New Four Wheel Camper owner

[Northern Explorer]

After staring at my computer screen for the last hour and a half I finally decided to put my order in for a Finch model Four Wheel Camper. I sold my Fleetwood Neon a few weeks ago. I’m sure the person who bought it will be very satisfied based on what he told me he was going to use it for. I know other people on here are building/have built up Neons for off road expedition type travel, but it just wasn’t for me.

These were my major gripes about the Neon:
First and foremost there is way to many steps involved to set the thing up. This is fine if you are going to set it up for a few days at a base camp and leave it up all weekend. But to have to set it up and break it down every single day all while donating a pint of blood to the local mosquito population just isn’t much fun. Another issue in regards to it needing to be popped up was the accessibility of gear. I could put a lot of gear in it but if I needed to access anything I had to take time to pop it up.

Second, it just isn’t made for off road travel. Larger tires and shocks could be added to help with this but in my opinion this is just a Band-Aid solution. I would rather spend my time and money dialing in the suspension/wheel setup on my truck. Another problem I had in regards to off road travel was all the dust that got inside the camper. This could probably be fixed with enough well placed caulk.

The third problem I had was the fact that in stock form it just had one bed and a slide out couch/bed. Everything else had to be added (countertop for sink and stove, water tank, heater, cooler). All of my additions were functional but everything had to be set up in order to be used.

For those of you that own a Neon I’m sure it can be made to work if you have the desire to do so. It wasn’t all-bad. Towing it (on road) was super easy. Light weight and no blind spots. Another plus was that it only took about a minute to hook it up to my truck. Just back up, set it on the hitch, connect the safety chains and plug in the wire. Putting the Finch on the truck is going to take a little more time and effort. Also, because it’s a trailer, it didn’t affect the load carrying capacity of the truck and you could really carry a lot of gear. The electric breaks were also nice even though it only weighed about 950 pounds. In comparison to the Finch, the second bed of the Neon was large enough to sleep an adult. Since it’s just my wife and myself, the queen size bed in the Finch will do just fine.

The only options I decided on for the Finch was the furnace, the auxiliary battery system with separator and the electric water pump. In the future I may add Yakima tracks, solar panel and an outside floodlight. I may also try to make or have made an arctic pack to insulate the side walls of the pop up area. I will also need to pick up some camper jacks and make a platform to store it on while it’s off the truck. (I am getting the full interior, not the shell model)

The reasons I didn’t get a Four Wheel Camper in the first place was that at the time the only option for my truck was the 5 foot Falcon model. Three things I didn’t like about the Falcon. 1. At the time, they were building it with a 6-foot ceiling. Just not enough head room. 2. It just seemed that it would have been a bit to small for two people to hang out in. 3. It could only be put on a truck with a 5-foot bed. I’ve seen one fitted to a truck with a 6-foot bed but it just didn’t look right on account that it could not be slid forward all the way because of the wheel wells. The Finch solves all of these problems with a 6’4” ceiling height, slightly larger interior with a better layout, and it can be fitted to a truck with a 6-foot bed. In fact, my ideal setup would be 05+ Tacoma access cab and Finch (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13533) with a swing out bumper. For now I will live with it hanging out the back of my truck approximately 10 inches. Can’t wait to pick it up in about 2 months.:D

[lqhikers]

You will love it.their are a lot of ideas floating around to tweek it for your needs!
Look into air bags or springs you will need them over stock set up!After that its just fun,fun fun.
Drive slow and enjoy "its the journey"
Les Lqhikers

[VikingVince]

WAY TO GO...you're going to enjoy the FWC immensely.
Question: How come the Finch model isn't on the FWC website or is it slang for one of their bird-named models?

[Northern Explorer]

WAY TO GO...you're going to enjoy the FWC immensely.
Question: How come the Finch model isn't on the FWC website or is it slang for one of their bird-named models?

The Finch is the newest model and they just haven't gotten around to putting it up on the web site yet. They said they were waiting till they had a few pictures with it mounted on a truck first. Also, they are no longer going to produce the Falcon. The Finch is more or less it's replacement.

btw...One other option I seriously thought about was the Flip Pac based mainly on the tricked out setup you have. One of the reasons I went with the FWC is because toppers are very specific as to what truck they fit on. I wanted something that would fit future trucks that I may purchase of yet to be determined make or model.

[VikingVince]

.

btw...One other option I seriously thought about was the Flip Pac bases mainly on the tricked out setup you have. One of the reasons I went with the FWC is because toppers are very specific as to what truck they fit on. I wanted something that would fit future trucks that I may purchase of yet to be determined make or model.

thanks...:wavey:...I went with the Flippac b/c I got it for $700!! I really enjoy it but you made a good choice. My next rig will very likely be a FWC.

[kcowyo]

Congratulations NE - great news! :jumping:

I think the Finch is the perfect size for trucks with the 5' bed. The Falcon was just too darned small.

Did FWC give you an idea on the turn-around time? I recently heard they're only about 5 weeks out on new orders, which should be perfect timing for you and the summer season.

Sounds like you went with some nice options. The exterior light is a nice feature. I only need it every now and then but it's nice to have. I'm wishing I had the Fantastic Fan 12v roof vent after seeing one recently at a trade show. Do they not still offer the manual jacks? I have them and they work well. Not fast, but well.

We'll look forward to seeing pics of it in your area soon. I'm really looking forward to bringing mine to the Great Lakes region this Fall. Congrats again. You made the right call. It's a whole different ballgame when you're rolling with a FWC.


:beer:

[Northern Explorer]

Congratulations NE - great news! :jumping:

I think the Finch is the perfect size for trucks with the 5' bed. The Falcon was just too darned small.

Did FWC give you an idea on the turn-around time? I recently heard they're only about 5 weeks out on new orders, which should be perfect timing for you and the summer season.

Sounds like you went with some nice options. The exterior light is a nice feature. I only need it every now and then but it's nice to have. I'm wishing I had the Fantastic Fan 12v roof vent after seeing one recently at a trade show. Do they not still offer the manual jacks? I have them and they work well. Not fast, but well.

We'll look forward to seeing pics of it in your area soon. I'm really looking forward to bringing mine to the Great Lakes region this Fall. Congrats again. You made the right call. It's a whole different ballgame when you're rolling with a FWC.


:beer:

They said it would take closer to two months on account that they have to have enough campers to fill their delivery truck for the trip to Wisconsin. There is also somewhat of a hefty charge to get it here but I don't have to pay the California sales tax.

I may add the fan at a later time. As for the jacks, I think they still offer the ones you are talking about. I just wanted to keep the weight down as much as I could and I could do without the extra cost.

upcruiser and I might be planning a summer ExPo get together.:campfire: I'm really slow this year getting my summer trip schedule figured out so I don't know when we are going to host it or if I can even be part of it yet. Let one of us know if you plan on coming up this way on your great lakes tour.

[upcruiser]

Congrats! I can't wait to get to check it on in person. This might be a route I go with the Tundra but I've yet to see a FWC up close.

