OVRLND CAMPERS ONLY : Post your OVRLND Camper build here or a link to your build thread to inspire others!
- Thread starter aaaslayer
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Dave in AZ
Well-known member
I bought a Hest to replace the 4" foam mattress that came with my Tune. It is indeed much better. And the Tune 4" was better than most mattresses supplied with truck popups.
We just couldn't get good sleep before, without using additional blow up thermarest pads etc, the Hest is waaay better. My wife wouldn't sleep in it before, because her back hurt all next day. Mine too. Expensive, bit worth it.
Better than the exped megamat inflated ones, too.
dstefan
Well-known member
Here’s a few. However, as far as I know, currently Truma will not sell directly to consumers in the US. Appartently, they fear our litigiousness or something. At least that was the story in Feb 2023 when I got this one. At the time you could only buy through dealers. I got mine from AT Overland and they did the install. They have a standard install for their campers which mounts on a board and is pretty simple. Mine was more of a custom one, since they had never done an Ovrlnd before and there was really only one place to put it. You can download an install manual from Truma and see what’s involved. It doesn’t look that difficult to me, if you could get your hands on one. There are quite a few dealers for Truma as a lot of RV places are starting to install them. Just not too sure how they would deal with one of our set ups. That’s what was good about ATO.
It mounts with bolts through four tabs and those bolts go directly into my camper frame through Rivnuts. The exhaust fitting outside is unique to Truma and comes with the heater. ATO did a good job, but I wish they could have placed the exhaust midway between the end of the camper and the window instead of so close to the end of the camper and the barn door. That said, in addition to the IMO useless CO alarm (cause it only alarms at 70pmm after an hour which is too much too long in an enclosed space) I have a CO monitor that reads out actual ppms starting at zero and alarms at 25 ppm immediately and I have never had an issue, including running the heater with the barn doors open and my rear curtain in place.
The last picture shows one of the top mounting tabs. They backed out Jay’s bolt in the extrusion and pushed the tab under the extrusion and then used Jays bolt through the tab into the original rivnut. The arrow in the second to last picture shows the mounting tab on the other side — the Vario can be mounted on either side and also reversed top/bottom, so it’s pretty flexible in siting.
Theres a EP poster here, @Bergger, who has an AT Ovrlnd camper and the standard ATO Truma install. You can find a picture of it in one of his posts if you search his user name. That may give you some further ideas.
Hope that helps!
Phessor
Member
Thank you for the information. Do you have a standard height, or extra bedding height camper?
Dave in AZ
Well-known member
I have a Tune, which has about 8" bedding height. When I looked at the OVRLND, I was definitely planning on getting the extra bedding height.
Sorry, not trying to distract from the OVRLND, which I also love... you guys have the best builds and DIY info here, so it is one of my favorite popup threads
Hopefully there is enough similarity that my posts are Value Added But here is a video I made showing all the bedding I can stuff in 8" with original 4" mattress, which was pretty hard, didn't compress much. Should give you what 8" on an ovrlnd can do.
Double Down
New member
Thanks @dstefan - super helpful! Good to know AT was willing to install on a different brand of camper.
I had planned on buying a Truma from this place and installing myself: truma-varioheat-eco-campervan-gas-heater.
Was thinking of mounting it like AT's normal installs on a sheet of ABS or similar and then attaching that via rivets to the OVRLND frame, but may try something like your install method instead.
dstefan
Well-known member
That’s a great price! Its the first overseas seller I’ve seen that’s quoting US$. Let us know how the shipping went and cost to ship (I assume from the UK?) if you don’t mind. Ive been looking for some ducting which is hard to find in the US in the correct size, so that vendor may be my answer.
Be sure to get Trumas install manual. Its quite detailed. They also apparently have US technicians here in some markets for support.
Be sure to get Trumas install manual. Its quite detailed. They also apparently have US technicians here in some markets for support.
Pra4sno
Member
Definitely love having my fridge mounted up front too with the hatch access. Dig the water solution.
