A little fish camp

[Magicman]

Some inverter generators are made to chain together.

I have two Honda Eu2200i generators that parallel together.  The engine speed is controlled by the load and they sip gasoline.

I also have the fuel kit that allows both of them to use a 5 gallon marine gasoline tank and they will seemingly run forever.

[tule peak timber]

Hilltop, Good idea and smart, but most of the units I've read about along these lines are gas. Right now, I'm tracking a 2 cyl Mitsubishi diesel I might be able to build onto. It is very hard to find small, light, diesel, and in stock- I've looked everywhere.
 Walnut, this short run duct is large diameter to prevent back pressure on the little electric heater source. I see this area next to the toilet as dead space anyway - so what the heck. The pony wall next to the toilet has a thin void between the foam panel and the outer metal skin of the truck bed a couple of inches wide. The wheel well makes it hard to get into this void from forward, but it would have been a better choice to vent heat from for the shower. Still tossing around ideas of main heating from the generator waste heat.  

[tule peak timber]

Some inverter generators are made to chain together.

I have two Honda Eu2200i generators that parallel together.  The engine speed is controlled by the load and they sip gasoline.

I also have the fuel kit that allows both of them to use a 5 gallon marine gasoline tank and they will seemingly run forever.

I still need to carry gas for the boat outboard, and if I go this route Hondas would be my first choice. Thanks Lynn.

[Ljohnsaw]

Still tossing around ideas of main heating from the generator waste heat.

Just be careful about carbon monoxide.:-\

[LogPup]

Have you looked at any of the aux units that trucks have?  I had one on my W900 that supplied heat/ac and 120v. Would bring the truck home and use it during hurricane season. A/C, plug the freezer and refrigerator in, lights for dinner at the patio table and sleep in the sleeper.

[LogPup]

It was plumed into my fuel tanks.  I always top off before.  300 gallons.  I could run for a couple of weeks 

[Resonator]

To add to that when I drove for a big fleet, the APU's (Auxiliary Power Units) were pretty much required in some states where it was illegal to idle your truck at night to keep from freezing. They were plumbed to the cooling system to keep the engine temp warm, and they also kept the batteries charged for starting. Often they were made by Carrier or Thermo King, companies who build diesel powered refrigeration units designed to run automatically for 10's of thousands of hours. Some had Webasto heaters in the cab, which were like a cross between a blowtorch and a hair dryer. When they kicked in, it had no problem drying wet gloves and boots. :D 

[tule peak timber]

Looking good. Have you thought about using a little more durable and smaller diameter duct work ?

Walnut Beast,
You are right. I molded up a better vent, glassed it in and am starting to tidy things up in the shower area with some sanding, fairing out and several coats of white Awlgrip. Vents, bootholders, and fiddles to hold things in. I am experimenting with lighting right now and getting the head plumed up.

 

 

[tacks Y]

Probably to late to the post but...  I built an RV out of a coach bus. For water lines to my shower and toilet I used 3/8" od plastic lines. It uses less water to get shower hot and the flow is fine.

[tule peak timber]

Probably to late to the post but...  I built an RV out of a coach bus. For water lines to my shower and toilet I used 3/8" od plastic lines. It uses less water to get shower hot and the flow is fine.

That is a good idea. Do you remember what type of plastic lines you used? I haven't started the water system yet as the generator needs to come first. 

[Magicman]

Use 3/8" PEX pipe. 

[Bruno of NH]

I second the 3/8 pex 
My house has a pex manifold 
Every fixture has a 3/8 hot and 3/8 cold line run to it.
Pex can withstand being frozen and not split.
They also have pex with a flexible metal skin to keep rodents from chewing it as well.
Always buy a good quality pex.
Stadler/ Viger comes to mind as a quality pex

[tule peak timber]

So, I may have a line on a gen set, maybe. I called everyone that I've ever bought from over the years, Northern Lights, Apollo,Yanmar,Kubota,Southeast Power and more. Quite an education on supply chain issues, engine shortages, radiator shortages etc.  Still working on it.
 Meanwhile got the toilet installed with very tight plumbing. It chose a Saniflow 110vac macerating pump style because I am unable to gravity feed the black tank.

Found a spot to tuck the water heater away. It is a 6 gallon 3000 watt unit.

 Built a storage cabinet from walnut veneer, foam and glass doing the best I can to save weight. Since there is no framework, I'm using carbon tabs from a simple jig press to glue the cabinet in making it part of shell structure. All stainless hardware and a bit of elk for the handle

 

 

 

 

[Magicman]

Yikes it is no longer "A little fish camp", it's now a work of art.   8)  

[Walnut Beast]

Looks absolutely first class. Vary nice! Did you ever entertain the idea of a composting toilet?  Seems like many full time RVers have disconnected their black tank and are rolling with the composting toilet. 

[Nebraska]

 I can see it now...Tule Peak custom RV's coming to a cable network near you, .. Back country glamping at its finest...Season 1 "getting started".... Shoot I'd watch.....  Amazing build  thanks for taking us along.

