The solar array works pretty well even on these short early-winter days, though it won’t really support heating elements on solar gain alone. But now that I’m traveling to Vail to teach skiing, I can count on a full charge for the first overnight, and recharge off the engine alternator during the 20-mile round trip commute from the campsite to the ski area parking structure. I can park in the sun on the top level of the Vail Village parking structure, and if the sky is clear the system charges at up to 6 amps around noon.
And I began work on the overhead cabinetry. The wall will be the back of the bathroom. All the lower-level cabinets — kitchen and fridge housings — are 3/4-inch birch ply. To save a little weight, the upper cabinets are of 1/2-inch birch ply. I’m getting pretty handy with the jig saw. Gail bought gray fabric and is sewing up a neat cover for the ugly belt-line, now covered with even uglier duct tape. That belt line channel carries the wiring harness, so I need access to it. Therefore, the fabric cover will fasten with Velcro.
The window in the lower wall provides a sightline to keep the rear-view mirror functional. Note the heavy insulated curtain across the back doors. It’s made from a polyester-batting quilt picked up at Goodwill.
I built a similar cabinet over the fridge to serve as a cupboard. This unit, with the slide-out table and drinking water bottle, sits ahead of the bathroom and behind the driver’s seat. We’ll continue the round-corner door theme for the large storage area over the driver/passenger seats. Gail is sewing up a thick insulated curtain to use at night — it will close off the warm living space from the uninsulated cab. In summer, we hope it will keep the solar heat of the windshield from pouring into the living space.
gailandsethtravelling 
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