Dave in AZ
Well-known member
I run the combustion chamber inside the camper, same way they are mounted in a zillion trucks.
I had an all in one... however, I have separated the diesel tank and moved it outside. Despite checking and tightening all hoses, I have had 2 leaks that staaaank up the truck. Had to wash and scrub the bed and replace rubber floor matts.
The tank lids just are NOT leakproof, any driving will make diesel slosh out. And the hoses and tank pickup at bottom of cheap tank ensured another leak at 120F.
I got this 3.9gal aluminum tank from JDS in Phx, from Amazon, in 1 day. I bought new quality 5mm and 2mm fuel lines. I just removed the supplied tank from inside the Vevor unit.
I like the combustion chamber inside, as the recirculation of heated air is over 50% of the heater's capability, vs all new cold air. They are designed to be installed inside, the Eberspacher install manual they are all cloned from is clear.
However, I know a lot of folks just want them all outside, and so long as you keep it outside while driving, no leak issues.
Also, here is my heater install in truckbed. I am still just bolting the Vevor down inside there with exhaust going out thru floor. I route the fuel line thru camper extrusion from rear to front, down and then up thru floor, so only a few inches of fuel line is inside cab.
I had an all in one... however, I have separated the diesel tank and moved it outside. Despite checking and tightening all hoses, I have had 2 leaks that staaaank up the truck. Had to wash and scrub the bed and replace rubber floor matts.
The tank lids just are NOT leakproof, any driving will make diesel slosh out. And the hoses and tank pickup at bottom of cheap tank ensured another leak at 120F.
I got this 3.9gal aluminum tank from JDS in Phx, from Amazon, in 1 day. I bought new quality 5mm and 2mm fuel lines. I just removed the supplied tank from inside the Vevor unit.
I like the combustion chamber inside, as the recirculation of heated air is over 50% of the heater's capability, vs all new cold air. They are designed to be installed inside, the Eberspacher install manual they are all cloned from is clear.
However, I know a lot of folks just want them all outside, and so long as you keep it outside while driving, no leak issues.
Also, here is my heater install in truckbed. I am still just bolting the Vevor down inside there with exhaust going out thru floor. I route the fuel line thru camper extrusion from rear to front, down and then up thru floor, so only a few inches of fuel line is inside cab.
Phessor
Member
My plan is to keep it outside. I am struggling to find a 4 inch option for getting the heat inside. I will need to cut a hole in the side of my camper.
Dave in AZ
Well-known member
Here, this guy at the Tune Owners group is now producing this heater hose inlet to put in topper walls.
Here is the etsy link to buy:
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K9LTW
Active member
If you search through here waaaaaay back, you'll find some solutions where folks were using a wedge of foam or wood to fit into a hatch opening and run the hose into the bottom of the wedge with a louver on the inside. That's assuming you have a hatch. Otherwise, yeah, you'll have to cut a hole (I think 3"...not 4" unless you have some crazy huge hose). I did that on our former trailer using one of the Planar portable units. I used a 3" sewage line flange, shaved it down to a flat mating surface and screwed it into the skin with some Sikaflex around it. Attached an adjustable louver to the interior wall (which you'd have to fashion in your topper). Then it was just a matter of removing the flange cover and pressing the hose onto the flange when needed.
Phessor
Member
I like this design, and I reached out to them. They only do the 3" size. I would rather not have to use a reducer to make it work on my heater and ducting.Here, this guy at the Tune Owners group is now producing this heater hose inlet to put in topper walls.
Here is the etsy link to buy:
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MR E30
Well-known member
I'm one of those guys who is running a diesel heater on the outside of their camper, and here are some of my own experiences:
- I am in a completely uninsulated (nothing more than what the camper had from the manufacturer) Alu-Cab Canopy Camper on my '21 Tacoma.
- I have a 5kw Vevor unit mounted underneath the truck bed, behind the OEM hitch basically. Fuel tank is located between the camper and cab, outside as well.
