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Thanks! You’re not wrong, some rigidity would help. I don’t like rigid foam in trailers because it can trap moisture. If you can afford professionally installed spray foam I’d go for that. Since I wasn’t willing to spend that kind of money, wool was a great option for the DIYer. If it were my trailer, I would have finished the ceiling with t&g cedar for added strength and moisture tolerance.

@getaway_man Cedar is a good choice. Light weight & looks good.

Your concerns for mold in a trailer are indeed warranted, but that’s why wool is ideal. Wool is very misunderstood by the general public and in tradition construction circles. Traditional insulation must be kept dry. Wool is an exception, and that’s why it’s misunderstood. Wool manages moisture and is naturally mold resistant due to its keratin composition. It manages moisture by wicking moisture from whatever it’s in contact with (including wood) when it’s humid, and later gradually releases it when the environment is arid. Most people think it holds on to moisture indefinitely like a sponge, and thats not true. I’ve investigated previous builds after years of use and have not found any moisture issues. Wood only rots or molds if moisture is persistent on its surfaces. It’s hard to believe, but wool prevents this. You are correct that the ceiling panels do expand and contract with heat and the manufacturer does not recommend installing in spaces with big temp swings. But that’s per the manufacturers installation methods. Knowing this, I installed them unconventionally, in an effort to allow more movement with expansion/contraction. I did not glue them to plywood, which would restrict movement. Also, with expansion joints and oversized holes for the mounting screws, the panels can move as they need to. I admit there are better materials out there, and if it were my trailer, I would have likely used something else. It was a bit of an experiment but I can say the panels are still holding up after two summers and going on two winters.

Maybe you could remove it. I would be curious to know if it comes out easy enough. But in all honesty I don’t think it’s too difficult to install the zip tie without removing the whole assembly. Let me know how it goes either way!

I wish I had this info before I bought my trailer! I’m glad you are finding it helpful and hopefully it saves you some headaches in the future! Thanks for the kind words and good luck!

Good idea using rubber shims. Great minds 😉. Adding something like silicone or rubber on the wall studs before the paneling is a good idea. If anything it’s a thermal break which is important in a metal box lol

I’ve tried the glue in method in the past and wasn’t happy with the result. First off, I try not to use chemicals if I don’t have to but mainly, the glue doesn’t penetrate deep into the wool. You end up with a thin layer of the wool glued to the wall/ceiling, and the remaining layers easily pull apart from the glued layer. It might work in a confined space where it’s slightly compressed, but if you have any sort of air gap between the wool and the wall/ceiling, I wouldn’t have any faith in it staying in place. String looks a little funny but it’s the tried and true method for most who insulate with wool.

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This question could take a whole video to answer. But I’ll try to give my quick thoughts on it. There’s pros and cons to both so it’s hard to say which is best. Spray foam may offer better r value but it’s not as DIY friendly. Plus, it’s not very renovation/repair friendly. I haven’t priced out professionally installed spray foam but I imagine it would be significantly more expensive than wool. Wool is actually one of the cheapest options for rvs/trailers. In my research I’ve read that there shouldn’t be any VOCs with spray foam after it cures which doesn’t take more than a few days. Is that true? I’d like to think so. Some may be tempted to spray foam themselves with the spray cans…I wouldn’t consider that method for a second. Filling in smaller, hard to reach areas sure but that’s the most I would do with the diy cans. At the end of the day, insulated a trailer is going to be a tricky process. Even with closed cell spray foam it’s not going to be perfect. But I’m not apposed to the idea of spray foam. If it’s in your budget I would consider it. It just requires extra planning since it’s harder to modify things once the spray foam is installed.

Thanks for your reply, enjoying the content of your channel

Sorry for the late reply… I would go with the biggest screw that fits in the hole honestly. I wouldn’t rule out through bolting either. I know I mention in the video how screws are what most racks are installed with and are easily replaced or tightened but a bolt is going to be stronger and less likely to come loose in the first place. You could do grade 5 or 8 and if you’re worried about rust you could cover them with some sort of sealant.

@@getaway_man ok cool tha k you

Hey, nothing wrong with that! I still do that sometimes.

I’ve never gone this route but I imagine that would work great. I would want the exterior receptacle to have a in use cover or mounted underneath trailer where it’s protected from weather.

P.S I installed A/C & heat. No holes / leaks in the ceiling .

Thank you for the kind words and good luck with the rest of your build!

