SouthernStyle said:
The inverter is a "PowerDrive" 1500 watt
You could probably use that for some things but it's really not the kind of inverter you find in most RV's. It doesn't have an integrated charger, any controls or metering, and some devices may not be compatible with the kind of output it has. So I'd hold that in reserve until you know for sure just what your final system will end up looking like and if it's a fit.
It does have a propane/electric fridge that I know works when plugged in but I'm not certain on propane.
Even if it doesn't, it's likely repairable knowing the cooling unit is OK.
There is a water heater in the camper
Oh, nice. That makes things easier. Even if it's busted the facilities are there to support one.
Now I have to get a "E E DEGRREEE"!
Don't worry, it gets better. You get to be a load master, work through chassis dynamics, power generation/load management, HVAC, plumbing, wood and metal fabricator, and CFO all at once. Just the EE part is a walk in the park.
There was not a battery in the camper when I got it so I have no clue what size, kind or where it even goes.
The intertubes are your friend. Get on the google and see what you can dig up about this model. There's enough similarities between models and brands of trailers that you'll figure things out in short order. My first pass at the battery location is to follow the wires, and look for where the battery tray or box is/was. There's nothing terribly complicated electrically (EE hat on) about a small trailer like that, so the answers will present themselves with nominal investigation. The way I approach an unknown as you have is to assume that everything works and is as built until a symptom or problem shows otherwise. So base it on faith that most if not all of the systems are OK and you won't have to mess with them until you uncover a problem. Odds are excellent you won't have to repair or replace every single thing in the trailer, hopefully just a few simple things to get it to a point where you can start using it.
I don't want to always have to be plugged in. I just need to know what my options are.
No, you don't but the good news is folks figured all this out in 1979 and well before, so I think it's more a case of you understanding what the capabilities are and fitting your uses within those. I'm guessing you haven't done a lot of tent camping because most of that translates directly to basic trailer living (without the hassles of a tent).
Is there a place or person I could call and have a conversation with about all this?
You're not going to find a step by step instructions because what you're doing is unique to you and your goals. Subsections of your project are likely well published but first you need to divide your project into those component parts.
Part of your education as an EE and now project manager is to identify what needs to be done, then the materials, resources and process that will realize it. This may be as direct as identifying a widget that needs to be installed, and hiring someone to do it for you. Or it could be a highly detailed and complex project of engineering, fabrication and integration (a teardown and buildup). A journey of a 1000 miles begins with the first step and depending on what your goals are this might not be that bad, and the journey may take you in directions you didn't expect that can be fun and interesting. By working with a basic trailer like this you will learn about things you never thought you'd have to but you will also gain the advantage of being self supporting with your equipment. There's a confidence and Independence that results from not having to depend on others to deal with every issue you'll encounter with a camper.
I've built, repaired, rebuilt and restored a number of things in my life. From my perspective here as a third party observer is before I got too financially and emotionally involved with this camper is to see and make sure, by laying eyes and hands on every square inch, what I have to work with. Is the chassis sound and is the structure intact? This thing has been around the block since 1979 and no telling what it has seen and what has happened to it. Even if it sat in a nice garage for most of it's life there can still be issues with water damage, insects, rodents and general decomposition and decay. Wood rots, steel rusts, plastics get brittle and crack, seals and sealants dry out and don't seal. Just a tiny leak in the roof or a bad window seal can cause a lot of damage once water seeps in. Repacking wheel bearings, new tires, checking trailer lighting and inspecting the frame for corrosion, bends and breaks would be on the list.
Part of completing a large and complex project is defining the finish line. What does this thing need to do and what should it look like when it's done? From there you create sub tasks of repairs, replacements, additions and subtractions. Again, it's perfectly OK to just identify things you like and making them someone else's job but you as the project manager have to be able to describe what the end result should be like. There's a budget aspect too, it's nice to think you can push tasks onto others but it's not free, and you have to weigh the convenience and cost against the value to you. Old stuff like this has little inherent value so figure most of what you spend will be lost when you sell. So keep that in mind as you think of new things you'd like to do to it.
Again, from my casual observer perspective here you would be doing pretty well at your experience level to just functionally restore what's there. Put in a working stove/oven, install a battery and get everything working again as it was in 1979. Make sure it's roadworthy, and weather tight. Then use the thing. Nothing like a bit of real-world travels to reveal what you like about it and what you'd change if you could. You might find that what it already has is adequate and no need to replace, or you could hate everything about it and sell it on craigslist after two trips. But before I got all starry eyed about turning it into a palace on wheels I'd want to be comfortable with what's there and then figure out what can realistically and practically be done with and to a 40 year old trailer.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
