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Old 06-27-2020, 04:12 PM   #321
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Savannah GA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
Looks good man. The heat up in GA as bad as down here? Its brutal this week!
yeah its miserable here. keep thinking this can be my last real summer here and that helps me tolerate it.

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Old 06-27-2020, 04:20 PM   #322
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Originally Posted by JDSquared View Post
This small portion of my rack took about 6 hours. I'm beat. Attachment 46045
Looks great! I'm sure your welding is doing fine.
A couple things to consider, you could/should put a couple little gussets in your corners to prevent it from racking(see framing knee braces or gussets) it will stabilize your framework a great deal. Also make sure you have good secure backing plates behind your bolts, you are transitioning vertical loads to horizontal.
Cheers
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Old 06-27-2020, 09:19 PM   #323
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Blog time. This will be long so feel free to skip ahead!

Too many incomplete projects. Too many little mistakes. Too much summer heat already lol. Where I used to be parked I had access all night. I am making coffee right now and it would be nice to go back to the bus and organize my thoughts at least, putz around trying to figure out my BMS. But the gate locks at 10pm. It locks at 6, actually, but the code stops working at ten. But this is half the price and nobody yelling at me for charging my cordless batteries.

But I also have 2 solar panels sitting flat on top of the trailer beside me. That's a bad neighbor. I am charging my batteries, I put them out there Thursday night. I was worn out today by 5pm. So tomorrow at least I can lay two panels on top of the roof and hang the wires down through the window to charge my batteries. I mean, I don't have to charge my batteries, but I have the MPPT and I am trying to get data. The Victron Controller app doesn't have as much info as I thought.

The solar rack is wrong lol. To be more precise, the Z brackets I got are wrong. But they were $70 dollars and I want to use them. Ok the steel is wrong too, sort of. I got
1 1/4 square tubing and 1 1/4 wide angle iron. The tubing is good, but the angle iron is just a bit weak, and not as wide as I was thinking. I don't know if it shows up in the picture above, but there's the slightest bow in the center that I will need to put a post under. And the center section will have the weight of 4 panels on it. The angle iron at the skylights actually sits on the skylight wood. I cut the tubing to size for that purpose. So it won't be all of them needing support. The front to back pieces as well, aren't angle iron. Just flat pieces. I was going to use them across the roof but they are way too weak to attach the panels to. So I still have to figure out the best way to attach a brace to them and the tubing to keep the rack squared up.

I used some teks screws as well as the welding to secure everything, mostly just to keep them in place. Not sure on my welds. I am going to grind them and test them tomorrow. I actually bought some bolts and washers on line, but they were too small and they snapped when I tried to tighten them down.


God I'm still talking about the racks aren't I? I do have a 10ft section of unistrut under the bus as well. Waiting to experiment on under carriage storage with leftover metal from the roof. So there's options. I build as I go, which is costing me extra money. But I never stress (too much) about money. It comes through and goes out of my life in exactly the right quantities. Anyway, back to the rack... The panels are longer than the rack is between ribs. With wider angle iron I thought the z brackets were going to work. But the fit best between the angle iron. You can see it hanging over a couple inches in the picture last post. So I need to figure that out, hopefully tomorrow. Probably use angle iron on the length side of the panels and attach them to that. Which helps secure everything as well along side that flat piece in the side. It's just material. And money lol.


To get off of the roof for a minute, I also am having trouble with my BMS. Mostly because I don't know what I'm doing. But maybe getting there. While waiting on my BMS I picked up a cell meter, to check my individual cells. Batteries sat a week or two, then they went into the bus to run my fans for another week, and finally got my charge controller and trying to charge the batteries. The batteries came with wire leads from the cells which went back to... A circuit board I guess. It just had tracers coming from each cell to the wires, which went into the existing BMS. Which is useless, there's no way to read any data from it. But I had my cell meter attached to one battery for a while. Cells were all good and within 20mv of each other. But when I moved it to the bus I ended up shorting out the tracers. Now that I have the bms, hooking it up to those wires like I planned was showing zero voltage on half the batteries. Running a meter from each cell though, everything appears fine.