[Northern Explorer]

:cool: My camper on the Four Wheel camper web site (http://www.fourwh.com/finch.htm)

and here (http://www.fourwh.com/finchphotogallery.htm)

and here with dead pigon still stuck in the grill (http://www.fourwh.com/finchmodel.pdf)

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/triptogetcamper006.jpg

[chnlisle]

Looks like a finch to me.

[chnlisle]

Goldmine camp is on the San Juan River near Bluff Utah. Might be headed there first week in August.
Heres the lat & long:
37.242133,-109.629843

[Northern Explorer]

New Lights

I got this idea from reading this thread (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1070)over at the Wander The West forum.

I decided to replace the 12-volt incandescent bulbs with 36-LED cards.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Airliftandled025.jpg

I decided to do this for two main reasons. First, less amp draw means the battery will last longer between charges. I’m not sure what the amp rating is for the original incandescent bulbs, or for the led pack, but the web site that supplies the led packs (http://jclampstand.com/index.php?md=products&category=rvtrailer) claim them to be 900% more efficient. And second, the led packs give off much less heat. This is important because of the way the sidewall material sits up against the lamp when the roof is in the down position. There have been occasions when a lamp has either been left on accidentally or the switch has been bumped into the on position and a hole was burned into the sidewall material.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/ledlighting.jpg

There are two different choices in color output. Cool White and Warm White. I wasn’t sure which one I was going to like so I just ordered one warm white bulb. There are a total of 4 bulbs on the inside of my camper.

This picture shows the original incandescent bulb on the left and the warm white 36-led card on the right.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Airliftandled026.jpg

Even after the comparison I still wasn't sure if I liked the color output or brightness so I ended up ordering one more warm white led pack and two cool white led packs.

Here are some more comparison photos I took after the shipment arrived.

Incandescent on left...Cool White on right
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/ledlighting004.jpg

Cool White on left...Warm White on right
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/ledlighting002.jpg

I decided to put both Cool White led packs over the countertop area and both Warm White led packs over the couch area.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/ledlighting006.jpg

In summery I would say that the Cool White appear to have a light spectrum resembling fluorescent lights and the Warm White appear to have a light spectrum more closely resembling natural (or at least incandescent) light. Neither one is as bright as the incandescent bulbs that came with the camper, but the cool white appear to be slightly brighter. Either the Cool White or the Warm White would be sufficiently bright enough to light the inside of the camper considering it is such a small space and there are four lights.

One thing I noticed was that the second Warm White led pack I ordered has a slightly different light output then the first.

Original order on right...second order on left
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/ledlighting005.jpg

This could probably be avoided by ordering all of the led packs at the same time thus insuring they are made in the same batch.

One more thing to consider. The shipping was the same when I ordered one led pack as it was when I ordered three led packs.

[kcowyo]

And so the fun begins.... :lurk:

[chnlisle]

You're gonna love'm.

[Northern Explorer]

The internet that is. Truck Camper Magazine (http://www.truckcampermagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=534&Itemid=34)
:D

[Northern Explorer]

My camper came equipped with an exterior light but I wanted to add one that could be switched on from the inside. I added something similar to my Fleetwood Neon when I had it. It comes in handy for viewing critters and other things that go bump in the night.

The first thing I looked for was a place to mount it. I decided to mount it underneath the cab over bed. Then I had to figure out a clean way to run the wire. The driver’s side ended up working out the best.

I pulled out this drawer to take a look inside
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight001.jpg

and found this unused coil of wire.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight002.jpg

Four Wheel Campers has listed that all campers come pre wired for a furnace, refrigerator, power roof vent fan, solar panel and electric water pump weather you order these options or not. I don’t think this wire belongs to any of those. My best guess would be that it’s for an optional stereo. So my initial plan was to use this wire. The problem is that the wires are not hot and I couldn’t trace back all the way to see where the other end is in order to hook it up to the fuse box. I ended up just running fresh wire, which really wasn’t a problem anyway.

I plugged into the location marked stereo on the fuse box.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight004.jpg

Front of fuse box with cove removed.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight009.jpg
The fuse box itself has to be pulled out slightly in order to access all the wire connections.

Now for the light.

I purchased a fog light that I thought would look good in the location that I picked out. In hindsight this should have been a floodlight but the fog light should be fine for the limited use that I have planned for it.

One modification was required. Normally the head of the bolt sits inside the light housing and the nut is on the outside. This wouldn’t work on account that the bolt would have been sticking up into the area where the slide out bed sits. I purchased a carriage bolt and lock nut and cut the bolt to just the right size. I also had to make an adapter out of a large wooden dowel rode so that the backwards-facing nut wouldn’t crush the light housing.

Carriage bolt location under the slide out portion of the bed.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight011.jpg

Wooden adapter
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight014.jpg

Put together
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight015.jpg

Final results (side)
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight023.jpg

Final results (front)
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight024.jpg

Location of switch
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/camperoutsidelight026.jpg

[Northern Explorer]

A couple of updates

Hoppy RV levels

Takes the guess work out of RV leveling.
Marks indicate how many inches are required to raise or lower RV.
Self-sticking adhesive back.
Screw holes available for permanent mounting
They come 2 per package.

I picked them up at Walmart.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/G_24205G_CL_1.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/levelandfan004.jpg

Fan-Tastic vent
I could have ordered a Fan-Tastic vent as an option from Four Wheel Camper. At the time I didn’t think I would ever need it. Then we decided to go to North Caroline for our summer overland trip. A little airflow in the camper should really help on a hot July night down south. There are three choices in fans. Model 4000 R, Model 5000RBT and Model 6000 RBTA. I went with the middle of the road 5000 RBT (http://www.fantasticvent.com/products/model_5000/model_5000.html). I’m not sure what model Four Wheel Camper provides as an option.

The installation was super easy. The camper is already wired to accommodate the powered fan. I just had to remove the vent that came with the camper and drop the new vent fan in place. The hardest part of the whole job was removing all the caulk and putty gasket that held the original vent in place. I was even able to reuse the interior frame that came with the original vent. The interior frame of the Fan-Tastic vent would have needed to be custom cut in order to fit the thickness of my roof.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/levelandfan006.jpg

The only thing that I need to be careful about is the height of the dome. It sticks up a couple of inches higher then the dome on the original vent in order for there to be room for the electric motor.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/levelandfan010.jpg


And yes I've been out camping. This is a picture of our likely camping spot for the U.P. Overland outing that upcruiser and I are organizing.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/KeweenawPeninsulaScouting015.jpg

[Jacket]

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/KeweenawPeninsulaScouting015.jpg

Beautiful!

[T.Low]

That's one sweet unit. Congrats and well done.


I agree 100% with the set-up break-down time issue. It just increases the mobility factor. So many times we drive and stop for hikes or rides, then end up driving till we're tired and just want to hit a clearing, park, and go to sleep. Thats why I ordered a pop top for the van.

Sweet rig. If I ever get rid of the van, I will get a FWC for my pick-up. (heck, if I find one for $700 I'd get it too!)

