Inverter replacement

We got up late because it was so cold and the sun rises late. We did not see any puma. The kids went out to play and I decided to tackle the inverter replacement. The inverter started dying almost five weeks ago the last night it was hot enough to use ac in Trelew. The inverter would work at low demand but not the AC. I asked where to ship a replacement from Amazon on a Chile Whatsapp group chat and I was referred to a motorcycle/RV mechanic who has helped out a lot of overlanders, John Harper, in Punta Arenas. Amazon prime doesn't deliver in two days outside of the the states so it would be two weeks but could be hung up in customs so I ordered it express. It made a $450 inverter cost $850. I didn't have much of a choice. I needed the inverter to fit the cabinet and I couldn't be sure I could find one off the shelf in Latin America especially since everything is 220 V here.

The inverter finally stopped working completely four days ago, the day before I picked up the new inverter in Punta Arenas.

I first took care of a couple other fixes in the RV to get my confidence up and then tackled the job. It took around 5 hours including setting things up. I had to move the stuff under and over the bed out of the way and then drive up on the maxtraxx to disconnect the common ground wire under the chassis. The cabinet is very tight and not up the installation recommended 15 inches clearance all around. One side is abutted against the cabinet wall. Anyways I was able to get it replaced the first try and everything powered up without problem. Christine was very impressed and surprised. Unfortunately I drove over the pot lid and broke it when I drove off the maxtraxx. Christine put the lid under the wheel I guess. 

Anyways that was the whole day. No puma sighting but the Torres del Paine showed up spectacularly over the Laguna Azul. And we had a nice dinner and celebrated with s'mores. We found marshmallows at the Lider in Punta Arenas.