MCI 102-C3 coach to RV - Electrical System

[JNHEscher]

Been scouting for some more breaker box and breaker options for the PV array-charge controller disconnects because the Blue Sea (Carling) breakers I started with aren't up to the task. The Blue Sea box I have is rather overpriced and is made by Fibox, although it does come with some nifty labeling and lighting options. Solutions Direct sells Fibox and several others at much better prices, though most are DIN rail. Can't figure out where to get the plastic panel-mount panels that fit the boxes.

I have to call Midnite Solar on Tuesday to make sure that I can use their double-pole breakers as needed. If I can, they have a DIN rail breaker that should fit right into an 8x6x4 poly box. MidNite Solar Inc. Renewable Energy System Electrical Components and E-Panels

Picked out a few options.

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | PTQ-11048-C

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | PTQ-11048-C

www.solutionsdirectonline.com

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | NBF-32412

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | NBF-32412

www.solutionsdirectonline.com

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | AMP864CCL

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | AMP864CCL

www.solutionsdirectonline.com

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | H8064HCFLL

8x6x4" Polycarbonate Wall Mount Electrical Enclosure with Clear Cover | H8064HCFLL

www.solutionsdirectonline.com

 

[JNHEscher]

Bunch of stuff ordered and some already here for hooking up some power. A lot of parts are still back ordered, so I'm not sure when I'll realistically get this hooked up. Got another bus bar and an enclosure on the way.

I'm working on deciding where to place breakers, controllers, etc. Back when I had first started on installing conduits and such, I had intended for the connections between the battery bay and living quarters to travel upwards from the vicinity of the curbside battery bank. Much of the interior started to pile up on the same side, blocking where the vertical conduits would go. I moved all that over last night to make way for conduits again and started drawing in some rudimentary fittings.

The parts boxed in blue are the bottom stainless 1-1/2" flange, a 6" nipple, and a cross. I'm comparing cost, sturdiness, and ease of assembly between cast fittings and non-metallic conduit. I don't see water ingress being much of a problem at all, but nothing lasts forever. Wondering if I should make a complete run between roof and storage bay for water to drain rather than directing is straight to any electrical enclosure. I'd branch off of the main conduit wherever needed.

Breakers and charger controllers are back to being mounted in a highly visible location within the hallway. Now to figure out routing some beefy runs of cable.

 

[JNHEscher]

Messed around with potential PV cable entry locations today. Once again, I wasn't even thinking about anything lining up with the rivets, but the thought occurred to me today and there's a few spots where the flange bolt circle lines right up.

The toss-up is whether or not I want to cut into a roof rib to make room for the flange that will go on the underside of the roof or offset the entry so that it just sandwiches the roof skin and doesn't hit a rib. The skins just being aluminum around 0.070" thick is a rather flimsy area. Don't really want to place this heavy entry in a skin and create a lot of bending force. If I cut into a rib, I can center the entry in the wall, but I'll need to reinforce the rib with some plate afterwards.

 

[JNHEscher]

Added decals to all the gauges so that I could better keep track of what I'm doing. I'm going to move and resize the gauges some more. All of the circles are only for free form drawing reference.

 

[JNHEscher]

Started pushing gauge reference bodies back for depth. This is definitely different. I get told a lot to use "this program" or "that program" to make a cluster like someone else's. I look at what they drew and it's always something flat - everything on the same plane.

 

[JNHEscher]

This isn't what I'll use for the gauge cluster. I'm having fun with the design. Each curl would be a gauge dial and a needle would appear to float in the center. This cluster got a little clustered, so I'll draw one that makes each gauge more visible. The rendering looks a lot like something that Tim Burton would bring to life.