[Prybry]

You mounted the levels on the outside of the camper... could you also mount them inside the truck some where so you could identify a level camp spot while driving the truck? I suppose they would look kind of hokey right on the dash!:smilies27

[Northern Explorer]

You mounted the levels on the outside of the camper... could you also mount them inside the truck some where so you could identify a level camp spot while driving the truck? I suppose they would look kind of hokey right on the dash!:smilies27

You probably could. Something like this I guess. (http://4x4icon.com/offroad/lev-o-gage/index.htm)

The main reason I put them outside is I could mount them flush up against the corner rail thus ensuring the levels themselves are level. I kind of like how they look there anyway but I see what you mean about having them inside.

[kcowyo]

This is a picture of our likely camping spot for the U.P. Overland outing that upcruiser and I are organizing.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/KeweenawPeninsulaScouting015.jpg


Since I'll be out that way a month or so after the U.P. adventure, I really, really hope you'll share that location with me....

Nice job on the Fan-Tastic vent fan. That's the upgrade I've been telling myself I really need to do.

[Stan@FourWheel]

the red & black wires you found are for the solar panel (pre-wired)

they won't be "hot"

you will only be able to see them in the cabinet and maybe behind
the front wooden lift panel

hope this helps


================================================== =====

you wrote:

<<< Four Wheel Campers has listed that all campers come pre wired for a furnace, refrigerator, power roof vent fan, solar panel and electric water pump weather you order these options or not. I don’t think this wire belongs to any of those. My best guess would be that it’s for an optional stereo. So my initial plan was to use this wire. The problem is that the wires are not hot and I couldn’t trace back all the way to see where the other end is in order to hook it up to the fuse box. I ended up just running fresh wire, which really wasn’t a problem anyway. >>>




.

[Northern Explorer]

I decided to pick up a Thetford Porta Potti in an effort to further enable self-reliant backcountry camping.

I looked into the pett toilet system but the similarities between the Thetford and the real thing will go over much better with my wife.

I had three model choices that would fit in the small space that was designed to hold a porta potti. Model 135 (http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PRODUCTS/PortableToilets/PortaPotti135/tabid/163/Default.aspx), Model 135 Marine (http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PRODUCTS/PortableToilets/PortaPotti135Marine/tabid/96/Default.aspx)and Model 735 Marine (http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PRODUCTS/PortableToilets/PortaPotti735Marine/tabid/158/Default.aspx). The model I chose was the 735 Marine. It has a 2.6 gallon fresh water tank and a 2.6 gallon black water tank. The marine version is designed for a boat (obviously) and comes with brackets that enable you to secure it to the floor. In my case these are not being used because the storage space that Four Wheel Campers designed is extremely tight and holds the porta potti in place even on the roughest roads. In addition the porta potti will need to be pulled out from the storage area when it is used and having it bolted to the floor would make this impossible. The main reason I chose the 735 Marine version is because unlike the 135 model it comes with a black water tank level gauge and it has a piston pump rather then a bellows pump. I searched the Thetford web page on information regarding the differences between the piston pump and the bellows pump but couldn't find any. I got the impression that the piston pump was better because it is offered only on the higher priced models.

"What the hell is this???"
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/aug2nd003.jpg

Top removed showing drain spout and storage area for chemicals
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/aug2nd005.jpg

Tight fit in camper
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/aug2nd008.jpg

[Northern Explorer]

I couldn't wait any long for spring to arrive. I had to get some work done on the camper.

I originally ordered my camper with just the ice box thinking that this would be sufficient for my needs. After only a few trips out with the camper I decided that I would be much better off with an actual refrigerator.

These were my issues with the ice box:
1. On bumpy roads, ice would bounce out of the ice tray and land on the floor of the ice box. As the ice melted the water would run onto the floor of my camper.

2. On hot days (noticeable mostly on my NC trip) the ice would quickly melt leaving me looking for a fresh supply of ice. Early on I tried to remedy this by purchasing a small Rubbermaid type container that would sit on top of the ice tray for storing additional ice. This helped a lot with extending the lifespan of the ice but now because there was so much room taken up by ice there wasn't as much room left for food.

3. My last issue with the ice box is it just wasn't that great at keeping food cold. If I placed the food item directly on the ice it would stay nice and cold but anything placed on the floor of the ice box didn't have much of a life expectancy. On two occasions I had milk spoil. One time was on the NC trip. To be fair it was smoldering hot out. Even with the ice tray full it just wasn't enough to keep perishables from spoiling. The second time I had milk spoil was much later in the year when I was running the furnace. After removing the ice box I fired up the furnace to see if there was any heat making it's way up through to the ice box area. Sure enough, a warm spot developed just above the furnace which is where the ice box sits. I plan on adding a layer of insulation to keep the hot side hot and the cold side cold.

Ok...back to my new refrigerator.

FWC pre plumbs the ice box area with 12 volts and a propane supply for the installation of a three way refrigerator. I decided that I was going to go with a 12 volt only refrigerator.

Reasons for 12 volt only.

1 doesn’t have to be level
2 compressor refrigeration
3 my battery bank will recharge as I drive where as my propane will eventually run out

I wanted to go with a refrigerator that was very similar in size to the existing ice box. This would make retrofitting much easier. After much research I ordered a Waeco RPD 50 from this web site (http://www.93longitude.com/warefrbuin.html). What I got was the Dometic tj18 (http://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas/USA/Truck/Refrigerators-Freezers/Products/?productdataid=74841). After doing some research I found out that they both had the same Danfoss BD35F compressor and the inside of the tj18 was minutely larger than the RPD 50. I didn't want to go through the hassle of shipping it back so I just decided to keep it.

Work so far.

I replaced the black door panel with the salvaged wood face door panel from the original ice box. Some cutting was required for proper fitment.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods002.jpg

Inside
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods005.jpg

Tiny freezer
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods006.jpg

I have also put an extra layer of Reflectix Insulation (bubble wrap tin foil) to the outside in an effort to make it even more efficient. I used double stick carpet tape to stick it on and tin foil tape on the corners to really seal it up.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods014.jpg

The dometic web site is saying 3.2 amps at 12 volts but the sticker is saying 2.74 amps at 12 volts. I'll have to measure it to find out for myself.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods008.jpg

The rest of the install will come later this spring when it warms up. I still need to cut holes on the outside of my camper for the vents, frame in the refrigerator, and fit the second battery that I have on order.

[slooowr6]

Does your camper come with the space for Porta Potti or you modify the lower storage area to create the space? I'm planning to add a porta potti to my camper but can't figure out once I cut the storage area how to support the bench. Is there any support at the end of the bench in your camper I see there is some aluminum bracket in the picture.

Thx
Alex

[Northern Explorer]

Does your camper come with the space for Porta Potti or you modify the lower storage area to create the space? I'm planning to add a porta potti to my camper but can't figure out once I cut the storage area how to support the bench. Is there any support at the end of the bench in your camper I see there is some aluminum bracket in the picture.

