Four-Season Rig

[ReluctantTraveler]

I'm in the process of planning out a DIY truck camper build, and I'd like to make it as close to a four-season camper as possible (for snowboarding near the mountains and such).

I'm not planning to camp in extreme sub-zero cold (Fahrenheit), but would like to enter below freezing temps and be able to still use the rig.

From what I can gather, I need water tanks in a heated compartment, and possibly electric heat pads for the water tanks for when in transit. What else am I missing?

I'd imagine that in an ideal world, there would be some sort of vent to let warm air move from the living space into the compartment where the water tanks are. I suspect the water lines themselves also need a way to stay heated. How do folks handle that?

I occurs to me that the emptying/discharge lines for the water tanks also need to be internal, maybe accessed through a hatch, to prevent them from freezing, too.

In short: how do people do this?

 

[Buddha.]

In fifth wheel trailers with heated underbellys the dump valves are remote cable or sometimes electric operated.

 

[ReluctantTraveler]

In fifth wheel trailers with heated underbellys the dump valves are remote cable or sometimes electric operated.

Oh yea that makes a lot of sense. Thanks! ?

 

[simple]

Here is a thread already started on this topic so you could delete this one if your so inclined. It is a courtesy to try and build on what is already in a thread instead of starting a new one to keep info / discussion organized and easier to search for when other new peeps try to find it.

True 4-season truck camper/travel trailer?

Hi there! I've been exploring this great forum for months but this is my 1st post. I'm looking for some advice on a somewhat tricky choice to make... Here's the context: the missus and I are starting a family and we're looking for a base camp on wheels to make life easier with future youngsters...

www.expeditionportal.com

 

[ReluctantTraveler]

Here is a thread already started on this topic so you could delete this one if your so inclined. It is a courtesy to try and build on what is already in a thread instead of starting a new one to keep info / discussion organized and easier to search for when other new peeps try to find it.

True 4-season truck camper/travel trailer?

Hi there! I've been exploring this great forum for months but this is my 1st post. I'm looking for some advice on a somewhat tricky choice to make... Here's the context: the missus and I are starting a family and we're looking for a base camp on wheels to make life easier with future youngsters...

www.expeditionportal.com

thank you. I had initially stumbled upon that one, but that seems to more broadly encompass the OP‘s entire build, and his specific needs, rather than weatherproofing a water system specifically.

 

[simple]

I re-read the thread and it seemed to me like it answered your questions. I realize though that my existing body of knowledge may just fill in some areas that might not be clear to someone else. I also think that in the context of that thread, asking your specific questions are so closely related that it would be on topic and expand the discussion. Carry on.

 

[1000arms]

I'm in the process of planning out a DIY truck camper build, and I'd like to make it as close to a four-season camper as possible (for snowboarding near the mountains and such).

I'm not planning to camp in extreme sub-zero cold (Fahrenheit), but would like to enter below freezing temps and be able to still use the rig.

From what I can gather, I need water tanks in a heated compartment, and possibly electric heat pads for the water tanks for when in transit. What else am I missing?

I'd imagine that in an ideal world, there would be some sort of vent to let warm air move from the living space into the compartment where the water tanks are. I suspect the water lines themselves also need a way to stay heated. How do folks handle that?

I occurs to me that the emptying/discharge lines for the water tanks also need to be internal, maybe accessed through a hatch, to prevent them from freezing, too.

In short: how do people do this?

My suggestion is that you build an insulated camper box with interior framing/shelves/cabinets that have many openings for lots of airflow. Condensation can be a huge problem. Consider a mattress with sheets/blankets/comforters/sleeping-bags resting on the interior cabover "floor". Moisture from breath, sweat, and cooking that makes it in to the mattress may condense against that floor, as the covers insulate the mattress from any heater in the camper.

Put a good air gap under the mattress to avoid growing things.

Put holes in shelves, uprights, ...

Put your tanks on the floor, possibly with electric mats for the tanks, but keep the tanks open to airflow through the camper. This helps to deal with condensation and helps to keep the tanks from freezing.

Use a small insulated and locking door for filling and draining tanks. Make sure cabin heat can permeate this area.

 

[ReluctantTraveler]

My suggestion is that you build an insulated camper box with interior framing/shelves/cabinets that have many openings for lots of airflow. Condensation can be a huge problem. Consider a mattress with sheets/blankets/comforters/sleeping-bags resting on the interior cabover "floor". Moisture from breath, sweat, and cooking that makes it in to the mattress may condense against that floor, as the covers insulate the mattress from any heater in the camper.

Put a good air gap under the mattress to avoid growing things.

Put holes in shelves, uprights, ...

Put your tanks on the floor, possibly with electric mats for the tanks, but keep the tanks open to airflow through the camper. This helps to deal with condensation and helps to keep the tanks from freezing.

Use a small insulated and locking door for filling and draining tanks. Make sure cabin heat can permeate this area.

Excellent! I didn't articulate nearly as well as you did, but this is the kind of stuff I had in mind—in particular, the holes and openings for airflow into the cabinets where the water tanks reside.

Seems to me that without that airflow, you might not get enough heat to the tanks to keep them from freezing.

 

[billiebob]

I need water tanks in a heated compartment,

yes, bottled water in the ab does that.

 

[1000arms]

My suggestion is that you build an insulated camper box with interior framing/shelves/cabinets that have many openings for lots of airflow. Condensation can be a huge problem. Consider a mattress with sheets/blankets/comforters/sleeping-bags resting on the interior cabover "floor". Moisture from breath, sweat, and cooking that makes it in to the mattress may condense against that floor, as the covers insulate the mattress from any heater in the camper.

Put a good air gap under the mattress to avoid growing things.

Put holes in shelves, uprights, ...

Put your tanks on the floor, possibly with electric mats for the tanks, but keep the tanks open to airflow through the camper. This helps to deal with condensation and helps to keep the tanks from freezing.

Use a small insulated and locking door for filling and draining tanks. Make sure cabin heat can permeate this area.

Excellent! I didn't articulate nearly as well as you did, but this is the kind of stuff I had in mind—in particular, the holes and openings for airflow into the cabinets where the water tanks reside.

Seems to me that without that airflow, you might not get enough heat to the tanks to keep them from freezing.

Thanks! Airflow in to your camper, airflow out of your camper, and airflow throughout your camper are all very important. Bringing in fresh air for breathing and drying things out, removing stale air from breathing, cooking, showering, the "dog" farting, drying clothes and boots, ..., and circulating fresh air within the camper.

Designing your camper with an additional piece of 2" thick rigid foam insulation (with a piece of 3/4" plywood face) mounted under your tanks on the camper floor and against any exterior camper walls would minimize any thermal conduction through the floor/walls of the camper.

You could arrange to remove air from the camper, through a strong exhaust-fan (plus hose) picking up air that is drawn across your water and gray tanks, but, you probably don't want your cooking fumes exhausted from your camper via your tanks, so make sure you can draw enough air (or push enough air) in to your camper while venting cooking fumes and shower fumes and occupied-toilet fumes.

Keep in mind designing good airflow though your camper, but avoid oscillating-fans that will ruin a clean flow of air in, through, and out of your camper.