See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
Heinz
'76 Transmode
http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
Heinz
'76 Transmode
Back Home update
- Thread starter heinz wittenbecher
- Start date
>
>Heinz-- How do you keep from electrocuting yourself?
Careful tippy-toes
> Is the bungee cord to
>keep the monitor from falling over?
Yes, it's a bungee velcro-strap combination. A padded cover goes over the
screen and velcro-strap over top.
>
>Scott HEINZ NEHODAS BACK
>YARD
>
>
>Heinz-- How do you keep from electrocuting yourself?
Careful tippy-toes
> Is the bungee cord to
>keep the monitor from falling over?
Yes, it's a bungee velcro-strap combination. A padded cover goes over the
screen and velcro-strap over top.
>
>Scott HEINZ NEHODAS BACK
>YARD
>
>
>Heinz,
>What electrical code book do you use on your wiring? Greek?{:>)))
I had a special one written for me
Actually it's quite straight forward. The outlets and powerbar on the wall
are AC and the powerbar on the seat pedestal is Inverted AC.
...and then it gets interesting as most everything computer has those durn
power supplies that need more real estate than powerbars provide, hence
short 3 foot extensions are used to maximize space. Add to that serial
cabling for gps, Av10, antennas, 12 volt powerdriven stuff and after a
couple of times of opening the hatch you have the mess you see in the pics
[g].
Maybe next trip it'll stay closer to what it looks like at departure... for
at least a little longer
Heinz
>
>Roger
>
>
>What electrical code book do you use on your wiring? Greek?{:>)))
I had a special one written for me
Actually it's quite straight forward. The outlets and powerbar on the wall
are AC and the powerbar on the seat pedestal is Inverted AC.
...and then it gets interesting as most everything computer has those durn
power supplies that need more real estate than powerbars provide, hence
short 3 foot extensions are used to maximize space. Add to that serial
cabling for gps, Av10, antennas, 12 volt powerdriven stuff and after a
couple of times of opening the hatch you have the mess you see in the pics
[g].
Maybe next trip it'll stay closer to what it looks like at departure... for
at least a little longer
Heinz
>
>Roger
>
>
Heinz--
I'm glad that you voluntarily disclosed your wiring job to
the whole group.
To the rest of the GMCNet, you have to see Heinz's collection
of electronics aboard his coach. Reminds me of my days in
the physics research labs when in graduate school.
Gary
'77 Kingsley
North Bend, Oregon Coast
> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>
> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>
> Heinz
> '76 Transmode
I'm glad that you voluntarily disclosed your wiring job to
the whole group.
To the rest of the GMCNet, you have to see Heinz's collection
of electronics aboard his coach. Reminds me of my days in
the physics research labs when in graduate school.
Gary
'77 Kingsley
North Bend, Oregon Coast
> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>
> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>
> Heinz
> '76 Transmode
Heinz,
I'm both impressed and chagrined by the thoughts of my making a
similar trip. I bought my GMC in part to use in my business. You've
given me a lot of ideas.
It seems like trips in our GMC's are noteworthy by the absence of
problems. I've only driven mine less then 6,000 miles now, but have
expended in excess of 100 hours fooling with the coach. I know driving
these things is a labor of love. But sometimes I wonder what I got
myself
into
Don't get me wrong, I love my GMC. Maybe the problem is that I'm still
struggling trying to install my StatPower 40 and inverter. It's been a
month
now since I started the job, and it looks like I won't be done until
next week.
I had to order a special cutter from Grainger to cut through the
fiberglass in the
battery compartment to run my battery cables. I won't get that until
Monday.
And 5 MPG you said you get. You changed your fan clutch twice, had the
alternator
pulley come loose 3 times, had to rig up a aux battery charger to charge
the house
batteries, etc. You must really love your GMC!
I gotta ask. When you travel on business, you travel alone right. I
don't see how
anyone could have company with at the stuff you have in your coach.
I'm writing my coach off as a business expense. Do you mind if I use
your pictures in
case I get audited by the IRS
I take my hat off to you Heinz, 8 weeks in the coach, all those
problems and you still
LOVE YOUR GMC! Wonderful, Thanks for the great travel log.
Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI
> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>
> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>
> Heinz
> '76 Transmode
I'm both impressed and chagrined by the thoughts of my making a
similar trip. I bought my GMC in part to use in my business. You've
given me a lot of ideas.