[barbender]

This is a cool project, Tule! I missed a bit in the middle so I'm coming to this a little foggy as far as what has been investigated already for heat, but I'll just share some experience- the Ponsse machines I run have Webasto preheaters. They are DC powered (there may be A/C versions) and diesel fired. They are basically a little torpedo heater with attached heat exchanger to heat the engine coolant. When the heater turns on, the fan in the cab blows as well and heats the cab. Anyways, in our machines, you have a clock you set on the computer, and the heater will fire at that that time and run for the time you specify. Even on a -30° F Minnesota morning, the preheater will have the cab nice and warm after 30 minutes.

They aren't cheap and I don't know how long they would run on your batteries though.

[21incher]

Looking good. I love that cabinet.

This is a cool project, Tule! I missed a bit in the middle so I'm coming to this a little foggy as far as what has been investigated already for heat, but I'll just share some experience- the Ponsse machines I run have Webasto preheaters. They are DC powered (there may be A/C versions) and diesel fired. They are basically a little torpedo heater with attached heat exchanger to heat the engine coolant. When the heater turns on, the fan in the cab blows as well and heats the cab. Anyways, in our machines, you have a clock you set on the computer, and the heater will fire at that that time and run for the time you specify. Even on a -30° F Minnesota morning, the preheater will have the cab nice and warm after 30 minutes.

They aren't cheap and I don't know how long they would run on your batteries though.

I just got something that is a little different from. A company in China shipped it to me for heating my side by side. Not sure I would trust it but many are using these in tiny houses
for heat. Has a thermostat and remote for temp control with 8kw output. Trying to figure out how to mount it and duct the heat in my side by side now. This is what it looks like and there are better American made versions that cost 10x. Comes with a small diesel tank that can last for days on low along with exhaust and ducting. We will see if it works soon. limited mounting positions though.


 

 

 

 

 

  

[barbender]

I think those are quite similar except that they are forced air instead of heating the coolant. The main thing with any of these is they have to be safe for inhabited space for Tule's use, especially when you are sleeping in there😬😬 Because of that I would specifically investigate the ones that are made for semi truck sleepers.

[Resonator]

Looks like a copy of a Webasto cab heater, definitely want a CO2 detector at night.

[tule peak timber]

First a disclaimer; I've never really looked at a camper, let alone been in one. So, this is a work in progress. Mistakes, successes, and welcome to input. 

When I was a kid, I got a chance to see one of the Apollo capsules after my dad picked it up in the Pacific. One thing that always stuck with me was how 3 guys got folded into such a tiny space for days at a time. I also have had many boats and fished and lived aboard non-stop and this has had an influence on my thought processes. Heavy on utility, a little light on comfort. The reason the one storage cabinet in the dead corner has a curved face is simply that it won't be a head banger!

I chose the toilet because it's a lot like marine units with which I have past experience. Never even looked at the composting units. But I will certainly research it should I experience problems with the one I did put in. I did take the advice of Walnut Beast and glassed up a much better vent system for the heat in the shower area. 

I am learning a LOT working with the carbon, kevlar and glass combinations.  In the next post or two I'll sum up some "dos" and "don'ts" learning from my mistakes. The heaters that you guys are showing are widely used in the small (25-30') boats up in Kodiak that salmon troll and fish year-round and certainly worth looking at. I've got a couple electric heater options for spot heating and I am still looking at how to pull safe heated air from around my future non-existent gen set. This is a work in progress; fun for me to build. 

Enjoy all of your feedback!

[Walnut Beast]

Definitely enjoy your project journey!! Always fantastic when you put a project and dream in action and it's really coming together! First class!

[tacks Y]

Probably to late to the post but...  I built an RV out of a coach bus. For water lines to my shower and toilet I used 3/8" od plastic lines. It uses less water to get shower hot and the flow is fine.

That is a good idea. Do you remember what type of plastic lines you used? I haven't started the water system yet as the generator needs to come first.

Sorry not on here much, I would go the 3/8" pex route. I bought mine from a big industrial supply maybe Mc Master Carr. Not pex, and I have engine heat going to my rv water heater. Blew a line off on a trip to Maine, flooded my floor (pump was on). Here to find out I needed inserts in the lines at the compression fittings. I was not aware of this when I did it.

[Ljohnsaw]

TPT, Something to think about.  In my camping trailer, there was a switch to turn on the pump.  Several times I left the switch on when I closed up the trailer (pop up).  Then I'd pull the drain on the water system and the pump would start up :-\  Then I open the trailer up enough to squirm in to reach the switch to turn it off.

So I replaced the rocker switch with a spring wound timer switch.  It is a 30 minute max one that works great.  I turn it on when wanting to do the dishes and it takes care of it's self.

When I built my bath house at my cabin project, same thing.  That way I don't have to worry if something breaks my water and battery won't be depleted.  You might want to do the same with your very limited water supply!

[tule peak timber]

Finally got a gen set build underway! I went back to all of the folks that I had bought from over the years, Northern Lights, Kubota, Apollo, Southeastern Power Products, Yanmar, Cummins and more learning a great deal about supply chain problems. Looks like Southeastern is going to come through with a small 1800 rpm, close coupled, continuous rated diesel set. It will take a couple of months to build but at least I am in queue, finally!
Below are some pics of scrubbing the blush off of the last roof panel that will close in the shell, the 100 gal. water tank replacing the back seat and building walnut trim for the interior windows.