Hi there - I’m Maury and you've landed on my channel, Traveling Solo.
This channel will focus primarily on solo travel (in an RV and otherwise) as well as RV repairs and upgrades. In August 2018 I bought a new Hymer Aktiv Class B camper van and performed numerous upgrades. Many video are posted here, which may give you some inspiration for upgrades to your own rig. After some life changes in 2019 and 2020, I sold the Hymer and bought a 2004 Winnebago Rialta. It is in great condition and I will be able to detail traveling in, upgrading and repairing an older Class B/C motor home. I hope you find it useful.
I am an Amazon Affiliate and will provide links to items I buy and use in the RV, and may earn a commission from qualified purchases using those links.
Hi Maury: I realize this video is three years old, so not sure how much you will remember. I looked at sprinter vans myself but, for now they are out of my budget. I happen to find a completely restored 2001 Rialta from pop top heaven with 39K on it, so I'll be picking it up in a few weeks. I did not want a can of worms. The one thing I like about these vans over the sprinters is they are much wider, even though they don't have the interior height. Not sure why Volkswagen didn't go for an even 6 feet. My hair scraps at 5' 9". Not for tall people! Anyway, let me get to my question. I bought the QD model, which is not to my liking. I want to convert it over to the hd model or something similar. Do away with the island and put more of a countertop up front. One issue is the skylight is towards the center of the van in the qd model, whereas it's up front in the HD model. I'd like to relocate it and wanted to ask you about the roof. I can add another piece of aluminum when I remove the skylight. I'm just not so sure about cutting another large hole up front to relocate it. Do you think there's enough structural rigidity to add a second skylight or I guess I should say another hole in the roof? That would be removing another rib. I'll essentially be putting some heavy gage aluminum over the one hole and sealing, and then cutting a new hole. I would also like to remove the AC unit and patch that hole. I have an idea to use a small mini split similar to the made by cruise and comfort. Completely electric model. My plan at this point is to go with the 24 volt system of Lithium. Need to check weight. Just in the early stages.
The roof really isn’t thick enough to be structural in that way, so I think as long as you mount the skylight in between the ribs, you should be OK. If you use the OEM style skylight, just be sure to get the metal support brackets where the screws go in. Congratulations on what sounds to be a great find!
Without the van in front of me I'm not sure how they installed the skylight. Would certainly make sense to be in between the support ribs. I think it would be even nicer to have one of the dometic skylights that you can actually open. I'm in the early stages so need to check sizing and so forth. I will also have to see if the original skylight compromises any of the structural ribs. Again, without this thing in front of me at the moment it's hard to know what Winnebago did. And once again seeing that this was three years ago for you, I'm not sure how much you remember how they installed things. Overall it seemed like you really enjoyed the van. The fact that I found one here that was professionally restored sparked my interest, otherwise, I think I would have passed. They are really getting super old at this point.
@@TroyD-vo1bz I’m pretty comfortable saying that the front skylight was installed between the support ribs. Also, the aluminum skin and structure underneath isn’t very thick and I don’t think they would have cut through one of the supports. I’m definitely a fan of the Dometic so you can open it for ventilation. I moved on from mine, but it is definitely one of my favorites for multiple reasons.
That all makes perfect sense to me Maury. Doesn't sound like this will be too difficult to relocate assuming I stick with the same size. I definitely would prefer an opening unit, so will see what Dometic has to offer. I also think there is much more efficient mini splits available that can run on as little as 350 watts once the coach is up to temp. 600 or 700 watts to start to start, but they taper off quickly. I really despise generators, so want to get rid of that thing as well. 20 plus year old AC units I doubt were very efficient, and can shave 50% of the weight off as well. An another 100lbs by getting rid of the gen. I will have to subscribe here to your channel to see what you're up to these days. I really enjoyed the whole series of videos you did. Thanks again for the response.
What kind of batteries do you have and how do they charge? An inverter will draw a lot of amperage so it depends on what your setup looks like. A PS5 only draws a couple hundred watts and a small TV is negligible, so you could get away with a smaller inverter (although having a larger one might be convenient.)
I used to love the Rialta when it was being produced. Your mods are really great - I especially liked ditching the generator for solar and battery. The only mod I wouldn't have done is pulling the AC (we're in FL, AC is a must!), but otherwise, top notch!
Yeah, the way I travel I don’t like to use a generator, and I never have hookups, so the AC is just something heavy to carry around. I just like to follow the nice weather :)
Great video...some very cool features...especially that bathroom. Thanks for the vid...A friend owned one of these...I own a '73 GMC Motorhome and prior to that had a 40' Diesel Pusher Monaco Dynasty. "Smaller is better" in my opinion.
