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In Texas as well and considered the Zero Breeze MKII. I plan to go a different route because im worried it just cant keep up with the heat we get here. Would be curious to know how well it works for you before i get started this fall on the AC mod.
Glad you tested first. You will need to use a wood DYE. Dye penetrats the wood where as stain sits ontop of the wood preventing epoxy from adhering. I highly recommend Behlin Solar Lux dye. I used it on my entire camper. Avoid applying it in the heat of the day and use a rag slightly dampened with denatured alcohol to blend if needed. You can also mix a few drops of the dye with your epoxy fillet material to help color match if needed.
last two attempts to post this did not go through for some reason.
szerby I used a marine inspection deck cover on the inside.
here is a photo from inside.
Not an expert here but it looks to me like the glass was not saturated enough. Id try injecting first and if that doesn’t solve the white spots then sand and patch. GL!
I used the foam method recommend by fathie999 and had no issues. However i’ve always hated the look and function of the mushroom vents.
I just finished up an upgrade to ditch the mushroom vents. Pictured below is a 3″ attwood marine cowl on the outside with a 4″ deck hatch cover on the inside. Slightly modified the black plastic of the cowl to open up to 4″. Sandwiched between the cowl and deck hatch is a sheet of metal bug screen. I couldn’t be happier with the final setup. It looks and functions way better than the mushroom vents. We can open it up from the inside and the airflow significantly increased.
I sprayed ours with Raptor. It wasnt too messy and has held up very well. It goes on thick too with a bit of textute which adds to the protection factor. Price was right easy to use, highly recommend.
I went with a 6″ tri-fold memory foam mattress. Its almost as comfortable as our bed at home. Tri-fold was a must in order to get it inside and even at 6″ it still has plenty of foot room.
I dyed mine darker using Behlen Solar Lux non grain raising dye. If you can find a dye product you like it should work. Just remember dyes are different than stains. Dyes penetrate into the wood where as stains sit on top and would not work well with epoxy.
cel-o-fill is bright white I recommend mixing part cello part wood flour to obtain a filler that closely matches a sample dyed piece. I doubt you would sacrifice much mechanical strength with a mixture of the two.
I wouldn’t push down too hard. It should compress the gasket all around just slightly to create a watertight seal. Mine had a small gap on both sides where it tapers back above the quarter panel. Some 3/4″ surface mounted foam seal did the trick. Take some pictures and maybe the folks here can help with ideas.
I opted for a midsized ATV cover. Works well enough for me but im just using it as a dust cover since the camper is in a garage.
Cam locks were sourced from Mcmaster Carr i believe. https://www.mcmaster.com/locks/cam-locks-and-latches/keyed-cam-locks-12/
I used schooner varnish, HVLP spray 4 coats inside, 6 coats outside, 0 on underside because I sprayed Upol Raptor bed liner. I would avoid spray cans as the surface areas are large, if you don’t want to invest in spray equipment then go with the brush and roller methods.
I like my Porter Cable random orbital. Its 5in hook and loop with 6 holes. The bag comes off and can be fitted with a vac. A home vac is probably a bad idea since most have small filters for fine particles and would clog up fast collecting fine saw dust. A small shop vac would be better suited.
The interior is 3/4inch closed cell foam covered with foam backed automotive headliner. I used 3M 90 spray adhesive to secure the headliner to the closed cell foam and velcro to secure each panel to the cameper shell. Most of the pieces are held in well with friction but the velcro allows me to remove the panels for cleaning.
I considered the GoalZero Yeti and similar battery packs when I started my build. Ultimately I decided for a custom built setup using 2x 20AH LiFePO4 batteries from Bioenno and their MPPT solar charge controller. Most of the portable systems were either too bulky or were limited in their output potential.
As for a cutout in the bulkhead. I did some extensive modification to mine. You can see here http://teardropforum.com/forums/topic/stained-clc-camper-build-progress/
I’ve had no structural concerns. The custom cabinets and center shadow box cutout are epoxied to the back of the bulkhead and galley floor offering a little added strength.
If you decide to go with an all in one battery unit, i’d recommend connecting each 12v output to a rocker switch panel mounted to the bulkhead. something similar to the image below. Many of these have in-line fuses per switch and a rudimentary voltmeter to check battery level. just pay close attention to your Amp draw and that you don’t exceed the battery’s rated output.
A side note: I’m currently in the process of streamlining my electronics setup and will do a full write-up in the coming months. In a nutshell it will be completely computer controlled and Google Home / bluetooth compatible. Lights will have dimmers, fans will have variable speeds, and the entire electronics compartment will be cleaned up of the rats nest of wires.
Example 3D render of my electrical compartment. I’m likely going to eliminate the Rocker panel entirely.
Prototype computer controller with the wifi router and Chromecast module:
