Aluminum Camper Forum

Agree with the above messages.  I'd go for the 2016 with the aluminum cabinets.  We have a pre-Thor 2013 21BHS that we bought new.  We have over 800 nights in it and have towed it about 28,000 miles.  It's been great.

Our 16TBS is 10 years old and I would not hesitate to buy another used one. I suggest continuing the search for one with the aluminum roof, but that's just because I don't know anything about longevity of the TPO roof.

One important thing to keep in mind appliances and equipment will also be as old as the camper and RV appliances don't last forever, unlike the camper itself. You may eventually need to replace things like an awning or hot water heater, or exterior lights, but that's true for any brand RV. And unless the previous owner was really diligent, budget for new tires and wheel bearing service.

Thanks for the information, all good things to check when I go to look at one. 

I would go with the 2016 unit personally.

It is pretty easy to identify any welding issues with the frame. The slide side will have more cracks than the door side, you can always have some gussets installed and negotiate that cost when you decide on an offer.

Some other things to look for, cross bolts on the hitch. The original hitches had a tendency to bend up. The cross bolts stopped this from happening. Some wall areas pulled away from the bottom of the frame, look for gaps between the floor and walls on the interior, specifically on the front of the slide to the storage area. Easy fix. Just remove the diamond plate skirt, clamp the wall and frame and install some heavy fasteners to tighten things up.

These trailers just last. We are still very happy with our 2015.

All the best.

We have been shopping for a camper for what seems like an eternity and can't find anything worth buying.  The closest we came was an Intech Terra, but it was at the top of the budget and they were not negotiating on price.  There are a couple Camplite 21BHS units for sale within 500 miles of me and they check a lot of boxes (my biggest box is a camper that won't fall apart in a year).  One is a 2017 with the TPO roof, wood cabinets, and what looks like fixed standard RV windows (Thor build).  The other is a 2016 with a 2015 build date and aluminum cabinets which would be nice.  The 2016 has the typical Livin-Lite windows as well.  The 2017 is literally half the price of the 2016, so I am guessing condition reflects the price.  Would current owners consider spending money on one of these?  They are getting pretty old and I am concerned about the frame cracks I have been reading about. 

Sadly we have decided to sell our beloved 13QBB.  Very well maintained.

Sylvain

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1283610783532302/

And powder hounds, thanks for bringing this to the forum. I passed it along to a Land Cruiser forum where I'm an active member. Some other members do have Battle Born batteries as house batteries in their overlanding setups.

Same here. I'll be installing 4 new batteries of some other brand at my cabin this spring. That potentially internal loose bolt with intermittent connection in the Battle Born is absolutely unacceptable and could cause electrical damage to other equipment even if it doesn't cause a fire. I hope anyone experiencing the problem reports it to the Consumer Products Safety Commission because that's the only way to get Dragonfly Energy to take action.

I personally dont't buy that response, sorry, melted plastic is not a fuse!

Also, let's blame it on the user! Typical crap!

My new Battle Born battery will be provided to a recycling depot for disposal, ordering a Chinese Li Time battery in the spring to replace this liability.

Huge disappointment with this company, we all got scammed!

Be safe!

Response:

Thank you for contacting us. We appreciate the opportunity to provide technical context regarding the engineering and safety of your system. We understand there are conversations circulating externally, and we want to support you with facts about how our products are engineered and certified.

Regarding the concerns you raised:

Battle Born Batteries have been available in the market for more than a decade. During that time, we have delivered well over 400,000 batteries into service across all major markets. Our solutions have undergone extensive third-party testing to UL standards, we operate an open production process in the United States, and we routinely provide tours, published videos, and engineering transparency. These outcomes and the long track record of safe operation speak for themselves.

To address questions that have recently surfaced about terminal heating and fastener design, it is important to highlight that what some observers view as a failure is a safety device working exactly as intended. The aluminum nut used in our 100Ah packs' positive terminal is a purpose-built thermal failsafe. It is engineered so that the plastic deforms and disconnects when excess heat is present at the terminal.

This protects the internal cell structure by interrupting the current, preventing further heat buildup and thermal runaway. This safeguard exists for conditions created in the field such as loose external connections, systems operating outside specification, or uncontrolled short circuits. It is one of several intentional protective mechanisms within our packs and is necessary for our UL Listing Standards.

The key takeaway is this: This design prevents heat from migrating into the cell stack, meaning it is designed to stop conditions that could otherwise create a thermal runaway event. It works as a sacrificial barrier that takes the heat event on behalf of the cells. That is the exact purpose of the feature.

In cases where a pack has already experienced misuse or improper installation, visible damage at the terminal is typically the result of that safety mechanism activating. That does not mean the design is flawed. It means the protective feature served its purpose. The batteries we sell and support today use the same trusted and validated design that has been in successful field service for many years.

If you are currently experiencing a specific operational issue with your system, please reply with photos of your installation so we can assist you further.

Sincerely,