Thx
Alex

The space for the porta potti was already built in. Hope these pictures help.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/levelandfan002.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/levelandfan005.jpg

[slooowr6]

I really wish ATC has the seat back bracket setup. Thanks for the picture it really help me to figure out how to modify my camper!

[Prybry]

I decided to pick up a Thetford Porta Potti in an effort to further enable self-reliant backcountry camping.

I looked into the pett toilet system but the similarities between the Thetford and the real thing will go over much better with my wife.

I had three model choices that would fit in the small space that was designed to hold a porta potti. Model 135 (http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PRODUCTS/PortableToilets/PortaPotti135/tabid/163/Default.aspx), Model 135 Marine (http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PRODUCTS/PortableToilets/PortaPotti135Marine/tabid/96/Default.aspx)and Model 735 Marine (http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PRODUCTS/PortableToilets/PortaPotti735Marine/tabid/158/Default.aspx). The model I chose was the 735 Marine. It has a 2.6 gallon fresh water tank and a 2.6 gallon black water tank. The marine version is designed for a boat (obviously) and comes with brackets that enable you to secure it to the floor. In my case these are not being used because the storage space that Four Wheel Campers designed is extremely tight and holds the porta potti in place even on the roughest roads. In addition the porta potti will need to be pulled out from the storage area when it is used and having it bolted to the floor would make this impossible. The main reason I chose the 735 Marine version is because unlike the 135 model it comes with a black water tank level gauge and it has a piston pump rather then a bellows pump. I searched the Thetford web page on information regarding the differences between the piston pump and the bellows pump but couldn't find any. I got the impression that the piston pump was better because it is offered only on the higher priced models.

"What the hell is this???"
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/aug2nd003.jpg

Top removed showing drain spout and storage area for chemicals
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/aug2nd005.jpg

Tight fit in camper
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/aug2nd008.jpg

After hearing about the differences between the 135 and 735, I would have liked the 735 better... the tank level gauge is a nice feature!

One thing I did to improve the comfort on mine was to build a 6" high box out of 1" lumber and plywood... just big enough to nest the unit in. When you use it you flip the box over and set the unit on top to make it taller (more like a real toilet) much better for long legs!:)

Not sure the spot in the 4WD camper would let you do this, it seems pretty tight.

[Northern Explorer]

That's a good idea you have there. It definitely sits low to the ground. Unfortunetly there would be no space for that in my camper.

[Stan@FourWheel]

Hey Northern Explorer


are you sure you even need the exterior vents cut on the outside of your four wheel camper for that particular refrigerator ??

most of the "12v only" compressor refrigerators I have seen, and that we have installed here in the shop, don't require exterior vents to be cut in the side of the camper (they usually cool to the inside of the camper).

you might be able to save yourself some time, hassle, and $$.

Try calling Chicali in our shop when you have time and ask him what they are doing.

If your refrigerator has a "propane" mode then you will need to vent it for sure ! But if it is only 12V, you might not need to.

They are open Monday - Friday 8:00am - 3:30pm (California Time)

800-242-1442

Ask for Chicali


=================================================



The rest of the install will come later this spring when it warms up. I still need to cut holes on the outside of my camper for the vents, frame in the refrigerator, and fit the second battery that I have on order.





.

[Northern Explorer]

Hey Northern Explorer


are you sure you even need the exterior vents cut on the outside of your four wheel camper for that particular refrigerator ??

most of the "12v only" compressor refrigerators I have seen, and that we have installed here in the shop, don't require exterior vents to be cut in the side of the camper (they usually cool to the inside of the camper).

you might be able to save yourself some time, hassle, and $$.

Try calling Chicali in our shop when you have time and ask him what they are doing.

If your refrigerator has a "propane" mode then you will need to vent it for sure ! But if it is only 12V, you might not need to.

They are open Monday - Friday 8:00am - 3:30pm (California Time)

800-242-1442

Ask for Chicali


=================================================








.

I've been going back and forth on this.

pros and cons

Venting to the outside:

1. Better venting because wind while driving will create air flow over condenser.

2. If I vent to the inside I would essentually be venting from a small dead air space to a large dead air space assuming my windows, doors and vents were closed.

3. In hot weather I would be venting the heat to the outside of the camper.

4. In cold weather I would have the benefit of the cold outside air cooling the condenser.

Venting to the inside:

1. No outside vents means less chance of water or dust getting into the camper.

2. No cuts are perminant since I would only be cutting wood and I can easily replace wood.

3. The outside vents I have are super flimsy.

I am probably overthinking this. I am leaning toward having the vents on the inside. I really don't think this refrigerator gives off that much heat anyway. The installation instructions say I only need 50 square inches of venting. This is the same recommendation for some of the larger units.

[Northern Explorer]

After weighing all the options, venting to the inside wins out.

It was a nice sunny weekend here in the lower 50's. Time to work on the camper.

I went to Menards and purchased two indoor vents that would fit the job nicely. The actual vent opening measures 2 inches by 10 inches. Using two of these vents puts me just under the Dometics suggestion of having 50 square inches of venting. To remedy this I went to Radio Shack and purchased a small cooling fan that runs off 12 volts. When I got it home I realized that it's the exact same fan that Dometic has mounted on the back of my refrigerator but manufactured under the Radio Shack brand name.


This refrigerator is a little more narrow then the original ice box. The extra space left room for one of the vents. Some trimming was required. You can also see the 12 volt outlet I installed. FWC already comes pre-wired for 12 volts in this area for an optional 3 way refrigerator. I just had to add the 12 volt outlet and install a fuse in the fuse box.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods027.jpg


A little extra insulation down below. I started with a piece of foam insulation that I salvaged from the ice box door but it ended up being just a little to thick to fit the refrigerator in.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods028.jpg


Showing the placement of the exhaust fan that I purchased at Radio Shack. The vent opening is a little to thin for the fan but there still seemed to be plenty of air flow. I wired the fan up in parallel with the existing refrigerator fan so that they both turn on and off at the same time. The amp draw for this fan is only .16 amps.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods024.jpg

The end results. Not to shabby looking :) I purchased a cheap indoor outdoor digital thermometer from Wal-Mart in order to keep an eye on the refrigerator temperature. I mounted it on Velcro so I can take it into the cab of the truck when I'm driving.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/FWCmods034.jpg

[ScottBailey]

Anxiously waiting to find out what actual power consumption for the refer is....

I'm seriously considering dumping my 3 way for DC only with Solar.

[Bella PSD]

I think with the Danfoss compressor, this fridge will have the same consumption as my 12v Norcold 60L. I am still thinking this is the way I should go as far as fridge set up. I will be waiting on results as well.

[Northern Explorer]

I am hopeful that the power consumption will be low. The biggest problem with this type of refrigerator is that every time you open the door, all the cool air basically falls out. I think a chest style/top load design (like this (http://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas/USA/Marine/Refrigerators/Refrigeration/?productdataid=74761)) would be better. The one I chose was an easy retrofit.

[Northern Explorer]

Idea stolen from DLN over at the Wander the West forum. See his write-up here (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1302&page=4) (post # 35).

