Small changes

Today was a day of small changes. Those with longer memories will recall at one time I tried painting “Max 55MPH” on my back bumper but then thought far better of it and blocked it out again. Today I put the replacement. Prompted by what I’ve seen on the backs of large trucks, instead of rushing out to buy a read-made sticker, I used the stencils I already had to put a sign on the back bumper. This one says “Stay back 300 feet”. Normally such signs say “keep back 300 feet” but “stay” might have more impact as it’s different.

Looking at the cables coming from the heater console I elected to leave them the way they are but to add some cable cladding to protect them. The area behind the driver’s seat will not be used for storage of anything other than perhaps a jerry can. I would have done that and taped the connections I’d bolted together but my electrical tape seems to have run off with the circus. I’ll have to find that!

Not being happy with my LED charge controller I switched it for a higher amperage digital controller. While I like the information it’s giving me, it seems to trip every time the extraction fan comes on. It’s most definitely not over its current specification. What I think is happening is the fan is causing a spike in the current and that’s what’s tripping the charge controller. I’m not sure how to resolve that. The charge controller I had been using wasn’t cutting out when the voltage was low - instead it was pulsing the current which meant my lights would flash on and off. I need something that works in order to find out what’s going on. I wonder whether the battery is good but until I can get a charge controller that doesn’t fart about in place then I’m a bit stumped. Thus far all I’ve seen have been other people repackaging the same Chinese charge controller in an almost identical or very little different plastic box and charging between tens and hundreds of dollars more.

Today I made use of one of my new solar panels - this one I plugged in, inside the bus using the internal charging point. I have to say it looks pretty good and performs pretty well. The right hand side of the window needs a new sign. My old sign that said “Next Stop Fort Leavenworth faded. I’ll have to get some small stencils and do a more permanent sign. I’m still keen on Fort Leavenworth but I might put “Death Row, Fort Leavenworth” on the new sign. That should keep nosey-parkers away.

The cigarette socket to SAE 2-pin converter is still apparently on its way. For some unknown reason it seems to be staying in New York for a few days. Heaven knows why - there’s not much worth seeing or doing in New York unless you’re into the red light district. I gather the first stop on the subway from the red light district is the medical district and the first building from there is an STD clinic. Rather appropriate! 

Still remaining to be done - install my new cable and tidy the existing cables for the door controller. Add a cable into the battery compartment so that the batteries can be topped up from solar. I might then re-employ the cutoff switch that came with the bus and use it as a cutoff switch, passing it through the side of the battery compartment. I’m still thinking on that one. 

Other than that the bus is complete. It just needs me to tidy it, remove the non essential tools and supplies then go through some of the boxes of stuff. Most of it is probably junk and clothes that don’t fit any more. I did have a massive pile of medical books form a course I once did. Those I donated as they just couldn’t be sold. I couldn’t even get $5 for them on Craigslist! Actually the Craigslist and ebay experiences I’ve had have taught me never to buy anything I absolutely don’t need and won’t be using for the rest of my life.