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Your Sprinter Sleeper

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chetjester

Veteran Expediter
Driver
I made the plunge over the holiday for auxiliary batteries. I purchased an isolator and 150 amp breaker from Espar of Michigan and installed them under the driver seat. I used 4 gauge wire. I ran the wire to 2 cheap deep cycle batteries (1 form Walmart and 1 from AutoZone) under the passenger seat with each in its own battery box with no lid.

I just got my first load from Grand Prairie, TX to Tucson yesterday. That charged everything up nicely.

The main reason for the aux batteries is my Espar D2 and my TruckFridge cooler. My 2 cheap batteries should have no problem keeping those 2 things running for me. I got tired of setting my alarm for 2 am to wake up and run the van to charge the main battery so I wouldn't need a jump in the morning. Now I should be able to sleep all night.

I wanted AGM batteries, but Turtle scared me with all the crap about alarms and discharging and all. I'll just keep buying the cheap batteries and not worry about his concerns.
 
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purgoose10

Veteran Expediter
chetjester said:
I made the plunge over the holiday for auxiliary batteries. I purchased an isolator and 150 amp breaker from Espar of Michigan and installed them under the driver seat. I used 4 gauge wire. I ran the wire to 2 cheap deep cycle batteries (1 form Walmart and 1 from AutoZone) under the passenger seat with each in its own battery box with no lid.

I just got my first load from Grand Prairie, TX to Tucson yesterday. That charged everything up nicely.

The main reason for the aux batteries is my Espar D2 and my TruckFridge cooler. My 2 cheap batteries should have no problem keeping those 2 things running for me. I got tired of setting my alarm for 2 am to wake up and run the van to charge the main battery so I wouldn't need a jump in the morning. Now I should be able to sleep all night.

I wanted AGM batteries, but Turtle scared me with all the crap about alarms and discharging and all. I'll just keep buying the cheap batteries and not worry about his concerns.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine at the local parts store will sell me the Trojan 305 for $130 but I have to have a trade-in. It hard to find one much less 4. I'm going around to the county dump sites and looking for old battery's. If I don't have a trade then it goes up $18 a battery.
Not picking on your install but you should run a minimum of 2 O/T between battery's. This helps speed up your recovery time. Always remember one rule with electricity, (the path of least resistance).
 
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chetjester

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Apparently I have done something wrong. I have posted a thread about my circuit and maybe my problem is that I'm not running off the alternator for my aux batteries. Could somebody tell me where I would connect to the alternator in a 2010 Sprinter? Is that connection under the driver's seat?

It's 5:10 AM Eastern. Luckily, I don't need my Espar as I am in Laredo and it's 64 degrees right now. But I want heat when I go north and need the aux batteries to run my heater.

Thanks.
 
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purgoose10

Veteran Expediter
ebsprintin said:
Thanks. I highly modified a couple Ikea garage storage shelves, so that the depth of the shelves are within the depth of the wheel wells. I used a couple more of the Ikea shelves, piano hinges, and a couple table leg hinges and 2x2's for the bed section.

eb
Click to expand...

That looks good. Lot of planning.
 
H

Hightech_Hobo

Expert Expediter
ChetJester...

I have a 2010 Sprinter. I made a connection directly to the 12 volt Batt Positive Terminal with a 150 amp fuse. I ran the wire back to the rear wheel well area via the Wire channel by and thru the seat base using rubber grommet to come out of seat base. Hooked up to positive terminal on aux batt #1 and jumped to pos terminal Aux Batt #2. Grounded Both batts to a bolt in the wall.

This allows 220 amp Alternator to charge Chassis and 2 aux batts. This is not the optimal setup. Turtle has it right with an isolater.

A second Alternative is a Relay that plugs in under the seat.(you MB dealer can show you how and where and provide the Relay for about $35.00. I think I will ultimatley end up with this set up as money and time allow and it is recomended by the manf.
 
M

mnguard

Seasoned Expediter
Hi Turtle thanks for the pics of your sleeper but do you have a close up of the wiring or a diagram? I am new to the sprinter after driving straight truck for some time and need a sleeper like yours. Thank You
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
chetjester said:
I made the plunge over the holiday for auxiliary batteries. I purchased an isolator and 150 amp breaker from Espar of Michigan and installed them under the driver seat. I used 4 gauge wire. I ran the wire to 2 cheap deep cycle batteries (1 form Walmart and 1 from AutoZone) under the passenger seat with each in its own battery box with no lid.

I just got my first load from Grand Prairie, TX to Tucson yesterday. That charged everything up nicely.

The main reason for the aux batteries is my Espar D2 and my TruckFridge cooler. My 2 cheap batteries should have no problem keeping those 2 things running for me. I got tired of setting my alarm for 2 am to wake up and run the van to charge the main battery so I wouldn't need a jump in the morning. Now I should be able to sleep all night.

I wanted AGM batteries, but Turtle scared me with all the crap about alarms and discharging and all. I'll just keep buying the cheap batteries and not worry about his concerns.
Click to expand...

So far I've run my D4 espar almost 66 hours before I started the van..to go on a load...on 1 deep cell battery...
 
vazauto

vazauto

Active Expediter
Hello

I was wondering if somone could veriy that the cargo vans can generate 30+k a year. Thank in advance for your help.
 
chefdennis

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
No one can tell you want the net will be because they have no idea what your expenses are...the fact is if you can't gross over $50,000 a yr in a CV then you are in the wrong industry....Well i guess i should qualify that by saying if you want to work..stay out on the road 3-4 weeks at a time and not try and be home every weekend...and are with a good carrier...
 
Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
The Rule of Thirds still applies. Whatever you gross, about one third goes to operating expenses, one third goes to the truck, and one third goes to the owner/operator.
 
Opel2010

Opel2010

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
vazauto said:
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Is the net income under 25k a yr?
Click to expand...

It depends on many factors, the co. you wanna lease with, the pay rate, acceptance/refusals, etc.
In 3 months with Bolt I barely made $7k, then I switched to a small carrier and I made $7k in two weeks... just an example....
 
B

blizzard2014

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Opel2010 said:
It depends on many factors, the co. you wanna lease with, the pay rate, acceptance/refusals, etc.
In 3 months with Bolt I barely made $7k, then I switched to a small carrier and I made $7k in two weeks... just an example....
Click to expand...

See how extreme it can be for two different drivers at the same company. I did 11,000 miles my first month with Bolt Express. I would definitely consider running for Bolt if I ever went back to driving again. They were good to me. But Opel had a vastly different experience with them. You can do 2,000 miles a week in a cargo van if you work hard and have a lot of four leaf clovers. Or you can do something even better, you can rub OVM's belly for good luck! lol
 
chefdennis

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
I am with Blizzard on Bolt..I did very well for the 4 yrs i was there and i'd go back if need be..to this day I recommend anyone that is starting out to talk to Anne at Bolt...you will learn the business as it should be done...
 
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