The 23FB forum

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by leedav

Now thinking about closet shelves. From the battery meter exercise I now know that the closet walls are 33/64 thick, including the paper on each side.

Read through the 23d thread as well. You'll be thinking about a lot more than just closet shelves, I promise you that!

[leedav]

Originally Posted by pcskier

Read through the 23d thread as well. You'll be thinking about a lot more than just closet shelves, I promise you that!

I'll try to hold off.... My track record so far is not good.

[eagletoo]

The 23d thread is totally addictive (and humbling) - with the most knowledgeable, unselfish members you will ever meet. Just awesome!

[Fair_Enough]

Adopting the motto, "build it, use it, change it". I really don't like what I did in place of the dinette (23FB has the huge wheelwell to deal with for our non-regular thread visitors).

Mine is a 2013, so the dinette has benches of formed plywood facing each other and a wall mounted table top that swings down (extension leg) to allow a bed to be made there. It would be for kids or maybe one adult.

I loved the huge countertop that I made and sitting there with the great view. But, there is simply not enough space for the office chairs when more than myself is using the space. So, it is all gone.

I thought about putting the original bench seats back but cutting them down and going to a small top and possibly getting the newer type top support. Pro would be the added clearance to the fridge door, but it would only sit 2, and maybe a kid or two. Really no different that what it would be not cut down.


I've thought about building a dinette seat along the wheel well top and table in front. I would be sitting looking at the kitchen / stove / fridge, etc. But, 4 could sit there and it would make a nice possibly, full size bed. The wheel well box, by the way it 80" long.

Another option would be a jack knife sofa bed. My concern there is most only go up to 72" long. and typically 43" or so wide.

If I build that long bench seat, that would require cushions to be made to do it right.

Another modification that I will probably make is to replace the east-west short queen with twin beds. I see a lot of work, but think it would make the trailer work very well for us.

Thoughts?
Clint

[Rob Edgerton]

Originally Posted by leedav

So I just installed the jumpers that allow me to check the levels in my battery, because for some reason airstream gives you a little short ones that don't let you open the caps. Both batteries have a bad cell at the end, which is probably contributing to my issues. Good news is the pd4655 just arrived

Question for the group. Installed the PD4655 about a year ago but not the new fuse block because the battery leads are too short. Is there any way to install the pendant without using the new fuse block?

[PKI]

51 - you do not need the shunt/monitor upgrade if your use is mostly FHU park stays. If you use the coach for mostly dry camping, you may find the more precise measurement of the BM helpful. Most folks install a BM as part of an electrical upgrade like solar as PC posted above.

But in any case, verify you have fresh un-wounded batteries in your bank. Often a new coach is towed to the dealer and the batteries are allowed to be pulled down by the parasitic loads and incidental use to a state of charge that kills a cell or two. Folks find the bank to perform poorly upon initial pickup.

Have Interstate check your batteries and replace them under warranty if necessary. Then never allow the bank to discharge below 12.2 Volts. That is a bit touchy as it required the bank to rest under no load or charge to get an accurate reading. However, close is really good enough.

Disconnect the batteries when in storage. Parasitic loads (LPG detector, lights left on, standby electronics) continue to pull power even in the store mode (use/store switch). Some folks add a disconnect switch to make the process easier.

Best to use what you have and learn what you want before starting major projects. Enjoy the new coach. It's well featured and many of us are trying to catch up. Hope to see you and the shiny down the road. Pat

[eagletoo]

Clint, you might have seen this twin conversion already but just in case you haven’t, check this out.

https://youtu.be/jsIMXDV8TZE

[PKI]

Originally Posted by Rob Edgerton

-- snip --Question for the group. Is there any way to install the pendant without using the new fuse block?

Believe the pendent plugs into the main unit. Call Best Converter for instructions if it is not clear from looking. Note, the OEM fuse board has better wire clamps, so it is best to install the unit as you did.

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Clint - you need a 27! The dinette is a fact of the layout. Best for the space. You can change it, but improvement really takes a different trailer. Twins should make the sleeping area a bit better space, but have their disadvantages.

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Nice to see everyone making functional changes. Keep up the good work. Pat

[Fair_Enough]

Originally Posted by eagletoo

The 23d thread is totally addictive (and humbling) - with the most knowledgeable, unselfish members you will ever meet. Just awesome!

I completely agree, eagletoo. The 23D and this one have some of the kindest and knowledgeable members that I have encountered on a forum. It is quite amazing.
Clint

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by pcskier

If the meter shows a net of 0 amps...the sun is keeping your batteries at par. If negative...you're using less than you're producing, and if positive...your producing more than you're using. Just sort of a window to know what is happening overall, with an eye to conserving battery power while not hooked up to shore power.

Whoops. If negative, you are using MORE than the sun is producing. I said that wrong.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Wolfwhistle

I see a lot of work, but think it would make the trailer work very well for us.

Thoughts?
Clint

Would be interested in seeing whatever you do. I've seen several iterations of mods to the dinette, from removing it and just having a sofa and portable tray table, to leaving stock but with a smaller table top, one gal tore it all out and put in a small work desk, one half of dinette for a seat, wall-mounted computer screen (she works and full-times.) Lots of good idea. On mine, I was going to just try a smaller top and forego that sleeping area.


