I never mentioned power before; not that I recall at least 

I have two 6 volt golf cart batteries that will be series wired.  We also have a Honda EU2000i generator we can use to power the A/C directly and to use the Iota DLS-55 (55 amp max) battery charger. The DLS-55 has the IQ4 option that gives it bulk, absorb and float charge capabilities. At some point there will be some solar. Not sure how soon or what exactly yet. Probably a couple hundred watts of panel(s). I'd like a MPPT controller but may settle for a cheap PWM.    Two x 100 amp panels with a cheapy controller can be had for about $300. MPPT brings it to about$450.      Mounted on the roof they would be good while parked at home or while driving. However we like to camp in the shade. There's a conflict there. Some folks use portable panels they can place in the sun. 

Forgot to add that there is a Xantrex ProWatt SW, sine wave 2000 watt inverter and a transfer switch from the old RV that will be fitted. Pl;us a shore power inlet socket; mostly that will be used at home as we mostly use forest service and other sites that are w/o hookups.

Quote from: Redoverfarm on February 25, 2014, 12:31:09 PM
If you are going with a quiet genset will there be a storage area or will you just haul in the towing vehicle?

The Honda will have a storage spot in the rear of the trailer.

I may have missed this, but have you settled on a particular AC unit that the eu2000i can handle?

I don't remember if I mentioned the exact unit.     I found a GE 5050 BTU window unit with a remote control. The remote was wanted so we would not have to crawl over the bed to turn it on/off or adjust the fan or cooling rate. Found it on Walmart.com for $139.99 which was more than I wanted to spend, but it had the specs. Most remote controlled window A/C are bigger, more BTU's and larger size and weight. As it is 5050 BTU is probably more than needed.   Model #  AEW05LQ. It is a discontinued model.

From what I understand, 5050 BTU would be a good choice for the eu2000i.  If I remember max was 7000 or 8000 BTU, that it could get started. Any bigger and the initial surge overwhelmed the generator. There was a lot of discussion about this on various RV forums:

https://www.google.com/#q=eu2000i+air+conditioner

Yep, I've seen a number of folks who use a 2000 watt inverter generator with a 5 to 6 K BTU A/C. Many seem to be able to run the generator in eco mode and have no issues with the generator being able to throttle up quick enough.  Once the A/C is running it only draws about 500 watts by my Kill-a-watt meter.

Don,

I may have missed it ... what are you putting under your trailer/camper for waterproofing? 

The foam insulation that is fitted into the frame sections is cut tightly and glued/sealed/caulked in place. Eventually I may apply an undercoat, I found some that sticks to the foil face nicely w/o affecting the foam. But when I look under cargo trailers that are several years old I have been surprised to see the excellent condition of the plywood floors and those were all w/o any treatment other than borate on some.

tks.  looking forward to seeing the progress.

Wheel boxes covered in plywood.
Side walls, rear, lower covered in 3/16" plywood underlayment.
Water heater boxed in plywood.
Fresh water tank secured to floor. Filler pipe ready to hookup.
Bed platform supports installed at left and right side walls. Need to complete the center support before installing plywood for mattress.



Rear section, below.
Water heater boxed in on left side.
Generator storage and to the right of it battery storage.



The Generator and batteries sit on slide outs for easier access when bed platform is completed; 250 lb capacity for the battery tray, 100 lb for the Honda.
The battery box section will be sealed with polyester resin, no cloth. Polyester resin is resistant to battery concentration sulfuric acid. There will be a vent to the exterior and it will be sealed from the balance of the trailer.



The batteries waiting for me to catch up. Cheap GC2's from Sams Club.

Did more today...

Bed platform framing done... Yes, you would expect the 2x4 to run the other way more like a joist, but for this purpose this works and provides more clearance underneath



1/2" plywood trial fitted...



Lots of under bed storage space...



Where the shower will be, The plywood indicates where the bulkhead between bed & shower will be...



View from outside the door. 1x2 indicates probable counter edge position, though I may use a curve.

Looks like you are begining to feel the claustrophobia effect.  What was once a big open space now is deminishing as you reach the door.  But hey it's not a full time residence.  Sort of like a house shell.  Gigantic until you start building inside.

Looking good.  Waiting..... to see the finished product.

looking good.   will you be putting in a sink since you will have water hooked up?   do you have any plans for the back doors - seems like you could open those up and have a pull down screen or something which would give you a wide open feel and improved ventilation during warmer weather.   

Quote...claustrophobia ...

It's all relative... gotta remember this is replacing sleeping in the pickup box under the topper.   

Quote from: cbc58 on March 12, 2014, 08:18:06 AM
looking good.   will you be putting in a sink since you will have water hooked up?   do you have any plans for the back doors - seems like you could open those up and have a pull down screen or something which would give you a wide open feel and improved ventilation during warmer weather.

Yes to the sink.

Screens across the back end with open doors has been thought of. We'll work out the details later.

