We actually received this box quite some time ago, but I wanted to be sure I listed out everything that we’ve purchased so far so you all can see exactly what we’re putting into the renovation.
In this haul from VTS we got the following:
We decided that rather than having to reach up to the ceiling to control the A/C and heatpump that we’d put the thermostat on the wall in the living room space. Well, that and Jackie is 5’1” so reaching the ceiling wouldn’t have been easy for her.
We elected to go with the Dometic unit that is matched to our Brisk Air II A/C. It’s attractive, works great with the unit that we have and will be a great addition to our Airstream.
To get a link and learn more, click “Read More” below:
Read MoreI have a lot of electrical wiring to do. Between running the wiring for the side markers, tail lights, and license plate lights, we also need to start getting the 12VDC and the 110VAC systems in place. To do that, I figured it was time to upgrade some of my tools, connectors, etc.
Note: everything is pretty standard, but be sure to check out the cool solder infused heat-shrink connectors! They’re really cool!
To get a link and learn more, click “Read More” below:
Read MoreSince we’re starting from scratch, I needed to get a harness for the trailer lights. I’ll eventually get a hot lead from the battery in our tow vehicle back to the battery array in the Airstream but for now, this is good enough. This one comes with a nice junction box to keep everything clean and dry as well. Give it a shot!
To get a link and learn more, click “Read More” below:
Read MoreOur plan for Wally the Airstream is to have a system that will normally be on the grid, but will have significant off-grid or "boondocking" capabilities when full hook-up utilities aren't available. We have hopes of one day visiting all of the national parks where some of the remote camp sites are pretty primitive. One of the things that we need to be able to use our AC in hot environments on battery/generator power alone is a system that slowly cycles up the compressor on our air conditioner.
The EasyStart 364 does what we need. For around $300, this system installs into the air conditioner and slowly brings up the a/c compressor as to not overload your battery system, inverter, or generator. I'll be posting an installation video soon to show how it's done, but for now, I wanted to get this item on our build list!
To get a link and learn more, click “Read More” below:
Read MoreWe elected to go with the Dometic Brisk AIR II air conditioner for a couple reasons:
1) I only intend to do a single air conditioner on the Airstream. So, I knew that I wanted a 15,000 BTU unit to make sure we could keep the whole thing cool.
2) We're trying to keep the Airstream really light. The more weight, the less fuel efficient our tow vehicle will be. Further, I like the idea of being able to tow with a small SUV (Jeep Grand Cherokee)
3) This Dometic unit has a nice thermostat unit that I intend to use with it.
So, we went with this unit. It should be here in a few days. Since it's 9 billion degrees in the storage unit, don't be surprised if this is one of the first things that I install.
To get a link and learn more, click “Read More” below:
Read MoreOne of the first steps to getting Wally the Airstream up and running was to establish the power system. The Victron Multiplus is the central brain for the power system.
It has a lightning fast transfer switch to take us between shore power and our battery array, a charging circuit to keep our batteries managed appropriately, a 3000W inverter, and is all manageable from a web-based console. This this is awesome and I'm looking forward to getting it connected to my batteries, solar, and shore power!
To get a link and learn more, click “Read More” below:
Read MoreHere we detail and blog the progress of the Airstream remodel of Wally the Airstream. Wally is a 1959 28’ Airstream Overlander.
