Awesome shots and setup Jerry!! 
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Agree with enjoitheride, also, the hardest part of wiring into the bed area for me was deciding/deliberating where to drill the hole for the wires to enter. Once I committed to drivers side, front, up high, everything followed from that. I made a pretty big hole to accommodate the solar wire/solar connectors.
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For me, I didn’t even need to drill, there was a hole in the bed already. I had it sealed with some foam before I got the GFC installed and removed the sealing to run the wires. Depending on your truck its worth looking around at existing holes.
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Made a tent bed extender out of a tent from Walmart. Turned out better than I thought, and didnt have to spend $300 on one from Topper Tents. Cost me under $40. Theres a few things to tidy up on it once I get a soft topper or shell, but its in full working order as it sits! Btw, that Hest is on another level when used with a cot.
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why making the switch from gfc to soft top?
I’ve gotten a dog since I bought the camper. He does good going up in the tent, but he is scared to come down for some reason and its not a fun time trying to get him down from there. So i’m just going with a simple set up. No reason to keep the GFC if I am not sleeping up there, and keeping him at the bottom is out of the question. He’s a blue heeler and stuck to me like velcro.
Also I have been heavily toying with the idea of getting a van and building it out, so theres more than one factor that’s making my decision. Just hoping those prices go down. I absolutely LOVE the GFC and it was a dream to get it, but it is time to try other things and let someone else fully enjoy it.
hear that. i have two Senior dogs so the move from top to bottom is a little tough but they absolutely love having their own space down in the bed below us with blankets and beds.
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This is what I’ve been working on this week. Adding a solar panel, no bars on top. Followed some RV tutorials. Flat EcoFlow panel with plastic cardboard underneath. The wire bracket is by Shittco. Not exactly it’s designed for, but worked this way best for me. Ran the cable into the truck bed. The EcoFlow Delta 2 sits were the cable is. I’m going to run USB connectors up into the sleeping area to run the lights that I already installed and power phones and tablets.
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Though only the edge stripping was added this week, I never got around to posting these additions before using the camper for 11 days cross country.
I modified the side bed molle panel for my gladiator, as a rear panel to hold a few items. I took my old truck toolbox and cut it up to add storage on one side securing it with some bed track attachments. Since it sits on my Decked system it’s a perfect height.
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Those are some slick lights!
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Nat that’s awesome!!!
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I was going to go with a simple 10A PWM controller to add solar to my second battery but decided it is time to ditch the isolator setup and go with a dc-dc charger with mppt.
Just working on the layout right now. Hope to have it all together by memorable day weekend.
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Have been working on my drawer build out. Started with a 3/4” base of Baltic birch. I used Herculiner bed liner (aerosol) to seal the bottom and sides of the base.
I am using 3/4” sanded pine plywood for the outer perimeter of the ‘box’ and the drawer will be constructed with 1/2” as well as the deck/lid.
The smaller box in the front/right corner will be home to a 100ah lipo, victron solar controller, 1000w psw inverter, fuse block, and other misc electricals. I will be running 2x 150w panels on the GFC roof.
The interior of the box will be polyurethaned to seal and the outer will be bed liner but instead of the spray I plan to use a roller. Was not happy with the spray and the roller should be quicker to apply and also have a thicker coat.
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Looking good, how heavy is that going to be though?
@Dogandagladiator Should be heavy enough. The rear suspension favors the weight anyway. I didn’t plan for it to be light and didn’t think using all 1/2” would have been strong enough. Time will tell.
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I would think so too. 1/2” would be weak I’d guess!
Made some decent progress on the solar build.
I had to order 4 more t-slot studs from GFC to mount the second panel to the beef bars…hopefully they will be here this week so I can wrap this all up.
Notched out some 1/8" angle aluminum to bolt to the bottom of the beef bars
I decided to use rivets to attach the panels to the mounting brackets…one less thing to rattle loose off road
I cut the 1/4" plywood based on the template I’d made and covered it with carpet
Then it was time for some liquid courage
Now I’m committed
Since I was already drilling holes in things I swapped the step bit for a hole saw to cut some holes for switches
This is how it was looking at dinner time
After dinner I mounted the relay for the compressor and cleaned up the wiring…I need to run the power from the midi fuse to the fuse panel still
I was planning to run more of the wiring behind the panel but with the short runs of wire for most of it the only thing behind the panel is the switch for the compressor on the bottom and I’ll work on the wiring for the top switch to the interior lights later this week
I used an Anderson plug for the solar so it can be disconnected easily and I have the option to easily plug in a solar blanket or run an extension to the trailer to charge it if needed
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