Off-Grid Full-Timing Couple's Truck Camper: Tour + Review of Cirrus 820
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.พ. 2025
- HI. THE LONG AWAITED TOUR IS HERE!!
SKIP TO 16:52 FOR MAIN TOUR
We wanted to give a proper tour AND a review so it’s a long one! Before the walk-around review, we sit down and talk about why we chose a truck camper, why we chose a Cirrus truck camper, and our thoughts on it all. If you want to skip to the actual tour please go to (16:52) but we recommend watching the whole thing since we make references throughout! We hope you enjoy seeing our tiny home on wheels! If you have any questions do not hesitate to comment on here or on our Instagram @wheresgunnie! Thanks for watching! :)
We’d like to shout out to Lonnie’s dad, Dennis, for all of his help with the projects mentioned. We couldn’t have done it without you and your great insights and knowledge (and tools hehe)!! WE LOVE YOU!
Disclaimer: We purchased the following with our own money and stand by each item after testing it! However, some items may be provided by an affiliate link.
Products used:
Inverter:
amzn.to/2YhCtx2
Solar Panel:
www.specialize...
Sink:
amzn.to/2HbdHc5
Faucet:
www.homedepot....
Fan:
amzn.to/2LUKFly
Hooks:
amzn.to/2Yoxkn8
Dining Light Fixture:
amzn.to/30wC0ZP
12v Edison Bulb:
amzn.to/2Hu0awH
White storage baskets:
www.containers...
Bathroom baskets:
www.homedepot....
Music by:
Horizon By NOWË • Video
Artist SoundCloud / nowemusic
Music Promoted by Chill Royalty Free Music goo.gl/5NfMV4
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About Where's Gunnie?
We're Guntars and Lonnie aka Gunnie, a married couple traveling North America full-time in our rig: a GMC Sierra Denali HD with a Cirrus 820 Truck Camper in the bed!
On Where's Gunnie?, we take you along as we navigate full-time camper life with our little pup, Wayne, too! Our goal is to show you what it's like living on the road: where we go, what we do, what we eat, + all kinds of tips, tricks, and advice to educate and inspire.
I love it that younger people are really getting into camping and even Choosing to live in it! A lot of them are working remote jobs now. Have fun and be safe.
This is my favorite truck camper review. I can see you both have the same sense of humor as myself. Thanks for the detailed review. Hope you are still enjoying your 820.
My wife and I spent 2 years traveling the country with your same set up. We had the same issues with our camper. I drilled a hole in the battery carrier so the water would drain out. For the Aldi dumping glycol at the worst times, instead of the plastic tube from the brass valve going outside the camper I had an empty 1 gallon distilled water jug and duct taped the tube into the jug and stuck it under the table with more duct tape. Then some times it would fill half way with glycol and I would just dump that back into the reservoir. Super annoying, but the heat was nice. I also mounted a hitch to the front of the truck (2015 gmc like yours), then I put a cargo carrier on the front of the truck. On top of that I secured a tractor supply steel box that locked and opened from the front. Then inside there I put a Honda 2000 generate and cut a big hole in the bottom and one on the back of the box and I would run the generator inside and always leave the camper plugged in. We loved our camper, but had to do allot of stuff to it. Another big thing was putting an additional valve under the poop drain, because our poop drain would always leak a little and when I opened the cap onetime I was splashed, never again, so I added that outside valve.
I'm looking at purchasing this model and wondered how the front window holds up to water coming in while driving in the rain? Most campers with windows on the front eventually leak and take a beating over time.
Thank you so much for the tour! I have admired the cirrus campers for a few years after meeting a retired couple at the Rubber tramp Rendezvous in Arizona who traveled in a cirrus 820. Very informative video 👏
The 820 is a nice camper. Really the only thing I don't like is the large box under the dinette. It only allows for 2 adults to comfortably sit there. Same with the 920, it's bigger sibling. The dual-pane acrylic (plastic) windows are nice, but unlike glass you can see how easy they scratch @ 0:50.
Awesome, thorough review! Thank you. Unfortunately, most RV's are not meant to be lived in full time. Condensation and the potential for mold are indeed a pain in the butt and require constant vigilance to avoid, despite manufacturers assurances of four season capability. Overall, it sounds like your rig has held up well considering the full time use, and that's good to see and hear. Seems most any RV has nagging little issues that make one scratch their head and wonder why they did that. In the case of your rig, the leaking battery compartment, the positioning of the Alde thermostat, the shallow factory installed sink, and the positioning of the bedroom charging station, would have been sore points for me. Also appreciated your honest opinion on your GM truck, and how it handles the load. I think that the two of you make a terrific couple. The non rushed way you led us through every nook and cranny of your home on wheels is probably how you live life as well...walking rather than running to your destination. Happy trails!
Hi Ronald! Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it. Yeah, we figured that the camper would eventually show some issues being our full-time home. I do wish Cirrus were more diligent about their insulating nonetheless. Maybe we'll stick to dry climates like the Southwest, all of our problems have disappeared since coming here because of the dry air haha. Thank you so much for the kind words, we truly appreciate it. Some people have been less than kind (I've had to delete quite a few horrible comments), so comments like yours encourage us to continue and keep our heads high. Great to have you here!!
I liked 2.5 month in my Promaster 3500 and didn't notice any mold...
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This is my first video of yours; not the last, however. Excellent overview. Do you still have this rig? Would be interesting to know how it is nearly two years later (although I may find this answer once I peruse the rest of your videos) as I am interested in doing the same thing... year-round truck camper living.
Subscribed :)
This was one of the most thorough, honest reviews that I have ever watched. We plan to purchase a new truck camper in the near future. The issues with the radiant heating system alone (not to mention many of the other design flaws that you pointed out) has crossed one manufacturer off of our list. Perhaps the nuCamp-Cirrus people should watch your video. Great job guys!
PSD ROY the new model is updated with some of the issues solved, such as the awkward storage next to the bed and more.
@@lindavoll9555 Thanks Linda
very nice review ...the part of the tour that was interesting was the ladder climb and the roof very good info camera man was spot on , thank you ... looking forward to more from you two .
Facts
.50 seconds in and I am in awe and disbelief how clean and spotless your truck and camper is on the outside Then I see how immaculate the inside is... No one had clean vehicles let alone tires after driving cross country to a camping spot. Looks like someone had been busy cleaning and waxing before this video was made... :-)
david davies hahaha, I’m a bit OCD on the cleaning and wanted it to look nice to show the world :) but we definitely tried to take excellent care of our rig - it was our home for two years and we took care of it as such. Honestly, it still looked that good at the end of the journey!! Of course, after some roads things got a bit muddy or sandy or dusty, but luckily those are easily cleaned up :) Also, we had always planned to sell it when we were done so maintenance was a priority. And sell it we did. Very bittersweet! Thanks for watching :)
I hope Cirrus watches this and fix the problems before I buy can't believe so many latches broke wow and no insulation under the bed .. best review ever
Thank you so much!! So happy you found it helpful and informative! Yes, they certainly need to address these issues. I hope they watch it too! Quality is definitely lacking all over the place. It's pretty unfortunate.
I think there on the right track as there the only one I seen with modern design like Europe rv as 99% of truck camper interior in the USA look like some thing designed in the 1970 for my grandmother did they cover these latches under warranty ???
I love your upgrade of sink and faucet. Just great choices to make things practical.
Kandyman736 thank you so much!! Those upgrades were truly life changing in this tiny space haha
Thanks for sharing. I debated between the Cirrus and Nothern Lite truck campers and ended up going with the Northern Lite. Really happy with it and after two seasons of full time camping in the Rocky Mountains and SW Deserts (4-5 months at a time) I have had zero problems with it (and I have taken it into some really rough areas). Since I mostly boondock I understand a few of the things you bought up. In the NL, the microwave is stored inside of a cabinet, so we removed it and can use the space. The mold is a problem with lots of truck campers and the problem is that the cab over allows cold air to move under it and when sleeping in it you produce lots of warm air and this condensates under the mattress as you found out. I have found two fixes to eliminating the condensation...one is easy, switch your head from the front to the end that faces the kitchen ...the other is to get a small fan and place it at the head so it moves air from the front to the rear. I actually point mine to blow between the head of the mattress and the front bulkhead (I can get a 1 inch gap there) and that moves the air under the mattress as well as pushes the warm air around. Lastly, think about fastguns for your tiedowns...they are awesome. You will have to go on amazon and get 4 keyed alike locks for them cause people like to steal them but those are cheap...the locks not the fastguns.) Have fun on your trips...maybe I'll run into you guys out on the trail.
I checked everyday at work cuz we can watch youtube and I saw y'all uploaded a video I was like yay because this is my dream camper and I so feel you on when the people were like wondering why you wanted a truck camper because when i called around the salesmen they were like you should get a 5th wheel they had no clue at first what I was talking about. Good to see truck campers are coming back I feel you on that oldies look thats why I am interested in the Cirrus set up its more modern. Great video overall.
This comment made our day! Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed the video :)
Yes! Don’t listen to the fifth-wheel enthusiasts! They can’t go where we can so they’re just mad haha ;)
But in all seriousness, truck campers are awesome and I’m glad they’re making a comeback. When you get your Cirrus let’s have a meet-up! Thanks for watching!!
I was able to fit 6 one hundred watt panels on my truck camper roof. With a 3000 watt inverter and 2 Renogy 170 amp hour lithium batteries, I'm able to run my 13,500 btu air conditioner as long as the sun is shining, and the batteries stay at 100%. I'm so happy with this setup. But I live in Florida, so it's a necessity. Beautiful camper though.
Love seeing couples off grid or just doing life one place to the next.
Slide in Truck Campers where popular at least from what I know in the 1960's to 1980s then trucks changed the bed size and campers did not fit till the camper world caught up. You can camp in the truck cab, I have more than once. You need to get a climb through to the camper set up. The fishermen/women and duck hunters that hauled boats used these campers a lot. Smart idea on the hangers. Put a hose and bottle on the overflow glycol if you can.
Saw this model at the Tampa, Fla Super RV show. Really nice and modern. Me personally with my wife would need to go bigger, duly truck with large Bed Camper. But after more thought and to save money because of truck $$$ We have our thoughts on a Small 5th wheel. Due to work and wife not feeling like a tight cluster lol; I have the GMC 2020 Elevation. Towing a new 2021 19ft surveyor Legend. Lease is up in 2 yrs purchasing 3/4 ton for a small 5th wheel. Consider when videoing, panning out and simply come in slightly for a close-up. Don't stay on a closeup to long. Makes it fatiguing on the screen. Great overview and appreciate bringing us in. Blessings on your journeys.
Great review! I had done extensive research and was going to buy this model this month. But after watching this review, I agree with so many issues you have discovered. You have done a great job fixing so many of those issues. I will continue to look at other manufacturers before I make my purchase. Hopefully, Nucamp will fix these issues. Good luck on your adventure.
Skynyrd wow I’m so glad we could shed some light on these issues for you before you purchased it! That was one of our goals with this video - to give people the honest truth before they buy, so I’m glad we could do that for you. I do wish we had known these things before buying ours - we may have gone with a different camper as well! I do
hope nuCamp has watched this video. Good luck with your search! We’ll be curious what you end up doing so keep us posted! Thanks so much for watching!
I believe most of your issues have been addressed in newer models of this camper.
Great review. I'm looking at getting the 920 and you are the first to do a long term review. I really appreciate your insights and love all the upgrades. If you click the reading lights twice i think they change from blue to white. I believe the other ceiling lights have similar brightness function with multiple rapid clicks. Hopefully nucamp watches and makes some or all of your suggested changes. Stay safe!
Hey Mike!!! I have to say we read your comment and we were like “oh my god are we really that stupid!?!”, so we ran to the lights and tried to double click them like the ceiling lights- no luck but then I held down the power button and WHITE LIGHT!!!! We can’t thank you enough!!!!!!!!! Life changing. I now wish I could remove that little tidbit from the video hahah. Shaking my head.
Anyway, the 920 looks like an amazing camper. I remember it came out shortly after we got our 820 and I wished we could’ve considered that one too. Maybe next time. Thanks for watching and thanks again for the light tip haha 😆
@@WheresGunnie awesome, i knew it was a hold down or double click. glad i could help! you guys are awesome, keep up the great work!
Thanks so much Mike!!! Btw - I enjoyed reading a book in bed last night lol 😆
@@WheresGunnie You're welcome!
I recently spoke with a NuCamp dealer, and wondered why they were running out of stock on the Cirrus 720/820/920's. I was told that NuCamp stopped production of these truck camper units for 6 months to perform a "re-tooling" operation. Apparently, there are a number of things that will be changed (improved?? we hope). I have to think that NuCamp watched your video - maybe several times. Your thoughtful and highly detailed review was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this from beginning to end.
Sorry if someone already said this but I was watching another video and they said about the blue reading lights, that if you hold down the power button longer they turn to white lights. Thank you for the detailed video. I love your upgrades.
Great job with tour. It was not rushed; very detailed.
Very nice video. It’s always nice the good and bad of camper. Love all the personal touches you’ve made! Good luck to you.
Beautiful rig! I see you've got a Keen eye for decorating and making the interior super homey. Back when I was a single traveling nurse, I wish I had gotten a setup like this instead of renting all those apartments. Be safe out there!
Aw thank you! That is so kind of you to say. I was working in interior design in NY and it's still a passion of mine!
I think you said under your sink gets warm? If you can move the items and take the door off and give your dog a bed there, he NEEDS a small space to be in to feel comfortable that is why he hides in the bathroom. Smart move using baskets to keep things in place. Nice job putting in the fan. You can get the USB outlets on Amazon and put them in. Put your seasonal sweaters etc in plastic bag and double it so they do not get damp from the wall. That looks so much like a 1960s camper I knew as a kid, the 2 tone cabinets, none of the things like microwave and usb outlets of course. Very good choice on the camper, it is normal to need to make it your own and you are doing a great job.
You can pour a little warm water on the side of the propane tank and where it changes to cool is the propane level.
I really appreciate the thorough tour...you two have done a wonderful job and Wayne is adorable
I think you were very smart to prioritize the feel of the interior.
I love that you apologized to the plant for almost closing it in the sink lmao. I apologize to inanimate objects all of the times so I relate haha
HAHA YES!
You modeled that camper like a pro. I could not look away.
Thanks Steven haha
Very well organized camper..Thank you for pointing out the things that need improvement. Thank you for the video..Have a Blessed Day..
Hahahaha! It's so true about the other camper interiors! I want a new one but I would have to paint it and change upholstery just like I would a used one. Cirrus makes the most sense to go with to avoid such nonsense.
Nice camper, love the truck. If the one cabinet area is getting to hot that could cause the heater to purge. Not sure that is doing it just a guess. Maybe you can try leaving it open for Wayne to crawl into and the air circulate. I see you have some negative nellies, good job ignoring them and move on with your life. Being able to stare up at the stars and the sky at night would be pretty sweet. Can you put a small shelf over the windows on each side of your bed, you may be able to use the power to the reading lights you hate to run a usb outlet to the small shelf and it would get the cords away from your head. I did not catch the young guys name but I hope he knows how lucky he is,. I hope you 3 are safe and healthy, did Wayne grow much? Have fun and be safe. FYI Other than the ones that are just plastic some of the european camper builders have admitted to getting their ideas from 1940-60 USA campers. Look at the old ones for good ideas.
Excellent video. I live in Central America ( Panama) and I am interested in buying a similar rig later in life. I got all the info I wanted. 😎
william alston yay! We’re so glad. That’s awesome. If you come up with any questions that we didn’t answer please don’t hesitate to reach out!!
You can get a separate temperature sensor for the Alde which overrides the one in the control panel. You can install this anywhere. You should also try to reduce the circulation pump speed to reduce your other Alde issues.
hey guys - great video and walk-through, especially on the camper.
