Electrifying Installation

 

Day 21: External power adapter installed.  This adaptor adds 30 amps of current from shore power!  Shore power will be our major source of battery re-charge and the only time we can actually run the AC unit.  More importantly it means we can finally get the electrics installed.

Batteries installed and connected.  Yeah I know this looks weird but I clean it up later.  The inch thick cable was a mistake and a pain to work with

Here is a better view of the battery box.  The 2000 Watt inverter is mounted to the back wall with its vent fans stuck out the back.  This arrangement gives it ample space to dissipate heat as there is close to a foot, 30.48 cm for those of you not subject to the idiotic imperial system, between the vent fans and the back doors.  

Clear view of the Orange shore power wires protruding into the distribution panel.  The combo 30 Amp/20 Amp breaker is installed and about to be clamped tight to the shore power wires.  The panel layout is AC power to the left and DC power to the right.

This is the diagram of the panel from its manual.  Seeing the wires go in place makes the diagram much more readable.  Well that and having an expert explain the works in tiny words that I could understand or at least google.

This is a much later view after many more circuits have been installed.  The last AC circuit installed required shifting all circuits one breaker spot to the right.  Well it was not absolutely necessary, the right shift gave cleaner looking results and much easier to trace where a wire is coming from and where it is going.  The last circuit is for the induction stove which requires a 20 amp breaker and luckily I just happen to have one from the original install.

Labeling is extremely important and since my hand writing is next level encryption.  Pulled out the label machine and started cranking them out.  Ran out of label stock before I could finish.  Oddly enough I can not order just one cassette of labels.  The minimum is 3.  The last cassette lasted almost 10 years!  This delivery should out live our grand children.

Electricals installed and wires pulled and labeled for each appliance or other purpose.  Before cabinets can be built and installed the wires are just wrapped and strapped to the walls awaiting the build to catch  up with them.

 

This is a view of the electrical cabinet from the back door.  The inverter's vent fans are visible to the left.  The sleek outer cover of the electrical distribution panel is the black box near the top of the wall.  This wall was originally a stand-alone structure but eventually it became integrated into the garage cabinet support structures.

With our trip planned departure date looming in the near future the build turns to turning the van into a sleeper.