Talk About Gettin' Behind on a Job...

I started this partic'lar project back 'fore Christmas! It's the wiring setup to hard wire in my Ipod stereo Dock and the electronic photo frame into the trailer's 12Volt system I'm talkin' about.

If you remember, I had it wired in and up and runnin' but was warned that the little bit of voltage above 12 volts that comes out of the solar system (up to 14.2 or so) can wreak havoc on some Consumer/RV electronics... With a lil' bit of lookin' I'd tracked down the hardware to string in a voltage regulator to protect each and finish up what I started.

...and then... I found one excuse after another to do something else. Those parts have sat in the cabinet I built at the same time, since we got back from Christmas in Colorado.

Well, I finally decided it was time get to sizzlin' copper! I pulled the bits and pieces out this afternoon and started soldering.

Yeah... about that...

Ok... I'm a damn fine horseman. a top notch Leather Craftsman, I'm right up there as a scooter driver... and a fair word whittler... but, uh... an ee-lek-trishun? Skilled at soldering up delicate electronic bits?

... Not so much! :) Have you ever heard a guy refer to himself as a "Chainsaw Carpenter?" ... well... this was pretty much Blow Torch Computer Technician stuff! :)

There weren't no sparks... and I think the first setup is put together proper... but there was dang sure smoke! :)

*12 volt voltage regulator*

I only got the first one soldered up... after some gyrations workin' out how to hang on to and manipulate a pigtail, a regulator, some solder wire and the soldering gun... all at the same time, with only the two hands I was born with.

 ... along with a bit of practice stickin' two ends of some scrap wire together.

I'll give you a bit of free advice... I think what I done today'll work... but... if you ever have the opportunity to fly on a space ship, that you know for sure and for certain... I soldered on the controls of?

... take a tip from me... I'd be busy with something else that day if I was you!

So... What I did was, I chose to weld on three lil' one foot pigtails to ease wiring the things into the power running from the batteries to my electronics.

*Pigtails soldered in place*

To finish up the job I slid on some heat shrink tubing to seal the things up and make a good tight connection...

They're still not waterproof I guess... but then... if they find 'em selves under water...

... I'm pretty sure I'll be busier worryin' 'bout other things than if the electronics are gettin' wet...

... Such as... Can I swim all the way back to the bank of the river or not! ;)

*Shrink Tube applied*

The next four days are gonna be spent haulin' more butts at the Good Sam Rally at PIR.

Since I'm to be Haulin' from oh eight hundred of the mornin'... till twenty one thirty in the dark of night... It's a likely thing the job still won't get finished till after the rally!

But... now that I know I can do the solderin' without lightin' up a bonfire... I should get the job finished next week some time...

'Cause hookin the wires together behind the cabinet is the easy part!

Once that's done I'll edit the page I'd already built on the main website when I thought I'd come up with a simple and awesome idea.

I still think it's awesome... just not as simple.

Like I said we're runnin' hard the next few days so don't get all depressed and lonesome 'cause I ain't 'round for a bit... I'll be back!

'cause I gotta get book # three back to speed as well... Heck that was s'posed to be done already too... This  die-vertin' me onto other chores is gettin' way too easy for some folks!

Back at PIR... for the Good Sam Rally
Brian