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Up date.
I figured how to screw down the roof☺ I cant climb up on it...so ...if I do one sheet at a time I can stand on the ground and I think reach everything ...however since I got back it has not stopped raining.
Well there are breaks but I cant get caught with the iron off as I dont want the ply lining to get wet at all...it may not like it☺.
But I have set up in the caravan and have now spent 3 nights in it...first night it got down to 9 degrees which I find cold...I found a cement paver and put it on the gas stove which took the edge off the cold..was careful re ventilation☺.I have not got the fridge stove or lights working but have set up the astronomy gears battery and inverter for basic needs like phone charging lappy charging camera battery and tablet...I have set up my artist easel and paints in the annex and set up a basic work bench ... the bed is great☺ plenty of space in the van and most comfortable...a little water draining into the annex but I will dig a better trench today.
I have managed some star trail snaps to identify trees hiding the CSP... I have cut down two but because of the rain and cloud can not yet tell if there is a limited view of CSP...There may be two other trees which are a little too big for me so if they are in the way I will ring bark them and see if I can get away with that approach... I have dug out my large chain saw but with crook legs its a bit dangerous really...maybe do them with an axe could be safer.
I have been agonizing as to what to do for a floor...First I was going to do a slab..then I thought to make up 2ft square pavers but thinking things through I think I should lift the thing and make up a frame to hold a thick ply floor.. I have nice cut trees close for two tripods and two endless chains if I need to lift it but I can probably just roll it onto the floor when its built...that option has the advantage of being able to react better to the ground settling more..but also I read from a chap who had built a couple of observatories his preference for a framed floor over cement because of the cements propensity to gather and hold heat...and I can see that cement may not be the best option...anyways hopefully my next report is that the roof is completed...today I am going to see if I have enough 2x3 for the floor...maybe Monday pick up some ply...slowly slowly but I am getting there..once I would have this done in a weekend but the legs really slow things up somehow.
And thinking about electricity in the van..I think I will not even try to use the existing wiring... I can track from the solar panels to the regulator to the battery so I think I wont bother with the existing 240 circuit and just hang an inverter near the regulator with a four point power board...its an old van and I dont trust the condition of the 240 vlt wiring...and I am going to use 10 lt water bottles to supply drinking water and not worry about using the existing water tank in the van..who knows what could be in it☺ but I will stick a $50 bilge pump at the dam to bring up water for washing and bathing and maybe a vegie patch.
And unrelated..there is a car rally going past here on 20 th so wont that be fun for some photos☺.
Alex
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