As I recall, the wiring colors in the van were different than what you would expect. These LED lights only work when wired one way. Did you try reversing the wiring?
I am so impressed with your project and even more so by your verbal delivery. I finally purchased my Rialta after many months looking , being disappointed and finding the nearly perfect one (quire similr to yours in fit ment (lall eather HD) a mere 75 min from my home in the N. SF Bay Area. I am having a blast fixing the few little issues , but am most intiqued by your lithium upgrade process (now 2+ years) Am a physics educated soul, but will benefit greatly frome your videos (the best quality out there) Thank you Renee
Thank you, Renee! I'm glad to hear you found one so close by! I am a firm believer in the power of lithium batteries (pun intended) over a gas generator. If there are any questions I can help with along the way, feel free to ask!
Well hello I enjoyed your video I'm considering purchasing one myself right now here in Canada what did you use for the tail lights I know you said you changed them out it looks very neat and thank you for showing your video and your modifications
The tail lights were sourced from other vehicles that were readily available. For instance, on my Rialta, they were from a Ford Ranger pick up. It just depends on what year your rig is. :)
Sorry for the late response! It really is a "maybe" answer, though. The obvious weak points to examine are (a) rust, and more importantly, (b) the status of the transmission. If the trans is original, you'll need to know if it's been serviced regularly (and properly!) If it's been replaced, then you'd definitely want to know when and by whom. It also may depend on what year it is, as there were some significant changes from the '90s to the '00s models.
Thanks for explaing the bathroom, much appreciated. I've seen a few of these for sale on fb and I'm intrigued! They're different from anything I've seen so definitely something to think about as an option
A few questions: I would like to put in some lithium iron phosphate batteries. Typically alternators don't put out enough power to charge these, but if you install something like the victron DC to DC Converter I think it may work--do you know? The standard solenoid valve is kind of a crude device in my opinion, so just curious if you tried something like the Victron or some other DC to DC charger . I think Renogy makes one too as well as Sterling. I'm a little confused if you have a starter battery, why is there a solenoid valve between the auxiliary batteries? Is that to make sure there's always one good battery to start the RV?
The issue isn’t so much that the alternator doesn’t put out enough power, it’s that a lithium battery can take more than it can handle outputting safely, and at low RPM’s a standard alternator will overheat. There are alternators that are designed specifically for this sort of application but they aren’t just a drop-in replacement. The DC/DC converter will allow you to limit how much the lithiums can take from the alternator; again, limiting how much strain it puts on the alternator when at low RPM’s. The Rialta is a different animal in that it has a special setup that allows the van to be “jump-started” from the coach batteries, which are just regular deep cycle batteries. The solenoid is what isolates those batteries from the engine battery but still allows them to be charged when the van is running. Hope that helps!
And yes, I had a 20A DC to DC converter installed in the Rialta with an on/off switch, so that I could decide when the lithium battery would be charged, but would still be limited to a 20A draw. Alternately, those converters have a trigger line that lets you turn it on anytime the van is running. I wanted more control than that.
Doesn't the DC to DC charger limit the voltage to avoid overheating? And of course, we really haven't talked about solar or things like all-in-one controllers that have built-in chargers in them, but that requires shore power. I'm just learning about the DC to DC chargers, so that is why I asked specifically about them. Back when I owned by VW Westfalia, I just had a simple relay/solenoid, and I think that's where you can really get into trouble if you're auxiliary battery is super low, and has higher capacity then the starter battery. Again, I thought the DC to DC Chargers had some built-in programming to avoid too much juice going into the Auxiliary batteries. Unrelated to the topic, but. have you had any issues with the transmission on your Rialta? Do you have a cooler and scan gauge?
The converter does modify the voltage slightly to keep it consistent at around 14-14.2v instead of the typical fluctuation you see from an alternator, but when lithium batteries are an add-on that’s being served by that alternator - as a matter of priority - limiting or controlling the amperage draw is more important. At idle, if an alternator is capable of producing say, 40 amps…a lithium battery can take that without thinking twice, if it’s connected without a converter. However, an alternator putting out those maximum amps at low RPM’s will overheat, as there’s not enough air being moved to cool it down. That’s why I went with 20A, so that the lithium wouldn’t overwork it when idling. My Rialta didn’t have any transmission issues, but it also didn’t have a cooler or a scangauge and I sold it before getting one (which really is a “must have”, along with regular maintenance.) The transmission is a weak link in these rigs but with the proper care it doesn’t have to be.
Also, related to what you said about “too much going in”….both the solar controller and DC/DC converter will reduce the amperage and/or stop charging once the lithium battery reaches full capacity.
