Gadget Mans Adventure Trailer Photos

[Goatdog]

I installed that antenna in my CT a couple weeks ago. Hated the thought of drilling into my roof but it went very well. Really like the antenna reception I get now.

[Gadget Man]

Goatdog;

Tell me more about mounting your antenna....
What did you use for something solid between your roof and inside ceiling?
Do you have any pictures.
It's still raining here, we had had over 8 inches in the past week, so I haven't started my install.

Gadget Man

[Goatdog]

I can take pics when I get back to my CT next week. I'm at home in TN and the CT is in VA. I used hard foam that comes in mil-spec ammunition crates from work to close the gap. It has held up good for about 380 miles so far.

[Gadget Man]

Ok, No rain this weekend so I decided to mount my antenna.
I started with a 20 x 16 piece of this composite core aluminum clad material, it's plenty stout.
I will mount this to the roof and screw it down to two different roof truss's. Then mount the antenna to that. I drilled the 1 7/8 hole for the antenna twist assembly. I silicone-ed all around the roof plate and the antenna base. The antenna instructions say to run the cable wire outside of the base mount and run it in through a cut out in the base. I decided there was room to have the wire come through the roof and stay inside the base.
It worked fine. I did drill a hole and run a small bolt through the roof and the inside plastic cover to tighten up the roof and the inside ceiling, they were sort of separated.
The cable goes to the 12 volt powered Antenna amplifier and then to the TV.
Everything went very well. At home in my yard I can get over 20 stations.
Here are the pictures, this should help answer any questions.



























Gadget Man

[bigbendhiker]

That's absolutely awesome!

With a trailer like that you'll never need to go home.

And if you get sent to the "Dog House", you've got it made.

[d30gaijin]

Then I worked on mounting a 120 volt power converter. This is one that will take 12 volts DC and jump it up to 120 volts AC so you can run normal appliances.
I mounted my Bose music system in the desk area of the trailer. It runs off 120 volt plug-in. I started wondering how I was going to have my tunes when camping off-line.
I remembered I've been carrying this 12 volt converter around in my car "just in case" and have never used it, so why not mount it in the Adventure Trailer.
The converter came with both the battery clamps and a male lighter plug. I chose to use the male lighter plug, so all I needed was a female lighter plug somewhere to plug into. I had to buy a 2 into 1 plug at my local auto parts store for $6.50 and cut the male end off, and had 2 female sockets left.
This converter is pretty cool, It will do 120 volts AC, it has a 12 volt power plug, and a USB charging port all in one.

Gadget Man,

I have been following your build and am truly impressed. You have posted so many great Ideas I know I will be able to incorporate into my own build.

I have a question about the B&D 12v 200 Watt inverter you have. Installing one seems like a great idea for off grid times. But then I went looking for the same inverter and came up with a boatload of negative reviews via folks who bought the same inverter on-line at Amazon. The inverter you have shows a very poor rating. It's rated as a 200 Watt inverter but folks can't power a 90 Watt computer with one, it kicks off. They claim it is OK for charging an iPod or iPad but to run a laptop, no go. I note that your Bose system is the Bose based iPod unit. Have you tried plugging in anything of higher Watt, like a lap top, TV, a coffee pot, etc.?

I am searching for a decent inverter, not a huge Watt inverter but at least something that will power a laptop. I'm curious if the B&D 200 Watt will, others say it doesn't?

Thanks,

Don

[Gadget Man]

Gee...thanks Don, for bursting my bubble on the converter.

No really, I would trust the research you did, because I didn't do any.
I have owned this converter for several years, it was a Christmas gift that just never got used. It has been riding around in the back of my car for years. I thought using it in the new Adventure Trailer was a good home for it. It works to run the Bose stereo and if I can use it to charge my cell phone I'll be happy with it.

If I get that far away from shore power, I guess I'll have to get one of those gas powered Margarita Mixers.

Gadget Man

[d30gaijin]

Gee...thanks Don, for bursting my bubble on the converter.

No really, I would trust the research you did, because I didn't do any.
I have owned this converter for several years, it was a Christmas gift that just never got used. It has been riding around in the back of my car for years. I thought using it in the new Adventure Trailer was a good home for it. It works to run the Bose stereo and if I can use it to charge my cell phone I'll be happy with it.

If I get that far away from shore power, I guess I'll have to get one of those gas powered Margarita Mixers.

Gadget Man

G Man

OOPS! No bubble bursting intended. I like your implementation but am simply wondering how the B&W 200 Watt inverter might work (from your hands-on experience) with a laptop. Amazon reviews are like opinions, and we all know what that means... everybody has one. I presume you have a laptop so is there any possibility that you could plug it in and see how it works with the B&D 200 Watt inverter? I am a long time B&D fan and when I can go with their products I will.

