"Microlander" from SE Virginia

[SFarrell]

It's been a while since I joined and shared my setup. I STILL haven't been camping, but I continue to build and scheme in my mind. I've also driven to CA and back twice, around 15,000 miles traveled between November and March. I thought some might be interested in the changes to my "rear seat delete" and especially the LiFePo4 battery setup that I built for my ham radio setup. I had returned the rear seats to the car because I didn't like not having them. Now my daughter is out and on her own... definitely no need for a back seat. I started carrying the fridge full-time. That compelled me to get the "delete" back into the car...

Before the "delete..."

I built a new "delete" that has improvements over the last. It's stronger, fits better, and has ventilation that pushes air through my tight equipment area.

As I use my ham radios more, I find myself needing to start and idle the engine to keep the starter battery charged. A few times this year, I have accidentally left something running overnight and came out to a dead car. OOPS! BTW, this SuperCap 2 jump starter is awesome! It doesn't require charging for storage and can charge when needed from a battery that has at least some voltage on it (it'll take a while, though). I used a different 12V source to charge the SuperCap2 and then started the car with little fanfare. I shared my first use of this device in this video. I carry it full-time now and will probably get one for each of my other cars. It's more compact than jumper cables and can allow you to jump-start without a second vehicle.

Anyway, my local ham radio club announced a class where they would do a "group build" session for 100-Ah LiFePo4 batteries, a popular power option for hams and Van Lifers. I jumped on the opportunity! We ordered the battery cells, 120-amp battery management system (BMS), and other components several months ago, then scheduled the build session when the parts finally arrived. The battery cells are by Fortune and the BMS came from "RadioB." In short, the completed battery can charge or discharge at 120 amps! I could even opt to upgrade the BMS and discharge at up to 200 amps someday. I don't have a need for that kind out output right now. But I could someday.

Here are some photos from the build:

Most of the group built their battery in a plastic ammo box...

I needed my battery to fit in a shorter space; so, I arranged mine in a "2x2" fashion to fit in this box...

Here's the build...

After the build, I removed the battery from the box so that I could paint it black...

Here's the box with paint...

I use a DC-DC converter to charge the battery and to protect the alternator from excessive charging current...

I have it mounted separately from the battery box...

It's a 30-amp charger that usually starts around 27 amps and then settles around 21A...

Here's a functional block diagram of what I have going on back there...

And here's the majority of the hidden equipment with the floors removed...

WHY am I doing this to a GTI? Well, I still thoroughly enjoy driving it and would not want to install this stuff in something "better-suited," only to wish I was driving my GTI when I happened to be out doing ham radio stuff. Yes, I could have done this to a Golf, Tiguan, or Atlas, but I wanted the performance that comes with the GTI!

It's okay to call me crazy! I'll own that!

 

[Michael Golden]

Hello,

I did my first introduction two weeks ago here. I figured I would start my own topic where I can eventually share my progress. I know "it doesn't matter what you drive" and I appreciate that sentiment. My ultimate goal is to overland and photograph in places where my VW's cannot go. I'm limited to road driving until I decide to acquire a trail-worthy rig. Until then, I have a lot to learn about camping and traveling light. And what better way to be forced into light travel than in a compact hatchback?

I have a small YouTube channel and have announced my plan to apprentice into overlanding in this short video. We started with a 1600-mile road trip (hotels) to Maine. The goal on that trip was to just get out on the roads and isolated from our distractions. Eventually, after buying some equipment, we will go on our first camping trip. From there, we'll add more travel to the camping. I hope to buy items that will be useful and compatible with our eventual off-road overland rig. I have my eyes on a Wrangler Unlimited, a Gladiator, a 4Runner, or a Tacoma... all very different rigs, but with varying pros/cons. I'm trying to find my balance between off-road capability, cargo carrying/towing, and comfort.

For now, I'm going to make the most of my current vehicle, a 2017 VW GTI. I know there are smaller cars to take camping, but I tend to think a GTI is pretty small in the grand view of camping/overlanding, especially if our trips last longer than a weekend. That is what compelled me to coin the term "microlander." It's mostly a point of strange humor, not as a way to segregate myself. I already installed a good 12V distribution system (with room for expansion) that should make adding camping conveniences a cinch. I like the apparent convenience of rooftop tents; I don't prefer to sleep on the ground. I don't trust my roof rack enough to sleep on my small roof. So, I will very likely put the RTT on my existing utility trailer or perhaps even my small cargo trailer.

My progress will be slow, but I'll be sure to update this topic as we accomplish things. Oh, here's a photo of my "rig" from our trip to Maine:

Take Care,

Scott

Welcome to the Overland Bound Community. Glad to have you join us.