So I tried hooking the leads from the BMS directly to the cells, like others on the youtubes have done. I used electrical tape to try to test them, but the BMS keeps showing zero voltage on half the batteries. I don't know. I was going through all this yesterday, and sweating while trying to figure it all out. It might be because I need to hook up the shunt and calibrate it, but that shouldn't be it. Then when I hooked up the shunt I put one side to the positive then the other back to negative instead of a load. Because I am an idiot and I wasn't thinking. Big sparks.

So I haven't dealt with the batteries today except to let them charge all day. On a cloudy muggy day. Tomorrow I am staying focused on the rack So I won't know more, or even what questions I might need to ask, until Monday.

A part of my shower wall is peeling off at the caulking. Sigh. I also tore off the ceiling to bolt this rack through the ribs. Sigh. Also it looks like it's leaking a bit around the drain. Sigh. The two side walls are good, but I am going to be tearing up the base and trying to get it all back together properly without doing more damage.

Sigh. This is all because I built it over the fuel fill hose, and that little diagonal piece that I need to completely water proof. I am thinking now about some pond liner to go under everything.

What else? The propane connections. I pulled the regulator and hose from my grill, with the tank. My tankless water heater is a 1/2 male thread. My hose is (I thought) a 3/8' female. I carried it into Home Depot with me and I can't find any threaded fitting that fits into it. I can get a half turn on all the 3/8 male fittings that I tried. I hate to toss the regulator and the tank connector. I hate looking online without touching, as well, because then you sometimes end up with bolts that snap like the ones I bought a few weeks ago. I did pick up two more tanks for cheap the other day. That will be for my stove and hopefully for my coffee roaster, although that might be set up for those little coleman bottles. Not sure if I can convert it, but it's still down farther on my list of things to figure out.

So is there any good news for me? LOL I am not sure. I am not frustrated or anything. The bus is a mess and I expect to end up $5000 over budget by the end now. But it's just money. and work. I appreciate the challenge I think. I will spend a minute talking about my kid.

He turned 18 on March 13th. It was Friday the 13th and he decided to skip school. But by Monday the 21st School was cancelled due to covid. So his last day was his last day as a non adult. It's kind of funny.

It wasn't cancelled at the time but it went to online, and he needed to pass only one class of his four to graduate. He didn't do any work until the teacher called and said to get it done. He worked hard for the last two days but he either didn't actually finish or it was too little too late. So he failed and they enrolled him in summer school for the one class (British lit, which they kind of changed to International lit).

He did like three assignments out of 22 until they called him again and told him there's only a week left. Drive me crazy but I also just had to let it go, back in May. They called us Wednesday and said he was a high school graduate. So I am happy.*

*The kid was off the charts testing wise all through grade school, up until at least 7th grade. He took the SAT twice the past two years and both results were in the 95 percentile. He should have been a free ticket to a decent college. But he won't do the work. Drives me crazy. But he also had two suicide attempts, two years ago and about one year ago. He was pretty godawful close to successful last time. So in a real sense I am just happy to be spending time with him. He has suffered a long time with depression, and we didn't realize how bad he was feeling back in 6th and 7th grade. He still isn't where he needs to be with his depression, but he also won't do the work to get to where he needs to be to feel better. BUt he's a high school grad now and that's a good thing. He needs to get off the computer and find his place in the world, but I'm trying not to push him too hard on that either. I think I am still looking for mine lol.

End rant
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Old 06-27-2020, 09:58 PM   #324
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Oh JD.. The * section shook me up a little.. Our kids are a little younger but it is really tough to look in their minds..

We took them out of school last year top travel around the country for a couple of months and it is hard to tell if whatever you do is the right thing. We have people tell us we are crazy to take kids out of school and travel around and then there are people who say it is the best thing ever. Like I said , it is hard to know what the kids are really thinking or experiencing. It is difficult to get them away from the internet and computer games.


