Home Built Pop-Up

[Trefotymag]

Here is my build. Started on April 5, 2019. I never really had a plan. Just started measuring and building. I didn't want to buy an old camper and fix it up. I don't think I could have found something that fit what I wanted. My wish list included
1. Sleep myself, wife and two kids, or
1b. Myself and a hunting buddy (who is over 6' tall)
2. Heater for the winter
3. Ability to stay off grid without a generator for multiple days
4. Lots of storage

I don't need or want a sink, water heater, toilet, or built in stove. All of that adds weight and can be accomplished other ways.





This is what I came up with. This is on our first trip this year. About 95% done. Still need to finish drawers, paint exterior trim and trim out the roof.


The floor, full 4'x8' w/ 1-1/2" insulation


The whole frame is built out of 2"x2"s glued and screwed

 

[Trefotymag]

Exterior is 5mm plywood glued and brad nailed


Had to make sure it fit!

 

[Trefotymag]

I had planned on building a door but after searching for moldings and hinges and latches it just seemed like a better plan to buy exactly what I wanted. I bought the door from Challenger Door who has since been bought by Lippert Components. It was pricy but worth it.


Initially I planed on using these hinged panels to lift and support the roof, but I found them cumbersome and they took up a lot of room on the interior. I know other campers have similar panels at the front and back, but I was worried the 12' long roof would sag in the middle and wanted to support it there. More on the roof lift later.

 

[Trefotymag]

The roof was fiberglassed and 3 coats of Raptor liner added. The color is Dove Gray. The rest of the body just got the 3 coats of Raptor liner.


I could finally start adding parts I had been accumulating. I added a backup camera to the roof that plugs into the factory wiring of my truck.

 

[Trefotymag]

Roof insulation and wiring for interior lights, vent fan, roof solar, marker lights and back-up camera.


Added some under bed storage, spot lights that switch from inside the truck and some legs!

 

[Trefotymag]

I figured it's about time to build something for the interior so I built a rollover couch. I bought the hinge assembly and cushion covers from RB Components. Plenty of room for my two kids to sleep.


Trim was next. I went with 1-1/2" x .063 aluminum angle and attached it with roof sealant and rivets. I like the way it looks. Eventually I want to paint the trim black. You can also see the exterior speakers and Awning 8' Yescom brand from Amazon.

 

[Trefotymag]

I always knew I wanted to use a Lithium battery but they can be pricey. So I built one with LiFePO4 cells I bought from China (200ah) and a BMS from Overkill solar. It lives in a battery box w/ terminals on the top


Finishing with the insulation and installing the floor. I went with vinyl sheet flooring. The walls are covered in white FRP panels from Lowes and a gray tweed on the front wall.

 

[Trefotymag]

I played around with how to build the cabinet of drawers for a while in Fusion 360. I think I maximized the amount of storage for the space.


For the heater I went with the Suburban NT-16SEQ. It's probably overkill for this small space but I got it for a good price. You can also see the shore power input and Aux solar input.


Picked up an Iceco on sale.


Had room next to the couch to add a small closet. I'll take all the storage I can get.


I added 2 USB sockets and 2 12v sockets along with 2 110v sockets that run on a 1500w inverter. I have a 3rd 110v socket that runs off of shore power when we are plugged in. Our water is stored in RotopaX containers and dispensed with a spigot from GoWesty.

 

[Trefotymag]

When deciding what to do with all the wood surfaces, I knew I didn't want painted plywood. I don't think it would be very durable. I ended up laminating the plywood with vertical grade laminate from Formica. It looks good, it's easy to clean and should hold up over time.
I added a Molle panel from Grey Man Tactical for more storage options.


I 3d printed some panel mounts for more mounting options. They came out great and way cheaper than buying them.

 

[Trefotymag]

Time for wiring. Lots of wiring. I ended up with 11 DC circuits. I'm running a Victron MPPT solar charge controller w/ DC circuit breakers for the 200 watts of solar on the roof, Victron Lynx Distributor, Victron 30 amp battery charger and a GoWise Power 1500w Pure Sine Wave Inverter w/ remote switch.
The circuits include
Roof Lift (more on that later)
Stereo
Power sockets (passenger side)
Power sockets (driver side)
fridge
heater
vent fan
rock lights
party lights
interior lights
LP detector

I could have combined some of them together but this way they each have their own fuse and if there is an issue it's easier to diagnose.

 

[Trefotymag]

Now time for interior trim and some doors. I didn't like the white camper door so I wrapped it in carbon fiber vinyl.



This whole time the roof has been sitting on saw horses taking up room in the garage. Time to get it done and installed


I decided to bite the bullet and use linear actuators to raise and lower the roof. They are pricy but it sure is nice to just hit a button and the roof lifts up on its own. Below is a video of it opening. It is sped up.

 

[Hummelator]

How much does it weigh?

 

[ITTOG]

Looks good. What is the grey material on the ceiling?

 

[Trefotymag]

How much does it weigh?

I haven't weighed it yet. I will soon.

 

[Trefotymag]

Looks good. What is the grey material on the ceiling?

It is a tweed fabric - https://pantherrvproducts.com/mar10...iR3LubUsaqumjEg8YbSzeyxbkeWq2l0YaAu5bEALw_wcB