- Thread starter
- #281
Plumbed the vent for the terlet, moved the battery down to my new, larger, sparky cabinet, and tore down the dividing wall to reframe it flat.
The Moonshine Motel (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter GLTHFJ60
- Start date
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fourtrax
SILVER Star
do you need some 1" thick foam for the walls? i have a few sheets left over from the shop build.
- Thread starter
- #283
Sadly what I need at this point is 3/4". Thank you though.
fourtrax
SILVER Star
YOU CAN ALWAYS SAND IT THINNER 
Fort Knox
SILVER Star
Mental note.... Do not set up my tent near the driver's side of the Motel.
- Thread starter
- #286
This is as far as I'll go for now. I need to convert the AC to ducted and route it through this wall at the top, at which point I'll finish framing this out. Need to put a 12v wire in for the terlet and I'll be good to go.
- Thread starter
- #287
Final update before gsmtr. Some decoration up as well.
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Zjohnsonua
SILVER Star
This thing is legitimately nicer than many hostels I've stayed in.
S4Cruiser
SILVER Star
I especially like the s***ter close to the bed…only so far one can wonder in a drunken slumber!!
- Thread starter
- #290
Just kidding. Wired in the 240v outlet to the Ac pass through port on my inverter. Now I can weld using the diesel genny
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2012
- Threads
- 484
- Messages
- 14,242
- Location
- Winter Park, Florida
- Website
- www.cruisermatts.com
can't wait to get drunk in your trailer
You know, if you were smart you’d just go ahead and install a kegerator.
- Thread starter
- #293
#gsmtr2022
kevin in okinawa
SILVER Star
it's really taking shape now!
lt1fire
SILVER Star
Looking good
- Thread starter
- #296
What a ****in week it was. Had some struggles in the beginning, but got it all sorted out. Notes:
1. Honda 2200i will run the rooftop AC in the upper 90s ambient heat, but it's running full tilt. The inverter has to be adjusted to pull 19.5A out of it for this to work (which it will do 100% of the time)
2. Even though the LiFePO4 BMS is configured for 120a peak current, it won't cut off for 320ms, and for that duration, the inverter will pull over 200a of juice from the battery (BMS short circuit instant cutoff is configured at ~320a). This oversight fried 5 ANL style fuses before I figured it out. I built "Ol Reliable", a strip of 1/8" steel cut in the shape of an ANL fuse, to prevent any future blown fuses. The BMS still does its job of protecting the battery array and cables.
3. LiFePO4 array can charge at 120a constant, but it causes major cell imbalances in the array, which causes BMS protection events. That took a while to figure out. At the moment, I have the inverter configured to charge the array at 50a, which seems to be a good balance between charging speed and maintaining cell balance.
4. The diesel genny is killer. It's not very loud inside when running, no earplugs necessary to fall asleep. In fact, it's less annoying than the honda running at full tilt. We used the diesel genny overnight 4 nights in a row and it was amazing. Burns about 1/3gal of diesel per hour running the AC and keeping the LiFePO4 array topped up.
5. The diesel genny will output 25a (breaker at 25a), but this is insufficient for welders. The inverter will use the Power Assist feature and momentarily (less than 320ms) pull about 200a from the LiFePO4 array every time the arc starts on the welder. After arc start, load from the welder is only 15-20a, meaning the diesel genny can supply all of it.
6. There's something up with the circuit for the external outlet on the motel. If I have a fan or light connected to it, no problem, but connect a grinder to it, and the inverter trips off. Doesn't make much sense. Grinders work perfectly fine on all other outlets. Is there such a thing as a load-based romex short?
7. On @Hokie LX 's recommendation, bought a drum fan to create some circulation while hanging out outside the motel, and holy s*** was that a gamechanger. 11/10.
8. @Hokie LX and I came up with a sun shade idea using a Slumberjack Roadhouse vehicle tarp, which worked very very well. Expands the shaded area under the awning by 100% or so, makes a ton more room.
In short, the motel is amazing. Best trip yet. The rooftop AC wasn't blowing as hard on the last day as it was the rest of the week, but it's still working for now. Still want to put a second LiFePO4 array in for more capacity and load absorbance, but that can come later.
^^ After this, we figured out we could put another vertical post up on the near side to give even more room.
Sick shot by @Hokie LX . Love the palm tree, and the fake grass did a great job keeping the dirt out of the motel throughout the week. Also a convenient place to swap boots for flip flops at the end of the day.
