Alite Mods - Other Stuff

Curtains

 While I liked the curtains, they were poorly made and the thin lining gave very little privacy at night. I cut out the original lining and replaced it with thermal draper lining. I also adjusted the placement of the velcro tabs and tiebacks so that the curtains hang better. With the bedside curtains pulled back, I still felt the need for just a little more privacy, so I made simple cafe curtains to fit across the lower window. A dowel slips through the top hem and fits into the window frame at each side of the horizontal window bar. The middle of the dowel tended to droop, so I put a piece of self stick velcro (hook side) in the middle of the frame and sewed loop-side velcro squares to the front and middle of the top curtain hem. Either pulled shut or open to the middle, the curtain's velcro sticks to the window frame and holds the dowel up in place.

Neat Sheet

Another Alite owner told me about the Neat Sheet - a washable, water repellent, paper-like material that makes a good lightweight outside rug. With plastic curtain rings sewed to the corners, it can be staked down in windy weather.

Insulated Bubble

The plexiglass bubble is great for headroom and light, but it sure collects heat, even when  the camper is folded. I bought a roll of Reflectix (insulating foil-covered bubble wrap) at Lowe's and cut it with scissors to fit inside the bubble.  It helps tremendously, and I roll the piece for storage under  the bed.

Fridge

I needed a way to keep food cool, but didn't want to deal with a drippy, bulky ice chest. The Koolatron 12v 18-quart cooler is a perfect size and works very well. The fan runs continuously, but I don't find that it disturbs me at night. The AC power accessory adapter is expensive, but I found a bargain on eBay. With it, I can pre-cool it and pack it in the house before a trip., Cooling ability is limited to 40 degrees below outside temperature. I use a remote thermometer to monitor the temperature of the cooler. On my first trip, it ranged between 28 and 45. The cooler travels belted in the passenger seat in the car (so my chocolate is accessible!). If necessary, I can fill a boating dry-bag with crushed ice from a drink machine, and put it in the cooler to help with temperature. I avoid carrying uncooked meat. Foods that travel well are cheese, eggs, microwave bacon, milk, small cans of juice (put one in the cooler each night), yogurt, soft butter .... and chocolate! The Koolatron isn't perfect, but it's a good choice for the Alite.

Shelter

I was delighted to discover the REI Alcove shelter, which fits the Alite perfectly. The Alcove has a sturdy steel frame with bungeed poles, weighs only 18 pounds, and covers a picnic table. The peak just barely cleared the camper door, so I opened the short seam at each peak drop and inserted zippers. Now I can bungee the peak frame to the camper roof handle. Wind walls are also available for the Alcove, so it can become almost an extra room, although it isn't screened.

Step Stool

The outside step is a lightweight plastic stool with an artificial turf mat glued to the top. I drilled holes in each corner, so I can stake it in windy weather. For travel, I turn it upside down just inside the door, and my Rubbermaid setup tub fits inside it.

Awning

For short or overnight stays, when I don't want to erect the shelter, I made a small awning. I removed the plastic end from the door side of the roof-rack tubing at the peak, and round that a Dollar Tree broom handle fits nicely inside it, making a pole for the peak of the awning. My awning is made of (2) 30" wide pieces of rip-stop nylon, one 59" long (finished length) for the front and one 64" long for the rear. These pieces are reinforced on the camper-side edges, sewn together to a separate nylon channel at the peak, and hemmed at the other ends. Before popping the roof, I pull the broom handle partway out of the roof rack and slide it into the peak channel of the awning (a bit of velcro on the end of the broom handle matches a small piece on the awning to hold the outer edge in place). I velcro the front half of the awning to the front roof edge, including a velcro tap at the peak, raise the roof, and secure the remaining velcro tabs to the  rear roof. Finally, I clip a tent rope to each loose corner of the awning and stake it tight. The awning provides just enough cover for the door and my camping chair. If the wind becomes too strong for the awning, I unfasten the rear-roof velcro and both ropes, use one of my hitching poles to shove the broom handle into the roof tube as far as it will go, and gather the loose rear awning material to the front, where I bungee it all together on the roof handle. When the wind lets up, I undo the bungee, pull the broom handle out, reattach the rear-roof velcro, and refasten the ropes. Simple! The awning, ropes and stakes all fit in a zippered 12x14 lingerie bag from Dollar Tree (2 for $1!).

Note: Cutting the rip-stop nylon with a hot knife means that you don't have to finish the cut ends. The nylon is manufactured to be water resistant and it dries quickly. It can also be sprayed or washed with waterproofing material as needed.

Hanging Water Jug

Since I won't always camp with a water hookup, I looked for an easy way to use a water jug at the sink. The rectangular Expand-A-Jug is just the right size and shape I needed. I also found that I could hang it on a chain over the sink by using a peg-board hook in the roof barrel-bolt assembly, with an additional hole drilled in the aluminum edge of the A. The hook can support a full jug, and I can position the spigot directly over the sink. With the collapsible grey-water bucket outside, it's almost as good as a direct water and sewer hookup!




Spare Tire Cover

I ordered an Aliner Owners Club cover, specified for a 12" tire, only to discover that it was too big for my spare, which is very tightly mounted to the camper body. I cut apart both the OEM and AOC covers, trimmed the AOC logo circle to fit, and stitched it to the elasticized edge of the OEM cover. Even with a few wrinkles, the modified cover fits better and looks pretty good.



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