Newb from Austin (not the typical intro...i think)

[TeeJay87]

Hey T&TTT,

My name is Trent. I'm 22 and a recent graduate of the University of Texas. I've been working as a clerk at a non-profit association for about 6 months now. I enjoy getting outside in Austin and playing almost any sport, recently, sand volleyball. I also enjoy building and creating things that will directly impact my everyday existence.

In that vein, I discovered teardrop trailers and T&TTT. I've been lurking around this forum for about a week now. What a wealth of information and fellowship that has been formed here!

I guess I'll get straight to the point. I like to think of myself as an adventurous and spartan sort of guy. In addition, I've also been one to take things head-on. So, faced with a mountain of student loan debt, I've resolved (pending your advice) to build a teardrop and live in it until I can pay off 50% of that debt. Once the teardrop is complete, by my estimate, I will need to live in it between 4 and 8 months to hit the 50% goal. The decision is not entirely financial. I want to wake up everyday and know that everything I need and own is within ten paces. I could continue to expand on my motivations, but I think you all get the point.

I'm glad I stumbled upon this community and look forward to hearing from y'all.

Sincerely,

Trent

[Lookfar]

Welcome to the forum, Trent. I suspect you will get a lot of good advice for your plan.
Having lived on small sailboats (no standing head room, plumbing etc.) I have no doubt it can be done. "Spartan" is definitely the lifestyle. It will be interesting to watch this come together.

[hiker chick]

Ambitious, Trent! Welcome aboard to T&TTT. A lot of peops here will enjoy helping you noodle this challenge.

Do you have a place to park your teardrop? Or will you be having to pay for campsites or some other longer term alternative spot?

What will you be towing it with?

For such long term occupancy, you may also want to look at an old small standie. Especially if you won't be pulling it much.

I'm looking forward to seeing others weigh in here.

Best of luck -- your goal of tackling that mountain of debt is both admirable and wise.

[TeeJay87]

Thanks for the welcoming Lookfar and Hiker!

Lookfar, I had thought about purchasing/building a small boat and renting a slip, but ran into no-liveaboard policy's at many marinas in Austin.

To answer your questions hiker:

1. I'm still working on where I would park the teardrop. There are several great RV parks around Austin. I also have a great group of friends who wouldn't mind if I hung out in their driveway or backyard.

2. I'll be towing with my Volvo S40 which has a max tongue weight of 165 lbs. From what I've read so far, that should be do-able with a light/standard weight 4x8 construction.

A big concern is the amount of electricity consumed by an A/C unit in Texas heat. Can a battery support that. Is that dependent on insulation, a nice shady spot, reflective surfaces, etc..?

Again, thanks for your thoughts Lookfar and Hiker!

[hiker chick]

A big concern is the amount of electricity consumed by an A/C unit in Texas heat. Can a battery support that. Is that dependent on insulation, a nice shady spot, reflective surfaces, etc..?

That argues for taking your friends up on their offers. Run an extension cord and kick in for the difference in their electric bill.

If you're just using an extra bathroom and an electrical outlet, that's not a huge imposition.

You can further compensate them with regular invitations to your teardrop kitchen galley!

If you haven't noticed yet, teardropdom is soon followed by Dutch Oven madness. Get proficient with some of the tasty recipes that T&TTT's expert camp cooks have shared and your hosts will never want you to leave.

Have you inventoried campgrounds in the region? Maybe you can boondock at friends for part of the week and explore the area on your days off. Especially at campgrounds with electric hookups for your air conditioner.

I'm no expert on Texas sun and heat but would think that a light colored wing tarp would be helpful with reflecting some of the sunlight. Something sturdy enough to withstand thunderstorms, too.

Don't paint the teardrop top black. Insulation in the roof surely would be a good thing. My walls are just 3/4" plywood (mine's a manufactured tear), but I don't have a/c and don't camp in that kind of heat (we escape to the mountains). My teardrop insulation is rated R-11.

Have you been exercising the forum's search function? A/C is a frequent topic of discussion, as is insulation.

[Evil Skippy]

Howdy neighbor. Welcome to the group.

