April 2023

1-30 April 2023

April saw us still on our way West. Enjoying the slower pace, exploring and revisiting old camps and favourite places before we arrived at our farm sit.

The owners took their van out of the shed and we put ours in. We moved into the little unit they have for guests and even managed to get our ute in under cover!

Not being in our 5th wheeler it was the perfect chance to spend some time and money doing repairs and upgrades. Small jobs got done and the electrical system moved and upgraded. Upgrades included:

1. Moving the battery down the back and closer to the regulator and electrical panel.
2. Adding a second Lithium battery to make a battery bank of 460aHrs.
3. Moving the regulator down into the compartment closer to the batteries.
4. Adding a Battery Monitor and shunt with a visual readout.
5. Adding circuit breakers from the solar panels and batteries to allow for safer and easier maintenance.
6. Adding a busbar to take the many positive cables as the positive battery terminal is full.

Removing and relaying wiring from the electrical box from the front of the rig to the back, thereby shortening the distance the power from the solar panels has to travel to get into the batteries and stop the wiring being exposed to rocks, dust and all manner of things underneath the rig.

And, while all of that was going on there was helping out at our friends Winery and Cheese Factory and looking after the 70 chooks that are here on the farm.

Planning for a trip to Tasmania also began and a diesel heater was also ordered. We have been doing lots and lots of repairs and upgrades, not to mention learning a lot as well.

Mark Twain once said "...years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do that by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - and so we will.