Considering a M927 or M928 to live in...

Was thinking a little diesel Monitor/ToyoStove, though both that and a pellet require electricity, but not MUCH. Either that or electric space heaters.

My setup

Here is a picture of my 927 with a vintage HiLo. It offloads using truck camper jacks.

VPed, there's another idea I never thought of! Maybe I'll have to consider that...though I pictured building something with square ends/corners to maximize space. How do you secure it so it doesn't move at all while driving?

There is something to be said for having a solid foundation to build a house That truck looks tougher than a bucket of nails.

Those hi lo campers are freaking sweet!

Nomadic said:

What do you plan to do for heat? I have been toying with the idea of a wood pellet stove for heat. According to the Gov, using wood pellets vs propane is a lot cheaper. I just haven't found a stove small enough.

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Small solid fuel stoves are available, but they're not cheap. They're designed primarily for yachts/boats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13yJLPAJFiM

71DeuceAK said:

VPed, there's another idea I never thought of! Maybe I'll have to consider that...though I pictured building something with square ends/corners to maximize space. How do you secure it so it doesn't move at all while driving?

Click to expand...

I built crossmembers for the trailer so I would have a place for the camper jacks to affix to. The crossmembers are exactly the width of the inside bed width so they limit side to side movement. Two turnbuckles are used to pull the front of the trailer forward and down against the head board. Two more turnbuckles at the rear of the trailer frame pull back and down but I keep those a little loose to allow some give for bed flex.

I have also considered copying the HiLo design using the entire truck bed as the lower half and building an upper half to lower around the bed. There is plenty of space under the bed for the lift system that HiLo uses. That would utilize all of the available bed space as you desire but it eliminates the ability to remove the habitat as a livable structure without the truck.

Interesting thoughts! VPed, that's my thing, I'd like to potentially have it as a livable structure off of the truck at times..but maybe just build a platform?

The little solid-fuel stove sure seems like an interesting concept, too.

71DeuceAk - I'm a bit concerned about how you would effectively insulate any portable dwelling against -40+ temperatures. You need walls, ceiling, and floors thick enough to provide space for the insulation. The increased size will increase weight and decrease living space.

Have you consulted with anyone in the engineering department on campus about your ideas?

Nomadic said:

What do you plan to do for heat? I have been toying with the idea of a wood pellet stove for heat. According to the Gov, using wood pellets vs propane is a lot cheaper. I just haven't found a stove small enough.

Click to expand...

Could build a wood stove out of an ammo can

Not yet. I have, however, wondered that quite a bit, still very much in the throwing ideas around phase. I guess the bed/floor would be the biggest issue, also because it's a giant steel heat sink! So far I've pictured stick-built 2X4, maybe double-walled, but like you said weight may be an issue. Maybe aluminum vs. wood, more lightweight? But then again, heat sink there. Good thought about consulting the engineering department, etc. Interior Alaska is new to me, and most house building designs seem surprisingly "normal" from what I've seen, though triple-pane windows are the norm here in new installations. The solid-fuel heater seems like a potentially good heat source, next is definitely figuring out a super-insulated building design. We don't get a whole lot of snow here actually, relatively speaking, otherwise I'd consider leaving the truck parked and shoveling snow up around the back, as an insulating barrier, people used to do it where I lived before to cure drafty houses.

Any and all ideas welcome!

Wood stove is a possibility for sure, though one of those little solid-fuel units somebody posted above might be the way to go. I've lived with wood as an only heat source before and love it, but here we also have air quality restrictions in the city proper, since we get an inversion layer and EVERYBODY burns wood stoves as it is and there's a lot of cars in a city of 35,000 people plus all its suburbs, totaling about 92,000. Fairbanks, AK (where I am) is like seventh worst city in the United States in terms of air quality. Maybe a pellet stove? Again, any and all ideas welcome!

red said:

Could build a wood stove out of an ammo can

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Clever idea.

Clever, but looks like you'd be feeding it constantly. Maybe not...I could be wrong.

True. It would be hard to feed while sleeping.

Below is a heater that runs on diesel with a direct current fan (choice of 12V/24V/36V). It has a water coil to heat water. Maybe radient flooring or to keep a battery pack warm. The Antarctic version has two water coils.

Fuel Consumption / 24hr:
1.29 gal LOW
3.20 gal HIGH
Heat Output:
Low: 6500 BTU
High: 16250 BTU
$830

71DeuceAK said:

Clever, but looks like you'd be feeding it constantly. Maybe not...I could be wrong.

Click to expand...

Could build it as a pellet stove instead of just a wood burner. That way it will keep going.



Whether you build it as a wood or pellet burner they are cheap, simple, effective. Can be built how you want.

All the wood burners I've used will go out overnight but the embers keep putting off heat and are warm enough to start a new fire in the morning. That's in Utah and further south, I've never spent time in the -F range. With a pellet setup though it's automated so not a concern about the fire going out and they burn cleaner so the EPA is happier.

For insulation there is spray foam. More expensive than other options but it does the best job.


The guy in this video made a gravity fed pellet stove, so no electricity to worry about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXEnVSq2NUs

The S280 is the way I'd go in AK.. Super insulated....

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?145360-Heating-a-S280





http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?70985-S-280-Shelter-to-camper-Rebuild

Interesting! Considering that fits in the bed of a Deuce I could conceivably also have space to the rear to still use as a cargo truck? Anything longer than an S280, but as wide?

I'd like to avoid propane heaters for the reasons mentioned, probably electric, realistically speaking? Or pellet/wood.

71DeuceAK said:

Interesting! Considering that fits in the bed of a Deuce I could conceivably also have space to the rear to still use as a cargo truck? Anything longer than an S280, but as wide?

I'd like to avoid propane heaters for the reasons mentioned, probably electric, realistically speaking? Or pellet/wood.

Click to expand...

The box from an M109..... But less insulated...

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?37207-M35-S-280-vs-M109-inside-and-outside-dimensions

Maybe that would fit! Would an M934 box fit in the bed of a 927, so as to be lift-out-so-I-have-a-cargo-truck-able?