Being a fellow Texan, I think it gets too hot in the summer months and that an A/C is a "must" for sleeping comfortably. But it also can be an inconvience for it's weight. I am looking for a design that will allow me to remove the A/C and either carry it in the tow vehicle or leave it at home when not needed.

Anyways, I look foreward to pictures of your build.

Your new digital Friend
Evil_Skippy

[caseydog]

Trent, there are a lot of us here in Texas with teardrops. The range from minimal (like mine) to pretty loaded.

You'll do best to keep your weight down to two with an S40. My minimal TD weighs about 700 pounds. It is 4X8 in size. I do have an AC unit, as do almost all of us in this region. Mostly, they are used just to sleep at night, since we don't spend much daytime in them. We almost all use 5,000 BTU window units that you can for under a hundred bucks. They are more than enough for such a small space.

Actually lining in a TD is going to be a lot like living in a tent, only you are off the ground, and have hard walls. If you can pay someone minimal rent to park in their backyard and use a bathroom, you could probably do 6-8 months in a TD. And, you can take off camping on weekends from time to time.

You should arrange to come to a gathering. We have one scheduled for every month this year. You can learn a lot by seeing what we've all built, and by asking questions. They are all different. Here is a link to our 2010 scheduled gatherings...

http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=33383

CD

[oklahomajewel]

Welcome Trent !!! Keep it weird !!! haha

[TeeJay87]

Thanks for the support from Texas and surrounding areas.

I was just thinking about the A/C problem today at work. I'll be doing some extensive reading in the electrical section over the next few days.

Just called a harbor freight in Austin and it looks like they'll have the 4x8 in tomorrow, so this project will get off the ground soon!

Thanks again,

Trent

[eamarquardt]

Although others have suggested you'll need an extension cord for the A/C no one has mentioned that running an A/C unit on battery power is simply not practical (unless have TONS (literally) of battery power).

My good friend "Big" Guy (Teardrops for Vets prototype) has been touring the country (18 thousand miles since last June!!!!!) and living in his teardrop for two years now. It can be done!!!

I like your "thinking outside the box" and the idea of living "on the cheap" to pay off your student loans. Why not pay them all the way off?

My neighbor bought a really nice trailer for $3500 and I'm sure you could find one for far less. All the fixings of a studio apartment. I've suggested to my sons (one away at college and the other just having returned home from Iraq and a short cohabitation with his GF that didn't work out, ha) that buying a trailer and paying a fraction of an apartment's rent to park it somewhere seems like an excellent alternative to high rent and/or roommates.

You're off to a good start, behaving responsibly, and should accomplish your goal of getting out of debt. I'd recommend considering all the options and having a complete plan in place (the parking, shower, electricity arrangements, etc) all worked out before you "drop a dime".

Just my two cents (or your dime).

Cheers,

Gus

[TeeJay87]

Thanks for the encouragement Gus!

My dime. Haha.

I'd rather build than buy, because as much as this is about paying off loans, it is about getting an immersion course in the different disciplines required to build something like a TD.

After reading in the electrical subforum, I'm convinced with a proper battery, great insulation, great timing (when to cool / not cool), and hearing stories like your friend's, it can be done!

I'm working hard to get the planning done, stuck on a few different sidewalls I've drawn up.

Thanks for your 2 cents,

Trent

[eamarquardt]

After reading in the electrical subforum, I'm convinced with a proper battery, great insulation, great timing (when to cool / not cool), and hearing stories like your friend's, it can be done!

Thanks for your 2 cents,

Trent

I'm not sure if we're on the same "frequency". :roll:

I don't know what is posted re running an a/c unit on battery power but IMHO it is simply not practical (running a reefer in hot weather is pushing the envelope, again IMHO). A small unit is 500 watts. Thats nearly 40 or 50 amps at 12 volts depending on the efficiency of your inverter. That will run a 100 amp battery down (to the point you SHOULD recharge it) in one hour of run time. THEN, you have to put that energy back into the battery which will take 5 hours (you shouldn't charge your battery at more than ten percent (in amps) of your battery's capacity (in amp hours)). Typical battery life (as I understand it is roughly 500 cycles to the recommended 50% discharge point) so your battery won't like you very much when used really hard.