Pre internet and after I finished my mechanical degree at a great university I got depressed and lost in the world and decided to hitch hike thru Europe, enlist in the French foreign legion and die in a desert. When I reached Marseille and tried to enlist the officer asked how much money I had... In that day about 60 french Francs... he told me to go to the bar, spend it and then come back. It was good advise I am not a bar type, did not spend but decided to illegally board a ship to Corsica. ... many adventures after that...Still am mesmerized by the desert .. but not in the same way...
I hope your kid and you will do fine.


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Old 06-27-2020, 10:10 PM   #325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oscar1 View Post
Looks great! I'm sure your welding is doing fine.
A couple things to consider, you could/should put a couple little gussets in your corners to prevent it from racking(see framing knee braces or gussets) it will stabilize your framework a great deal. Also make sure you have good secure backing plates behind your bolts, you are transitioning vertical loads to horizontal.
Cheers
Yeah the rack isn't done. Solar panel just sitting on top of it and all!
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Old 06-27-2020, 10:13 PM   #326
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Your last paragraph! LOL it's exciting living a life isn't it? My kid is exactly like me. Exactly. He will find his way.
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Old 06-27-2020, 11:18 PM   #327
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"What else? The propane connections. I pulled the regulator and hose from my grill, with the tank. My tankless water heater is a 1/2 male thread. My hose is (I thought) a 3/8' female. I carried it into Home Depot with me and I can't find any threaded fitting that fits into it. I can get a half turn on all the 3/8 male fittings that I tried. I hate to toss the regulator and the tank connector. I hate looking online without touching, as well, because then you sometimes end up with bolts that snap like the ones I bought a few weeks ago.
SNIP...."

Getting a ½ turn in sounds like a straight thread going into a tapered hole or UNF to NPT...
Hopefully the link below can give you something to look at over a cup of coffee...

https://www.parker.com/literature/Tu...lic-Treads.pdf
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Old 06-28-2020, 07:14 PM   #328
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Originally Posted by banman View Post
"What else? The propane connections. I pulled the regulator and hose from my grill, with the tank. My tankless water heater is a 1/2 male thread. My hose is (I thought) a 3/8' female. I carried it into Home Depot with me and I can't find any threaded fitting that fits into it. I can get a half turn on all the 3/8 male fittings that I tried. I hate to toss the regulator and the tank connector. I hate looking online without touching, as well, because then you sometimes end up with bolts that snap like the ones I bought a few weeks ago.

SNIP...."



Getting a ½ turn in sounds like a straight thread going into a tapered hole or UNF to NPT...

Hopefully the link below can give you something to look at over a cup of coffee...



https://www.parker.com/literature/Tu...lic-Treads.pdf
Thanks for the link. That might be what's happening.
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Old 06-28-2020, 07:25 PM   #329
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I moved forward today. Even if it was slow. It's so gotdang hot out.

Grinded my welds. Touched two of them up. Grinded them again. Added the cross supports on I have one weld I'm not happy with there. But I still plan to buy some bolts for all these connections as well.

Figured out the best way to secure my panels. They're just sitting there at the money. I need two longer bolts for each of those. Just have to remember not to drive the bus until it's done lol.

Got the panels on the roof hooked up to the charge controller and batteries. Still haven't messed with the BMS again.

Almost decided to use just the z brackets attached to the roof for the middle section. But it's a six inch difference between the center and the edge of the solar panel. And all those holes in my roof. So I'm doing it the hard way again, like the back but slightly improved.

So many holes. So many broken drill bits. Even bought a new step bit today because I burnt my other one drilling too fast, right in the middle. This new one broke at the tip after like 6 holes.

