Harsh winter Grandby build

[Vic Harder]

The FWC upgrade has bigger plates like that on the inside, and a climbing hanger type of connector on the other side rather than a simple eyebolt. The hanger has more surface area than the original eyebolts too. I tested that one day when we were trying to take the camper off of the truck and forgot to undo the turnbuckles. YMMV, but I found that the new mounts were strong enough to lift the camper and the rear of the truck off of the ground. Doh!

 

[Opposite Overland]

Ok whats the correct way these are designed to be folded up?

 

[Opposite Overland]

All my searches say you should be able to fold the top down with them open but it doesnt work any of these 3 ways. Well it folds down but getting it back up they get all stuck together in weird ways with the velcro.

Also none of the 3 ways i pictured actually engage this patch of hook velcro on the outside fully or efficiently.
What am i doing wrong here?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

All my searches say you should be able to fold the top down with them open but it doesnt work any of these 3 ways. Well it folds down but getting it back up they get all stuck together in weird ways with the velcro.

Also none of the 3 ways i pictured actually engage this patch of hook velcro on the outside fully or efficiently.
What am i doing wrong here?

I would not lower the top with the storm flap raised, and when I received my 2013 Grandby, I’m pretty sure the person who did the delivery walk through said to always close them.

For securing them open when the top was up, I liked the method in your second picture.

 

[Opposite Overland]

Can anyone answer a wiring question. This camper seems to be pre wired everytime i take something apart. Theres a green and yellow wire running along the aft wall. Green is terminated.
Is green meant to be a spare + positive wire lead or a - ground?

Also found a set of leads on the aft vent which will be nice when it comes time to add another fan.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I’m thinking it might be prewire for optional exterior lighting.

 

[Vic Harder]

where is that wire? if on the back wall, that is likely a power wire for the flood lights. Grounds are usually made right to the frame.

 

[Opposite Overland]

I’m thinking it might be prewire for optional exterior lighting.

This is what i figured BUT if i connect the main power feed from the fwd wall (black and white wire) with black to + and white to - the green wire gives me a - signal. And my frame becomes +ground.
Which from my research the black is "supposed" to be positive on RVs but its looking like FWC used black as ground feed. Which makes my green wire a + feed for and extra exterior light.
Ill be using it as power for ny heater

 

[Opposite Overland]

Speaking of heater, got it installed just got to plumb it.
Had this heater in my truck topper for a while but since this camper is replacing that no need to have it sit.

 

[TacomaAustin]

That's a nice furnace. Even with the fan, it will be a very low current draw from the battery.

 

[Opposite Overland]

That's a nice furnace. Even with the fan, it will be a very low current draw from the battery.

I do love these furnaces. I ran this in my topper for weekend trips and ran it solely off a small 20000 mah batt pack and never fullydepleted it.

Sealing up my chimney pass through. Do you guys think butyle tape on the outside baffle would hold up to a little heat? Im not familiar with using that stuff. Otherwise was just going to caulk it in.

 

[Vic Harder]

If you think it will get too hot (can you touch it when it is running without burning yourself?) I’d use a high temp sealant. That’s what i used on the exhaust side of my Propex heater

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

What Vic said!

 

[Opposite Overland]

Thanks. I've never dealt with butyle except removing it from things that are leaking. I've never actually installed it. Probably because it always seems to leak.

Going to install with some RTV which is good to 425F which is well over what that will ever get since its just getting radiant heat from the exh pipe through the outer intake pipe.

 

[bajaphile]

Sorry if I missed it, but what type of furnace is that?

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Sorry if I missed it, but what type of furnace is that?

It is a Dickinson, mostly found in boats.

 

[Opposite Overland]

Yes it is a Dickinson P9000
Got it in and running now too!
Polymat going down on the sides to make it a little more cozy in there till i make some cabinets. It also allowed me to attach the turnbuckle access hole covers via velcro without any hardware keeping it low profile and low maintenance.
Cut some reflectix for the windows to help hold the heat in amd picked up some fabric and velcro today to make a double wall for the soft sides.

 

[Opposite Overland]

Havent checked in lately, Been getting quite a bit of use of this thing so far this winter. The low profile of the pop top is def nice for accessing those paper roads for off the beaten path camping. Camped out in down to 10 degrees so far but needed to supliment the heat with a mr buddy heater. So we are currently looking at the dometic, suburban,vs propex style heaters to give us ability to dry gear after a day climbing or skiing.
Made a felt liner for the interior to help hold some of the heat. Also temporarily installed a ctek dc to dc charger and bulkhead plug and dual G65 batteries till i build some cabinets. Should give us plenty of power even though currently we dont consume much. But a fridge and maybe a coffee maker are coming shortly.

 

[Opposite Overland]

Made some jack extensions out of some scrap i had laying around. Now i should stop scuffing my fender flares.
Used some capture nuts so i only need a wrench on one side for removal

 

[adrian.bee]

Very nice updates. Nice to see another east coast FWC, its a rare but always enjoyable sight! We are in mid-coast Maine, in an older Grandby as well.

10 degrees is definitely cold in these things but bearable, as you know.