It seems like trips in our GMC's are noteworthy by the absence of
problems. I've only driven mine less then 6,000 miles now, but have
expended in excess of 100 hours fooling with the coach. I know driving
these things is a labor of love. But sometimes I wonder what I got
myself
into
Don't get me wrong, I love my GMC. Maybe the problem is that I'm still
struggling trying to install my StatPower 40 and inverter. It's been a
month
now since I started the job, and it looks like I won't be done until
next week.
I had to order a special cutter from Grainger to cut through the
fiberglass in the
battery compartment to run my battery cables. I won't get that until
Monday.
And 5 MPG you said you get. You changed your fan clutch twice, had the
alternator
pulley come loose 3 times, had to rig up a aux battery charger to charge
the house
batteries, etc. You must really love your GMC!
I gotta ask. When you travel on business, you travel alone right. I
don't see how
anyone could have company with at the stuff you have in your coach.
I'm writing my coach off as a business expense. Do you mind if I use
your pictures in
case I get audited by the IRS
I take my hat off to you Heinz, 8 weeks in the coach, all those
problems and you still
LOVE YOUR GMC! Wonderful, Thanks for the great travel log.
Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI
> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>
> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>
> Heinz
> '76 Transmode
Hi Richard,
Thought I'd address some of your comments to be sure that I'm projecting the
correct perspective when talking about my GMC [vbg].
>Heinz,
>I'm both impressed and chagrined by the thoughts of my making a
>similar trip.
It is fun... but can be trying at times
> I bought my GMC in part to use in my business. You've
>given me a lot of ideas.
>
>It seems like trips in our GMC's are noteworthy by the absence of
>problems. I've only driven mine less then 6,000 miles now, but have
>expended in excess of 100 hours fooling with the coach. I know driving
>
>these things is a labor of love. But sometimes I wonder what I got
>myself
>into
>
>Don't get me wrong, I love my GMC. Maybe the problem is that I'm still
>struggling trying to install my StatPower 40 and inverter. It's been a
>month
>now since I started the job, and it looks like I won't be done until
>next week.
>I had to order a special cutter from Grainger to cut through the
>fiberglass in the
>battery compartment to run my battery cables. I won't get that until
>Monday.
Perfection does take time... [g]
>
>And 5 MPG you said you get. You changed your fan clutch twice, had the
>alternator
>pulley come loose 3 times, had to rig up a aux battery charger to charge
>the house
>batteries, etc. You must really love your GMC!
Yup. There's still nothing else out there that is affordable for me that is
built as well and is as flexible in usage.
I don't think gas milage would be much better in a big ol' SOB and I'd
probably have to pay hefty finance charges on top... so the 5mpg doesn't
bother me too much and it's probably 6+ if no GenSet usage and probably even
a little better if I were travelling on level ground. That's not to say some
rigs don't give better milage, mine used to. Of course it could be that my
math is bad ;-)
With 20/20 hindsight: the first fan-clutch change was unnecessary and had I
not changed it, I wouldn't have had the NAPA one fail, making the second one
also unnecessary.
The Alternator Pulley can also be considered a problem by choice, i.e. the
mod to a serpentine belt. It would've been nice if someone had debugged it
before me... but now that it's behind me it's just part of the process of
trying to strive for better. That doesn't mean that the coach is not the
best already, just that no matter how good something is... there is always
room for improvenment, or at least room for an attempt at improvement [g].
So.... when those things are discounted, my 6000+ miles were quite
uneventful and relaxing. Only actual failure turned out to a leaking exhaust
gasket. And it probably could've been prevented had I changed it when we did
the EGT probes... but they looked so good.
Keep in mind that when I travel from A to B it's fill 'er up and go and at
the next fill up I empty the borrowed coffee or juice, refill the coffe cup
or replentish the juice or pop and make sure an extra is close by within
reach and perhaps a snack is premade while the gas is flowing into the
tanks... and off we go to do it all over again several hours later.
Of course there is the odd reststop at Camping World, CompUSA, Fry's and the
occasional Safeway store
>
>I gotta ask. When you travel on business, you travel alone right.
I do these days, as my wife has gotten smarter over the years. It's not much
fun just travelling from one parking lot to another with little time for
sidetracking. She does come along occasionally though.
> I
>don't see how
>anyone could have company with at the stuff you have in your coach.
It's surprising what you can adjust to.... I don't spread out quite as far
nor as fast when I have company. ( I eat better too
It's kinda like adjusting your computer stuff to the size of the hard disk.
No matter how big it is it'll always be amost full.