Thanks,
Don

[Gadget Man]

What's that old saying about "Best laid plans...?"
Last night I slept out in the trailer. I wanted a quick dry run before our first long weekend and since I now have a TV to watch.
Remember the sofa beds I bought on E-Bay, the ones I have installed. They are only 68 inches long. I'm 6 foot + and my wife is 5' 10 inches.
Well I thought sleeping on the 68 inch sofa beds would be OK for a camping weekend. Well, they aren't. I tried to sleep on the sofa bed last night but after about an hour of my feet hanging 12 inches over the end, I had to unfold the other side to make an 80 inch wide bed.

My wife's original idea was to put the two sofas directly across from each other so when opened it would make one big bed and we would sleep sideways across the back.
I wanted to make the wine rack cabinet and then have a place for the spare tire. I thought it would look better if the beds were staggered.
But now, it's sort of back to the drawing board again. I have to move the left side sofa back so it lines op with the right side bed.
The wine rack will have to be trimmed shorter to fit under the window and then be mounted up under the TV.
Also while I was sitting watching TV last night, I also noticed that the TV is bit to high. It's a little hard on the neck when you have to look up to see the screen. It could be about 10 inches lower. So now I may just build something different to fill in the space under the TV.
Stay Tuned....

[8ball_99]

You learn a lot when you use the trailer. Somethings you thing will work, well just doesn't. And other stuff you thought might be an issue turns out to work perfect.. Oh well.. I was lucky enough that I had to use my trailer on a couple of trips while it was under construction. At the time I wasn't happy about it since the trailer was in shambles. But it ended up being a good thing because I learned a few things and made a few changes before I have really got started on them. I think the teardrop people call it yamping.. (Camping in your yard) Once the trailer is built I don't really see the fun in it other then to humor our 5 year old.. While the trailer is under construction though it can help a lot..


As far as inverters go.. I don't blame you for using what you had. If it works for what you need it to do great. If I was buying new I would pay attention to the reviews. I've had a couple of the small inverters over the years and their stated wattage can be a joke.. Temp also has a big impact.. A inverter might can handle a 100 watt load when its 70 degrees but once its 80 it will not. I have a 100 watt inverter we carry in my truck just for charging game boys and digital camera batteries on trips.. It does the job but will get very hot just keeping my 4g modem charged up.. If you have much demand buy a nice inverter.. My Xantrex prowatt hardwired into the trailer has been great so far.

[pete42]

what would moving the right (curb) side bed forward do to your plans?
I too have thought about where to place the TV I have seen some mounted in a swing down unit others like yours on the wall
some people say they don't watch TV while camping since I spent a month or more in in my trailers I watched tv at night.
after spending a week out east I showed your trailer to my GF she said she could stay in one like it.
so hitch it up head to ohio and I'll be glad to take it off your hands bad TV location and all..............

Pete

[Wolfscout]

I was thinking like Don. What about splicing cable and running it above the ceiling panel to the other side?
It is a pain in the rear to have to redo things.
I've had to several times because ideas just didn't pan out in my planning versus functionality.

[Gadget Man]

The placement of the TV is fine, I just think I need to lower it about 8 inches.
It will be very easy. All my power and antenna cables will reach just fine. The worst part will be the (4) 5/16 inch holes that will be in the side of my cabinet.
I'll have to get some stain able wood filler.

Moving the right side bed forward will not work, I have the desk cabinet on the right side next to the door.
I have already gone out and un-screwed the back wine cabinet from the wall and moved the sofa back. My plan is to cut the "legs down to make it fit under the TV.

[pete42]

My long term memory has joined my short term memory both on vacation
I plumb forgot about cabinet near entrance.
I think it will turn out fine when you get it moved just be glad you found out before
trying to stay in it on an outing.
pete

[d30gaijin]

G Man,

Every time I look at your build thread I am again incredibly impressed. You do such beautiful work. Lots of inspiration for me.

In terms of an inverter I went with the ratings and ordered a Wagan Tech Smart AC 400W USB+ inverter. What it doesn't have is the 12v DC cig lighter plugin receptacle in it like your B&D has, I sort of wanted that but then again I can install my own cig lighter plug inside the CT, something I had planned to do anyway and have the plug-in already to install, ordered it a few months back. The Wagan AC400W does have two 110v AC outlets and two USB outlets. It was highly rated on Amazon but who knows what that really means... guess I'll find out if Amazon ratings really have much meaning/relevance. The other thing it doesn't have is a means to mount it to a wall like your B&D does. For me that's a bummer but I'm sure I can come up with a way to mount it. By the way, thank you for the inspiration to get an inverter. There have been times when access to 110v AC would have been nice for simple things but I didn't want to fire up the Honda EU2000i generator. Hopefully the inverter will come in handy to meet those times/needs.

If the Wattage draw chart that Wagan supplied with their 400 Watt inverter is accurate, I am amazed i.e., Coffee Machine 600 Watts? Blender 450 Watts? 19" color TV only 100 Watts? Portable refrigerator only 60 Watts? Laptop computer only 38-45 Watts? I would never have thought a coffee maker would draw 600 Watts and portable reefer only 60 Watts... but then what do I know, obviously not a lot.

Don