ULTIMATE CUSTOM SPACECRAFT BOONDOCK Trailer / RV LIFE Outside Tour /Adventure /fulltime RV /Glamping
Welcome to our home again but this time it's the basement tour. We show all our systems that make this the ULTIMATE boondock RV...while never leaving home. A complete tour of all our major systems that make Orion our BOONDOCKING BEAST! Hey! That's MR. BEAST to you! 😎
In Orion, we're Grateful Glampers when we boondock in this trailer. Glamping at it's finest for sure while "roughing it".
A completely custom RV semi-trailer that we designed and SpaceCraft built took 7 months to complete. We're sharing our experiences and RV's in the hopes that others may benefit on their path to RV fulltime travel.
2 minute mark:
Welcome and begin the tour of our home. It's a completely custom RV built on a semi-trailer chassis. We go through the entire basement and infrastructure of the trailer and show some one of a kind, unique custom features that you will find in no other RV, anywhere.
5 minute mark:
A front "power outlet" which is really a front 50 amp receptacle and storage for plenty of power cords. A charging station for cordless equipment including my drone. We briefly discuss the 4 inverters but more in depth about the Hybrid Inverters from Magnum.
12 minute mark to 20 minutes:
We talk about the Drainmaster sewer system and the unique locking system similar to fuel trucks. The water system with the 2 75 gallon tanks which were custom made to install in the frame rails. 7 water filters and a water softener too. I'm embarrassed to say that we have 7 water filters plus a de-scaler which reduces the calcification within the system.
The solar system is discussed with our panels on gas struts (actuators) which allow me to raise them from the ladder but I enjoy going up on the roof too!
20 - 25 minute mark:
Our unique power system allows off-grid living with 4 inverters including 2 Cotek 240 volt inverters which power our induction cooktop and the LG Mini-split system from the lithium batteries.
25- 30 minute mark:
We heat the basement using HDT diesel fired heating system from Webasto with "crockpot" style thermostats.
30 - 35 minute mark:
Our propane system assists when we boondock and the composite tanks are really light and fit beautifully in the Smart car. They don't rust and work well for us. The Gas Buddy helps on cold nights since it's plumbed for the living room.
35 - 38 minute mark:
The only stove in America is from Fisher Paykel and matches exactly the induction cooktop style with a propane burner style. Sondra is very happy with this setup.
#rvlife #spacecraft #fulltimerv #customrv #hdt #whataburger #orlando #campendium #wanderlust #semitrailer #semitruck #volvo #rvtour #tour #customtrailer #boondocking #lg #basement
RV trailer is called Mr. Beast. Or Boondock Beast. It feels like we are on shore power.
RV Camping
We like to Switch it Up between resorts and campgrounds.
Our journey is the destination. We want to share in our experiences in discovery of What's Next.
I get my music from:
Epidemicsound.com
Tracks:
Give Me by Humble Hey (closing)
Magnificent March by Bonnie Grace (opening)
Amazon Shop (no extra charge to you)
A convenient way to see (or buy) the items you see in the video's which may help in your adventure.
www.amazon.com/shop/bigtruckb...
We use the TSD card for diesel fuel and save a bundle each time we fill up our Big Rig. We also use it to fill up our Onan generator.
The big blue boards (XL version) we use sometimes to get us "un-stuck" is from:
Gotreads.com
Our extreme completely custom 5th wheel is built on a semi-trailer chassis with air suspension and air brakes. Completely loaded it weighs 42,000 lbs rolling down the highway. And we do roll down the highway nearly every week. You see, we believe that if your home has wheels they should be used.
Vehicles:
2016 Volvo VNL780 "Voyager"
2016 Smart fortwo "Pathfinder"
2019 SpaceCraft Custom built semi-trailer 5th wheel "Orion"
2023 Thor Magnitude XG32 Class C "Curiosity"
2017 Jeep Wrangler Sahara "Artemis"
Power system:
3250 watts of solar with Panasonic panels
30.1 KWH of Lithium batteries
2- 4K watt Magnum Inverters deliver power as if we are on shore power
2- 4K watt 240v Cotek Inverters deliver additional power for our LG Mini split HVAC and stove
Coachnet is our roadside assistance company we use but hopefully we don't use them too often. LOL
We are not sponsored by Whataburger but I do enjoy them anytime I can get my hands on one. They used to be just out of Texas but they have expanded.
Just wow! The attention to detail was mind boggling.
