Not at all, in fact that's what sites like this do best, in sharing information. I kept the camper electrical 24 vdc to match the truck. Four Optima 12vdc batteries wired with two parallel and two in series to get 24 vdc and 200 amp hours. I used a Blue Sea marine panel for 24 vdc and 120 vac breakers with an added battery monitoring feature. I plan on adding a battery management system to utilize the truck charging system. When the separate truck batteries are topped off, the system will then charge the camper batteries. I have a 2000 watt Sine Wave Inverter that provides battery charging from a 120 vac source. That could be a plug to a utility outlet, or the two Honda 2000ie generators. Likewise, the inverter supplies 120 vac from the battery bank. Only a few electronic devices are 120 vac. Most of the electrical components are 24 vdc. Lighting is totally LED.
The water system is comprised of a 90 gal tank, Sure flow pump, and Pex A tubing. The tank was fabricated with bungs and baffles to fit under the bed and at the front of the camper to keep the weight toward the front of the truck. I have a Indel
11.5 gal hot water heater with three means of heating the water. The truck coolant heat exchanger, a Wabasto diesel furnace
and 120 vac electric element. The Wabasto also provides heating through three Real radiators and a towel warmer as part of the hrydronic heating system.
Insulation is 2" closed cell foam.
I've given you a general idea, these systems have many more components that I choose. An example is all the wiring is mariine tinned wire with connectors that crimp, and use head shrink adhesive. Some would believe that's overkill. I tend to
attempt building to the highest standard. I try to have a good reason for fabricating it the way I did. I've built it for me, I'm not in the business, Just a car guy who likes to camp off the beaten path and doesn't want to rough it like I did when I was younger.
I'll post some system pic's later
Some would believe that's overkill. I tend to
attempt building to the highest standard. I try to have a good reason for fabricating it the way I did. I've built it for me, I'm not in the business, Just a car guy who likes to camp off the beaten path and doesn't want to rough it like I did when I was younger.
Congrats on building a great truck, it good to see the final product turn out so nicely.
You have the same philosophy I have, "just do it properly". A commercial builder would be able to do what I have done, but it would cost too much, most buyers would not appreciate the use of the special components, all the redundant systems, and the hundreds of little features built into the truck.
.
I've followed your build and your right on target with your comments. I enjoy the fact that we created something in our mind and then turned that into a reality. Plus, I know every inch of that build. I didn't have the finances to invest in a manufactured vehicle, so this is the next best thing. It's also the pleasure I get from knowing I created it. These are not short term projects. I encourage anyone thinking about it to consider that fact. But also, those of us who have done it are willing to share and help anyone serious about building a similar vehicle.
This is the bed area. These pictures show the substrate that the mattress sits on. You can customize the firmness for any part of the area to fit your body weight and comfort. Plus, it keeps the mattress suspended for air circulation. This intended for marine applications, but works great for camper "roughing it".
The finished dining area. Seat is shortened eighties vintage seat out of my Chevrolet pick up with new upholstery. Table is mesquite wood from Southern Arizona. Walls are dimensional upholstery material similar to leather but softer. A flat screen for video and computer monitor, tablet connection, VCR, and Bose sound system. Also, ham radio equipment. Hydronic heaters and system buffer tank are under raised floor where table is mounted on telescoping pedestal.
The off road amber lights are from Lightforce. That company makes many of their lights available with a choice of covers like the amber on my truck. The upper white lights lights are a mix of driving and spot available from Hella. The Lightforce are 24VDC, but the Hella are 12VDC. I paired the 12VDC so I could run them with 24VDC system. They are all run off relays.
The regular driving lights that replaced the original Unimog units are halogen. I'm told the white lights were for a Ferrari. They have separate bulbs and adjustments for the low and high beam. The yellow fog lights are Hella. These are all 12VDC wired for 24VDC.
Hope this information helps. At some point I'll likely design a better system using newer technology for the on highway lights.
It's in my blood. I don't do it any better, but I do enjoy letting that old hot rod creativity creep in. Thanks for the comment and that you recognized a few touches from that past. I'll post some definite pieces either that have been repurposed or created,
Roger
The seat I used was removed from my chevy pick up shortened and re-upholstered. I liked how comfortable it was, so I went to a local salvage yard and bought a replacement seat out of a wreck and put that in the pick up. The third light arrangement above the motorcycle are early 40's truck tail lights that I converted over to LED's. They show the word "STOP" when lit. Hey, you have to dare to be different.
P.S. I got a KATOOM kinda like that around here now, but with a little smaller and fatter tires on it for hooliganning around town. Though I still have the dirts in the shop....
That's my scouting, escape or run after some milk transportation. Every Mog should have one, right? Actually I plan on investing in a drone for scouting. These big trucks are nice as we can have more creature comforts. The downside is where you can go with them. I would rather check out what's ahead and have some certainty that the truck can get through than have that surprise dead end or big tree canopy that blocks my way, There's adventure and then there's extreme adventure. By myself I might opt for just adventure.
