Blue View - Blanche’s Latest Upgrades

As is usually the case, there was a whirlwind of activity on Blanche over the last few weeks leading up to our departure to Maritime Canada. We had a list of things we wanted to add or improve on and limited time in which to get them done. This time, unlike previous road-trips, however, the tasks on the list were small items… instead of things like ‘install a diesel heater’, it was ‘fix the drip in the diesel heater line’. Nonetheless, as our departure deadline approached, the list was still long and we once again needed to go into crunch mode, meaning shortened nap times and working on the weekends. I know that sounds extreme, but as the old saying goes ‘drastic times call for drastic measures’.

We were well into the list when Blanche’s transmission died, giving us an extra ten days - plenty of time to get things done. Then Blanche’s new transmission started leaking, and we had yet another week. It was beginning to look like not only might we actually complete the to-do list, we could even add a few more tasks. I don’t think that’s ever happened before.

Here’s what we got done…

First, the new stuff:

Starlink

Wouldn’t it be great to have internet service anywhere on the planet. No matter which ocean  we were crossing aboard our sailboat, Nine of Cups, or remote national forest we were exploring in Blanche, we’d be able to communicate with family and friends, post our blogs, and check on the weather. Maybe keep current on the latest news or even stream an occasional movie. Starlink, an Elon Musk company, provides the means to do that and a lot more. As long as there’s a clear view of the sky, a Starlink antenna can rival the internet speeds of most home internet providers.

In our travels, we’ve seen more and more RV’ers, vans and campers with a Starlink antenna, and without exception, they’ve all had great things to say about it. We thought it was time for us to give it a try, and we bought one a couple of weeks ago. Other than setting it up and making sure it worked, we couldn’t give it a good workout before we left, but so far on this trip it has met all expectations.

Reading Lights

We frequently spend our evenings lying in our bunk poring over maps, planning itineraries, locating possible campsites and checking out tourist brochures. We might even find time for a card game or two. Thus, having reading lights is important. We quickly ruled out holding a flashlight in our mouths or wearing headlamps. For our first couple of years in Blanche, we used clip-on, battery- powered lamps, but these weren’t ideal. This year we added permanently mounted lights above the headboard which are powered by the house batteries. We also added a small light over the sink.

Renogy Charge Controller

Last year, we added a Renogy 30amp DC to DC charge controller. It was great - it allowed us to charge the house batteries from the solar panels when parked or both the solar panels and engine alternator when driving. Its only shortcoming was that it was limited to 15 amps of charge current from either the solar panels or the alternator. This year we upgraded it to the 50amp version, and that has made a huge difference in the time it takes to recharge our battery bank when driving.

Rear Window Blinds

When we are camped somewhere, having the rear windows to see out and let light in is quite pleasant. When we spend the night in a Walmart parking lot or a highway rest area, however, I’d prefer to cover the rear windows to provide more privacy. We added foldable blinds to them that can be quickly opened or closed.

Next, the refinements:

Mosquito Un-Proofing

Last year, we added mosquito netting above the rear rear storage area (what we call the garage). We also finished the walls of the garage and screened off any openings leading from the garage to the living area. This has worked well. When the rear doors are open while we’re loading and unloading the bikes, cooking gear, food, or whatever from the garage, the mozzies would have free access to the living area. Now they have free access to the garage, but can’t get upstairs.

We also added mosquito netting to the sliding door on the side of the van. It was attached to the top and sides of the door opening and had a magnetic closure down the middle and along the bottom.The thought was that we could leave the slider open and go in and out by parting the netting, and then the magnetic closure would, with a little prodding, close back up. What we found was that the magnetic strip held the screen closed almost too well, but then didn’t re-close evenly on its own,  and we often had to fuss with it to get it to seal completely. If our hands were full, we couldn’t get it to open without setting down whatever we were carrying, then setting it down again to get the screen to re-seal. In general, it was more hassle than it was worth, so I removed it.

In lieu of the screen, we purchased an indoor battery-powered mosquito zapper which got great reviews, but we’ve yet to try.

Microwave

Last year, we added a microwave and a shelf to hold it. It has worked well, and is especially nice when it’s raining outside. We can stay inside and heat soup or leftovers, and maybe a bag of popcorn in the evening when we’re reading. We’re talking real glamping here.

Last year, we used a strap to hold it in place, and while that kept it in place, we found that the microwave rattled a lot when driving. This year, I removed the rubber feet from the bottom of the microwave and inserted rivet nuts in their place, then bolted it in place. That reduced the rattle significantly, but we still had to wrap a bungee cord across the front to keep the door from rattling.

Repairs

Lights

For the most part, we drive with our lights on, and all those tens of thousands of miles has taken its toll. We had to replace the headlights and a couple of clearance lights this spring, but we had a bigger problem with the license plate lights. They are mounted inside the one of the rear doors, and, evidently, the seal at the top of that door has been leaking, because the lamp holders for both lights were heavily corroded. After stopping the leak, I soldered LED replacement lamps into place, which worked well, except that the dashboard light that indicates a burned out bulb stayed on. The onboard computer senses the current draw for each lamp, and the reduced current required by the LEDs was low enough that the computer assumed that the lamps were burned out. I had to solder a 30 ohm resistor in parallel with each of the LEDs to increase the current draw sufficiently to get the dashboard light to stay off.

Diesel Heater

Blanche, like most all vehicles, has a heater driven by the engine that heats the front up nicely when we’re driving, but only when the engine is running. Last year, when heading to Alaska via the Pacific Northwest and Canada early in the season, we added a heater in the rear, which was one of the last things completed before we left. It’s a diesel powered heater that sits under the floor and blows pleasantly warm air into the cabin. On that trip, the temperatures on several nights dropped down to the mid-30s, and our nice little diesel heater kept us warm and snug. We love it, but it had one problem… when more than half full, the diesel tank I installed under the chassis dripped fuel. I tracked it down to a loose hose fitting on the vent on the top of the tank.

Transmission

And then there was the long saga with the transmission. In all, it took just under three weeks to get it replaced and cost a small fortune. We initially took Blanche to a mechanic we’ve had good luck with in the past, and he quoted $15,000(!) to replace it. We eventually had it replaced with a remanufactured transmission at a local shop for $6900, which included an unlimited mileage, 3- year nationwide warranty.

But, we’re back on the road again and she’s running fine. And it’s time to start a new list of things that need to get done.

See you next time…