LOL...that's what we said everyday for about 2 years until it was done. Then we relaxed. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
The title should be (The things I've done to please Sondra). hehehehe
hahaha...Mark, you're not wrong about that for sure! LOL. It's all good and makes our life much more comfortable for sure. 😂🤔😊
🤣🤣🤣🤣 exactly
Lol. Happy wife happy life. But somehow David seems to be the beneficiary of all this... like nice home cooked meals.. 😊
Your absolutely right!!! @@mrsbigtruckbigtravels726
Whicha! 😂😅😊
Wow, I am speechless! 54 ft times $10 a foot =$$$$$$$$…well done! Dennis
Whoa there cowboy! 😳 😆 🤣 It's 46.5 feet of awesomeness! Definitely pricey but it's our only home and we plan to keep it for as long as we fulltime. Thank you very much.
Ok, must have gotten confused with switch it up new rig. Anyways well done! The details are amazing……how long did it take you to design the layout of everything? Dennis
@rtoadontheroad total time was about 18 months from when "pen hit paper to tires hitting the road". We had a lot of "firsts" during our build... some SpaceCraft has adopted and some they will never do again! 😆 🤣
I love the dual stove.
Hey Mary, the dual stove turned out to be one of the better appliances we acquired and installed in Orion. It is so flexible and works so well. Appreciate the comment. Thanks for watching. Aloha 😎
Me too! I especially like that it's 240V so I can run both induction spots on high. 😊
I'm older than you two, but will you adopt me??😂😅😊😊 You have the set up of dreams.. Very impressive. Thank you for the tour Safe travels and good health.
🤣🤔🤣😂 That's funny! Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Thank you again for another awesome tour and video. 🎉
Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Great tour. You guys really thought things through. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the comment, Daniel and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
I use the same shelving in my front compartment. I put hydraulic line p clamps instead of legs on back side so that it can pivot like a hinge. This way where the front compartment has the 6" lip and the shelf being 24" deep I can pivot shelf up to allow me to put bulky items on bottom and still be able to remove them. Such as 5 gallon shop vac., pancake compressor also power washer then totes on shelves above
That's an excellent idea, Michael. I like it! Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
always excited for a new video
Thanks, Shane. Glad you're along with us on the journey. 😎
Thanks for sharing 😊
We're glad to do it, Peter. We hope you enjoyed it and maybe got a few useful ideas too. Thanks for watching the channel. 😁
That’s awesome to see daydreams put into reality. Have fun. 👍👍
Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Very great video and very informative! Thanks so much for sharing!👍
Thanks Marco, we enjoy sharing and hope that it may benefit other RVers in some way. Glad you're along on the journey. Appreciate your time watching the channel. 😊
You guys have an awesome coach, very impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much. We love to boondock and get away from it all and this trailer was designed for that purpose. It's very comfortable for sure. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Great video
Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Another enjoyable video. Great job designing and SpaceCraft building it!
Thanks, Scott. It was definitely a team effort! 😎
Very impressive home design ❤
Thank you, Tiffany. It was the culmination of 2 years of effort and design and research. Glad you're along with us on the journey. 😎😊
Awesome rig.
Thank you so much. We appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Absolutely mind blowing. Love it. Thank you for the in-depth explanation.
Thanks, Ian. We weren't sure how much detail to go into so we hit the high points and some of the more salient points that most people would enjoy. Really glad you enjoyed it and super appreciate your comment. 😊
Hi guys...that was very informative...did a great job of explaining the layout...thanks for the video...stay safe...J&A
Thank you J&A, glad you enjoyed it and appreciate you watching the channel. I hope you have safe travels and stay out of the weather. 😊
Great video! Thanks so much for opening the curtain into the mind-numbing spec'ing/planning/building process that you undertook. I cannot fathom the hours spent in the endeavor of planning alone. Truly a one-of-a-kind unit!
LOL...that makes two of us, Nelson! LOL...a lot of hours for sure but it was fun...most of the time! Well worth our time. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
I enjoyed this video a lot
Thank you. We tried not to make it boring with a lot of stats and add some additional pictures to give everyone a clear example of what we're talking about. Glad you enjoyed it. See you next week! 😊
Another great video and so well thought out.
It was 2 years of design and research, Monty. We love the result and really enjoy the flexibility of this lifestyle. Thanks for the comments. 😃
@@bigtruckbigtravels can’t wait to cross paths again. Sorry to hear you won’t be at the National HDT rally. Enjoy Alaska and we will meet up one of these days.
Amazing combination. You two did a fabulous job with this setup.
Thanks, James. We put a lot of thought into it. Appreciate your time watching the channel. 😃
The power panel hug at the beginning was hilarious.
Hey Craig, Sondra thought it would be funny to do that in the beginning. We're just having fun with it. Glad you enjoyed it. Appreciate the comments. 😎
I love your setup! Such a cool rig, both of em!
Thanks, KB, we're doing a few more mods on the Class C and then it's off for our summer adventure. We really enjoy both setups...obviously, one has more room than the other! LOL. Appreciate your comments...as always.
