Interior Restoration Project Help ?

[dboling]

I'm thinking of replacing all my 12 volt interior light bulbs with LED bulbs.
They use a lot less power and put out a brighter cleaner light than standard bulbs.

Anybody tried these yet and if so did it improve the lighting at all ?

[JerryT]

I have tried a few, I don't care for them, but I do think they will get better. The light they emit is directional, cold in color and non illuminating compared to the stock ones. I use a #67 bulb in half of my two light lights, it uses less power and I like the light better. Technology is great, waiting for it is not
JerryT

[dboling]

Yesterday, I repaired the bunk escape hatch and the broken crank window out window on the drivers side of the bunk. I called hehr international about getting the crank out window and it's frame. They said if they made the window 40 years ago their name would be on the crank, my eyes are getting pretty bad so I couldn't tell what the crank said, they also said the complete window frame would need to be pulled to get the part numbers from the edge of the frame. They did give me an estimate of $50. for the window with the frame if they were the ones that made it. Since I'm low on money and time my solution was to have some plexiglass cut and install it. I used liquid nails to glue it to the frame and window silicon to seal it. I also had some thicker plexiglass cut for the escape hatch. I fiberglassed it to the escape hatch frame and now it's a skylight.

Both these are just temporary fixes to get by until probably next year. While I was on the roof I sealed all the vent pipes and anything that looked like it might leak. I did use the proper putty sealer.

I pulled the mattress out and it's totally destroyed. The bunk is pretty wet but is drying very fast with the use of a kerosene blast heater I borrowed from my neighbor.

I did the eBay thing and found a 1/4 fuel check valve for the generater since it's been very very hard to start after I hooked it back to the fuel tank. If I put the fuel line in a 5 gallon gas can the generator starts right up.

I also pulled the muffler off so my neighbor could get a new one as it was part of the deal when I bought the Clipper from him.

Now that I have all this work done my neighbor offered me the $1500. I paid him for it. Seems he likes the Clipper way better than the huge trailer he bought.

So now all I have left before I can drive the Clipper is to install the new muffler, repair the a leaky trans cooler line and change the oil and filter for the generator and 440 Engine.

[John Eversoll]

Hi there, don't know what motor ya got but I have the 440/ and I was wisely instructed in getting FLO Masters

Mufflers installed!!!! Keeps it very quiet!!!!!! Unlike the ones I had before.  Going down hill sounded

like I was at a race track.  I remember one time I scared the crap out of some Aisian guy going down hill next

to me he must have thought that I wwas going to break down right there.. Back fire and the bangs and pops

when we got to the first rest5 stop I noticed the guy smoking a ciggerette as I pulled up I noded at him and he informed me in avery undignified way that I scared him....... I just laughed.... Well keep up the good work on that Rig.  and I just thought you might want to know about the FLO masters... John

[prophetdaniel2]

HuH,
     I love the way my poorly muffled 440 sounds! 

[John Eversoll]

  PD2 you are great, Even though the Clipper sounded like a dragster going down the grape vine....... I am glad I have the mufflers
John

[dboling]

PD2 you are great, Even though the Clipper sounded like a dragster going down the grape vine....... I am glad I have the mufflers
John

If it doesn't sound like my old 1970 Dodge Charger R/T with it's 440 hp engine, then it's just not a 440

However, I don't expect the Clipper to do 160 mph or high 12s in the quarter like the the charger did, or do I 

[dboling]

I spent the last 3 nights in the Clipper so I could really test out everything. We had a hard rain the first night so I was able to check for leaks. Everything I sealed was dry, however I found another leak. At first I thought it was rain coming in the water heater vent cover, but after a closer inspection I found it was leaking around the water heater mounting to the body. I unbolted it and got it to slide back just enough to get sealing putty around it. It must have been leaking for a long time since the mounting screws had rusted to the size needles and the holes wouldn't hold a new screw. I ended up using self taping screws and just creating new mounting holes sealing the old holes with putty.