P.S. For those Rodder's out there I just added another project to my list. I acquired a partially finished 27 track T roadster. That comes after the 63 series II A Land Rover. That should keep me busy for awhile.
I have a drone, and he used it to find a road which I knew was there, but could not find it. The main problem with using a drone for scouting is that you can't really see enough detail when flying above the trees, and if you fly close to tree level, you run the risk of hitting something and crashing. Then a whole new adventure starts, a Search and Rescue mission. My Phantom 3 Pro has a useful range of about 2km, but you need line of sight for proper signal. This means you have to fly higher the further away you go, and then you can't see much detail. We have opened up a track that had not been used in a few years, it required some detours around trees and driving over some fallen trees and deep washout, something a smaller vehicle would not be able to do. Whilst it was fun, it was really slow going. I'm talking about 10km in a day.
I'm not sure what it is like over there in the US, but normally if a Land Cruiser or Patrol has been through, a mog can get through. We have had to turn around once in a forest because of the trees, and whilst we could cut off the offending branches, there were just too many, there was an alternative track, about 25km longer, but I reckoned it would be quicker than pruning half a forest. Roof bars and other protection is essential, as even our little mog is wider than most other vehicles using the tracks, so we have to do the pruning of the bushes and trees on the side of the track.
........Actually I plan on investing in a drone for scouting. These big trucks are nice as we can have more creature comforts. The downside is where you can go with them. I would rather check out what's ahead and have some certainty that the truck can get through than have that surprise dead end or big tree canopy that blocks my way, There's adventure and then there's extreme adventure. By myself I might opt for just adventure.
I am impressed with your build. My U1300 ambulance is still box stock with 1 bunk for me. A coffee pot and a 2500 watt Zantrex converter. Simple but adequate for short desert trips.
Thanks for the insight Iain, maybe as the technology improves with drones they will become more useful for scouting. It really depends where your at in USA what type of geography you encounter. If I had it to do all over, Tlane might have the best method of building a camper. I've spent what seems like an eternity building this vehicle (didn't have the bucks or desire to buy one already to use) My problem is when I start, I can't do something real simple. Example, I have a camera system with multiple locations to see all around, in front of me, behind me, under and what I'm about to go over, and on top for low clearance. That same system provides night security with a monitor at the head of the bed. Probably overkill. It's that type of inhancement that adds time and $$$$ to a build. I could have been using the truck long ago if I hadn't got to crazy with some of the things I've put into the build.
I still have some mechanical issues I want and need to resolve with the truck before it goes on any looong distance travel.So I'm envious of you all who are out there using what you have. You are the smart ones! If I don't hurry I'll be six feet under before somebody ends up with a really nice camper.
Roger
Adding all the gadgets takes a long time, but that's what makes the truck special. I have no doubt that we could not live for months on end in a standard Unimog, they are pretty uncomfortable by comparison.
You have made your truck what you want it to be, and whilst it took a lot longer, because of adding all the gadgets, I'm sure it is worth, all the stuff we did for our truck was well worth it.
Here are some truck cab photo's. The seats were from a wreaked 80's vintage semi. They are Bostrum Air Ride low profile. Bostrum still makes rebuild kits, so I completely disassembled the seats down to the frame. After blasting them, they were powder coated and new bellows, shocks, guides, etc were installed. The seats were then upholstered. I had to fabricate the seat base for the passenger side, but used the stock base for the driver side. The ICOM ham radio is mounted under the seat.
The roof was raised to accomadate the electronics, AC, and used as a wiring chase. The gauges are mostly ISSPRO built for 24v. I have a Total Vision camera system with 7 cameras strategically located around, under, and on top of the vehicle. That system can be switched to the camper for security with a monitor at the head of the bed.
The vertical exhaust stack doubles as a base for the fixture to retrieve the spare and lower it to the ground. I just completed fabricating the heat shield. The UNIMOG was cut out of flat stock along with the holes. Bent and then powder coated black. An inset piece was added with the contrasting color.
I've tried to isolate a lot of the lighting with relays, so the switches control the individual relays. I have an aux air tank that I use for the air ride seats and a train horn. I can fill the tank by switching open the line from the trucks air system. Otherwise it's always closed.
The camera's are real handy, as there are many blind spots on a truck this big. Some will be more useful offroad. And, at night you can check out two or four legged intruders before opening the door.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Mercedes-Benz Forum
7.6M posts
693.6K members
Since 1999
BenzWorld.org forum is one of the largest Mercedes-Benz owner websites offering the most comprehensive collection of Mercedes-Benz information anywhere in the world. The site includes MB Forums, News, Galleries, Publications, Classifieds, Events and much more!