>
>I'm writing my coach off as a business expense. Do you mind if I use
>your pictures in
>case I get audited by the IRS
You could try Just be sure the lic plate isn't in the pic or they might
get suspicious [g]
>
>I take my hat off to you Heinz, 8 weeks in the coach, all those
>problems and you still
>LOVE YOUR GMC! Wonderful, Thanks for the great travel log.
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
All the problems encountered are offset by the ability to sleep on "my"
pillow every night, even if it means squishing in between boxes, computers
and such, and even if it is only for a few hours at a time. Actually,
especially since it 'is' usually only for a few hours at a time.
All the problems are immediately forgotten when parked by the ocean and
looking out those big windows while sipping a beer or a marguarita, with or
without a sunset.
All the problems are immediately forgotten when westbound accross the desert
as the sun sets or eastbound as the sun rises.
In my GMC I'm pilot, stew', cook and bottle washer all rolled into one....
and loving it.
And when some mechanical inconvenience occurs it can usually be resolved by
excersizing the noggin a bit with some inventive thinking and/or sending a
msg to the gmcnet for ideas. Comfort and the occasional brain-tease... how
can you not love it
And if that's not enough... it's a great platform for toys [g] and I just
gotta have toys. ( at least it's a legal addiction [g] )
Heinz
'76 Transmode
>
>Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI
>
>
>
>> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>>
>> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>>
>> Heinz
>> '76 Transmode
>
>
Thought I'd address some of your comments to be sure that I'm projecting the
correct perspective when talking about my GMC [vbg].
>Heinz,
>I'm both impressed and chagrined by the thoughts of my making a
>similar trip.
It is fun... but can be trying at times
> I bought my GMC in part to use in my business. You've
>given me a lot of ideas.
>
>It seems like trips in our GMC's are noteworthy by the absence of
>problems. I've only driven mine less then 6,000 miles now, but have
>expended in excess of 100 hours fooling with the coach. I know driving
>
>these things is a labor of love. But sometimes I wonder what I got
>myself
>into
>
>Don't get me wrong, I love my GMC. Maybe the problem is that I'm still
>struggling trying to install my StatPower 40 and inverter. It's been a
>month
>now since I started the job, and it looks like I won't be done until
>next week.
>I had to order a special cutter from Grainger to cut through the
>fiberglass in the
>battery compartment to run my battery cables. I won't get that until
>Monday.
Perfection does take time... [g]
>
>And 5 MPG you said you get. You changed your fan clutch twice, had the
>alternator
>pulley come loose 3 times, had to rig up a aux battery charger to charge
>the house
>batteries, etc. You must really love your GMC!
Yup. There's still nothing else out there that is affordable for me that is
built as well and is as flexible in usage.
I don't think gas milage would be much better in a big ol' SOB and I'd
probably have to pay hefty finance charges on top... so the 5mpg doesn't
bother me too much and it's probably 6+ if no GenSet usage and probably even
a little better if I were travelling on level ground. That's not to say some
rigs don't give better milage, mine used to. Of course it could be that my
math is bad ;-)
With 20/20 hindsight: the first fan-clutch change was unnecessary and had I
not changed it, I wouldn't have had the NAPA one fail, making the second one
also unnecessary.
The Alternator Pulley can also be considered a problem by choice, i.e. the
mod to a serpentine belt. It would've been nice if someone had debugged it
before me... but now that it's behind me it's just part of the process of
trying to strive for better. That doesn't mean that the coach is not the
best already, just that no matter how good something is... there is always
room for improvenment, or at least room for an attempt at improvement [g].
So.... when those things are discounted, my 6000+ miles were quite
uneventful and relaxing. Only actual failure turned out to a leaking exhaust
gasket. And it probably could've been prevented had I changed it when we did
the EGT probes... but they looked so good.
Keep in mind that when I travel from A to B it's fill 'er up and go and at
the next fill up I empty the borrowed coffee or juice, refill the coffe cup
or replentish the juice or pop and make sure an extra is close by within
reach and perhaps a snack is premade while the gas is flowing into the
tanks... and off we go to do it all over again several hours later.
Of course there is the odd reststop at Camping World, CompUSA, Fry's and the
occasional Safeway store
>
>I gotta ask. When you travel on business, you travel alone right.
I do these days, as my wife has gotten smarter over the years. It's not much
fun just travelling from one parking lot to another with little time for
sidetracking. She does come along occasionally though.
> I
>don't see how
>anyone could have company with at the stuff you have in your coach.
