How to remove silicone caulk from a fiberglass Casita

 Short post here but hopefully helpful.  If your Casita is anything like mine, there is a LOT of silicone caulk used throughout which very often gets in the way of some of the projects.  Scraping seemed to do nothing except damage the fiberglass.  Alcohol didn't work either.

Finally I tried some Contractor's Solvent that I had around the house and voila! the caulk came right off.

This stuff is great.  If the label is to be believed, it's totally non-toxic--in fact they suggest uses for skin and hair--and it's great for removing particularly tenacious labels (like those annoying warning stickers attached throughout the Casita) as well as silicone caulk apparently.  Just spray and leave it for 10 minutes or so.  Come back and wipe it off with a paper towel.  

Removing the Table Leg supports in a Casita

Since I'm redoing the floors and adding a Lagun table to my Casita Liberty Deluxe, the table leg supports in the floor were no longer necessary and had to come out. Here's what I did.

Parts and Tools Required

• Drill and bit driver
• Aluminum sheet metal
• #12 3/4" Stainless steel screws
• Paint scraper
• Marine sealant and adhesive
• Spray foam
• Snap off utility knife
• Contractor's Solvent
• Gloves and eye protection (no, really) and maybe an N95 mask

Steps

The screws for the supports are easy enough to get out...probably.  They're square head screws that have a tendency to strip and snap.  It was like a class of kindergarteners: most were easy; some were stubborn and made you want to tear your hair out.  

I'd recommend wearing gloves since everything in this process is covered in nasty, sticky sealant.

Once the screws are out, insert your paint scraper under the support to pry it out.  It's just held in with sealant and caulk so it should lift out with a little bit of force.  Just keep working the scraper around it.  If you're really having trouble, the other option is to get under the Casita and push.

Once the supports are out you'll have a nice set of holes in your floor.  If you're looking for a lot of extra ventilation and some new furry pets, congrats, you're finished!  Otherwise, you'll probably want to seal these holes.  

Climb underneath and, using your paint scraper, scrape off as much of the caulk and goop as you can.  It doesn't have to be perfect but you'll want as smooth a surface as you can get. Wear eye protection because a lot of junk with flake off in your face.  Then, spray some Contractor's Solvent and leave it for a bit. The rest of the goop should wipe right off.

Next, cut the metal you plan on using to patch make your patch.  I'm lucky enough to have a friend who does metal sculptures and had some old aluminum street signs that he was willing to cut to size for me.  6" x 6" is a good size.  If you don't have such a friend, you can just purchase some aluminum sheet metal and cut it to size with tin snips.  I wouldn't recommend using steel since it will rust and is just harder to work with.  The edges may be pretty sharp so use your gloves.

Climb underneath and, holding the metal patch against your Casita, check to make sure it's relatively flush.  Drill your pilot holes through the metal plate and floor, being careful not to push all the way through.  Again, wear eye protection since junk will fall on your face.  I also recommend drawing an outline in pencil so it will be easier to line it up when you attach it.

Put a bead of marine sealant around the perimeter of the plate.  Line up the plate with your outline and screw it in.  The sealant should squeeze out the side.  Using a paper towel or your finger, smooth it all around to make a seal.

Repeat for the other two supports.  

Once the adhesive has dried, take your spray foam and fill the hole.  Don't worry about it overflowing since you'll be cutting it once it dries.  You should end up with a nice little ice cream cone.

Once it dries, use your razor to cut the foam flush with the floor.  A little caulk can fill in any air holes.

And Bob's your uncle. 

Next step is to install new flooring.

How to (not) replace a broken rafter attachment on the Fiamma F45s awning

As the previous owner was showing me how to work the awning on the 2018 Liberty Deluxe I recently purchased, a small plastic piece fell to the ground.  It turns out that piece is pretty essential if you want to use the rafter on the Fiamma F45S awning that comes with the Casita.

It looks like this:

This particular part works by slipping the top into the groove on the awning assembly and the bottom clamps down on the bottom lip of the awning when you tighten the screws.  The rafter (the center beam) connects to it on the Casita side of the awning.  Unfortunately that thin piece of plastic (bottom of the right piece in the above photo) has a tendency to snap.  

It took me a minute to track down what exactly this part was called since the numbers printed on it don't correspond to the part number. (If you're shopping for it, you want the "Awning Rafter Fixing Kit" and the part number is 98655-542). It turns out you can buy it online, and the going rate seems to be in the ballpark of $25 with shipping.

However, never one to shell out a (relatively) large amount of cash for a tiny piece of plastic, I examined my options.  

My first thought was to try some plastic welding with acetone.  Unfortunately this particular plastic chemistry doesn't lend itself to this solution.  I thought of trying glue or epoxy but they wouldn't be strong enough to hold with the physics acting on it.  

My next thought was simply to dispense with the extra piece entirely and just bolt the main part directly onto the awning.  Seems simple and plenty strong and Fiamma was kind enough to provide the screw holes.  I gathered my nuts, bolts, and washers and then took a peek behind the awning to see what I was working with.  

