Aluminum Camper Forum

I have a Honda EU2200i generator.  I'm concerned about it walking off when I'm away from the campsite.  I've seen "Theft Deterrent" covers for the handle, which discourages someone from sawing through the handle. Honda may have their own version, but I cannot find a link for it.  Has anyone used these?  Do they recommend them?  I understand now why they make them with a camouflage pattern!

My wife and I live in Maryland.  Our cellphone coverage is terrible in our neighborhood, and we are looking to take advantage of "Black Friday" plans to update our phones and network.  We currently have Verizon, which is not working for us... we often have better cell service at a remote campground then we do at home!  We are considering T-Mobile and AT&T, but are wondering what the coverage would be at campsites.  Any recommendations for cellphone service?  We would be getting new phones, so a 5G network is an option if it came at a reasonable cost. 

We have a CL 14DBS with a small wobbly dinette table.  I was hoping to do something that would make the table more sturdy, while allowing us to insert a table "leaf" to have a little more space when we needed it.  To do this, I started by mounting a bracket onto the side of the slideout (Fig 1).  I was careful to find the location of the aluminum tubes inside the wall.  I made the bracket out of sheet PVC (NOTE:  burning PVC can emit dioxin, a poisonous gas... see caveat in this post).  The bracket has holes in the front that contain ¾" aluminum tubes that will be used to sturdy the table.  I covered the top with laminate that I had left over from work that I had done on countertops in the kitchen of our house, so that it could operate as a place to put your coffee when the table is removed (Fig 2).

Underneath the tabletop, I mounted a thick piece of material with aluminum tubes going through it (Fig 3).  When seated on the pole in the dinette, these tubes line up with the tubes in the mounting bracket (Fig 4).  I made inserts (Fig 5) that slide inside the aluminum tubes to hold the table top aligned with the mounting bracket (Fig 6).  The inserts were made from copper ½" pipe with nylon washers on the tip.  When they are inserted, the table does not wobble or tilt forward or backward, since the copper tubes slide smoothly/snuggly into the aluminum pipes.  This keeps the table sturdy!  When I'm not using these inserts, I keep them stored in the frame of the dinette bench (Fig 7).

I made a table extension (Fig eight) that slides into the front side of the table (Fig 9).  Figures 10 and 11 show what it looks like with the extension in place.  The extension is a little narrower than the table so that it will fit between the benches when the dinette is used as an extra bed. 

When the extension is not being used, it can be slid underneath the table.  I made grooves in the bottom of the extension (Fig 12) to allow it to be stored underneath the table without interfering with the large aluminum flange used to mount the tabletop to the pole.  To store the extension, flip it upside down and slide it into the aluminum poles underneath the table (Fig 13).  The copper pipes go through the aluminum tubing underneath the table, and into the aluminum bracket that was mounted to the wall.  This keeps the table sturdy.  Figures 14 and 15 show the table with the extension stored.

I have a 2014 CL 14DBS.  My wife and I really enjoy it, but at times it can be lacking for storage space.  At such times, stuff ends up on the dining table and interferes with meals.  We keep a small garbage can underneath the table, and this reduces the amount of leg space.

Whenever I opened the slideout, I noticed a big blank wall that had nothing on it but an AC outlet and an access door for the slideout controller.  I guessed that I would be able to make use of the space inside this all to make a bookshelf, with space for a small trash can and hamper.  I didn't know it at the time, but this would also allow me to add a flexible LED light and USB charger port.

I mentioned this project in a previous post asking about how to maintain slideouts.  I figured that I would be operating the slideout multiple times in order to finish the project, and did not want to wear anything out.  I posted the "before" picture in that post, but will include it here as well.

I made the bookshelf out of sheet PVC.  I was able to get scrap from a friend who does a lot of trim work on houses.  CAVEAT:  PVC contains chlorine, which creates dioxin (a poisonous gas) if it burns.  I did some research and decided that my bookshelf project was safe enough for me, given my situation.  Being in an all-aluminum camper certainly helped.  Nonetheless, I encourage others to do their own research if they consider sheet PVC for such a project. 

The plumbing for the shower ran through the wall.  Wiring for the slideout controller and bathroom lighting ran through the wall as well.  I had to make space for these (as well as the aluminum structural tubing inside the wall) by making the center section not as deep as the side sections.  To do this, I cut a lot of PVC panels and glued them together with crazy glue.