I just ordered a Cirrus 670; it's a "1/2 ton capable" camper (around 1700lbs) for a short-bed truck that, from a lot of your comments, gets after changes you would like to see. For example - you can order the Cirrus 670 with / without A/C (to gain more roof space for boondocking solar panels), the storage stuff you highlighted was changed, the power in the sleep area moved to the sides - a lot of the stuff I remember from your video tour was implemented in the C670. It was almost as if they had been watching your video and took your recommendations
Anyway - appreciate your work on the walk-through - check out the 670 if you get time. Right now I think there are only videos out on the prototype, it's not even listed on the web site yet, but you CAN order it. Once mine gets here I intend to do a couple reviews / walk throughs to help get information out there on it.
Hey! Thank you! Congrats on your new Cirrus!! That's so exciting. I just read Truck Camper Magazine's article on the 720 (which is the official name for the 670 prototype). Looks like an awesome camper! I love that they made the A/C an option! Progress! I'll be keeping an eye out for your walkthrough, I'll be super curious on an owner's thoughts.
Might want to check your weight. Truck Camper Magazine (a fantastic resource) recommends a 3/4 ton truck even for the 720. The issue is, once you add all your gear and fluids you carry you run the risk of going over your 1/2 truck weight limit. Apart from less safe you may invalidate insurance. Always best to go for more truck. I've had a dealer tell me the 820 can be put on a 3/4 but as Lonnie and Guntars have done, I'd go with a 1-ton. Seriously considering the 820 myself so I found this video excellent.
Where's Gunnie? Thank u I was looking for 670 an kept seeing 720 lol
Lonnie, you made a passing comment about the HappiJac system which sounded less than enthusiastic. Can you expand on that? Thanks for the review! Love the upgrades!
Sure! Yes, unfortunately we are not happy with our decision to go with HappiJac vs Torklift. We had an accident in Florida where the HappiJac system failed us and helped to total our truck bed + bumper. Essentially, we were in Florida after the hurricane and most street signs were down. We later found out one of these signs was a warning for an upcoming speed bump. It was one of the road colored bumps so we didn't see it until it was too late. We went over it going about 30 mph.
The whole camper jumped and the rear turnbuckles flew completely off but not before pulling up the the bumper into a permanent 'U' shape. The front turnbuckles pulled the front of bed back (due to the attached plate), causing everything attached to warp and paint to crack off. The XM satellite antenna on our truck slammed into the bottom of the cab-over, causing a deep gouge in the camper as well as the need to replace the $800 antenna... We were quoted $8k to fix the damage to the bed and bumper.
We recently met another Cirrus 820 owner who did the exact same thing with a speed bump but he has the Torklift system and he said there was no damage. We're kicking ourselves for not researching enough and just doing what the dealer told us to do. They said HappiJac is just as good and cheaper, so we thought why not but the fact that Torklift is spring loaded and attached to the frame (vs flimsy bumper) really makes a difference, and would've saved us in this instance. After the dealer installed everything they proudly said, "This is the first truck camper we've ever sold!". Why they thought they knew best with zero experience, we'll never know...
@@WheresGunnie Thanks a ton for the detailed reply!
Chris D of course!! We want to warn and educate people about happijac’s failures and downfalls.
@@WheresGunnie
Wow, just wow! What an ordeal.. :/
Sorry that happened to you guys. Thanks for sharing and helping others with this info! Happy trails, be safe. 👍
Welcome back, haven't seen any videos for some time. You're right, thermostat needs to be accessible from the bed. I'm packing up my Lance right now to go watch a SpaceX launch. Safe travels!
That’s so cool!!! Have a blast! Pun intended heh.Thanks so much for watching! Yeah, the thermostat situation convinced us that no one at Nucamp actually field tested this camper in cold weather haha 😆
I like the interior look of the truck.... I'd go with a dually however to handle such a load. I'd also combine this way of living with a 12 ft canvas tent for boondocking..... Cooking outside, living most of the time in the tent but sleeping in the Cirrus. Might consider a small trailer.
That is a great looking truck and great looking camper.
I've got a maxdeluxe air fan to you need you to do is get some aluminium plate long as you need screw them to the original holes in your roof
then slide your solar panel Forward than pop rivet the solar panel to aluminium plates
then that would put the solar panel Forward more than your fan with can close fully
Hi to both of you. It was great video and thought you were honest and didn’t hide a thing. I was curious to know if you have reviewed the 2021 820? If so, what do you think? It appears they have answered many of the negatives you pointed out and seems they are on the right track on fixing issues. The sink is still shallow and the Alde system is still not located in the best spot, and plugs/USB not a part of the bed. Was curious on your thoughts, I have been looking at a lot of truck campers and I really like the 820. If not the Cirrus 820, what other make and model have you came a crossed that you like? Thanks for your time and hope to hear back.
Best review I’ve ever watched, The whole 1:15:11.
Wooooow . . . . . . Really? 🤔😳😳😳😳 alrightt thennn
I’ve always wanted a trailer with that front window. I want to live in my camper once I retire
to help with the cold under your truck is an idea, that my uncle used on his camper it was air tube that was between the cab of the truck and camper, serving purpose of reducing air drag and moisture and cold air to bottom of the bed. food for thought.
Beautiful truck and camper, thank you for an honest review. Have fun guys.
