Installing a Bed, AC and Generator in my 1999 F350 Hotshot Truck

Getting my 1999 F350 Hotshot Truck ready to go OTR by building a bed, adding a portable AC unit and a 2,500 watt inverter generator.
Major component links below:
GE Portable AC:
www.bestbuy.com/site/ge-350-s...
Champion 2500-watt Portable Inverter Generator:
www.amazon.com/Champion-Power...
Reflectix R- 21 Reflective Roll Insulation:
www.lowes.com/pd/Reflectix-R-...
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My content is about my 1999 F350 with the legendary 7.3 Powerstroke, Hot Shot trucking and trucking tips in general.
Check out my website: 2020hotshottrucking.com/
My Equipment for non-CDL Hot Shot Trucking:
1999 F350 4WD Dually with the 7.3 Powerstroke 11,200 GVWR
CM ALRD Flatbed body with added underbody Bauer tool boxes
2020 Big Tex Gooseneck Trailer 14GN25+5MR (30' with Mega Ramps) Derated to 14,799 GVWR
GoPro Hero 7 Black
Vantop H612T Mirror DashCam
#powerstroke
#powerstrokediesel
#hotshottrucking
#trucking
#owneroperator
#hotshots
#hotshottips

[@bat__bat]

Nice setup. Crazy how when you measure things they come out great

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

I thought about running the bed fore and aft as that would give me 6 inches more length, but then the width of the mattress would leave me only a few inches between the drivers seat and the edge of the bed. No room to stand up, or to be able to reach into a top loading cooler.

[@dixiemae5042]

Better idea is build the bed in the passenger seat area and built it as a incline bed with the incline over the exhaust tube … incline also help with acid reflux

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

The Fords don't have a hump for the exhaust. I thought about running the bed that way as it would give me room to install a refrigerator and the bed would be a little longer. But then there would be no way to carry a passenger and I have a friend who needs to be moved to Georgia by the end of the month so I had to build it this way, for now at least. Ziggy sleeps on the passenger seat and I use my cooler and a milk crate to expand the area for him to stretch out. Come winter time, I'll let him sleep on the bed and save on heating the truck.

[@dixiemae5042]

Gonna be awesome with that 6.4 stroker Cummins p-pump 24v compound’d swap

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

My next engine besides the 7.3 I'm building for my F450 will be a Cummins or a Cat, but I'm talking 15L. As in an ISX-15 or 3406!

[@waxfactory7582]

Sweeet!

[@jason_kendall]

🔥🔥

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

Ran my first overnight load to Baton Rouge for a direct shipper, now they have another one for me to deliver to Corning, NY. Hopefully I will get my GoPro setup to record the drive and have my laptop setup with my editing software so I can start getting real videos out. Gotta have something to do besides sleeping those 10 hours!

[@scottbaker4314]

Go with a mini split way better due to heating,cooling, noise, space weight and efficiency they are $450 on ebay plus they come precharged there's also a 120v portable ac unit that I put in my baja boat it runs off a inverter " Universal 12V Car Underdash A/C Air Conditioning Evaporator Cooling Unit 3 Speed" which keeps us and the dogs cool on these hot summer nights. When you go to sell it just sell me those aluminum wheels! You better check your sleeper birth measurements because the way I understand what your saying is the bed is going to be elevated above the middle height of your doors that won't meet dot requirements. They gave me a warning for sleeping in my white 350 I had.I removed the rear seat and installed a hinged plywood deck that was the height of the rear seat brackets so I could store stuff under it, I put that sound dampener and pillow filling in my doors helps tremendously

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

Those aren't aluminum wheels, they are stainless steel simulators. They have 2 threaded brass adapters that screw onto 2 opposite lugs and nuts that look like the other fixed nuts. Was a little over $300 for the set and makes the truck look 1000% better! My portable cost $299 before tax and works good.

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

It won't meet DOT sleeper berth requirements so I can't log time in sleeper berth. I CAN log my time off duty and sleep wherever I want. Or I can play "solitaire with a deck of 51" for my 10 hours off duty. A DOT approved sleeper berth has to be at least 75" lengthwise, and my windows are about 73. There's a kit you can install down lower where you gut your door panels to get the 75, but I'm not going to hack my doors. It would be nice to be able to log SB so you could do the 8/2 or 7/3 splits, but that will have to wait for a semi or if I finish my F450. Another thing that's required is the restraint system. And I'm not going to spend that kind of $$$ for something only teams should need. My truck will never move while I'm sleeping unless another truck hits mine. As for the sound proofing, I may add that if sleeping at a truckstop proves to be too noisy. I avoid truckstops like the plague - haven't slept in one yet!

