My toy hauler thread

[supermanotorious]

Man, you really should learn how to lay a decent weld bead.

Denny

I know, I know, there is some undercut, that plus the length of the laps, you can tell I was moving too quickly. Thanks for noticing Denny.

Lol. If only mine looked half as good as that

Practice, practice, practice. And a Lincoln 210 MP with 75/25 gas

 

[J_Walker]

I wish I could get some practice in on some TIG.. the only thing I have a hard time with is forgetting to purge the gas for a second, and either running too cold or too hot. [yeah I know there's a chart on most machines...] oh and the foot pedal takes some adjusting too.

 

[supermanotorious]

I worked my tail off today. Re-installed one side of the bed rails then pulled the other, primered and painted it. Then I decided to weld the new, front leveling jacks and the new extra anti-sway ball to the trailer frame. Cleaned and hit those with paint once they cooled. I also relocated the trailer's emergency brake switch since it was in the way of the anti-sway ball.

Then I decided to get in to the inverter project. I installed a mounting board then put it on. I ran the 110V and remote wire, fishing the remote wire up the wall and flush mounted the inverter remote in the TV cabinet space.

I am exhausted lol.

 

[supermanotorious]

more pics!

 

[J_Walker]

What paint do you use?

 

[supermanotorious]

Rustoleum automotive rattle can. I follow the directions to a "tee" in most applications and when I do, the results are professional (clean with TSP, primer, sand, spray light coats several minutes apart). I have deviated from them time to time and the work shows it. For example, spraying when it's too cold outside or not prepping with primer.

 

[J_Walker]

You use rustoleum primer too? Only reason why I'm asking, is im a fan of rusto matte colors [I add gloss through my clear] and It seems like either im doing something REALLY wrong or the paints coming off. I live in humid area, things tend to take longer to dry.

but I ALWAYS have an issue with rusto primer and color.. For example. Paint a piece of freshly cleaned sheet steel, the whole nine yards, sand, degrease, delint, spray the primer. Let the primer cure, because I normally sand it down and spray another coat, and let that cure [24 hours for "cure"] then spray my color, and clear following normal directions. but I always have bonding issues between the color and the primer, the paint will chip off in little chips with zero warning. maybe a mm across in size, leaving the primer just fine underneath NEVER takes the primer with it. I assume its bad bonding.. but I don't know maybe I am doing something wrong..

but I've been in the spray paint game for years now myself.. I know pretty much what I can and cant mix from things off the shelf. for a really good looking finish. this primer issue has come about with my motorcycle gas tank mainly and some other stuff.

Rusto Primer
Rusto Matte color
Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane - gloss

I tested it before hand following the same directions but I did it on a small piece and it never chipped like this because it just saw "lab" test not real world.. but I soaked the SOB in 98 octane gasoline for 3 days straight and it never lifted or peeled and I wacked it with a hammer for flexibility testing, and it didn't flake or chip like the paint had lost its stretch. [**** yeah that spar urethane stuff is the strength of it all.]

For indoor stuff that isn't wood and I just want it painted with decent durability, lets assume like a metal PC case or something along those lines.

Krylon primer.
Rusto Matte color
Krylon crystal clear acrylic [actually starting to get hard to find for some weird reason.]

Never had a problem with those. Ever.. and has pretty decent durability despite the whole "acrylic clear over enamel color" it deals with heat pretty darn well within a reasonable factor. and doesn't yellow in sunlight.

Oh and while I'm fanboying over paint.
POR15 for all your in-da-gastank needs...
And any quality truck bed liner junk you can find for spraying inside wheel wells, underneath your junker car to keep it from rusting. underneath a gokart to protect it from rocks and sand and sticks.

 

[supermanotorious]

Yes, I do use Rustoleum automotive primer, usually gray because it sands easily and smoothly. The white lays on like a gloss and is difficult to sand. The black is in between the 2.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Yes, I do use Rustoleum automotive primer, usually gray because it sands easily and smoothly. The white lays on like a gloss and is difficult to sand. The black is in between the 2.

I concur.

 

[J_Walker]

Yes, I do use Rustoleum automotive primer, usually gray because it sands easily and smoothly. The white lays on like a gloss and is difficult to sand. The black is in between the 2.

Grey is what I used on the gastank.. idk maybe its something else... maybe moisture accumulated in the primer from the humidity and when I sprayed it caused adhesion problems.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Wait!!! What? Apparently, this is a thread crossover....(I'm trying to figure out where, when, and how this gas tank issue occurred????

 

[supermanotorious]

don't worry, as soon as I work on the hauler and snap a few more pics we'll be right back on track!

but wait! here is an electrical question. I got the inverter installed and tested it out, works good. The bad: the inverter has to be "on" to pass 110V power through which means it is placing a small drain on the batteries at all times. It would be better to pass 110V through without using the inverter at all so I hear a DPDT switch can do just that.

I assume I'll need a 30amp switch since the trailer requires min 30 amp service to run A/C and everything else and the power will pass through this switch, what do you think about this switch and my understanding of how to tie it in?

 

[J_Walker]

Wait!!! What? Apparently, this is a thread crossover....(I'm trying to figure out where, when, and how this gas tank issue occurred????

I was talking about the paint he was using cause I had issues with mine. An example of a failed paintjob of mine was my gastank. is all. was just curious.

