Tam n pups winter trip 2022

[Northernraider]

Tam, the rear view camera on my van can also be used for a downwards view by simply pressing a button, 1 camera is all you need surely.

Are you sure yours only has one camera? If it does it must be motorised to make it move ...which means expensive lol .

I can buy a complete kit with 2 cameras the Same as I fitted on my hymer for under £50

 

[Al n Val]

Have you taken the screws out to see?
Also far worse in sea air we live 200 yds from the beach and having spent years sailing and seen the results it does happen.
I cringe when people attach solar panels with SS seft tappers a recipe for disaster.

No I haven’t and why would I

the aluminium panel i’d say is no more than 2mm thick, each hole was countersunk to take a 4mm thread countersunk screw and bolt so i’d say the leading bottom edge of the countersunk is wafer thin. In 30 years there is no sign whatsoever of any corrosion on top and underside of the panel.

I’m pretty certain if I last another 10 years these panels will see me out and probably last another 30 years before needing any renovation.

Sometimes folk look for problems when they’re aren’t any imo

 

[TUCANO]

Are you sure yours only has one camera? If it does it must be motorised to make it move ...which means expensive lol .

I can buy a complete kit with 2 cameras the Same as I fitted on my hymer for under £50

Damn, you're right, one bit of kit but motorised, apologies master.

 

[bigtree]

View attachment 781210

I need to unscrew that solar panel to have a look underneath to see if it says what wattage it is , I'm thinking at least 175w but possibly 200w . It's been on there a long time and the brackets still seem well stuck down at least. I reckon I can put one the same size on the other side of the roof hatch and then a 3rd panel behind them.

Not sure how I'm gonna fit a reverse camera though with the bathroom being on the rear wall. Ideally I'd like 2 camera's one for rear view and one facing down for reversing.

I taped my phone to a strip of metal and took a video of the panel on my roof, got the info that I wanted.

 

[Northernraider]

I taped my phone to a strip of metal and took a video of the panel on my roof, got the info that I wanted.

View attachment 781225

Thats an idea right enough . Although I want to remove it to clean under there anyway. And make sure brackets are still well secured. . Also going to upgrade the cables

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[Northernraider]

No I haven’t and why would I

the aluminium panel i’d say is no more than 2mm thick, each hole was countersunk to take a 4mm thread countersunk screw and bolt so i’d say the leading bottom edge of the countersunk is wafer thin. In 30 years there is no sign whatsoever of any corrosion on top and underside of the panel.

I’m pretty certain if I last another 10 years these panels will see me out and probably last another 30 years before needing any renovation.

Sometimes folk look for problems when they’re aren’t any imo

Yer all boring me now with the aluminium corrosion argument lol.

It is a thing, . But steel also corrodes and as found on this van even wet wood can eventually cause the aluminium to corrode.... but I'm not replacing all the screws anyway as the van will never be perfect or like it left the factory I just need to preserve it enough fir it to last a few more years at least.

You can read about galvanic corrosion here

Galvanic corrosion between stainless steel 304 and aluminum alloy - China Solaracks

www.solaracks.com

 

[Gingernuts]

Aye I considered that. I'd still have to bolt cameras through rear wall in to bathroom though.

I’d be tempted just to glue it on with “structural adhesive” instead of making new holes!
My awning brackets are held on with adhesive and I couldn’t remove them despite trying every known to man method!!!

 

[bigtree]

Yer all boring me now with the aluminium corrosion argument lol.

It is a thing, . But steel also corrodes and as found on this van even wet wood can eventually cause the aluminium to corrode.... but I'm not replacing all the screws anyway as the van will never be perfect or like it left the factory I just need to preserve it enough fir it to last a few more years at least.

You can read about galvanic corrosion here

Galvanic corrosion between stainless steel 304 and aluminum alloy - China Solaracks

www.solaracks.com

Any dissimilar metals have a reaction, when I worked we had thermocouples that read 1000 plus degrees very accurately. Platinum/platinum rhodium.

 

[paddymcc]

When I replaced my solar panel a few years back I found out it was 120W but the same size replacement was 160W. The original was about 15 years old so I think sizes have got a little smaller for the same wattage over the years. Could have been that the older one was the less efficient sort ( poly Vs monocrystalline)?

 

[Al n Val]

Yer all boring me now with the aluminium corrosion argument lol.

I agree but it wasn’t me who started it Tam

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[Northernraider]

Tell ye what, I can't get used to this house living. That's the second night and I think I've slept maybe 5 hours , it's too warm and it's too quiet. Dogs aren't keen either lol

 

[Dutch 68]

Aye I considered that. I'd still have to bolt cameras through rear wall in to bathroom though.