Ultimately, my solution was to sell it and get a 23d But man, I miss that queen and the bathroom, believe me. Always tradeoffs.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Rob Edgerton

Question for the group. Installed the PD4655 about a year ago but not the new fuse block because the battery leads are too short. Is there any way to install the pendant without using the new fuse block?

Yes like Pat said. Just plug it in on the left side of the PD4655. Remove the cover and you'll see where.

As a side note, there is enough cable to use with the new boards (I've done this three times now :-) ) After removing the unit, remove the nut on the strain relief, reach behind and pull the strain relief and wire out through through the back of the hole, and then pull forward underneath into the vacated space where the old converter/charger was, so you can see and loosen the strain relief screws. Pull another couple inches of wire through the relief, retighten screws, reinstall relief, there will now be enough wire to use the new board. My last two I've done (plus one for a friend just the other day) didn't use the pendant, so I wanted to have the button to manually put in Bulk mode which of course needs either the new board, or the pendant.

Since yours is already installed, just adding the pendant is the easy way to go.

[SimRunner]

Clint - I have talked with Ultimate Airstream about changing our 23FB dinette area to an L-shaped configuration. They sent me pictures of two dinette configurations, which I am sharing here. The sofa configuration is in a 23FB.

My wife and I think twin beds would be a perfect configuration for the 23FB. I’ve included a graphic that I pieced together of our overall vision. We camp mostly with just the two of us.

[eagletoo]

Outstanding Simrunner! That dinette mod is unbelievable.

Thank you for sharing.

[51hunter]

Originally Posted by leedav

The shunt is a resistor. It allows the monitor, which is basically a voltmeter, to measure the current flowing in and out of the battery. It's small resistance doesn't affect the power usage. Since voltage=current times resistance, the meter can determine by reading the voltage across the shunt how much current is being drawn, and by keeping track of that over time, how much power remains in the batteries. A battery meter therefore will only work with a shunt.

Thank You Now I get it. My old AS had a amp meter in it and that's what I watched. John

[leedav]

Why would the tow vehicle charging or discharging through the umbilical mislead the meter? Doesn't the umbilical go the negative bus? Whatever charge goes to and from the battery has to pass through the ground cables. At least as far as charge is concerned, maybe not so much for voltage.

Originally Posted by pcskier

Something to keep in mind when watching 'float' vs 'absorption' vs 'bulk,' and what the battery voltage reads at any given moment, etc...is that this is not like a mechanical connection with absolutes. It's actually a very fluid and flexible process. The monitor should measure amps 'out' at any given moment quite accurately, as well as what the battery voltage is at any given moment...but keep in mind that even that can be impacted by how long since it's been 'offline' from the charger, etc. My tow vehicle, I discovered during this process, provides current through the umbilical even if the car is turned off...which would totally mislead the readings from my Victron Monitor as far as amps being used, and voltage in the trailer battery. Other vehicles only provide power through the cord if the car is running, or ignition is 'on', and I've heard some only if the car is in "D". So depending on all that you might need to unplug from umbilical if stopped for the night and want to monitor batteries. Just remember to plug back in before leaving!

If you're camping without shore power, yes, the voltage will be pretty accurate as well. But things like 'time to discharge' on the Victron are nothing more than guesses, at a specific moment in time, so don't get caught up in that. Also, the PD4655 is always in a 'dance' with the batteries, trying to figure out how charged they are, what draws there are, and what voltage and current it needs to provide them with, at any moment in time. All that bounces around constantly so don't worry about instantaneous readings or charger outputs at any given moment. Just let it do its thing, and let the new monitor help you keep an eye on all of it.

[leedav]

Oh. I get it. The meter sees the current from the TV as coming from the trailer battery.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by eagletoo

The 23d thread is totally addictive (and humbling) - with the most knowledgeable, unselfish members you will ever meet. Just awesome!

Totally agree! Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to read a foreign publication. Although you guys have given the 23D thread a run for its money the last few pages here. Whew.. I think I know my trailer, then I read about what you guys are doing. Agh!

[51hunter]

Originally Posted by pcskier

John, congrats on the upgrade. She shunt is if you wanted to install a more robust dedicated battery monitor such as the Victron that Leedav used. It accurately will display battery voltage like the OEM systems monitor on the panel does, but also allows for an accurate reading (because of the shunt) of amps being used and some other metrics, which is helpful for battery management when boondocking or non-hookup campsites. (No shore power hookup). All negative loads go through the shunt to accomplish this.
Definitely not required, but a 'nice to have'.

Many of us have added in conjunction with a solar installation. I did, because it's helpful to see the 'net amps' flowing to or from the battery based on various power draws and solar production input. If the meter shows a net of 0 amps...the sun is keeping your batteries at par. If negative...you're using less than you're producing, and if positive...your producing more than you're using. Just sort of a window to know what is happening overall, with an eye to conserving battery power while not hooked up to shore power.

Thanks

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by eagletoo

The 23d thread is totally addictive (and humbling) - with the most knowledgeable, unselfish members you will ever meet. Just awesome!

Bruce,
Thanks for the 23D Plug! How’s the new 23 GT working out?