Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:46:42 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Internal 115V power
In-Reply-To: <012b01c8485e$d7a54f40$6401a8c0@TOSHIBALAP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I have had some interesting experiences in my life that have said loud
and clear " You had better damn well use that Checklist"!
Once there was a student pilot (not me) who didn't remove the pitot tube
(more or less operates the aircraft speedometer) cover before takeoff.
He discovered that Aluminum bends really easy. He learned the hard way
the value of the checklist.
How about not visually and physically checking the fuel tanks for
quantity - and having to land on a sandbar on an island in the middle of
a river - 100 miles from anywhere. That was a stupid oversight. It was a
checklist item.
How about accidentally - and without choice due to a mechanical
malfunction - flying a Cessna 180 airplane on ski's through an outside
loop. That would not be a day to forget putting on one's seatbelt. It is
a checklist item that fortunately got done. (See AOPA Pilot, January
1971 - "I Learned About Flying from That" - for the whole story)
So in my early career - instruction, combined with a few scary
experiences of my own that I managed to somehow survive, got the message
through this thick skull. Now I live by the principles.
You cannot replace operational intelligence with a few checklists, but
intelligence dictates that you use them.
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Scott Daniel - Shazam wrote:
> Well john, with a breakaway feature, and a 'power on' indicator light I sure
> think you have the 'safety bases' covered on that issue. I heartily
> approve. But you really should get a real 'remove before flight' streamer
> to attached to the power cord, just to make it triple unlikely to drive off
> plugged in.
> And a walk around pre-flight, I'm very impressed.
> Do you also check warning light function ? I occasionally see vans with oil
> lights not working, and the people have no idea as they just fire it up,
> never checking that the warning lights cone on, then go off after lighting
> it off.
> Just made me think if that aerospace engineer type dude that put an actual
> jet engine sticking out the back of a New Beetle. You've probably seen it
> online. What a trip.
> Now I'll bet that guy has some safety checks before firing that thing up !
> Impressed with your preventative thinking. Rather rare I'd say
> in the general automotive public. That's why tire pressure monitors are
> required now in new cars. And even then people will drive with the warning
> lights on I bet !!! ..............lol. oh well. Just so they don't loose
> control and hit vanagons !
> Scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> John Rodgers
> Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 11:47 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Internal 115V power
>
> Thanks Volks, for all the input.
>
> I think I will stick to my original idea -
>
> 1) Cut an opening in the kick board under the edge of the rear seat.
> 2) Mount a steel receptacle box on the back side of the kick board.
> 3) String a long heavy duty cable from the box through the firewall
> under the seat and through the engine compartment, clearing hot spots
> and moving components, and securing the thing with ties.
> 4) Install grounding receptacles in the steel box, and fit a cover plate
> over it to cover the box.
> 5) Wire in the cable to the receptacles.
> 6) Attach a three prong plug to the cable end by the rear hatch,
> 7) Secure the cable end to something at the rear service hatch using a tie.
>
> All that would need doing then would be to open the oil service hatch a
> bit, plug in the extension, and voila - power available inside the van.
>
> Yes, there is a possibility of a drive off with extension attached, but
> it should pull free from the plug on the end og the cable attached to
> the van.
>
> But for myself, I'm an old pilot who has done untold hundreds of
> preflight checklists before beginning a flight. And I alway do one on my
> van before driving anywhere. It is not likely - but is possible - to
> miss disconnecting and driving off, so ease of breakaway is sort of
> built in on this one.
>
> The tail end of the cable can be long enough to hang out the hatch when
> parked, yet tucked in when on the road. That should make breakaway
> easy.But I just might install a red "Power On" light just to alert me
> that the extension cord is still connected.
>
> Thanks again for all the input.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
>> I have periodic need to have internal 115/120 Volt power available
>> inside my van, and I always wind up have to string an extension cord,
>> leave a door or window cacked open for the cord access, etc. I'm
>> thinking of installing a 4 gang receptacle under the rear seat, with a
>> metal box under the seat and the receptacles themselves faceing out from
>> under the seat. It would be mounted on that board that makes for the
>> storage space under the seat. For wiring, a heavy cord would be wired
>> into the receptacle and strung through a hole in the slanted firewall
>> under the seat into the engine bay and strung across the top of the
>> engine and the plug end would be tied off right at the rear service
>> hatch opening. This would allow for simply plugging in an extension
>> cable at the rear of the vehicle, eliminating all that other hassle.
>>
>> Just wondering if there are opinions as to better arrangements, or
>> things to watch out for, cautions, etc.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> John Rodgers
>> 88 GL Driver
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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