Building our box out of wood?

[1000arms]

... I don't think it matters for what you are building, but are you aware of polyiso insulation having less R-value in cold temperatures? https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/59419/Big-News-The-R-Value-of-Insulation-Is-Not-a-Constant

Yes I am.

But we are more concerned about insulation against heat, than insulation against cold...

Even if you do ever spend time in in -40 weather, it is easy to add additional heat, if you actually found yourself needing it.

Newport Solid Fuel Heater - Dickinson Marine

The Newport Solid Fuel Heater is a small stainless steel solid fuel heater designed for casual use ideal for boats 20-25ft. This heater burns one to two 1” thick wood or presto log, a handful of charcoal briquettes or coal. Removable ash drawer and damper control. Requires 3” diameter chimney...

dickinsonmarine.com

 

[MTVR]

We can paint the roof of the box (and the roof of the cab, for that matter in white or something, but we are currently wanting to stay with a "correct" paint scheme on the truck, which would default to 3-color woodland camo. We have considered doing the whole thing in desert tan, but we've still got several months to decide- we're gonna paint the whole thing at once, so we will need to wait until the box is built and epoxied...

 

[MTVR]

Even if you do ever spend time in in -40 weather, it is easy to add additional heat, if you actually found yourself needing it.

Newport Solid Fuel Heater - Dickinson Marine

The Newport Solid Fuel Heater is a small stainless steel solid fuel heater designed for casual use ideal for boats 20-25ft. This heater burns one to two 1” thick wood or presto log, a handful of charcoal briquettes or coal. Removable ash drawer and damper control. Requires 3” diameter chimney...

dickinsonmarine.com

We would never go someplace that cold. We might hang out on a snowy area a little below freezing, but that's about it.

We are planning a 12,000 Btu heat pump.

The stock MTVR comes with dual batteries, but the battery box has room for four. The manual says that below freezing, we need four batteries to crank over the 11.9-liter (730 cubic inch) diesel engine with it's 16.2:1 compression ratio. It also comes with an automatic ether injection system to help get it started below freezing...

 

[1000arms]

We can paint the roof of the box (and the roof of the cab, for that matter in white or something, but we are currently wanting to stay with a "correct" paint scheme on the truck, which would default to 3-color woodland camo. We have considered doing the whole thing in desert tan, but we've still got several months to decide- we're gonna paint the whole thing at once, so we will need to wait until the box is built and epoxied...

A white roof would help with keeping your box cool, although, if you completely cover the top with solar panels, it probably won't matter.

White sides would likely help too. You'll have good insulation, but, most reefer trucks are light colored.

Just paint it well-faded-woodland-camo, it will look great, absorb less heat than fresh woodland camo, and, your truck won't feel like an FNG!

 

[MTVR]

It already has a faded 3-color woodland camo paint job- I guess we could try a custom color-match to those three faded colors. It is creepy approaching the truck at night when it's parked amonst the trees- you don't even see the truck, until you're right up to it. No other vehicle we have does that...

 

[1000arms]

We would never go someplace that cold. We might hang out on a snowy area a little below freezing, but that's about it.

We are planning a 12,000 Btu heat pump.

The stock MTVR comes with dual batteries, but the battery box has room for four. The manual says that below freezing, we need four batteries to crank over the 11.9-liter (730 cubic inch) diesel engine with it's 16.2:1 compression ratio. It also comes with an automatic ether injection system to help get it started below freezing...

Heat pumps have a hard time, or won't work, in cold temperatures, which is why I linked the Dickinson solid fuel heater for additional heat.

 

[MTVR]

Ah...

We chose a heat pump because it can be had in a "mini-split" configuration, which gives us more flexibility in our box design. It's also more efficient. The fact that it can also produce heat, was simply a bonus.

Thanks for the tips...

 

[1000arms]

It already has a faded 3-color woodland camo paint job- I guess we could try a custom color-match to those three faded colors. It is creepy approaching the truck at night when it's parked amongst the trees- you don't even see the truck, until you're right up to it. No other vehicle we have does that...

Your box and truck would match, and likely draw less unwanted attention versus a fresh "new" paint job.

It seems the camo is working. I suspect your other vehicles have more reflective paint?

 

[MTVR]

Your box and truck would match, and likely draw less unwanted attention versus a fresh "new" paint job.

It seems the camo is working. I suspect your other vehicles have more reflective paint?

Yeah, lol, I guess you could say that- I have a full suite of detailing products from Meguiars "Ultimate" product line, to make sure that my Porsche convertible and my wife's BMW Track pack car stay fairly shiny. My MV Agusta is fairly shiny too...

 

[1000arms]

Ah...

We chose a heat pump because it can be had in a "mini-split" configuration, which gives us more flexibility in our box design. It's also more efficient. The fact that it can also produce heat, was simply a bonus.

Thanks for the tips...

You are welcome. Check your mini-split manual for the low outside temperature range, you'll likely be fine in the conditions you described, but some units work in colder weather better than others.

 

[1000arms]

Yeah, lol, I guess you could say that- I have a full suite of detailing products from Meguiars "Ultimate" product line, to make sure that my Porsche convertible and my wife's BMW Track pack car stay fairly shiny. My MV Agusta is fairly shiny too...

You could detail your MTVR, but the paint itself is likely designed to minimize reflections in the visible range, and probably parts of the of the non-visible as well.

 

[MTVR]

You could detail your MTVR, but the paint itself is likely designed to minimize reflections in the visible range, and probable parts of the of the non-visible as well.

Lol. The military CARC (Chemical Agent Resistant Coating) paint is so hard and so flat, that it's like sandpaper- I ran my hands over the paint when it was wet, amd sanded through my skin...

 

[1000arms]

Lol. The military CARC (Chemical Agent Resistant Coating) paint is so hard and so flat, that it's like sandpaper- I ran my hands over the paint when it was wet, and sanded through my skin...

Just keep your truck's paint covered in mud, it will be safer for you that way!

 

[MTVR]

Just a quick update- our lumber order and 3.5" thick polyiso rigid foam insulation boards were delivered today.

The other day we picked up our first $600 load of West System marine-grade epoxy. By my calculations, we will have to do that two more times.

We have our insulated Energy Star steel door and Energy Star black vinyl screened double-pane sliding windows.

We picked up a trio of 3,000-pound winches with automatic load-holding to operate the drawbridge and to load/unload motorcycles.

I still need to pick up the urethane construction adhesive, screws, and other odds and ends.

The good weather has arrived. I've just got a few unrelated things to take care of, and then we're gonna be ready to start building...

 

[1000arms]

... drawbridge ...

The good weather has arrived. I've just got a few unrelated things to take care of, and then we're gonna be ready to start building...

I'm glad your mobile castle is coming along!

How many gallons of epoxy have you ordered so far?