2020 Ram 5500 DIY Composite Panel Camper Build Thread

RAM5500 CAMPERTHING

RAM5500 CAMPERTHING

OG Portal Member #183
FINALLY got it out for a 5 day 1450 mile road trip camping adventure shakedown / torture test through CA/NV/AZ/UT

Here is my HONEST opinion of everything thus far.

Trip Stats:
  • 5 Days
  • 1434.6 Miles
  • Approx 150 miles off-road
  • 12.3mpg total average from start to finish over all sorts of terrain
  • 74 gallons of fuel between the 2 tanks = 900 real life mile range between fills for proper social distancing
  • Low temp 18F
  • MPT PSI = 45 on pavement, 28 off-road
  • Kelderman PSI = Front 85psi on pavement, 65psi off-road, Rear 50psi on pavement 40psi off-road
  • Nightly Amp Hour Draw using ARB Zero 101 fridge freezer (one side on fridge, one on freeze), Espar D2 furnace, a few microwave meals, and Resmed CPAP with humidifier on = 58ah
  • Average time Sterling 60amp DCDC charger took to get battery back to 100% in the morning was 90 minutes of driving.

The Good / Impressive:

  • Seats!!! First thing that was immediately noticeable on the long trip was the seat comfort. I've owned nothing but Toyotas my entire life, and just came to live with the fact their seats just simply suck and dealt with it. I was in heaven in these Ram seats. This is only the SLT model (one step above the lowest) and not even close to the luxury model, and i got the cloth bucket option. I can't get over how much more comfortable these are for long trips than my Tundra was.
  • MPG, i was hoping for at least 11mpg. The total combined average of this trip was 12.3 which i am super happy with. That is with the MPTs at 45psi and cruise set at 66mph, which seems to be my sweet spot for ideal RPMs and the tire noise.
  • Kelderman: I was caught a bit off guard by the performance of Kelderman stuff throughout this whole trip. Durability still needs to be tested over time obviously, but so far, its probably hands down the best thing i've done so far, and i am still using the stock shocks! I was concerned about the height and possibly sway and stability issues, but even driving through a wind storm in AZ, the entire truck was super stable with almost zero sway from twisty roads, and super strong winds. It rode fairly rough off-road at the pavement settings, but taking 20psi out of the front and 10psi out of the rear, it was magical and smooth. Its only going to get better once i get some shocks built for it, but need to get the final weight first. The front is still sitting a little wonky, but this trip was to see if it was worth re-doing the brackets to make it perfect, or yank it out to put the springs back in. I will most definitely be putting in the effort to get the Kelderman system setup proper in the front. Absolutely love it.
  • Total Composites insulation is most impressive. I set the heater to 65F when it was 18F outside, and the box was warm within 15 minutes, and retained the heat all night with no condensation at all. This was huge for me and my biggest issue with my last setup.
  • Sterling DCDC charger. This was installed last minute before the trip in case i had cloudy days and solar wasn't optimal. I am only running one 300ah battery for now and use a fair amount of power, so solid method of recharge was paramount It puts out a consistent 58amps while the truck is running and had battery topped out quickly in the morning. Definitely happy with this.
  • MPTs (will also be comments in the bad section below) I've owned and run almost every variation of all terrain and mud terrain tires over the years. The MPTs aired down to 28psi provide hands down the most incredible traction I've experience. Through loose rocky terrain up hills and in the deep sand, they never slipped once, and i never once even put the truck in 4wd. Super impressed with their off-road performance and flexibility considering how crazy heavy and thick they are.
  • Tern Overland windows. I was skeptical at first due to the low cost compared to any other option, but they did an amazing job keeping the box warm and had zero condensation on them in the morning.
  • ESPAR D2 diesel heater. Worked amazing at 9000ft and provided a nice super quiet dry heat all night once i got the thermostat dialed in.

The Bad / No So Impressive:

  • MPTs on pavement. I tried every pressure imaginable from 30psi to 80psi and the road noise on pavement is fairly obnoxious. Granted, its been a long time since i've run mud terrain tires, and maybe i am just getting older and crankier, but their noise level vibration, add to drive fatigue for sure, and i definitely wont be burning big miles on what i call the "transit days" of my trips. Not sure if this is something i will get used to, or if i will look at other options. Its tough because their off-road performance is amazing, and they still look new, so i see them lasting a long time. But the droning on the freeway got old pretty quick. And yes, they've been balanced, double checked, and the Centramatics help, but.... I know some mud tires quiet down after they wear down a little, so thats what i am hoping for at this point.
  • Truck Traction. This is weird, and i am still trying to find more info. But this truck has a very bizarre "traction control" With it on (stock form) it wont get out of its own way in the dirt or sand, it cuts power, no wheel spin or anything, its basically just an anchor, to the extreme. When i shut it off (button on dash) it is a completely unstoppable tank and basically has a spool in the rear with a VERY tight LSD that works amazing. I cant find ANY info on how this all functions, but i am GUESSING the computer is looking at the wheel sensors (no wires or anything going to diff), and adjusting power delivery to the wheels accordingly when the TC is on, to the point its almost immobile, even on very easy dirt trails. I just shut it off each time i got to the dirt, and it performed amazing, but it was a weird quirk that i cant find any info on whatsoever anywhere on the ram site.
  • Tern Overland Door Trim and screen. Although the TO door is great quality, super well designed and insulated, the door trim and screen are basically unusable. I tried again to mount them before this trip and the trim simply wont fit cleanly because the door is designed for a thinner wall than the TC box, and the screen door has a huge gap at the bottom of it, that would take more work to seal up than i care to bother trying. If anyone has any tips or links for trim options, or screen door ideas, please send em my way.
  • ESPAR D2 easy start pro controller / thermostat. Set it to 65F, almost melted (was probably close to 85F) With some trial and error, i set it to 46F and its the comfy zone i like to sleep in (around 65F). Not sure why they big discrepancy, but for me, the temp is a one and done thing. Now that i know 46 is the setting i like, i likely wont change it. Odd quirk, but it works amazing and super quiet,
  • ARB Zero Dual Zone 101. I've used ARB fridge freezers for close to 20 years with no issues and wont use anything else. This is my first "dual zone" and honestly my first time using one as a freezer. With the freezer set on even 15F, it is constantly cycling, consuming power, and not all that quiet. At this time, i feel the benefits far outweight this, but will see as time goes on. And this was when ambient temp was around 50F. I am guessing it would be even worse in summer time temps.

Thats about it for now. Felt sooooo damn good to finally get out there and actually USE it after 5 months of building it almost non stop. Still a ton to do and adjustments to make, but so far, super happy and proud overall.

For those that may question the MPG. This was verified with 2 GPS units, hand calced, and i have the speedo recalibrated to within 0.1mph at 65mph when comparing to 2 separate Garmins.

I ordered the truck with 4.89s on purpose for the MPT's because it would put the Cummins right at its Economy Sweet spot of 1750RPM at 65mph.

This was all just an idea in theory, that ended up working out perfectly as planned!
 
Last edited:
D

danneskjold

Active member
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING said:
  • MPTs on pavement. I tried every pressure imaginable from 30psi to 80psi and the road noise on pavement is fairly obnoxious. Granted, its been a long time since i've run mud terrain tires, and maybe i am just getting older and crankier, but their noise level vibration, add to drive fatigue for sure, and i definitely wont be burning big miles on what i call the "transit days" of my trips. Not sure if this is something i will get used to, or if i will look at other options. Its tough because their off-road performance is amazing, and they still look new, so i see them lasting a long time. But the droning on the freeway got old pretty quick. And yes, they've been balanced, double checked, and the Centramatics help, but.... I know some mud tires quiet down after they wear down a little, so thats what i am hoping for at this point.
Click to expand...

Hate to be the bearer of bad news...but they definitely don’t get any quieter over time.
 
D

danneskjold

Active member
RAM5500 CAMPERTHING said:
@danneskjold you were 100% right about the ARB in freeze mode, i just updated my report above. Constant cycling.
Click to expand...

Yeahhhh...I think the dual zones are great for smaller vehicles where you have a RTT or something like that and the fridge just lives in the trunk.

I love having a freezer, but mine is buried so I can’t hear it running as much at night. The downside is when the cable gets disconnected, I have no way to know until I go to check and find everything has thawed ??
 
G

grindmonkey

Member
Thanks for all the effort in documenting your build. As I continue to refine our next step it is incredibly helpful. I look forward to see how the interior build out goes.
 
smurfsky101

smurfsky101

Member
Good on ya!!!

What's your feelings on DC-DC chargers? I know you have the 440amp (2 x 220) alternators. I feel that if you wanted to- you could push a LOT more current through some heavy duty wiring to quick-charge those batteries. I think each 100AH should be able to take safely 50 amps.

^^ That's what I'm thinking over, I'm setting up a 800AH bank in the basement of my TC, have ran 4/0 AWG with 350amp anderson powerpole connectors on the bumper side. However my 5500 only has a single 220 amp alternator (messed up and forgot to get that option). Right now I'm thinking of using this charger (120 amp 12v-12v)

www.sterling-power-usa.com

12v to 12v Sterling Power ProBattC IP68 BBW12120 waterproof DC input battery to battery charger

Sterling Power Products new 12Volt input to 12Volt output 120Amp Waterproof IP66 Battery to Battery Charger. Most Powerful DC powered Battery to Battery Charger now available!
www.sterling-power-usa.com

What do you think? I've also been looking into adding the second 220 amp alternator onto the 6.7, but really nervous about swapping the serpentine belt, bracket, and whatever extra cables are needed for that second alternator. Ideally I could have that second alternator ONLY driving the charging system.

Is there any chance you could PM me your VIN so I can have a reference vehicle to use while calling local Dodge stealerships? I'm trying to figure out what parts are needed to get the 2nd alternator in.

What would be even cooler is using some type of fancypants dc/dc transformer ('buckboost') that could keep an eye on the alternators temperature and dynamically adjust the current flow to the battery bank in the rear.