I figured if the Earthroamer XV-JP shower looks like this,

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/EarthRoamerJeepShower.jpg
Picture thanks to cshontz

then this setup isn’t going to be too bad.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Indoorshower006.jpg

The two main differences between this setup and the Earthroamer setup is that the Earthroamer has a shower pan built into the floor and a built in water heater.

This setup consists of a Sterilite tote that will need to be emptied after each use. A small kettle is used to heat water over the stove. The very hot water is then mixed with cool water in a Reliance water jug to get just the right temperature. I plan on picking up a thermometer to make this easier.

Picture showing Reliance 7 gallon jug, kettel used for heating the water and the Reliance shower plugged into the 12 volt outlet.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Indoorshower001.jpg

A Reliance 12 volt shower is used which plugs right into the 12 volt outlet that came standard on my FWC. The shower nozzle has a spray adjuster that enables you to increase or decrease the amount of water being used. I decided to use zip ties to position the switch next to the showerhead to enable the water to be completely turned off to save water.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Indoorshower002.jpg

I used bungee cord and twine to hang the shower curtain from the ceiling of the camper. I could not for the life of me figure out how one shower curtain was used in DLN's example. I ended up overlaping two 72" curtains. To take it down, all I have to do is slide the bungee cords off the ends of the wood supports.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Indoorshower005.jpg

Everthing breaks down and fits into the Sterilite tote.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Indoorshower008.jpg

I plan on getting a 4 gallon jug instead of the 7 gallon jug in order to make a little more room in the tote when everything is stored away. Also, 7 gallons is way more water then what's required for two people to take an efficient camp shower. I am going to drill some large holes in the top of the tote so it can air out a bit when not in use.

So why didn't I just get an outside shower enclosure?
1: air temperature can be regulated inside.
2: no insects inside
3: a little more privacy

Things that could go wrong.
1: catastrophic water leak inside
2: damage from humidity...notice I located the shower directly below the roof vent in order to minimize this

Now FWC just needs to come up with a built in shower pan :)

[upcruiser]

Wow! That looks slick! Nice work, the touches that you've added to that FWC are pretty impressive. I'm getting camper envy. As tough as I like to think I am, that is looking pretty darn nice. Where do you store that setup during transport and when set up to camp?

[Northern Explorer]

Wow! That looks slick! Nice work, the touches that you've added to that FWC are pretty impressive. I'm getting camper envy. As tough as I like to think I am, that is looking pretty darn nice. Where do you store that setup during transport and when set up to camp?

If we don't have the dog with us it will just go in the back seat of the crew cab. Otherwise it would just store on the floor of the camper while in transit and then in the back seat at night. I was thinking about taking out the back seat for the summer in order to increase storage while traveling. We'll see...to much going on right now.

[Northern Explorer]

Big upgrade to the electrical system. I purchased a second Interstate 75 amp hour AGM battery (http://www.interstatebatteries.com/cs_estore/content/product_info/specs/dcm0075.pdf), along with an Xpower 1750 watt inverter (http://www.dcpower-systems.com/uploads/products/22158_1.pdf).

I know you're not supposed to mix old and new batteries together, but my original was only a year old, never had a deep discharge, and was kept on a trickle charger all winter. It's as close to new as a one year old battery can get.

Original location of single 75 amp hour battery
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/ledlighting013-1.jpg

In this location the battery took up a lot of storage space. Also, each battery weighs in at about 54 pounds. My idea was to have the new location as far forward as possible and in a place that would allow this space to be used for storage of other items.

Components of the build
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery015.jpg

Frame for battery box in new location
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery012.jpg

I was a little hesitant about putting the batteries in this location because I wasn't sure if I wanted to give up floor space on the second smallest truck camper on the market. I have come to realize that elbow and shoulder room is more important and I hardly even realized it was there on our test trip this weekend.

I had to make a slight modification to one of the cabinet doors in order for it to swing open.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery008.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery006.jpg

The end result (Pay no attention to the cluster of DC wires. I plan on upgrading to the proper size, color and length in the near future)
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery001.jpg

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery005.jpg

Remote switch and ac outlet
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/Inverterandsecondbattery004.jpg

[YourMileageMayVary]

Just wanted to send you a quick thank you for posting your build and your mods. It's great to see you adapting your FWC for your needs and sharing your ideas with the community.

It's also wonderful to see Stan at FWC helping you after the sale!

I'm looking forward to reading more about your project.

[Northern Explorer]

Just wanted to send you a quick thank you for posting your build and your mods. It's great to see you adapting your FWC for your needs and sharing your ideas with the community.

It's also wonderful to see Stan at FWC helping you after the sale!

I'm looking forward to reading more about your project.

Thanks....I'm just down to a few last minor details now (I think). So far everything has worked out great and I'm planning on another short camping trip next weekend.

[JetMech]

Looking good!!...... here's another option for your shower setup. I have always used a solar shower bag but this looks like a good option to keep mama happy.

http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/product/0006339512343a.shtml

[Northern Explorer]

Looking good!!...... here's another option for your shower setup. I have always used a solar shower bag but this looks like a good option to keep mama happy.

http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/product/0006339512343a.shtml

Thanks for the link. I looked into that unit. A friend has one. It's nice but it wasn't for me.

[Northern Explorer]

Digital thermostat
I purchased a digital thermostat in an effort to minimize temperature swings and also to more precisely set the temperature. The old analog thermostat just had a series of lines (no numbers) to set the temperature to. There also seemed to be a wide temperature swing with the old thermostat. The furnace wouldn’t turn on until the temperature was quite cold and then by the time it turned off I felt like I was sitting in a kiln. Both problems seemed to have been significantly minimized when I tested it out. It’s been to warm around here to give it a thorough test. I believe part of the problem is that the furnace heats the air faster than the thermostat can read the temperature change. By the time the furnace shuts off the thermostat temperature reading will continue to go up for at least another three degrees. I think having a less powerful furnace would solve this problem. But that’s just a guess.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/fwcupgrades020.jpg

One pound tank adapter
Twenty pound propane tank trade-ins are popping up all over the place now. Wal-Mart, gas stations, grocery stores, hardware stores all have them now. Unfortunately this doesn’t help me. The tank I have is a horizontal mount tank. If it runs dry I will need to get it refilled. My solution was to get a one pound tank adapter and to just carry a couple of smaller tanks that I can use until I am able to find a place to fill up my twenty pound tank.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/fwcupgrades011.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/fwcupgrades015.jpg

Mounting points
I decided to reinforce my bolt through mounting points by placing a 2 inch wide by 3/16 piece of steel on the underside of my truck bed. It extends from the driver’s side front bolt to the passenger’s side front bolt and then another 5 inches on each side. I only have this on the front for now. To further minimize creaking and minor shifting noises I decided to use turnbuckles for a fifth and sixth mounting point. This is probably overkill but it has eliminated 99.9% of all unwanted noises/shifting.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/fwcupgrades001.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/fwcupgrades023.jpg
I know the S hooks aren't the strongest options but as a redundent mounting point it should work just fine.

