M109A4 Sub-Zero Oil Field

[jmoneysmithmas]

I know you guys like pictures, so to give you an idea of my remote, off-grid work, here's a picture of the job I'm on in Central Montana. We're refurbishing USAF minuteman missile silo access roads all over a 200 sq mi area. If you squint, you'll see 3 dark specks in a horizontal row. Gladys is the middle speck.

 

[kipman]

What do you do for a living?

 

[stampy]

The 40 watt I got was a ebay item and it was under flexable solar panel. They have lots of different sizes. Mine puts out enough to fully charge a jump pack or battery in about a day. The jump pack I got at lowes has usb, cables, and 12v lighter plug and small air compressor so it is real useful for lots of things. If you were closer to NC I would work you a deal on some Kflex in a roll.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

What do you do for a living?

I'm a Grade Checker, Surveyor, Road Construction and Construction layout technician. Here's my business website: www.surveymapping.com

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

The 40 watt I got was a ebay item and it was under flexable solar panel. They have lots of different sizes. Mine puts out enough to fully charge a jump pack or battery in about a day. The jump pack I got at lowes has usb, cables, and 12v lighter plug and small air compressor so it is real useful for lots of things. If you were closer to NC I would work you a deal on some Kflex in a roll.

I bought 4 sheets of k flex last night on ebay (through Zoro Tools). Can i use liquid nails to adhere it to the fiberglass you think? Or should i get some of that special k flex adhesive I see sold online?

AH- you went with a flexible solar panel. I was overwhelmed last night at the incredible variety of solar panels and solar panel kits on ebay and other sites like amazon. I'm thinking of a permanent mount, as seen on RV's. They would lay flat on the roof on brackets. After a little research, there are panels that claim to withstand 1" size hailstones at 50mph; a lot more durable than I had expected to find.

"Jump Pack"... i will look this up on the Lowe's website. I did a brief search last night and didn't come up with what you had explained.

Thanks again for the additional info stampy!

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

To power our GPS base stations, we use 12v batteries (the commercial truck-size ones last about a week, the motorcycle sized ones about a day). There is ALWAYS an issue of having time/place to charge them up. Solar power seems to be the perfect answer!

A GPS Base Station I setup on the North Slope of alaska, about 200 miles north of the arctic circle (the 12v atv/mower battery is in the lunch cooler): http://surveymapping.com/mediac/400_0/media/299.JPG

 

[plym49]

What about Dynamat? They have several types available. I have used the foil-backed version to great effect on cab floors and walls. I have not tried it on a top, though. They have a black texture spray coating, too, used for covering nooks and crannies. If you did a neat joc of applying the dynamat you could then spray it all over with the texture coating and that would add stiffness and insulation.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

What about Dynamat? They have several types available. I have used the foil-backed version to great effect on cab floors and walls. I have not tried it on a top, though. They have a black texture spray coating, too, used for covering nooks and crannies. If you did a neat joc of applying the dynamat you could then spray it all over with the texture coating and that would add stiffness and insulation.

Dynamat seems to be designed more for sound deadening vs. insulation. Right? Here in Montana, we need all the insulation we can get! Thanks plym49 for the suggestion. I ordered 1" thick k flex, rated as R4 insulation. I'll let you guys know how it works out in the future.

 

[plym49]

Dynamat seems to be designed more for sound deadening vs. insulation. Right? Here in Montana, we need all the insulation we can get! Thanks plym49 for the suggestion. I ordered 1" thick k flex, rated as R4 insulation. I'll let you guys know how it works out in the future.

Yes, that's correct, but from having used it I thought it might add some stiffness as well. Does the K Flex add stiffness? If not, perhaps first use the robber Dynamat and sandwich the K Flex on top. Sorry for harping but I am a Dynamat fan, having had good results with it (although not as you are using it).

BTW, that photo of your office driveway is fantastic. Montana and Wyoming are so beautiful.

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

Yes, that's correct, but from having used it I thought it might add some stiffness as well. Does the K Flex add stiffness? If not, perhaps first use the robber Dynamat and sandwich the K Flex on top. Sorry for harping but I am a Dynamat fan, having had good results with it (although not as you are using it).

BTW, that photo of your office driveway is fantastic. Montana and Wyoming are so beautiful.

Additional stiffness is always good... I didn't think of that benefit. My fiberglass roof sounds like a drum as it sits now (bare fiberglass). I am hoping to stiffen the roof up with a few generous coats of herculiner on the outside.

Thanks for the input and suggestions everyone!

 

[plym49]

Additional stiffness is always good... I didn't think of that benefit. My fiberglass roof sounds like a drum as it sits now (bare fiberglass). I am hoping to stiffen the roof up with a few generous coats of herculiner on the outside.

Thanks for the input and suggestions everyone!

Run three of these fore and aft atop that roof:

http://www.fleetpartsonline.com/aluminum_extrusions_rubrails.htm

 

[jmoneysmithmas]

It's been a long time since I was on this site, as my work has changed dramatically over the last year. "Gladys" has been sitting in storage for some time now... I got the fiberglass hard top installed, and coated it with the 'do it yourself' line-x type bedliner. It looks great. Next time I'm at the storage yard, I'll get some photos. However... as I mentioned, work for me has changed and I really don't 'need' her anymore. I'm actually considering putting her up for sale on ebay, since I could use the cash for other projects... There are so few M109A4s in this part of the country (NW Montana), I may be able to get a decent price. I dunno... just thinking out loud...