I have put my foot down and finally got approval to buy a camper.  I am tired of packing for camping.  I am tired of loading random bins into the truck to go camping, but mostly I am sick of tents, I am sick of sticky small tents haha. 

 

I have been looking into used Truck bed campers of the Popup variety.   We do a lot of off the beaten road camping so a large camper isn't going to happen.  We also have goals of getting a horse trailer at some point and going places to ride for a weekend. 

 

So that leaves me with the popup slide in style.  Am I off base here?   We have ~$2000-$3000 budget for this.  I have been looking on Craigslist for a few weeks now and spotted a few that would work, anywhere from $700-$5000.   Most have good roofs and canvas, but beyond that I am not sure what I am looking for.  Anything I should be looking for?  Any brands that I should be avoiding?

I got none.  I will take some later, I was more worried about getting the old canvas down before dark.

camper canvas is at Bear Creek canvas now getting a new one made.

Since no pictures, ms paint!  Close enough.  

Since you are moving soon you can help me take the roof off of the camper, 

 

Convert able camper...the new fad.

It's like equal opportunity for mosquitoes.

42 minutes ago, Me78569 said:

Since you are moving soon you can help me take the roof off of the camper, 

 

Convert able camper...the new fad.

 

37 minutes ago, CSM said:

It's like equal opportunity for mosquitoes.

New canvas got here today

 

Gonna get it installed this weekend and repair the roof.

Well not lookinglike I will get to put the canvas on this weekend.

Oh, A little snow, No biggy... Come on get out there and get it put on.

I don't mind the snow, but there is currently a roof on my camper....IE the camper roof.  I am gonna pull that off and fix the bad wood.

Thought there was something wrong with the photo and then I realized the 2nd gen is on jack stands.

 

 

hahaha...the natural state of a 2nd gen Dodge....

 

Spent some time yesterday working on the camper.  got the skin pulled and the new wood cut.  I will have to get some pictures of the damage as it is pretty impressive.  

 

Still needing to get some hardware, but I should be able to finish up this week or weekend in order to go camping the weekend after next.

We need pics!!

 

You got me looking into slide in campers now as well.

Ordered a new 9" x 9" roof vent. 

 

Hopefully it is nice this weekend so I can get this thing buttoned back up.

Spent all day working on the camper and it is buttoned up with new roof wood and a new canvas.

 

Started with

 

If anyone needs a canvas for a pop-up camper give bear Creek canvas a call.  Very happy with the quality and fit of the canvas.

 

Edited May 22, 20168 yr by Me78569

I really like that.  I want one. 

Nicely done. From what I can see you reconstructed the entire roof. Basically just only had the interior panel right? Fresh aluminum skin too. I see the OE was a 2 piece roof and your now is a one piece roof.

 

I replaced the outer wood pieces the roof itself was good enough to leave.  

 

Reused the metal for the roof since it was in good shape. Still 2 piece. Roof.

Alright solar panel nerds.....Cough Mike or anyone else that knows.......  I am an "expert" in far to many things in my life and I don't care to be one for solar panels.

 

 

I have a big group 31 deep cycle battery, 100 ish amp hours, I want to add a solar panel to assist / prolong the amount of power I can use.  It does not need to be able to recharge the battery in 1 day, but I would like to be able to add %25 / %50 time untilt he battery is dead. 

 

IE, if it is sunny I want to be able to have power in the camper for 4 days instead of 2 or 3 days.

 

So,

bat: 100 amp hours

2 - 2w leds inside 3 or 4 hours a night

1 - 10w led for light maybe 1 hours a night ( external spot light)

1 - radio say 3 to 5 amps.

charge 2 cell phones 

 

Right now I can get 2 full days of camping without plugging into the trailer plug on the truck to charge.  If I NEED power I can always just plug in the 7pin plug and start the truck.

 

 

 

 

How big of a panel do I need to get? 

 

50w should  = ~ 30 amp hours per day if I get 8 hours of sun?