[Northern Explorer]

I've had a few people ask about my wind fairing. I used a piece of scrap 1/2 inch plywood. It measures 48 inches by 11 inches. Since I used scrap wood, 11 inches was as tall as I could make it. It's attached to a Yakama crossbar using 3 U-bolts with fairing stirps acting as extra bracing. I then coated it with spray can bed liner.

If I was to make it again I would make it about 15 inches tall so that it extends all the way up to the roof level. I would also consider coating it with fiberglass and maybe using thinner plywood.

I have never scientifically tested how much it helps with fuel economy. I would guess about a 1 mpg increase in mileage. In addition to the gas mileage benefit, it also helps deflect branches to the roof of my camper rather then having them slide inbetween the cabover and the truck roof.

Here are a couple of pictures.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/expo2009001.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/expo2009002.jpg

[Kodachrome]

I just finished mine an hour ago, need to dull it down so it does not blind people at certain times of the day. It cost me about $180 in materials but looks nice, has storage and works great. I may or may not use the cut outs for if the latch access sings in cross or tail winds.

[Kodachrome]

The inners are made to store light items like my window cleaner...

[Northern Explorer]

That's nice. It should hold up a lot better then wood.

[ljb0904]

Great write-ups. Thanks for posting all your mods. You're giving me good ideas for my buildout.

Cheers!

[Northern Explorer]

Great write-ups. Thanks for posting all your mods. You're giving me good ideas for my buildout.

Cheers!

No problem.:)

[washington taco]

Latest updates?

[Northern Explorer]

Latest updates?

It’s up on saw horses with a big ugly tarp over it in my driveway waiting for spring to arrive. I might put some external foam board insulation on the lower part that’s hidden by the truck bed this spring when it warms up.

[Northern Explorer]

edit to original post on this subject

I decided to replace the outside light that I installed in post number 16 of this thread.

There were a few things I didn't like with my original light:
1. Used to much power (55 watts)
2. Single mounting point made it twist easy when hit by branches
3. Driving beam pattern was not good for lighing up the camping area
4. Was not waterproof

I ordered two LED flood lights (model #7790BM) from here (http://www.furneauxriddall.com/shop/acatalog/Marine_Deck_Lamps.html).
I installed one in the location of my original incandescent light.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC02978.jpg

I couldn't find a clean/hidden way to run the wire in the same location on the other side. So I decided to put it here instead.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC02975.jpg

Both Switches are to the right of the thermostat. I also installed a much needed towel rack.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC02982.jpg

I'm really happy with these lights. The flood beam pattern lights up the campsite evenly and they are super bright. At only 9 watts each that will really save on my batteries.

[Northern Explorer]

Propane Bay Insulation

I had a lot of bubble wrap insulation left over from my refrigerator project. Thought I would put it to good use.

Idea stolen from someone??? at Wander The West

It would be nice to have this insulated from the factory on the inside.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC03352.jpg

[Overland Hadley]

Looks good.

Ever feel the need to insulate the bottom wood section of the camper?

[Northern Explorer]

Haven't felt the need but you can never have to much insulation. I still have a lot of the same insulation left over so maybe.

[Jeff Wanamog]

I did the entire bottom and sides with 1/2" rigid foam. Make sure you purchase the correct adhesive. First picture was taken before it was completed.http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu15/ppijeff/Camper%20pics/IMGP0032.jpghttp://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu15/ppijeff/Camper%20pics/IMGP0033.jpg
Jeff

[Northern Explorer]

That looks good. I will seriously consider something like that.

[Deltarat]

edit to original post on this subject

I decided to replace the outside light that I installed in post number 16 of this thread.

There were a few things I didn't like with my original light:
1. Used to much power (55 watts)
2. Single mounting point made it twist easy when hit by branches
3. Driving beam pattern was not good for lighing up the camping area
4. Was not waterproof

I ordered two LED flood lights (model #7790BM) from here (http://www.furneauxriddall.com/shop/acatalog/LED_Work_Light.html#a7790BM_281_29).

I installed one in the location of my original incandescent light.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC02978.jpg

I couldn't find a clean/hidden way to run the wire in the same location on the other side. So I decided to put it here instead.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC02975.jpg

Both Switches are to the right of the thermostat. I also installed a much needed towel rack.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC02982.jpg

I'm really happy with these lights. The flood beam pattern lights up the campsite evenly and they are super bright. At only 9 watts each that will really save on my batteries.


Hey Northern, Tried your link for the flood lights (http://www.furneauxriddall.com/shop/acatalog/LED_Work_Light.html#a7790BM_281_29)
and get a 404 Not Found error. I really like the lights and would like to order
some for my camper. Could you possibly correct the link and re-post??

Thanks

[BobCat100]

http://www.furneauxriddall.com/shop/acatalog/Marine_Deck_Lamps.html

Towards end of the page.

[Northern Explorer]

http://www.furneauxriddall.com/shop/acatalog/Marine_Deck_Lamps.html

Towards end of the page.

Thanks, I fixed the link.

Deltarat
I ordered the two led lights from two different places. One from Furneaux Riddall and one from here (http://www.capitalinstruments.co.nz/oscom/product_info.php?products_id=4155).

One was $140.83 U.S. dollars with shipping and one was $172.10 U.S. dollars with shipping. I can't remember what web site was cheaper but I think it was the Furneaux Riddall one. I've been really happy with these lights.

[Deltarat]

Thanks, I fixed the link.

Deltarat
I ordered the two led lights from two different places. One from Furneaux Riddall and one from here (http://www.capitalinstruments.co.nz/oscom/product_info.php?products_id=4155).

One was $140.83 U.S. dollars with shipping and one was $172.10 U.S. dollars with shipping. I can't remember what web site was cheaper but I think it was the Furneaux Riddall one. I've been really happy with these lights.

Thanks Guys..I'll check both of the sources.

[Northern Explorer]

As others have done, I added an extra layer of insulation to the lower section of the camper.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC03541.jpg

I used foam board that blew out of a constuction site dumpster !!!SCORE ;). To attach the insulation I used 3M Polystyrene Foam Insulation Spray Adhesive #78. This stuff works great.

The bottom section of my camper is 39 inches wide. The distance between my wheel wells is 42 inches. The foam board that I found just happened to be 1 inch which made it a good fit.

Putting the camper back on my truck is my next job.

[Jeff Wanamog]

As others have done, I added an extra layer of insulation to the lower section of the camper.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC03541.jpg

I used foam board that blew out of a constuction site dumpster !!!SCORE ;). To attach the insulation I used 3M Polystyrene Foam Insulation Spray Adhesive #78. This stuff works great.

The bottom section of my camper is 39 inches wide. The distance between my wheel wells is 42 inches. The foam board that I found just happened to be 1 inch which made it a good fit.

Putting the camper back on my truck is my next job.

