I feel like I’m looking at our Avenue’s twin, except we have the lighter cabinet color!
It sounds like your camper did everything you asked of it. We too, found that after being so careful about packing, we had more than adequate storage. And coincidentally, we stopped in Luckenbach too! We stayed in New Braunfels and enjoyed Gruene Hall immensely.
We find unfortunately that we’ve messed up something in our electrical system. We had been plugging a small electric heater into the overhead compartment receptacle, and using it fairly heavily. I had not realized how much of a load they draw—-1500 watts, which is the peak capacity of the Tripp-lite inverter. We had the TV and some devices plugged in on the same circuit, and finally the breaker shut off. We were able to reset it once, but not again, so the circuit with the TV is no longer working for us. We’ve also tried resetting the inverter, but no luck. Beyond this, we aren’t interested in going much further, so we’ll have to find a pro that can take a look. Just a caution about not overloading your circuits!
At first, packing was a challenge, but once we moved things around to their best position, we found plenty of room. The big front overhead compartment was initially stuffed full with our light weight bedding (pillows & sleeping bags) In the sideways picture of me in the back lounge, you can see we discovered we could roll up our sleeping bags with pillows inside them and stuff them to the sides in back. This made them much easier to access and left the front cab-over compartment nearly empty. Before our trip, I removed the heavy table from behind the driver's seat and also removed the pedestal base from the rear floor. It was just too big, too heavy, and we took a lightweight folding table instead, but never used it.
Sorry to hear of your inverter problem. I too, found out the battery/inverter would not run the microwave (about the same watts as your heater), but fortunately it did not cause the problem you have. Maybe because I only tried to run it a few minutes. Turns out the batteries and inverter are just not capable of putting out max rated power (mine is rated at 750 watts with 50% overboost capable, but the batteries cannot handle that kind of load).
I ended up replacing my nearly new batteries because I had a week cell and they would not hold a charge just sitting with the battery disconnect off. Did I damage the batteries trying to run my inverter at max capacity? Maybe.
Anyway, I've got everything on 12v power (including TV) so we did not have to turn on the inverter. Without that additional drain or the propane switch on, we can run the fridge overnight, the maxx fan overnight, and using a few lights we can stay unplugged and still have 75-80% battery the next morning.
Good luck finding a good rv mechanic. My first RV dealer here was expensive and incompetent/and or fradulent. They charged me $300 to diagnose three problems and wanted another $1600 for what turned out to be a leaky gray dump valve, bad macerator impeller, a blown fuse on the tank monitor (they said the monitor panel was bad and needed replacement). The only good thing, besides never going back to them, is I decided to tackle things myself and fixed all problems for less than they changed to incorrectly diagnose.
2019 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Chapel Hill
, North Carolina
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 61
Hello Avenue owners.
Rowiebowie - I have seen your posts on the Interstate Nineteen thread and finally noticed you have an Avenue. I never knew the Avenue existed and after googling information and pictures last night - I love it.
Although I would like an Interstate Nineteen, I hesitate because the MY 2019 Nineteen is built on an outgoing Sprinter chassis and it is the first year of production. The MY 2020 will be on a first year Sprinter chassis. I hate buying new vehicles. And the price for a new Nineteen ......
Enter the Avenue.
From reading the few posts on Airforums, including this one, you owners seem to like the Avenue. I found 2 for sale on RV Trader. One is a private seller and one is at a dealer. Both with the 4 captain seat layout which is my least favorite layout. Both around 30,000 miles and both selling for around $66,000.
First, should I wait for one of the other 2 layouts to become available or are they so rare I should just take what is available?
Second, what is a reasonable price to pay for a 2012?
Rowiebowie - I have seen your posts on the Interstate Nineteen thread and finally noticed you have an Avenue. I never knew the Avenue existed and after googling information and pictures last night - I love it.
Although I would like an Interstate Nineteen, I hesitate because the MY 2019 Nineteen is built on an outgoing Sprinter chassis and it is the first year of production. The MY 2020 will be on a first year Sprinter chassis. I hate buying new vehicles. And the price for a new Nineteen ......
Enter the Avenue.
From reading the few posts on Airforums, including this one, you owners seem to like the Avenue. I found 2 for sale on RV Trader. One is a private seller and one is at a dealer. Both with the 4 captain seat layout which is my least favorite layout. Both around 30,000 miles and both selling for around $66,000.
First, should I wait for one of the other 2 layouts to become available or are they so rare I should just take what is available?
Second, what is a reasonable price to pay for a 2012?