I am putting together a new 2000 watt solar setup. I am actually generating water with a small dehumidifier. I have to build some custom piping with a water sensor switch and pump to keep my fresh water tank topped off from the dehumidifier. No more trips to town just for water. The black tanks is a whole other story though. I am thinking... septic on a few pieces of land around the USA for boondocking sharing with my friends.
OK, Nathan. That is some serious cool "stuff" you have going on in your water acquisition process. I love it! Very cool. Thanks for the comment and watching the channel. 😊
A true "Glamping" RV for sure. GREAT job on designing a "have it all"RV.....
Thanks for the comment, Mike and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Great video, great RV. You two seen to be a great couple. ;)
Thank you, Ken. We enjoy traveling and boondocking and are very fortunate that we can share it with everyone. Glad you're along on the journey. Thanks for the comment. 😊
All of your cheesy dad puns and you didn’t grab on the heavy doody sewer hose come on you were off your game! I can’t believe you didn’t arcticulate that one!
Oh, I know. I am ashamed. Off my game,I was just trying to get through the tour. 😆
Absolutely unbelievable. IRS so good, I’m now streaming it to my 55” TV to watch. I envy you guys so much. Keep it coming, it’s awesome!
Thanks, Gary...but watching us in 55"?!? That's taking a chance we'll break the screen! 🤔😂🤣Glad you're along on the journey and really appreciate the time you take to watch the channel. 😎
You guys have designed a perfect home. Deep thought has gone into all the comforts you have. My husband knows everything you do about the systems you have, so, I understand all you explained today. I am jealous and know you have all you need for a happy travelling life. You get along great and are the perfect pair. Enjoy each other and your life together. You are very fortunate.
Thank you so much. We do enjoy our home and are very fortunate to be able to enjoy this lifestyle. 😊
I'm happy for ya. I'm always interested in how others design their rigs. Happy trails
Thanks for the comment, Mike and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
I really commend you guys on how well all you did was thought out amazing. Thanks for the tour gives me a lot of food for thought. We have a brand new class a motor home that I would like to make some of those improvements on.Thanks David
You're very welcome, David. We hope you got some idea's that you can put to good use. Always fun to make some mods to your RV to make it more comfortable and usable for your lifestyle. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
You did great guys ! Thank you so much for sharing ! I have been really interested in how you do with the spacecraft trailer ! The thoughts and planing and the engineering is just what interested me. The traveling is great ! But making it happen with the trailer engineering is a wonder to see !
We really enjoyed the process, Robbie. It had it's "moments" for sure but we're really enjoying the design we came up with for our home. It was an interesting route we took to get to this final build but it was fun. Now we are fortunate enough to reap the rewards of our efforts and travel in comfort. Thanks for watching the channel. 😊😎
Very impressive rig. Cheers from the French alps beautiful America 🤚
Hello from across the pond. Thanks for joining us on the journey. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Been waiting for this tour since you had it built
LOL...thank you, Bruce. It's been a long time coming and I'm glad you waited it out! This summer will be fun. Appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Great content but my chocolates are pickled now lol. I hope Mickey and Minnie are well. x
LOL...I'm guessing that is a "bad thing"? Chocolate pickles...hmmm, maybe a new food group! 😊🤣thanks for the comment.
@@bigtruckbigtravels There was so much information. So technical for me that it blew my Maltesers lol. Love your channel Keep rocking for ALL of us who enjoy your wit and fun.
Mine and Bob's mind was blown. The amount of creativity and organization is mind-boggling. But I love it because I'm OCD about that kind of stuff. Super great video
LOL...then you and Sondra would get along famously! Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Just like all your other comments I love the basement tour... The great think about your lifestyle is all the gadgets you have to play with. My 3008 windjammer from Rockwood and my Carver boat gives me plenty of gadgets to play with which is 90% of the fun I have. But I learned somethings from you that are a must have. What a cool set up and I love that Sondra is so up to speed on all your gadgets, the both of you are a great team... 👍 sorry for running 🏃♂️ on so much 😮...safe travels, guys... The Banks Family ..
Oh...we must have a "boat discussion" at some point. We looked at a West Bay Son ship a few years ago and fell in love with it. Thank you for the comments. 😎
That is absolutely amazing! I'm sitting here wondering how long it must have taken to design and build this rig! The true meaning of good things come to those who wait (or, have patience).
Oh man....a lot of patience. The 2 year of design and research was the fun part...the patience was waiting for it to get started....it was a fun process with a few "moments" we'll say. 🤔😂😁😎
@bigtruckbigtravels I'm very impressed with the knowledge both of you have. Susie (my wife) and I are picking up our first RV tomorrow! Other than tent camping years ago in Michigan, we have never stayed in an rv park, never hooked up a sewer hose, never hooked up a water line, never used a dump station, etc. We love watching your videos and others. I have learned so much from watching videos and that is giving me the confidence to get started. Our first night in an rv park will be Sunday night, wish us luck! LOL! We started small, bought a Tiffin Wayfarer. Who knows, maybe someday we will have a rig like yours....LOL, Susie just said "no way"! Traveling in your rig would scare her to death!
