The Dirt Sherpa Build
- Thread starter GCecchetto
- Start date
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Well, this weekend marks the restart of the Dirt Sherpa build. I've been spending some time working out the lighting, ordering and testing fixtures (I post some photos and part numbers in a later post) but Saturday was the start of fabrication again. Got the wiring in the roof, and the fiberglass sheet laid up on it. I must say it feels good to see the roof coming together.
A look at some of the wiring.
Wiring for the reading lights at the cabover. Installing two lights each side because I don't like to spend a lot of time leveling when we pull in to camp. Just get close and put the heads uphill! I'm using the LED lights used to lights stair treads on boats.
Another shot of the wiring.
Need to burn $100 in a hurry? here's a good way to do it. Mega VHB.
Here's a few shots after the lay up of the roof, sorry, rusty with the camera and forgot my snow photo skills. Questioning my decision to only put one exhaust fan back over the stove now. Originally I planned to install two with one more central and closer to the cabover, but decided to simplify. The maxxair fan I'm using should still have plenty of CFM to vent the small interior space. My roof will have much better insulation and will be more resistant to thermal gain so I'm hoping it will workout okay.
A look at some of the wiring.
Wiring for the reading lights at the cabover. Installing two lights each side because I don't like to spend a lot of time leveling when we pull in to camp. Just get close and put the heads uphill! I'm using the LED lights used to lights stair treads on boats.
Another shot of the wiring.
Need to burn $100 in a hurry? here's a good way to do it. Mega VHB.
Here's a few shots after the lay up of the roof, sorry, rusty with the camera and forgot my snow photo skills. Questioning my decision to only put one exhaust fan back over the stove now. Originally I planned to install two with one more central and closer to the cabover, but decided to simplify. The maxxair fan I'm using should still have plenty of CFM to vent the small interior space. My roof will have much better insulation and will be more resistant to thermal gain so I'm hoping it will workout okay.
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riveroceanandmountain
Adventurer
Good to see you are back at it! I can relate to your comment about VHB tape.... I will use 8 rolls in total in my build.
Your build is part of what inspired me to start..... and now I know why you took a long break.... it is a ton of work when one is trying to do everything extra special.
Keep up the good work.
Your build is part of what inspired me to start..... and now I know why you took a long break.... it is a ton of work when one is trying to do everything extra special.
Keep up the good work.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Yep, it would be waaay too much work to do another fan at this point. I don't really think I'll need it though, I have considerable square footage of window to open, especially when factoring in the door. Didn't want the extra weight on the roof either either.
Right on. I didn't have a second fan in my FWC hawk and it didn't really bother me much. I added on in my build since it wasn't a big deal to do so and I think the ones I ordered can run w/ the lid closed so just moving some air around the bed sounds nice at times but if I didn't have do it I wouldn't have lost sleep of it (pun intended). 
GCecchetto
Adventurer
This last weekend didn't see much progress due to my son graduating out of the 8th grade and his party being on Saturday. I'm super proud of him, but being a teenager, he doesn't believe that. Anyway, I did make it out to buy insulation on Sunday, after spending half the day tracking down a squeak in the suspension on my truck, and started installing it. I'm hoping to take the camper out to FWC within a couple of weeks to get it measured for the new softwall. I've still got a chance of using it this summer. Here a couple of photos from my phone.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Well, had four days off for the 4th of July Holiday, unfortunately Friday and Saturday were miserable foggy tree rain that didn't burn off till 2:00 in the afternoon so I didn't get as much done as planned. I was hoping to have the roof sitting on the jig that will hold it located correctly above the body so I can connect the lift panels, but I just couldn't get there due to the cruddy weather . Below are some photos of what progress was made.
Insulation and wiring.
Uni-Solar panel install. I was getting 44.5 volts out of these babies. once they are in the sun on a regular basis they will loose about 20% of that in the first couple of weeks and then settle at their rated output for many years to come.
Anodized aluminum detail on the ceiling. One run and the exhaust fan side still not installed.
One of the two reading lights at the cabover for reading at the end of a long day fly fishing. The LED bulbs work really well and make no heat to speak of.
I'm hoping for good weather this coming weekend so I can make another puss at getting the roof on the lift panels.
Insulation and wiring.
Uni-Solar panel install. I was getting 44.5 volts out of these babies. once they are in the sun on a regular basis they will loose about 20% of that in the first couple of weeks and then settle at their rated output for many years to come.
Anodized aluminum detail on the ceiling. One run and the exhaust fan side still not installed.
One of the two reading lights at the cabover for reading at the end of a long day fly fishing. The LED bulbs work really well and make no heat to speak of.
I'm hoping for good weather this coming weekend so I can make another puss at getting the roof on the lift panels.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Been a little slow at posting. Crappy foggy tree rain on the weekends has been slowing me down but the roof is finally ready to be installed on the camper. I'll be picking up material this week to build the jig to hold the roof in the correct position above the body so I can get the lift panels connected to the roof. I forgot to snap any photos of the finished aluminum trim detail on the ceiling but did get a few of the solar wiring penetration, the only hole in the roof other than the roof fan.
Looks a little funny, shot the photo laying on my back looking up.
I still have some wire management to do hear and will post photos when I get the mid span of these wires anchored down.
Hopefully some of you are still following.
Looks a little funny, shot the photo laying on my back looking up.
I still have some wire management to do hear and will post photos when I get the mid span of these wires anchored down.
Hopefully some of you are still following.
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Thanks. The panels are 68 watts each. They aren't as efficient as conventional panels from an overall efficiency standpoint, but they perform better than conventional panels in less than ideal conditions and are partial shade tolerant. There are a lot of advantages with the Uni-Solar panels, but some trade offs as well. I really like the light weight, low profile, lack of holes in the roof to mount them, and the performance in poor conditions, but the direct contact on the roof is a drawback from a standpoint of thermal gain through the roof. Uni-Solar, to the best of my knowledge, is no more, so if you are interested in using them you should buy now while there are still some around.
lqhikers
Adventurer
just finished reading your whole build,you are building a pop up the way the factory should,as someone
who has owned four wheel campers in the past i hope you change the decal when you are finished
to give your self credit due,cause if you don't people will think that yours is the way they come from factory,
boy will they be let down!
will be following to the finish!
Les,lqhikers
who has owned four wheel campers in the past i hope you change the decal when you are finished
to give your self credit due,cause if you don't people will think that yours is the way they come from factory,
boy will they be let down!
will be following to the finish!
Les,lqhikers
GCecchetto
Adventurer
Thanks Les. I did remove the decal from the door and have plans for some custom graphics but I'm not spending money on anything that isn't focused on getting me a dry shell to use this summer. If I can get a couple of additional bodies here this Sunday the roof will be put on the body. Right now I don't have a ton of volunteers jumping at the opportunity though.