---------- Post added at 06:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:03 PM ----------

don't worry, as soon as I work on the hauler and snap a few more pics we'll be right back on track!

but wait! here is an electrical question. I got the inverter installed and tested it out, works good. The bad: the inverter has to be "on" to pass 110V power through which means it is placing a small drain on the batteries at all times. It would be better to pass 110V through without using the inverter at all so I hear a DPDT switch can do just that.

I assume I'll need a 30amp switch since the trailer requires min 30 amp service to run A/C and everything else and the power will pass through this switch, what do you think about this switch and my understanding of how to tie it in?

I'm confused by your question. So the inverter [DC to AC current] needs to be "ON" [power running through] in order for you to get your 110v power supply at your outlets.

are you asking if you installed a DPDT switch BEFORE the inverter?? or after? If its AFTER the inverter, it will still have some drain I believe. I think you need to install it in front. if that's what your drawing shows, then yeah that's right.

also I'd do the DPDT switch a few amps above your highest load [I'm sure its the A/C unit. and any running appliance]

 

[supermanotorious]

since the inverter completely interrupts the 110v IN and only passes it through when "ON" I'd like to bypass it totally if connected to shore power. That and the fact I ran 12ga wire from the incoming power gang box to the inverter, then 12ga back to the 10ga original wire, 12ga not being suited for 30amp.

 

[supermanotorious]

fixing the bed turned out to be a huge PITA but I got it! I tried several different solutions like larger wheels, custom large diameter washers out of HDPE, but what seems to work the best is simply spacing the existing wheels outward so that the opposite side hits the bracket before the other side has the opportunity to try to jump the track. I made the spacers out of HDPE and its pretty slick. I could probably afford to take out 1 spacer on each side but I'm good.

 

[chancer]

Glad you figured out the bed casters. PITA... probably. but just a little ingenuity (no help from us) and Bam! nice job. I think we just collectively had no experience with these to lend ideas.

 

[supermanotorious]

no worries, you can see from the pictures, the caster is not centered in the track, I think that would help make smoother operation but now I know why there are 2 sets of holes along the under bed frame for the rails, someone likely stripped the original set and thought they could just move it down a half inch and re-secure it, rather than trying to repair stripped screw holes, I might just drill an additional hole in the mounting tab so the caster position is adjustable

I may not be done fooling around with this bed after all but dammit- it's ready for Yosemite so I ain't touchin it till we get back.

 

[supermanotorious]

I am really struggling with the DPDT switch thinking and with the inverter install in general. Ok, so shore power comes in to the CONVERTER which enables the 110v outlets but also creates 12V to recharge the batteries and run 12V appliances. The INVERTER turns 12V battery power in to 110v but is not powerful enough to run an A/C or a microwave.

I know some people like to wire the inverter to a dedicated outlet but I basically want everything (capable) existing in the RV to go live when the INVERTER is doing its thing. I DO NOT want the INVERTER powering the CONVERTER to recharge the batteries powering the INVERTER. A previous owner installed a push/pull switch (think of your old school truck hi-beam switch) that interrupts the battery bank connection to the CONVERTER.

I believe that turning the switch "off" would prevent the loop BUT even if I forgot to turn the switch off, I would not damage anything but I would be unnecessarily running down the batteries.

Now my 2 safety concerns: A) Using the DPDT switch as configured above, wouldn't I eliminate the possibility of sending shore AND inverter power to the CONVERTER? and B) If I tried to run the A/C while on INVERTER power, I would send the INVERTER in to overload mode but wouldn't damage anything?

If my assumptions are correct, and I remember to disconnect the battery(ies) from the CONVERTER, is there any problem wiring the INVERTER to the CONVERTER? Maybe some efficiency loss since the CONVERTER powers the 12V appliances?

 

[J_Walker]

I am really struggling with the DPDT switch thinking and with the inverter install in general. Ok, so shore power comes in to the CONVERTER which enables the 110v outlets but also creates 12V to recharge the batteries and run 12V appliances. The INVERTER turns 12V battery power in to 110v but is not powerful enough to run an A/C or a microwave.

I know some people like to wire the inverter to a dedicated outlet but I basically want everything (capable) existing in the RV to go live when the INVERTER is doing its thing. I DO NOT want the INVERTER powering the CONVERTER to recharge the batteries powering the INVERTER. A previous owner installed a push/pull switch (think of your old school truck hi-beam switch) that interrupts the battery bank connection to the CONVERTER.

I believe that turning the switch "off" would prevent the loop BUT even if I forgot to turn the switch off, I would not damage anything but I would be unnecessarily running down the batteries.

Now my 2 safety concerns: A) Using the DPDT switch as configured above, wouldn't I eliminate the possibility of sending shore AND inverter power to the CONVERTER? and B) If I tried to run the A/C while on INVERTER power, I would send the INVERTER in to overload mode but wouldn't damage anything?

If my assumptions are correct, and I remember to disconnect the battery(ies) from the CONVERTER, is there any problem wiring the INVERTER to the CONVERTER? Maybe some efficiency loss since the CONVERTER powers the 12V appliances?

Why couldn't you install a transformer after the inverter?

 

[supermanotorious]

I dont even know what a transformer is unless its an autobot or decepticon