Citylights' Tear - SOLD! - update 08-01-16

[citylights]

Hey John - got a new Fj on Friday, same color as yours I think. I'll post some photos. Thanks for the inspiration.

drew.

Congratulations! You are going to love the FJ!

[Junkboy999]

Looking good all skinned up. Do the galley props get removed when closing?




And on a side note. Every time I see a post by you, I see your avatar with your head sticking out of that hole, and I say to myself. “ Here's Johnny “


Movie reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDpipB4yehk

[citylights]

Looking good all skinned up. Do the galley props get removed when closing?
And on a side note. Every time I see a post by you, I see your avatar with your head sticking out of that hole, and I say to myself. “ Here's Johnny “
Movie reference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDpipB4yehk

Head through the hole, yup! I got the reference.

The props are kinda neat. When you open the galley lid, they hit an end stop, then lock in place and hold the lid open. When you want to close them, you push the galley lid up to the end stops releasing the catch, then they collapse down and let the lid close. They are a really sweet setup. I think they are better than the gas struts that need to be replaced every couple of years.

The wind could blow the lid up releasing the catches and allowing the whole thing to fall, but when they are up, there is a place to slide a pin through locking them.

[citylights]

Spotted in the wild! At Hemet Lake. A little cool, a lot rainy, but camping!

Also, now water tested and 100% dry.

[citylights]

Whoohoo! Going on a 4 day Nevada ghost town offroad and teardrop camp trip!

Well... I am camping in my teardrop. I think the other guys are going to be jealous in tents!

I will bring pictures back...

June 5th - 8th.

Ghost town Agenda:
Logan
Crescent
Tempiute mining site (optional)
Rachel, NV (Alien burgers!)
Reveille (Reveille, NR are optional. Group vote)
New Reveille
Reveille Mill site
Golden Arrow
Silver Bow
Tybo
Tonapah (Mizpah Hotel)
____________________________________

Belmont
Manhattan
Grantsville
Berlin and Berlin Mill (Camp)
Ione
____________________________________

Belmont Mill
Hamilton
Treasure city
Shermantown
Ely (Hotel Nevada)
___________________________________

Taylor (Argus Cyanide Mill circa 1919) Optional due to reports of the road being gated now)
Osceola
Bristol Well
Jackrabbit
Pioche
Cathedral Gorge (Last camp)

[citylights]

A little fun time in the garage, $10, and now the teardrop has a battery metering station.




Poor 9v battery got abused while I tested my circuit. Better this battery than the teardrop battery!

[Ron Dickey]

A little fun time in the garage, $10, and now the teardrop has a battery metering station.




Poor 9v battery got abused while I tested my circuit. Better this battery than the teardrop battery!

will you have a cover for that, that light would bug me when I was trying to sleep.

[citylights]

will you have a cover for that, that light would bug me when I was trying to sleep.

It has a switch for on off. It doesn't use much battery, but to save battery, you would only turn the switch on to check battery status. Otherwise it is dark.

[KCStudly]

Nice job on that. Do you have anymore details on the components; perhaps a link? Maybe a thread in the electrical forum?

[citylights]

Nice job on that. Do you have anymore details on the components; perhaps a link? Maybe a thread in the electrical forum?

Yes!

Analog volt meter

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005116ULG/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Digital volt meter

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B689UGA/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The switch I just picked up at an auto parts store, but here is one too...

http://www.amazon.com/Rocker-Toggle-Switch-On-off-Control/dp/B007TQ2PRO/ref=sr_1_10?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1400274635&sr=1-10&keywords=12+v+switch

Used speaker wire for the connections. I mounted them in a spare piece of 1/8th inch plywood and painted it black. I tested the circuit with the 9-volt battery. The switch with light was driving me nuts with its three connection points! The first time I wired it I shorted the battery. No big deal on the 9-volt, it just got warm. It would have been a bigger deal on a 12-volt teardrop battery! So when I was happy with the way the circuit was running, I installed in the teardrop and connected to the 12-volt battery.

The key to reading this is a charged 12-volt will read up to 12.8 volts or maybe a little more. As the battery discharges, the voltage will drop to around 12-volts. That is where you want to stop using it and recharge. Letting the voltage drop much more than 12 volts is going to shorten the life of the battery.

And link to thread in electrical forum

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=59681&p=1078094#p1078094

[citylights]

Had a little fun in the shop with teardrop spare parts. I made a little something for my FJ. It is a headache rack, cargo barrier, pet barrier, thing...







It was inspired from here

http://store-springtailsolutions-com.3dcartstores.com/FJ-Cruiser-Pet-and-Cargo-Barrier_p_53.html

[Starseeker]

Very nice job on that!

[citylights]

My teardrop trailer jacks just arrived! My teardrop is going to be about 30# heavier! but these are going to be sweet!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002P2TWBE/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was carrying some portable aluminum jacks, but on my first camp trip I decided I wanted built in ones. Also many of the jacks are not rated for lifting. These might be overkill, but I should have no trouble lifting my teardrop with them.

[KCStudly]

Thanks for the links on the volt meters. Any particular reason for using both types of meter, or is that just so that it looks cool?

[citylights]

Thanks for the links on the volt meters. Any particular reason for using both types of meter, or is that just so that it looks cool?

You got it in one! Looks cool!

I debated which one to get back and forth. I like the classic analog, but I couldn't get past the decimal point accuracy and easy read of the digital. In the end, for just a couple bucks, I decided the meters are pretty inexpensive, why not just go for both?