- Unit is always 'ready-to-go', as in it doesn't sit on a table or the ground. It always has power, and the fuel lines are permanently installed. Thermostat is mounted inside of the camper in a place where I can reach it from under the covers.
Observations:
- For normal use the unit is in 'Automatic' mode, meaning we pick a temperature and the unit does its best to maintain that temp.
- The minimum temp for the unit is 46.4F.
- We always have the unit set to ~55F.
- The temperature inside of the camper will easily reach 90F+, even when it is ~20F outside. Coldest I've used it is at 12F, but didn't run it long enough to see how the heat built up over time. It still got us plenty warm in very little time.
- The unit runs at 'Low' as soon as it finishes its startup procedure (the unit spools up more aggressively and runs more intensely for ~10 mins or so every startup, regardless of differential in actual temp to set temp).
- The fuel pump never stops clicking, even when the unit is not actively blowing warmed air into the camper. After hitting ~55F the fan cycles 'on and off', but the fuel pump never stops.
- Dave in AZ is right, if I could do it again I would have the unit itself inside of the camper, to keep it out of the elements, but I added this one as an afterthought and had no space inside.
- However, the unit, even mounted outside and drawing in cold air, operates on Low at all times once the target temp is hit (which takes very little time, ~15 mins).
I also have the experience of running another 5kw Vevor unit, in one of those all-in-one cases, inside of a well insulated shed. This unit is inside of the shed, and I have the unit set up in the same way, meaning Auto mode, with the temp again set to ~55F.
The unit, pulling in warmed air, as it is located inside of the warm shed, behaves exactly the same as the same unit mounted outside in our camper. It too spools up aggressively, and then defaults to the fan cycling on and off, again with the fuel pump never stopping. The shed also builds up heat in the same way.
This is a long way to say that I personally see no discernible difference in either fuel consumption or performance of a unit pulling in already warmed air or one that is pulling in fresh cold air.
- I am in a completely uninsulated (nothing more than what the camper had from the manufacturer) Alu-Cab Canopy Camper on my '21 Tacoma.
- I have a 5kw Vevor unit mounted underneath the truck bed, behind the OEM hitch basically. Fuel tank is located between the camper and cab, outside as well.
- Unit is always 'ready-to-go', as in it doesn't sit on a table or the ground. It always has power, and the fuel lines are permanently installed. Thermostat is mounted inside of the camper in a place where I can reach it from under the covers.
Observations:
- For normal use the unit is in 'Automatic' mode, meaning we pick a temperature and the unit does its best to maintain that temp.
- The minimum temp for the unit is 46.4F.
- We always have the unit set to ~55F.
- The temperature inside of the camper will easily reach 90F+, even when it is ~20F outside. Coldest I've used it is at 12F, but didn't run it long enough to see how the heat built up over time. It still got us plenty warm in very little time.
- The unit runs at 'Low' as soon as it finishes its startup procedure (the unit spools up more aggressively and runs more intensely for ~10 mins or so every startup, regardless of differential in actual temp to set temp).
- The fuel pump never stops clicking, even when the unit is not actively blowing warmed air into the camper. After hitting ~55F the fan cycles 'on and off', but the fuel pump never stops.
- Dave in AZ is right, if I could do it again I would have the unit itself inside of the camper, to keep it out of the elements, but I added this one as an afterthought and had no space inside.
- However, the unit, even mounted outside and drawing in cold air, operates on Low at all times once the target temp is hit (which takes very little time, ~15 mins).
I also have the experience of running another 5kw Vevor unit, in one of those all-in-one cases, inside of a well insulated shed. This unit is inside of the shed, and I have the unit set up in the same way, meaning Auto mode, with the temp again set to ~55F.
The unit, pulling in warmed air, as it is located inside of the warm shed, behaves exactly the same as the same unit mounted outside in our camper. It too spools up aggressively, and then defaults to the fan cycling on and off, again with the fuel pump never stopping. The shed also builds up heat in the same way.
This is a long way to say that I personally see no discernible difference in either fuel consumption or performance of a unit pulling in already warmed air or one that is pulling in fresh cold air.