@fformer good luck on your maiden voyage! That's exciting 😄! Wow! Fantastic and I hope it goes smoothly. 😀
@@bigtruckbigtravels Did you build it yourself or have it built ? Is it a Spacecraft ?
@CumminsSuperduty1 thank you but we did not build it. We designed it and SpaceCraft built it. It's pretty solid.
Should have called it.. Satisfying Sondra!!
😂🤣😯🤣😂Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Wow, just wow. What an awesome setup and all the redundancies. The WEBASTO heaters are really nice and efficient. In Germany many cars and trucks have them as “Standheizung” as a remote start for your cars / SUV is “verboten”. Great video content. Safe travels!
Thank you for the kind words and that is very interesting. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Great Job and it is nice that both are knowledgeable of all the systems and how they relate to your needs, David must have been an electrical engineer or did some extreme research. I truly enjoy your videos
Thank you very much but Sondra is the only engineer in our household...but we have a lot of RV experience both in campgrounds and boondocking...and we ask a lot of questions! LOL. Glad you enjoyed it.
Great tour! Nice job! We are now running a diesel heater in our rig now and love it. It eliminates the need to run the furnace or Mr. Buddy! On edit, when it gets down to 35 degrees outside, I do turn the hot water re circulator on which keeps all the water pipes heated and prevents them from freezing if it gets too cold. Ya I do use a bit more propane with the hot water heater on all the time, but not as much if the propane furnace was running. For the month of march, the diesel heater used $38.00 in diesel!
That's great, Charlie. They are efficient for the heat they produce. That's a cool modification and a great idea on the water recirculation to keep it heated. See you in a few.... 😎😊
Hea David I couldn't help but notice you had your wife hugging the power pedestal. Lol heck I was waiting for you to spray her with the water hose lol love the videos keep them coming buddy. 😂
Loyd, lol...don't tell Sondra but I was thinking about it! It was warm enough that it probably would have felt good! Thanks for the comment. 😎
Love that whole set up! Well done. I would really like to see a detailed view of how your solar panels are installed. Super slick.
Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊We may do something on that in the future. We're thinking of making some modifications...🤔😁
Well done, seems like you are prepared for almost any situation. Well thought out in the systems you have aboard. Quite a lot of integration going on. An engineer 👨💻 at heart ♥️ is here I think. Love the Buddy Heater, very cost effective. Take care. Induction/propane stove story is very interesting. We, my wife and I, have quit using our gas stove and use induction cooktop to cook all our food. No more gas, more healthy and less expensive. We have a microwave that we use also. Bye for now.
Thank you, Harrison. We tried to think of all situations and also to keep in mind that we love to boondock. We use the induction whenever we can including when we have good solar! Thank you and see you next week. 😁
you have a soda fountain - wow
Sondra is addicted to Diet Coke in a foam cup with a straw. 😯😮😂
The old systems that used manual scales shouldn’t be a problem with the LP tanks
Agree, Jeff. I think some companies just don't want to "think". If it doesn't conform to their "norm" then it's easier to just say, "no".
You follow what my husband calls belt and braces, another words back ups for back ups. Works every time.
LOL...very true, Sue. Appreciate your comment and watching the channel. Glad to have you along on the journey. 😊
Thanks so much for this. Every video I am fascinated with your setup. If I manage to win the lottery, I want you to design my rig 😉 You have done an amazing job of thinking of everything. Excellent results.
LOL...sounds good! But be warned...we're not cheap but you'd absolutely love the result! LOL. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Great set up it must be different going.from driving the big truck to that small car
Big truck to small car is not bad, Glenn. It's tougher going from the Big Rig to the Class C! Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Wow that is one impressive rig. Well designed and thought out. If you are near CT. it would be nice to see.
That would be cool, Wayne. We plan to head up into the Northeast one of these days. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Hi David and Sondra. Greetings from New Zealand. Did you know that Fisher & Paykel was a New Zealand Company originally, although now owned by a Chinese Company called Haier. F&P was started in 1934 and most NZ homes had their appliances in them, fridges, stoves, washing machines etc. Love your channel.
That is very interesting, Murray and a fact that we did not know. We love the F&P appliances and design. Pretty cool. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Hello again David and Sondra Do you have problems running your generator at night. (complaints)?
