MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => Introductions => Topic started by: matm on August 17, 2013, 12:06:32 PM
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Hey all,
I have been reading the forum for some months now but this is my first post.
My wife and I have been looking for a trailer since the beginning of the year. We really wanted to get a Trackabout trailer but in the end just couldnt afford the purchase. We have been very lucky to put a deposit down on a Customline offroad and as long as I can pull the finance together I will be picking it up in about a month.
We have been camping for the last 7 years, have 2 kids (4 and 6) and 2 dogs. We are from the Central Coast and drive a 96 Toyota Troopcarrier. Currently we fill a box trailer with all our camping gear which can take a whole day to load and unload. We are really looking forward to having a setup sitting ready in the garage so that we can leave for quick trips without the hassle of having to borrow the in laws trailer and get everything together.
I am purchasing the Customline for about 12K and from what I remember it includes the following:
-12ft tent
-awning and awning walls
-drifta kitchen (DPOR package)
-2 batteries with inverter for 240volts
-electric brakes
-electric water pump and water tank
-LED lighting strips throughout tent and awning
-innerspring mattress
Things that I want to add to it are:
-fridge
-tropical roof (I dont know if this can be added or if it needs to be built into the roof when they are manufactured?)
-weber baby Q
-bike rack
We went and had a look at it last weekend and I forgot to take pics of it when it was setup so have just included photos of what it looks like packed up.
So excited to be so close to getting it. look forward to chatting with you all more on here in the future.
Mat and Naomi.
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Welcome crew.
Don't think you will Be disappointed with that set up.
Actually, it looks a perfect match for a troopy, tough looking.
:cheers:
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Welcome to myswag and Customline ownership Mat. We're about a month away from taking delivery of our Customline camper.
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Welcome Mat & Naomi,
Congratulations on you choice of CT,
You won,t regret the decision to go to a CT and you will find some great advice on this friendly site.
All the best and happy camping.
Rob
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Welcome Mat and Naomi to the forum and the Customline club :cup: We have had our Customline for a year now and have found it great. I have a mod thread (see my sig block) which may give you a few ideas. There are also heaps of other great ideas on the forum. Head to the home page and use the search function.
Happy camping
KB
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Welcome - looks like the customline club is growing :)
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Thanks so much everybody - Kingbilly I have already read all of your threads over the past few months - they are part of what convinced me to get a customline!!! Thanks so much to you and everybody on here who takes the time to share their thoughts and ideas :D
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Congrats on the new camper mate :cup:
Great unit they are too.
:cheers:
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Congrats on just making a decision. Just picked up my 2nd hand CT last week and like you had wait approx a month to pick up - time flies and it will be in your driveway before you know it!
Smartyingreen - HZJ-105 Land Cruiser + Cameron HD Off Road Unlimited Concept Camper
(http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w613/cameroncamperpics/myswag3_zps297d62de.png)
Using Tapatalk 4 on my Samsung Galaxy Note
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Cheers guys.
Smartyingreen, have you put up any pics of yours yet?
Mat.
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Well done, the custom line owners all seem pretty happy so they must be a great rig.
Look forward to hearing about your trips in the new girl.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Mat,
Sure have introductions> another newbie here from SA.
More to follow next weekend after it's maiden trip away!
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Customline are great campers, you wont be disappointed. We had one for about 6 years before work injury forced us to get a hybrid camper and have less manual handling to enjoy the outdoors.
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Well I picked up the camper today and couldnt be more happier. I have set it up in the front yard and have had the neighbours around for a few drinks and will christen it by sleepting in it tonight (why not)
three weeks untill we go on our first family holiday in it and I am so excited!!!!
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Well done, we should be getting ours soon too!
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here is the kitchen...
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I have been following your thread D4D, your build looks amazing!!!! :laugh:
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Congratulations Mat. Looks fantastic. Think that is the same Drifta colour as ours. Hope you have many, many happy adventures.
KB
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Nice Matt, exciting month ahead for you and your family. Looks a treat.
Smartyingreen - HZJ-105 Land Cruiser + Cameron HD Off Road Unlimited Concept Camper
(http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/w613/cameroncamperpics/myswag3_zps297d62de.png)
Using Tapatalk 4 on my Samsung Galaxy Note
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looks great mate, brilliant price aswell :cheers:
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here is the kitchen...
Looking good matm,
Don't forget to post up some more pics after your first trip.
:cheers:
Rod.....
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Looks the goods matm
That a well equipped kitchen many more beers to come
Cheers grc :cheers:
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Thanks everyone, will post lots more pics :) After our first trip Ill do a writeup in the my camper section.
Mat.
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Congratulations Mat and Naomi on your new Customline. I am sure you will both be very happy with it when you go camping in a couple weeks. Don't forget to post up some pics.
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Looks great Matt!!!! Makes me want a Drifta Kitchen.....
We have had our Customline since 2009 and love it to bits..(even though she doesn't have a Drifta Kitchen :angel: )
Look forward to seeing how her maiden voyage goes. :cup:
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Great setup. Look forward to hearing how it all goes
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Ok so we have had the Customline for over a year now and have saved up some more cash to fix up a decent electrical setup. I read on some forms and made a bit up myself and hopefully some people who actually know what they are doing can let me know if what I have done is decent. Hopefully I have not missed anything critical.
1. I purchased 2 110a/h calcium batteries (exide stowaway marine dual purpose http://goo.gl/KTmLLf (http://goo.gl/KTmLLf))
2. I paralleled them positive to positive, and negative to negative (the thick wires from battery to battery in the pic)
3. I joined all the positive terminals to the positive on one battery, and all the negatives to the negative on the other battery for the following items:
a. 12 volt setup which goes to cigarette sockets at the back of the trailer for fridge and LED lights, and inside for LED lights
b. Water pump
c. Anderson plug at the back of the trailer (it was already in there so thought i would hook it up even though I don't know what I would use it for)
d. A light inside the box
e. A digital volt reader
f. another Anderson plug at the front of the trailer to connect to a solar panel
4. I got a Waeco 120w solar panel.
5. I got a Waeco CFX65 Fridge
6. I got a Honda 10i Generator
7. Tomorrow I get a Projecta PC2100 automatic battery charger (21amps)
So my calculations are as follows:
1. the fridge will draw 2amps/hour(average) x 24hours = 48amps per day (hopefully worst case scenario)
2. I have no idea how many amps the LED lights will draw in a night, hopefully not many?
3. The solar panel will put back in about 6amps/hour x 6 hours of daylight = 36amps per day
4. The difference will be about 12amps per day (+ whatever LED lights draw)
5. 220a/h batteries means I have 110amps to play with.
6. every couple of days I will use the generator to charge the batteries back up to 100%
My understanding is that I shouldn't let the batteries get below 12.2v because if they drop below 50% it reduces the life of the battery.
I just realised I haven't factored in the water pump, but o well, here's hoping I don't run out of power. We are going away for 10 nights on Tuesday :)
Interested on anyone's comments particularly about using the Honda 10i generator to charge the batteries for a couple of hours using the Projecta PC2100 as a backup.
Cheers,
Mat.
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For battery longevity it is best to not drain them too low, too often. There are plenty of graphs/charts etc on Google explaining the benefits of this. I try to keep mine above 70% at all times. Sometimes that is not possible, but as a general rule that is what I aim for. I have attached a chart which will help. Always test whilst under load, like when your fridge is running.
Using the gennie, don't try to charge direct off its 12v outlet but instead use a 240 volt battery charger. The higher the charger's amperage, the quicker you will charge your batteries and the less time you will need to run the gennie :D
Good luck
KB