Cargo Camper Trailer Build (1 Viewer)

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Just starting the planning of this. We are hoping for a better mid-year bonus at work than last year, to make this purchase around December, but will be likely buying pieces/parts prior.

Looking at going with a 6x10 or 6x12. We would like a Queen size bed and although the 5' wide model would work, I am hoping to do a full 2" of insulation throughout the camper. Queen beds are 60" x 80". This would give us around 4" of "night stand" on each side, or 8" on one side.

Heather and I have discussed the uses for this trailer and we both agree we want the following:

1. Good bed
2. Storage
3. Does not have to have much "off road" ability. If we do tougher stuff, we will just tent camp.
4. Limited cooking indoors - maybe all outdoors - if it is raining for days we will likely just go home anyway :)
5. No indoor potty - use campgrounds and buy an outdoor shower/potty tent.
6. Ability to work within it - possibly a large TV or Monitor to attach to a laptop
7. Maybe AC as possible
8. Solar panels for off-grid
 
Pics etc.
 
Off the cuff thoughts using your list as reference:

1. Good bed ... Yup. But something that during long hot months of storage does not lend itself to absorption.
2. Storage .... Definitely the 12'. In addition, look for something with a taller ceiling. I do not know what height James has but I know I can't stand up in it. Taller would also add to storage capability.
3. Does not have to have much "off road" ability. If we do tougher stuff, we will just tent camp.... true, but some 35's would be cool. :D
4. Limited cooking indoors - maybe all outdoors - if it is raining for days we will likely just go home anyway :) ... Large Awning!
5. No indoor potty - use campgrounds and buy an outdoor shower/potty tent.... check
6. Ability to work within it - possibly a large TV or Monitor to attach to a laptop ... back to item #2.
7. Maybe AC as possible ... yes!
8. Solar panels for off-grid ... yes. Here's the rub .... you may wish to find nice cool shaded spots to park the camper, but that removes roof mounted PV panels as an option. Is the move here to have solar panels in a remote location and run a power cable to the camper, or do you always want to have to park in the sun?

Regarding PV size .... rough estimate is about 100W for every 1 square meter of PV area.
 
Thanks, Rice all great points.

1. I honestly was considering using a real bed - glad you said that :) We have multiple options already (2" Thermarest, 6" Alps Mountaineering, electric inflating from Costco), but I would like something better to be honest - something that has a foam core, etc. Open to ideas here.
2. I need to get full specs still to start the planning. Like I was saying, ideally we can use the edge of our bed as chairs and have a fold down desk that also is a cabinet. May need to go 6x10 to do that - -not sure. Heather isn't on board with being "trapped" in there either - in which case we would need the 6x12 and probably have chairs inside.
3. Would love to match my truck tires and wheels
4. Yes! I have one in the garage I am sticking on the truck and was planning on matching it up with a trailer version so I could have an entire side with awning.

NOTE: It seems most RVs have their awnings on the passenger side of the vehicle. They have to back in and water and electricity is on the driver side.

Any thoughts on this??
8. Was thinking about PV on top only to make sure I am topped off before stopping after driving. I really like the removable panel idea, though!


NOTE: Trying to figure out AC electrical usage. I saw a GE window unit at 5.5 BTU that has a EER of 12.2 rating and is 110V. The Micro Split from Mitsubishi is a 6K BTU and is a SEER 33.1 @ 220V. So the math is 5.5k/12.2=~450w per hour vs 6k/33.1=~182w per hour.

Do I need to double the 182 because it operates in 220v? Or does SEER/EER take that into account?​
 
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4 Group 31 100+Ah batteries:

Can run them all in series parallel (fixed) and "pull from" any with multiple inverters, etc, correct?

Battery 1: 12v to 220v inverter
Battery 2: 12v to 110v inverter
Battery 3: 12v hot line to a 12v breaker
Battery 4: Nothing


Math on AH usage on two systems before the inefficiency of the inverter:

185 watts/hour
12 volts
15.42 ah
400 ah batteries
25.95 hours


450 watts/hour
12 volts
37.50 ah
400 ah batteries
10.67 hours
 
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Parallel is one giant battery, series ups the voltage of the string. 4 Batts on parallel is still 12 volts. 4 Batts on series is 48 volts
 
Parallel is one giant battery, series ups the voltage of the string. 4 Batts on parallel is still 12 volts. 4 Batts on series is 48 volts

Like Steve said. The "battery" of 4 batteries tied together as a single battery in parallel will draw 25% current (and storage) from each.

