• Welcome to F150Lightningforum.com everyone!

    If you're joining us from F150gen14.com, then you may already have an account here!

    If you were registered on F150gen14.com as of April 16, 2022 or earlier, then you can simply login here with the same username and password!

Sponsored

On the Road with Ralph

Well-known member
First Name
Ralph
Joined
Feb 6, 2023
Threads
7
Messages
132
Reaction score
293
Location
Mojave Desert, California
Vehicles
2023 Ford Lightning Pro
Occupation
Real estate/biz consultant
I know you are retired and have no interest in commercializing this yourself. But there is an alternative: You ought to approach a couple of the slide-in manufacturers to see if they would be willing to license your design ($$) and pay you a consultant fee (more $$) for input on a commercial version. If this is something that interests you, but you don't know where to start, email me [email protected]
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
I know you are retired and have no interest in commercializing this yourself. But there is an alternative: You ought to approach a couple of the slide-in manufacturers to see if they would be willing to license your design ($$) and pay you a consultant fee (more $$) for input on a commercial version. If this is something that interests you, but you don't know where to start, email me [email protected]
Thanks Ralph. I'll give it some thought.
 

RedLightning86

Well-known member
First Name
David
Joined
Nov 9, 2021
Threads
7
Messages
195
Reaction score
190
Location
Wisconsin Dells
Vehicles
2022 F150 Lightning (Lariat). 2009 Escape Hybrid.
I’ve been slowly reducing our carbon footprint for many years now, and I wanted to extend that to camping. The F150 Lightning is the perfect tool for it. But the all-electric, low-drag, lightweight camper I wanted for the Lightning didn’t exist. So I designed and built my own. I call it the “Lightning Trail”.



It’s not perfect, and I’m still working on things like a front fairing to reduce drag further, graphics to make it less plain, and an inside shower. But overall, it works great. And as hoped, it has a fairly low impact on the Lightning’s range (<15% reduction). We’re hoping to use it a lot this summer.

I’m also working on a video of the construction process if anyone is interested.

Would love to hear your comments.
Fantastic camping rig! I am in awe of your rig, having built much more rudimentary camping rigs myself. Would be great to see your construction video(s).
As to fairing, I have the Colorado fairing on my GoFast Camper on my Lightning. Helps more with noise than mileage, I think. Coloradofairings.com is the linkI believe.
 
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
Fantastic camping rig! I am in awe of your rig, having built much more rudimentary camping rigs myself. Would be great to see your construction video(s).
As to fairing, I have the Colorado fairing on my GoFast Camper on my Lightning. Helps more with noise than mileage, I think. Coloradofairings.com is the linkI believe.
Thanks for the kind words.

How does the Colorado Fairing fasten to your Lightning? I'm thinking that may be a simple option for me to try.
 

Sponsored
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
Fantastic camping rig! I am in awe of your rig, having built much more rudimentary camping rigs myself. Would be great to see your construction video(s).
As to fairing, I have the Colorado fairing on my GoFast Camper on my Lightning. Helps more with noise than mileage, I think. Coloradofairings.com is the linkI believe.
And hopefully you saw the construction video above?
 

LightningCanuckNB

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2023
Threads
8
Messages
77
Reaction score
61
Location
NB, Canada
Vehicles
F150 Lightning
This is really cool. For the shower I would recommend a portable propane shower. I have one and they work fantastic and can run off a tiny refillable camp stove cylander. Yes it is not electric but you really don't want to be burning your battery heating water IMO.
 

Peddyr

Well-known member
First Name
Peter
Joined
Dec 6, 2022
Threads
5
Messages
305
Reaction score
361
Location
New Hampshire
Vehicles
2022 Ford Lightning Lariat SR
Wow, this thing is pretty cool! Well played sir
 
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
This is really cool. For the shower I would recommend a portable propane shower. I have one and they work fantastic and can run off a tiny refillable camp stove cylander. Yes it is not electric but you really don't want to be burning your battery heating water IMO.
Thanks for the feedback and advice!

