Basics:

Cooling: This was a real problem for the first couple of years. At first I thought that the 299,987 miles on the 4.3 L V6 had taken its toll and the engine was just tired. She would overheat on the way to the playa and then overheat on the playa. Our first method to mitigate this was to turn into the wind and let the wind blow through the radiator. When moving with a 5 mph wind and moving at 5 mph we would get virtually no cooling, when moving into a 5 mph wind at 5 mph we had 10 mph of air through the radiator. Still, this was hardly a robust solution.

A secondary problem with air was that the hot air would be pulled through the radiator by the mechanical fan and into the engine compartment. Normally this air would escape through the wheel wells or under the truck but with all the art of the platform surrounding it all of this heated air was trapped with the only viable path of escape out through the cab and out the hatch where the driver sat. Not only did this fail to adequately cool the machine, it succeeded in overheating the driver.

Air pulled into engine compartment and out through driver’s position.

The solution to all of this was to remove the factory mechanical fan and replace it with electric fans. Not only are the electric fans more efficient, by reversing the polarity on the motors, the fans will reverse and push the air out through the radiator instead of pulling it in. On the way to the playa, the fans are wired to operate normally and once up there the wires are reversed so that the fans spin backwards. This has all but eliminated any overheating problems.

Air pushed out of engine compartment

Power:

Two power systems are present in the Exploratorium, one 12 Vdc and one 125 Vac. The 12 Volt system consists of the vehicle alternator, battery isolator, auxiliary battery, battery charger, and all 12 V accessories. The Chevy alternator in the S-10 pickup is quite the power house at low RPM with an idle current capability of over 45 Amps (620 Watts).

12 Volt Power System

This 12 V system powers the car stereo in the S-10 which is used for the PA outside audio and the famous “Thank You For Traveling the Exploratorium” soundtrack. Basically, the Chevy S-10 alternator produces most of the power for the 12 V system but the battery charger is available to boost things when the alternator cannot keep up.

A generator is also on board to power the rope lights, black lights, sound system and to provide power to the battery charger. This generator is contained within a wood and steel box that filters the air coming in to minimize the harsh effects of the playa on electrical and mechanical components. There are fans that blow clean air across the generator and these operate whenever the generator is on.

AC Power System

Lighting:

The arches are lit with blue rope lights all the way around the machine.

Black Lights hanging from the ribs of the dome illuminate the inside and also make the curtains glow with a sexy purple hue.

High Intensity Blue LED heads light up the upper perimeter of the machine. These are famous for being seen all the way across the playa in broad daylight.

Halogen flood lights adorn the front, left side, right side, and rear of the vehicle. Each can be controlled separately or all at once to light up everything around.

Headlights are still in place in the front of the vehicle. Typically these are too harsh and reduce the look of the machine so are usually left covered and the perimeter lights used instead.

Interior Dome Lights are quite literally dome lights as they shine up into the dome and are on a dimmer system that places the lights in various series-parallel combinations to provide the dimming effect.

EL Wire is used to outline the “Exploratorium” sign, thanks to Pipes for that bit of art. The same wire winds around inside the driver’s cockpit for illumination inside.

Sound:

Two sound systems are present on the machine. The first is simply a PA system driven by two Touchmaster TM4 controllers. These allow the driver to talk to those inside and outside the machine and also allows the car stereo to play over the same speakers for the famous soundtracks that welcome travelers on board.

The primary sound system is a home stereo system being fed by an IPOD. This is done to eliminate the problems with playing CD’s out in that environment. A couple of amplifiers and several speakers compliment the 100 W sound system.

Glowing Curtains of the Exploratorium

Curtains:

Curtains were added in 2005 to accomplish a few things:

1 - In dust storms, they can be lowered to protect those inside from the storm.

2 – Lowering them just a bit at night adds a sexy look to the machine as the black lights make the cloth fire up with a purple hue.

3 – Dropping the curtains to the bottom and then bringing them up just a bit effectively blocks certain arches so that they cannot be used to board and depart. This is especially useful on burn night when people seem to be losing their sensibilities the most.

Note Stair entry on the Left

Entry:

The intent of the design is to require passengers to board on the front of the vehicle. This is especially important as it allows the driver knowledge of those boarding and departing so that he may start and stop accordingly and safely.

Egress:

Exiting the vehicle is the same as boarding. Sometimes passengers will simply hop off the side and onto the ground or take the front stairs. Either way, the vehicle is always brought to a complete stop.

Fire:

In 2005 fire was added to the dome. At a distance of over 18’ off of the playa, the fires are a striking addition to the machine. Plans for 2006 include a liquid burst that should spice things up even more.

Safety:

Fire Extinguishers are located in with the driver, in the tailgate, and on the passenger deck for any fire problems.

A first aid kit is on board at all times.

Entering and exiting the machine is closely monitored.

“Bouncer”, “Wingman”, “Assistant”, “Helper”, “Point man”: This is a second person who watches for people approaching the vehicle or for obstacles. He is a second set of eyes for the driver and also serves as a conductor to insist that people board and depart safely and NOT while the vehicle is in motion.