Poor man's 1999 F450 Truck Camper Build

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Oh yeah, still need to secure toilet vent hose as well.
 
Getting some electrical done today. Put in a 3" vent for electrical box. Got fire shield and inverter screwed down as well as shunt and battery disconnect. Using a 200 amp breaker/disconnect about 2' from battery with an inline 225 amp fuse @ battery.
The disconnect and shunt are in the water tank box.
 

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Just a few pics of ongoing electrical install. Got Inverter hook up and working. Install ME-ARC50 Magnum remote control and ME-BMK battery monitor kit. Fuse block installed and a couple of things wired to it. Wired two 4 port USB charging stations, one in front and one in bed area ganged with 110v plug from inverter.

I've got this ADD-like thing where it's  better for me to jump around a little bit if it's taking more than a day or two so I started the window A/C install. Removed the front window, cut a half sheet of 5/8 BCX exterior plywood to go on outside over window hole. Got cut to shape with 3 coats of kilz and paint.
 

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Decided to integrate the old water tank into the system. Gonna have 60+ gallons capacity. Perks of having a heavy duty truck, I guess.
 

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Almost looks like this guy knows what he's doing...!   :thumbsup:
 
Got the A/C roughed in, set and running. Still need to trim it out. Hardest part was getting myself up between cab and camper, lol, and back down.
 

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@HDR
It'll be easy enough to pull and cover the hole. Only weighs 35 lbs. Can't believe how quiet it is. Quieter than my fantastic fan.
Will definitely need a circulating fan when sleeping due to the placement being so low. Don't plane on visiting a lot of places where I'll need it but it adds to the "options" list. I love me lots and lots of options. ;)
 
A/C is a great option. Haven't needed mine often but when I did, I was sure glad it was there.
 
Very nice MaTaLa !!!  You are fortunate to have knowledge of electrical & carpentry to help build your rig !
 
Very nicely done. I have been helping a friend get his ambulance camper ready to sell and reading through your setup I am surprised by the similarities. 1997 F350 with a 7.3L and a big aluminum box on the back. Good Job.
 
@Gypsy108
I am INDEED fortunate to be fairly handy, I am in gratitude daily for it. Also 'great-full' to be physically able to do the work @ almost 67.
When I first started the renovation going up and down ladders and steps into camper was a chore, now I zip around like a water bug on calm pond.
I've done every bit of this by myself with the exception having a hand taking down the solar panel once, that's it. I've put it up twice by myself but won't do it again...I came within a hair of having a terrible fall both times.
 
Seen some yellow wire nuts in one your pictures, please tell me that was on solid wire not stranded. Ever heard of a Kreg jig, they make wood working like what you and I are doing easier, stronger and hides the screws. Overall nice idea on the AC!!! If you could fiberglass it over it would do better than Kilz.
 
I missed those wire nuts. yeah no wire nuts for mobile applications, also no solid wire. highdesertranger
 
Thanks for the input. I do actually have a Krieg kit, one of the more basic ones, that I've had for about 3 yrs. Haven't used it yet.
 
highdesertranger said:
I missed those wire nuts.  yeah no wire nuts for mobile applications,  also no solid wire.  highdesertranger
Yeah the threads on wire nuts cut into solid wire hence reason they thread on unlike stranded wire it would just cut the wires and not a secure hold. Per say of ABYC codes when using connectors on stranded wires 30 pounds is the minimum holding strength of them. You could go really nuts in wiring and do like me put marine grade wire from ANCOR in with heat shrinked splices and such. Figure it's a fiberglass camper like a fiberglass boat why not go with marine grade, got enough spray foam in this place to float if I decide to fjord a river. :p
MaTaLa said:
Thanks for the input. I do actually have a Krieg kit, one of the more basic ones, that I've had for about 3 yrs. Haven't used it yet.
You should try it, I built few things with mine and wouldn't do without it. Anywho, hows the 5200 on your solar panels on the roof holding on, still up there? Thought about it in some of my build here.
 
5200 really hasn't been tested much. Been stationary exception for a about 400 mi. trip.

Got secondary water tank (original Bigfoot tank) installed under A/C between cab and camper. Not very pretty, yet, and the filtration system is not fixed in place, it'll be stowed away between uses. Not sure that configuration will stay but we'll see after road test.
Got 65+ gal water capacity now.

Had everything plumb but during test pump wouldn't set off, faulty pressure switch I suppose. I disassembled it, adjusted in and out, no luck. So I bought a new one SHURFLO 4028-100-E54 Revolution Pump-2.3 Gpm. This one has an internal bypass switch and manufacturer says it doesn't need an accumulator. I had one plumbed in and think I'll keep it there for now. I initially used single wall clear tubing and am replacing that with braided 1/2 vinyl tubing.

Got a little more body work done, in front of vent fan. Be putting up air dam soon.
 

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Got the air dam/diverter/limb guard pop riveted up.
 

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Change the setup on connecting hose between tanks with a ball gate valve between them. Installed the new water pump. Things getting tight in the inside water tank box. 
Still have a bit to do replacing the clear hose with braided, got pooped before I could finish. 

Got some more body work, bondo, done and ready for paint, no pics of that.

Received a BERKET Stainless Steel Hand-Held Bidet Toilet Sprayer to use as a shower head and a Benchmark Atlas of New Mexico that I had ordered.

Looking for a really good 25', 3/8" ID coiled hose
 

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I've used a couple of those sprayers for sink/shower and discovered that some of them have no insulating qualities. So the hotter the water through it, the hotter the sprayer becomes.

Makes sense as they were only designed to run unheated tap water.

Just some thing to think about.
 
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