Nice video Maury, lots of food for thought. Just have to ask you are these the original blinds and if not would you know where they were purchased? Mine are like most distorted and bent. thanks Irene
Poptopheaven used to sell original style Rialta replacement blinds but I don’t see them now. In the group, people seem to be using stevesblindsandwallpaper.com. The Rialta came with half inch cellular.
Hi! A few questions > 1. What were the blackout shades you put in? I guess they are held flush by a magnet? Were you happy with them, or would you get something else? 2. The lithium battery you put in, is it only charged by solar and the dc to dc charger? What did it power vs. the coach batteries? 3. Why did you sell the rialta for a sprinter? Was it just too big? Did the Sprinter have 4x4? I have a 99 Im fixing up!
I’ll take them one at a time: 1. The shades were custom cut cellular blackouts from Home Depot! I did attach cabinet magnet sets on the back of them to hold them in place. I loved them. 2. The lithium was charged by (1) indirect charging from the stock coach batteries (which are charged by the van’s alternator) via a DC to DC converter. In addition to that, I had installed a small solar panel and solar charger as well. 3. Ultimately, I just wanted to do my own custom build. I bought the Rialta because at the time, I wasn’t able to find a good donor Sprinter and I figured the Rialta was a good project. Plus, I was always enamored with them. :) Good luck with your 99!
Also, the lithium powered everything that the coach batteries did - I inserted it in between the fuse box and the original coach batteries. Then I would manually turn on the DC/DC converter to charge the lithium if the solar wasn’t able to keep up.
I just bought a 2004 myself and tried to run the hot water heater with my generator, it started to work, my generator bogged down quite a bit, ran about 5 minutes, then stalled and would not start back up. Have you ever had this problem?
That could be a few things but first question would be how much gas did you have in the rig? The genset pulls gas from the tank and if you’re below a quarter tank, it won’t get fuel.
Screw those Aholes, what did they think they were clicking on, a rock video? I've got a Rialta in my future and am planning on doing exactly what you did, just more batteries, so thank you!
Generally, you can expect something in the 18-26mpg range depending on terrain and driving style. I saw 24mpg at 75-80mph on I-40 from Vegas to flagstaff.
Hello, we own a 2004 Rialta and the side window won't open, do you know if the turning knob can be replaced with a universal one since I am not able to find the original knob anywhere. Thanks
If the knob is just stripped out, you might be able to find something that fits it but it may be a challenge. I’d test it by removing the knob and gently rotating it with pliers just to make sure the mechanism still works. If you have the louvre style window, maybe gently push on the bottom of the panel to help it along and make sure it’s not stuck. If it doesn’t move easily, don’t force it as the linkage might be bound up somewhere.
Your updates are a real inspiration. I found 2003 rialta model hd in Oregon and nearly bought it, tomorrow I'll be testing an hd model similar to yours. My concern is needing to do major expensive repairs. I'm a handyman like you, but don't have the electric experience required to design and instal new lithium batteries and electric items. After you spent all the time learning about the rialta and doing the updates id love to learn your pros and cons list for a recently retired couple to get the rialta compared to a traditional b+ or small c rv. Thanks for all you have done for fellow travelers..
@@TravelingSolo we drove an hd but it had too many repair needs. Also drive an fd with two single beds in back. Engine was rebuilt, everything worked, so getting it checked out by mechanic next couple of days and then buy it. Will put a cooler between the passenger seat and back chair since the fridge is small in this one. Love some of the upgrades you did. Definitely get the blackout cellular blinds. Put in better cup holder for passenger side.
Hi, hope you are doing well. Looking forward to another video when you get around to it. I started watching you because I was interested in the rialta- I know you don’t have it anymore, but did you like it overall? Your sprinter van looks really nice Take care, Louise
Hi - and thanks! I did like the Rialta a lot. The floor plan was unique and there were a number of features that I feel should have been carried on. Are you shopping?
I wanted to ask where did you put your solar panels? Maybe you can help me out the generator on mine doesn’t work but I can get it replaced but I’m not sure how loud a gasoline generator’s gonna be with my head above it so I was thinking I would get the Jacari 3000 and I could just plug into that and use solar from that to you. Think that’s a good idea?
My rig had a single 65 watt panel on the roof behind the air conditioner when I bought it. When I did my lithium upgrades, I tied into the existing charging circuit, which charges the house batteries while the van is running. Jackery has portable solar panels, the downside being that you have to be stationary and put them out to charge. Otherwise you could mount a larger panel on the roof. Your usage would determine if that is going to charge fast enough. Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of gas generators although they can be useful. I tend to be a very low power user in the first place so I am usually able to get away with running everything off batteries and solar panels.
