Gladiator Pop-Up Pass Through Camper Build
- Thread starter Mules
- Start date
You are welcome. Enjoy the air fryer by day and the electric heater by night!
You could run the electric heater and an electric blanket if you wanted and/or needed to do so.
If you wake up in the middle of the night and notice your heater isn't working, look for bears using your air fryer before you step outside!
Mules
Well-known member
Here's the camper heater test. I have a Craftsman 3000I generator and a 750/1500 watt electric heater with fan and thermostat built in. The gasoline generator has a one gallon tank that is supposed to last 4 hours under full load. It has an energy savings mode that should last all night just running this small heater on a thermostat (we'll see).
This little heater may actually be overkill for the small space. It will quickly heat up the space though, when the truck is cold. Luckily it has a thermostat to maintain a set temperature. Hopefully I'll be testing it out this weekend camping.
This little heater may actually be overkill for the small space. It will quickly heat up the space though, when the truck is cold. Luckily it has a thermostat to maintain a set temperature. Hopefully I'll be testing it out this weekend camping.
AbleGuy
Officious Intermeddler
Those look pretty good. I have used the same idea for my leveling gear, made from cut 2"x8"s. They held up well for about two years but then started to split lengthwise due to me parking my heavy rig on uneven soil that had small rocks protruding out of it. So I wound up bulletproofing my blocks width wise with a couple of tight wraps of strong duct tape fore and aft...and they're still holding up today. You also might consider doing that as a preventative.
Mules
Well-known member
I love duct tape! In a pinch it can fix just about anything.
I used pine 2x6s that were laying around. They would have been much stronger if I used Oak, but I didn't have enough scrap Oak to make a set.
Thanks for the advice.
Mules
Well-known member
Next conversation is insulation/padding.
I figure I need two types of insulation. One for the top and one for the floor.
Here's my choice for the floor.
HVAV Duct Liner - It is elastomeric foam insulation used in HVAC equipment and other industries. It is designed for wet environments, is a great insulator, is anti microbial, and is flame and smoke retardant. Best of all, it's free since it was in the scrap bin at a HVAC company. It is very soft and nice to walk/crawl on. It comes in different thicknesses. I have a bunch of 1/2" and 1" thick. I also have some extra carpet left, so I will eventually glue the carpet to these pieces to make them last longer.
This pad on the tail gate is a life saver. The truck's spray on bed liner is brutal on my knees, and this padding feels incredible.
You could also use a Bed Rug, but I'm cheap and I like DIY projects.
And here's a trick. To cut foam skip the razor knife and use your electric fillet knife. Cuts like butter.
I figure I need two types of insulation. One for the top and one for the floor.
Here's my choice for the floor.
HVAV Duct Liner - It is elastomeric foam insulation used in HVAC equipment and other industries. It is designed for wet environments, is a great insulator, is anti microbial, and is flame and smoke retardant. Best of all, it's free since it was in the scrap bin at a HVAC company. It is very soft and nice to walk/crawl on. It comes in different thicknesses. I have a bunch of 1/2" and 1" thick. I also have some extra carpet left, so I will eventually glue the carpet to these pieces to make them last longer.
This pad on the tail gate is a life saver. The truck's spray on bed liner is brutal on my knees, and this padding feels incredible.
You could also use a Bed Rug, but I'm cheap and I like DIY projects.
And here's a trick. To cut foam skip the razor knife and use your electric fillet knife. Cuts like butter.
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Watch out for condensation and frost. Depending on the type of insulation, thickness of the insulation, airflow, interior temperature and exterior temperature, one might find water vapor cooling to liquid or frost. Being able to move things for inspection and/or airing out can be quite important when using insulation that can trap moisture between the insulation and a wall/roof/floor.
Mules
Well-known member
Good point. That's the reason people often find mold in home exterior bathroom walls. Poor insulation, and a lot of condensation buildup.
jgaz
Adventurer
Whenever I make a leveling block, jack block or anything similar I glue a piece of 1/2” plywood or OSB to one or both sides.
Leftover Construction adhesive or waterproof wood glue and whatever scrap wood I have on hand makes the blocks seem to last much longer.
Mules
Well-known member
Alright, big decisions coming up. Do I go electric, diesel or propane?
The big power hog is heat, not cooking.
Here's my view. Austrailians, Africans, and Southwest Americans have plenty of sun and tolerable nights. A good choice is solar and electric. The technology is now affordable, as long as the nights don't get too cold (heating is too much power).
Northern Americans and Canadians have cold nights, and hydrocarbons (propane, diesel, gas, wood) are the clear choice.
I'm stuck in the middle with 100 degree summers, and 0 degree winters. I'm compromising. Electric inside the vehicle, with gas generator outside. In the summer, when I don't need the heat, a 1000WH power supply will suffice, instead of bringing the gas generator. If I do go solar later on, my interior electric systems will still work. Just replace my generator, with a solar generator.
Let's see what you folks have done.
The big power hog is heat, not cooking.
Here's my view. Austrailians, Africans, and Southwest Americans have plenty of sun and tolerable nights. A good choice is solar and electric. The technology is now affordable, as long as the nights don't get too cold (heating is too much power).
Northern Americans and Canadians have cold nights, and hydrocarbons (propane, diesel, gas, wood) are the clear choice.
