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2011 Cougar Build Thread


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#11 Rafter C

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Posted 16 January 2018 - 04:43 PM

Congrats and welcome. Thanks for sharing and posting pictures. Looks like you have a great set-up. I may have missed something on your wiring
I seem to remember FWC installing some kind of isolator near the truck battery, or some small box. Did you do that. I'm no electric wizz. jd

I don't know what FWC does, but ATC uses a simple electronic "battery separator" in the battery compartment of the camper. It is wired  to a "hot" and a "ground" lead that comes directly from the vehicle battery, through a plug in the pickup bed. My understanding it that it "senses" camper battery voltage vs vehicle charging system output, and will "turn off" or disconnect the connection when that batt voltage is adequate relative to the load on it.

I'm sure others here may have a better explanation or understanding of the system than me, and maybe they can chime in.


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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

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#12 longhorn1

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Posted 16 January 2018 - 04:45 PM

Sounds like they are similar.
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#13 Rafter C

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Posted 17 January 2018 - 04:41 AM

    As a by-product of having an original Cougar model camper (84” wide), DOT requires ATC to put clearance lights on all 4 corners of the camper (2 amber on the front, 2 red on the rear) that are supposed to be wired to the truck running lights circuit. In order to do that, ATC wired my camper plug with 3 wires (hot, ground, running lights). 

    I decided that I don't care what the DOT requires, and I didn't want to tap into my vehicle wiring harness to find the running lamps circuit, so I ran just the camper battery charging wires, and left the clearance light wire disconnected. It then occurred to me that those lights could be a resource as additional area lighting around the camper. At first, I thought that I’d tap into the wire end that I’d left out of the camper plug, but it was in the battery compartment, and that wasn’t a convenient spot for a switch. Then I figured I could run a wire to a more convenient spot, but that was gonna be a pain in the butt. Then I figured out that because ATC wires the camper outside lights (door and passenger side rear) with an interior switch, and the lights have their own switch as well, that if I could tap into the switched power going into the outside lights, then I could use the clearance lights as the initial area lights, and switch on the outside lights as needed.

     So, I ran a short jumper wire from inside the passenger side rear outside light to the passenger rear corner clearance light. And because all the other clearance lights are connected: Voila… switched clearance lights. I then replaced the incandescent bulbs with an LED bulb, put a little reflective tape inside the light housing to increase the brightness, and replaced the 2 rear red lenses with amber ones.

     The end resulting amount of light is adequate for basic camp use, is not obnoxious to other campers that might be near by, and because of the amber lenses, should minimize the bug attractant factor. If it turns out that the light produce isn’t enough, I can always upgrade to manufactured LED clearance lights available at most auto parts stores which tend to run much brighter than converted lights.

     The second half of my outdoor lighting projects are what I’m calling work lights or camp set up lights, and they are made up of the rear spots, and some smaller round LED lights that Marty was kind enough to give me when I was down there having  work done.

     My camper wasn’t ordered with the rear facing spots at the time it was built, but fortunately, the ATC guys have enough foresight to wire the campers for all their options, so “all” that had to be done to wire the the lights after they were mounted was to drill a hole in the siding in the exact spot where the wire was dead ended. No problem…. 

     Except that all the campers are custom (read hand) built, so where that hole needed to be was in some doubt. On a previous visit to ATC, Marty had told me that he was pretty sure that when my camper built, the location was 8” over from the side, and 6” down from the top. Pretty sure…

     So I decided that I’d let them find the hole. I took the camper in a couple weeks ago to have them mount and wire the lights, and do some other work that I’ll cover later, and of course, Marty was right, and the wire was right where it should be, and the job got done quickly.