Unfortunately the bracket mounting the awning to the Casita is directly behind where I would want to drill so it would be pretty darn difficult to get a nut back there.

So no dice on bolting it in so I figured I would use the slightly weaker sheet metal screws and just screw it in place.  I positioned the part with the Fiamma writing upside down so I could take advantage of the screw holes already in place.  The bottom part of the plastic piece tucked neatly behind the bolt that's there and the screws would hold in the top.

I drilled out the holes with a 9/64 bit.  It was a tight fit and I discovered that the rotating head on my drill got a little too close to the awning fabric and abraded a hole in it. Oops!  Some repair tape will fix that right up and, if my girlfriend asks, the previous owner must have done it.

Nevertheless, using the same screws that originally held it in place I screwed it in and it felt really secure.  Brilliant!!

...almost.  I then tried to attach the rafter and it turns out that it can't attach to that piece upside down.  

And if I tried to flip the rafter, it would just fall out.  So back to the drawing board.

I flipped the piece right side up and, using the same screw holes, drilled new holes below the first ones.  I screwed the screws in place and gave it a tug.  Not bad.  Not as secure as when the screws were on top but this does have the advantage of allowing the rafter to attach to it. 

Success!!

Total cost: 1 piece of repair tape 

Installing solar in a Casita Liberty Deluxe in a day for under $350 - Complete how-to guide

[Links are all Amazon affiliate so if you found this helpful and decide to purchase any of the items mentioned, I'd definitely appreciate if you used the links below so I can get $.02 in exchange for offering my $.02]

We just bought a 2018 Casita LD and the first project was to get some solar on the roof to keep the battery topped up.  Having built out a camper van a few years ago, this wasn't new to me but I’m by no means an expert, just a well-researched amateur.  All in all, this was a pretty simple install and relatively cheap.  I know there were a number of solar threads but I know when I was starting out how helpful it was to have a step-by-step guide so I hope this helps others looking to do similar. 

Parts List

• Renogy Bifacial 115-watt square solar panel - $100
  This is a perfect fit between the fan and bathroom exhaust.  It is bifacial which means technically it could charge from the underside as well.  I didn't need this feature but the dimensions fit perfectly and it was the same price as a non-bifacial (when purchased on Amazon) 
• Victron SmartSolar 30-amp MPPT controller w/ Bluetooth - $128
  You can get other controllers for cheaper but Victron makes the best and this is an exceptional price.  It includes Bluetooth monitoring via the app.  The single panel only requires about 8 amps but this allows plenty of room for expansion in the future
• Z-brackets - $15
  I initially tried to purchase the adjustable brackets to slightly angle the panel so as to take advantage of the bifacial feature and to allow great surface area for adhesion but ultimately those brackets required too much modification to adapt to the curve of the casita so I went with the traditional z-bracket
• Renogy 10' 10 AWG solar cable - $20
  Exactly the correct length to run from the panel, through the gray water vent, and to the tow connector in the closet.  115-watts wouldn't require 10 AWG wire but in case I decide to add more solar panels in the future, I could still use these cables.  Also, the cable run from the 7-pin connector is 10-gauge and consistency is neat.
• 30-amp breaker - $16
  This runs between the panels and the controller.  I prefer this to a fuse since it allows me to easily disconnect the solar from the controller when needed
• VHB 4950 Mounting Tape - $16
  I reached out to 3M to inquire what tape to use to mount aluminum to fiberglass and explained my use case.  This is the tape they recommend along with...
• Electrical tape
• Wire nuts that can accommodate 3x 10AWG wires
• 3x 10 AWG Ring terminals
• Some extra 10 AWG wire, About 4' is plenty, cut into 2x 18" segments and one 12" segment.  
• (Optional) 3M Tape Primer 94 - $26
  This isn't required but was recommended by 3M and since I don't want the panels flying off, the slight extra expense was worth it for peace of mind.
• (Optional) Eternabond 3" Rubber Repair Tape - $19
  Again, probably not necessary but provides extra peace of mind
• (Optional) Wire crimper, shrink tubing
  This is preferable to have more solid connections but if you don't have access to all the fancy electrical stuff, you can just use electrical tape and pliers
• (Optional) Loctite Blue Threadlocker
  Recommended for ensuring the bolts that attach the panel to the bracket don't come loose.
• (Optional) Shrinktubing for ring terminal connections

Tools required

• Flathead screwdriver
• Drill and 3/16" bit
• 8x 1/2" screws for attaching the solar controller and breaker
• 6mm wrench or socket
• Wire strippers and cutters
• (Optional) Heat gun for shrink tubing

Steps

MOUNTING THE SOLAR

First I attached the z-brackets to the panels and put a drop of Loctite on each bolt.  The bolt size is 5mm.  The order is (from inside the panel) bolt, locking washer, washer, panel, bracket, washer, nut.  

