Lite craft camper

[88tlc]

new to the site, and will likely be asking truck camper questions, but first post, first.

i really dig the lite craft camper we have. small and pretty light, and enough room for all the simple pleasures in life!

[88tlc]

We are looking to get the truck camper into the truck!

I have been doing some good mods that makes it really comfortable.

I have added a hot water heater this unit, and was able to add an inline water heater to the front of the camper. this allows us to have hot showers! and hot water in the sink, which makes clean up much easier.

This resulted however in not enough water capacity, so i took out the 17 gallon, and added a 23 gallon. this allows us to make it through the weekend pretty easily.

It has a large solar panel and replaced the battery with two 6 Volt deep cell batteries. these are now placed in a battery box that is cantilevered off the back. i have never had this system drain down.

Hopefully Spring has popped for many of you guys! we were just getting snow this weekend, and many of our mountain roads still closed with snow.


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2000 lite craft truck camper,
1998 veg oil powered dodge 2500 diesel,
Solar power, double 6Volt batts, led light interior,
Integrated inline water heater, 23 gallon water tank,

[fishfinder]

I like your camper... nice and light makes for worry free travels.

I've been using my pop-up year-round for 11 years. The winter ice-fishing trips sometimes see overnight temps around -20F so I made block foam insulation for the windows, covered with fabric that matches the interior. Really makes a difference when its cold.

I also added a 1500W cadet (electric) heater for times when AC power is available. Very quiet compared to the propane heater.

Have fun!

[88tlc]

the veg oil system is a completely independent 2nd fuel system. i start on diesel, and get the engine up to temp (190F). this coolant (in this case its a WARMANT), is flowing through the veg oil system and provides a heated tank fuel pick up, a heated line (aluminum fuel line inside a rubber coolant hose), heat exchanger, and heated fuel filter. this allows the veg oil to get to 190F and injects and a meters like diesel. when i park for the night you need to go back to diesel, and purge the engine and injectors of veg and go back to diesel.

[Rbertalotto]

How do you deal with the Veg Oil fuel in the real cold weather?

[dadwolf2]

88tlc wrote:


the key however in the cold conditions is the need for a good furnace that runs reliably, and a good 12v battery for the fan (the solar keeps this battery charged). and you need to let the furnace run

Welcome to the forum.

Looks like a little cold weather doesn't slow you down much. You might consider a catalytic heater.

[tktplz]

Welcome and that's a nice pop-up! I live in NW Louisiana so this time of year is our deep winter, it's to hot to camp! Our deep winter is the perfect time to camp here, looks cold there, Burrrrr. Enjoy the Forum.

[88tlc]

this lite-craft pop up has a pvc tarpaulin material outer, and inner, and an additional synthetic insulation in the walls. so the flex pop up walls have good insulation.

the key however in the cold conditions is the need for a good furnace that runs reliably, and a good 12v battery for the fan (the solar keeps this battery charged). and you need to let the furnace run. this keeps the water from freezing, and comfortable. i was hunting in 8 deg temps, and any camper will get cold, and will freeze if you do not have a furnace running.

i feel like the walls and roof are good. the areas the coldest are the wood floor, and wood structure in the bottom of the camper, and in contact with the steel bed. This area could benefit from some dense rigid insulation.

[WANA__B]

What do you use to keep warm in the winter, especially around the popup area?

[88tlc]

the dodge 2500 is a 1998 diesel. This diesel is the p7100 injection pump, 5 speed trans, and a veg oil system. This allows and encourages road trips! a large 40 gallon tank is in back of the bed, so i can only use a 6.5 foot camper. The space then above the tank can be used quite well to store the grille, cooler, lawn chairs, etc.

Late season elk hunt in the uintas can get some good snow!



The wind river range in Wyoming can also get some good storms and weather!

[billyray50]

Welcome to this site. Nice setup and pics. What year is your Dodge?