A few months, in June of 2018, I decided to convert my 6 x 12 foot enclosed trailer into a small camper. I wanted it to be modular, “off-grid-able”, and basic. The first thing I did was to justify the cost of the build. I considered the option of selling it and buying a small camper, but I would be very limited in what I could buy in a camper, for what the trailer would bring. In addition, I still wanted to be able to use it as a trailer. But most importantly, I thought it would be a fun project.
I thought about how I would use it before starting the build. It would be for short trips and used as a “refuge” if the electricity goes out at home. So I planned it for “Off Grid” use which seems to be all the rage these days!
I purchased a couple of small “play house” windows because they were much cheaper than camper windows but were made with tempered glass.
In addition to windows, I also added 1 inch foam insulation.
One lesson I learned quickly was to plan with a pencil and not a pen. In other words, as it comes together I will change my mind about how to lay it out. In the above picture, you can see a shower base. My original plan was to build in a shower area. I later decided not to have a built in shower area because I would lose valuable space, and it would limit using the camper as a trailer.
As I built it, I realized that the best way to design it was to keep everything as simple and basic as possible. I also did not want it to have to rely on “shore power” or a generator. So the electrical system would have to be able to run off 12 volt and not discharge the battery faster than a small solar system could recharge it.
It’s probably going to take a few more months to get it ready for use. I am going to use it with shore power until I save up enough money to equip it with solar. The batteries and solar system will be the most expensive part of the build. I will slowly, but shurely document the build here in future posts.
Thanks for reading. Check out Part Two Here: My DIY Camper Build, Part Two
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