more sense to me to have the zipper on the bottom. You lay the surfski on the stands so it's off the ground, roll out the cover on top, then pull the zipper underneath the boat, lifting it as needed to get over the stands. My surfski only weighs 35lbs, so it's easy to lift.

So far having the zipper along the bottom works great, but you do need the stands. If water gets into the bag when driving through rain, the water can now drain out via the zipper along the bottom. The con is you need stands and long monkey arms like mine, but I always use stands for adding/removing the cover so it makes sense to me. I did add 2" webbing to create a buffer between the zipper and the clear gel coat.

Finally, I should have taken more photos of HOW i did this. First the red nose cover was done free hand, draping over the front, using clamps and then free-hand drawing with a color pencil to see where to cut/trim the fabric. For the rest, I added 1 ft marks every foot down the length of the surfski using painter's tape, and then measured the circumference with a cloth measuring tape, see below. I added 2" buffer for the zipper hem, but next time I'll do maybe 1" instead. I only did a single 3/8" inch folded hem for each zipper side, and the zipper adds a half inch. I ended up using seamstick on each side of the zipper to create an extra fold and sewed the folds in place to snug up the cover. Adds more fabric on the bottom, not the worst thing.

Anyway for the layout/cutting. I used my 2nd floor hallway, folding the 5ft wide fabric in half widthwise (making it 2.5 ft wide), and laid it on the floor. On the folded edge, I ticked off each foot, then I measured perpendicular to the folded edge, and marked the circumference marks from column C in the spreadsheet below.

so at the first tick it was 14 1/8"

the next foot was 16 3/4"

then 19" etc

I used a ruler to connect the Column C marks and then using sharp scissors, I cut the excess fabric off, drifting outside of the drawn ruler lines to add curves as needed (better to be too loose than too tight). From the photos you can see the bag turns out reasonably well and deals with the kayak/surfski curves just fine. Caution! Sunbrella loves to come apart, so be sure to use seamstick tape on the cut edges ASAP. I got everything from sailrite.com

Lensun Solar Panel for Truck Hood

 

This 45 watt Lensun Hood solar panel is actually for the Truck's battery. I've notice when I'm home and just doing short trips to the grocery store, Home Depot, etc; The auto start stop almost never engages on the Ranger, and I often get the alert via my phone that the Remote features in the FordPass app have been disabled to conserve battery power.

I think the blackvue dashcam and the sPOD as well as the remote features for the FordPass app are draining the battery when I don't take it for a 30 minute drive often enough.

This hood solar should keep the truck happy, and this will be important when I leave the truck parked for awhile for future backpacking/bikepacking outings where I leave the truck parked for a few days. It has its own bluetooth MPPT controller. So far I've only seen in provide 20 watts in full sun. so I'm guessing it's the angle on the hood.

Also, the MPPT controller is just ziptied on the driver side up near the wiring I've run for other stuff inside the truck. And with the Lensun Hood solar panel, you first apply a black vinyl decal to the hood, and then you glue the panel down to the decal so you don't ruin the truck's paint. I got the decal on perfect, but the panel is just slightly off if you stare at it. Overall I'm happy with it. I noticed the other day on a short drive to the grocery store that the auto start stop for the engine is working, and I've not gotten the alert from the FordPass app about disabling the remote features. So short of a week of bad weather, I think this will work fine.

Electric Wiring Tweaks for my GFC Truck Camper

From my trip I realized I'd done a dumb thing by wiring up the RV distribution panel's battery charger. So when the breaker was on, it would add a 500 watt draw whenever I turned the Victron inverter on. Easy to fix by turning the breaker off, but in retrospect, it was dumb to wire it up.

the Shore power plug has 10gauge wire going to the Victron inverter, and then the Victron inverter has 6 gauge wire running back to the RV distribution panel to supply AC power. You'd think having the shore power go to the Victron inverter first would have clued me in that I didn't need the RV panel's battery charging board. I think my familiarity with the Micro Camper threw me off.

Anyway, I'm hoping I might be able to re-use the RV panel's battery charger in the micro camper. it has a similar rv panel there, but no Victron inverter. In fact in my Micro Camper, the shore power plug goes directly to the 30 amp breaker in the Micro camper's RV panel. Anyway the GFC's RV panel is newer and its battery charger panel circuit board has a lithium battery charging profile, so it's worth seeing if I can swap it out. Lithium likes to charge at 14.4volts and in two phases, so when it gets near full, the charger should taper off what it sends.

While I was in there, I added another AC outlet above the RV panel, I'll probably use it for my corded chainsaw. I also moved the SAE connector higher up on the side of the electric box, so it'll e easier to plug in my diesel heater or portable solar panel