Have you ever been to a bad environment where you felt you had to leave? If so, was getting out of the cab and into the truck a problem? I think this is why people buy the vans but a truck seems more practical for what many people want to do
No, we've never had anything like that. Maybe if these people are staying in cities, which we avoid because we're doing this to be out in nature, away from others OR with like-minded friendly campers. We camp in safe state and national parks as well as national forests. Always felt safe, never been bothered by anyone while we're camped!
@@WheresGunnie Thank you for answering.
Thank you for being here!!
You can also get a propane tank gauge at Harbor freight for cheap and works well. We have had both types of tie downs so my previous statement .
The position of the thermostat and many other improvement ideas for the manufacturer. Please pass them along! A great review - THANKS!
S R Thank you for the compliment!!! We do hope nucamp is paying attention, although I don’t think they’ve seen this video!
I am not sure if anyone has suggested this or not, but I agree the battery compartment is flawed, maybe a quick repair would be to just drill some small holes in the battery tray?
My wife and I have the Arctic fox camper and we love it. We have 4/4 and pull trike trailer are boat with us .
We did make suspension increase to one time including re-arching the overload springs to keep the listing of the camper from Crosswinds. We also added 5000 pound airbags which added to The suspension when dealing with her cross wind conditions.
Wishing you to the best, life is a journey make the most of it, for life is very short🕊
Thank you!
" you can fit, ya know shot guns... or sweaters. In here"lol that made me laugh
🤣 whatever you might be into ;)
an amzing video , I like the way you explain , so calm so natrual it really get the atantion , wish you all the best
Thanks for shearing this video.. it is lot of good information for a new buyer .. it seams to me Cirrus has taken lots of shorts cuts on this RV, pe finishing touches are not there, like the battery compartment missing the gasket so water gets in, for me when company's do this kind of mistakes that you can see, what is inside what they have done who knows.. If i were you i would email them and ask about the battery compartment door gasket just to see what they will say.. Also look into Lithium batteries so you can get more out put ..good luck to you guys and be safe..
I would recommend you guys getting a small pull behind for your extra living space
So it seems like you have a GMC Sierra 3500 extended cab single rear wheels. The payload capacity can be as low as 3200 (eg. 2018 GMC Sierra 3500) for your 2018 Cirrus 820. The Cirrus 820 wet weight is 3900 according to Trucker Camper. Are you sure you are not over-loaded even with a gas engine?
I know I am late so I hope you worked out your moisture issues but if you haven’t look into a dehumidifier, the new ones are low energy. Would also help keep you cooler in summer in there.
FYI. If you wanted to add a 3rd solar panel to your roof then look into getting a flexible solar panel. I think you could easily make it fit
Get a good dehumidifier for the mold problem. They are expensive so in the meantime, leave the bathroom fan on 24/7. That is what I Did in my Lance truck camper.
Firstly I'd like to thank you both for putting this video together. It's certainly the most informative video re the Cirrus 820 on the web and I also appreciate your candor regarding some of the issues with the camper. As others have said....great video and it certainly helped me make my decision to buy one. In fact I'm traveling to Atlanta next week to pick it up.
I was wondering if you could provide more information re the inverter install? Routing of the wiring, why that size for your inverter, any pitfalls or things to be aware of, etc...? I'll be running 210w panels as well and any info regarding the inverter install would be appreciated!. I was rather surprised that Nucamp doesn't offer an inverter as an option considering that the camper seems well designed for boondocking.
I also have a 2000w inverter genny and was wondering if you've found a more elegant storage solution other than the back seat? I'm looking at diamond plate genny storage boxes that potentially could mount to rear bumper though I"ll have to wait until I actually pick up the camper to decide what might fit. The ladder location looks like it may preclude use of that space....I have same questions for genny fuel storage. Ideally I'd like to mount 2 ea 5gal cans. Have you guys come up with any solutions?
Thanks in advance for any insights that you may lend and hope you both are enjoying the journey!
Hey Paul! I'm sorry for the late reply! I was waiting on Guntars to have time to go over this with me before I wrote back to you :) I guess by now you have picked up your camper!! How do you like it?
Regarding the inverter install:
We first ran some new (larger) 4 awg welding cables (previously 8 awg) from the compartment where the jack control box is, down underneath the camper to the battery compartment. This required taking out the entire battery compartment. Routing the new wires was a pain due to poor access underneath the camper.
We recently met someone who installed the inverter underneath the dinette bench. This was smart because the wire could then be shorter (and more accessible).
Our inverter is 300w, which is small but it’s all we need, and smaller inverters waste less power when sitting idle. The specific inverter that we used is amzn.to/2YhCtx2. You may need a larger inverter if you plan to run your microwave on it.
We did hardwire the inverter to the breaker box to give all outlets the inverted power when off-grid. To go into more detail, we installed an automatic transfer switch and then split the main bus in the breaker box into two buses. This allowed us to separate the circuits so that, for example, the fridge and heater won’t use the inverter but all of the 120 outlets will when we’re not plugged into shore power.
We’re also totally surprised that an inverter doesn’t come standard in these things! Maybe in the future, after seeing how many people do after-market installs.
Regarding the generator - yes, we have seen awesome boxes attached to the bumper, under the ladder!! If you’re not already a member, please join the Cirrus Owners Facebook group. Many people have done this install and have given great advice all about that! I think one guy even shortened his ladder to fit the box without the ladder getting in the way. Thank you for watching!! Hope you love your Cirrus and it’s not giving you too many problems ;)
@@WheresGunnie Thanks so much for the detailed response. Yes, found the 820 group on FB. Great info there and I think I've found the solution I've been looking for re the generator using this on the rear bumper as mentioned on FB.....lowprolockdown.com. I'm also planning on just biting the bullet and buying a EU2200i. My Chinese honda knock off (Quipall) seems to run everything fine but won't shift into eco mode when running the AC and is a bit noisy.
