Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey guy I just bought a new 8.5x20 continental cargo enclosed trailer. So here is the info I need. I take my rzr to the sand dunes and I want to deck this trailer out to be like a toy hauler. First thing first is wiring and insulation and ac. I'm looking at the coleman 13,500 btu rooftop ac and trying to decide if I should just do all the wiring in ac or should I do some dc to.

What is the best insulation to go with?

Any wiring ideas?


Any other input or advice please let me know. I'm also wanting to add a window or 2 and a awning where is best place to order those. And how hard is it to add a window.

Thanks guys I'll get a pic up soon and I'll post pics while I woRk.

Sorry I can't help you much on your questions. I only camp "off-the-grid", " so I don't have any 110 ac wiring. I used the foil faced white insulation boards for my walls and ceiling and pink 2" insulation board under the deck. I think the pink and blue foam boards are said to be slightly higher r value than the white. The pink and blue also don't absorb any moisture....no mold.

Welcome to the forum,

I just ordered my trailer. My camping will be a combination of both on and off grid. I plan oh having both AC and DC wiring. Probably will only wire 120 for an AC, microwave, one outlet in counter area, one in the back section which is accessible from outside and maybe one in the bed area for whatever. For everything else, I will plan on using 12 volts, including LED lighting. If i was able to, I would do everything on DC with solar supplying the power backed up by a Honda 2000 W generator or two.

I won't mind doing some dc lights and all but I don't really get how to wire em both up what is the best way?

I have done a little conversion for a work and toy hauling rig. The experience that I have seen while construction was in process....
If you are doing all the work yourself to cut cost, what you wish to live more than just haul there are other options.
1. Awnings need metal support behind the walls, if not installed by the factory then the skin will have to pulled off to install the brackets between the studs.
2. AC and windows need to be cut into outer skin and possible metal framework to support these depending on size.
3. My experience is to spend a couple extra dollars here and there to make sure you get what is needed to make life easier later. A 30 AMP service will do, but if you are in colder weather and want to run a heater and other AC items the small generator might not be enough, if the coffee pot and heater run the same time it could pop the circuit breaker. This is where the extra $$ comes in and install a 50 AMP service, you might not need it all time but it will be there.
4. I would install a good RV service center that would run AC/DC.
5. Make all lighting LED, its a couple $$ more but when running on battery and solar it will draw less voltage off the battery and make it last a couple days longer.
6. Non expanding foam is your friend.
7. Rubber grommets and color coded wire make install, add on circuits, and repairs later a lot easier and faster.

One thing to keep in mind are you going to be plugged into shore power or running a generator ?
if your going to run a generator the roof top AC is to large for a Honda 2000 and if you buy a large 4-5000 watt generator from lowes they guzzle about a gallon a hour my buddy has to refill his every 4-5 hours.
and don't make the mistake of thinking a portable AC will work they won't.
I have a 8000 btu window unit and it works great and will run off the Honda 2000 with no problem, I can also charge my golf cart at the same time but that's it.
To take a shower or run the microwave I have to shut those off you have to learn what you can and can't do with the power you have.
if your plugged into power that;s a different story?

brandon32689, Howdy;

Welcome to the forum!
What craig113 said in his item #3 about the heater and the coffee pot,
I live in an RV fulltime, it has 30 amp service, the heater works from the
DC side and the Microwave, A/C (13,500BTU), and coffee pot work from the
AC side of my power center. I have had the furnace running and nuked a bowel
of oatmeal while Mr. Coffee makes my morning cups of coffee all at the same time ...
Could have been that the charger part of the power center hadn't kicked in yet ...
but the number of times I've done this out weigh the law of averages. Right
now I can and do run the A/C and the coffee pot or the A/C and the microwave
at the same time and don't even notice any drop in power to either. The Power
Center that came with my RV is a WIFCO, But if I were building it I would have used
a Progressive Dynamics ... personal opinion...
Good luck with your build.

hank

Thanks for all the welcomes and advice guys. Here is a pic of the trailer.

Keep in mind this is my first time doing anything like this. I wish I would have got the trailer with windows but didn't maybe I can add a few?


As far as power I planned on doing all ac wiring because I don't get how to do the dc stuff. Only thing I would maybe run dc on would be lights. I will be able to plug into 30 amp service where I go. I also have a generator that is 7500 watt but I will prob get a smaller one to carry with me this ones diesel.

I plan to do all my wiring and insulation first, then later add the restroom. Is it possible to not use holding tanks and have waste drain straight out?

The ac I am getting is coleman 13,500 and claims to pull 14.9 amps cooling and 16 heating.

Other things I plan to add will be mini fridge, microwave, tv and few lights and plugs.

Be aware that the AC, though running on 15 amps, draws up to 27 amps for starting (at least mine does for which I bought a 2nd 2k watt generator and buddied it)

wtcreaux wrote:Be aware that the AC, though running on 15 amps, draws up to 27 amps for starting (at least mine does for which I bought a 2nd 2k watt generator and buddied it)

Yeah, I will more than likely always be where I can plug in vs using a generator

D/C is easy as A/C you got ground and hot just run 2 wires to every thing green and black or red and black gr for ground and black for hot but if you go black and red the black will be the gr and red will be the hot get a fuze block with a ground bar attached D/C is nice if you are traveling and need to stop for the night and can't run the gen. its nice to be able to turn on a light. I have both A/C and D/C

Does anyone have any wiring advice? Should I go behind the boards or conduct and in outside?

bc toys wrote:D/C is easy as A/C you got ground and hot just run 2 wires to every thing green and black or red and black gr for ground and black for hot but if you go black and red the black will be the gr and red will be the hot get a fuze block with a ground bar attached D/C is nice if you are traveling and need to stop for the night and can't run the gen. its nice to be able to turn on a light. I have both A/C and D/C

What all do you run on dc

brandon32689, Howdy;

Is it possible to not use holding tanks and have waste drain straight out?

It's possiable to not use holding tanks, that why some folks use the Barker tanks (google it), you will
get at the least a sever fine for dumping toilet waste on the ground could even get arrested in some places.

hank

I run lights, fan, and TV and charge my insta hot water heater, cell phones on D/C what I run on A/C nothing at this time but may add a air conditioner some day