How I get up on my roof..

[simsy56]

I’ve done more then my 35yrs work for my full pension that I’ll get in 3 years time and once even had an argument with an advisor in a job centre as he kept telling me you don’t want a job as you’ll get more on disability benefits…

Believe it or not I have to be assessed every 5 years for my DLA to make sure I’m still disable… and I know people that are running around that have got it for life with no assessments…

Respect Garry, I am only half as bad as you with one leg amputated, and I would be no good at an arse kicking competition, yet I have to be assessed every 3 years to see 'if my situation has improved' . Strangely it hasn't....and I don't qualify for DLA, because, and I quote, 'I am not disabled enough' all I get is a blue badge.

Craig

 

[Just smiffy]

Not wanting to be picky. But the fuses are there to protect the cables. You really should have one on all the red cables coming off the positive terminal as close to the battery as possible.
It looks like two of the cables are not fused. If one of these shorts it could cause a fire or a big bang. If they were fused it would blow and protect you.

I personally even fuse the interconnect between two batteries but I am possibly going too far on that. But my fear was if a cell in the one battery goes closed circuit it could cause a lot of current to flow from the still good battery heating up the cable a LOT.

Just my thoughts. I hope you don't mind.

PS: Also are the batteries clamped down somehow? If not think about where they would go if you had an accident and rolled over or flipped etc? If they can't get to the driver/passenger seat then not too much of an issue. But if in any accident they could break free and smack you in the back of the head????

I don’t mind comments at all @Gromett…
I have fuses on the main outputs/inputs, solar and inverter, the rest of the wires are fused at the cbe as that’s where they all go too and not much pull is going through them. I haven’t fused between the batteries as I haven’t seen that to be advisable so I’ll look into that.
I have some straps on order for the batteries but I fear there only going to screw down into a wooden floor so will only offer little resistance but if they did want to break free then they have to go through the fridge/freezer wardrobe shower/toilet and the seat back, so once the cassette hits me it’s the fridge I’ll worry about..

 

[Just smiffy]

Respect Garry, I am only half as bad as you with one leg amputated, and I would be no good at an arse kicking competition, yet I have to be assessed every 3 years to see 'if my situation has improved' . Strangely it hasn't....and I don't qualify for DLA, because, and I quote, 'I am not disabled enough' all I get is a blue badge.

Craig

It’s really ridiculous some times isn’t it, there were times when I didn’t get DLA as well as when I did wear artificial legs “I could walk” so didn’t get it…. But I couldn’t do my job properly (heavy engineering) while wearing them plus because of constant problems with one of my stumps and the artificial leg they cut another 8 inches off.. and then I didn’t get on with it at all as I couldn’t do what I needed to do at work whilst wearing it…

But then of course I could have just sat on my arse all my life watching Jeremy Kyle….

 

[Gromett]

I don’t mind comments at all @Gromett…
I have fuses on the main outputs/inputs, solar and inverter, the rest of the wires are fused at the cbe as that’s where they all go too and not much pull is going through them. I haven’t fused between the batteries as I haven’t seen that to be advisable so I’ll look into that.
I have some straps on order for the batteries but I fear there only going to screw down into a wooden floor so will only offer little resistance but if they did want to break free then they have to go through the fridge/freezer wardrobe shower/toilet and the seat back, so once the cassette hits me it’s the fridge I’ll worry about..

A fuse should be as close as possible to anything that generates or output a voltage. In this case the battery.
Basically if that wire that disappears down the side was to get damaged and short to ground there is nothing stopping that cable drawing the maximum amount of current the battery is capable of providing. This will be more than the cable can handle and it will get very hot and burn or set fire to things around it.

The interlink cable also runs right next to the negative terminal of the other battery. I am assuming you move this and it is only there so it is not in the way. If you were to leave it there it may be possible for the vibration to cause the negative terminal to wear through the red cables insulation. Not a good result there. Unlikely but possible. I prefer to handle stuff like that up front. When it comes to electrics I prefer to change the possible to impossible wherever I can

 

[Gromett]

Just smiffy just added a link to a video in the above. but seems you saw the post before I got adding it. Here it is. a fuse in the wire would have prevented the smoke.

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[bobnick]

Bit late to the party but massive respect Smiffy.
Makes a change from these wingeing bastards that cannot/won't do anything for themselves but are perfectly capable.
I wanna buy you a pint.

 

[davidroxburgh]

Garry you did an amazing job. It looks like you are getting the van really sorted.

Once recovered will you be off or is there still stuff to do? David

 

[Gerry77]

Well, all credit to you for your determination to do your own mods/additions. Im 77 and do all my own work on our Hymer but I do sometimes have to find out the easiest method for me even. I assume like me you get satisfaction from doing it yourself besides the £’s saved. Total admiration and as Thursday says in Endeavour “Mind how you go” !

 

[Just smiffy]

Garry you did an amazing job. It looks like you are getting the van really sorted.

Once recovered will you be off or is there still stuff to do? David

Hopefully off at the end of this month David, still a few little bits to do…

 

[Wightman]

Wired it all up today….

