Compact family camper Build - Always something...

[ryuandwings]

Looks fantastic! This is the style trailer I would love to build some day. Nice attention to detail, love the pictures.

Thank you very much.
When you are ready to build, let me know. I will share everything I know. I've been taking bunch of pictures of every step.

[ryuandwings]

Coming along very nicely!

Thank you very much.

I am very interested to see what you end up doing with the tongue box/ a/c compartment.

Me too...

[AlgoDan]

Looking good, and your moving right along. You will be smelling the campfire before you know it

[ryuandwings]

Looking good, and your moving right along. You will be smelling the campfire before you know it

Thank you very much.
I did open my first beer in the trailer this weekend and that tasted great!

[absolutsnwbrdr]

I am progressing as I planned. I just hope my plan is correct...

Looking great! Nice thing about custom campers is that even if the plan strays a little bit, you can adapt and even improve the design!

[RandyG]

It looks fantastic so far, glad I joined the journey!
I hated doing the roof with inch and a half spars and not finding inch and a half foam, that makes for twice the cutting and twice the glue.

[ryuandwings]

Looking great!

Thank you.

Nice thing about custom campers is that even if the plan strays a little bit, you can adapt and even improve the design!

Since I don't have the design completed, I'm not too concerned about the design changing. I'm fast-tracking this project!
I was more concerned about the schedule part of it. I have deadlines to make. (I've already lined up a camping trip this fall)

[ryuandwings]

It looks fantastic so far, glad I joined the journey!

Thank you very much.

It looks fantastic so far, glad I joined the journey!
I hated doing the roof with inch and a half spars and not finding inch and a half foam, that makes for twice the cutting and twice the glue.

I got lucky on this one.
I didn't plan this, but I used 2" spars. 1" foam insulation is actually less than 1" so by the time I add thickness of wires and not able to bend it right, I think this is going to be just right with 2 layers of 1".
I actually like working with 2 layers. I have had hard enough time dealing with 1", so I don't know what to do with anything thicker. Also I have wires running at the middle of spars, so layers of insulation will hold wire in place and wires holding insulation in place.

[RandyG]

Is your planned trip to the LCG? Not sure how far it is for ya but lots of TDers get to that one. Good folks there.

[ryuandwings]

Worked on the electrical stuff this weekend mostly. I need to get this done so I can move on to covering the roof with with final layer of insulation then plywood.
First thing to do is to install inlet back in its place with 10 gauge wires connecting to PD4045. I used dryer hook up wires for this.
Here is the back side of inlet with wires attached.

Here is inlet with adapter attached so I can connect to the house outlet for the testing.

This is PD4045 in the middle of galley. It is pulled out for the testing. I had to research to get the wiring confirmed, so I will try to write how I did in here.

First of all, it is sitting on its side in the photo. The bottom is the 12V side and top in this photo is 120V side. When it is finished, 12V is on left and 120V is on right. First thing is to get 30A breaker installed. It is the one located on left side in 120V compartment. Ground and neutral to be hooked up to the bus bar on PD4045 and hot is connected to the breaker. To have 12V side working, the converter needs to be hooked up. Install 15A breaker for that. I used tandem 15A breaker. It is located on the right side. There is bus bar to connect to converter in PD4045. In addition to this, I will add another 15A tandem for other 120V circuit and 20A for AC.
After 120V wiring is done, 12V positive feeds are attached to the terminal block (the one seen in the top compartment in the photo) and negative connected to another terminal block. (the one sitting in front of PD4045) 10 gauge wire connecting negative terminal block to PD4045. For the testing, I am using #3 circuit in 12V which I installed 15V fuse in its place.
Bunch of wires coming out from top right corner of top compartment are the different wires for 12V circuits.

Two biggest test for me are the porch lights and dome lights because those involved remote switches.
But this is where good planning pays off. Testing confirmed that I had the wiring correctly.
Here you can see a dome light and red side marker I used for the test simulating two dome lights.

Both lights can be turned on and off from either switch located at the door.

Here are the reading lights. Off curse these can be turned on and off individually.

I initially thought I would have to make some kind of frame to make it come out a little since these have big ball joints on the back side and my roof spars were not deep enough. I actually started to make some frame, then realized I did not need to make any frame. Here is the shot showing the back side.

I also swapped the bulb to LED.


Last item on 12V testing to make USB charger for phones and iPad.
I am going to use cigarette charger used in cars.

This is supposedly rated to charge Apple and Android products at the same time.
I need the guts of this thing. After opening it up, tweaked a little, this is what came out. Tested both Android smart phone and iPad and both seems to work.


Since it was such a nice weekend, I decided to pull the trailer out of the garage to set it up behind of TV.
I received family approval!




Then I opened up and celebrated my progress!

[KCStudly]

About bending foam insulation

I actually like working with 2 layers. I have had hard enough time dealing with 1", so I don't know what to do with anything thicker.

Lots of good info about bending foam here.

[ryuandwings]

Is your planned trip to the LCG? Not sure how far it is for ya but lots of TDers get to that one. Good folks there.

Not sure what LCG is, but we are joining TN fall gathering.

[ryuandwings]

About bending foam insulation
Lots of good info about bending foam here.

Wow, that's some good stuff.
I wish I had seen this a little sooner...

[Junkboy999]

Just read thought your great build tonight. She is going to be one nice camper.


Info on LCG

LCG VIII Roster and Map
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=54687

[SLUG36]

looks great so far. I like the stance with those "outlaw" style wheels.