 

[SFarrell]

Whoa! Time has really passed. The car has grown a bit. More specifically, the ham radio station has grown A LOT! I'll share some photos, but I will also share that I have camped ONE night in a small cargo trailer conversion. It was for an overnight ham radio event called "Field Day." Here's my setup from that weekend...

More info about this trailer HERE. The ham radio stuff is out of control! I explain in this RIGS AND RADIO PODCAST that the foundations of the build are very much overland-inspired. I think I've already shared photos of the Dometic refrigerator. I've increased my inverter to 3000 watts. Not that my system can support that, but I wanted the remote control and "too much" inverter so that I don't risk overburdening a 1500W unit. My BMS and DC-DC charger will limit my inverter use to 1500W when parked or 2000W when the engine is running. Most of the time, though, it'll be OFF.

Anyway, here are the nutty photos of my expanded amateur radio setup... Interestingly, some of these images aren't displaying as I draft. I KNOW the URLs are good. Right-click on any "broken" X photos and select "open image in new tab." They display fine there. Weird!

Everything is modular to mount and remove as needed. Most of the time, I run with just 4-5 vertical antennas. The other stuff mounts when my "mission" requires it. At this point, I think I'm using the car more for travel and radio adventures than for camping. BUT I still credit this community for inspiring a lot of the build. One of my radio adventures took me to an isolated area of West Virginia. Sure, the roads were either paved or good dirt roads, but there were no stores or places to eat for HOURS. So, the frig served me well and I even had a microwave oven with me...

So, while it may be years before any of you see me on a trip, I wanted to follow-up with my build and thank you for quietly inspiring me.

Scott

 

[roots66]

Hello and welcome to the OB family.

 

[NØMAD]

Love the radio set-up! Looks like a porcupine in heat! HAHA! Well done mate.

 

[SFarrell]

HAHA!

Love the radio set-up! Looks like a porcupine in heat! HAHA! Well done mate.

I never imagined they'd look different while in heat. ;-) But you reminded me of this image...

I liked it enough to buy the t-shirt. Kids at ham shows love it!

 

[SFarrell]

Hello!

It's been a while and figured that I'd check in. Camping didn't really take off for me. 2020-2021 saw a boom for camping, overlanding, and other things outdoors. Seeing "crowds" if I were to follow that trend and not having the ability to drive into remote off-road areas to avoid them, I decided to abandon the camping aspects of my adventure and focus more on expanding my small car's other capabilities, especially the ham radio parts of it. Just last night, I shared with someone that I think I may have built a small RV, but without a kitchen, bathroom, or sleeping quarters. My rig has everything except for the essentials! Have a look and tell me if you agree.

I shared photos of my ham radio VHF contest setup about 18 months ago. I've added a few things and removed others. I'll say it now, this is NOT my daily-driven setup. The "micro-tower" is mounted about 4-6 weeks each year and, yes, I DO drive on the roads like this...

Most of the time, my car looks more like this...

Or this...

Here is my operating area with its part-time desk installed...

I've done some expanding upon the areas that I shared previously as being overland-inspired. I'm still using the same LiFePo4 battery, but have expanded the circuitry by quite a bit...

Shore-power input for a slow-charger...

Public service announcement: The NOCO GCP1 has a weep hole inside to prevent electric shock during rain events. It IS watertight when the cap is in place, but it will leak into the wall or interior if it is open in the rain. Here are some photos that show the hole...

Moving on, here's the fridge and inverter...

And some storage options for tools, ham radio and tower bits, luggage, or other things...

Like I said, "Everything except for the essentials!" I'm going to speculate that I probably will never overland with any of you; I just don't think I'll ever buy a vehicle that can run on even easy trails. Still, I wanted to stop in and thank the community for inspiring what many of my fellow VW enthusiasts probably consider to be complete madness. "Why buy a GTI and do THAT to it?" is a common comment. I like the fun and thrust of a tuned GTI and the utility of a hatchback with no rear seats. So, I'll run with it.

 

[Joey83]

This looks alot like the car from the Stealth GTI youtube channel :)

 

[SFarrell]

HA!

This looks alot like the car from the Stealth GTI youtube channel :)

It is! Thanks for the shout-out! See my latest videos to see how my setup sits now. I'm about to replace my aux battery's BMS; it's not balancing the cells. After that and a bit of testing, I'll update my "12V Distribution" video and perhaps a few others. On another note, the opening and closing sentences in my previous post mention me pulling away from camping pursuits due to the rush of new "enthusiasts." Coincidentally, I tripped over the "Is Overlanding Dead" thread and read through it. Seeing that the fad-chasers appear to be fading away to chase new click-bait, perhaps the parks are returning to a mood where I can visit for a weekend or overnighter without feeling like I've moved from one crowded area to another. Maybe my trailer or a Gazelle tent will see campgrounds after all. I just had to wait out the post-COVID craze, which is what I was hoping might happen back in 2021 when I curbed my enthusiasm a bit.