teledork
Pinyon Jay
So almost three years out from the initial hatching of the idea I drove home a new Toyota Tacoma. I am looking at the Bobcat shell and a few things.
I camp a lot in the winter so for me the water system is a waste of money and space but I'd like a real for true propane cabinet. I am thinking about the stove and some space for pots and pans.Maybe the icebox? I'll build my own sofa/bench because I want to be able to slide my skis beneath it or I may put the tracks on top.
And I think I would rather have a radiant heater (I've been happily using a Buddy, am also interested in the Wave) than the forced air with it's noise, voracious use of fuel and need for an additional battery.
In the winter I typically run The Buddy heater for a few hours in the evening and a few hours in the morning. I will sleep in a down bag and a synthetic comforter on a bench in the lower space and keep the top down if the temperature will be in the low teens or if there is a call for substantial snow overnight (I have difficulty cleaning enough snow off the roof for it to not be a frightening experience to lower) I don't mind cold but I have limits. If it will be in the single digits I get a room. My regular haunts are Eastern Callifornia from Tahoe to Mammoth. I remove and store the heater in the summer (usually earlier than I should)
And I have dog(s) (one just passed this summer - have one, will get another) Golden Retriever kind of guys. Fluffy tails and open flame. With that in mind forced air sounds great. But I don't camp near electrical outlets.
How many hours of blower would I get off of the battery? (how long would I have to run the blower?) How quickly would the battery re-charge? (I often don't drive many miles from campsite to ski trail) I know the answers will likely include something along the lines of "it depends" but what have other people considered?
And this truck and the camper will be my only vehicle, I am going to leave the camper on so I need to retain space in it to haul trash cans and Home Depot stuff. And I'd like to keep the weight of the camper down. What does that extra battery weigh? The heater itself?
Any advice is welcome.
I camp a lot in the winter so for me the water system is a waste of money and space but I'd like a real for true propane cabinet. I am thinking about the stove and some space for pots and pans.Maybe the icebox? I'll build my own sofa/bench because I want to be able to slide my skis beneath it or I may put the tracks on top.
And I think I would rather have a radiant heater (I've been happily using a Buddy, am also interested in the Wave) than the forced air with it's noise, voracious use of fuel and need for an additional battery.
In the winter I typically run The Buddy heater for a few hours in the evening and a few hours in the morning. I will sleep in a down bag and a synthetic comforter on a bench in the lower space and keep the top down if the temperature will be in the low teens or if there is a call for substantial snow overnight (I have difficulty cleaning enough snow off the roof for it to not be a frightening experience to lower) I don't mind cold but I have limits. If it will be in the single digits I get a room. My regular haunts are Eastern Callifornia from Tahoe to Mammoth. I remove and store the heater in the summer (usually earlier than I should)
And I have dog(s) (one just passed this summer - have one, will get another) Golden Retriever kind of guys. Fluffy tails and open flame. With that in mind forced air sounds great. But I don't camp near electrical outlets.
How many hours of blower would I get off of the battery? (how long would I have to run the blower?) How quickly would the battery re-charge? (I often don't drive many miles from campsite to ski trail) I know the answers will likely include something along the lines of "it depends" but what have other people considered?
And this truck and the camper will be my only vehicle, I am going to leave the camper on so I need to retain space in it to haul trash cans and Home Depot stuff. And I'd like to keep the weight of the camper down. What does that extra battery weigh? The heater itself?
Any advice is welcome.