The TARDIS - A Four Wheel Camper Build
- Thread starter Overland Hadley
- Start date
Overland Hadley
on a journey
No worries, you'll get a similar effect if you leave the window flaps open. Maybe even better is the screens keep out skeeters while allowing the cool night breeze to pass over the bed...
Getting excited yet?
.
Hmmm, what are these thing you talk about? Screens, keeping bugs out?
(Will be spending an extended amount of time in Alaska with the FWC, so I am very excited to have screened windows.
Does the vent screen from Fantastic Fan work on vent models as well as fan models?
kcowyo
ExPo Original
I haven't decided what brand of topper I will go with yet. A friend of mine has a Flip Pac, it is like being in a tree house.
waynemaple
Observer
No worries, you'll get a similar effect if you leave the window flaps open. Maybe even better is that the screens keep out skeeters while allowing the cool night breeze to pass over the bed...
Getting excited yet?
.
Where did you get the poster of the mountains for your window? Is the interior red on all FWC campers or is that custom interior. Looks real nice!
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Edit:
To answer your question, the older FWC's had the tan uppers, the new ones are grey.
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Overland Hadley
on a journey
I would sure think the new FWC's have no see um mesh, most things do these days.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
I live in the boundary waters of Minnesota, I know what bugs are.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Say what...?
.
I saw on the Fantastic Fan website that you can get an optional screen for the fans.
Does it fit on the vent? Or does the vent come with a screen?
Northern Explorer
Explorer
My Fantastic Fan came with a screen. It pops out so you can clean it.
Overland Hadley
on a journey
Heater
The factory heater that can be ordered with a FWC shell is a unit that includes a furnace, 5 gal propane tank, and a cabinet. The added cost for the furnace is $875.
The factory unit will not work for me for four reasons.
-Cost. Too much money for my budget
-Weight. I can not find where in my notes I have the exact weight, but it was fairly heavy.
-Space. The cabinet will take up space and will make storage in my "open" floor plan harder.
-Battery. I will have only minimal battery in the camper and do not want to depend on batter power for heat.
-Added reason, the factory unit is built in. If I am making a summer trip where the temps will stay for the most part above freezing I want to be able to leave the heater at home. Thus saving weight and space.
Here is my heating solution. The FWC is such a small space and I am used to camping in cold conditions, so I think it should fit my needs. And again this is something that can evolve over time.
Edit: Due to comments on this heater I will be finding another solution.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-BlackCat-PerfecTemp-Catalytic-Heater/dp/B0009PUR9U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1279554379&sr=8-2"]Coleman BlackCat Catalytic Heater[/ame]
I do have a hard time with using the Coleman 1lb propane bottles, but they do have some advantages over a 10/20lb tank. My hot water heater and stove use them, so I will have three things that run off the same style canisters. Their small size allows me to store them outside of the camper, in a vented location. And they are available at most small town stores, (although the price they charge is crazy compared to the cost at a big box store) so the amount of propane carried can easily be changed. And now that they can be recycled, and drop boxes for them are starting to be common, I feel less bad for using them.
When using a heater in a closed space a CO alarm is a must.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-COB-B-Battery-Operated-Monoxide-Electrochemical/dp/B000063SCW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1280283367&sr=1-4"]Battery CO Alarm[/ame]
Thoughts? Ideas?
The factory heater that can be ordered with a FWC shell is a unit that includes a furnace, 5 gal propane tank, and a cabinet. The added cost for the furnace is $875.
The factory unit will not work for me for four reasons.
-Cost. Too much money for my budget
-Weight. I can not find where in my notes I have the exact weight, but it was fairly heavy.
-Space. The cabinet will take up space and will make storage in my "open" floor plan harder.
-Battery. I will have only minimal battery in the camper and do not want to depend on batter power for heat.
-Added reason, the factory unit is built in. If I am making a summer trip where the temps will stay for the most part above freezing I want to be able to leave the heater at home. Thus saving weight and space.
Here is my heating solution. The FWC is such a small space and I am used to camping in cold conditions, so I think it should fit my needs. And again this is something that can evolve over time.
Edit: Due to comments on this heater I will be finding another solution.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-BlackCat-PerfecTemp-Catalytic-Heater/dp/B0009PUR9U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1279554379&sr=8-2"]Coleman BlackCat Catalytic Heater[/ame]
I do have a hard time with using the Coleman 1lb propane bottles, but they do have some advantages over a 10/20lb tank. My hot water heater and stove use them, so I will have three things that run off the same style canisters. Their small size allows me to store them outside of the camper, in a vented location. And they are available at most small town stores, (although the price they charge is crazy compared to the cost at a big box store) so the amount of propane carried can easily be changed. And now that they can be recycled, and drop boxes for them are starting to be common, I feel less bad for using them.
When using a heater in a closed space a CO alarm is a must.
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-COB-B-Battery-Operated-Monoxide-Electrochemical/dp/B000063SCW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1280283367&sr=1-4"]Battery CO Alarm[/ame]
Thoughts? Ideas?
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SunMan
Adventurer
My 2 cents on the Black Cat is that you will probably 86 it in short order.
I say this from experience as my Hawk did not have a heater when I bought it and I thought the Black Cat would be a cheap alternative too, which I guess it is. But a canister will only last about 6 hours and the smell is not very pleasant.
You seem to be putting alot of thought into this build and considering where you live I would HIGHLY recommend considering an Olympian Wave 3 or even a Buddy Heater if you have the extra coin to spare.
Anyway, if you still wanna go with the Black Cat in the interim I've got one I'll sell you on the cheap, only used a handful of times it's just collecting dust in the garage! Good luck whichever way you decide.
I say this from experience as my Hawk did not have a heater when I bought it and I thought the Black Cat would be a cheap alternative too, which I guess it is. But a canister will only last about 6 hours and the smell is not very pleasant.
You seem to be putting alot of thought into this build and considering where you live I would HIGHLY recommend considering an Olympian Wave 3 or even a Buddy Heater if you have the extra coin to spare.
Anyway, if you still wanna go with the Black Cat in the interim I've got one I'll sell you on the cheap, only used a handful of times
it's just collecting dust in the garage! Good luck whichever way you decide.
john101477
Photographer in the Wild
I also almost bought a Black Cat and all the bad review made me thing they named it wisely according to the old superstition on black cats. my dad has a buddy heater and it is awesome. he even used to heat the living room once when the power went out and it was colder than heck. good luck with the FWC. We have been looking harder and harder at them ourselves but fear the change of ability.