As for the inverter I'm going to wait until I have some miles logged and have a better sense as to what my real 120v needs might be. Have a longish trip planned in late summer/early fall and hopefully I'l have the bugs worked out by then! All best to both of you. Enjoy the journey.
Put a rain guard there for your battery storage
I heard the system purges itself when the temperature falls below 38 degrees to prevent freezing, I wonder if that’s what’s happening to the glycol
Badass!!!! Love the video guys
How often do you change your water filters? How much fresh water can you carry? I missed that part
Robert Harris hey! We change them about once a month. Our fresh water holding tank is 38 gallons.
I have the Cirrus 2018 truck camper like yours and its my first camper. I too get lots of compliments, but learning all the functions was hard. I find the heating to be an continues issue keeping the camper warm, It would help to have better quality of windows instead of plastic. I am afraid to take it too really cold location with the current heating system. I have wireless electronic awnings side and rear. I can't seem to get my TV to work correctly and the latch to lock it down is plastic and broke already, so I am forced to watch movies, which is OK. My inverter did come built in with the camper. I am currently trying to figure out how to pull a small boat trailer. I have a trailer hitch on the truck but I need to find a 40 in extension for the hitch so that the boat trailer doesn't hit the camper when I make a turn. I'm still not totally sure if I like my unit but for now, being my first camper its OK. Looking forward to traveling this summer in 2019. Would like to see a Cirrus club to talk to others who own one.
Robert Matheson
rmatheson64@yahoo.com
Hi Robert! Join us over on Facebook. The group is called Cirrus Truck Camper Owners!! Lots of us there.
Ashton Kutcher and Summer Glau have run away together and are now showing me their RV, what a world.
I thank you for your video I'm seriously considering a serious 670 on the backside of a Dodge mega cab four wheel drive and then getting a another camper to pull behind it for extra living space I'm thinking about a toy hauler
Hi, great comprehensive review, nice job. I am most amazed to hear you say your GMC 3500 single rear wheel does not need airbags due to sag with such a heavy camper? That is amazing. I am currently shopping for a new truck/camper combo but I was not considering a GM. Now it looks like i should. Can you comment any further on the payload and handling aspect of your rig, thanks?
thats is a bad ass truck!!!! nice setup
Here Today Gone 2 morrow RVing Hey! Thanks!! We appreciate it :) thanks for watching!
I really like the towel bar on the kitchen cabinet! Thanks forever. G.
How is the camper ? Did you stop using it?
"You can hide anything in here like a shotgun" then she smiles lmao that caught me off guard.
Very nice tour, thank you.
Great set up.
Love that puppy 🐶!
This is awesome, y’all do a great job! I about choose a Cirrus! For 1 I had a 2500 dodge diesel, that they claim would have handled the 820, with some suspension upgrades? I really didn’t want to purchase a new truck! I liked the fact they use normal tubing a valves I believe, not the typical have to order from an RV store stuff! I liked also I’m only 2 1/2-3 hrs from the factory should an issue arise! But unfortunately we bought a new 3500 dually! Our main thing about a truck camper it as y’all mentioned being able to tow a boat! That way I don’t have to random trailer pull which would b a pain n my opinion, and some states it’s against the law! We decided to go with a Lance 1172, simply bc I work construction and will be living out of it a lot as I travel the country for work! So having the extra space to pack my clothes for year round bc I never. Know where I’ll b sent is nice! Haven’t officially picked it up yet but a dealer is holding one for us currently! Keep up he great work really enjoy the videos! And also for the battery tray collecting water, maybe drill alittle pilot hole n the corner of the trays to help drain it, and u could also go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and buy the adhesive weather strip and put on the inside of the door, it won’t totally seal it off, but I’m sure it would help not have as much leak pass!!!
What did you guys do win the lottery?
Looks like a nice home on wheels. Nice mods. Personally, I'd have kept the AC. Sure is nice when you need it. Take care...
Thank you!!! Yeah, we probably would’ve kept it if we were plugged in more often than not. We really needed that space for the extra solar panel though, for when we’re in more northern parts of the country and/or winter. Being able to boondock was our number one priority so it just wasn’t practical for our needs. We weighed the pros and cons for sure but the maxx fan is actually surprisingly effective when you have a few windows open - the air flow is outstanding. We’ve never missed the AC! And of course, we wouldn’t even be able to run it if we’re not plugged in. Thank you for watching :)
@@WheresGunnie I installed a second Fantastic Vent in the bathroom. Much quieter than that cheap thing the factory installed. With both fans running, the cooling effect is awesome. Solar panels with the shading they provide under them helps keep things in the TC cooler. All the more justification for you guys to get a third solar panel. Have you guys done a video detailing your longterm travel plan or goal? That'd be interesting. Got a link or, there's a suggestion for a video. Enjoy your day...
CITAP1 Oh that’s a good idea for the bathroom fan! I also hate that the factory fan is so hard to clean!
I wish we could get a third solar panel - I just don’t know how we’d get it to fit on our current roof configuration since we have the roof rack. That would be a game changer though!
