Some detailed photos and component links for potential buyers who are more technical like me, since I’m procrastinating loading up. If you’re like me you may have some questions about equipment and wiring setup and hopefully this post can answer some of your questions.
First, some of the basics:
Solar charge controller – GoPower GP-PWM-30-SQ https://gopowersolar.com/products/gp-pwm-30-sq/ Pretty run of the mill device, OEM only, I don’t see any present need to mess with it at all.
Converter (main electrical distribution panel): WFCO WF-8955-AD https://wfcoelectronics.com/product/wf-8955-ad-mba-main-board-assembly/
Inside behind the converter is a fairly intimidating mess of wires but there is no need to mess with the mess. If you are upgrading to a lithium bank and adding an inverter, you could do all that on the battery side of the converter and don’t need to mess with any of it but the front plugs. Now, the AC side may be a little more work but it’s still a handful of simple screw terminals as per the manual linked above.
AC is a Dometic Penguin II 13500 BTU with heat strip https://www.dometic.com/en-us/outdoor/rv-and-van/rv-air-conditioners/dometic-penguin-ii-13.5k-w-heat-strip-74970
Vent fan is a Ventline, I can’t figure out the model but it’s crappy, I’m gonna upgrade it asap. The fan is pretty pathetic at around six inches across. Amazon suggests to me that a unit like this is only around $60 new. But of course a quality Maxx or Fantastic is gonna be $200+ plus labor.
The battery mine came with is an Interstate HD24-DP 505mca, not even AGM, all of 64 AH. https://www.interstatebatteries.com/products/hd24-dp However with the solar assist and no inverter, it does seem basically adequate for casual use.
Battery disconnect is a Seaflow SFCBS-300-202, not much to say about it. Located under the sink about as out of the way as it could be, manual switch with no remote.
The wiring from the battery remains a bit odd to me. After the detour to the disconnect switch, it seems to come up into the covered underbelly right near the front door. I would assume it cuts across from there to the converter but no idea why it goes that way around, basically resulting in at least an extra six feet of wire. Still, the disconnect switch should be a viable alternative location to connect an internally mounted battery bank. I am also considering moving my batteries rearward for tongue weight considerations and it should be viable to connect them directly to the converter which is further aft under the wardrobe.
The wheel lugs, stabilizer jacks, and spare tire lift are all standardized at 17mm. The trailer comes with an unlabeled pile of three fairly wrenches for these, two of which are uselessly flimsy. I suppose I will ditch all of these as I have a superior wrench in my roadside kit anyway.
The stove is a regular consumer unit from Suburban https://suburbanrv.com/kitchen-galley/cooktops/induction-cooktops/single-element-induction-cooktop/ I don’t really expect to use this much of ever and I’m frankly a little puzzled by why Winnebago wasted my money on it. If it’s not attached I’d frankly rather just choose my own. Same for the JBL Bluetooth speaker that was missing from my unit. I think that an outdoor propane grill to plug into the quick connect would have been a much better stove to include. So far I’m just using my Jetboil.
The loft bed is a Cass Hudson Sleep & Store. https://casshudson.com/pages/sleep-store
I’m not really 100% happy with it. The height from platform to ceiling is only 28” which isn’t much once you add a mattress and some bedding. Mine got jammed the one and only time I tried to operate it so far. I’m dabbling with just removing it altogether but I do think it has potential as a storage unit. I ditched the loft mattress, it doesn’t suit my needs. I’ll be screwing some divider boards down to create safe storage up there for gear. I’ll probably screw it all in for now but eventually I want to make it quickly swappable for a mattress.
The outdoor fender storage cabinets are terrific. The door side one is really brilliant as an outdoor kitchen area. There is a propane quick connect nearby but so far I’ve just used it with my Jetboil. It’s got great little organized storage and a perfectly adequate working surface. Any weight you put in these boxes is directly over the axles for neutral balance. I’m thinking of using one for kitchen and the other for tools.
The power awning is by Carefree. Oddly mine isn’t showing up in their database by serial number which is very weird. It has a QR code on it but just takes me to a search page that doesn’t work. Mine may be defective as it will “coast” past the recommended extension after I let off the switch. But it’s been raining off and on today and it has worked fine. It’s basically made of billboard vinyl which has me pondering a custom print for it one day. The LED strip under the awning is also quite nice.
The tires are Goodyear Wranglers, basically quality SUV tires with an 85mph speed rating, size 225/75r16. The suspension I am not quite sure of the details but it’s independent and badass with more ground clearance than most trucks.
My plans moving forward at this point are as follows:
Install a large inverter. This will essentially go between the converter panel and the power sources, both battery and shore AC, so that the inverter can handle switching between shore power and supplying AC power off the batteries. I bought a unit that seems to be a good value at Harbor Freight, but I may just order a Renogy instead based on reputation.
I am not sure whether the Penguin II has soft start built in or if I’d need to add that. But on paper, a 3000w inverter *should* be able to handle even a 19A (2500w) starting surge, and the breaker is only 20A. Just don’t try to turn the AC on while also running the microwave or stove.
Install lithium batteries. I happen to already have a bank of 3 12v100ah lifepo batteries at home that I had bought for a golf cart project I hadn’t finished, so for now I’ll use those. It looks like the bottom below the sink is just barely too tight for all three but I could put two on the bottom and one above. I also haven’t ruled out mounting them along the wall under the driver side bench. I will be removing the backrest from that bench to offset some of the weight as well as to be able to have the loft down with the bench folded for cargo storage.
Finally I expect to need to add a DC-DC charger to make sure that my full lithium bank gets charged off the hitch wiring while I’m on the road. This would also go on the battery side of the existing converter box and is a job I need to read up on more.
I’ll be posting this and much more over time to my personal blog at whitewaterlawyer.com. The version posted there should be a bit easier to read with the pictures in line with the text.
My mattress is a fully custom Park Meadow from Mattress Insider, sized to my car but it fits well on the curb-side bench with a bit of an overhang. I’m looking into putting it on the loft platform for storage on the road, and debating whether an extended support is needed. If my head is toward the back it’s not really any weight on the foot end anyway. My thought is a simple piece of 1/2” plywood should do for support. I can’t recommend this mattress enthusiastically enough, especially as a big guy with sleep problems.