Vagabond Drifter Camper Buildout and Mods

It is a Dickinson Newport P9000. I will just say, to keep in mind this product comes with a factory direct-vent flue pipe that is meant to be installed through a deck overhead (think sailboat application) or at the least, through a wall at a distance far enough to accommodate the radius limitation of the factory flexible flue. In this situation that is not possible; The very tight / close exit point through the wall requires custom fabrication. You will also see the factory mounting plate was modified for this as well, with a different top mount and an opening created for the flue pipe.

This is the factory flue pipe and cap with a custom brace that attaches to an L-track bracket on the Drifter. The flue is only attached when the heater is being used, and is removed for travel.



Here is the stainless steel travel cover, but it's not finished. The edges will be rolled for aesthetics. It seals against the camper wall using a sealing system that incorporates latches on the inside that pulls a rubber o-ring on the outside tight up against the camper.



Here's the factory flue pipe with custom bracket, as it will be stowed for travel.

 

What is the silver insulating material?

 

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

I think the exhaust is a two in one design (double wall) that lets in fresh air for the combustion process and exhaust for the fumes.

How do these operate in higher elevations since they are designed to be at sea level?

 

awning brackets

 

Like any propane appliance, I expect it to be less efficient the higher the altitude is. (Typical 4% de-rate per 1000' elevation above 2000') Based on the specs at sea-level, and using a good dual-stage regulator, and considering the small volume of space to heat, it's a chance I'm willing to take. We'll see how it goes. This guy goes into some detail on using it in his RV; he doesn't mention high altitudes, but he seems to like it for heating his RV (much larger space).

 

This is fantastic work. Very nice!

 

I priced this out when I was redoing my build recently. 8020 was going to be around $1000. I ended up doing it in plywood and carpeting and it was around $200. The 8020 is great, but it's just much more expensive.

 

Thank you

 

Thank you very much

 

my drifter came with a 12 inch sleeping extension, and i have been fighting with myself about the added sleeping area vs the amount of standing area in the DCSB. it was kinda tight - and the sloping back tent wall didnt help my 'always the last to get into bed' thing, so i had the extension cut down to 7 inches today. pretty happy with the result, at 5'11" i appreciate the extra room for sure

also there has been a lot of really amazing work shown on here by people, flip up sleeping areas, barn doors, heaters, the list goes on - really fun to watch and be inspired by

 

I think that an option from VO for a bed that lifts up would be awesome. Also the extensions are definitely useful, I usually roll up a blanket and place it at the end so that my feet dont get into that super cold spot, having an extra few inches of bed length would make it even better. Last weekend i tried a heated blanket and it was very comfortable, until it stopped working at 4am and it got super cold.

 

I think I dreamed about radiant floor and bed platform heating this past weekend in 20 degrees before my body warmed everything up…

 

I'm sure this has been asked before, but how much extension would be need to put your head and pillow at the cab end of the bed and not feel claustrophobic?

 

i actually prefer my head at the wedge - i feel its easier to get up and out, and i like the view more - looking into a larger space. having said that spent last weekend sleeping with head the 'normal way' with the clear windows in place and it was pretty good. as far as extension length i think this 7 inches is going to be perfect for me - and still allow a decent amount of the open space still - for reference I'm 5'11" and sleep like a caveman - so all over the place

 

+1 for radiant floor heat. I have a Vanagon friend that is trying to convince me to do the Esbar hydronic floor heating for my camper. It is a wonderful idea, except that it is more complex and would make it difficult to remove everything from the bed for “haul day”. I am still waiting (5 months now) to buy a Propex HS 2211 (for under vehicle mount) from Van Cafe. They appear to be the only dealer in the US that sells it. It is going to be a cold winter for us in Eastern WA and my camper use is going to drop precipitously without it (at least if my wife comes).

BTW, I still have not gotten a clear answer on whether the Propex will be enough heat at 2kW to warm up the camper when it is below freezing. Some have said that it can’t keep up when it is in the 20’s. I am sure the insulation package would help... I am in the process of doing some tests with Mr Buddy and a space heater to answer this question. The temp is supposed to be 17 this weekend, so I will have lots of opportunities to test. I will report back on my findings.

 

I recommend having several microfiber cloths on hand to wipe down the tent when the condensation builds up.
I also wonder if the 2kW Propex HS 2211 would be enough. As much as I'd like to build it into a very minimal build-out, I'm thinking that a portable heater would be the best for my uses that I can leave in for 3-4 months of cold winter-time camping use and then easily remove and store it the rest of the year.

 

I’ve used my propex in the low 30’s, high 20’s, and it still cycled on and off. I was able to sleep in a t shirt. Propex does make a larger unit but its not designed for external mounting.

 

What is your gas consumption rate? How many days would a 10lb tank last?

 

I used most of my 6lb tank in two nights.

https://www.propexheatsource.com/energy-efficiency/

From here is says the HS2211 uses 5.29oz of propane per hour, so about 18hrs on my 6lb tank, and about 30hrs on a 10lb. I should say that’s it constantly running, but if it cycles operating you will get more in terms of how long it will keep you warm.

 

Did you have any insulation on the tent portion? Can you please tell me what the thermostat was set at? I prefer to sleep at 65-70 but my wife will want it at 74 when she gets up for coffee. I upgraded to the digital t-stat hoping it will be more precise and save some arguments and propane. It's all mounted and gas line run. Just waiting on my Nomad to duct it up and fire it up.