HI Mark, we don't run our generator at night. If we don't have enough battery capacity then we'll run it during the early evening. We try to be good RV neighbors so no generator at night. If we had to run it there would be no issues as we have enough fuel to run for about a month if we manage our battery capacity and state of charge. We can hear the "hum" of the generator but it's like white noise so no issues. Thanks for the comment. 😎
@@bigtruckbigtravels I doubt anyone beside you in an RV with less substantial walls would consider the generator to be non-issue white noise... so it's good that you are reasonable about when you run it. We have an Onan built-in generator - I would not run it overnight near anyone.
@Brian B-P I'd have to go back to my gen log, but I can only think of one time in 4 years we ran our generator over night and that was in an emergency situation at a rest area sitting next to a truck that was running his APU. I HATE the sound and smell of generators and thus the large amount of solar and battery bank. If you watch some of our videos you'll notice there are very few people around us when we boondock (except for Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta). And when we do have neighbors, they are the ones running their open frame generator sitting on the ground outside. 🤦♀️ We manage our power consumption to enable us to be respectful to our neighbors. Thanks for the comment and watching the Channel 😊
Another great video. Thanks for sharing. It would be awesome to see the process of how you designed your rig from beginning to end. Did you take a factory tour of spacecraft?
Many discussions and several tours before we "pulled the trigger" plus lots of miles on the road to insure our design was solid. Thanks for the comment. 😎
Thanks for showing us under your boondocking skirt David. Or is it a kilt, lol.... Nice job with the redundancy in heat, could the diesel heater also warm the back section of the upstairs? Hope you guys stay safe and healthy.
Thanks PA, LOL...it could be a kilt but might get a bit chilly in windy weather! The diesel heater does warm the back. It's not enough as a primary source as plumbed but it helps. We have been thinking of re-doing the ducting to make it a primary source for the upstairs. Thanks.
Awesome Space Craft must have been designed by a Mechanical and Electrical Engineer, enjoyed the tour very much thank you.
I think you and your wife were the engineers on this project, because you impress me as being that smart and talented 😉 👏
Well, Scott, Sondra is the EE...which means she's an engineer on a few levels. We approach most decisions in life with an abundance of caution, research and being conservative in our estimates. Thank you for the compliment but we also had help in a few areas, most notably the power system. We knew what we wanted the system to do but we brought in an expert to help us design it. Works great. Thanks for watching the channel. 😊😎
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks, Scott.
@@bigtruckbigtravels You Bet.
Your rig is truly massive. I have a similar length motorhome, but in terms of battery size, tank sizes, it's pretty much in half. Although, I do have a slightly bigger solar at 3800w solar😄. Only thing I would add is a hydronic heating system.
Hey Timmy, we thought about that during our build but decided against it for a number reasons. We'd definitely like more solar! Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
A novel use of baker's racks (the style of shelving in the electrical cord area); as mentioned @4.24 the adjustability in small steps accommodates the sloped compartment floor. Since they self-tighten under load, I assume that they stay locked in travel, despite bumps.
Yes, Brian, solid as a rock. No movement yet over about a thousand miles.
Good video 😀 did you build the massive system in your rig it's mind blowing it seems complicated to integrate it all together 😊 safe travels
Thanks, Stephen. We knew how we wanted the system to behave but we weren't sure how to exactly go about and do it. We discussed with the owner of Starlight Solar in Yuma and at first he said it couldn't be done. Then we walked in to his shop one day and he said " I guess you guys are serious, so let's see what's possible". It's a unique system that gives us all kinds of flexibility and we can run everything all the time regardless of whether we're in the middle of the desert or hooked up to a 15 amp outlet. It's great. Appreciate the comment. 😊😎
At first I thought that the "class 16 AGMs" mentioned @7:49 would be AGM batteries in the BCI Group 16 size, but the proportions of the battery shown are all wrong for that size. They might be 4D or 8D sized - Lifeline sells both of those in 12 volt.
The connection style described @10:19 is normally called "camlock" or "cam and groove", for anyone wanting to find the parts to do this themselves. It is commonly used for discharge hoses in non-RV applications and suction hoses for vacuum trucks, and I think it's a great idea for an RV... as long as you have adapters to work with RV industry standards (bayonet hose couplings and threaded sewer inlets) as required.
I had never seen the camlock style used in the RV industry until we purchased a Riverstone Legacy model from Forest River. Once I had acquired all of the adapters, I really like the system.
Our sewer system uses no "standard rv bayonet" type fittings so I don't need any type of adapter coupler. I do have one (just in case). Thanks for the correction, I just couldn't think of it at the time. It's a great coupling system.
I can run everything also - any source down to 7.5amps up to 30 + 2040 solar on a 28' includes air conditioning
NIce. I think that it's important to be flexible and have that kind of capability. Sounds like you have quite the setup for camping.
