3rd 180 mod - furnace heat deflector - R-pod Owners Forum

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Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 9:53am

Thanks for the ideas Steph & OG & GG

Plan to tackle this one today, Going to try a smaller wire first, for this trip, Didn't even think of that, I used #2 wire That came with a winch package. the guys on the overlander forum all use dc to dc chargers, with separate battery banks, so thats my end goal... when I get back east.

I also use this truck as a off grid overlander and I have way to much stuff on the starting battery, (12,000lb winch, 2000w inverter, the dometic cooler, On board air compressor, big LED lights all the way around, And usb/leds/12v ports by the bed in the shell camper, Going into Canyonlands NP backcountry later this week on my way to the east coast,(no rpod this run)

GG, I have the Klien clamp meter, but it's currently on the east coast and I'm on the west coast, My daily carry is a Fluke model 73, 25 years and still doing the job!

OG, Yes it was overcurrent protection, charging the 2nd battery and running the cooler. I have a 240amp alternator so there is plenty of current, The truck just thinks something is wrong and insists on letting me know.

And the deflector works surprisingly well, with the only drawback (on a 180) is the airflow is directed straight at the thermostat , (ten feet away) and it did cycle the furnace off and on a bit more, not alot ,but a bit... But the gain of not heating the now usable for anything space under the bed was worth it,(to me).

Kickhead70, Try the bread pan idea, just cut off one side and screw it to the grill over the front 2 grills. this allows for the cooling vent on the grill to be free and also a bit of heat under the bed.

SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost

offgrid

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Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 10:25am

voisj, do you know what criteria the vehicle is using to throw the overcurrent error code? I wonder if its using a fixed current level from the alt or something else. Alts are rated while spinning at a pretty high rpm, I believe its 6000 rpm, their output is much lower at idle.

So it could be the overcurrent criteria varies with rpm or is based on alt temp (an alt will overheat at lower current at lower rpm because its cooling is reduced). If you really want to be able to run all that stuff at idle then you might want to look into a custom alternator, they are readily available from companies supplying the auto audio guys. A DC/DC converter will limit the amount of charging current to the second battery but the actual total current available will go down (because of converter inefficiency) not up.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

voisj

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Posted: 17 Nov 2020 at 10:41pm

OG,

The Battery cables have rings floating off the battery wires about 3" from the battery. the alt is a 240 amp unit and back in the day just adding a battery would be fine, but todays vehicles sensor and monitor everything. And overworking an alt creates the heat and you mentioned and reduces the life.

The DC/DC charger Charges while driving and has solar ports for if I'm idle. and shuts off if the starting battery goes below 11.9v.

I have a 100w briefcase sized folding panels for when I'm idle all day. (Rockpals,com)

Seeing as how I'll never use everything at once, Never used even 1/2, and the second battery will mostly be used for led lights in the shell and the Dometic cooler, only while truck camping off grid, As I usually Travel during the day, I like this solution.

The CFX55 IM cooler is a marvel, has been running on the AGM battery with no charging for 40 Hours. (still testing ) Has been averaging 1.1 AH/H on 12v ( per the app that monitors it) Peak amps 3.7 when it kicks on and then 2.0 while running, .2 while idle. And shuts itself down at differing voltages per user set battery/voltage settings. And even has an icemaker!! Downside is it's $$$$.

Have to thank user Crazycoyote ( another 180 mod nut) who I ran into in a forest near Flagstaff AZ for letting me know I needed This).

Didn't mean to hijack the topic but, Thanks for all the of topic input!!

John

SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost

offgrid

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Posted: 18 Nov 2020 at 7:59am

So the vehicle is monitoring two hall effect donuts located on the battery cables. Interesting that Ford is measuring the current in both + and - conductors, the current should always be the same. Redundancy probably.

When does the error code show up? Presumably the battery discharge current is ignored while the starter is operating as that is several hundred amps.

Anyhow, my guess is that the over current condition only lasts a pretty short while when the second battery has seen some significant discharge prior to energizing the battery isolator to connect them. After a short time the battery voltages will begin to equalize and the current will drop.

Anything that limits that initial current flow should solve the problem. Either a sufficient length of smaller gauge wire or a dc/dc converter will do that. I'd suggest about 20 feet (one way) of 10 gauge to bring the max current down. Or for $6 you could leave the cables you have and install two of these in parallel and do pretty much the same thing:

https://www.amazon.com/Cutequeen-Aluminum-Wirewound-Chassis-Resistor/dp/B01MT69M5K/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=0.1+ohm+resistor+100+watt&qid=1605707026&sr=8-3

The Dometic fridge you have looks like it uses the tried and true Danfoss/Secop compressor. Should be a good unit for you as long as you have the 25-30 AH per day power source available. A 100 watt solar module would more or less do it on a sunny day.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Dirt Sifter View Drop Down

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Posted: 19 Nov 2020 at 9:49am

Whew, I have a headache. Cry

Greg n Deb 2020 195 HRE
'07 Tundra 5.7L., '17 Tacoma 3.5L. Both with tow packages
1 Puggle, 1 Chihuahua support staff

offgrid

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Posted: 20 Nov 2020 at 8:14am

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

voisj

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13022&KW=heat+deflector+177&PID=125499&title=rpod-177-furnace-deflector#125499

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Posted: 30 Jan 2021 at 3:48pm

Colt asked me to post a picture of my bread pan heat deflector when I had a chance.

I liked this idea because i could position the pan to leave the cooling tunnel vent (bottom)and small upper rear heating vent (upper) of the grill unobstructed, letting a little heat blow under the bed.

The size of the pan works good, the air is diffused with a fan type flow. And works well

I tested it for an hour and no issues. ( it's22 degrees outside right now.)

I bought a $3 bread pan at The Dollar store and cut 1 side and screwed it to the furnace grill

I used a $3 auto zone door trim to cover the sharp edge. so $6 and 20 minutes.

Also a picture of the angle iron replacing the 3" piece of wood under the bed to open the space up for ease of use and let heat out better if you don't have a deflector.

SLOPODMODS
John&Sue,SLO,CA
2016 180 HRE, 2013 F150 Eco Boost

geewizard

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Posted: 31 Jan 2021 at 10:01am

That looks almost exactly what I made for my 177....and posted on here a year ago or more.

Glad it works for you!

2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD
2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper
2014 Toyota Tundra DC

voisj