I'm stuck in the middle with 100 degree summers, and 0 degree winters. I'm compromising. Electric inside the vehicle, with gas generator outside. In the summer, when I don't need the heat, a 1000WH power supply will suffice, instead of bringing the gas generator. If I do go solar later on, my interior electric systems will still work. Just replace my generator, with a solar generator.
Let's see what you folks have done.
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Our system is built around powering the fridge (35L) and a diesel heater (2kW, 10hrs/night), but there is also a water pump and lights, but those seem negligible. The battery (100aH lithium) is sized to run the system for 3 days without solar or driving the truck because that’s about the longest we stay in one place. The diesel tank (6gal) is sized to run the heater for about 9 nights because that’s about the longest I could imagine going between gas stations.
Our diesel situation is a little overkill, but had a few design requirements:
1. Our Flippac is essentially a big tent with so-so insulation (it has a rainfly that helps tremendously). Because of the thermal loss, I wanted the heater to run continuously and not cycle on/off. This saves battery at the cost of diesel, but the heater sips diesel, so this trade off made a lot of sense.
2. The diesel tank is oversized because I only wanted to fill it from a pump. The tank is inside the living space and filling it from jerry cans full of diesel would’ve been messy and stinky. This way, there is absolutely no diesel smell in the camper.
3. Winter nights are long. We want to be confortable hanging out in the camper at night or in the morning, if we want to.
Are you considering AC? When it gets hot here, we go to the mountains instead of the desert.
Our diesel situation is a little overkill, but had a few design requirements:
1. Our Flippac is essentially a big tent with so-so insulation (it has a rainfly that helps tremendously). Because of the thermal loss, I wanted the heater to run continuously and not cycle on/off. This saves battery at the cost of diesel, but the heater sips diesel, so this trade off made a lot of sense.
2. The diesel tank is oversized because I only wanted to fill it from a pump. The tank is inside the living space and filling it from jerry cans full of diesel would’ve been messy and stinky. This way, there is absolutely no diesel smell in the camper.
3. Winter nights are long. We want to be confortable hanging out in the camper at night or in the morning, if we want to.
Are you considering AC? When it gets hot here, we go to the mountains instead of the desert.
Mules
Well-known member
Well thought out setup!
Sadly in the midwest, I can't find a mountain like you can, to cool off in the summer. With my generator, I can add a portable AC, though. Another project for next year.
If your generator and electric heater (plus a potential low cost air conditioner) meet your heating (and cooling needs), then you have heating (and cooling) covered for no (or not much) additional money invested.... Sadly in the midwest, I can't find a mountain like you can, to cool off in the summer. With my generator, I can add a portable AC, though. Another project for next year.
Will you be able to use a generator to power heating and cooling wherever you want to camp?
Using electricity for heating (and cooling) in a mobile habitat without using a gas/diesel/propane generator can be challenging. Can one's rig handle the weight and bulk of a battery-stored electrical system? Can one afford the battery-stored electrical system? Does one drive enough and often enough that a heavy duty alternator can keep the battery/batteries properly charged? Does one remain parked in sun long enough that solar panels can be used to keep the battery/batteries properly charged? Will one be able to deploy enough solar panels when parked in a low-sun environment to keep the battery/batteries properly charged? Will a combination of solar charging and alternator charging keep the battery system properly charged? Will the battery system need to be kept within a temperature controlled space due to limitations of the batteries?
Can one's rig handle the weight and bulk of a heat-pump heating and cooling system to reduce the amount of electricity needed to heat and cool the vehicle habitat?
One might keep in mind that $200 (US) will provide a lot of cooking from a propane camping stove, hose, and 20 pound propane tank, but to provide the same cooking capability from an electrical system would require a lot more money for a hefty inverter and battery system. A mobile-habitat heating and/or cooling system would likely require an even larger battery system.
Reducing the heating and cooling needs can reduce the size of the heating and cooling system needed. Tarps/awnings/tree-shade/solar-panels-(that are located far enough away from the vehicle skin)/... can reduce the amount of habitat cooling required. Insulation plus air-to-air heat-exchangers can reduce the amount of habitat heating required while maintaining habitat ventilation. Fans blowing on occupants might reduce cooling needs. Swamp coolers can be effective cooling in some environments if one has enough water.
Will hot water bottles (filled with water heated on a propane stove) and/or an electric blanket meet the habitat occupants needs?
Would a smaller electrical system plus something like a Truma heater work for you? https://www.truckcamperadventure.com/review-of-the-truma-combi/
"Battery Packs" are storage devices. "Battery Packs" aren't "Solar Generators". Refrigerators aren't "Food Generators".
I think "Solar Generator" is a deceptive and dishonest marketing term when applied to a battery pack. Battery packs are storage devices, which are charged and discharged, but don't generate electricity. Refrigerators are also storage devices. One can put food in a fridge (at least until it is...
expeditionportal.com
It seems like AC demands a generator or you have to get into putting together a very robust 12V setup.Well thought out setup!
Sadly in the midwest, I can't find a mountain like you can, to cool off in the summer. With my generator, I can add a portable AC, though. Another project for next year.
Totally.If your generator and electric heater (plus a potential low cost air conditioner) meet your heating (and cooling needs), then you have heating (and cooling) covered for no (or not much) additional money invested.