New Build - 6*12 Offroad Toy Hauler

[hankaye]

flboy, Howdy;

Not allowing moss to grow on it are ya? chucklin'.

Safe travels, keep an eye out for the idiots out there
more of them then there is of us.

hank

[featherliteCT1]

flboy,
I have watched your build every night and have enjoyed every minute of it. I have wanted to comment but am basically speechless with what you have done in such a short period of time. Awesome!

I will be interested to hear how you manage all this heat and humidity and how your solar system performs (e.g., the extent to which you are able to use the AC powered by your batteries and how difficult or easy it is to get the batteries recharged).

[flboy]

Hank, thanks. Yes... no moss!

Featherlite.. I will write some details tomorrow. Been using AC off inverter for about 3-4 hours a night when I park before sundown. After 9pm, I turn it off and use fan as it cools down. So far, been great.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[flboy]

Stayed overnight in a Walmart parking lot in Missouri last night. Got a good picture of my roof. :-) CTC is working well. Big adjustment to utilitize such a small space, but so far, the benefits outweigh the inconveniences.

.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Obsolete]

Don.
Your work is my inspiration. I have followed this build and your 7x18 I think it is.
I am a dual sport enthusiast as well and I recently bought a 7x16 with the bigger 5200 pound?? axles and barn doors on rear. 7 foot ceiling.
Gathering my materials, and accessories to start a build.
Like you I live in the hot and humid belt so A/C is job one.
I’ll likely start a build thread if it doesn’t turn out too crude.
Again, thanks for the inspiration.
Clay.
PS… took me a while to get signed up on TNTTT.

[Gulfcoast]

Welcome Obsolete..... the first thing I did to my 6x12 was to install the A/C.

Thanks for the update on the trip from Missouri, please keep them coming.

[flboy]

Clay, thanks for the kind words. Best of luck with your build. I brought my KTM-690R with me on this trip. I hope to get some riding in yet today. My son has a Suzuki DRZ-400 and he is going to show me around some on the trails near the river. Made it to Nebraska yesterday and at my destination for the next few weeks, so the bike is out. Much nicer to function in a 6*12 when the bike is out.

Good call on the bigger a axles. I should have done that on my 7*18. It is not overweight loaded down, but it is closer than I'd like. This 6*12 with the 5200 lb axles has plenty to spare except space.

Btw.. what do you ride?






Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[flboy]

Maybe there is something I can do or adjust, but so far, my biggest disappointment with my choices on this build is the on demand hot water. It does get hot, but will not light unless I have a very good stream of water going through it. You cannot low flow it. So Navy showers it is for now.

With the conventional Water Heater, I had 6 gallons ready to go and I could trickle it out.

Anyone have any word on what I can do? The knob adjustments set temp and etc.. is there something under the hood I can tweak so it will flame under low flow conditions? I haven't researched this yet, so maybe something simple?


BTW.. with the 6*12, not sure the conventional Water Heater would be a good choice either since there is no good place for it with the floorplan I thought was necessary to have a toy hauler where I can stay in it on the road with the bike inside.


My favorite decision is the solar power with 520aH of LiFePo4 batteries. So nice to be able to pull in somewhere to park overnight and just turn the Air Conditioner on and let it run 3 or 4 hours until bedtime when it had cooled down and then shut it off and go to Maxxair with windows open for night time. Batteries recover the next day on the road. So far, never got below 50%, so good margin there also.


Also can leave Lex in there for a hour or so while I go in a store or etc. for an hour or so without having to worry about her.



Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[Obsolete]

Thanks for the welcome, Gulfcoast.

Don,
Although some of my buds ride Orange, I have stuck with my WR250R.. Love it so much I scored a second one last December to have one available for the grandson or anyone else who wants to participate.
Also have the Zombie Apocalypse worthy KLR650, a 2014 Super Tenere, and the wife “convinced “ me to get a 2011 Harley Ultra so she could ride pillion.
Little brother’s DRZ 400 lives here with my herd. Combine these with a YZ85 and a YZ250F that need a new home and you gots a shop full of stuff.
Not to mention 3 Yamaha quads. ………….. sometimes I thinks the toys own me rather than vice versa…. but hey, gonna be 65 soon, gotta get it while I can, right??