We don’t have a video out about our travel goals and future plans but that’s a great topic and we’d love to cover it so it’s going on the list! I’ll let you know when it’s posted :)
I would recement a Reverse Osmosis water filter system for drinking water only .. It has like a 3.2 gallon bladder tank.. Would need an optional pressure pump to put the filtered water into the bladder storage tank ..
I have never purchased bottled water..
1. So this is what Jonny Greenwood and Aubrey Plaza do when not touring or making movies. Huh.
2. The only van-life where the guy does not have a gnarly beard and adventure girl does not read palms or something wins.
3. You are both so calm. Like really calm. Like the air fresheners of calm. Come to my house and just chat amongst yourselves in the corner somewhere to quell the chaos, hey?
4. The aesthetics of campers is atrocious. Entirely non-contextual pastel squiggles, swipes and swirls (meant no doubt to give their retiree demographic the feeling of spritliness but rather looking like some secret swingers insignia).
5. The kitchen table is gorgeous - aesthetics do matter. One does this to avoid the general crappiness of most other things in life.
6. The dog is awesome. Sheltie Australian Shepp mix sorta deal.
7. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up. Normal people van-life.
8. Oh yeah, again, the dog is awesome.
this is one of the funniest comments i have ever seen on youtube. well done
We really appreciate this comment. Thank you for being here. Wayne says hi.
Great Rig Walkthrough Video - Very informative and extremely detailed. Best one out there highlighting the good, bad and ugly about your experience with NuCamp. Love the comment that most TC's interiors have not moved out of the 70's and 80's. Its true. Cirrus has hands down the best design and functionality overall. We are in the market for either an 820 or possibly the new 720 but need to see one in person first.
Your additional recommendations for improvements was awesome. Would be great if they incorporated your idea's into the next model year.
Thanks for your hard work in putting this all together and sharing with everyone.
Happy travels!
Wow, thank you so much for the wonderful praise!! The 720 does look intriguing! I'd love to see one in person as well. I do hope nucamp watches our video and addresses some of the issues that we bring up and I certainly wouldn't mind if they took some of my design advice too haha. But besides the aesthetics, I think the functionality issues definitely need to be worked out - I'm not sure anyone at nucamp field tested this camper with the necessary diligence and time needed and that's a little alarming! Thanks so much for watching and again for the wonderful comments :)
Appreciate the insights. Cirrus is definitely at the top of my list. Would be great to see how your rig handles mountainous offroad travel. By the way, spoke to a dealer rep at an RV show today and learned that the issue with your Alde purging glycol may be related to your circulator pump set too high.
Hi! We have footage of off-road travel that will get uploaded eventually, I'll let you know when it is :) The rig handles surprisingly well off-road, on all kinds of surfaces, despite its size and weight. We're really impressed with it. We cannot recommend our truck enough for it to be paired with this camper! Thank you so much for the Alde tip - I think you're 100% right! Thanks so much for watching :)
@@WheresGunnie that would be great to see, thanks. There are seemingly very few such TH-cam videos. Had been thinking that a dually truck would be better but prefer the single rear wheel as it would be a daily driver with fewer tires to change and more fuel efficient.
Hey guys nice vid. What does your "truck camper load information" sticker inside your upper glove box (if you have the double one like me) have listed? I have same truck but a 2015 diesel and it has 1560#. So I'm just wanting to compare your rig to mine and see what comparable I could handle. Thanks!
Thanks for the info...it is very useful.. this camper is over 30k i think, but some of the things you guys point out is so cheaply done, now this brand name is some what popular too, I cannot believe they cut corners bring there profit . if it was under 5K then it is OK, you get what you pay for, in this case over 30K and cheaply built that is crazy.. if manufacture says camper is not for full time living that too is BS... camping is not for few hours or days.. !! however what you guys point big changes in my mind when go to buy something like this.. Thanks aging and be safe and enjoy life.
Great Video , I have a Lance on a GMC one ton duality /Diesel. Your unit is nice too. Hope your travels go well 👍😎
Thanks! Lance makes some solid campers. Hope your travels are going well too!!
Thanks Christina Ricci & Ashton Kutcher! 🙃 Do you have any issues with the overall height having enough clearance when encountering underpasses? If so, how often (%) do you encounter this (more so rural or urban areas)? I’m planning on going full time & this is the main concern I have with a truck camper option. Thanks!
Samuel J. Martin III haha we appreciate the doppelgänger compliments 😆 We’ve driven nearly 40k miles and it has only happened three times where we have had to reroute (painlessly) due to a low bridge/underpass. Twice in upstate New York (a low railroad bridge and one of those old iron bridges with low scaffolding) and once in the suburbs of Atlanta when visiting friends. We don’t venture into cities very often. You may have issues in the older parts of New England. Otherwise, we’ve found clearances to be 13’6”+ as that’s the norm for semi-trucks. We have driven by signs that warn of a low clearance but once we arrive we find the actual clearance to be much higher! Once in Texas, a sign warned 11’8”. We’re 11’6” so we were worried. When we reached it, we got out and measured. It was over 13’ in reality! I wouldn’t put this as a high priority con when considering a truck camper. The benefits of truck campers definitely beat out the odd low clearance situation you may run into! And there’s usually a way around if you do come across one.
I saw a video about this couple who lived in their 13 ft camper and they opted out of a bathroom. The girl was talking about how her hair got all matted and greasy. I was so grossed out. And on that note I would like to recommend paper plates and cups, you would save the 10% of your water tanks!
