Aluminum Camper Forum

Quote from: Merlin on July 03, 2018, 10:51:33 PM
I'm not sure if TJ is still on here, but I do know he sold his 28BHS.

Thank you!  I have a friend looking for a bigger Camplite.

Is this still for sale?

The door handles are actually from a Toyota Sequoia SUV since they use the same handles.  They make color matching door handles for the Sequoia.  I hunted on eBay for a while and was about to get all 4 for about $120.  If you can't find them on eBay, you could look around and get them new. 

I much prefer the look with door handles that match the color of the vehicle - I did not like the black and don't really care for the chrome versions either.

I used these two videos as guides to change them out.  I'm not super handy but it was doable and took less time than I expected.  Good luck...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9umZVqf3rc0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3_MQKgXhok

Quote from: Powder Hounds on July 26, 2017, 01:50:22 PM
We have never used the EZ Lube option when servicing our bearings. Once a year we bring our rig to a Dexter dealer and have a full repack and inspection/ brake adjustment completed. In the event that additional parts are required we know it will be done correctly and at a reasonable price. Compared to an RV dealer. We average about 15000 miles a year and have been doing so for 3 years. No issues at all with the bearings or trailer brakes. Some RV's will go seasons just using the EZ Lube. I don't think I could comfortably drive from Alberta to Arizona knowing I have not had a complete bearing service. Having a bearing seize driving through SLC would not be an enjoyable experience.

Did you just find a nearby Dexter dealer using their website?

https://www.dexteraxle.com/distributor-locator/us-and-canada

Also, I'm betting going forward we may only do a few thousand miles on ours per year.  So I'm trying to figure out the balance of service that needs to be done.

Thank you.

Quote from: Chappy133 on July 25, 2017, 07:46:33 PM
Should be a zert fitting in the middle of the axle.  Somewhere on this forum or

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WzW1kK8oWkc

If the video the guy lifts the side of the trailer with a jack, are there any tips or big no-nos to keep in mind since our frames our aluminum?

I have a 2016 21BHS with the offload package.  We don't have too many miles on it but it's never a bad time for me (and perhaps other people new to trailers) learn how to deal with the axles. 

My handy-man neighbor glanced at my trailer and wondered if this package had "bearing buddy"'s installed on the axle meaning it requires less maintenance...is he correct?  If so, do you guys have any favorite grease type and tool/s to make the job simple?

Thank you...

I want to do a fan at some point. In the meantime, I put those rectangle ice packs in the freezer at night. In the morning I put them on the top shelf of the fridge. It seems to help and it's a quick solution.

For those on Facebook, there's a group called:  Livin Lite Owners Group. You can do a search on that name.

I often send them over here to find topics. But I figured some over here might like to know the Facebook group exists. It's more of a quick and easy way to see others' ideas and mods versus the in depth discussion that happens here.

Quote from: Merlin on June 22, 2017, 10:03:46 PM
If only we knew someone who could talk Amazon into selling electric cars.............

I'll let you know what Bezos says.

They do have some rockets you can rent at Blue Origin right now though...

Quote from: Merlin on June 22, 2017, 03:54:03 PM

Quote from: Paul on June 22, 2017, 01:30:03 PM

Quote from: Merlin on June 20, 2017, 10:16:45 AM

In fact, I just invested a couple thousand dollars in 6 volt (GC2) batteries for the solar charging station I use for my plug-in hybrid car. Great info on this site!

Your Tundra won't notice the extra 60 lbs, if you go with 2 batteries!

What kind of plug in hybrid do you have? I was looking at them a while ago and they seem really cool, I live close to work to it would work well for me. I probably won't be getting one anytime soon but in a couple of years that could be a good option for me!

We have a 2017 Ford Fusion Energi. We bought it used off a corporate lease early last spring. The dealer gave us a full tank of gas and even though we use it everyday for all our local driving, we have not purchased any gas yet; it still has 2/3s of a tank! The only time the gas engine has started was on the trip home from the dealer an hour+ away. Otherwise, it's been in all electric mode and we just charge it up each evening. It gets about 25 miles per charge in electric mode. The bonus is that it's a nice car too!