[hankaye]

Obsolete, Howdy;

Welcome to the jumble we call a 'Happy Place".

hank

[Obsolete]

Thanks, Hank.
I hope Don forgives me for hijacking his thread.
Been lurking around here for a while.
Finally got registered on the forum and got a cargo trailer to hack.
Really excited about getting started.

[ris]

Don we are one hour south of glacier national Park lots of smoke from fires in Montana and it’s in the mid 90s during the day. Seems to be warm everywhere but the Northeast. Safe travels thanks for the update
Richard

[flboy]

flboy, I will be interested to hear how you manage all this heat and humidity and how your solar system performs (e.g., the extent to which you are able to use the AC powered by your batteries and how difficult or easy it is to get the batteries recharged).

I have a few more travel days under my belt. Running AC a few hours (up to 4) at night when I first park. Usually turn it off in the evening when the outside temps drop into High 70's and then I open windows as use Maxxair type fan. I only have 410W on the roof and have noticed I am only getting ~20A to 22A max and probably more consistently 15A charging.. Assuming it is a mix of variables to include cloudiness, sun angle, and etc... I have only been able to recover about 20% or so a day driving via solar, so by day 3, batteries were dropping into 40% range. Probably can go 5 days like this....

I think this will improve significantly when I connect my Renogy 20A DC to DC charger and connect up power from TV alternator. I think this will do the trick by supplementing Solar. I really don't want to add more panels... but would like to break even each day assuming a up to 4 hours of AC use and more if needed fro comfort.

Of course, I could just run the Gen for Ac and to charge.... but I'd only do that as the last alternative. It is only my backup.

All said, I think my investment in the 510aH of DIY LifePo4 for ~$1,000 total is very worthwhile given total they weigh less than 100lbs. Makes parking lot boondocking in the summer doable without having to run generator or etc.. In the woods, I'd run the Gen a few hours at the end of the day to keep ahead on the batteries if needed.

[featherliteCT1]

Flboy,

Thanks for the update!

[flboy]

Thanks for the welcome, Gulfcoast.

Don,
Although some of my buds ride Orange, I have stuck with my WR250R.. Love it so much I scored a second one last December to have one available for the grandson or anyone else who wants to participate.
Also have the Zombie Apocalypse worthy KLR650, a 2014 Super Tenere, and the wife “convinced “ me to get a 2011 Harley Ultra so she could ride pillion.
Little brother’s DRZ 400 lives here with my herd. Combine these with a YZ85 and a YZ250F that need a new home and you gots a shop full of stuff.
Not to mention 3 Yamaha quads. ………….. sometimes I thinks the toys own me rather than vice versa…. but hey, gonna be 65 soon, gotta get it while I can, right??

Obsolete....the WR is a great bike. Back in the day (2006), when I first got my KTM-450EXC i would have bought the WR-450 if I could have got a tag for it in FL. THE KTM-450EXC came with a "Motorcycle" MSO instead of an "Off-road Only" MSO like all the Japanese bikes did, so in FL I was able to get a tag for the KTM to ride on the road also. I bought my son an YZ-250F and it was a great bike. In any case, anything you can have fun on is a great bike! I like the KLX-650's. My brother has one and he likes it. It is an indestructible tank. Not real nimble, but as trusty and reliable as they get. I am taking my KTM-690R on the Trans America Trail next June... will be screwed if the technology gives out me as there is no fixing it on the trail like the KLX.... but I really like it... Guess I am a technology fan!. It really is a great enduro.

And you are right.. not going to take it with you. Have fun with it now... but keep an eye on the what really matters. Invest in those Grandsons!