Haha, that's gross. I couldn't live without our wet bath! Yikes. That is true, but then we'd be creating a bunch of trash :(
Great tour, thank you!! We are about to buy a Cirrus soon! By the way, exactly what kind of water filter did you buy? Are you still happy with it? Do you change the filters often? Thank you SO much!
Very nice feels homie
Bravo, well done!!
I’m thinking about getting a Nissan Frontier Pro-X truck - hoping it will fit nicely in there.?
No way....way too heavy!
Hi from Tokyo! I love the tour and thank you so much for pointing out some of the design flaws. I look forward to following your travels.
Hi!! Thanks so much for your kind comment!! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful.
Guntars lived in Tokyo for some time when he was modeling and loved it but I, Lonnie, have never been to Japan :(. I hope to visit in the very near future!
Why do you say not to get the Happy Jack tie-down?
I have searched for information on the sink you bought but can't find it in the feed. Can you please let me know what sink you bought? I see many on Amazon that are under the cabinet mount but not many that are top mount. I think I am just going to use an under mount and mount it on the top. Thoughts? Thanks for all the helpful info. We just bought this unit and are excited to get it next week. Any other things I should know about?
@Kevin Gleitz Hi!! Everything is listed in the description but here’s the link for the sink just in case: amzn.to/2HbdHc5
Technically it’s an undermount sink but we installed it just fine as a drop in!
Pretty much everything we have big issues with is in the video BUT if you have any specific questions or concerns please feel free to reach out!! Something breaks just about every day, but we always find a fix haha :) Enjoy your Cirrus!! If you have Instagram please let me know your account - we’re more active on there. Our handle is @wheresgunnie :)
Would love to follow along on your adventures!!
I went ahead and added it and we love it thanks!
This is what I got and I only had to cut out the corners the sink dropped right in after that. I will say you need to use teflon tape to connect it or you will have leaks when you use plastic and metal together to join hoses.
LORDEAR Commercial 15 Inch 16 Gauge 10 Inch Deep Small Drop In Undermout Stainless Steel Single Bowl Kitchen Sink, Brushed Nickel Single Bar Sink
Sold by: LORDEAR HOME Product question? Ask Seller
Return eligible through Jul 3, 2019
$156.00
Buy a meter for the propane tanks, Many different kind available. Don't fold the sink until it's empty. Why is there only 1 toothbrush or do I want to know ? I like the table. Easy to change the 12v outlet to usb or just get a usb plug, Anker is a good one.
Ian The sink doesn’t fully drain for hours (even after all attempts of unclogging it btw) it’s just a slow drain. You have to wait a few hours for it to drain or just evaporate. Sometimes you want to use the toilet immediately after using the sink and don’t want to wait for the sink to be dry to close it so it’s just annoying. It’s not always possible to wait... Sometimes I wipe it with a paper towel just so I can close it.
Guntars has an electric toothbrush - it’s in the top wire basket on the wall if you look. I prefer manual so that one is mine. I also have an electric one, it’s in the basket too so we have three toothbrushes!
If you listen, we mention that we do have a USB adapter in the 12volt socket below the bench as well as in the one above the bed. It’s an easy fix, yes, but Cirrus should’ve just put all usb outlets in first place. These days, we all use usb instead of 12volt sockets...
thanks for watching!!
Didn't hear that you used an adapter. 12v are used for lots of things, my wife has a 12v blanket, we have a 12v fan. With the 12v outlet you have the option that you don't have if it was just usb. The sink is a bad idea I agree, not sure how handy you are, possibly silicone some sort of lip, piece of weather stripping, to the rear and curve the ends in to catch the drips. Just kidding about the tooth brush since you do have some shiny clean teeth. Safe travels
Yeah, I gotcha. We've just never bought 12v accessories if a usb version is available, maybe it's our age haha. We have fans and they're both usb. Our lantern, flashlight, toothbrushes, phones, verizon hotspot, and wireless headphones are all usb charging too, so we require a lot of them! A blanket is a great idea though and the plug in the middle of the bed would definitely be convenient for that! That's also a great idea with the sink. Guntars is handy so I'll pass that idea to him! I'm laughing about the toothbrush now. I woke up to some bad news so my sense of humor was turned off and I apologize for that!
Where are you guys? Will you be posting anymore?
Thank you so much for the review! Yeah, I agree Cirrus can improve their layout and use the limited spaces way more efficiently both interior & exterior.
Hey guys, great tour thanks for sharing! I was wondering if you have shared any details from your experience of replacing your AC unit with a Max fan? I am really interested in this project. Were you able to simply pop in the max fan without having to make the roof opening smaller? Any details that might be able to share regarding the project would be greatly appreciated 😀
Hi guys. Can you give any insight on your long term experience with this camper. Would you but it again? Any issues or anything that has broken that you've had to fix? Any warranty experience? Not much in the way of long term reviews out there for the Cirrus. Thanks!
It's in the video.
New Sub. Nice to find another Truck Camper Life Couple!
Hi!!!
What an awesome, real life review. I am about 2 yrs from buying and my first choices are Cirrus 820 and 920. I found a good dealer that owns an 820 and I plan to discuss some of the mostly minor pitfalls you expressed to see what he has experienced but yes your review and your upgrades are awesome...thanks and looking forward to seeing more of your posts.
Dale Schroeder hey! we plan to sell within the next two years, if you’d be interested in ours, flaws and all! Haha
Haven’t seen two filters in line like that,nice touch