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Ruth Ellen Elinski

Untethered - What Does it Mean to be Self Contained and Solar Powered?

What Do We Mean by Untethered?

“You never have to plug in.” I say this frequently. Many people want to know what differentiates the Pin Drop brand from others in the market. Based on the expression I sometimes see on their faces, I feel people mistake this to mean our travel trailers have no amenities, just a bare shell, so why bother plugging it in? Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, per square foot, you’d be hard-pressed to find a camper trailer that offers more access or more amenities than our handcrafted, small batch Pin Drop Travel Trailer.


Showing all indoor and exterior lighting of a Pin Drop Travel Trailer
Pin Drop Travel Trailers are powered by the sun

Aside from lighting, we have multiple charging docks, ports and receptacles, a high quality Bluetooth compatible stereo system with interior and exterior speakers, a Dometic brand two-directional fan, and if desired, a Dometic brand chest refrigerator. Pin Drop Trailers are both 12-volt DC and 120-volt AC equipped, which means you can charge your phone via USB, or plug in a coffee grinder. There is over 300 feet of wiring running throughout each and every Pin Drop micro camper. All electrical systems are powered by the sun. Indefinitely.



The heart of our electrical system is the Renogy brand solar panel array affixed to the curvature of the roof. This blends in seamlessly with our design and you hardly know it’s there. (Note: it’s important to keep the solar panel dusted off and clean after getting to camp. Read more on strategies to do that from our recent article on water storage.)

Pin Drop Solar Panel Mounting

We provide a standard 175-watt solar panel with each Pin Drop. Pin Drop Travel Trailer models are built with expand-ability to provide even more panel coverage if you live and play in less sunny areas than the Southwest. An additional port is provided on the roof for another solar panel. An additional port is also provided at the tongue box for an optional remote suitcase panel (an upgrade feature) for tracking the sun better at camp or trickle charger/maintainer when parked at home in your garage or under cover.

Renogy Brand Solar Panel

The Renogy solar panel included with each Pin Drop model pumps power into the battery bank located in the tongue box. Standard with our Vintage and RoadRunner models, we offer a 100-amp-hour gel battery. The fully-loaded Scout model, which powers a 12-volt Dometic brand fridge, has a 200-amp-hour gel battery. All batteries can also be upgraded to a lighter weight Lithium Iron battery.


The tongue box is the nexus for all electrical components and this is where we mount our 1,000-watt inverter that converts 12-volt direct current from the battery to 120-volt alternating current for powering those household items that you may find convenient to have at camp (like a coffee grinder, laptop computer, blender, air mattress pump, or any small appliance). This inverter can be conveniently turned on and off via a remote in the cabin. All circuits are fused and GFCI protected and safely stowed behind panels to keep them safe from shifting luggage. A master switch is accessible from the topside for safety and long term portage at home.


Inside the Pin Drop Tongue Box Where All Electrical Systems Are Housed


There are multiple electrical ports designed into the exterior of the fully self contained Pin Drop camper trailers. We have two 12-volt ports (port-side and starboard-side) for running many appliances or the light kit that comes with the ARB Accessory shade awnings. (Pin Drop Travel Trailers is an ARB Licensed Dealer) We offer three ports for solar panels. One port has our 175 watt panel that comes standard with every model. The other is located on the roof for solar array expansion. The last is mounted on the side of the tongue box for a remote folding solar panel suitcase option for providing more focused amperage into your battery while at camp. A 110-volt AC receptacle is located just under the lid of the tongue box, and a shore power plug is provided on the tongue box exterior for plugging in your optional refrigerator to pre-cool it while packing and trip preparation at home.



Lighting is seamlessly integrated throughout each Pin Drop Travel Trailer. While in the cabin, we have dimmable recessed lighting that can provide bright illumination for card playing, or mood lighting for relaxing. Separate lights are provided in the cabinets so you can easily see your stowed-away goods. Reading lights are provided for each occupant, port-side and starboard-side. We also offer lights that illuminate the undercarriage of the trailer and a welcome light that greets you when you open the door. These lights help for late night bathroom runs, so you can locate your flip flops and make sure no critters are in your footpath. Our cabin also offers 120 volt AC receptacles, 12 volt charging ports, and expandability for a TV monitor.



In the kitchen, we have plenty of lighting for your cooking needs. Under cabinet lighting brightly illuminates the countertop, and task lighting in the hatch lid shines down on the cooktop surface and your other pull-out drawer. Our kitchen also offers 120 volt AC receptacles and 12 volt charging docks. These lights automatically turn off when the hatch is closed, so you don’t need to worry about accidentally leaving the lights on and drawing your battery down.


For those who appreciate music, or having nice sound when watching movies while cozied up in the cabin, we offer a high quality Kenwood receiver that can connect to any of your devices via Bluetooth. Inside the cabin, we tucked Rockford Fosgate component speakers under the cabinets, with crossover tweeters installed above the headboard. This provides nice stereo surround sound while in the cabin. In the kitchen, we have incorporated these same Rockford Fosgate speakers to surround you in sound while under the hatch preparing your next meal.


The Cabin Includes Undermount and Reading Lights

Somebody who recently visited our website told me, “Your trailers are so simple.” I chuckled to myself, but considered this the finest compliment. Our Pin Drops have taken the classic styling of the teardrop trailer, but have seamlessly incorporated countless amenities for the modern world, all powered by the sun, never needing to be plugged in. Yes, our Pin Drop Travel Trailer looks simple, but a closer look reveals a trailer that is prepared for any adventure you can think of. Imagine pulling off the highway to explore a forest road, and discovering a vista too perfect to leave. With a Pin Drop, you are free to camp where you please, and all systems will work without the shore power plug of a paved campground and without the annoying and smelly hum of a generator. Pin Drops provide freedom to explore, and are powered by nature. Our trailers are best in the outdoors, and so are you.


 


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