One of the things Forge Adventures does is build adventure equipment.

Enter my 2004 Coachmen Catalina Lite 24-foot bumper pull camper.

I bought the camper from an estate in 2023. It had been garage stored for years and still smelled new. The camper was completely stock, with a dual-fuel refrigerator, electric and propane operation, a propane hot water tank, and one unique feature: twin beds instead of a queen bed. I was newly widowed, and the camper was a perfect fit for a single guy like me.

I wanted a small camper that still had a full bath and kitchen, and this one checked those boxes.

A Camper with a Story

I took the camper to Florida and one of my buddies came and spent a week with me, so the twin beds were perfect.

And then, I met a woman... and the rest, as they say, is history.

I used the camper for a weekend retreat to fast and pray before proposing to my wife.

I married a woman who loves trailer life. In fact, she lived in a house trailer for 39 years before God blessed her with a house.

Of course, the first thing I did was add a queen bed to the camper with Ryan’s help. We did it in a way that still allowed the camper to convert back to twin beds in case I wanted to take a buddy camping sometime again.

We have taken this camper out west, to Florida multiple times, and on shorter camping trips all around Northwest Pennsylvania.

The Problem: The Rooftop Air Conditioner

After marriage, we discussed getting a new camper, but my wife really likes this “vintage” unit, and there was really nothing wrong with it.

The one thing about the camper that my wife could not stand, however, was the rooftop air conditioner.

The air conditioner sounded like a jet plane taking off when it was running, and it kept us awake at night. The choice between sweating profusely or running the AC and not sleeping was not satisfactory, to say the least.

Phase One: Better Battery Power

The first thing Forge Adventures did was upgrade the batteries to LiFePO4 100 amp-hour smart batteries, giving me more power and extending the time we could boondock if needed.

That upgrade helped improve the camper’s off-grid capability, but it did not address the air conditioning issue.

Phase Two: Quiet Cooling and Modern Power

Just in time for this camping season, Forge Adventures completed phase two of the upgrade project.

The first step was installing a mini split air conditioner. The new AC can make the inside of the camper frosty in minutes, but the best part is that it is virtually silent.

Then, because just upgrading the AC was not enough, Forge Adventures installed new LED lighting and upgraded the batteries again to 314 amp-hour batteries, giving me a total of 628 amp-hours of storage.

A new 3000 watt inverter with solar charging capability was installed, and the original converter was removed from the camper. That turned out to be a good thing, because the old converter showed signs of overheating. This provides an uninteruptable power supply for the entire camper, allowing me to be off grid more efficiently while still able to use "full hookups" when available. Unlike the rooftop ac unit, the minisplit does a soft start which makes it more compatible with off grid use. This enables the inverter to power the ac.

Back on the Road

We just made a trip to Ricketts Glen in Northeast Pennsylvania, and everything is working perfectly. The whole camping experience is so much better now.

The camper still has the charm and character my wife loves, but now it has the comfort, quiet, lighting, and power upgrades that make it much more enjoyable to use.

Thank You, Forge Adventures

Thank you, Forge Adventures. Renee and I look forward to many more adventures with our "new" old camper.

This project is a great example of what Forge Adventures is all about: building practical, adventure-ready equipment that helps people get outside, stay comfortable, and make more memories.

Forge your path. Conquer the wild.