The shelf allows me to store a number of things that would otherwise be clutter.  I even have room to store my DVD collection, binoculars, remotes, trash, and dirty laundry (which would otherwise be in a laundry bag on the floor).  I was able to move the slideout controller to a more visible location (it had fallen down inside the paneling).  I was also able to tap off the power to the bathroom light switch (behind the wall) so that I could add a flexible LED light and USB charger.  The flexible light is great because I can position it so that the LED portion does not interfere with the slideout as it slides back in.

The trash bin and hamper are held in place with rotatable "paws" so that they can't rattle out of place while the slideout is slid in and the trailer is moving.  Although the bins stand out from the bookshelf a bit, then do not interfere with the slideout as it slides back in.  I plan to put the books et al into the hamper for storage while moving.

In order to make space for the trash bin and hamper, I had to remove one piece of the brown molding that framed the slideout.  I think I like the black aluminum frame better. 

I have a 2014 14DBS.  The slide out work fine, but I haven't done anything to maintain it.  Should I be spraying the tracks with a lubricant?  Should I be spraying the seals with a conditioner?  Any other words of wisdom? 

I've removed the paneling between the slide out and the bathroom, and am making a bookcase to store DVDs and the like.  I've been activating the slide out mechanism a lot while working on the bookcase.

Oh, and is "slide out" one word or two? I've heard the term "popout" used, and I wasn't sure which word to search on.

Late last year I noticed that the trailer coupler on my CL 14DBS began to get cracks around the bolt holes.  I recently purchased a new coupler from etrailer.  I had to get a "weld on" coupler because the "bolt on" models had the holes in the wrong place (horizontal, not vertical).  I intend to drill holes in the "weld on" coupler to match the existing holes in the aluminum frame.

When I removed the old coupler, I noticed that there was something like foam insulation tape on the coupler.  Does anyone know why it is there?  At first I thought that it was there to provide a "snug fit" (which admittedly sounds a little strange).  Now I am wondering if it was there to provide a barrier between dissimilar metals (iron coupler and aluminum frame). 

I went to the Lowes to look for robust foam rubber tape, and the best that I could find was sponge window seal, which looks like it would compress a lot and may not be a good dielectric. 

I have some old 3M tape that seems less compressible, but definitely not rubber.  I'm not sure of the part number, but it looks like this.

Any ideas?  Do I need something to provide a barrier between dissimilar metals (which are going to be held together with bolts anyway) or to provide a "snug fit"?

I've attached pictures of the old coupler (hairline crack on top of coupler, and black foam tape on bottom of coupler).

The supports for the awning in our Camplite 14DBS travel trailer block the window on the front right side.  Unless we have the awning extended, we can't open the window! 

I was recently on a short trip when the wind picked up just before nightfall... I closed the awning, which meant that I had to close the window as well. This really cut down on the cross-breeze, because the tiny kitchen window is the only thing left on that side, and it doesn't open all of the way.

I'm wondering if I can "shorten" the fabric roller tube, and move the offending awning support so that it sits just behind the window, and just in front of the wheel well.  At first I was concerned that I'd have to mount the support where a vertical aluminum beam goes up the side of the trailer, but after looking at it, I noticed that the support is mounted with big (#14?) hex-head sheet metal screws at the top and bottom of the trailer.  So instead of drilling new mounting holes into vertical posts, I'd be drilling them into the horizontal beams that run along the top and bottom of the trailer.

Ideally, I'd like to move the front support 18 to 22.5 inches to the back.  The current fabric is 9' wide.  I think that I can buy new fabric that is 7.2' wide.  I think that the roller spring assemblies are only 42" long, so I'd have enough space for both roller spring assemblies even if I removed 22" from the roller tube.  I know that I'd have to move the light fixture.  Here is what I was thinking:
- remove fabric roller tube from trailer (carefully so as to not get injured from uncoiling spring mechanism)
- remove roller spring assembly from one side
- remove around 22" of the roller tube
- move awning support 22" to the back of the trailer (which would put it around one-half inch from the front of the wheel well)
- install narrower awning fabric on roller tube, and reinstall roller spring assembly
- replace fabric roller tube on trailer

Has anyone ever done this and lived to talk about it?  Or are there newer/better options available nowadays?  I just looked for Dometic awning parts, and it seemed like there weren't many available online.

