The 23FB forum

[rmkrum]

I learned a long time ago that a three-year-Old is not the ultimate test of anything.

Trust me, absolutely nothing is “Sailor proof”. I am one, and my career proves I can break anything, software, hardware, whatever...

[leedav]

First full weekend camping trip since installing the Victron. I have to say that having a battery monitor is a total game-changer.

Before: Use tiny amounts of power, one light, no fan and fret about the batteries.Wake up and look at the panel. See it's at 12.2 volts. Stumble outside to hook up the generator. Charge for an arbitrary amount of time, or use an external charger and charge until it says 90% or more or DW says turn the damn thing off.

After: Use lights, fans, stereo, heater, with relative abandon. Wake up in the morning and look at the panel. See it's at 12.1 volts. Pull out the old iPhone and look at the Victron. See that the batteries are at 87%. Make coffee, do the NYT crossword, make breakfast, take a nice walk. Then run the genny for an hour and a half and it's all good.

Conclusion: Battery tables are useless. Data is king.

[leedav]

How long can I expect piles of sawdust and aluminum shavings after each time we travel, particularly by the door under the fire extinguisher? Are the airstream elves still putting the finishing touches on our coach?

[Franktr]

Started June 1 went through 25 states and 7500 miles and no real issues. The worse in the water tank filling or taking water when connected to city water evert once in awhile. Everything else works.

[Fair_Enough]

1 - 9 trailers are okay, but they dump all the debris from those into cleverly hidden places in #10 of 10. If you were unlucky enough to get 10th in series, your in for it. Might I suggest a Cordless Dyson or a Dirt Devil kept handy and fully charged.
Clint

[leedav]

Originally Posted by Wolfwhistle

1 - 9 trailers are okay, but they dump all the debris from those into cleverly hidden places in #10 of 10. If you were unlucky enough to get 10th in series, your in for it. Might I suggest a Cordless Dyson or a Dirt Devil kept handy and fully charged.
Clint

Sure seems like it.

[Fair_Enough]

Nightstand repurposed drawers; platform ready for Mattress Insider pocketed coil variety

Jackknife sofa in. Sits about 2-1/2” taller than ideal, but should work. I would like to upholster or hide the hardware in the door end. I didn’t use kick board so I have some matching fabric.

Toilet is also in. That will be a game changer.

Clint

[Fair_Enough]

Inverter in niche under curbside bed as are cutoff switches. Main / battery, converter (opens up the converter feed to the bus bar) to shutoff converter turn breaker off in power center... inverter, solar controller, solar panels. Access to breakers and most fuses is via cargo compartment. I still need to make a protective cover to keep stowed items from causing damage.
Clint

[Fair_Enough]

It’s a family joke that’s been quoted for decades. A friend of my brother had a ‘49 Mercury with a stick shift. He bought a large plastic dice, then drilled and taped it to serve as a shift knob. My nephew, then 3, started messing with it. Allen said don’t worry about that, he had given it the torture test. Scotty had it off in 10 seconds. True story.
Clint

[rmkrum]

3 year olds have two things going for them. No inhibitions and tremendous curiosity. They also are pretty well coordinated and surprisingly strong by then. They can be awesome on mechanical stuff.

[SimRunner]

Originally Posted by Wolfwhistle

Nightstand repurposed drawers; platform ready for Mattress Insider pocketed coil variety ...

You are progressing quickly!

It looks like you are also running electrical wiring vertically up, judging by the conduit over the exit point on the wall for the 110-volt cable. I’m curious about what’s behind “Curtain Number 1.”

[mikeinca]

We saw a 2020 23' Globetrotter Twin at our dealer recently and my wife was really intrigued by it, not least by the bathroom layout. With it's more compact size, in many ways it seems like a perfect boondocking trailer for getting into more remote locations. One question we had was regarding the size of the 18 gallon black tank. Does anyone find that to be a hardship?

[GMFL]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

We saw a 2020 23' Globetrotter Twin at our dealer recently and my wife was really intrigued by it, not least by the bathroom layout. With it's more compact size, in many ways it seems like a perfect boondocking trailer for getting into more remote locations. One question we had was regarding the size of the 18 gallon black tank. Does anyone find that to be a hardship?

