Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

We have been slowly getting material for a modified tiny trailer based on Steve's Puffin. We want the ability to "boondock", so need a generator, deep-cycle battery. and of course, propane. We are looking at the honda eu2000u from Wise delivered to my door for $869. The battery would probably come from walmart - any recommendations? We have on hand the fantastic power vent, and would add an extra vent for the "bathroom" and the kitchen counter area. We want a small air conditioier similar to Steve's that the generator would work well with. We have a small 110 heater.

Steve's idea of the shower with the sprayer outfit is simple but very efficient it seems. The porti potti under the counter that slides out facing the exit door helps save space (the counter runs the full length of the front wall). The bathroom can be curtained off when needed.

We would want to wire the trailer for use with battery, the generator, or at a regular campground 110 system.

Thanks for your input.

I'm glad you will be building a TTT. There are not enough of them being built. I am interested because I think that will be my next build. I like the idea of being able to cook etc inside if the weather is cold or wet. Keep us posted on how it goes.

I wired my tear so that I have a switch that will turn to 12v and shore power and in the middle position power is disconnected. I can hood a genset or shore power to the main box. you can see most of it in my pics but if you have any specific question let me know.

Dear Rebel,

Check out some of the Stickys that Steve Tripp has put on he forum. It will lead you to many things you have considered and MANY you have not. There are some great wiring and electric threads. http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=12276

Here is one other site you might find interesting. http://www.rvsolarelectric.com. They have some great basic wiring diagrams even is you do not use solar. One of the most interesting things I have read on that site is that they tell you not to use electric heating because it is so darn inefficient. They recommend a propane catalyst heating system.


Please do not forget in you electric option to be able to charge you deep cycyle directly off you car while you are travelling. Also a small solar charger may be useful

There's a lot to learn and folks like you and others on here are like a shortcut to a lot of learning. The Tiny Trailer concept is just what my wife and I needed.

Hey Rebel,

Sounds like a plan! Like those TTTs and Steve's Puffin is great.

The first question I would ask you is how you're going to use your trailer. Just like if you were looking for a vehicle. You don't want to end up with a Mazda Miata when you really need a pickup (they may both be great vehicles but they really do different jobs).

The reason I ask that is it has a lot to do with the appliances and systems you install. You can go the route Steve did 'cause he's almost always (or always?) has shore power available, you can go completely to the boondocking end where you'll almost never have to see an electrical cord or you can end up somewhere in the middle with a mix that allows you to use shore power or boondock but being a compromise at both ends you have to be careful about where you end up. For instance, you'll have most of the power you'll need for a small trailer if the cord is running to gird power but not necessarily if you're chugging away on a Honda EU2000i where some amount of conservation is in order.

I've been at this for a very long time in the boat world. If you'd like to read something I wrote up recently it's here. It may start to give you the tools you need to figure out what will work for you and your wife...we're all different and only you can make the final decisions (or should)!

Thanks Les, for your response.

My wife and I are nearing the 70 yr mark. I'm retired and she soon will be. She is a cancer survivor. I am still being worked on over a botched eye surgery last year but hopefully things will be getting better soon.

We have dreamed of being able to travel and do the camping route after retirement. We have tent-camped over the years, and had wanted to do the teardrop experience when we first discovered it. That no longer was feasable because of health issues. The Puffin and similar tiny trailers seems the solution. We own a Kia mini-van and do not want to buy something bigger just to pull a big trailer; so the Puffin arrived thanks to Steve

We would not be on the road every day by any means, but we like the idea of camping where we want within reason. Thats the boonie idea. Of course, we are not excluding the traditional camp grounds now and then. We live in the South East, and a lot of camping would be in this area, but not all. We dream of eventually seeing the northwest someday.

I am 5'6" and she is 5'4" - so the height fits the Puffin concept even without the dropped floor. It would be slightly taller than Steve's from the ground, but thats ok.

Hope that helps to understand where we are coming from.

Hi again Rebel,

Well, sounds mighty fine to me. You could do a lot worse than Puffin and I like the Widget on Andrew's site as well.

There's lots of ways to approach this but I think in general unless you're think you're going to spend quite a few nights with shore power I'd opt for some engery efficient 12-volt lighting, propane cooking and if you think you're going to need that heat away from a power pole I suggest a small externally vented propane heater (Mike even stuck one in a teardrop so it can work). All that can run quite nicely on a decent deep cycle battery. Don't go crazy on the size; remember you have to recharge it at some point. So far you don't have many loads anyway. If you add a refrigerator that'll change the equation somewhat.

The other appliances all run on AC power so you'll need the Honda EU2000i or a power pole for that.

Wire up the trailer with standard 30-amp service with breakers for the A/C, the microwave, the outlets, and the battery charger. Get a good built-in multi-stage smart charger to keep your deep cycle really up to snuff and it'll keep the 12-volt stuff onboard going forever when you're on shore power. Keep it simple.

Add a couple of whisper quiet 12-volt fans to move the air around on nights you don't need the A/C and you're good to go.

If you want pressurized water I'd add a 12-volt pump for that; it won't use much power and you'll be able to use it any time. Personally I really like the Whale foot-operated pumps because your don't have to touch faucet knobs and the water only flows when you pump. You can go through a lot of water with a pressurized system when it runs while you're busy soaping up and such. Here's the pump I like:


You'll probably need to deal with grey water containment so that means either an under trailer tank or one of those rollaways with the sink and/or shower drain running to it when needed.

As soon as you add hot water to the list things get a lot more complicated really quickly. I'd stick to heating water on the cook stove or in an AC kettle when you have shore power. You can use the bug sprayer or Zodi approach for showers; it really doesnt' take much. Depending on the environs you could pop up a shower tent outside, have more room to maneuver, and keep the moisture out of the trailer and do the inside shower when the outside routine wouldn't work.

Since Steve's already done his and you've an expample you oughta have yours ready to roll soon...say in about a month!

All the best...

Rebel - Eventually I'm going to get a generator so that I can start camping in some remote places. I always camp at sites with power right now, so that really limits me in my camping, but I'm not daring enough to install 12volt and gas. I'm not going to be able to help you much in that category, but it looks like you've got some good advice rolling in.

lblampman - I really like that foot pump!