My CD player seems to have stopped working.  It has power, the CD just won't spin.  It wiggles a little when it tries to start up, and then stops.  I think that the drive motor went up.

Anyone have recommendations for a replacement, or ideas for how to repair?  It is a "Dual" XD1228.  In addition to being a radio and CD player, it also has a USB charger port and auxiliary input that I often use.

I have an "RV Forever" policy, but I don't think that it covers the radio.  If anyone thinks otherwise, please chime in.

I've been doing some electrical rework in my 2014 Camplite 14DBS, and I keep scratching my head when I encounter a fuseholder that is separated from the other fuses in my AC/DC converter.  The fuse is 15AMPs.  When I unplug it, the radio stops, but nothing else does (not that I have noticed, anyway!).  The strange thing is that the radio already has its own fuse in the AC/DC converter.  So why would there be two fuses?  I've attached a picture.  I see it whenever I open the cabinet beneath the sink to get dog kibble.  If the dogs know what it's there for, they are not telling me.  Anyone have any ideas?

Two months ago I started a thread on entitled "Does Bluetooth work in an aluminum camper?  Victron vs. Renogy."  I was thinking of upgrading my existing lead acid batteries to lithium ones, and was comparing two vendors. 

This thread ultimately became a long and fruitful discussion about how to do a lithium battery upgrade.  It had a lot of great input from #DavidM and #Merlin, with some additional input from #Pinstriper.  It went way beyond Bluetooth!  Had I known that the discussion would become so inclusive, I would have named it something like "How do I go about getting a Lithium treatment?"

My old lead acid battery (93Ah) could no longer hold a charge, and my AC power converter was making a making an annoying sound whenever it charged the batteries (ever wonder what tinnitus sounds like?... this is the same!).  I had a PWM solar controller that I wanted to upgrade to MPPT, and I was never quite satisfied when charging of my lead acid batteries from my tow vehicle.

An upgrade to Lithium batteries would give me a number of benefits.  Not only would I have more storage capacity, but I would also be able to charge the batteries more quickly.  I decided to go with two 100Ah batteries so that we could make better use of campsites with "no hookups" when we stayed at our favorite parks or went on an extended trip.  Although we could have kept the existing power converter (for lead-acid batteries), this would have never fully charged the batteries (because of lower voltages) and would have likely reduced the lifetime of the batteries (since the battery management would not have a high enough voltage to do cell balancing).  My old PWM solar controller did not support Lithium, and I wanted to upgrade to MPPT anyway.  Since Lithium batteries can recharge very quickly, they can draw a lot of charge... this made it wise to get a DC to DC controller that regulated the current from the TV and ensured that adequate voltage was being used to charge the batteries.

After a lot of discussion on the "Bluetooth" thread, I finally decided on particular components.  A block diagram is shown below. 



I've purchased nearly all of the equipment.  I still need to find a way to connect MC4 connectors through the side of the travel trailer, since I'm currently in the habit of moving solar panels around the trailer.  Also, I haven't purchased any equipment associated with the inverter.  Installing the components will require some work.  Some of that has already been done.  This thread will begin with what I've done so far.  As I make progress, I'll add notes.

The "Bluetooth" thread includes a lot of information from forum members in response to my questions about different components and manufacturers.  I ultimately purchased the following:
-    Battle Born BB10012 batteries (100 Ah).  There are other options for a lower price, but the Battle Born batteries appear to have consistently received good ratings.  The battery management keeps the unit from being charged at freezing temperatures, which can ruin the battery.  The batteries are "designed and fabricated" in the U.S...  Although the cells probably came from someplace outside the country, customer support is more available and there appears to be a wider knowledge base.
-    Progressive Dynamics PD9145AL (AC to DC) Power Converter.  This is a deck-mount version that supports Lithium batteries only.  Progressive Dynamics makes a Lithium compatible unit that could have been inserted directly into my existing PD4045 Power Control Center, but that unit only supports "single stage" charging.  The PD9145AL supports "two stage" charging, which can help extend the life of Lithium batteries. 
-    Victron BlueSolar charge controller MPPT 100|50.  A MPPT 100|30 would have probably done the job just fine (even if I added another couple of panels to the three 100W panels that I already have), but I ample room in case I decided to use even more panels.
-    Victron Orion-Tr Smart Isolated DC-DC charger.  It was this beast that initiated the "Bluetooth" discussion, because there is no other way to configure it other than with a Bluetooth connection.
-    Blue Sea Bussmann Surface Mount 187 series DC circuit breaker (80A).  I could have also used a panel mount circuit breaker, but I wanted to be able to see as many of the connections as possible, literally "above the board".
-    Blue Sea MaxiBus BusBar (Pat No. 2126).  I got two of these, one for positive and one for negative.  Each bus bar has six 5/16" posts.  This may be a little overkill, but it allows me to troubleshoot components without removing the cabling for other components. 