Our 23D has an 18 gallon black tank. We can easily go a full week (and have) with that size tank.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

We saw a 2020 23' Globetrotter Twin at our dealer recently and my wife was really intrigued by it, not least by the bathroom layout. With it's more compact size, in many ways it seems like a perfect boondocking trailer for getting into more remote locations. One question we had was regarding the size of the 18 gallon black tank. Does anyone find that to be a hardship?

I just completed 12 days of boondocking/dry camping. Drew off some grey water each day into a tub and tossed in the dense shrubs away from the site. Added fresh water 6 gallons at a time. Meanwhile, I hardly made a dent in the black tank. Keep in mind, just me using it. Here's my secret: I have one of those 1/2 gal wide-mouth plastic bottles that water comes in. I have an 'X' marked on the lid to make sure it doesn't get commingled with others I refill with filtered water from home. This particular bottle lives in the bathroom, and is my urinal, that is regularly emptied out in the distant shrubs, same as if I were tent camping and peeing in the brush. I was surprised at how much volume I realized is staying OUT of my black tank You might just have to figure out how to have that bottle around but not within your wife's field of vision. It fits nicely out of view in the corner of the shower :-)

[mikeinca]

Originally Posted by pcskier

You might just have to figure out how to have that bottle around but not within your wife's field of vision. It fits nicely out of view in the corner of the shower :-)

Unless it's the middle of the night, I often just wander off for a brief "stroll" in the woods. For some reason, though, I can't convince her that's a great option!

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by mikeinca

Unless it's the middle of the night, I often just wander off for a brief "stroll" in the woods. For some reason, though, I can't convince her that's a great option!

Me too...I just use my portable urinal at night, maybe first thing in the morning. And also when dry camping in a non-hookup campground. I stealthily empty it in the pit toilets under the cover of darkness. Really don't want to carry that clear water bottle through the campground during daylight

[Fair_Enough]

The deals is you have to conserve... you are not home with an endless supply of water and no limit what goes down the drain. If your camping with children it’s harder, you can’t assume they know how to or will conserve.

However, using the best practices, when there is no way to get rid of gray in a responsible manner (enough said), black tank would fill first for me, most of which is water used to flush. By myself it isn’t an issue, so a large mouth plastic jar (mentioned) is at the ready.

Captured cold water prior to the arrival of hot in the shower, is an easy way to reduce fresh water by using that to flush the toilet with. A bucket is too messy, so again, a couple of quart wide mouth jars with lids does the trick. Yes, mark them so you don’t mix them up.

If your ever totally fill your black tank and nature calls, what would you do? I suggest a 5 gallon drywall bucket prestaged with lid on. Maybe you would never need it but I have. It can hold the bags needed (doubled up when used), the rim pad (pipe insulation works great) and toilet paper. Keep it in the TV.
Clint

[switz]

Liquid in the black tank tank is necessary so one does not create a "mountain" that becomes immobile.

[Steamy1]

Bolted a 1/4" steel L-plate to the frame to use as a hard point to place a jack between the tires to lift the trailer. The metal on the frame was just too thin to accept the pressure of a jack. I placed another one forward to use for a safety jack point. I also use the points on the frame fore and aft to place additional safety jacks.

[Vinster]

In our experience, with some care, it is not the black tank that you have to worry about, it is the grey water tank that fills up the quickest. So - no inside showers and little dishwashing preserves much space. The experience becomes much like tent camping, without the tent. If you are boondocking and treat the experience like tent camping, which may include the use of a solar shower or wet wipes (Hoo-Ahhs or Buy Buy Baby wet wipes are my personal favorite) , disposable plates and cups, and washing cooking pots outside in bins (as we used to do), then both grey water and black water tanks should be good for 5-7 days with 2 people. We love our 23FB, but tank space awareness is always necessary when not hooking up for more than a day or two. If you pay attention to what you are putting in, it is manageable.