At some point in the next year I want to add a used Nissan Leaf as a third car. You can get them used for about $7k if you hunt. They are all electric and can do about 70-80 miles...which more than covers the vast majority of our daily local driving. We will keep the Tundra for trips and towing. Beyond new wiper blades they don't require much maintenance. The brakes apparently even last forever since it's mostly doing regenerative breaking.

Thank you again guys. I appreciate it.

I became a little obsessed with Titanium for a few months and went on a bender ordering stuff from Amazon.  Coffee mugs, cutlery...it was an expensive little bender...but since I don't drink alcohol I figure I have to waste money on stuff elsewhere. 

I did order these two sets along the way:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009QM7DSK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MV6WAE0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Aluminum is probably just as good but I dig these little kits.  I keep them on the camper and use them on the grill or the stove.  Like the others said, getting supplies elsewhere is just as good.  But if you don't drink and can't go on alcohol benders, then do a titanium bender and let me know how it goes.

Quote from: DavidM on June 21, 2017, 07:22:22 PM
That is the one. I bought mine from Amazon as well and I suppose if it doesn't work I can return it. But the aggravation is more significant than the $30 ;-).

David

Thank you. 

I now understand why you guys wanted me to get the "better" solar controllers.  But I figure since the LCD is a bonus, I'll take the risk on the cheaper stuff and see how it goes.

I ordered the 100' cable as well.

So now I have:
- Solar charge controller
- Solar panel
- Cable

I need to fill in the gaps and make sure I'm doing everything else correctly. 

This is the solar panel I already had.  I picked up a while ago while it was on a big sale.  I'm betting I'll quickly learn it's junk...so let me have it.  If it is junk, I can replace it down the line.

https://www.amazon.com/SunPower-Flexible-Connector-Charging-Compatibility/dp/B01DXYNGA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498085778&sr=8-1&keywords=suaoki+flexible

In their diagram, it appears I need to add in a serious of fuses for protection.  Is this correct?  Is there a standard process for this I need to follow?

Also, my 2016 21BHS has a Zamp input on the side.  I've attached a pic.  Should I utilize this?  Or is there a better solution?

Sorry for all the newbie questions.  I'm still reading a lot online but I'm still trying to piece together the basics of how this all hooks together.

Quote from: DavidM on June 21, 2017, 05:02:46 PM
That Blue Sky controller should work great. You could even parallel three 100 watt panels and use it with them given the 25A spec.

I wouldn't buy Blue Sky's monitor. Others have installed the Drok battery monitor that Amazon sells for about $30. it gives instantaneous voltage and amperage and cumulative watt hours consumed or added. I am going to install one the next time we go camping and will provide feedback.

David

Is this the one you're referring to?  I'll give this a shot and if it breaks I'll have Amazon replace it.


DROK DC 0-120V 0-100A Digital Multimeter Charge-Discharge Battery Tester, Volt Meter/Ammeter/Watt Meter/Time/Capacity/Electricity Usage Monitor, LCD Color Screen with Overvoltage Protection https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M5CWR2P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dQUszbR6F8Q8J

Quote from: DavidM on June 20, 2017, 03:56:36 PM
thedusty:

You can get close enough to the amperage rating you need for your solar controller if you take wattage and divide it by 12. So for a pair of 100 watt panels, you need a controller with at least an amperage rating of 200/12 = 17 or practically at least 20 amps.

At 200 watts you are at the point where a MPPT controller might make sense. Go to wholesalesolar.com and click on their charge controllers. These like Bluesky, Morningstar, etc are all American designed, Chinese made like most things, but American quality management.

So looking at that site you can find a Midnight Solar PWM controller for $89 or a Blue Sky MPPT controller for $200, both rated for 20A. The extra $111 produces about 30-40 watts more usable power. But if you really only need 160 watts usable, the PWM controller is much cheaper.

David

I just ordered the Blue Sky model.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007S1HA2K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A31H76PZNDKUUJ&psc=1

My wife is an exec at Amazon...so I get an earful if I don't order through them.  Ha.

Anywho, do I need an LCD monitor to go with it?  If so, is there a "cheap" version that will do the trick?