Make sure you cut some small pieces of foam and glue them to the back of the access panels to the tie downs. I even put some thin foam seal tape around where the panel seats against the side of the camper. This made a huge difference. I was getting a stream of cold air.
Jeff

[Northern Explorer]

Do your access pannels slide to the side or do then hinge up or down. Mine slide to the side so I'm not sure if I can put insulation on the back side and still have them open up.

[Jeff Wanamog]

Good point. I forgot to say how I did it.
Take the top channel out altogether. Take sticky backed velcro and run it along the top of the panel. That way you set the access panel with the foam backing into the bottom channel and then push the top into the velcro. I also made this change to the access panels because I did the dinette conversion.
Let me know if this didn't make sense and I will post pics.
Jeff

[Northern Explorer]

Thanks...I'll consider doing that.

[Overland Hadley]

As others have done, I added an extra layer of insulation to the lower section of the camper.


Nice work on the free insulation. :)

[Northern Explorer]

I couldn’t leave a job unfinished. I purchased a sheet of 1/2 inch insulation from Menards. The only mistake I made is I didn't realize until I had attached two pieces that the Owens Corning brand foam board has a protective plastic membrane that needs to be removed before gluing.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC03547.jpg

I left one half of a slot open for storage of the sink drain hose.

[1stDeuce]

So how is the solar/batteries/12v fridge thing working out?? I didn't see any install on solar panels yet, so I'm guessing right now you're just running the two batts for the fridge. I was thinking one battery would be ideal, as I'm trying to keep weight down, and perhaps a 25 watt solar panel to help out... should give about 2A in the CO sun... I can always start the truck for a little bit if the battery gets too low. I'll have the 12v supply from the truck on a relay so it will only charge when the truck is running. (Actually, I'll run the relay off the tail lights, since that won't require an extra wire to be run, and I always drive with the lights on anyway.)
Chris

[Northern Explorer]

So how is the solar/batteries/12v fridge thing working out?? I didn't see any install on solar panels yet, so I'm guessing right now you're just running the two batts for the fridge. I was thinking one battery would be ideal, as I'm trying to keep weight down, and perhaps a 25 watt solar panel to help out... should give about 2A in the CO sun... I can always start the truck for a little bit if the battery gets too low. I'll have the 12v supply from the truck on a relay so it will only charge when the truck is running. (Actually, I'll run the relay off the tail lights, since that won't require an extra wire to be run, and I always drive with the lights on anyway.)
Chris

You're right, I don't have solar. So far so good. As of right now I have no need for solar. Easily enough charge for 2 to 3 days (in one spot) with some furnace usage. And as you've said, If I run low on amps I can just start the truck for a quick charge.

[fishingchef]

Thanks for sharing all of your great work, I am just starting to plan on saving some money and buying a a FWC of my own, I live in MN and was wondering to how low of a temperature you have slept in your camper, would love to able to use while ice fsihing in the winter months. I 've slept comfortably in my truck cap setup to single digits w/out heat, so -0 temps seem realistic with a heated camper?
Thanks for sharing your progress I am really excited at how much more efficient one these campers will make my our weekend fishing trips/camping excursions. Until then all I can do is read everyones cool stuff on here, dream, and aborb info. Thanks

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Thanks for sharing all of your great work, I am just starting to plan on saving some money and buying a a FWC of my own, I live in MN and was wondering to how low of a temperature you have slept in your camper, would love to able to use while ice fsihing in the winter months. I 've slept comfortably in my truck cap setup to single digits w/out heat, so -0 temps seem realistic with a heated camper?
Thanks for sharing your progress I am really excited at how much more efficient one these campers will make my our weekend fishing trips/camping excursions. Until then all I can do is read everyones cool stuff on here, dream, and aborb info. Thanks

I've slept in mine at freezing temps. Since mine is a shell model, I don't have a hard mounted factory furnace. I use a small Mr Buddy heater. It worked so well on the low setting that I had to turn it off during the night. I commented to my friend Jack (LoCrwlin) about the lack of insulation and temps without the heater on. He said he has measured the difference between the inside and outside of his FWC and found the inside to be only a few degrees warmer than the outside temps.

[Northern Explorer]

Thanks for sharing all of your great work, I am just starting to plan on saving some money and buying a a FWC of my own, I live in MN and was wondering to how low of a temperature you have slept in your camper, would love to able to use while ice fsihing in the winter months. I 've slept comfortably in my truck cap setup to single digits w/out heat, so -0 temps seem realistic with a heated camper?
Thanks for sharing your progress I am really excited at how much more efficient one these campers will make my our weekend fishing trips/camping excursions. Until then all I can do is read everyones cool stuff on here, dream, and aborb info. Thanks

23 degrees Fahrenheit is the record low so far for me. The daytime temp. was well above freezing so there was no chance of any frozen water lines. The furnace had no problem keeping the camper warm. I plan on adding a layer of reflex insulation under the cab over section of the bed next summer. I've never felt the need for it but I have the stuff already and it's basically a weightless add on. Lance offers this as an option (http://www.lancecamper.com/truck-campers/images/insulated-bed-pad.jpg) so I figure it wouldn’t hurt to try.

[Northern Explorer]

First mod of the season.

I had enough insulation on hand to do the job in pieces but I decided to buy a new roll that was wide enough to cover the entire area in one piece. Cut to fit and taped it down with double sided carpet tape.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC03990.jpg

[tnt]

N.E.,
I tried a similar mod but the repeated sliding in and out of the bed extension tore up the reflectix. Do you use the slide out section of the bed at all? If so, how do you avoid this problem?

[Northern Explorer]

N.E.,
I tried a similar mod but the repeated sliding in and out of the bed extension tore up the reflectix. Do you use the slide out section of the bed at all? If so, how do you avoid this problem?

If it starts to be a problem I will look for some thin aluminum slats for the pullout to slide on.

[Northern Explorer]

I did the fan speed reduction mod today. I found that the speed of the Fan Tastic vent was a little too fast even at speed level 1. When cooking I just need a small amount of airflow to vent out the gasses. With the original setup all of the warm air in the camper would be sucked out in just a short time. To remedy the problem I spliced in a 4 ohm 10 watt resistor. (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=016-4)
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC03995.jpg

Here's a more detailed write-up. (http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/index.php?/topic/1329/) I just kept it as a three speed.