Did I mention that I have a Livin' Lite Camplite 14DBS?  Although this is great for my wife and two dogs, space is at a premium.  I was reluctant to give up an entire cabinet, and my wife didn't want to give up space for the dog food.  Nonetheless, I wanted to keep the batteries indoors... to keep them from freezing, and to keep honest folks honest!  The other components mentioned above also take up more space than what was there before.  Therefore, I decided to make a "circuit board" that would fit in the space that divides one of the cabinets under the sink with the "power/fuse/breaker" cabinet directly adjacent to it.

The "circuit board" is made out of sheet PVC.  I used this because it is non-metallic and easy to work with.  Also, you can glue pieces together (think plywood) in order to make it stronger.  Since PVC contains chlorine, it can generate dioxin if it burns.  However, it is my understanding that PVC has a much higher ignition temperature than wood, and does not stay lit unless something else (like wood) is burning it.  CAVEAT:  I'm not a expert on this, so you should investigate this yourself if you consider using sheet PVC for this purpose.  Since I have an aluminum camper, I figure that I will have other things to worry about if the camper frame is hot enough to begin to burn.



The circuit breaker is at the top left corner of the circuit board.  The solar charge controller and the DC/DC converter are in the middle, and the bus bars are on either side.  Holes below the charge controller and the DC/DC converter allow for cables from the AC/DC power converter, the DC distribution panel, the TV DC entrance, and the solar panel entrance.  The notch in the lower right is for the wheel well of the 14DBS.  The funny squiggle above that is to allow room for the hot/cold PEX tubing that goes to the galley sink.

This is the rear side of the circuit board.  There are up to three layers of sheet PVC, each 3/8" thick.  The sheets are held together with plumbing PVC cement (I didn't use the PVC primer, but I did clean the pieces with acetone).  Components are held in place with tee-nuts (which were glued in place with cyanoacrylate).  CA and PVC seem to love each other... I tested one tee-nut before using this approach, and the nut actually deformed rather than come away from the PVC.

The user manuals for the solar charge controller and the DC/DC converter recommend having more space than you see from the front of the board to allow for air flow across the heat fins on the back of the components.  For this reason, I cut out the portions of the PVC immediately behind the components to allow for more air flow.  I also chamfered the top/bottom edges of the second layer to facilitate air flow.



Since the components have a high profile, they partially blocked the opening of the cabinet in which they were being installed.  I managed to offset them with "spacers" made out of layers of sheet PVC.  The layers were held together with PVC glue and CA glue.  The edges were filed away in some places to account for welds in the adjacent aluminum tubing.



This is where the components will be installed.  Due to the "spacers" mentioned above, the components will actually occupy space behind or above aluminum tubes. 



This is what the circuit board looks like after install.  The lithium batteries are sitting on the wheel well.  Ultimately, they will need to be held in place with a battery tray (which I haven't made yet).  The components are recessed enough that they did not stand out beyond the edges of the cabinet door, and there is enough space the slide the batteries in and out if I need to.



This is from the inside of the cabinet.  I installed the shunt (can I mount this directly to the bus bar?).  I have not installed cables to the batteries yet.  Holes below the charge controller and the DC/DC converter allow for cables from the AC/DC power converter, the DC distribution panel, the TV DC entrance, and the solar panel entrance.  I'll be adding these cables after I install and connect to those components.



Finally, this is from the top.  The existing PD4145 (with DC distribution and fuse box) is at the bottom of the picture.  The PD9145AL will be installed right where the flashlight is sitting.  This is above the wheel well.  I'll need to make a mount for this as well.



Many thanks to those that have provided help so far.  Thanks also to those that made it possible to imbed pictures within the text of posts on this forum!