@@bigtruckbigtravels full time living 31 months
My husband and I really enjoy your videos. we live in Europe can you give us an idea of what kind of drivers license you need to drive RV's we are considering going this route for our next vacation to the USA you seem to have a lot of fun. ❤
Cheers from across the pond. In the USA, you don't need a different type of license to drive an RV (motorhome or tow a trailer). You do need an endorsement for a semi-truck (at least in Texas). But a regular license will handle it. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
The system of gas struts to hinge the solar panels up on only the outer edge seems like a clever compromise between effectiveness and complexity to me.
We mainly did it to make it easier to raise them. There are trade-offs with this type of system. We're looking at some modifications...
@Big Truck Big Travels it only tilts half the panels for a given orientation, but that's not so bad - if both sets were tilted the south set would shade the north set at low sun angles. It looks like they only tilt to one angle (as determined by strut length), but that and the strut make them easy to operate. Is that one of the compromises you're thinking of?
Nothing like spending a million to sleep in the desert lol. Nice rig.
LOL...not to mention the dust! Thank you. We enjoy the peace and solitude of camping in the wide open spaces of the desert...and open the door to escape it all as well! Best of both worlds. Glad you enjoyed it.
It's so cute that you put a literal fast food grade soda machine in so your wife can have diet coke from an actual soda fountain 🤣
That was a requirement from Day 1! Alaska in 2017 scarred her so she did not want to be without soda! Thanks for the comment and watching the channel. 😊
That Blow My Mine With That Built In SODA Machine In U RV.Uall Built That Rv From The Ground Up.1 Of A Kind.
Thank you Carey, it is a definite 1 of a kind RV and we are very fortunate to be able to enjoy and travel in it fulltime....LOL...sorry for "blowing your mind". We'll take it easy on you next time! 🤔😂😍😎😊
this is really great! I have a couple of questions. how much of a concern is the ground clearance of the trailer when getting off of the pavement? and how much difference would do you think a shorter tractor would make with maneuverability in tight camp areas? I am seriously considering moving away from my pickup and 5th wheel to a heavy hauler.
Great question, Dan. Mild concern on the ground clearance and we have to be careful but so far we have not "high centered". Shorter wheel base, single axle tractor makes a huge difference. The turning radius on a tractor is impressive...a Ford F-550 also has a great turning radius.
Canadian fan very nice my good the price tag on this f wheel with l your specs must be very high Did you do a lot of this électrique and électronique and water and etc Very well plan
Hi Sylvain, are you back from Florida? Glad you enjoyed the Whataburger visit. We designed the concept of our "electric" system but got with Starlight Solar for the actual design and implementation of it. It's a super neat system which works great in all situations for us. Thanks again for the comment. 😎
Interesting tour of your systems high tech in many aspects well done Spacecraft, Can I ask the basic Pros and Cons regarding building on a 5TH WHEEL or as yours a SEMI chassis.
The owners can respond with their reasons, but the SpaceCraft semi-trailer has a lower front section than a typical RV fifth-wheel (because the front of the trailer doesn't need to be high to clear the sides of a pickup truck), it has the axles further back which puts more of its weight on the truck (but not far enough back to really be a "semi-trailer") for better traction but more importantly is more stable, and it is just built to handle more weight. The disadvantages that go with those advantages are that it needs a low towing body for clearance, it needs high truck hitch weight capacity (in this rig they had to add an axle to the truck to handle the SpaceCraft that they didn't need for the previous trailer), it take more space to turn, and it's heavier to tow.
Right on, Brian. Good job!
To add to Brian's comments below. This semi chassis handles more weight and has more cargo capacity than a traditional fifth wheel. With the larger tires (22.5) there is less chance of having tire issues (never any guarantee's) and definitely more stable in all conditions. Plus, we have air suspension and air brakes which are more proportional than a typical RV fifth wheel. When we brake, it feels like one unit (no delays). Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Hi ! Great tour of your well designed infrastructure. Do you have any gas sniffing or fire suppression on board ?
We have a smoke alarm, LP detection device and Proteng fire suppression system in the generator, water heater and battery compartments. Appreciate your comments. 😎😊
David did you do the electric set up or did the builder do it. Wow that's amazing dude.
Hey Loyd, we designed it but SpaceCraft installed it with assistance. We knew how we wanted the system to behave but we weren't sure how to exactly go about and do it. We discussed with the owner of Starlight Solar in Yuma and at first he said it couldn't be done. Then we walked in to his shop one day and he said " I guess you guys are serious, so let's see what's possible". It's a unique system that gives us all kinds of flexibility and we can run everything all the time regardless of whether we're in the middle of the desert or hooked up to a 15 amp outlet. It's great. Appreciate the comment. 😊😎
Guys, I am officially impressed! One question, how long did it take to design and build the boon docking beast?
