Another step van build here in the City Of Salt!

very nice...

I Mofood this is an excellent thread Im using it to learn and make my own food truck down here in Mexico, Im paying attention to all material and equipment, my deepest concern is about propane tank location, and connection of all electric wiring to the generator, so im looking forward for you to arrive to that section, greetings

Guys what wold you recommend wiring behind wall or over the wall? Same question about propane plumbing any suggestion?

How did you put the pipes into the tank?I need to put a larger drain in my waste tank, but can't figure how to mount the pipe without cutting a big hole in the top to thread a nut on the backside.

I'll show detailed photos of that stuff as I get time Il Fergone. All my wiring was done with metal clad conduit mounted to the wall/ceiling surface.

Daddywood, my waste water tank came with a 1.5" npt thread. You can see in one pic that I used a PVC 90deg street elbow into that thread. Then, from the interior, 1.5" abs pipe through a pipe sealing grommet in the floor, and glued in the street elbow.
If you don't have a threaded hole like I did, a tank relocation kit will have a 1.5" nipple ( like my tank drain you can see in the pic). That will be a little more difficult to adapt to. Maybe a 90deg rubber elbow could be sourced? Or, mount the nipple facing up and make the penetration through the floor line up with the nipple?

It's the pipe on the left of the picture that I'm trying to figure out how to do.the waste drain out of the tank.mine just has 1 1.5" and 3 1/2" outlets.but I want to put a 3-4"drain out of the tank,to drain the tank.

daddywoofdawg
It's the pipe on the left of the picture that I'm trying to figure out how to do.the waste drain out of the tank.mine just has 1 1.5" and 3 1/2" outlets.but I want to put a 3-4"drain out of the tank,to drain the tank.

Cut what ever size hole you need in the top of your tank then after you get your nut on the inside go to any sheet metal shop and have them make you a flat plate out of what ever metal you like. I use stainless. Drill a hole in each corner of the plate. Screw the hatch to the tank and boom your done. This also makes a great spot to stick a shop vac hose into suck any debris out about once a summer. I have had a hatch made that is about 1/3rd the width and about 2/3rds the length. You can if need be pull the tank and reach in the scrub the interior. You can't get into the tank of course if your doing an underbelly mount. But you can still do any modifications and then do the under-mount.
jack
 

Sorry I've not posted for a while. Pics are no longer in any chronological order. Just trying to categorize everything by job.
Built the battery box and support a while ago, now the installation:

Cut the hole, just under the gen set, and mounted the support to the bumper mount of the step van.

The battery box, match drilled this and used self drilling screws (not seen here). This needs to be removable.

Built some cables. All appropriate gauge for the amperage draws. Cool drop in solder pellets are the turquoise thingies. Flux and solder in a pellet. Worked great.

Bent some leftover 1/16" tread plate and made some seals with door foam to keep water out

Mounted the cover..many steps skipped here. I fill the details if needed.
Hooked up the battery cables to the generator, and extended the factory generator wiring harness for remote start, and gauges in the next few pics

blurry! duct seal for the holes here

Found pins for the factory gen harness at a local electrical supply house, miraculous!

Organized it and sheathed it
 
 
 
 
 
 

Here's what the battery box looks like from the underside. This also relates to another thread about grounding our systems. Generators are bonded to the chassis. Ultimately, our electrical systems rely on good shore power grounding, and generator circuits that originate, and terminate at the generator. We do not tie the neutral to the ground..ever afiak.

 
Time to build the back wall. I decided to build my back wall with a 36" rear door. I designed a frame, and used some materials that I had chosen early on. 1x2x1/8" Al rectange tubes, and 2x1(ish)x.25" Al C channel (seen in the above photo).


The cross supports are the C channel. I'll be mounting my propane to this wall, had to beef it up appropriately. Eddy Merkx makes a sneak appearance again.

Spool gun on a nice mig with 100% argon. Worked great.
Now, mount it..self tappers into the existing structure. There was just a roll up door, now there is substantial structure that will stiffen the box up, and support load if necessary.

Seal it wherever I can. Thanks buddy! He's a pro

 
Man, whenever I cut aluminum, I nail it. Plywood, always a shizshow! Nailed this cut. two pieces of 1/8" Al sheet cut to match the door:

1/8" structural rivets
Hung the door, had to use regular Al rivets so I could use my smaller rivet gun to clear the door's extrusion.

Back wall in. Door was much nicer than the service window, but still wouldn't order from this supplier again.
Inside:

outside:

Gratifying work here..
 

Insulated the wall with 2" pink board:

Sheeted with 3/8" ply, then 24g S/S.


Had to use a bunch of leftover, and make do. Couple extra seams, no big deal. Didn't enjoy cutting more ply, and S/S. It turned into a bit of a chore.
Put the service window in. Chose to have sliders open on either end, rather than center out. Can't close or lock the awning from the inside anymore:

 
I mentioned I had a local sheet metal fab shop make my generator cover box, and my wheel well boxes. Gen box was 1/8" Al tread plate, wheel well boxes 1/16" in tread plate. I cut the flat patterns, they bent and welded for me.
Insulated the interior of the gen box with foam for added sound insulation. This thing is quiet, now even more so on the interior. Minimal clearance requirements helped with space conservation.