No need for that, glue aluminium angle profile to roof with sikaflex, then screw camera brackets onto that

 

[Manic]

When I replaced my solar panel a few years back I found out it was 120W but the same size replacement was 160W. The original was about 15 years old so I think sizes have got a little smaller for the same wattage over the years. Could have been that the older one was the less efficient sort ( poly Vs monocrystalline)?

I had similar when I swapped mine, same size panel but original was only 65 and new was 100watt

 

[Northernraider]

No need for that, glue aluminium angle profile to roof with sikaflex, then screw camera brackets onto that

Good idea batman... although not to the roof but top of back panel should be OK. Will run cables inside conduit from rear to above wardrobe. Then through a roof gland

 

[Northernraider]

I had similar when I swapped mine, same size panel but original was only 65 and new was 100watt

Yeah this one is pretty old so it's possibly smaller. It's very thick as in depth too.
I might remove this one altogether and put 3 new ones on the camper. This one still works so might just use it for caravan

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[brysee]

Tell ye what, I can't get used to this house living. That's the second night and I think I've slept maybe 5 hours , it's too warm and it's too quiet. Dogs aren't keen either lol

Have you not got a tent to put up on the drive now you have all that room

 

[Northernraider]

Have you not got a tent to put up on the drive now you have all that room

Got a couple of caravans to view today.

 

[Northernraider]

Some of today's jobs ... multitasking

 

[Boldly]

I give in. Can't work out what the last one is.

 

[ducati 916]

I give in. Can't work out what the last one is.

cracked rear corner off tams van

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[Northernraider]

I give in. Can't work out what the last one is.

Corner of the rear bumper . It was shattered when I bought it . So trying to reconstruct it.

 

[Northernraider]

OK so its not turned out as well as I'd hoped ...but its refitted and its solid .. I now just need to fibreglass the outside of it .

 

[Boldly]

Bet you were e good at jigsaws when you were a kid

 

[Northernraider]

A wee bit better , once I've given it a skim of fibreglass on the outside and sanded etc it will work out OK.

Fan in place, bonus that the wiring is already there for it too.

And another seal replaced

 

[berni109]

Playing a blinder today Tam.
Trying to fit my semi air today and it's been showers on an off all day. Wish it would just rain and get it over with.

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[Northernraider]

Playing a blinder today Tam.
Trying to fit my semi air today and it's been showers on an off all day. Wish it would just rain and get it over with.

Aye I was lucky it stayed dry today but just had a heavy shower so ill be.nipping.out to check for leaks after dinner.

 

[Northernraider]

So far so good , all looks watertight.

 

[Northernraider]

OK guys I need insurance and breakdown advice.

I was with safeguard on the euramobil, I paid the year premium back in April. £560

With the new older van thats worth less than half and has a cat 1 alarm and immobiliser that the other one didnt they are quoting only a £2.35 refund which is a rip off ....and as its over 20 years old I no longer have breakdown cover included.

So I phoned Aib for a quote

They quote £519 for the year but no breakdown included. I can add Europe wide breakdown cover for £89 so just over £600 all in

But I wouldn't obviously get £560 back from safeguard , it would probably be less than half knowing how insurance companies work.

So I could just take the rip off price and swap cover ...but I'm still left with no breakdown cover.

So who covers older vans Europe wide over 3.5t. ?

I

 

[chaser]

OK guys I need insurance and breakdown advice.

I was with safeguard on the euramobil, I paid the year premium back in April. £560

With the new older van thats worth less than half and has a cat 1 alarm and immobiliser that the other one didnt they are quoting only a £2.35 refund which is a rip off ....and as its over 20 years old I no longer have breakdown cover included.

So I phoned Aib for a quote

They quote £519 for the year but no breakdown included. I can add Europe wide breakdown cover for £89 so just over £600 all in

But I wouldn't obviously get £560 back from safeguard , it would probably be less than half knowing how insurance companies work.

So I could just take the rip off price and swap cover ...but I'm still left with no breakdown cover.

So who covers older vans Europe wide over 3.5t. ?

I

Hardly anyone I'm afraid, I'm on the last year with ours.
They are about but take some finding.

 

[chaser]

Hardly anyone I'm afraid, I'm on the last year with ours.
They are about but take some finding.

One here that appears to.

Breakdown Cover UK and Europe I GEM Motoring Assist

Breakdown cover UK and Europe

www.motoringassist.com

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