Circling back on this: I think the biggest issue might be battery life, which will be (significantly?) reduced when the battery is exposed to high heat over prolonged time. I know that I had a lot less battery life issues before we moved to California and now have a non-insulated garage (for motorcycles and "stuff") and the car sitting outside in the sun.
Introducing the “NEW” Alu-Cab Canopy Camper
- Thread starter rino
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Circling back on this: I think the biggest issue might be battery life, which will be (significantly?) reduced when the battery is exposed to high heat over prolonged time. I know that I had a lot less battery life issues before we moved to California and now have a non-insulated garage (for motorcycles and "stuff") and the car sitting outside in the sun.
MR E30
Well-known member
I have noticed no change in battery performance thus far. Not saying it won't happen, but it hasn't happened yet.
The battery is kept within the parameters outlined by the manufacturer. We will be aiming for highs of 70-80 while on the road, so I can keep any potential accelerated wear at bay.
JBinAZ
New member
Same here with my battery. Nearing two years of PHX heat on a Battleborn and shamelessly running my National Luna in the back almost all the time. I have a silver, but we leave bedding along with the mattress up top and that really insulates from sun on the roof.
MR E30
Well-known member
New starlink mount.
View attachment 781031View attachment 781032View attachment 781033
No more worrying about someone running it over or dog piss.
For others contemplating this, I also went this route (as a dish mounting option) on my CC.
I opted to cut off the two sides of the mount that aren't useful with our setups, as we mount them to a single track, not a roof like Starlink details in their literature.
I also painted mine black to match my camper. And if it's ever really hot out (like it is now) I can use it to burn my hands.
Starlink Pivot Mount - Modified by Michael Rickerd, on FlickrThe pivot mount can only accept M8 bolts, and the CC roof track is extruded for M10 bolts. I used an M8 with a thick washer to help it stay in the channel (there is no risk of the bolt pulling out of the track, unless it's wrenched on so hard it damages the track, I just wanted to be extra careful).
We decided to add this option after camping in a couple different wooded areas.
We were getting ~5% obstruction with the disk on the ground at one site. Raising it to the top of the pelican case on the roof rack dropped obstruction down to 2%, which is better, especially for video calls.
WCC - 7-20 Weekend - 1 by Michael Rickerd, on FlickrYou don't need a massive open area to get internet with this thing.
Here we are tucked in near some trees. The important part is that the area to the north is open, as that is the direction that the dish looks for the satellites.
Pre-Departure Practice by Michael Rickerd, on FlickrThis site here was 1.87% obstructed, which led to 8 seconds where the dish had a hard time finding a satellite, over the course of 8 hours. So basically an inconsequential amount of blockage. This site would have been 0% obstructed if I had the dish on the new roof mount (I didn't have it at the time).
Pre-Departure Practice by Michael Rickerd, on FlickrService seems to be decent. We get a lot of 25-50 mbps download speeds. Last weekend we saw as low as 10 mbps. I don't know if this had to do with whatever Hex we were in in this forest (The Starlink signal is shared, and cut up by what they call hex's, so if a lot of people are using the system in your area, you get less of the pie) or the slightly higher obstruction, but I'll keep an eye out as we use it more and more.
So far, it's worth the cost. To have zero signal of any kind, and then 5 minutes later have high-speed internet is very nice.
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MR E30
Well-known member
I finally started to have some rattling from the Alu-Cab table that I installed under my overhang. I noticed this change at the same time that I noticed the legs not quite pressing in to one another, when you close them, in the same way they did when it was new.
To solve the rattling I added ~1/16" thick sound deadening/heat transfer preventing foam (very light, not heavy like dynamat) to where the legs rest, when closed, against/near the underside of the table. It has adhesive on the backside, so you simply stick it to the underside of the table.
The rattling is 100% gone, and it's presence has no impact on how the table closes or slides into the table slide. It is relatively (almost completely) unnoticeable as well.
More Updates by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr
I also had the opportunity to test out my campers area lighting at night, in the pitch dark.
This is at 100% brightness, though the lights can be dimmed to whatever percentage I desire. The camera (iPhone 13) caught more light off of the lights themselves than my eyes did, but all in all I am very pleased. It casts a great amount of light around the sides of the camper, spilling towards the front and rear an acceptable amount.
7-27 Weekend by Michael Rickerd, on Flickr
My wife and I will begin to live out of this truck in just 29 days. We can hardly wait.
To solve the rattling I added ~1/16" thick sound deadening/heat transfer preventing foam (very light, not heavy like dynamat) to where the legs rest, when closed, against/near the underside of the table. It has adhesive on the backside, so you simply stick it to the underside of the table.
The rattling is 100% gone, and it's presence has no impact on how the table closes or slides into the table slide. It is relatively (almost completely) unnoticeable as well.
More Updates by Michael Rickerd, on FlickrI also had the opportunity to test out my campers area lighting at night, in the pitch dark.
This is at 100% brightness, though the lights can be dimmed to whatever percentage I desire. The camera (iPhone 13) caught more light off of the lights themselves than my eyes did, but all in all I am very pleased. It casts a great amount of light around the sides of the camper, spilling towards the front and rear an acceptable amount.
7-27 Weekend by Michael Rickerd, on FlickrMy wife and I will begin to live out of this truck in just 29 days. We can hardly wait.
MR E30
Well-known member
I haven't seen any thing like this, but I did contemplate adding some sort of pelican-style box to one of my rear molle panels, but I never figured it out to a level that felt worth pursuing.
Same was discussed on the Jeep Gladiator forum recently. The solution I liked the most, was to install some Rhinorack or similar load bars on the door and mount whatever you like to these.
seatoskyexplorer
New member
Small DIY project to make filling the water tank easier and less prone to spilling water all over the camper.
Ordered a second water tank cap and drilled a hole in it to accommodate an RV water inlet. Then made a nut out of a PVC cap that I drilled to size.
Ordered a second water tank cap and drilled a hole in it to accommodate an RV water inlet. Then made a nut out of a PVC cap that I drilled to size.
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Stranger45
New member
For those of you that are using the 2019 tailgate bedbug are you using the old or new style?
smbisig
Adventurer
What does everyone use for an indoor/outdoor thermometer? I like to see how cold it gets overnight and currently use a cheap one that requires clipping the external sensor somewhere outside once reaching camp. Preferably, it would be nice to have a system in which you mount the outside sensor "permanently."
@smbisig – I have one of the temp sensors of my Redarc Redvision taped against the outside wall. Since aluminum is very conductive for temperature and it is between the aluminum and an insulation layer, it gives me a decent approximation of outside temperature. The other is inside the camper away from outside walls and shows inside camper temp.
I understand that this is tied into my Redarc system, but the concept applies: if you put a sensor against one of the aluminum walls (e.g. the filler panel next to the rear door), and put some decent soft insulation over it, it will represent a decent outside reading.
I understand that this is tied into my Redarc system, but the concept applies: if you put a sensor against one of the aluminum walls (e.g. the filler panel next to the rear door), and put some decent soft insulation over it, it will represent a decent outside reading.
Anyone here know where I can order a replacement gas strut for the back door? Long story short while down in Baja this past month a huge gust of wind picked up and the rivets completely sheared, along with the strut basically bent in half haha. I knew this would eventually happen, but would like to replace (although it might not be worth it). Thanks!
smbisig
Adventurer
Reach out to OK4wd.com. They are the USA importers and carry replacement parts.