Diugo's list of mods

[diugo]

Here's what I've done to my small Cougar since acquiring it nearly three years ago. If you'd like any info on any of these, please reply to this thread.

Doug


Fixed unsupported water heater
Replaced front landing gear
Repaired spare tire rack
Sealed various rodent entryways
Fixed pantry shelf
Corrected slanting dining table
Removed shelf in bedroom closet to add room to hang pants
Added shelf in medicine cabinet
Added bang guards to all blinds
Opened hidden shoe box
Added towel rack
Added shelf under bathroom sink
Added additional wardrobe catch
Connected TV audio input to stereo
Increased light over bath sink
Improved bathroom doorknob
Central vacuum
Lithium iron phosphate batteries
Microcontroller-based solar fridge diverter
Solar panels with lifters
Relocated batteries over wheels
Inverters
Bumper dump hose lock
360-degree recliner
Transparent screen door slides
Screen door auto-catch
Replaced all 921 bulbs with LEDs
Multicolor LED strip on top of slideout frame
Dump gate/mixer
Under sink water filter
White board
Bulletin board
Wall file
Recliner power vent
Bedroom Fan-Tastic vent with MaxxAir cover
Catalytic heater
Cat door
Front compartment outlet
LED wizz light
Boondock shower
Bathroom sink water saver
Over bed TV
Exterior sun screening

[TandE]

That's a long list of mods. One question, what is the led wizz light?

[diugo]

The LED Wizz Light preserves the RVer's night vision while he (or she) utilizes the bathroom facilities. The "invention" consists of an orange LED, in series with a 1K resistor, connected across the terminals of the factory-installed wall-mounted bathroom light switch. The LED is oriented downward.

[byrdr1]

Originally Posted by diugo

Here's what I've done to my small Cougar since acquiring it nearly three years ago. If you'd like any info on any of these, please reply to this thread.

Doug


Fixed unsupported water heater
Replaced front landing gear
Repaired spare tire rack
Sealed various rodent entryways
Fixed pantry shelf
Corrected slanting dining table
Removed shelf in bedroom closet to add room to hang pants
Added shelf in medicine cabinet
Added bang guards to all blinds
Opened hidden shoe box
Added towel rack
Added shelf under bathroom sink
Added additional wardrobe catch
Connected TV audio input to stereo
Increased light over bath sink
Improved bathroom doorknob
Central vacuum
Lithium iron phosphate batteries
Microcontroller-based solar fridge diverter
Solar panels with lifters
Relocated batteries over wheels
Inverters
Bumper dump hose lock
360-degree recliner
Transparent screen door slides
Screen door auto-catch
Replaced all 921 bulbs with LEDs
Multicolor LED strip on top of slideout frame
Dump gate/mixer
Under sink water filter
White board
Bulletin board
Wall file
Recliner power vent
Bedroom Fan-Tastic vent with MaxxAir cover
Catalytic heater
Cat door
Front compartment outlet
LED wizz light
Boondock shower
Bathroom sink water saver
Over bed TV
Exterior sun screening

get chance post a few pictures: wizz light?led on slideout? fridge diverter? recliner power vent? bathroom knob. a few others.
thanks
randy

[chartrand]

Great list, but none of it happened unless you have photo's to prove it...<grin>...

[Jerryb1973]

Microcontroller-based solar fridge diverter --- I like to get info on this mod. Thankd

[Sparky]

I don't think we need pics of the 'wizz lite' in action!

[Essness]

I'm also curious about the "wizz light"........... just the light though

[michol02]

Wow, you've been busy.

[diugo]

Re the wizz light, I simply installed an orange LED, in series with a resistor, across the terminals of the wall switch in the bathroom. This way, the LED is on whenever the switch is off. Which is almost all the time, because I rarely use the light any more---the orange LED, pointing down, does a great job of lighting up the toilet bowl without ruining my night vision. The shadows it casts are absolutely enormous.

