Mobile Recording Construction

  • Thread starter Thread starter brich2929
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brich2929

www.livingwaters.com
I've just purchased for a great rate what i hope to use as a mobile recording van. Its a 79 Dodge campervan. It has the room for what I'd want to do and I couldn't pass it up at the price the seller was offering. The electric system works, although I'll probably be gutting the interior.

Does anyone have any info or links on converting for Mobile Recording?

Thanks.

Rich
 
See if you can get ahold of Sonusman. He had a Winnebago with a Ghost he used for a remote for a while.

You'll need a quiet, reliable generator, and I wouldn't go with less than say a 60amp 120/240v. service. You'll also want provision for shore power so you don't always need the genset. So you need a transfer switch too, so you're not jazzing shore power up your generator, and vice-versa.

For your shore-power setup, you might be better-prepared with two *seperate* 30-amp service panels than a single 60amp setup. Because 30a/4-wire 120/240v is gonna be the most common shore power supply you're gonna find, like an electric dryer outlet or range. You'll also want to have something like a Leviton L14-30 cord cap. Doesn't necessarily have to be weatherproof. http://www.leviton.com/levitoncanada/sections/prodinfo/plugs/sheets/wetguard.htmYou may need to make some adapters to go from different cord cap configurations. Be sure whatever the source of your power that it has a NEUTRAL AND GROUND. Get a Knopf Wiggy or similar (at the very least), learn how to use it, AND USE IT RELIGIOUSLY!

Good power conditioning will be essential.

Then you'll need a patchbay to interface remote snakes into the rig, and a REALLY NICE snake setup, heavy-duty as you can find or build.

A Lo-Jack might be a good idea too.;)

Does it have a roof-mounted AC unit? You need something so you and the gear don't overheat.
 
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Rich,

Another source for you might be Kurt Foster over at RO (recording.org) - he also used to have a van set up. Pretty nice one at that.

Rod
 
no roof A/C. But I'd consider some mods to install one. Whats in there now power wise is I believe the older 15 amp 3 prong (like a dryer type) power supply with external pass through connectors. I know since I sell appliances the new way to go is the 4 prong which I guess is the 30 amp that you're talking about. I realized yesterday in working on it that I will need to gut the entire interior and do some severe weatherstrip overhaul.

LoJack is a good idea, although by the time the cops would find her, the gear would likely be gone. I think I'll have to like weld the doors shut, Armored car style with heavy duty locks. Its a challege and I'm up for it.

Thanks for the info
 
c7sus said:
See if you can get ahold of Sonusman. He had a Winnebago with a Ghost he used for a remote for a while.

You'll need a quiet, reliable generator, and I wouldn't go with less than say a 60amp 120/240v.
Click to expand...

60 amps for a recording rig? He's not running stage lights and tube power amps. I don't see how you could possibly use more then 15 or 20 amps with recording gear. I have my entire rig including guitar amps and powered JBL Eon's running on a 1.5KW conditioner.
 
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