Our custom true flatbed truck camper build thread

[Jfet]

Ok, I am going to collect random thoughts and progress pictures and put them here in a thread.

Goal: Construct a true flatbed camper with cabover, no slideouts but full 8 foot floor width inside. This will mount on a 2006 Isuzu NRR truck with a GVWR of 19,500 pounds and a current dry weight of 8700 pounds. The truck has a 20 foot flatbed that is 8 feet wide. The camper will take up 11 feet of the flatbed and the remaining area will be home to a future garage for our toys. We will install a hitch so we can pull our 17 foot Montgomery sailboat (trailer + boat is about 2200 pounds). The camper and garage will be removeable so the flatbed can be used for other purposes, or in case the truck needs extensive shop repairs down the road. Or if we are in Alaska and want to go pick up 3 cords of firewood or something 🙂

Here is a picture of the truck with some important dimensions:

[Capt_Eddie]

bka0721 wrote:
That is great news!

Being on the road, fulltiming in a truck camper, I am unable to download videos. The next time I get to a town big enough to have a McDonalds or public Library, I will download your video and will check it out! Most of these towns are lucky to have a Traffic signal.

b

Stop that. Now your just bragging.

[bka0721]

That is great news!

Being on the road, fulltiming in a truck camper, I am unable to download videos. The next time I get to a town big enough to have a McDonalds or public Library, I will download your video and will check it out! Most of these towns are lucky to have a Traffic signal.

b

[fanrgs]

Incredible project!

I just found this thread today while doing some research on RV solar installations. So glad you just installed the solar panels or I might have missed seeing the whole thread. It was so interesting that I spent all evening reading the entire 45 pages!

You and your wife must be the most single-minded people I have ever heard of to give up two years of playing with all those big boy (and big girl) toys to build this camper. And to take the time to put it on the forum for all of us to vicariously share it, complete with youtube videos of testing the garage door winch and solar panel aerodynamics. Absolutely amazing!

Do you actually have time for a day job to go with the night/weekend/vacation RV design/build/test one?

[BoonHauler]

Bravo!

[Jfet]

We mounted a camera on the back of the camper roof facing forward and did a test drive. I am posting a segment of the video where we attained 60mph. I do not see any lifting or flex of the panels or mount.

http://youtu.be/wdp-W0EP6_E

[bigcitypopo]

I'd probably fashion a deflector for that edge..

[Capt_Eddie]

Thank you for the link. Is that a fireplace under the A/C unit? Is there an open screen on the outside of the A/C?

[bka0721]

Ok. Now you are hooked. Good luck not glancing at your solar monitor when you walk by it. It becomes addictive. Wait until you park under a street light. You will see the different types (wave length) of street lights will impact the results you will see. The highest I have recorded, so far, 1,460 watts at 1145 for 94.5 amph. (Charge Controller Maxed)

Have fun. It looks like you will enjoy the solar addition.

b

[Jfet]

9am, foggy morning, sun not even touching the panels yet and I am getting 93 watts.

This is going to be a kick butt system.

[Jfet]

Capt Eddie wrote:
Do you not have any A/c or just not on the roof? I would think that summer uses would be pretty hot without A/C.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/26735683/gotomsg/27758311.cfm#27758311

[Capt_Eddie]

Do you not have any A/c or just not on the roof? I would think that summer uses would be pretty hot without A/C.

[Jfet]

Might see some lift at highway speeds but I have my doubts that it will be much of anything. The air passes over the panels level since the roof extends another ~4 feet. Heck, it might actually create the opposite effect and suction the panels to the roof. It will be interesting to see what happens.

The fifth panel remains unused. We bought a batch of five because the cost of four was more. We may or may not take it with us (kind of big and bulky). For our current smallish battery bank (24V 125AH) I am starting to think 1080 watts will be plenty.

As for the height and clearance (roger Roger), we wanted to keep the overall rig height as low as possible. Since we don't have roof stuff, like A/C or vents, it made sense to have the panels low (they are about 1 inch off the roof. It *has* to be better to have that one inch of air rather than directly sticking a panel to the roof, like the Unisolar (which we did consider).

[btggraphix]

That was my first thought too Bryan. Looks really nice, and great results from the first test. My other question would be how high above the surface are they mounted? Seems like a lot of people leave more clearance, Clarence, in case they build up heat underneath but I'm no expert. Really nice to see a roof used for the only thing that truly belongs up there.....a bunch of Solar!

[bka0721]

Nice work and great planning. I suspect you will find the GoPro beneficial and determine you will see some lift in the panels, due to the distance span, speed of air passing across the top of the panels and air flowing slower under the panels.

My question would be, what became of the 5th solar panel?

b

[mikakuja]

Nice system!!!!