That’s a good idea if spray foam adds rigidity

I was looking to do similar using Trusscore slat wall. Cheers

Don’t know how I missed your comment but I like the idea of FRP glued to foam board. The luan/wallpaper thing is what a lot of rv manufacturers do and I’m not a fan. Ive repaired enough water damaged ceilings to know that’s not ideal. Thanks for the comment, wish I had thought of this when I did mine! 😆

Yeah, definitely not as efficient as a stock trailer but less drag compared to most rvs with all the stuff they typically have on the roof.

I understand where that logic is coming from. That’s what I initially thought as well. But with this size window, it’s my opinion, that would be overkill. The window with its two piece metal frame adds sufficient bracing as long as the window sits fairly tight between two wall studs. Remember, the window is sandwiching the outer sheet metal, the metal framing, and the interior wall paneling. It’s all tied together in the end so it’s more rigid than before install. If you have more than 6 inches on either side of the window, or if you’re cutting more than one wall stud, I would consider welding horizontal bracing at that point. I think I mentioned in the video that horizontal bracing above and below window is a good idea, but not necessarily for strength. It will ensure a flat mounting surface which will prevent leaks. If you’re good at welding, would be easy enough to do but simply gluing wood in there will work just fine for a small window.

Thanks! You totally could oil it. Ideally it would be covered or stored out of the sun I suppose.

The trailer is more or less done but I got busy with a commissioned build so I took a break from making videos. I should be uploading the rest in the coming months. Thanks for the comment & sub!

I guess one could do that but 520w is more than most people have/need already.

@@getaway_man true, batteries are really to issue over the watts of your panels in the long run. It if the goal is boondocking, then I’d go for it.

@@honeybadgerbob9427 Exactly. If it’s sunny you don’t need much for the basics. But with more loads, more inverter use, weak or low sun etc. , I could totally see needing more, especially in an indefinite boondock scenario. I would probably add panels that I could easily move to chase the sun throughout the year.

Yes, I believe it’s the video before this one. But I have to admit, between missing parts and inexperience, it’s more of a what not to do video. Still worth checking out if you’re new to this sort of thing too. Might save you from making some of the same mistakes I made 😅

@@getaway_man LOL i understand man, I'm building myself and my son a "Stealth Hunting Trailer" so that we can get deep in the woods and just be there and I'm at windows now and i already have the exact window you are doing just trying to watch a few videos before i jump in it. you are very detailed and skilled so i tend to watch your stuff first.

That sounds so fun, good luck with the rest of the build, and thank you! Knowing what I know now I would suggest cutting out the opening, then frame around the opening on the inside. Simply glueing some wood to the sheet metal will work. That way, when you insert the window and subsequently screw the trim ring to the back of the window, it will be a uniform squeeze and you won’t end up with any gaps/leaks around the window. They didn't include a window seal/gasket when I ordered so I improvised and glued the window in place. It worked but it would be much easier to use a foam or rubber gasket. Hope that helps!

@@getaway_man i have already done my inside insulation and walls. what are your thoughts on cutting it out and just using the inside trim piece to the inside plywood to sandwich it in and have some dicour lap seal on the outside ring?

I think that should work. That’s essentially what I ended up doing. Did they include a foam/rubber gasket for the window? If not they sell them online are camping world etc. Could also use butyl tape. I personally don’t use lap sealant, I don’t like it. It never fully firms up and it breaks down over time. I like the 3M fast cure for most things that need weatherproof seals. Or else look into a clear sealant called lexel for trim and other less critical parts.

Thanks! As for sealing, I like your thinking but I would seal the whole thing or not at all. If you seal the top, moisture will still wick in through the bottom. I think of cedar like a sponge. It does absorb water, but give it a little time and it will release the moisture and completely dry out. Cover 3/4 of the sponge and it will trap the moisture and mold. Or in the case of the cedar, lead to premature rot.

I’ve had a few struggles so every time I have a victory I definitely have a little celebration 😆 Good luck with your projects!

@@getaway_man the struggles are real that’s for sure but the end result is a dream come true.

Sorry I forgot to add that. Got them on eBay. www.ebay.com/itm/184292646521?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=3ODL3w-WQZa&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=9dmKOXaFSiG&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

@@getaway_man appreciate it! Doing the same mounting system for my 7x16, but with 12x 100w panels. (Wish I got bigger panels, but had 6 of them already from another install).

@@dougyoud5944 No problem. The L brackets are slick. I think I mentioned it in the video, I would also suggest adding some angle iron or angle aluminum to the ends of panel groups. Might make installing or servicing them easier and will make it all more rigid. Good luck!