I'm probably overthinking this, but I'm trying to find a way I can get as much current as possible from the vehicle to the TC battery bank without risking damaging the trucks charging system.
 
peculierboy

peculierboy

Member
smurfsky101 said:
Good on ya!!!

What's your feelings on DC-DC chargers? I know you have the 440amp (2 x 220) alternators. I feel that if you wanted to- you could push a LOT more current through some heavy duty wiring to quick-charge those batteries. I think each 100AH should be able to take safely 50 amps.

^^ That's what I'm thinking over, I'm setting up a 800AH bank in the basement of my TC, have ran 4/0 AWG with 350amp anderson powerpole connectors on the bumper side. However my 5500 only has a single 220 amp alternator (messed up and forgot to get that option). Right now I'm thinking of using this charger (120 amp 12v-12v)

www.sterling-power-usa.com

12v to 12v Sterling Power ProBattC IP68 BBW12120 waterproof DC input battery to battery charger

Sterling Power Products new 12Volt input to 12Volt output 120Amp Waterproof IP66 Battery to Battery Charger. Most Powerful DC powered Battery to Battery Charger now available!
www.sterling-power-usa.com

What do you think? I've also been looking into adding the second 220 amp alternator onto the 6.7, but really nervous about swapping the serpentine belt, bracket, and whatever extra cables are needed for that second alternator. Ideally I could have that second alternator ONLY driving the charging system.

Is there any chance you could PM me your VIN so I can have a reference vehicle to use while calling local Dodge stealerships? I'm trying to figure out what parts are needed to get the 2nd alternator in.

What would be even cooler is using some type of fancypants dc/dc transformer ('buckboost') that could keep an eye on the alternators temperature and dynamically adjust the current flow to the battery bank in the rear.

I'm probably overthinking this, but I'm trying to find a way I can get as much current as possible from the vehicle to the TC battery bank without risking damaging the trucks charging system.
Click to expand...

Any DC to DC charger you buy needs to be sized to your batteries and what they can take. Don't buy one till you know what your going to run. The BMS on your chosen battery will determine what you end up getting for a DC charger more than anything..... if it can only take 50 amps and you only have two batteries, well, that's a big limitation right there, even if the batteries allow 100 amps total.

Victron has a great video about charging Lithium batteries with an alternator, https://www.victronenergy.com/blog/2019/10/07/careful-alternator-charging-lithium/ you can check out.

I have the dual 220 amp alternators on my RAM, with 2/0 cable going to the house bank, and I can comfortably push 100 amps out for charging, and have done so when I was using depleted lead batteries. I'm switching stuff out and going with the Sterling 60amp dc to dc charger right now, same as Camperthing has, (and installing 600AH lithium batteries). I'm not an electrical expert, but you may want to check with a pro before you ask a single alternator to push out 120amps over a period of time to charge your bank.
 
smurfsky101

smurfsky101

Member
@peculierboy - thanks for the thoughtful answers.
Each 100ah battleborn should be good for 50A recommended, so that would be up to a theoretical 400A.

I talked to a few electricians, dodge techs, and a rep from Sterling USA who said something similar.

I'm just not satisfied 'settling' with 60A or even 120A when there is more juice on the table... With your dual alternators, is it like Ford trucks - where the single alternator will drive all the load until overloaded, and then the 2nd is engaged?

What did you have before the 60A DC-DC charger? I'm trying to get a hold of the guy behind this module https://www.safiery.com/Alternator-Charging-CAN-bus-Controller-with-Harness and see if he can explain a bit more to me the possibilities.

I would think I can plug something into the VSIM to allow's something to regulate current based on alternator temperature, or at least engine / alternator pulley RPM
 
peculierboy

peculierboy

Member
@smurfsky101
Each Battleborn should be good for 100A according to their specs, so even better for you... https://www.altestore.com/store/dee...hium-iron-phosphate-lifepo4-batteries-p40844/

I don't believe it's like the Ford alternators, at least that was what I was told but then again, I'm frequently wrong. I was told when we ordered it it ran on both at the same time.

We have just been using lead batteries and charged direct off the alternator (with 2/0 cable). Worked fine, but we need more capacity and in the winter, with no sun, it was hard to charge them via solar, and being lead, the generator wouldn't charge them quickly. We are looking forward to having a bigger bank of Lithium batteries for sure.
 
Trikebubble

Trikebubble

Adventurer
Interesting feedback on the truck seats. As funny and simple as it sounds, seating is close to #1 on my list when looking for the next truck. We tend to drive big miles, and our next setup will be looking to be driven even longer miles, and seating for me is so important. I'm not quite as tall as you, but at 6'2" I still find most seats are made for midgets with no legs. Bucket seats are just killers, the seats in my old Xterra tore me a new one over any long distance, the Tundra seats I don't find too bad (but not perfect), and I really loved the basic seats in my old GMC Astrovan. So thanks for the seat feedback on the Ram truck, it's good to hear.
 
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