1 Bored Clerk's Garage Built Camper

It looks awesome! Congraduations!

 

Thanks! It definitely sticks out in the parking lot at work.

 

That thing looks great! Awesome craftsmanship. Any idea how much the camper shell weighs?

 

Thanks! I’m guessing it’s close to 500lbs as it sits.

 

Wired up my 12v socket to the aux fuse block with the LVD. It works but cuts out within about 30 seconds of shutting the engine down. I’m not positive but I think my battery is just holding above the cutoff point for the LVD. The refrigerator draws enough power on initial startup and cooling that it pulls the battery quickly below the cutoff point. The battery has always started the truck with authority but it may be on the ragged edge of healthy. I have a group 31 AGM (have had it for probably 4 years now)...a group size that seems to be known to be hard to properly maintain. Anyway, I’ll likely go straight to dual batteries with something like a redarc manager 30 to handle the business of the batteries. I’ll probably also step down to a standard group battery for the stock location and use a group 35 for the aux battery. The group 31 is big and makes getting at the oil filter a little fussy.

Will be nice to solve the electrical problem but it’s a spendy problem to solve. I’ll take my time and put it all together correctly...over a few months I would bet. Maybe sooner?

 

Pop some fireworks.

 

I just pulled the trigger on an off grid engineering aux battery tray for the passenger side fender area. I also ordered up a factory OEM battery tray and hold down to replace my group 31 tray from PelfreyBilt. I’m going to go back to basic lead acid batteries: group 27f for the main battery and group 35 for the aux battery. I can always upgrade to AGMs of the same size in the future if I feel like I need to. For the cost of AGM vs lead acid though...maybe not worth it for me. We’ll see.

 

I have one of Matt's early dual battery kits in my Tacoma. Same side system with the Blue Sea Systems ML-ACR. It's been in there for three years now and I am very happy with it.

 

Nice! It looked like the best aux battery tray for my truck. Looked really well made and well thought out. Nice that it takes up a completely unused area under the hood. What two batteries are you running and have you had any issues keeping them charged? What accessories are you running and how often? Just curious...no need for a novel or anything.

 

No problem. Odyssey AGMs. I have to confess, no camp run accessories as of yet. Only led lighting, an ARB twin compressor, and a 12k winch. A refrigerator will go in at some point but as far as upcoming dual battery type things; probably some area lighting, constant power to bed and Tepui tent via existing sp8100.
Original plans included on board hot water system with pumps.

 

Great progress man! I’ve been following you since you started the DIY bumper. Glad to it finally on the truck.

On your batteries, I would swap the duty of each battery. Your current start battery would be the house and vice versa. This is so you can have the smaller batter just worry about starting the truck and the other with more capacity can power the camper.

 

Wait, so now that’s it’s on the truck, what are we all going to look forward too

 

Interior design and adventures

 

Just when you think you’re out

 

He reels you right back in

 

Electrical, rear view camera, awning, roof rack, surf rack, new sliders, interior, solar?, kitchen box buildout, and a pile of other stuff I’m sure. You’ll be stuck with me for quite some time!

 

I’m here for the old school camper curtains