How do I use 120V/1200 watt appliances in '67 Westy?

[stephenmullens]

I'm planning to use a 2nd battery (deep cell) to run my lights and stereo, and an inverter so I can have 120V power to plug into. Ideally I'd like to run my automatic espresso machine in the bus which is a 120V/1200 watt device.

Have any of you set up your bus to run high watt appliances effectively and if so what's your set up?

Thanks.

[Bursch]

[stephenmullens]

[RINC]

I thought about that for my Westy. Then I decided that it would not be roughing it.

[Type2meister]

Looks like you're going to have to go for one of these:

(stovetop espresso maker)
and one of these:

(Coleman camping stove)

[stephenmullens]

[TimGud]

[stephenmullens]

Ehem, uh, duh, I knew that

[Hiramhaus]

Better not choose a machine like this:

better off with somthing like this?:

I am going to put an espresso machine in my bus, as thats the business I am in - espresso machines. Although I plan on mobile vending so I will plug in when I get to my desired location. I do believe I would like to run a laptop and epresso machine *and grinder*. Maybe a blender and a refridgerator. Of course I wont be using the short bus for that.


mike

check this out - same thing but air cooled would be nice

_________________
1969 Ghia
2016 Audi Q3

[stephenmullens]

I was hoping to take our automatic espresso machine we use at home on the bus trips. It's small and light weight and uses coffee pods...very tidy and the coffee is really good:

[RINC]

The LBB will have a coffee truck out at BBB11.

No cowboy coffee for us !!!

Although water boiled on the fire then into the french press is purdy good.

[Nitty]

Chemex and a small backpacking stove . . . good joe and easy to clean up.

[Major Woody]

The setup on our 67 Westy uses a deep cycle (yellow top) optima with an inverter. The inverter is intended to keep very small AC appliances going and to provide continuous power to the icebox, which we converted to a mini-fridge by installing a thermoelectric unit and fan on top of the icebox compartment behind the little drawer. We cannot run high-current appliances unless we are in a campground hooked up to line current, or if the engine is running. They just place too much draw on the battery, and I did not want to have an auxiliary battery inside the bus.
HOWEVER, when the bus is connected to campground (line) voltage, the inverter is taken out of the circuit by a 120V DPST relay and the optima receives a charge as well. Then you can pull fifteen amps.

Replaced the stock generator/voltage reg with a "super 75" alternator and a battery isolator. Everything is hidden except the alternator and the second battery.

[RINC]

My Westy is a far cry from the POS 61 Sundial I owned.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

[Major Woody]

The batteries are hooked to a 60 amp Intelli-Power unit (far left in photo below) that charges the auxiliary battery only, through the battery isolator (far right).

There is an Iota automatic transfer switch (second from right--basically a very fancy, high-current DPDT relay that automatically cuts off the inverter when the bus is hooked up to shore power).

The inverter (yellow box in center--700W continuous/1200W surge) is turned on and off manually, as one might not want it running during campouts without hookups. I would rather have the second battery available for the gas heater, the interior lights, and the fridge. When camping without hookups for an extended period, one would also opt for using a block of ice in the fridge and turning that off as well.

During the winter months, the bus can be left plugged in all the time and the Intelli-Power unit will monitor the status of the auxuilary battery and charge/condition it as needed.

There is no need to do anything with the main battery, because the only load on it when the bus is not running is the alarm.

The little gizmos mounted on the extreme right are the accessory fusebox and the control relay for the gas heater.

For those of you on "hack alert", I only drilled one hole in the floor of the bus for all of this.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Very nice Woody!
Will be doing something kind of similar at some point.
I should be getting my 2,000 watt inverter sometime this week.

For the overcharging, I already have an "intelligent" battery conditioner (trickle charger) hooked up to the bus to keep the starting battery charged.
I think I'll just bring it with me and hook it up, positive to the alternator output and negative at the battery ground. That way it should charge up both batteries, but not overcharge (theoretically).
_________________
"Saying what we think gives us a wider conversational range than saying what we know."
~ Cullen Hightower

(T)exas (C)oalition (B)uses
(H)eidenhammer (B)ully (B)oyz

--1966 De Luxe Camper

[BarryL]

[my65vert]

whats the best way to run dual batteries in a bus? My sons bus, the paddywagen has tons of electrical shit in it and Id like to install a second battery for it.

Id like to run his stereo system,airride compressor,and fog lights off the second battery.

also, how would I do it so that those things are only pulling power from just the second battery?

I plan on the second battery going in the drivers side of the engine compartment.
_________________
OGJHC
Kombisutra;
I'm starting to get little wafts of bus stink coming from the north. Something about the unique scent of drivers seat padding when it's glued together with mouse piss and shit that really gets me going... and I'm smelling it! Oh yeah! Time to start loading up the equipment.

[Major Woody]