Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hello all.
This is the beginning of my cargo trailer conversion and I wanted to document it here so I can give back a little bit from all I have learned and gained from this forum. Thanks to all who have given positive contributions!
Today I ordered a 6‘ x 6‘ 6” tall by 12’ featherlight cargo trailer. I researched for a couple of months before settling on this particular brand and size. Unfortunately the leadtime is two or three months so not much will be happening until I actually pick it up. In the meantime I have a mock up of the floor size in my house and cut outs of different components I plan to put in it so I can move them around and see how they fit ahead of time. I have pretty much settled on the Dometic CFX-95DZW fridge, the Natures Head composting toilet, a 32”X32” shower stall, and a fan-tastic fan 801200 for my roof vent. I plan to custom make a couch/bed that will open up to the size about halfway between a twin and a full-size.
I’m leaning toward the RELiON RB300 300 ah lithium ion battery as the heart of my solar system. And I plan to put about 600 W of solar panels on the roof across a roof rack. I’ve been living for about 10 years off the grid with a solar system feeding my house and it has worked quite well for me. The lithium ion battery aspect will be new for me vs the lead acid I have now, and I welcome any feedback from anyone that has experience with that type of relatively new system.
Also I am looking for a couple of windows that will fit between the framing upright on the cargo trailer which are 16 inches on center. I’m thinking somewhere along the lines of 14” x 22”, double pane and screened and opening. if anyone has any ideas on good quality windows I welcome that feedback as I have not really settled on any particular brand yet.

I look forward to interacting with those with much more experience than myself as my project moves along. And I will try to document the good, the bad and the ugly.

Attached is a picture of the drawings from the factory of what I ordered.

Congrats on the new trailer! I looked at and priced one almost the same as that one. They are very nice trailers, I had sticker shock and ended up buying a cheaper brand. I will enjoy watching yours come together!

Sticker shock indeed! They are very proud of them no doubt. I hope reality meets expectations. And then they say the lead time is almost 3 months, salt into the wound. Sticker shock on the composting toilet and fridge also! Quality sure is expensive. I hope the value is there. Another sticker shock is the Lithium battery, ouch!

Hi
I have a 12' Featherlite too that I am still planning on converting when I get a little more time.
Mine is Pre-Owned and still brought a pretty penny but only a fraction too of a new one luckily.



I found this window on Ebay and bought 5 of them and they look like they will fit right between the trailer framing to me but I have not decided exactly where they will go yet or cut any metal thus far.

They had white ones too when I got mine but these silver do not look terrible to me at all for the price.
They packed/shipped carefully and mine arrived in good shape overall.
These are designed to be installed vertically too and the weep holes and screens are oriented as such.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14-1-4-X-27-1- ... 51e25bda33

Cool.
Very similar projects we will be working on it looks like.
Thanks for the info on the windows, I’ll check it out.
Do you have a sketch of what you intend to floor plan to look like?

7sparky7 wrote: Also I am looking for a couple of windows that will fit between the framing upright on the cargo trailer which are 16 inches on center. I’m thinking somewhere along the lines of 14” x 22”, double pane and screened and opening. if anyone has any ideas on good quality windows I welcome that feedback as I have not really settled on any particular brand yet.
I look forward to interacting with those with much more experience than myself as my project moves along. And I will try to document the good, the bad and the ugly.

We had a discussion on windows not long ago. It may be helpful.
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=69314

Thanks for the informative link!

7sparky7 wrote:Cool.
Very similar projects we will be working on it looks like.
Thanks for the info on the windows, I’ll check it out.
Do you have a sketch of what you intend to floor plan to look like?

Nope I have not gotten to that point yet and likely will not .
I like to just lay wood down on the floor and sort of model layouts usually.

This will be my second build too and I will probably keep it pretty minimal like before overall and not get cluttered inside with permanent fixtures.

viewtopic.php?t=65711

I really just want to take another run at this but with a higher quality base from the start.
My original is just fine and I have had few issues really but the Featherlite is such a nicer platform to build from that is mu motivation.

I like your idea of laying wood down on the floor. And I cut out pieces out of cardboard to represent different things so they can be moved around to get a better feel of the layout.

I look forward to seeing your build and learning from it.

How's it going?

Trailer is on order.
They say it will be February before I will get it. I’m taking this time to work on other projects that I need to get done and do a lot of research and order equipment to go inside. I have ordered my refrigerator and composting toilet and lithium battery and a few other little items so far.

The wait for your new trailer can seem really long when you are anxiously waiting!!!! Hope the time goes by quickly for you!

So while I’m still waiting on my trailer to be built and delivered, I figured I would post some pricing on things I have ordered and received for my build out.

1.) 6x12 Featherlite enclosed cargo trailer; with the following options added: Electric brakes, roof height of 6‘6“, spare tire, camper door with deadbolt and screen door.
Ordered from Golden Gate Trailers of Concorde North Carolina $8,710.81. Due sometime in February

2.) Nature’s Head composting toilet. Amazon. $960.00

3.) Dometic Refrigerator/freezer CFX–95DZW 90 quarts. 120vac/12vdc. Amazon $865.02

4.) Dometic cfx-cvr95dz insulated protective cover for fridge/freezer. Amazon $60.98

5.) 12 volt 300 amp hour lithium ion battery model RB-300 from Relion Battery of Fort Mill South Carolina $3200

6.) 45 amp lithium ion battery charger. Part number CHG – PD9145AL. 120 V plug-in. Inteli-power 9100L series from Relion Battery, Fort Mill South Carolina $212

7.) Surge protector, progressive industries, BMSLCH30. Amazon $223.95

8.) Fan-tastic vent 801200. Amazon $121.72

9.) Fan-tastic vent cover V1500WH Amazon $55.77

10.) Camco universal vent installation kit 25003 Amazon $6.99


Crazy expensive, I know!!!
But I really want to build this out right. I will be living in this camper while I am building my next house, and after that will be traveling several months out of the year and camping in it.

I will post more of what is going in it as I acquire it.

Yup, spend the time and $$$ to do it right the first time if possible. It's never any cheaper to do it twice. And you want to be proud of your efforts.
Good Luck.

McDave

Thanks McDave for your vote of confidence.