So the math ....

A 100 Amp-Hour Batt connected to a 185 Watt load will draw 15.4 Amps of current. At 100% efficiency that would be ~26 hours for each Batt. The average deep cycle marine type batt should not be pulled down past about 50% so cut the storage in half ..... ~13 hours.

Something to consider, just the murky up the waters....

High quality, 6 Volt Golf Cart batteries can store a lot of energy (~230 AH), and are true Deep Cycle batts, i.e. can pull them down farther. Wired in series you get 12 Volts and, if treated properly can last a long time. Then wire them such that all loads are pulling from the same bank.
 
Parallel is one giant battery, series ups the voltage of the string. 4 Batts on parallel is still 12 volts. 4 Batts on series is 48 volts

Son of a biscuit - I am constantly flip flopping this :) Thx
 
Like Steve said. The "battery" of 4 batteries tied together as a single battery in parallel will draw 25% current (and storage) from each.

So the math ....

A 100 Amp-Hour Batt connected to a 185 Watt load will draw 15.4 Amps of current. At 100% efficiency that would be ~26 hours for each Batt. The average deep cycle marine type batt should not be pulled down past about 50% so cut the storage in half ..... ~13 hours.

Something to consider, just the murky up the waters....

High quality, 6 Volt Golf Cart batteries can store a lot of energy (~230 AH), and are true Deep Cycle batts, i.e. can pull them down farther. Wired in series you get 12 Volts and, if treated properly can last a long time. Then wire them such that all loads are pulling from the same bank.

I've seen these for RVs too - the 6V and series wiring kinda scared me off.

So two of these, wired in SERIES gets me 12V and 370AH.

SLI6V305S - Duracell Ultra Industrial 6V Deep Cycle Battery at Batteries Plus Bulbs

~$500 after discounts etc.


Looks like I would need to pull from one battery to a bus and then could pull 12v where needed, as well as 110 and 220 with the proper inverters.

If I wanted to double the AH, I would simply wire the two sets together in parallel.
 
Jamie, here's a thought. Take this (yeah it's small)

travelair-1.PNG


Mount it on a set of something like this with a bit longer arms and some shocks. Mount to a frame spacer to gain a little height. Run the same size tires as the truck. Instead of fenders run aluminum truck tool boxes etc. That you can take anywhere we have been going lately.

7d3306b3e6c771d5dc4995de67e600ac.jpg
 
I like this suspension

image-jpg.1126114
 
I like the above!
 
Something like this is the direction we have been talking about. Just conversation at this point.

003-off-road-camping-trailer-kakadu-bush-ranger.jpg
 
I've seen these for RVs too - the 6V and series wiring kinda scared me off.

So two of these, wired in SERIES gets me 12V and 370AH.

SLI6V305S - Duracell Ultra Industrial 6V Deep Cycle Battery at Batteries Plus Bulbs

~$500 after discounts etc.


Looks like I would need to pull from one battery to a bus and then could pull 12v where needed, as well as 110 and 220 with the proper inverters.

If I wanted to double the AH, I would simply wire the two sets together in parallel.


Batteries in series add voltage but do not add storage. 230 AH is still 230 AH.

To remember series vs parallel ... the world series is one game after another after another .... same for batts.
 
Upon further review, this is also a contender

005-off-road-camping-trailer-so-cal-teardrops.jpg
 
We are looking at something that we would keep at one site. So using our Hurricane creek trips as an example, we may not take it with us or use it say, Wed and Thu night and maybe once during the weekend if it crosses our path along the way.

The rest of the time we would use it constantly on vacations all over the country - mostly National Parks.

I picked up this thing and am wanting to do all National Parks in the US now LOL:

Passport To Your National Parks®
 

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