Thanks Wayne. Well...we had been thinking about the type of RV for several years before we retired and started fulltime RV traveling. The first two years after retirement, we knew that we wanted to make changes to our DRV. But it was interesting that we found out we really enjoy boondocking...who knew? So, it was about 2 years of design and research which included the last 10 months in heavy discussions with SpaceCraft about our plans. The actual build time was 7 months from the first weld on the frame until the keys were handed to us. Thanks for the comment.
Wow what a great video ya very interesting on all the different powers you have propane, solar, batteries, electric good job take care happy camping
Seems really well designed and thought out, particularly to eliminate what might be pain points otherwise. You guys know what you’re doing. (Coming from someone who basically knows… nothing :) ). Are there any things you wish you would have done differently with this build?
Thank you for the comment. The only thing we'd change would be a few more lights in some strategic areas (inside and out). Appreciate your time watching the channel. 😊
Thank you for the comment. The only thing we'd change would be a few more lights in some strategic areas (inside and out). Appreciate your time watching the channel. 😊
Dave, ? How many lithium batteries do you have and amp hours. Also ? with the Heat pumps. Do you have issues with the fans running while you are traveling. We would like to add a ductless system to our setup and go with the cassette type the would sit in the roof ac spots. So a 3 zone system. Buy the way tell Sondra she's a woman after my heart. Diet coke fiend here also. I have drank it for 35 years since I quit drinking alcohol. I have to have my fix every day or I'm a grouchy 😂😂. David I also feel for you. Cindy is a scrap book nut also Safe travels and roads Brian and Cindy, "xtreambydesign with passion"
Hey Brian- I hope you guys are doing well out there with all the weird winter weather. We have 48 lithium packs which amounts to 2400 amp hours at 24v (or 30 Kwh). There is a BMS which balances all 48 packs. No issues with the fans turning. We turn off the system while traveling but the ODU fan will spin freely during travel with no issues. LG has approved this type of RV install. Sondra loves to bullet journal which for her is a cross between scrap booking and journaling. Safe travels to you. Thanks for the comment. 😎
Hello my favorite KZhead couple. David did you design your electric system all by yourself? You are so intelligent and entrepreneur. Sondra is quite savvy also.Please don't get shock! I can't remember where your heating clients are, in Orion?
LOL...Hi, Linda, we designed the electric system but needed expert assistance on the particulars of how to make it work correctly. The first time we discussed it with this company, they thought we were crazy. Can't be done, they said! We came back a week later with numbers on a spreadsheet and they knew we were serious. LOL. Orion (our fifth wheel trailer) has heated floors and a heat pump as well. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Tell me you’re an engineer, without telling me you’re an engineer🤣
Actually, Carl, Sondra is the EE....I'm more of a "common sense" kind of guy. But she's definitely an engineer! LOL. Appreciate your comment. 😊
@6:57: 15 amps at 120 volts for 24 hours is 43 *kilowatt-hours* of energy, not 43 _kilowatts_ of power... but you can't safely do that. Continuous load on circuit must not exceed 80% of the ampacity, so if sustained for a day you should not exceed 12 amps, or 36 kWh per day. @9:00 the same power versus energy confusion occurs: the "25 kilowatts" (kW) harvested by the panels is presumably 25 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in a day. With a peak power production of 3250 W (reached only momentarily at noon), 25 kWh or more on a good sunny summer day is plausible.
Appreciate the correction, Brian. We figured that most people would understand but it's good to be accurate.
@Big Truck Big Travels lots of people understand, but many others are confused by electrical calculations, especially when they don't make sense because the same units are incorrectly used for different things.
@brianb-p6586 true. Thanks again. 😊
Can you add more details on the water filtration? Are they all sediment filters, or carbon and sediment? Do you have a UV filter as well? Thanks!
Started with a UV but it broke with the vibrations of running down the road. Outside filters: I use sediment as the primary then carbon. Inside filters: sediment first then carbon as the secondary. I have a mineral filter on the outside and a "de-scaler" on the inside. Plus carbon on the fridge and the soda system. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
@@bigtruckbigtravels Thanks for the reply. We have a remote cottage we have to filter water for, which is why I was interested. We do fine sediment, carbon block and then UV. That works great, I like the UV for bacteria. I wonder if you could mount is on rubber bushings to keep it alive on the road
@regmcguire5582 in hindsight, it should have been isolated better. It was on the "water wall" which is near the axles but does see vibration. Thanks.
I really enjoyed your tour. You've put a lot of thought and planning into it, I never thought of the diesel fueled heaters. I like the redundant systems as well. Would you do anything differently if you were to do it over again?
It's funny that we talk about that all the time. Really the only thing we'd change would be a few more well placed lights in a few areas. We are really happy with the design and function of our home. It's great. Thanks for the comment. 😊
Have you loaded the new vehicle with a soda machine or will Sondra make do with a Sodastream?