[@dixiemae5042]

I’d almost install a roof mounted 12VDC Dometic AC unit and a couple battlebourne lithium batteries and a solar charger on the roof to recharge the batteries … those lithiums weigh about 2oz each

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

I'll be selling this truck so no major mods or extra holes anywhere. If I didn't have the CM aluminum flatbed with the thick headache rack bars, I would have rigged up a window AC unit. I have an extra one I haven't used in a few years so the expense would have been minimal. This portable only has to last a few months in this truck as I will be buying a semi once I get my Mom's estate settled. I need to test my AC power draw and see how the generator does when I have more plugged in. I found that if I start the generator, take it out of ECO mode for the first startup of the AC, then put it back into ECO mode it does fine all night long once it's warmed up. It ran from about 7PM till 3:15 AM on one tank (1.1 Gal) so that's plenty. If it hadn't been pouring rain, I would have topped it off before going to sleep.

[@Bugdriver49]

Dude!! Your truck is looking sweet!! Sorry the gen doesn't have enough cooling air.

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

Well, the manual DOES say not to run inside of any kind of enclosure including the generator compartment of an RV. Guess they kinda know what they're talking about...

[@Bugdriver49]

@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC WHAT!!!??? You READ the manual?? lol

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

@@Bugdriver49 Skimmed...

[@Bugdriver49]

@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC Denier....

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

@@Bugdriver49 Dude, there's PAGES of warnings! That's what we get with all those lawyers out there...

[@kingofnone]

I've done something similar but my compressor only runs for about 5 minutes and then shuts off for about 5 minutes and runs the fan only. you have any issues like that?

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

Sounds like you are low on refrigerant, or the evaporator is very dirty. Do you have good air flow from the vents when running the AC? If not, you need to clean the evaporator coil. If you do have good airflow it's either low on charge or possibly overcharged. If it's undercharged, it's cycling the compressor off on low pressure. Overcharged will cycle the compressor off on high pressure.

[@kingofnone]

it's a brand new unit, swapping it out tomorrow and going for something smaller. this thing is a 14000 btu which i've found out is just too big for a pickup truck.@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

@@kingofnone Mine says it's 10,000 BTU but that's marketing jibber jabber. Likely more like 8,500. Hot days without the windows covered and it's not enough. Cover the windows and it's just enough, especially if you use the truck AC to pre-cool the cab. Sounds like your unit is frosting up and a sensor in the evaporator is cycling the compressor off to prevent it from turning to a solid block of ice.

[@thomasdonahue1525]

A standard extension cord is ran from generator to inside ?

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

I made up a cord with a right angle 20 amp plug for the generator end and the other end had an outlet mounted on a metal box mounted on the side of the air conditioner enclosure - behind the driver's seat under the bed. The super duty's have a hole with a rubber plug on the back of the cab a few inches above the floor, and I ran the cord thru the hole on the passenger side.

[@thomasdonahue1525]

@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC thank you so much I’m grateful for the content and insight. I’m definitely going to over haul my setup this weekend.

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

@@thomasdonahue1525 I moved up to a Peterbilt with a 70" sleeper. Installed a Green APU and the truck is in the shop for an overhaul. Hopefully it will start paying for itself in a few weeks. Need to finish my 7.3 rebuild so I can sell my 99 F350.

[@Bugdriver49]

Hey, Diesel Creek has a new one out making his new excavator prettier....btw, some dude tried to run a "data mining" scam on me pretending to be Diesel Creek. So watch out..

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

I watched it this morning - you'll see my comment was one of the first. As for the data mining, it's the same scam on all the popular channels. Simple fix is to not click on any links you don't know the source of!

[@Bugdriver49]

@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC This scam doesn't work like that....the scammer posts a reply to your comment using DC's logo...like the post IS from DC.... that post will say something like...you have been selected for a give away....contact me on "telegram". I was aware scammers were hitting high volume channels....just didn't know what the scam was. After contacting them...all they wanted was all my basic info....obviously looking for data....undoubtedly for no good reason. I just ignored them.

[@Bugdriver49]

@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC Sorry no, I didn't see it...even went back and looked....must have been pushed down.

[@2020HotShotTruckingLLC]

@@Bugdriver49 That's the scam I'm talking about. Rainman just did a video on messing with a scammer pretending to be him.

[@Bugdriver49]

@@2020HotShotTruckingLLC...Yep, saw Rainman's vid. What I meant it's not a "click a link" and get infected type of scam....it's really a pretty benevolent....you have to be pretty stupid to be harmed.