An entension cord, plugged into a generator or wall socket, will be a must for reliable air conditoning.

Cheers,

Gus

[eamarquardt]

I cant' seem to get the little funny faces in my posts. Waz up? Help! :cry:

Cheers,

Gus

[Jason and Amanda]

Coming from a guy who is currently living out of a tent in Afghanistan and using outdoor/semi permanent showers...

It's actually pretty easy, you will mentally and physically adjust after a mere week and then your living conditions will become normal to you.

I have some things to point out for you to keep in your back pocket.

1. HVAC units basically require 110v to be practical. You might as well plan to be "plugged in". Specially if your job is professional and requires you to not be stinky and sweaty.

2. Your going to need some form of shelter, you can get that from screen houses and tents for short term, but those quickly deteriorate from the sun's UV rays and will not work as a permanent shelter. You are probably going to have to choose between living in a backyard or at a year round RV park, unless you spend $$$ on a long term UV resisant shelter, similar to the HUGE tents the military uses.

3. You will need running water, anyone can go a week with bottled water and baby wipes, nobody (with a professional career that requires a kept appearance) can go 6 months. Again, back to the friends house or RV park.

4. Your going to need some storage for your stuff, I assume you can leave your big items either at your parents or in a storage unit, what I mean is that you are going to need storage for your clothing and what not. And a way to wash your clothes. For storage, us deployed members just fabricate shelves out of plywood or use plastic storage bins big enough to store shirts, underwear... etc. Clothes can be washed at a laundromat or friends house.

5. You're eventually going to need to store cold and frozen perishable foods, you can only eat non-perishables for so long before you get fed up. Either invest in a nice portable fridge or use a friends house. If you do end up at an RV park with 110v AC power, a small dorm room or office fridge will work too, and is much cheaper. But you will need a place to keep it... going back to shelter.

6. Your going to NEED a place to change, stand up, sit up right in a chair, etc... think shelter again.

I JUST bought the Eureka northern breeze, this is designed for the weekend camper though, and will not hold up to being exposed to the elements for 6 months straight. portable shelter, IE tents, are VERY expensive if you want them to be semi permanent and stay exposed to the elements for more than a few days at a time.

[eamarquardt]

Coming from a guy who is currently living out of a tent in Afghanistan and using outdoor/semi permanent showers...

It's actually pretty easy, you will mentally and physically adjust after a mere week and then your living conditions will become normal to you.

I have some things to point out for you to keep in your back pocket.

1. HVAC units basically require 110v to be practical. You might as well plan to be "plugged in". Specially if your job is professional and requires you to not be stinky and sweaty.

2. Your going to need some form of shelter, you can get that from screen houses and tents for short term, but those quickly deteriorate from the sun's UV rays and will not work as a permanent shelter. You are probably going to have to choose between living in a backyard or at a year round RV park, unless you spend $$$ on a long term UV resisant shelter, similar to the HUGE tents the military uses.

3. You will need running water, anyone can go a week with bottled water and baby wipes, nobody (with a professional career that requires a kept appearance) can go 6 months. Again, back to the friends house or RV park.

4. Your going to need some storage for your stuff, I assume you can leave your big items either at your parents or in a storage unit, what I mean is that you are going to need storage for your clothing and what not. And a way to wash your clothes. For storage, us deployed members just fabricate shelves out of plywood or use plastic storage bins big enough to store shirts, underwear... etc. Clothes can be washed at a laundromat or friends house.

5. You're eventually going to need to store cold and frozen perishable foods, you can only eat non-perishables for so long before you get fed up. Either invest in a nice portable fridge or use a friends house. If you do end up at an RV park with 110v AC power, a small dorm room or office fridge will work too, and is much cheaper. But you will need a place to keep it... going back to shelter.

6. Your going to NEED a place to change, stand up, sit up right in a chair, etc... think shelter again.

I JUST bought the Eureka northern breeze, this is designed for the weekend camper though, and will not hold up to being exposed to the elements for 6 months straight. portable shelter, IE tents, are VERY expensive if you want them to be semi permanent and stay exposed to the elements for more than a few days at a time.

Ditto!

Cheers,

Gus