I actually have an electric hot water heater already working in the camper, and hot and cold water roughed in for the shower. (FYI, the hot water heats up VERY quickly, so the heater doesn't run very long at all) My biggest issue is a shower pan/drain. I could go with an outdoor shower, but an indoor version would be much more useful. I've got some ideas I'm percolating and will update when I implement something.
 

Ecstatic

Well-known member
First Name
Bret
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
53
Reaction score
45
Location
Spokane
Vehicles
‘03 Highlander, ‘83 Landcruiser, ‘22 Lightning Pro
Occupation
Temporarily retired
Nice job Ken. Coming from a slightly different approach, I’m working on an aerodynamic expandable redwood and cedar strip fiberglass shell. I still have a long way to go, but if you’re willing to share, you could save me a bunch of time and work if you could pass on links or ordering info for your sink/pump/water heater/water tanks, fridge, cooktop, cassette toilet, and memory foam mattress. Just about finished with the two overlapping panels, and soon to start the half nose cone, over the cab venting window, and over the tailgate screened entry door.

Ford F-150 Lightning The tiny, all-electric, slide-in camper I built for my F150 Lightning doesn’t have a shower, but I’m working on it... IMG_1974


Ford F-150 Lightning The tiny, all-electric, slide-in camper I built for my F150 Lightning doesn’t have a shower, but I’m working on it... IMG_1977
 

Sponsored
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
Nice job Ken. Coming from a slightly different approach, I’m working on an aerodynamic expandable redwood and cedar strip fiberglass shell. I still have a long way to go, but if you’re willing to share, you could save me a bunch of time and work if you could pass on links or ordering info for your sink/pump/water heater/water tanks, fridge, cooktop, cassette toilet, and memory foam mattress. Just about finished with the two overlapping panels, and soon to start the half nose cone, over the cab venting window, and over the tailgate screened entry door.

IMG_1974.jpeg


IMG_1977.jpeg
Wow. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. I'll put together a list of products I used, most of them purchased on Amazon.
 
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
Nice job Ken. Coming from a slightly different approach, I’m working on an aerodynamic expandable redwood and cedar strip fiberglass shell. I still have a long way to go, but if you’re willing to share, you could save me a bunch of time and work if you could pass on links or ordering info for your sink/pump/water heater/water tanks, fridge, cooktop, cassette toilet, and memory foam mattress. Just about finished with the two overlapping panels, and soon to start the half nose cone, over the cab venting window, and over the tailgate screened entry door.

IMG_1974.jpeg


IMG_1977.jpeg
Below is the product list. I'm not endorsing any of these products, they just happen to be the ones I chose.
Sink:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PDFM2K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Faucet:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075294KMD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Induction cooktop:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PF36P29/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pump:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P8BE6S8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Water tank:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07659973Z/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mattress:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WJY916B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Toilet:

Thetford C223-CS Cassette toilet & exterior access door

Fridge:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DZQI700/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Water heater:

Notes: most small heaters don’t have a drain, which makes winterizing difficult – this one does;

Tankless heaters are not great for showers, and draw a lot of current so I didn’t go that way

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...ater-heater/6ep2-1/p-1444452203873-c-8690.htm
 

Ecstatic

Well-known member
First Name
Bret
Joined
Sep 22, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
53
Reaction score
45
Location
Spokane
Vehicles
‘03 Highlander, ‘83 Landcruiser, ‘22 Lightning Pro
Occupation
Temporarily retired
Awesome, and thank you. Yes, I’ll post photos once I get it all finished.
 
OP
OP
kjhall

kjhall

Active member
First Name
Ken
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
42
Reaction score
142
Location
Windsor, CO
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat, 2023 Mach E Premium AWD
Playing with some graphics options…
Ford F-150 Lightning The tiny, all-electric, slide-in camper I built for my F150 Lightning doesn’t have a shower, but I’m working on it... 1685732847464
 

skyak

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2022
Threads
10
Messages
159
Reaction score
146
Location
Texas
Vehicles
F250, 911, Lightning
Wow. Just wow.
Sponsored

 


 


Top