RV Mods - RV Guides - RV Tips | DoItYourselfRV

  • Builds
  • Guides
  • Gear
  • Mods
  • Travel
  • Vintage
  • Shop
  • More
    • About Us
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Submit Content
    • Rent an RV
    • Disclosure
    • DMCA
    • Privacy Policy
  • Videos
  • Search
bathhouse

10 Secrets To Using Campground Bathhouses

New plywood going on over the new studs and framing

What This Family Did to Save a 1997 Prowler Travel Trailer Blew Me Away. I Would Have Given Up.

Luci lights

Unique RV Product: The Luci Light Inflatable Solar-Powered Lantern

How to inflate your RV tires the easy way

How to Inflate Your RV Tires The Easy Way

RV Boondocking: Tips to Go RVing without a Campground or RV Park

A Flying RV Built from a US Air Force Anti-Submarine Airplane

Simple Homemade Truck Camper With Sensational DIY Air Conditioning System

DoItYourselfRV

By DoItYourselfRV Truck Campers, Videos

There's nothing fancy about this utilitarian truck camper. But when you see the homemade air conditioner inside, you'll like it more.
601
SHARES
8646
VIEWS
ShareTweet

YouTube user tontotralman made a very basic, but sturdy, homemade camper built on the back of his Ford F-150. The camper is bolted to the sides of the bed, but slides off for easy storage.

Most of the materials he got for free or were recycled from other projects. Like in most camper builds, 2x2s serve as the framing and OSB plywood makes up the outer paneling. Don’t let the design fool you though, this camper is buttoned up well with 1 1/2″ styrofoam insulation in the walls, ceiling, and floor.

Related: This Homemade Truck Camper Is a Work of Art. Wait Until You See the Inside.

The camper measures 6.5 feet wide by 6.5 feet long and looks more like a storage shed than a livable space.

Homemade truck camper on Ford F-150

You might think that the camper looks a little tall. But he’s 6’2″ and wanted to be able to stand up comfortably inside.

The slanted front is roughly the same angle as the windshield. It reduces drag when driving at highway speeds.

Side view

A small kitchen area and a single twin bed fill up much of the interior space. There’s not a lot of room for guests or a camping partner.

You might think there isn’t too much to this DIY camper, but you’d be wrong. While the insulation helps keep the inside cool, a highly modified ‘redneck’ air conditioner ensures maximum low-cost comfort.

Sometimes these DIY air conditioners are made out of 5 gallon buckets. This one is housed in a larger cooler.

Side view of DIY air conditioner

The fan on the right blows warmer air into the cooler which is filled with ice. As the air passes over the ice it cools, and exits out the exhaust vent to the left.

At least that’s how a normal redneck air conditioner works.

Related: DIY Air Conditioner From a 5 Gallon Bucket for Under $25

Not satisfied with the stock setup, he coiled copper piping around the front of the fan. The copper piping is connected to a cheap electric water pump. The pump circulates the melted ice water through the piping, improving the efficiency of the cooler.

Copper coiling added to the front of the fan.

Copper coiling added to front of fan

The pump circulates the cool water right in front of the fan blades, greatly improving the efficiency of the system.

Pump inside DIY air conditioner

In the video below, he said it was 109 °F outside yet the inside of the camper was ‘cool’. Whoa, this thing must really work!

tontotralman made four videos about this camper build. In the video below, he shows the finished camper, and describes the DIY air conditioner in more detail. The other videos are linked to at the bottom of the article.

Homemade Camper Part 3

 

He said of his camper,

I’m not a carpenter. I really don’t know a lot about carpentry. And I did the best I could.

I think you’ll agree he did a great job!

See the other videos in this series:

  • Part 1: After the main structure went up
  • Part 2: More details on the construction
  • Part 3: Added slanted nose on the front of the camper (shown above)
  • Part 4: First time out using the camper

 More homemade truck campers:

  • This Homemade Truck Camper Is a Work of Art. Wait Until You See the Inside.
  • This Cozy Homemade Truck Camper Is Perfect For Winter Camping.
  • A Handyman Made His Own Custom Wooden Truck Camper. He’ll Make One For You Too.
  • This Truck Camper Has Just About Everything You Could Imagine. And Some Things You’d Never Think Of.
  • Could This Be The Ultimate Space-Saving Truck Camper Design?
601
SHARES
8646
VIEWS
ShareTweet

Search

Unclaimed Baggage Center

Why Frugal RVers Must See the Unclaimed Baggage Center

Rotten-Water-Damaged-Ceiling-Frame

RV Water Damage: The Aging RV’s Sneaky Nemesis

Prepare Your RV For A Baja Adventure

1990 Thomas School Bus Tiny House With Wood Burning Stove

How To Find Recycling Centers When You’re RVing

Fireball trailer at dusk

Perfect Glamping Camper: 1963 Fireball Meteor With 16′ Upper Berth

5 Must-Haves For RVers On Windy, Rainy Days

10 Small RV Items You Can Find At Asian Supermarkets

RSS RV Mods – RV Guides – RV Tips | DoItYourselfRV

  • The Dangers Of Using Propane Heaters (And What Precautions You Should Take)
  • RV Camping In Washington’s 3 National Parks
  • Installing A Solar Power System: What Components Will You Need?

RSS Boating Information and Entertainment | BoatBible

  • This Crazy Fast Homemade Speed Boat Will Astonish You
  • This Aging And Poorly-Kept Pontoon Boat Got A Fabulous DIY Upgrade
  • Pond King Mini Pontoon Boat Fits In The Back Of A Pickup Truck

RSS CampZing

  • Here’s How You Can Safely Change The Color of Your Campfire
  • 7 Simple Camping Hacks That Might Just Save Your Life
  • This Inflatable Solar Powered Camping Lantern Takes Up Almost Zero Space

RSS Unpack | DoItYourselfRV

  • Magnetic 100 Minute Timer For Easy RV Cooking
  • Manual Solar Panel Positioner
  • Custom Made Tent For Prius Car

RSS Small Homes | Simple Living | SnugShack

  • This Hobbit Hole Tiny House Will Make You Want To Squeeze Right In
  • Charming Cottage Built By Couple With Own Hands Over 6 Years
  • This Tiny Chapel Puts A Whole New Spin On Small Weddings

Copyright © 2019 · DIYRV on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Logo Mobile Logo
601
SHARES
8646
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterGooglePinterest