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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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 Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2024 10:50 am Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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Added an electric water pump. Had one laying around so put it in. Installed a small waterproof switch that is not really noticeable behind the hand pump.
Old hand pump still works but the electric pump is much less work and I can fill the coffee pot in the morning without waking up the wife. 
The pump is not self priming. Works great when the tank is full but starts loosing prime when at 1/3. I may get a self priming pump to try but I am not sure the hand pump will still work. Also concerned they will be loud.
I tried to find a check valve to keep it primed but they all have too strong of a spring for the pump.
_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings) |
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BarryL 
Samba Member
Joined: November 01, 2004
Posts: 15223
Location: Casa de Oro, California
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| Posted: Fri Aug 30, 2024 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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| sgellis wrote: |
| The pump is not self priming. |
Supposedly one way the handle lays is "keep prime" while the other way is "drain back" for freezing temps. Is yours like that and still losing the prime?
| sgellis wrote: |
| Switched out the AGM battery for an 100 ah LiFePO4 group 24] |
Is the Lithium Iron battery about $700? |
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2024 3:00 pm Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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| BarryL wrote: |
| sgellis wrote: |
| The pump is not self priming. |
Supposedly one way the handle lays is "keep prime" while the other way is "drain back" for freezing temps. Is yours like that and still losing the prime?
| sgellis wrote: |
| Switched out the AGM battery for an 100 ah LiFePO4 group 24] |
Is the Lithium Iron battery about $700? |
Possibly. The hand pump is not working great so I need to take it apart and see. It has always drained back but that could just be poor quality.
Got my battery on sale for under around 300. It is a LiTime from Amazon. They are good quality but lower price. Some of the brand name ones are over priced.
_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings) |
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markham56
Samba Member
Joined: April 25, 2012
Posts: 9
Location: Knoxville
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| Posted: Wed Feb 19, 2025 4:26 pm Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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| nlorntson wrote: |
| Install the usual springs that sit between the door and the back of the wooden panel and you should be fine I'd think. |
How was this done at the factory? I'm replacing my old panels and this large gap just doesn't seem normal. I bought some springs from WW but they're not nearly strong enough. |
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2025 4:48 pm Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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Small upgrade to the solid state fridge today.
I wanted to move one fan from the cooler to the exhaust duct to improve efficiency exhausting the warm air. Also seems like a waist of good heat when the weather is cold so added a diverter flap to allow exhausting air behind front seat. I was planning to put a servo control to automate it with the heating system but didn't get around to ordering the parts. So a rod and knob on vent holds the flap in ether position. It will be awhile before we can test it in cold weather. I am curious how much difference it will make. The bus is quite well insulated and holds its heat.
The duct is printed out of PLA. It may not like the heat and I have a few tweeks to the design so will likely reprint it out of PETG and add the servo.
Also added a magnetic switch so it will notify me if the fridge drawer is not closed but will likely change that to a mechanical switch so I can tell if it is fully latched. Magnetic switch can not be set accurately enough.
I reinstalled the back panel with aluminum tape but plan to make a removable insulating panel for the back for maintenance and upgrades.
_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings) |
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2025 6:00 am Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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Moving the fan resulted in a massive increases in efficiency. We just did a 800 mile 5 day trip and fridge stayed in the 2 to 4c range. On one night stays the bus would set 18 hours without any solar. After the 100 ah battery was still at 13.2v.
On the two night stay bus set for 42 hours with 3 hours of evening solar (maybe 200w gained) the battery was at 12.9v
I did notice the fridge did not cycle off when outside temp reached 30c and on low power mode. if the outside temp rises over 30 the fridge temp will start to rise unless I let it run in high powered mode when on battery only.
Solid-state fridges are quite inefficient compared to a good compressor fridge but they are cheep, light and compact. I am quite happy with this performance in the relatively hot weather we had.
Now I will improve the seals, do a few tweaks and tidy up everything.
_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings) |
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harrywt
Samba Member
Joined: April 10, 2007
Posts: 31
Location: San Gabriel, CA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 11:36 am Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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Have you ever posted the CAD files for the cabinets? I found your work that you posted on GrabCAD but I didn't see the cabinets
| sgellis wrote: |
What I am planning will be sort of a standard layout with the addition of a small cabinet in the left front. The bench seat will fold out into a bed. Upright cabinet on right rear. Custom fridge on right front with solid-state cooling. The electrical will be in the bottom front of the left front cabinet.
This are not quite current but close.
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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sgellis
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2016
Posts: 2189
Location: SW Nova Scotia, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 6:15 am Post subject: Re: Camper interior build on a 64 Kombi |
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| sgellis wrote: |
| I am curious how much difference it will make. The bus is quite well insulated and holds its heat. |
Had a chance to test the new fridge vent diverter.
Saturday night it was down to 13c outside so I switched fridge vent to inside. Bus was 19.7c in the morning so was some help. I estimate the interior stayed 2c over what it would have been without. Not much but was the difference between comfortable and chilly.
I have all the parts to automate the flap. Maybe I will get that done for next year.
_________________
My 64 Kombi restoration
My camper interior build
My 54 standard restoration
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (YouTube)
The Nova Scotian Barndoor (CAD drawings) |
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