5x10 Rigid Pop-Up with Foam

[kipa]

Got the basic rear platform boxes figured out. Like the front, for now, they will just have drop in covers, but I think it is working out well for being able to spend some time inside at a table. Seating for two is no problem. I might be bumping knees with somebody else who is 6'2" tall, but lots of side and head room is available. Cushions will add a few inches up, but that's still plenty of head room.

I can imagine 4 people being able to share the space for a game table.

 

[kipa]

Worked on the interior a bit, routing wires and bonding luan to the lower tub. Nothing too exciting there.

I got distracted by an idea for my bike rack mounting however. It's a prototype that helped me figure out what will work better. I believe this will work well after fixing the problems it highlighted, which are:

• Too much flex in the rear frame member under load
• Rack angled down 15 degrees
• Obstructs tail lights

A significant improvement on the flexing was relatively easy after I figured out how to do it with strut channel. The improvement just in noise and flexing of the tub on top was immediately noticeable just stepping onto the platform. I couldn't tiptoe onto it without noise before. Now I need to be heavy of foot to get any noise out of it. So it will stay whether the bike rack mount ultimately works this way or not.

This can also double as a step attachment point.

 

[kipa]

While I waited on hardware for my rack mount, I worked on securing the power station. I realized that nice tie downs are worthless without good structure to secure them BENEATH the 1/2" plywood floor, so I decided strut channel would help a lot there as well. I had to shift it slightly right, but otherwise it's virtually a part of the frame with the strap fully tightened.

Each piece on the left and right side bolts directly to the frame underneath with at least one 3/8" bolt. Additional lag screws were used through the floor only. But I figure if I need any more structure than that against impulse damage, none of this foam is going to survive such incidents anyway. (That D-ring in the top right wouldn't hold anything this heavy well for long despite going through an inch of plywood total since the two sheets aren't laminated.)

 

[kipa]

Just for grins and not really part of the build, I tested automated cascade charging of my Yeti 1000.

I want it to be able to top off the Yeti any time there is solar input of at least 30W, so the Pecron is programmed to turn on the AC inverter automatically when it does, and shut off when the AC load drops to under 100W without solar input. I already tested the PV automation yesterday and it works well.

I have to use the optional 300W Yeti fast charger in order to exceed the automation lower AC cutoff threshold of 100W however. The standard Yeti charger only draws 72W peak so it can't keep the Pecron inverter activated with automation on it's own.

It works exactly as expected now. Turning on the AC inverter with over 30W of solar input and turning it off again as soon as it drops below 10W with less than 100W of AC draw. It's possible to use charge level as a condition for automations with the Pecron as well, so it's definitely more flexible than the Yeti is on that alone.

Regardless, the Yeti won't be a permanent part of the trailer.

 

[kipa]

If I had to name this prototype, it would be 'Frankenstein's Bike Rack Adapter'.

Obviously, this is 100% bolt together, but now I have dimensions I can work with for welding a more permanent solution.

It solves all of the previous issues with mount angle, tail light visibility, and is as solid as the trailer frame at the mount.

Obviously, this is not very aerodynamic, but most of the bike is in the wake area as seen from the tongue. If I were super concerned about it, I could remove the seat and let the air out of the fork to drop it down more for travel, but I doubt that's worth the effort.

After I get this 100% done, the next step with it will be to design a step that uses the same adapter hardware. The rack is fast to install and remove, so it would be easy to make that swap once parked.

While closer to the trailer than a trailer receiver mount would allow, I can still access the rear of the trailer platform from the sides without removing the bike, so that's another 'win' for this.

 

[kipa]

Throne room complete! Or at least better than having to setup a tent away from the trailer . .

This does create an issue for solar panel shading, particularly with both the cover and curtain up, but I am more interested in having options than guarantees most of the time. I won't be boondocking for weeks or months at a time and relying on the solar generator enough to where I couldn't just take it down as needed.

 

[kipa]

Now working on what feels like the most tedious part of the build with the carpeting, working at odd angles, measuring and cutting, etc., but almost there.

In retrospect, I should have done all of the carpet before putting the bed platform in, as well as while I had the tonneau off in the early stages. It's all just awkward now.

The plastic pop rivets are working well into both the plastic of the tonneau and foam, but getting the carpet tight on the top has been a challenge! (I am using a combination of the rivets and contact cement on the tub lower, but only the rivets on the top.)

 

[kipa]

Eliminating the outside corner blindspots while backing was a must for me, so I've also relocated the rear Autovox camera to below the light in order to improve the view angle as well as cleanup airflow a miniscule amount. Side camera marker lights have also been installed.

While I like the wireless Autovox system, it has shortcomings that could certainly be improved. I may create a new thread on it if one does not already exist.

 

[kipa]

If I had to put a number on it, I think I am down to working on the last 1% of the basic build. All that is left is to cover up those strut and tub rails and pop in some some interior lighting.

I'm going to wait on covering the rails however until it has seen some water exposure. I don't want to hide where any leaks would be coming in if any. The rest of it obviously should be well water proofed by default.

I'll likely figure out a better looking alternative for that white foam at the rear some time soon as well.

 

[kipa]

I have one of these arriving shortly for the lighting control. Not exactly sure how I am going to use it for interior lights, but I'm thinking ambient light underneath the trailer and in the pooper on the dimmer controls, with some switched exterior general lighting. It probably makes more sense to install point of use dimmer/switches on each side of the interior side rails as well as to incorporate a couple of USB plugs.

 

[Pmullen503]

Looking forward to your first trip report.

 

[kipa]

One structural issue is coming up however that I need to deal with. It's not unexpected. I was just hoping I wouldn't have to bother, but the side rails are a bit too flexy laterally. I didn't see it as a problem until I moved the trailer to where the last photo was taken.

The interior vertical support really isn't one. It's just foam under vertical compression with nothing but the FG skin to resist it. While I had it in mind that the steel strut channel will carry and distribute the load lengthwise, it's doing comparatively little to hold the walls vertical.

You can see the gap lines are not parallel in this photo between the rear section of the platform and my fender boxes, expanding wider toward the top. Both were built squarely.

That said, I also built the bed platform with that in mind, lining the rear of the front half up with those supports. All I really need to do is install some plywood trusses to tie both sides together in the circled area through the bed platform which should be easy. Just more to do . .