The Tiny Tillson Teardrop Trailer (T4)

[BLTillson]

Well, darn, two recommendations!! The difficult part is that I bought the Drok over a year ago. That would be another $45.00 against my mounting construction cost. I will take a closer look at it. Also, I noticed your battery cut-off in inside with you meter (I assume that is inside). I have seen that most battery isolation switches are on the outside. I was going to mount mine the to the tongue box with the switch on the outside. I purchased a metal one. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0B17BGHPS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

While I am at it, I have a question: I am trying to figure out what type of 20A AC fuse for my shore power circuit. I am not wanting to put in a fuse box so I want something I can just mount. I am considering this: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08B52L...colid=1MQ1GIGL5724L&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1 Do you have any recommendations?

 

[Graniterich]

You will be sorry if you stick with DROK. $45 can be somehow figured out. You will use your just my opinion.

Sent from my KFTRWI using Tapatalk

 

[Graniterich]

You will be sorry if you stick with DROK. $45 can be somehow figured out. You will use your just my opinion.

Sent from my KFTRWI using Tapatalk

You will use your trailer for years

Sent from my KFTRWI using Tapatalk

 

[BLTillson]

You will be sorry if you stick with DROK. $45 can be somehow figured out. You will use your just my opinion.

I value the group advice. That is why I am here. I will use your just my opinion.

Still looking for answers to the couple of other questions I posted, (If you know).

 

[BLTillson]

Getting more work days than I expected this week which is great.

First, I did make the switch and bought the AiLi meter.

we made a major in-flight change to the back wall of the galley. We had originally planned to have that space being a storage area between the main sleeping compartment and the galley. It was big enough to house my guitar, which of course, is a comping essential. However, we realized that we were making a mistake an leaving ourselves with very little space for galley storage. So we redesigned it in Sketchup and I went to work making the modifications. We are so please at how it came out.

 

[BLTillson]

Also made a little progress on the tongue box. Added the shore power connector and emergency battery cutoff switch.

I know the bolts do not match, I need to get to the hardware store and get the proper nuts and bolts. It was what I had in my misc hardware supply.

 

[Tony Latham]

Well, darn, two recommendations!! The difficult part is that I bought the Drok over a year ago. That would be another $45.00 against my mounting construction cost. I will take a closer look at it. Also, I noticed your battery cut-off in inside with you meter (I assume that is inside). I have seen that most battery isolation switches are on the outside. I was going to mount mine the to the tongue box with the switch on the outside. I purchased a metal one. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0B17BGHPS?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

While I am at it, I have a question: I am trying to figure out what type of 20A AC fuse for my shore power circuit. I am not wanting to put in a fuse box so I want something I can just mount. I am considering this: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08B52L...colid=1MQ1GIGL5724L&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it&th=1 Do you have any recommendations?

That’s not a battery cutoff switch. It turns the charging line from the tow vehicle on and off. It’s only been on once and that was to test it. No sense charging my AGM at the wrong voltage unless it’s really needed.

 

[BLTillson]

[/quote]That’s not a battery cutoff switch. It turns the charging line from the tow vehicle on and off. It’s only been on once and that was to test it. No sense charging my AGM at the wrong voltage unless it’s really needed.[/quote]

Have I made an error? My intention was to use that as a switch to isolate the battery from the main bus and cut off the power from the entire trailer.

I already have a charge selector switch. This one:

This was the first disconnect switch that I purchased (and still have).

What is the difference? I could use the first one purchase (in picture) but it would require some sheet metal work to cover the 2" hole I cut in my tongue box.

 

[Tony Latham]

What is the difference?

Mine turns off the charging juice from the tow vehicle. A main battery cutoff is a good idea. I've got one near my battery.

Tony

 

[BLTillson]

What is the difference?

Mine turns off the charging juice from the tow vehicle. A main battery cutoff is a good idea. I've got one near my battery. Tony

I wanted to have a way to make sure that no power was being used to keep the battery from slowly draining. Also for safety.

 

[BLTillson]

Working on the walls finally. Have you ever done one of those things where you asked yourself, "Are you Shure there is not an easier way to do this?" Well, it will work but it's a lot of work.
Please spare me any clever ways to do it faster and easier since I have already sunk hors into it.

 

[BLTillson]

Super excited to have the first wall almost ready for assembly. Praying that all my calculations are wise ones.

 

[BLTillson]

The first wall frame has been glued and screwed. It was way more work that I expected. The wood I am using for framing was donated by my step-father. It was in his garage for 30 years. Its cut from 1 x 12 x 16 boards. It is very dry but not too dry. So I did have a few screwing accidents that caused splitting. I then had to replace those pieces.

So anyway. Here is the glued up wall. Next will be checking the fit and then putting the inside skin on it.

NOTE: To all future teardrop builders, buy lots of squeeze clamps!

 

[BLTillson]

On a side note. I went to a hardwood store for the first time in years. I had forgotten the beauty and smells and the inspiration.

Getting maple for the galley countertop and Poplar for the shelves.

 

[BLTillson]

With a deadline pressing down on me I am working as much as possible to get this project done. I do wish I had more time and better health but these are thing we don't always have control over. So, I press on!

The electrical is coming together both in understanding and in construction. I mounted the battery and converter along with my meter and the cutoff switch for some bench testing.

Also tested the vent fan and made sure that it met the approval of my wife. (it passed with flying colors)

I have emptied out the tongue box and am preparing to have it sandblasted and then painted.

 

[BLTillson]

One of the best milestones was reached yesterday when I finished the frames and attached the inside paneling to the walls.

So much done and so much to go!

 

[BLTillson]

On the electrical side of things I have converted my electrical schematic to a wiring diagram. I needed the schematic to understand how things worked in a DC system. I need the wiring diagram to actually build it.

 

[BLTillson]

Greetings all you Teardrop lovers

For any of those you who are following my progress, I'm back! We recently completed a move from southern California and back to our beautiful home in Oregon. When packing kicked into full gear I was forced to pack up the teardrop project for the road. Unfortunately the trailer was not roadworthy so I had to carry it on an auto transport trailer.

Once we got settled in, which took about 10 weeks, I got reassembled the carport. This is way more important in Oregon due to the rain.

So, after all of that I will be starting back to work. My hope is to have it done by the end of summer. Then we can run it thought some short tests, trials and tweaks locally in preparation for a big trip in the spring. We are talking a couple of months on the road in Idaho, Montana and parts beyond.

 

[Tom&Shelly]

Glad it made the trip okay! Good luck and enjoy the Summer!


Tom

 

[BLTillson]

Glad it made the trip okay! Good luck and enjoy the Summer!Tom

Thank you. It's great to be out of the city and back to the beautiful country.