 

Next, I placed the panel on the roof of the Casita to test the fit.  I positioned the panel with the brackets on the front and back rather than side-to-side for 2 reasons: a) Since the wind is coming mostly from the front, I figured this would provide more strength.  No idea if this is true or not but it makes sense in my head.  b) this positions the wires on the side closest to the gray water vent coming out from the closet which is where I want them.  The cables should be on the door side of the Casita.

 

I determined how much I need to bend the brackets to accommodate the slight slope of the roof and bent accordingly.  The brackets are aluminum so they bend easily with just your hand or pliers.

 

Once I had a flush fit and centered on the roof, I traced the outline of the brackets in pencil.  Next I cleaned the mounting points on the roof and brackets with alcohol and applied the 3M tape primer (recommended by the representative at 3M) with a Q-tip.  Once everything dried, I applied the VHB tape to the brackets.  

Next I placed the panel on the roof making sure the cables are on the Casita door side and the bent brackets in the front. I aligned the brackets with the outline I drew and removed the film from the VHB  first on the driver’s side, leaving the protective film on the passenger side tape.  I pressed firmly for 30 seconds to ensure a good adhesion.  Moving to the passenger side, I pulled the cables out from underneath the panel, removed the protective strip from the VHB tape and affixed the panel to the roof, again pressing firmly on the brackets for 30 seconds.  Then I left some weight on the panel overnight to help the VHB tape to adhere and ensure a flush fit.  

 

ROUTING THE WIRES AND ATTACHING THE CONTROLLER

 

On my model the vent cap for the gray tank above the closet just lifted off with a little pressure.  It looks like there was supposed to be a screw there but it was missing.  Other models may require drilling out the rivets. 

 

From inside the closet I drilled two holes through the elbow of the PVC pipe directly below the vent with (I think) a 3/16” drill bit.  I fed the wires through the vent into the closet and routed them along the wall behind the PVC.  

 

NOTE: the wires are the same color so you need to keep track of which is positive and which negative.  The MC4 connector has a tiny + or - on it to help but once the wires are on the inside, you won’t know unless you label them.  

 

Next I attached the solar controller to the wood hatch at the bottom of the closet covering the wires.  This may or may not be the best place for your setup but it has the benefit of providing a nice run of 10 AWG wire to the battery.  

CONNECTING THE CONTROLLER TO THE BATTERY

I cut two lengths of 10 AWG wire about 18” long and stripped them.  On one side of one of the 18" wires and one side of the 12" wire I attached a ring terminal with shrink tubing.  Electrical tapes works also

 

Next I connected the wires to those in the closet running to the Casita battery.  It’s a good idea to disconnect the battery first to make sure you don’t accidentally short the wires.  

 

NOTE: Casita uses black or yellow for hot and white for neutral.  Most solar connections use red for hot and black for neutral or, as in the case of the wires linked above, black for both.  Confusing, I know.

 

I connected the positive (hot) wire with the ring terminal to the small red fuse mounted on the floor and the other side to the positive battery connection on the solar controller.  

Then I connected the other 18" wire to the negative battery terminal on the controller.  I opened the IDC connector (aka tap splice) for the neutral (thick white wire) and swapped it for a wire nut that joined all three wires (the two that were already connected and the negative coming from the solar controller) together.  A little electrical tape kept everything secure.  

 

Once both battery wires were connected, I reconnected the battery and the controller came alive and could be set to the appropriate battery type and charging profile.  For the Victron controller and the AGM battery I have that was apparently the default profile (confusingly named Gel Victron Deep Discharge).  You do not want the “AGM Spiral Cell” profile which is not for AGM batteries.  I recommend downloading the app for more controls and to track usage.

 

CONNECTING THE SOLAR PANEL TO THE CONTROLLER

 

Once the charging profile is set, I connected the negative solar wire to the controller.  I mounted the 30-amp breaker next to the controller.  I attached the third ring terminal to the positive solar wire and connected it to the breaker.  I took the 12" wire with the ring terminal and connected that between the solar controller and the breaker.  Ideally the terminals will be crimped and shrinktubed but pliers and electrical tape also work.  Once all the wires are in place, give a firm tug on all the connections to make sure they’re not going to come out.  

 

Head back up to the roof and connect the MC4 connectors and ziptie everything in place to make sure it’s not going to flap in the wind.  

 

FINALLY...

 

Check the Victron app to see if everything is working and the controller is charging.  

 

If everything is working correctly, replace the vent cover and screw or rivet it down.  It’s a good idea to have a dip in the wires before they enter the vent so that any water running down the wires won’t enter.  

 

Last, I caulked the holes that were drilled for the wires and ziptied everything in place in the closet.

 

A couple days later I applied Eternabond over the brackets as a secondary measure to ensure they won’t come loose and to keep water and dirt from working their way under the VHB tape.  

 

And Bob’s your uncle.