A 9 gal propane tank just isn't big enough for me, so I installed an extend-a-stay. Took about 15 minutes to hook up. I also had to test it out, so I hooked my barbecue tank up and cooked spaghetti for dinner. I couldn't believe how hot it got inside while cooking. The extend-a-stay was a deluxe model that was supposed to have a 5' hose that goes to the extra tank and a 12' hose that goes to a barbecue, but it was missing. I called the manufacture and found the company was sold but got a phone number to call, the tech Guy (Mr. Lee) answered my questions about the product but told me to he didn't care the hose was missing and it was my fault I got the kit without the hose, he blamed the RV store for robbing the hose from the package. I might be to blame for not making sure the hose wasn't there, but most companies will make it right with no questions asked. No biggie, I'll take care of it at the RV Store.

It was pretty cold last night so it was a good test for the furnace. It worked very well, except in the middle of the night the fan was blowing cold air. I turn the Thermostat off and back on and it started producing heat again. This happened twice and I'm not sure why it happened or how to fix it.

I saw an A/C Cover on sale for $10. at the RV Store and thought it would cut down on some of the heat loss, not sure it will but it does look nice covering the A/C.

Today I change the engine oil and the generator oil. Changing the engine oil is a no brain-er, but I'm a little confused on the generator.

[John Eversoll]

Hi there dboling, Lucky you, you have a generator!!!! mine was stolen right off the lot where I bought the rig. "The day before I picked it up"
and of course they wouldn't do anything about it.
We4 have had our rig since 1993 and I must say that have been on a nascar crew I have learned to replace the oil alot more than the factory tells you to. I had 288,000 on my big block Chevelle
before I had to do a rebuild!  When I pulled one piston out the rings just fragmented and fell off the piston. " It never blew smoke either" So I change the oil every 19 to 2,000 miles nothing more.
I just wish that I could use the Chevelle as my tow car! inseted of the Vw.  "Just my masculin pride I guess"  I picked up some seats at the Local Pic UR Part this afternoon for 35.00
and will start to reupholster them next weekend.  Plus, I am going to go back next weekend they have cars that are coming in that have been turned in from that Clunkers for cash thing...
I saw a couple of fold down DVD tv's  in a couple of the bigger Saburbins... I would love to grab one of those for 40.00......I'd just put it in the over head bunkbed.
That would keep the grand kids quiet for an hour or so..
I hope to be driving the rig in 3 months. Well at least that is my goal. We see how good I feel after my surgery.
Enjoy the rig and happy Sailing. John

[dboling]

John, Sorry your generator got stolen, that really sucks...

For the past few days I've been working on things I thought I could get by with until next year, But you know how that goes.

Yesterday I ripped the dash apart from the drivers door to the passangers door, what fun.
Basically I had no wipers, heater, dash lights, radio, tach, external temp gauge and the alternator discharged with the lights on. But after lots of work all but the alternator are working in top condition or close with some needed parts to buy. I'll list those parts later and maybe somebody knows the part numbers.

Today I went for the wiring in the front engine compartment. The before picts will follow.
The wiring looked like somebody had a fetish of cutting wires and splicing them back together
Basically I rewired the everything under the hood and that fixed most of the alternator discharged problem, but I want a much bigger alternator as there is a pretty big power demand from recharging the house battery, headlights, running lights, blower fan, ect......
I'll let the pictures tell the story on the harness.

Here are the before pictures, it's to dark to get after pictures.

[prophetdaniel2]

  WOW, worse than mine even! Glad to hear its working out though, Great job!

[dboling]

WOW, worse than mine even! Glad to hear its working out though, Great job!

Thanks...

Here's a quick dark after picture, I'll get better ones tomarrow.
To give you an idea of how bad it was..., I have 2 feet of the main alternator wire and there are four butt connectors and that many different pieces of wire in between.

[prophetdaniel2]

I can tell the difference already! I wish I had the time/money/patience to perform a total wiring overhaul on my rig. I may get a good supply of wires and try for a "one wire a day" upgrade in the future. Well see! Keep up the great work and pictures!
-D

[John Eversoll]

Man!!! I am impressed!!!!!!!!

While I have the motor out I might just do the same rewire to mine!!!
You sound as if we have the same Clipper!! No dash lights over cvharging ect ect.

Plus Jerry T told me to get the Altinator with 87amps??? I will have to go back and check the page where he told me.

I plan on having the electric fridge in by end of next month.
wnd the motor.

Keep the pics coming, my daughter took my camera to the poliece Academy with her.......
Later gater, John

[prophetdaniel2]

I think you want the 78 amp alternator John. IIRC. I want one too.
-D