     And as I said above, while I was there for the other work, a conversation with Marty about lighting led him to offer me some small round LED lights from his personal stash.  I decided I would use them as “work/set up” lights mounted on the underside of the camper edges at each corner. I wired them them into the circuit with the rear spots. I tapped into the switched wire at the backside of the switch installed by ATC, and ran a wire to the outside of the camper, where I tapped it into some 2 wire “cable”. The cable runs to all 4 lights, and is grounded into the camper frame in the battery compartment, and so now all the corner lights and the rear spots all come on with the same switch. 

     With the 4 corner lights on, and the rear spots on, there is more than adequate lighting to set up a camp in the dark, but to me, it is much too bright and “intrusive” to keep on once camp is set, hence the use of the amber clearance lights and ATC outdoor lights.

    Anyway, I think I’ve got lighting covered…..

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Edited by wcorbett, 17 January 2018 - 04:48 AM.

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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

Blog: https://raftercexplo...s.wordpress.com

 


#14 62C20

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Posted 17 January 2018 - 04:15 PM

Thanks for this write up. It is very timely as I have just ordered an new cougar.

 

And what do I spy in the background? A 60 or 61? Chevy pickup.


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#15 Rafter C

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Posted 17 January 2018 - 04:41 PM

Thanks for this write up. It is very timely as I have just ordered an new cougar.

 

And what do I spy in the background? A 60 or 61? Chevy pickup.

'60 Chevy short bed stepper.... Another hobby.


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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

Blog: https://raftercexplo...s.wordpress.com

 


#16 Rafter C

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 02:41 AM

http://www.wanderthe...on/#entry164476

 

Above is a link to a post I made last year about the arctic liner and mattress insulation I made for my camper. I've included it here so that my whole "build" can be included in one thread. It is a fairly detailed post, so no additional info here, except to say that after about a year since I made it, we have yet to use it. We've yet to camp in a situation that required anything that extreme, and my wife and I are pretty hardy, and actually like it cold in the camper at night, and we use some heavy duty sleeping bags, but we also appreciate the ability to hit the furnace in the AM to knock the chill off. I know eventually we'll use this for its intended purpose, but if not, it makes for some good added foam padding for sleeping.

 

Pics are contained within the linked post......


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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

Blog: https://raftercexplo...s.wordpress.com

 


#17 Rafter C

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 03:15 AM

Hello wcorbett
I must say nice looking camper you got there. We've had ours a year now and just starting to get sorted out. Kinda nice being able to make it what you want right! Are you storing the table, and pole behind the bench back? I think where you have the cabinet we have a porta potti.
Inside the door on the right between end of bench and rear wall.
I also just changed out the strap with a snap to Velcro to hold the curtains open, and some reflectix insulation under the mattress which is over the cab. Couldn't really say if it made a huge difference, but I think it helps.
Not that I'm bias but like the Cougar camper. :)

Russ

Hi Russ, yes I moved the table pole clips to the bottom of the table for storage so I could use the space on the floor for Action Packer storage.


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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

Blog: https://raftercexplo...s.wordpress.com

 


#18 Rafter C

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 03:20 AM

Cutting off the handle was a great solution. It fits like a glove.

:) Yep, a lucky find.


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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

Blog: https://raftercexplo...s.wordpress.com

 


#19 Rafter C

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 03:36 AM

I just re-looked at my linked post for the Arctic liner, and the pics suck. So, here's a few more:

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'08 Dodge 3500, '11 ATC Cougar

 

Build Thread: http://www.wanderthe...r-build-thread/

Blog: https://raftercexplo...s.wordpress.com

 


#20 CougarCouple

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 04:35 AM

Hay there wcorbet
Lots of lighting going on there, if you think of it. I’d like to see it in action next time your out camping. Like the idea of the lights underneath, kinda like illuminating you counter top from the cabinets. Went back ad looked the pics, see it better now. Excellent idea, will try that when we get home. We are in Quartzsite right now and actually left the table and base at home. Don’t really need it as we have six tables here and could just use one if need to. Thanks for your write up, is the refextic held on with velcro?

Russ
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F250 extended cab, Cougar from ATC. You guys rock thank you!




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