My next step will be making the battery tray and the mount for the PD9145AL AC/DC converter.  I'm hoping to use some tips from #Pinstriper for this.

Does bluetooth work in an aluminum camper?  Ideally, I'd like to monitor bluetooth-enabled devices in my trailer, while I'm driving in my TV.

I've recently purchases a couple of lithium batteries for my Camplite 14DBS.  I know that I need a DCDC converter to charge the battery from the TV.  I also need a solar charge controller that will be compatible with the lithium batteries.

I've been considering two combinations of equipment:
1) Victron Smart Orion DCDC converter (18A) + Victron Bluesolar charge controller (30A with bluetooth dongle)
2) Renogy 20A DCDC converter (no bluetooth) + Renogy Rover charge controller (40A with bluetooth dongle).

The Victron equipment is considerably more expensive, but there are a few things that are making me consider it nonetheless.  My concern is that, unlike the Renogy Rover (which has a built-in display), the Victron relies entirely on bluetooth for configuration and monitoring.  I know that the Victron Bluesolar has an optional display module, but I'll likely be using that port for a bluetooth dongle... I like the idea of bluetooth dongles, because it allows me to "turn off" bluetooth when I am not using it.

It would be a real bummer to spend additional money for equipment that depends on bluetooth, only to realize that it will only work if I'm holding my cellphone next to it!

General comments about Victron vs. Renogy are welcome too!  Thanks!

I've recently purchased two lithium batteries to replace the lead-acid battery that was outdoors, on the frame just behind the LP tanks.  I plan to mount the new batteries inside my Camplite 14DBS.  Each battery weighs around 30 pounds... so two would weigh 60 pounds.  It's okay to put lithium batteries indoors... in fact, it seems that most folks do for a number of reasons.

There isn't much space to do this, so my options are limited.  I'm thinking of mounting them on top of the passenger-side wheel well.  This would be behind the lowest of the two cabinet doors underneath the sink.  I've attached a picture.

The batteries fit there (assuming that I can secure them somehow), but I'm concerned about the weight.  Even though lithium batteries are much lighter than lead-acid, 60 pounds is still significant.  I've had problems with leaking on the driver's side (which I've sealed, based on recommendations from this forum), but I don't want to invite trouble on the passenger's side.

What I see on top of the wheel well appears to be thin sheet metal that is folded at an angle to cover the top and side of the wheel well.  However, I do not see any sheet metal screws connecting it to something underneath.  What is underneath this sheet metal?  Can I screw into it in order to attach mounting hardware for the batteries?  If not, can I use square tube stock to create a battery tray that would connect to the existing 1" square tube stock on either side of the cabinet?  As you can see from the picture, it's going to be snug!  The batteries are hard to see because they are the same color as the sheet metal. 

It would be a bummer to give up the floor of the cabinet though.  The dogs wouldn't forgive me... that's where we store the kibble.

Recently while camping, rainwater began to leak in on both sides of my 14DBS.  At first, I thought that the rain was leaking through the aluminum roof that I had sealed last year (with DICOR self-leveling compound).  Yesterday I went up on the roof with a hose.  The DICOR seemed to be holding up.  However, I noticed that water seemed to be finding its way in when I aimed the hose at the *corner molding* that runs down the front of the 14DBS.  The molding starts at the roof, and then gently arcs down the "nose" of the trailer.  Underneath the molding is a black rubbery caulk or tape that is getting old and brittle, and is beginning to chip away.

I suspect that my leaks are the result of this old caulk.  Should I replace the caulk (a real chore that might cause me to ruin the corner molding, since it is bent in an arc), or patch it somehow?  Since the molding is running down the front of the trailer, I do not want to use self-leveling sealant. I have clear ProFlex RV, but am concerned that it may be harder to repair the next time if the ProFlex doesn't work. 

Any recommendations?  Is there something similar to roofing caulk that might be best used over the existing black caulk/tape?

I have a 2014 14DBS.  I hope to install a porch light under the awning... similar to what was originally installed next to the door.  If I install the new light at the same height as the original light, the hole for the wiring will be around 5" below the tray that conceals the wiring for the ceiling and running lights.  This would be an eyesore.  Does anyone have any tips for have to run the wiring through the external wall, without making too many holes in the aluminum framing?  If someone had a diagram of the aluminum framing, that would be great!