Viking Pop-up

Does the camper have a battery that is charged via shore power?

Regardless... Replace all internal lights wih LEDs. They use a lot less energy. Could be easiliy fed by the truck battery.

Charging mobile devices can be done by a separate powerbank.

But a furnace (forced air type) will require a reliable electrical power source. The fan needs around 5A continuous power while running. Depending on battery size and how much it cycles, it can drain a battery in one day. Wouldn't want to experiece that with your truck battery parked in the outback...

Other electrical consumers may be fridge and water pump if equipped. Absorber (LPG powered) fridges do not use a lot of electricity while running on propane. Water pump usually only cycles briefly.

Check what equipment is in the camper and we can give better assessment of what you need to power it.

Yes, the 4-pin is for camper chassis light only, not any interior lights.

Is there a camper house battery? There should be one and a separate charge line for it. I would not recommend running the house appliance solely from the truck battery, else you drain it and end up not being able to start the vehicle.

In my opinion, get a small quiet generator like the Honda EU series and plan your camping trip.

The camper is very basic. There is not a house battery, nor a place to put one that I have seen. No water pump, the sink is a simple vacuum created from pumping the top up and down. There is not a fridge, there used to be I believe, since there is a hole that is roughly the size of a small fridge that has been turned into a pantry. I'm not worried about the fridge at this time, later I will either find a fridge that will run on propane or design the electrical in a way that allows for a small house fridge to just be plugged into one of the outlets. I can get my hands on a solar panel, its large (almost the size of the roof), but does not have any of the other components needed to hook into the system. The entire camper is sitting on a metal frame and I have no issues fabricating, so building in a location for batteries would be simple enough if it comes to that.

I'll be going into the mountains with about three other truck campers, so getting stranded isn't really a concern, however I don't want to be "that guy" that needs to be jumped all the time. Basically just need the furnace between the hours of 10pm-7am.

The LED's are a good suggestion, I'll look into those for sure.

There is a large, newer, 5th wheel being parted out near me that still has many major components left. Can any of this be scavenged to work, or should I look into mounting and using the solar panel with a battery bank, or .....?

I should add that once I return from the trip, the interior will be gutted, reconfigured to a degree, and redone. Its in okay shape at the moment, however I am recently divorced and looking for a way to get me and my kids back out and doing things. We don't need much, but I want them comfortable and proud of what we have, as to set an early example to them about what is "needed" vs what is luxury.

My point being, I want to be prepped and ready for this upcoming trip as far as the needed basics go, but would rather hold off on any major renovations until I rip the interior apart if possible.

NEEDED, for this trip at least, is the interior lights and the ability to plug in phones and a laptop to stay connected with them while I'm gone. Would love the furnace to work as I'm sick of freezing at night, but can deal with it for one more year if push comes to shove.

Reading this post, I am confused about the 12v system. You say it has a furnace and lights but no battery or a place for a battery. That don't square. If it has things that requires 12v then there HAS to be a place for a battery and wiring for those 12v items.

For lights you can always just use an LED lantern or stick-up battery powered lights.

Consider getting a separate battery to put next to the truck or in the truck bed. The last thing you want is a dead starting battery. A little generator is a good idea if you plan to run the heater. They are battery hogs, especially in a pop up.

MWJones wrote:
Reading this post, I am confused about the 12v system. You say it has a furnace and lights but no battery or a place for a battery. That don't square. If it has things that requires 12v then there HAS to be a place for a battery and wiring for those 12v items.

Older or smaller campers often don’t have a battery and just connect to the truck’s electrical. It is confusing that there’s only 4 pins on the OP”s harness though if that’s the case.

MWJones wrote:
Reading this post, I am confused about the 12v system. You say it has a furnace and lights but no battery or a place for a battery. That don't square. If it has things that requires 12v then there HAS to be a place for a battery and wiring for those 12v items.

My assumption is that it is meant to be a "park model" of sorts. It does have a shore plug for plugging the camper in and a place to screw in a water hose for direct water access.

Edit: Wnjj makes a good point too. I do know a few rodeo guys with Capri campers that plug straight to the pickup with no house battery.

wnjj wrote:
For lights you can always just use an LED lantern or stick-up battery powered lights.

Consider getting a separate battery to put next to the truck or in the truck bed. The last thing you want is a dead starting battery. A little generator is a good idea if you plan to run the heater. They are battery hogs, especially in a pop up.

I have lanterns and all that if it comes to it, just trying to see if I can make it happen without it. This camping trip is a 10 year tradition, so its not that I'm new to roughing it, its simply that I am sick of tent camping in the cold mountains and I'm trying to gain a few comforts such as being to easily switch on a light or plug in my few needs without the hassle of lanterns and flashlights and whatever else everywhere.

If it makes any kind of difference, the pickup it will be going on will be a Dodge diesel with new batteries (2). Any chance that changes things as far as the lights and furnace go?