It's surprising what you can adjust to.... I don't spread out quite as far
nor as fast when I have company. ( I eat better too
It's kinda like adjusting your computer stuff to the size of the hard disk.
No matter how big it is it'll always be amost full.
>
>I'm writing my coach off as a business expense. Do you mind if I use
>your pictures in
>case I get audited by the IRS
You could try
Just be sure the lic plate isn't in the pic or they mightget suspicious [g]
>
>I take my hat off to you Heinz, 8 weeks in the coach, all those
>problems and you still
>LOVE YOUR GMC! Wonderful, Thanks for the great travel log.
You're welcome. Glad you enjoyed it.
All the problems encountered are offset by the ability to sleep on "my"
pillow every night, even if it means squishing in between boxes, computers
and such, and even if it is only for a few hours at a time. Actually,
especially since it 'is' usually only for a few hours at a time.
All the problems are immediately forgotten when parked by the ocean and
looking out those big windows while sipping a beer or a marguarita, with or
without a sunset.
All the problems are immediately forgotten when westbound accross the desert
as the sun sets or eastbound as the sun rises.
In my GMC I'm pilot, stew', cook and bottle washer all rolled into one....
and loving it.
And when some mechanical inconvenience occurs it can usually be resolved by
excersizing the noggin a bit with some inventive thinking and/or sending a
msg to the gmcnet for ideas. Comfort and the occasional brain-tease... how
can you not love it
And if that's not enough... it's a great platform for toys [g] and I just
gotta have toys. ( at least it's a legal addiction [g] )
Heinz
'76 Transmode
>
>Richard Waters '76 PB, Troy, MI
>
>
>
>> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>>
>> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>>
>> Heinz
>> '76 Transmode
>
>
It reminded me of a ..... you ever looked into a coffee can full of
fish bait? Worms slithering all over one another? hahaha
That coach is a technological marvel! I still wake up at night thinking
about all those cool gadgets.
My hat's off to you Heinz (the man with the most toys) Wittenbecher.
S A L U T E !
bdub
So many goals, so little time and moola!
>Heinz--
>I'm glad that you voluntarily disclosed your wiring job to
>the whole group.
>
>To the rest of the GMCNet, you have to see Heinz's collection
>of electronics aboard his coach. Reminds me of my days in
>the physics research labs when in graduate school.
>
>Gary
>'77 Kingsley
>North Bend, Oregon Coast
>
>
>> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>>
>> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>>
>> Heinz
>> '76 Transmode
>
>
>
>
fish bait? Worms slithering all over one another? hahaha
That coach is a technological marvel! I still wake up at night thinking
about all those cool gadgets.
My hat's off to you Heinz (the man with the most toys) Wittenbecher.
S A L U T E !
bdub
So many goals, so little time and moola!
>Heinz--
>I'm glad that you voluntarily disclosed your wiring job to
>the whole group.
>
>To the rest of the GMCNet, you have to see Heinz's collection
>of electronics aboard his coach. Reminds me of my days in
>the physics research labs when in graduate school.
>
>Gary
>'77 Kingsley
>North Bend, Oregon Coast
>
>
>> See link below for some pics and comments of recent trip.
>>
>> http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/backhome.htm
>>
>> Heinz
>> '76 Transmode
>
>
>
>
>
Anyhoo, I mounted the inverter to the underside of the bottom storage
drawer compartment, with its tail end poking back through a cutout in the
back wall of the electrical cabinet, and its business end facing the door
thereof. I won't go into how I wired its output to the coach 120V outlets,
as
I believe I've discussed that before. But, getting 12V to it.....
>>>
Rick,
I brought a 600W inverter and would like to do the same (run it off house
12V and not engine then connect into the 120V). How did you get it to drop
out (auto or manually) when the Onan is on so as not to fry it or the
wiring??? Thanks....
Nate Chase
'75 GB
Omaha
Anyhoo, I mounted the inverter to the underside of the bottom storage
drawer compartment, with its tail end poking back through a cutout in the
back wall of the electrical cabinet, and its business end facing the door
thereof. I won't go into how I wired its output to the coach 120V outlets,
as
I believe I've discussed that before. But, getting 12V to it.....
>>>
Rick,
I brought a 600W inverter and would like to do the same (run it off house
12V and not engine then connect into the 120V). How did you get it to drop
out (auto or manually) when the Onan is on so as not to fry it or the
wiring??? Thanks....
Nate Chase
'75 GB
Omaha
