Introducing the “NEW” Alu-Cab Canopy Camper

Aleja_333

Active member
Fyi, If anyone is interested in storage for your Alu-cab CC.

 

MR E30

Active member
Any connectivity issues with Starlink? Especially when in very remote areas — I've heard mention that even sat phones have dead spots. Curious how Starlink performs overall given the cost of entry.

Same question here. The wife and I are about to jump on starlink so we can work remotely out of the truck.

I mainly find reviews from folks that use campgrounds/rv parks, which isn't my style. We do pretty off-grid stuff.

Thank you.
 

gnel

Active member
Any connectivity issues with Starlink? Especially when in very remote areas — I've heard mention that even sat phones have dead spots. Curious how Starlink performs overall given the cost of entry.
I've had zero issues with connectivity but I have only used it in remote Baja and at home with wide open skies. I've read that it can be hard to connect in tall forests,you need a clearing.I'll know more about that soon as I´m going to do the UTBDR this month.
 
I've had zero issues with connectivity but I have only used it in remote Baja and at home with wide open skies. I've read that it can be hard to connect in tall forests,you need a clearing.I'll know more about that soon as I´m going to do the UTBDR this month.
Thanks for the update. Safe travels!
 

Stranger45

New member
Hey, there may be too many differences between your setup and my setup for this info to matter, but maybe it will help...

I have a Canopy Camper on a 2017 Toyota Tacoma (the one with four doors and a long bed). I took the back seats out and installed a non Goose Gear plywood platform. I have the dual zone IceCo VL60 fridge/freezer (https://icecofreezer.com/products/63-4qt-vl60-dual-zone-portable-fridge-with-cover) and bought the matching slide from IceCo as well. I mounted it behind the drivers seat and, with some careful positioning, it fits pretty well. It rubs the door slightly if I don't have it pulled open all the way and the lids don't stay open by themselves because the top of the door prevents them from opening all the way. But, it is a very workable solution for me and I really like it.

I have it wired to a patch panel in the camper (the wires go out the drain holes in the truck bed and up some bolt holes in the cab of the truck left open from taking the back seats out. It's powered by two 125AH AGM batteries that get their juice from 200 watts of solar on the roof and from the alternator when I'm driving. I've spent two Wisconsin summers fishing, camping and exploring with one side filled with Chaco Tacos (freezer set to 0 degrees) and the other side set to 40 degrees and I have never even come close to putting a dent in the batteries. The fridge/freezer is dual zone so each side can independently be used as either fridge, freezer, or off. To give an example of my power usage, on a HOT day I use about 30 AH running the fridge/freezer, a cpap machine, charging phone/ipad/laptop/headphones/bluetooth speakers/flashlights/ and lights inside and outside the camper.
I have the same fridge/freezer, and want to do the same thing. Do you have any pictures of your setup?
 
Does anyone know what kind of weight you can put on the roof of the Canopy Camper with the stock lift struts? I can't seem to find any details in their literature. I would love to be able to add their roof tray so we can haul our two inflatable SUPs up there instead of inside the camper. I am thinking 60lbs for the two SUPs and the tray which is around 25lbs, so 100lbs total.
 

MR E30

Active member
Does anyone know what kind of weight you can put on the roof of the Canopy Camper with the stock lift struts? I can't seem to find any details in their literature. I would love to be able to add their roof tray so we can haul our two inflatable SUPs up there instead of inside the camper. I am thinking 60lbs for the two SUPs and the tray which is around 25lbs, so 100lbs total.
Position that weight closer to the front hinges (as close as you can really) and you are golden.

The struts can support a variety of weights, depending on where that weight is placed on the roof.
 

gnel

Active member
The mount did not come with the starlink but it is a starlink product. I got it on amazon for 90 bucks. It's called a roof/pivot mount. I'm just finishing up my utbdr trip and it has been fantastic! Unfortunately I didn't use it much in forests as most of the trails above 9000 ft were closed due to snow.
 

fourfa

Observer
Ventilation

It's my first summer with the (black) Alu-Cab. So far, there's nothing in there that can't take the heat in the long weeks in the driveway between trips, and in practical use it cools off fast when you open up. (And I'm adding insulation bit by bit too)

But in the near future I'm looking at a fixed solar panel on top, a permanent battery system, and an electric fridge system which may or may not live in there (turned off) between trips. Thinking about using the solar and battery pack to power some active ventilation just to keep things from cooking quite so badly day to day. I'd think that might be a filtered intake in the shade under the front overhang, a filtered exhaust in one of the rear corners, a fan somewhere, and maybe some temp sensors...

This can't be a new problem for RVs and truck campers. Any ideas to share?
 

cug

Member
This can't be a new problem for RVs and truck campers. Any ideas to share?

A vent is probably a good idea anyways, whether it needs to be active, I don't know. We don't have the Canopy Camper yet (picking up at the end of the week), but on this rig:

Z62_2941.jpeg

We have a vent for the composting toilet and some gaps in the upper corners of the side doors. It gets warm in there, but not to the point that I would think about any active ventilation. It would be simple enough to do though. One intake, one exhaust, put a small solar panel on top and cut out if voltage drops too low and maybe have it temperature triggered. Depending on your desire for complexity, there is no upper limit ... ;-)
 

MR E30

Active member
Ventilation

It's my first summer with the (black) Alu-Cab. So far, there's nothing in there that can't take the heat in the long weeks in the driveway between trips, and in practical use it cools off fast when you open up. (And I'm adding insulation bit by bit too)

But in the near future I'm looking at a fixed solar panel on top, a permanent battery system, and an electric fridge system which may or may not live in there (turned off) between trips. Thinking about using the solar and battery pack to power some active ventilation just to keep things from cooking quite so badly day to day. I'd think that might be a filtered intake in the shade under the front overhang, a filtered exhaust in one of the rear corners, a fan somewhere, and maybe some temp sensors...

This can't be a new problem for RVs and truck campers. Any ideas to share?

If it helps at all, my ACCC has to sit outside all day, due to my garage height.

I live in Phoenix, and it was 117 a couple of days ago. Black Canopy Camper.

I already have it full of everything, battery, fridge, the whole nine.

I do park it under the shade of a tree, but certain parts of the camper still get absolutely baked by the sun at certain times of the day.

I WFH so I keep one of the side doors open all day. I have not had any issues thus far. This is ~1.5 years on this setup, so 2 summers of heat.

I won't be adding any ventilation to mine. After I leave Phoenix in several weeks I don't want to be in places that are this hot anymore. Haha

Hopefully that helps.

On another note, fully mobile internet is up and running for camp. Took a bit to get the whole system figured out, but it is ready to go.

44 days until departure.

Pre-Departure Practice by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr
 

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