[1stDeuce]

A friend and I were just discussing the camp shower options... I mentioned your setup and we both looked it over again. He pointed out possibility #3 for failure mode: "Clumsy shower taker tips over, taking the whole mess with him --> Wet naked injured guy now in wet messy camper... :)

Are you using your shower setup? I just got back from Moab, where we used a sun shower one day, but it was kind of a pain, since we wanted a shower in the AM, and there wasn't as much sun, and then it's too low, even when hung from the roof of the camper. I'm thinking the 12v/water container I fill method might work out ok... Solar shower can warm the water, but using a pump to put it on me seems easier than gravity. :) I'm less concerned about cold weather, so I'll probably build an easy to assemble shower curtain that hangs off the outside of the camper. Steralite lids work great as the shower floor! :)

Not much new projects out of you this summer... Hope you're enjoying your setup!!
C

[Northern Explorer]

A friend and I were just discussing the camp shower options... I mentioned your setup and we both looked it over again. He pointed out possibility #3 for failure mode: "Clumsy shower taker tips over, taking the whole mess with him --> Wet naked injured guy now in wet messy camper... :)

Are you using your shower setup? I just got back from Moab, where we used a sun shower one day, but it was kind of a pain, since we wanted a shower in the AM, and there wasn't as much sun, and then it's too low, even when hung from the roof of the camper. I'm thinking the 12v/water container I fill method might work out ok... Solar shower can warm the water, but using a pump to put it on me seems easier than gravity. :) I'm less concerned about cold weather, so I'll probably build an easy to assemble shower curtain that hangs off the outside of the camper. Steralite lids work great as the shower floor! :)

Not much new projects out of you this summer... Hope you're enjoying your setup!!
C

We use the shower a lot. Even when we stay at campgrounds, sometimes there is no shower available and my wife and I both like to start our day with a shower. The biggest hassle is heating the water. This camper doesn't have a water heater so we use two pots on the stove to heat up about 4 gallons for the both of us.

I did one late season upgrade to my camper. As soon as I have internet at my house again I will upload some pictures.

[Northern Explorer]

On the last few camping trips we went on in 2012, we kept finding a small amount of water in the storage area directly under the sink. It took forever to figure out where the water was coming from. To make a long story short I found that the water was leaking out of the handle of the hand pump and making its way down through the hole that the pump is mounted in. I tried to fixing the problem by tightening the plastic nut located at the base of the handle but this only made the problem worse. I looked online for an exact replacement but reviews for this product were not very good. Some people had the same problem I had straight out of the package. My search for something else lead me to Whale Flipper Galley Pump (http://www.whalepumps.com/marine/product.aspx?Category_ID=10016&Product_ID=10023&FriendlyID=Whale-Flipper-Galley-Pump-hand-operated).

old on left new on right
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC04380.jpg

I ended up needing to make a couple of modifications in order to get everything to fit correctly. The first thing I needed to do was use a hole saw to cut the mounting hole in the countertop slightly larger. I first cut a plug to fit in the existing hole in order to hold the hole saw centered as I cut the new larger hole. Then I had to make an adapter out of brass fittings for the larger water supply line.

brass adapter
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC04388.jpg

I had hoped to mount the pump with the handle on the left (opposite of the original pump) in order for the faucet head to reach closer to the center of the sink. This didn't work because in this position the handle would hit the back wall when it was being pumped. With the handle on the right, the faucet head just barely cleared the edge of the sink and a lot of water ends up splashing on top of the counter. This was fixed by extending the faucet by placing a short section of hose over the end.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC04389.jpg

I have no idea if it works yet because I had to winterize my camper soon after installation.

[docdave]

Is that an electric water pump under the sink, and if so, why the hand pump?

[Northern Explorer]

Is that an electric water pump under the sink, and if so, why the hand pump?

You're right. Four Wheel Campers offers an electric pump as an option and the hand pump is standard. When they add the electric pump (not an on demand pump) the standard hand pump is also kept. This gives me the option of using one or the other. Hand pump to save on water and battery power and electric pump when more water flow is needed. Like when filling up large pots or bottles.

[JHa6av8r]

You're right. Four Wheel Campers offers an electric pump as an option and the hand pump is standard. When they add the electric pump (not an on demand pump) the standard hand pump is also kept. This gives me the option of using one or the other. Hand pump to save on water and battery power and electric pump when more water flow is needed. Like when filling up large pots or bottles.

The electric water pump FWC offers now is on demand. We don't have a hand pump.

[sheep1499]

Northeren like the shower mod alot!! but one thing that would make it even better, in my opinion to run a water hose attatchment on the lowest part of the containter sealed correctly and a water hose exit eather out the door or a small 1" hole in the back of the camper with a 90' added on the outside to drain all the water out! minimize chance of having a huge spill, allowes a second type of wash container for bigger items than the sink cannot contain and you dont have to dink with emptying it or worrying about it overflowing.

[Northern Explorer]

I've been trying to figure out, for some time now, a good way to carry extra gas. On my Labrador/Newfoundland trip (http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/46651-Trans-Labrador-Highway-and-other-places-of-interest-2010)a few years back I carried a 5 gallon jerry can on the roof of my truck using a homemade jerry can holder. There were two problems with this setup. First, I don't like to carry anything on my roof unless absolutely necessary and second, the can holder including the crossbars weighed in excess of 35 pounds.
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I like the way Overland Hadley did his Rear Mounted Jerry Can (http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=754840&postcount=182) but since I didn't order my camper with corner brackets (for jack mounting) I didn't have a good attachment point. I then read this this article (http://www.expeditionportal.com/adventures/83-in-progress-overland-journey/877-world-apprentice-rotopax-installation.html)about how a 4 gallon rotopax was mounted to the underside of the cabover and decided that this is what I was going to do.
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After receiving the can in the mail, I started having second thoughts about this mounting option. My first problem with the overcab mounting placement was that if it didn't work out or if I wanted to remove the can for whatever reason, I would be left with 8 bolt holes that I'm sure I could plug but it would never look as good as new. The second reason is that I'm really leery about carrying gas cans with the fill cap in a submerged position. Having said this I have not read anywhere about a rotopax leaking when placed on its side.
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This is what I came up with. Using 10"x1.25"x.25" corner brackets I mounted the can on the side of the camper. Some modifications to the corner brackets needed to be made in order to get everything to fit properly. I used 6 carriage bolts to attach the corner brackets to the bottom of the camper.
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http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC04444.jpg (http://s251.photobucket.com/user/NorthernExplorer/media/DSC04444.jpg.html)
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http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC04449.jpg (http://s251.photobucket.com/user/NorthernExplorer/media/DSC04449.jpg.html)
I cut the excess length of the bolts when everything was in place.
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg284/NorthernExplorer/DSC04454.jpg (http://s251.photobucket.com/user/NorthernExplorer/media/DSC04454.jpg.html)
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One good thing about this mounting position is I don't have to take it off the truck when I fill it up. (technically I think you are supposed to place all gas can on the ground when filling up to prevent the possibility of fire caused by static electric discharge)
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My second upgrade for the season was on my porch light. The one I had was starting to have problems so I ordered what appears to be the exact same model except this one came fitted with an aftermarket 21 LED "bulb" using only .32 amps at 357 lumes. Now I have 100% LED bulbs on my camper.

[BCHauler]

Your gas can mount is very innovative but do you have any concerns about off-road damage (ie tree branches, rocks etc)? I think I would be tempted to either change the location or provide some sort of cage.

[Northern Explorer]

This gas can is only 3 1/2 inches wide and it's spaced out from my truck a half inch for vibration clearance. So it really doesn't stick out that much. I will just have to be extra careful with tree and rock clearance. I can keep a good eye on it with my side view mirror.

[Overland Hadley]

I really like your mounting solution, good job!


Funny that you mention the holes on the underside of the cabover. I now have 26 holes under there and need to drill four more, hopefully I never take out the hardware!