Random morning shot, reppin ONSC right in front of the pavilion:
Ol Reliable.
@Zjohnsonua using the miller @AJR brought off of the motel power:
Big ol fire later that night with @UZJ105 @AJR @Fort Knox @aquatech3 @IcutYourCruiser @Hokie LX
1. Honda 2200i will run the rooftop AC in the upper 90s ambient heat, but it's running full tilt. The inverter has to be adjusted to pull 19.5A out of it for this to work (which it will do 100% of the time)
2. Even though the LiFePO4 BMS is configured for 120a peak current, it won't cut off for 320ms, and for that duration, the inverter will pull over 200a of juice from the battery (BMS short circuit instant cutoff is configured at ~320a). This oversight fried 5 ANL style fuses before I figured it out. I built "Ol Reliable", a strip of 1/8" steel cut in the shape of an ANL fuse, to prevent any future blown fuses. The BMS still does its job of protecting the battery array and cables.
3. LiFePO4 array can charge at 120a constant, but it causes major cell imbalances in the array, which causes BMS protection events. That took a while to figure out. At the moment, I have the inverter configured to charge the array at 50a, which seems to be a good balance between charging speed and maintaining cell balance.
4. The diesel genny is killer. It's not very loud inside when running, no earplugs necessary to fall asleep. In fact, it's less annoying than the honda running at full tilt. We used the diesel genny overnight 4 nights in a row and it was amazing. Burns about 1/3gal of diesel per hour running the AC and keeping the LiFePO4 array topped up.
5. The diesel genny will output 25a (breaker at 25a), but this is insufficient for welders. The inverter will use the Power Assist feature and momentarily (less than 320ms) pull about 200a from the LiFePO4 array every time the arc starts on the welder. After arc start, load from the welder is only 15-20a, meaning the diesel genny can supply all of it.
6. There's something up with the circuit for the external outlet on the motel. If I have a fan or light connected to it, no problem, but connect a grinder to it, and the inverter trips off. Doesn't make much sense. Grinders work perfectly fine on all other outlets. Is there such a thing as a load-based romex short?
7. On @Hokie LX 's recommendation, bought a drum fan to create some circulation while hanging out outside the motel, and holy s*** was that a gamechanger. 11/10.
8. @Hokie LX and I came up with a sun shade idea using a Slumberjack Roadhouse vehicle tarp, which worked very very well. Expands the shaded area under the awning by 100% or so, makes a ton more room.
In short, the motel is amazing. Best trip yet. The rooftop AC wasn't blowing as hard on the last day as it was the rest of the week, but it's still working for now. Still want to put a second LiFePO4 array in for more capacity and load absorbance, but that can come later.
^^ After this, we figured out we could put another vertical post up on the near side to give even more room.
Sick shot by @Hokie LX . Love the palm tree, and the fake grass did a great job keeping the dirt out of the motel throughout the week. Also a convenient place to swap boots for flip flops at the end of the day.
Random morning shot, reppin ONSC right in front of the pavilion:
Ol Reliable.
@Zjohnsonua using the miller @AJR brought off of the motel power:
Big ol fire later that night with @UZJ105 @AJR @Fort Knox @aquatech3 @IcutYourCruiser @Hokie LX
Last edited:
Hokie LX
SILVER Star
Hell of a trip and the motel was awesome to stay in!
How’d those Airbnb reviews turn out?
- Thread starter
- #298
I haven't read them yet!! Dangit, have to finish unpacking.
Have you plugged any 3-prong devices into the outside outlet other than the grinder? I'm thinking the ground lug could be broken. Easy enough to test, but do it with a device, not a meter.
Looks great. Fan and extra tarp for the win.
Looks great. Fan and extra tarp for the win.
Johnny,
Here's a suggestion to up your outdoor carpet game. Get one or two of these plastic straw mats. If it happens to be a rainy weekend, they don't hold water like fake grass does. They are light weight, easy to shake clean and you can stake them down at the corners to keep from tripping over them. I switched away from fake grass carpet with my Airstream a few years ago and never looked back.
Amazon product ASIN B0043063JU
Here's a suggestion to up your outdoor carpet game. Get one or two of these plastic straw mats. If it happens to be a rainy weekend, they don't hold water like fake grass does. They are light weight, easy to shake clean and you can stake them down at the corners to keep from tripping over them. I switched away from fake grass carpet with my Airstream a few years ago and never looked back.
Amazon product ASIN B0043063JU