View attachment 740720

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I know it doesn’t look pretty Lenny but I’ve got a little tidying to do but it’s all working a treat…

View attachment 740723

Hi Garry

Brilliant job done there mate, very well done

Would have prefered to have seen self amalgamating tape instead of baco foil and it's same colour as leads also nice to see you've used proper cable gland box but isn't it "wrong way round"? I thought cables should come out "downwind" whereas yours look to be facing forward - apologies if I've not read the photo correctly

Great work and keep us posted with future upgrades/mods

Kindest Regards

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[Minxy]

nice to see you've used proper cable gland box but isn't it "wrong way round"? I thought cables should come out "downwind" whereas yours look to be facing forward - apologies if I've not read the photo correctly

More bacofoil needed!

 

[Just smiffy]

Hi Garry

Brilliant job done there mate, very well done

Would have prefered to have seen self amalgamating tape instead of baco foil and it's same colour as leads also nice to see you've used proper cable gland box but isn't it "wrong way round"? I thought cables should come out "downwind" whereas yours look to be facing forward - apologies if I've not read the photo correctly

Great work and keep us posted with future upgrades/mods

Kindest Regards

It’s not baco foil… and yes the gland would be better the other way round but that would mean the cables going down the van more and bending round… the gland is in the best position for the wires feeding into the van..

 

[Northernraider]

I'm one of those who's had the pleasure of meeting you , and although we had interacted online over a good few months before meeting you I had absolutely no idea that you used a chair etc . I remember arriving at the aire in France and seeing someone coming towards me in a chair and having no idea it was yourself. Then when I saw how you moved around the hymer you had at the time and how independent you were I remember feeling very impressed and quite humbled actually. There are many many able bodied people who refuse to try and do anything for themselves and take for granted the things that come easy to them.

All I can sat is well done that man

It certainly beats bumming around

 

[Northernraider]

No, they should take away the benefits of those who say they will not take a manual job 'because they have a degree in media studies'

BTW did Blair ('education, education and education') ever have a manual job?

This is unfortunately the sad thing , someone disabled manages to do a job for themselves , someone reports it and the system says the person should be working.

I've a friend who had this happen, he has back trouble , he gave up waiting for council to repair his guttering so after months he did it himself ...took him 4 hours and he was on his back for 2 weeks afterwards . But a nosey neighbour took photos, reported him and his disability benefit got stopped for 6 weeks while they did an investigation. And then they sent him to a doctor of their choice for an intensive examination to determine if he was entitled or not.

 

[TheBig1]

It’s not baco foil… and yes the gland would be better the other way round but that would mean the cables going down the van more and bending round… the gland is in the best position for the wires feeding into the van..

You could always get a mini spoiler 3d printed that diverts driven rain up and over the gland

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[Minxy]

You could always get a mini spoiler 3d printed that diverts driven rain up and over the gland

Tupperware tub ...

 

[barsteward]

I take my cap off to you Smiffy.

There were times though during that video when I thought it was a multi story bicycle park,
my front wheel would have slotted in beautifully.

 

[Michael Rennison]

Absolutely Amazing

 

[Lenny HB]

I'm one of those who's had the pleasure of meeting you , and although we had interacted online over a good few months before meeting you I had absolutely no idea that you used a chair etc . I remember arriving at the aire in France and seeing someone coming towards me in a chair and having no idea it was yourself. Then when I saw how you moved around the hymer you had at the time and how independent you were I remember feeling very impressed and quite humbled actually. There are many many able bodied people who refuse to try and do anything for themselves and take for granted the things that come easy to them.

All I can sat is well done that man

It certainly beats bumming around

A similar experience to me and was also in France.

 

[Gromett]

It's just clicked. We interact quite regularly on multiple thread including my twitter thread. I didn't realise and apologise.

However... you still haven't answered my question. How the feck did you put the scaffolding up. Curious minds are seriously impressed and incredibly nosey

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[TUCANO]

Just smiffy
Can I suggest that you change your forum name to
Just Awesome.

 

[Just smiffy]

I don’t understand why your apologising Karl… Gromett

It came in sections and you just build it up as you go up…

I used to use a ladder but got the scaffolding as I knew I would use it a lot and it would be safer…

On an older van I had I could get up the ladder and through the sky light but on this van there too small..

 

[ManTheVan]

Amazing! Long may the sun shine for you!

 

[Outdoors Dad]

Wired it all up today….

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View attachment 740725

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I know it doesn’t look pretty Lenny but I’ve got a little tidying to do but it’s all working a treat…

View attachment 740723

Some very neat work there mate, if you lived closer I'd be asking for some help on my van electrics. How do you rate the renogy inverter?

 

[Northernraider]

I don’t understand why your apologising Karl… Gromett

It came in sections and you just build it up as you go up…

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I used to use a ladder but got the scaffolding as I knew I would use it a lot and it would be safer…

On an older van I had I could get up the ladder and through the sky light but on this van there too small..

View attachment 742062

I did that on my frankia only the skylight was automatic closing if it detected any moisture whatsoever and I got trapped on the roof once had to get the postman to help

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[Northernraider]

Just smiffy you need to check out this guy ...and once you've practiced you can give us a show

 

[Just smiffy]

Just smiffy you need to check out this guy ...and once you've practiced you can give us a show

I used to do far worse in an old nhs chair in my younger days and the scars to prove it…

Too old for that stuff now although I’ve done some dodgy things on my electric trike…