Hi Don,
   looks like a great job so far..   i have admired your work and your helpful responses in the past, so it is no surprise that you are doing a great job with this project..    2 questions..   

a)   your rationale for  going this route  vs   buying an actual RV  ( sorry if i missed this in an earlier post!  )  of course, I can imagine a few, including  but not limited to   ensuring quality construction...   just felt like doing it..   ran out of projects     

b)  what will your first destination be ??           jt

a)   All of the above    , plus the desire to keep the width down to 6 feet. Almost all travel trailers are 7 to 8 feet wide; we did not want that width. We wanted smallish. Many compact narrower TT also are short on headroom.  Many are also cheaply built and show it after a few years.  My original idea was to build from scratch, buy an axle,  steel tube, a new spool of MIG wire.....  If I had a taller garage / garage door that might have won out.

b)   Not sure where first will be.  Colorado will be visited this summer for certain; Probably July. We have an annual get together with Karen's' brother & SO; hiking, rock climbing, campfire if conditions permit.  If I'm done, or at least done enough to travel by the end of May when school halts for summer break, perhaps the SE corner of AZ (Bisbee and north) or if not there then the SE area of UT (Hwy 95 & 276 between Blanding & Hite). 

An update after spring break. This was completed before taking a week break and heading to the cabin. I just took the pictures today.

The shower pan ready to be glued in place. PEX plumbing supply for the future sink in the nose area, conduit for some 120 VAC electric and one for the sink drain. Not much room for all that under / behind the pan...



The wall between shower pan and bed will be installed as soon as I pressure test the plumbing supply lines (tomorrow?)
~~~~~
Closer up view showing fresh water tank and fill line, vent line, drain and pump line...



The receptacle is 120 VAC from either shore power, generator or the inverter. The PEX that goes vertical is for the shower and the vertical gray conduit is actually a waste tank vent line that will penetrate the roof.
~~~~~
Next are the two golf cart batteries on their slider and showing the 2/0 welding cable cables. Black is positive and white is negative; similar to white being neutral in an AC system. I don't worry about the colors on the battery interconnect cable. DC master disconnect on the leading edge of the tray...



~~~~~
The other electrical major components...



In the center is the Iota DLS-55 is a charger / converter I had had for many years. It has seen a variety of uses over time. FYI, it is a multi stage charger; bulk, absorb, float and a timed automatic equalize. 55 amps maximum output.  Copper buss for connecting all the chassis grounds to.   The black box to the left is an AC automatic transfer switch. There is a shore power inlet on the left rear outside corner. That input line connects to the box with the red face plate (on the left). The inlet also connects to one of the inputs in the ATS. The orange wire connects the second ATS input to the inverter 120 VAC outlet.  The inverter is another item I've had for several years. It is a Xantrex PROwatt SW, pure sine wave 2000 watt.  The data cable on the PROWATT is for the remote control which will be located up front in the counter / sink area. 

~~~~~
Another view showing the cabling and the nailer plates to keep me from driving screws through the cables.  FYI, the generator can not be operated in its storage space. I may at some future date build the carrier / storage rack I have planned. That would mount on the exterior of the left rear door once the reinforcement rack and bars is made. he idea is to be able to lock it up and be able to operate by opening the dust cover. So far just an idea...



The positive and negative cables connect to some copper buss bars. A bolt through the plywood wall supplies a connection point in the battery chamber. Hidden behind the rear frame crossmember is a 250 amp fuse. The white and red 8 gauge wires are the master DC feed to the front of the trailer. That has a fuse off the buss bar as well. A second fuse from the buss bar connects forward along the bed framework to the 12 VDC  RV water pump.

Looks like a lot of planning and thought have gone into your camper Don.  Have you considered using a Studor valve for the vent situation to eliminate your roof penetration?

It would be nice to avoid a hole in the roof, but a Studor won't work when in an RV situation. The Studor is an air admittance valve; lets air into the system and blocks air from exiting the pipes.  The RV sink and shower drain into a waste water holding tank under the floor. Water runs into holding tank and air has to escape to make room for the water. So the Studor won't work for that.

Quote from: MountainDon on April 21, 2014, 08:42:47 AM
It would be nice to avoid a hole in the roof, but a Studor won't work when in an RV situation. The Studor is an air admittance valve; lets air into the system and blocks air from exiting the pipes.  The RV sink and shower drain into a waste water holding tank under the floor. Water runs into holding tank and air has to escape to make room for the water. So the Studor won't work for that.

Don I think our galley tank on the fifthwheel vents via that type of valve.  Gray and black vent out through the roof and has the weather protection of plastic vent caps up there.  I blamed the galley sink not draining on the Studor type valve after we got this unit used.  Turned out it has two gates valves in the dump line.  One now because of a winter road hazard near Wells Nv.    .....  I mean GRRRRR!!!  Once I got both drains valves open it drained.... I guess I should take a look and see if it does vent that way.  I do know there is that type of vent in the galley sink drain line just about where it makes its turn for the galley tank. 

Very nice trailer!

We have the full on family bunkhouse model right now, but once it's just the wife and I something like this will definitely be in our future.

Hello, could you move the 110 V power outlet away from the shower ? Was looking at the photos and,it just looks way to close even with GFI.

Thanks for the thought. That outlet is really no closer to the shower than the GFCI protected outlets by the bathroom sinks in many residences.     At least that is how I see it.