LOL...Hi Andrew, we have a modified Soda Stream. I installed a hose so the Soda Stream is fed by a 10 lbs C02 cylinder and we have a separate fridge which houses the 33 degree water used for the carbonation (colder water is better to hold the gas in suspension). Then we add syrup separately. It works great and the secondary "water" fridge is super efficient. Thanks for the comment. 😎
So what are the two 50 A (and presumably 240 V) exterior AC outlets for? Running another RV from yours? Maybe I missed that...
Hey Brian, sorry but I messed that one up. The front marinco connector is our 50 amp plug to connect to shore power. Since we are long and some older parks have the pedestals up front then instead of using an extension, I'll just connect to the front plug. We end up using it about 50% of the time. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
@Big Truck Big Travels thanks. I thought at least one was described as an outlet, rather than an inlet, which is why I was confused. Alternate inlet locations are great... especially if they are switched so you don't have live terminals on one when the other is used.
@brianb-p6586 yep, they go through a transfer switch. And your confusion was my fault. Haha, I definitely misspoke. 😆
David, Can I ask a question? Who built Orion for you? Do you have a link
spacecraftmfg.com/
As a retiree I appreciate your programming, but if you don't mind sharing, how much did the truck and trailer, fully equipped cost you?
It was less than $650K, delivered in 2019 dollars. Probably would be a few nickels more today.
@@bigtruckbigtravels thanks!
how many people can be in the truck while driving?
Technically, Shane, you could have 6 people comfortably in the truck while in operation but we only have seat belts for two. I believe the law states that for a Class 8 vehicle, the rear passengers do not have to be belted in while in transit. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
Aside from suppliers that outright refuse to refill the composite propane cylinders, have you had problems with idiots overfilling them because they are filling by weight and assume the tare (empty) weight of a steel 20-pound cylinder?
LOL, no issues with overfilling. Ours has a relief valve so if they don't fill by weight then they'll do it by volume. Sometimes it will actually "underfill" the tank but never an overfill issue.
@Big Truck Big Travels good to hear. Small cylinders should be filled by weight, but that's only normal practice in some regions. Filling the composite tanks by weight would work well, if using the correct tare and filled weights.
@brianb-p6586 yes, unfortunately, the composites are not real popular so very few facilities have them in their program. It's usually by volume.
@@bigtruckbigtravels I wasn't talking about exchange programs - I'm very surprised that you found even one company doing that. Any cylinder can be properly filled by weight, and all small cylinders are filled that way here in Alberta. The person doing the the filling just needs to know the tare (empty) and filled weight of the cylinder, and they should be checking that even for common steel cylinders. There's no need for a specific cylinder design or brand to be known to the person doing the filling.
@brianb-p6586 agreed but that would require a calculation... and most won't do it thus the filling by volume using the relief valve. Thanks.
The Buddy tent heater in the interior seems like a horrible hack for such a huge and massively expensive RV. Why not just install a proper furnace?
It was a simple solution that also gave us flexibility to use it outside in our clam shell or any other type of similar venue. We tried to dual purpose as many items as we could so we ended up with this solution. Thanks for the comment and appreciate you watching the channel. 😊
@@bigtruckbigtravels it makes sense for portable use, but an unvented propane burning appliance with a large fuel supply (so a failure can fill the RV with propane) seems like a large risk to save less than 0.1% of the weight of the trailer.
@brianb-p6586 good point. 👍
How much money does it cost to do this?
It's a lot more now, Brad. It was less than $500K but this is 4 years old now. Thanks for the great question. 😊
Can see why this weighs so much.
Yes, there is a lot of steel and other "stuff" in our home. LOL...the good news is that the wind doesn't bother us! 😂😎
wouldnt it be better just to buy bunch of soda cans?
Nope...she loves the fresh bubbles of the fountain machine and the ability to control the syrup to carbonated water ratio....
Watching fromUK to see your country as not lightly to be able to visit. Your set up would not be good on our roads. We have very small vans
Lol, Sue, our setup would definitely NOT be a good idea over in the UK! We've considered renting a caravan and touring in Europe & the UK 🇬🇧... one of these days.
@@bigtruckbigtravels make sure you do, love your videos especially when I get to see the countryside and wildlife. Love your lifestyle, I realise not allroses but seems to be mostly great. You are both so organised. Subscribed now so will keep watching
@suesmith4436 thank you very much. Glad you're along with us on the journey. 😀
What process did you have to go through to a merry up the trailer to your living quarters.
Great question, Dennis. We took measurements of standard heights for truck hitches and trailer pins plus we got the "minimum" height for our truck bed once completed. We relayed that to the trailer manufacturer and it worked out great. I hope that answers your question. Thanks. 😊
@@bigtruckbigtravels that’s the way to go for Big 5th Wheels.