No pictures but I got started at least. Might be able to weld this all on the ground this time and lift it into place.Click image for larger version

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Old 06-29-2020, 09:41 AM   #330
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It sounds like you might be putting too much pressure on the drill bits...
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Old 06-29-2020, 04:45 PM   #331
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It sounds like you might be putting too much pressure on the drill bits...
I have a bunch of cheap bits too. Had them a while. Mostly they just wear down after a few holes.
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Old 06-29-2020, 05:31 PM   #332
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You're doing a lot better than me, man. Bout 30 minutes out in that heat and I'm done.
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Old 06-29-2020, 06:05 PM   #333
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You're doing a lot better than me, man. Bout 30 minutes out in that heat and I'm done.
LOL I spent an hour out there today. Got three holes drilled into the bus. That was it I was done.

I think I'm pretty much done till September now.
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Old 06-29-2020, 06:07 PM   #334
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Its unusual heat. I don't mind hot weather normally. But this heat slaps you in the face when you open the door!
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Old 06-29-2020, 06:47 PM   #335
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Its unusual heat. I don't mind hot weather normally. But this heat slaps you in the face when you open the door!
I don't know it seems pretty usual to me. it was three or four years ago we had 56 days in a row above 90. It'll cool down when the hurricanes get here
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Old 06-29-2020, 07:08 PM   #336
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I have a bunch of cheap bits too. Had them a while. Mostly they just wear down after a few holes.
Most people spin most drill bits too fast if they can, and put way too much pressure into dry drilling. Download a speed chart and you'll be surprised how slowly the mfrs recommend drilling. Here's a good one, for really good quality HSS bits listing maximum speeds.

https://www.imperialsupplies.com/pdf...eet_Update.pdf

Cheaper bits or those ground with a steeper angle, you need to go slower or you overheat and unharden them. Bits must be kept cool. Use a can of WD40 (cutting oil is better, but very similar.) Shoot the bit a couple times while you're going through 1/8" square tube and between holes to cool it down. Pushing even an expensive bit enough to smoke it and turn the tip blue ruins that portion of the bit.

Lastly, if you invest in a sharpener like a Drill Doctor, you'll never be labored without a sharp bit again, and you can put whatever point on them you want, depending on what you need to go through. Even cheap bits are fine sharp, they just need more frequent attention.

Seems like a lot of work and all, but its actually the easier and cheaper way than using chronically dull disposable (poorly hardened, cheap) bits, taking too long to get substandard results, and throwing them away with 95% of their life left on them.

Been in the tool business off and on for many years, and this is one of my pet peeves, can you tell?
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Old 06-29-2020, 07:53 PM   #337
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Another pro tip for field use is to use 500 Series Tek screws to drill your pilot holes. A box of 250 #14 500 Series (the expensive ones) tek screws is $75, but where else are you going to get 250 drill bits, each of which can drill 4 or 5, maybe more nearly 1/4" holes in 1/8" steel? Eliminates cutting oil and field resharpening.

Drill the pilot hole until the screw threads grab, then back it out and clean it up with a 1/4" drill bit, which will last a very long time used that way without resharpening. Gotta wear leather gloves, though. Those screws will be HOT...
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Old 06-29-2020, 08:35 PM   #338
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TomA, that is what I often do, sometimes the Tech screws are dull as well and jump of. I use the "cobalt" drill bit sets from HB. split point, pretty good for the money. I drill a lot of Stainless Steel. The Titanium coated ones are crap.


The drill doctor does not do split point, i am not impressed with it. Often better result with sharpening by hand.


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Old 06-29-2020, 09:32 PM   #339
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Get some Tap Magic, too: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003X3ZKXI/
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Old 06-29-2020, 11:24 PM   #340
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Quote:
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Another pro tip for field use is to use 500 Series Tek screws to drill your pilot holes. A box of 250 #14 500 Series (the expensive ones) tek screws is $75, but where else are you going to get 250 drill bits, each of which can drill 4 or 5, maybe more nearly 1/4" holes in 1/8" steel? Eliminates cutting oil and field resharpening.

Drill the pilot hole until the screw threads grab, then back it out and clean it up with a 1/4" drill bit, which will last a very long time used that way without resharpening. Gotta wear leather gloves, though. Those screws will be HOT...
I love teks screws and I've used them for pilot holes lol. But also I ran out of those as well.
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