Now for something completely different: 2023 Chevy 3500 Extended Express, Yea I know.....It isn't cool.
- Thread starter chuppie
- Start date
We spent the last 5 nights in it. We had a combination of weather including 3 long periods of heavy rain.
It stayed perfectly dry and the large awning negated the need to zip the windows up.
Impressions so far in no particular order
1) Mattress is very comfortable.
2) Unit is plenty long. You can comfortable sleep with your head to the front or back. I'm 5'11" and there was considerable room left.
3) We preferred to sleep with our heads to the back because of air flow across head and torso was better.
4) It is simple to set up. The springs arms for the awning take considerable strength to put up and down. I was not able to do it from the ladder, I had to stand on step bumper.
5) Closing it is not as easy as the YouTube video. I had to use the included pole to poke the fabric in before closing it.
more later
It stayed perfectly dry and the large awning negated the need to zip the windows up.
Impressions so far in no particular order
1) Mattress is very comfortable.
2) Unit is plenty long. You can comfortable sleep with your head to the front or back. I'm 5'11" and there was considerable room left.
3) We preferred to sleep with our heads to the back because of air flow across head and torso was better.
4) It is simple to set up. The springs arms for the awning take considerable strength to put up and down. I was not able to do it from the ladder, I had to stand on step bumper.
5) Closing it is not as easy as the YouTube video. I had to use the included pole to poke the fabric in before closing it.
more later
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2 of the 3 solar panels being readied to mount. The third is coming Sunday. I pop riveted them to the 1x2 aluminum mounts. That will give me 300 watts tied to a 200ah lithium battery with an Mppt charge controller. This should more than meet my needs for refrigeration and coffee. If it falls short, the DC to DC charger is 40 amps.
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Routed 2 pairs of #10 wires. First is from Solar panels to Mppt controller, second is to the RTT USB ports and cig lighter sockets installed in the sleeping space. No cutting or drilling yet. This is all a prototype for now, I am sure it will be modified as I get more time in it.
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If anyone is curious, my driveway is gently sloped and facing north. The 2 panels are producing about 2 amps in very heavy clouds and spotty rain. Extrapolating 3 panels at 3 amps that is more than enough to power (break even) my cooler even in cloudy overcast days with the panels lying flat. 200ah lithium battery is overkill for 1 cooler. My wife wants a second 12 volt cooler, I believe I will be able to power it as well.
The Battery Box
This is a prototype:
It contains:
200ah lithium battery
800 watt Inverter
MPPT charge controller
40 amp dc to DC charge controller.
Anderson plugs for all external connections.
A battery charge/state meter
This has evolved from a simple battery box to the entire electronics system. It is all built with proper gauge wire and all segments contain fuses or breaker. I plan rebuilding this but the final configuration hasn't been decided yet.
This is a prototype:
It contains:
200ah lithium battery
800 watt Inverter
MPPT charge controller
40 amp dc to DC charge controller.
Anderson plugs for all external connections.
A battery charge/state meter
This has evolved from a simple battery box to the entire electronics system. It is all built with proper gauge wire and all segments contain fuses or breaker. I plan rebuilding this but the final configuration hasn't been decided yet.
Attachments
Installed black out drapes behind front seats. Taking my first solo trip in the van where I plan on spending the night in it at a rest area before completing the trip the next day. I was planning on camping but the weather is forecasted to be near 100 degrees so I got a hotel at my destination city. I will shoot some more van interior pics after I load up later this week. I do have a large fan and plenty of battery to run it all night if need be.
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Due to a series of things going wrong, traffic, construction and me being a **************, I ended up in a extremely remote part of MO. There was no good place to overnight except a few Loves Truck stops. These were near full of Tractor Trailers and I didn't want to take up a remaining truck parking space since they were working and I was taking a few vacation days. There was nothing in the way of hotels. I ended up finding a State Park with a space and after 16 straight hours of driving, it felt good to sleep in the tent due to the heat. I think the camp host saw how I looked like hammered dog poo and gave me a nice site on the water's edge for 16 bucks. The cool breeze off the lake made it a nice night's sleep. I am in a hotel for the next 3 nights and will attempt the sleeping in the van on the return trip which will be 100% interstates so there should be a Cabela's, rest area or something that I can overnight at. Also the temps will be closer to normal.
It was easy to just pop open the tent and for the first time in maybe 20 previous attempts, I was able to close the tent without poking the protruding fabric with pole. The key is to put the elastic band up as high as you can reach before folding it up
It was easy to just pop open the tent and for the first time in maybe 20 previous attempts, I was able to close the tent without poking the protruding fabric with pole. The key is to put the elastic band up as high as you can reach before folding it up
