Mini Camper build

I can't wait to see how you finish out the inside.

 

This is simply beautiful!

 

Thats going to be a problem. I have my idea of how the inside should be but the wife has a totally different idea. I am having a hard time convincing her that her idea is the wrong way and mine is right.

Thanx RC Jeep.

 

Bed and AC are all I'd want.

 

Well the exterior is done! Seems like a looong time ago when I started this.





The inside is done also. Just waiting on the smart charger and vented battery box to hook up all the AC/DC power. That will go under the bottom shelf and be hidden with wood work to match. Full size memory foam 9" thick mattress will cover 6' 6" of the floor and will be here Friday I hope. Then the mini is completely done.

 

That is a work of art! When I get a little more proficient at welding I think I will try something similar.

 

Wow. Really nice work dude. Wish I had that type of talent. Sweet. And BTW. The interior. My wants. A bed, AC, and a hot tub. I know a lot to ask for a small space. But it could work.....right. what did you get? And what did your Wife get? I'm sure there was a happy comprise.

 

Thanks Peter. I really had a lot of fun building this thing. If you were in the area i would love to be part of helping building another.

Bob, I just wanted to paint the inside white and throw a hide uh bed mattress in there and go.lol She wanted the stained walls, shelves and memory foam thing. Never slept on foam, but it sounds hot to me? It has the cool gel stuff but still cannot see foam not being hot? Anyone on here know if the cool gel works to keep foam from being hot?

I like the hot tub idea... maybe build a trailer to pull behind mini camper and put a hot tub in it. Then one for beer and ice.

 

I like the hot tub idea... maybe build a trailer to pull behind mini camper and put a hot tub in it. Then one for beer and ice. [/QUOTE]

WHAT......no room for beer and ice. Why would you spend all that time building that sweet camper And didn't make room for beer and ice. Lol. Looks like your going to have to build a beer trailer. Lol.

 

Hi JHB. So instead of building a trailer, I'm thinking of building a cab over. This way I can still easily trailer my jeep behind me. You can't touch a new one for under $20K, and I think I can build one for under $3k. I'm still a ways away from this project. I have a couple of jeeps to finish, and I need to start researching. I'll be picking your brain soon enough. I really like the way your trailer turned out. I hope that I can do as well. Do you have any finished pics with the trailer outfitted?

 

Have a buddy who is talking cab over on his trailer also. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may may have if I can. Cab over would be cool if you tow your rig. Theres so much cool stuff you can do with that during design. The hardest part for me was figuring out how to be able to use AC/DC at same time but not spend a fortune on doing. RV boxes and such make it easy but the price is crazy. But below is all the pictures I have of it finished right now. When the time comes if you need a specific picture for your build let me know and I will take one.

I am basically done the Mighty Mini...(wife named it, I like it lol) just have a few small finishing touches left. Waiting on battery, trim ring around the doors inside, and curtains but basically done.

Set it up beside the cabin and plugged into shore power so the wife and I could test it the other night.


Some shots of the inside. This is the mattress we went with https://www.amazon.com/Olee-Sleep-Layered-Matress-09FM01T/dp/B012JEG2AG?th=1 and its Pug approved. Theres only one Pug now, Brooky was put down for cancer last month. Kota in the photo is on pain pills from surgery so the mattress might not be as comfortable as he makes it look. lol I had to cut the mattress to size with a sharp butcher knife.



Set the lap top up and watched movies before turning in. All in all the test went well. Very comfy and cozy to sleep in. Had a electric fan running and actually got cold. The only problem I have is for us older guys peeing a couple times a night, its a little bit of a pain getting in and out on a foam mattress.



I wanted to be able to have shore power (AC) and not have to worry about plugging and unplugging the battery charger going from AC to DC and such or using both at the same time. There are a lot of ways to do this but for me this was the cheapest safe way to go. So I went with a smart charger/converter 45 amp http://www.progressivedyn.com/power_converters_9200.html I have a plug outside the camper and just plug the cord from an AC source in and battery charges while anything DC runs. Anything AC is plugged into one of the 2 leftover plugs on the yellow 3 plug adapter the charger plugs into. So I can run both AC/DC at same time if needed. When home just plug the Mighty Mini in and the battery is maintained till next use. No crawling in and out to hook up battery and charger. The little box on the wall is a fuse that all DC items run into. I have to run 8 Gauge wires from battery to charger and fuse block when it gets here and wiring is done.



After tons of research and reading expert documents on batteries I decided on this one. I am waiting on it to arrive. http://www.powerstridebattery.com/lifeline-gpl-27t-deep-cycle-agm-battery Its an AGM battery and only vents like 2% hydrogen gas a month and that includes during charge and discharge, so it can be used in cabin in a sealed but vented to atmosphere box. We camp a LOT and never are near shore power so the battery is very important, in a small hot box you want a fan running lol

I do have some future plans for like running plumbing for propane for my heater and such and have a thru wall plug for it so the tank can sit outside. I also have 2 carbon monoxide testers to mount inside and keep the top vent open at all times during use even without heater going. Not much air in there with 2 people sleeping 8 hours and camper closed up tight.

To cover the mechanical area at foot of bed I was gonna box it in but wife came up with a good idea of just using a cafe style curtain and rod to cover it. It would also make easy access to the area just by sliding a curtain back and forth.

 

Wooow. I'm really fricking impressed. That is one awesome looking, functional, Ummm trailer. NO WAIT....Mighty Mini.

I don't know where to start. The AC/DC, (and not the band) the bed, the curtains where people don't hang curtains. Sweet ride/trailer/Mighty Mini. Dude next project. Build a hitch on it for a Motorcycle. Lol. I use to ride, so that's where that came from. Lol.

Awesome job. Can't wait to see it in person.

 

I spent all day today researching only RV electrical systems. There isn't very much out there. Mostly ads and buy this. I think I will look into Marine electrical, because they need to be more self contained and last longer off grid. I found this very simple diagram on how to wire a small RV using an inverter, battery, AC/DC. My only issue is that I would like to keep a fridge going while traveling from point A to point B to keep the beer cold. I can always plug in or start a generator at the destinations.

The following link the guy had a pretty cool electrical setup. Probably too expensive for me though.

http://www.doityourselfrv.com/homemade-truck-camper-work-art-wait-see-inside/#

The following link shows the neat electrical diagram I mentioned earlier.

http://livinginmycar.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/draft-of-my-rv-electrical-system.jpg

Once you finish finish your wiring shoot us some pics. That is the only thing I'm iffy on. Oh, and water/waste storage. The wife has a thing for washing hands before eating. I think its overrated.

Would it be worth the peace of mind to put the battery in a box on the tongue of the trailer in front?