 
Sleepy time..
 
 

You can do what the Dr. said or you can use this : http://compare.ebay.com/like/400190913966?_lwgsi=y&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar  both will work but I have personally used the fittings in the link I provided in my ice cream truck waste tank. You cut a large hole in the top of the tank so you can get your arm in it. Install the large plate fitting, allow to dry cause you'll use alot of silicone. Once it's dry you will now have an access plate that will thread in and out so you can install a waste fitting (included) or one of your choice in another location.

daddywoofdawg


How did you put the pipes into the tank?I need to put a larger drain in my waste tank, but can't figure how to mount the pipe without cutting a big hole in the top to thread a nut on the backside.

Man you got skills for sure mo!! Good job man. Your doing much more custom work than me and i'm beat with working full time and trying to get mine done so I can only imagine how you feel!! Keep it up!

Hi! Are you guys willing to do some custom work for a step van I'm getting? I wanted a hood vent and service window put in. If so, could you message me with pricing info.
 
Thanks :)

MO your doing an awsome job.

Hi Mo,
I can't send/reply to your private message since it says I haven't been a member long enough. Do mind giving me your email? Thanks for getting back to me so promptly btw, I appreciate. My sister and I are barely starting this whole process so we're very appreciative of any help we could get :)

Back wall done, electrical and propane are the big hitters now.
For propane, I'm gonna start with a 100 lb tank mounted to the back of the truck. All the appliances are 3/4" pipe, so that's what I'll use. I spoke with our propane shop  before I did any work (there is always someone who knows all about anything you need to know at the specialty stores). I did a little calculating as well...
Piping will start at the back passenger side, go under the truck to just behind the water heater on the drivers side, then penetrate into the work space.
Here's how it looks..hard to tell orientations when taking pics from underneath the chassis. I'll try make sense of it..
Looking from under the passenger side, back of the truck. This is where it comes in from the tank, and heads to the driver side:

Held by hanger wire for now.
Up the frame rail and through a cross member:

Through another cross member, and out and down to clear the frame rail:

Around said frame rail, then up into work space:

Nothing is secured well yet, but it will be later.
Just general layout. Up into work area:

The union is the first separation since the back. It allows a disconnect before the penetration. The water heater tees off this line. You can see the control wires in the pic above. We're on the driver side wall of the truck here.
Interior later. Propane tank holder is next. Baby steps.

Not really, built it pretty quick. Mock up:


The plate is for the regulator mount. This will be brushed and coated with truck bed liner.
I predrilled all the holes in the tubes before welding. Everything will be match drilled to the frame I built for the back wall. The back wall has supports just for this frame. Measurements were matched to the frame cross members for mounting.

Propane into the kitchen (fire suppression cut off seen here)

Another sealing grommet to keep out the critters.
Tees, and fastening to the floor with 3/4" hangers, upside down. They'll work I think.

Up onto the driver side wheel well:

Added another upside down hanger later for support. Understand, this went together, and came apart numerous times. All the pipes are sealed with gas tape (yellow) btw..
 

Mofood,
 
Where did you get the gromet and the magnetic thing-a-ma-giggers to hold the pipe square?

magnetic thing-a-ma-giggers?
Are sold at Harbor Freight.

DR. what are they really called.
 

I don't know. I know they are for wielding and fabricating shops use them, and I have noticed them at Harbor Freight.I call HF the Chinese tool store because everything they sell comes from China. LOL
 
Ok just did a search and they are called Arrow Magnets
http://www.welders-direct...&Category_Code=ToT

Chingadera

You can source the grommets from Mcmaster Carr online. Some good industrial supply houses will have this stuff as well.

Gracias....

Hey Mofood. Thanks for posting your build pics. You cannot imagine how helpful these have been in planning my own food truck build here in Atlanta. For instance, I've purchased a similar generator to yours and your pics have helped me determine where/how to mount it (I'm going to put it up in the driver's cabin since there's already a big, gaping hole where you access the tranny. Anyway, best of luck to you... keep posting! One question... you say you bought the installation manual for your generator... did it come with the floor template? I called my local Cummins Onan distributor and their telling me that the template is discontinued.

It's available. What model is it? Should be no problem to get. I'd be surprised if it's old enough to be discontinued..

Electrical:
Modified a surface mount box, put some holes in the top..

 
Wired the transfer switch. Bough an automatic transfer switch. Easy to work with.

Generator power lines, and mocked up shore power. You dont want female connector on shore power as many of you know. Testing. This is a 50 amp transfer switch. Wire is expensive!
General idea:

All metal conduit. I ran it across the ceiling, first run first, longest run last..

Hardware store stuff here. 1/2" wire clamps, mount it so it won't move much..
 
 

mofood, Where did you get your exhaust hood?
 
Thanks!

Ventilation direct online. Low proximity backshelf hood. Good pricing..

looking good mofood. Are you doing the ANSUL system yourself.