Re the microcontroller-based solar fridge diverter, I have a $25 Olimexino STM32 microcontroller (affectionately named HAL) doing various things in my RV. Most importantly, properly charging my lithium ion battery bank. Once the bank is charged in the morning, there's no day-long absorption phase like with lead acid batteries. So the solar panels are just sitting up there doing nothing. So I replaced the 120VAC heating element in my fridge with a 12VDC element of the same physical size, and hooked it directly across the solar array, with a Solid State Relay in series, controlled by HAL. So precious battery power is never used to cool the fridge.

Basically, the fridge operates in Auto mode all the time. After battery charging is complete, HAL activates a small 50W inverter into which the fridge is plugged. This puts the fridge in AC mode and shuts down the propane burner. The former 120VAC heater circuit now only drives a small signal relay, which acts as a "need cooling" input to HAL. He responds by closing the solar SSR, which activates the 275W 12VDC element. He monitors array current as part of his charging duty, so he can tell (through averaging) if the panels aren't producing enough power to effectively cool the fridge, due to clouds, tree shadows, poor sun angle, or just the end of the day. At some point (programmed by me) HAL disconnects the inverter, putting the fridge back into propane mode.

[Jabber2Jake]

absolutely, post pics!

[diugo]

OK here goes. Last time I tried uploading pix, I ran into file size problems.

It worked! First pic shows Wizz Light LED. Second pic shows HAL (right) with his rat's nest of wires hidden behind a fake, hinged vent grille under my sink. His LCD display on the left. Third pic shows the solid state relay that diverts power from the solar array to the 275W 12VDC fridge heater element.

[unyalli]

Originally Posted by diugo

Re the microcontroller-based solar fridge diverter, I have a $25 Olimexino STM32 microcontroller (affectionately named HAL) doing various things in my RV. Most importantly, properly charging my lithium ion battery bank. Once the bank is charged in the morning, there's no day-long absorption phase like with lead acid batteries. So the solar panels are just sitting up there doing nothing. So I replaced the 120VAC heating element in my fridge with a 12VDC element of the same physical size, and hooked it directly across the solar array, with a Solid State Relay in series, controlled by HAL. So precious battery power is never used to cool the fridge.

Basically, the fridge operates in Auto mode all the time. After battery charging is complete, HAL activates a small 50W inverter into which the fridge is plugged. This puts the fridge in AC mode and shuts down the propane burner. The former 120VAC heater circuit now only drives a small signal relay, which acts as a "need cooling" input to HAL. He responds by closing the solar SSR, which activates the 275W 12VDC element. He monitors array current as part of his charging duty, so he can tell (through averaging) if the panels aren't producing enough power to effectively cool the fridge, due to clouds, tree shadows, poor sun angle, or just the end of the day. At some point (programmed by me) HAL disconnects the inverter, putting the fridge back into propane mode.

This is awsome stuff right here.

Jeff

[BillnDeb]

What model cougar do you have?
There are several, but let's start with these 2:

Connected TV audio input to stereo


Increased light over bath sink

We're in 28 SGS XLite 5th wheel



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[superdog404]

Hi Diugo - I would like to see your Opened hidden shoe box and also fixing slanting dining room table.

Thanks
superdog404

[Festus2]

superdog404 -
If you look below diugo's user name, this member is not with us any longer as he has been banned from the forum.

[superdog404]

Ok Thanks - I did wonder about that but figured I'd try.

[michol02]

Not sure if this will help superdog404. I made a shoe cubby hole by removing a bottom drawer. Plenty of room for several pair of shoes.

[SAD]

Originally Posted by michol02

Attachment 4727
Not sure if this will help superdog404. I made a shoe cubby hole by removing a bottom drawer. Plenty of room for several pair of shoes.

I need something like that..... The pile-o-shoes at the entrance has got to go LOL

[Sherwood]

If it weren't for the need of that storage, I would do that mod in a heartbeat. That's a good one.