Still Cool, Manual And Automatic Switches Wired and Coyotes Calling.

Our Location today is Quartzsite, Arizona, U.S.A. 

After another great night sleep, I was up and starting my morning routine by 7:30 MST. Having already looked at The Weather Network and seeing that outside temperature was still only 41 F (5 C) I had started the Electric Fireplace to take the chill out of the air but Kathy still felt cold when she came downstairs less than a half hour later. I only had half my Blog reading complete when Kathy joined me for breakfast. Our conversation was about what I was wanting to do today which included that nasty four letter word “Work”. 

Mostly tools still in the basement.

Keeping an eye on the slowly climbing temperature I didn’t hesitate to finish my morning reading and chores before heading outside shortly after 10:00. Today the basement would need to be nearly totally emptied in comparison to the other day. The Manual Safety Switch that I had wired up yesterday had to be installed on one side of the basement and connected to the Automatic Switching Device behind the Rear Basement Wall on the other side of the basement. Since I had removed the Hanging Storage Basket from near the Inverter it allowed me to repair a grounding manifold that the connector had failed. When I had installed this back in Deming, New Mexico all the lights I’d installed on the rear of the trailer had worked the way they were supposed to. The day we were leaving the signals decided not to work.  We had made it all the way to Deming without them so we headed to Quartzsite the same way. The next day I found the ground wire from the manifold hanging uselessly in the basement. Now all the relays are properly grounded and all the lights working. 

Rear wall and Automatic Switching Device open again.

It was past 12:00 when Kathy called me in for lunch. She had been preforming her magic recreating leftovers into a very Delicious Soup. Since the outside temperature had barely reached 50 F (10 C) at this point the Hot Soup was well appreciated. Kathy even found a single piece of Fruit Cake that she had me finish off rather then throwing it out. 

Just finished wiring our Inverter on the tailgate.

Reinstalling the lower Inverter.

Back outside I started to weave the heavy number 6 AGW Cable up along the ceiling and behind the Rear Basement Wall Cavity. I then needed to fasten the Breaker Box and start fastening the wire in place. That’s when I realized I didn’t have any Wire Clips to hold the Cable. With the contents from the basement spread outside I needed Kathy to watch over them while I drove back to Herb’s Hardware Store in Quartzsite to remedy the situation. Kathy sat reading outside in the sunshine which helped to keep her slightly comfortable. That saved me from having to pack everything away and starting over when I got Home. I also looked to see if they had any Robertson Screws to make my job easier but they didn’t. In Canada Robertson Screws are a Standard and are much easier to work with in tight places than the Phillips. 

Inverter wired into Manual Breaker Box.
Extra Cable deliberately looped below box.

All closed up.

When I got back Home Kathy went inside to be out of the breeze while I started fastening the Cable out of the way along the Basement Ceiling. Anyone that has worked with such heavy Cable knows that it is not very flexible so when it sprung back striking me a few times, words I avoid using especially around the grandchildren spilled out. I keep saying I need to Exercise but just doing that today was a Workout in itself. 

White cable on left from Generator Prep.

Black cable on left, now from Inverter.

After apologizing to Kathy about the language and taking a short break it was time to connect the Cable to the Inverter. After cutting the Cable to a suitable length I dismounted the Inverter from the Basement Wall and brought it over to the Tailgate. It would have been impossible to connect on the Wall so this would make connecting the Cable much easier. When I opened the connection cover I found something I didn’t plan on. This is only a Single-Phase Inverter not the Double Phase that I had thought that I was getting. (It is only wired for 120 Volt Output not 240 Volt.) 

I brought Kathy out to explain the situation which means she’ll just have to be cautious for now on how many appliances she uses at one time. When we get back to Canada I’ll see what kind of deal we can come up with to correct the problem. I simply cut the one conductor back at the Inverter and folded it back from it’s connection point in the Breaker Box.  

Having already prepared the end of the Cable that was to go in the Automatic Switching Device the power to the trailer was only shut down for Twenty Minutes today. This afternoon the temperature did reach 57 F (14 C) but with the cold North Breeze it never felt like it. By the time I had everything put back in the basement it was getting colder. 

Kathy spent a few minutes talking to Pam our Neighbour about the cold temperatures we’ve been getting which is not what any of us had expected. Many times their conversation was interrupted by the distant cry of the Coyotes. 

For supper while I grilled a couple of nice sized Hamburgers on the Weber Q, Kathy was Sautéing some nice Asparagus we recently got at the Road Runner Grocery Store. You could hear the Coyotes not too far away and the fact I was outside grilling had me keeping an eye over my shoulder since I was outside by myself in the dark. Supper tasted great! 

After a few more minor adjustments we’ll be all set to go “Off the Grid”. The temperature is supposed to be comfortable for the next couple of days but we won’t talk about next week. Thanks for following along and feel free to leave a comment. Be Safe and Enjoy! 

It’s about time.

Krackers 

You Might Be a Redneck If 

There's fishing tackle in your glove box.