If there are any Airstream Avenue owners out there... I'm looking for a group to join or a thread to compare notes. Seems there aren't too many Avenue owners out there. We just bought a 2011 Avenue and are beginning to tackle the remodel of the inside. Why? Because we CAN!!
If there are any Airstream Avenue owners out there... I'm looking for a group to join or a thread to compare notes. Seems there aren't too many Avenue owners out there. We just bought a 2011 Avenue and are beginning to tackle the remodel of the inside. Why? Because we CAN!!
Kathy, you've single-handedly turned active Avenue owners on this forum from a party-of-one (me) into a party-of-two.
I own a '2012 Avenue Suite model with a layout much like the new 19 foot short Sprinter-based "Nineteen" (See comparison layout below). I know of only one other owner of my model that I met on the classb forum. We keep in touch, but he is no longer active on that forum.
I read in another thread you own a Lounge model. Those have the transverse rear bed (too short for my height), a non-enclosed bath, and two additional seats behind the cab. Otherwise, many systems are similar and my model is just a heavily revised version of the Lounge models that was only made the last model year.
We love ours, yet I've done plenty of repairs, spent a good bit of money, made many modifications and upgrades to mine in a little over two years of ownership. The other Suite owner I mentioned previously has had several of the same problems I've experienced so it has been good to compare notes with him from time to time.
Feel free to post any questions you might have and I'll try and help.
.
Thanks for that brochure... I had written a long reply and it was kicked out for some reason. Asked me to sign in again... and then my reply was lost.
Maybe it will show up... I'd sure hate to have to retype all that I wrote just now.
I can't quite believe there are only 2 of us active in this entire forum with an Avenue.
The most important question I have is what is the white thing in the water line... behind the fridge?? Looks like a water filter but what a dumb place for a water filter that would be. Most put a water filter in-line outside in the fresh water hose coming to the rig.
I know your frustration losing a lengthy post, but luckily it doesn't happen often.
Your question is tricky since the location of your compressor fridge is where my water heater and furnace are located. However, my gray tank(?) vent pipe runs up the wall near that location (only in my model it's behind my sink). Mine is 2" black abs pipe, but perhaps yours is 2" white pvc pipe. Do you actually see a water filter (mine doesn't have one) or could you be seeing this vent pipe?
The above assumes Airstream didn't have to re-plumb this on different models. Another example, they didn't move the black or gray tanks on my Suite from the original locations on the Lounge & Wardrobe models, but they did move the toilet. So in order to get the blank stuff from this new toilet location over to the existing black tank, they installed a macerator toilet in my model which pumps it to old location. Much was changed between our models, but not everything.
Thanks for that brochure... I had written a long reply and it was kicked out for some reason. Asked me to sign in again... and then my reply was lost.
Maybe it will show up... I'd sure hate to have to retype all that I wrote just now.
. . . .
I've often had similar problems loosing long posts. Now I type them into another application on my devices so I can save them and don't loose them to the whims of the forum web server.
__________________
- - Mike
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2024 Airstream Interstate 19e AWD
Previous: 2013 Airstream Interstate 3500 Ext Lounge
I've often had similar problems loosing long posts. Now I type them into another application on my devices so I can save them and don't loose them to the whims of the forum web server.
Good idea, especially on long, complicated posts since my creative flow only occassionanly manifests itself and is hard to replicate.
The other thing I wish I could do better is access my past posts so I could cut & paste similar info. in new posts. Yes, I can search and I can find a list of my prior posts, but after many months go by, it gets harder to find them.
So I may start saving my lengthy ones (as suggested by Boxter) in Word. It would allow easier access and prevent the frustration of the occassional dropped post.
The Avenue was missing the macerator hose...and the macerator did not work so the dealer sent me a replacement. It's too big dia and it's not flexible enough to fit in the compartment.
I'm returning the kit to the dealer and I reached out to airstream and asked them which one I should buy that would fit into that compartment. They replied with a link to the parts manual. That's no help to me. I KNOW there's a hose that will fit in that compartment but I don't know WHICH hose would fit without going to a store and finding one that is flexible enough. Shopping online has it's limitations. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3cpnpXsWEtXXNb9Y9
What are you guys using??
Can someone please give me a link to a hose that will fit in that compartment? If it comes in a kit with a macerator that's even better.
The white thing behind the fridge - is a water filter
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kathy Asch
Thanks for that brochure... I had written a long reply and it was kicked out for some reason. Asked me to sign in again... and then my reply was lost.
Maybe it will show up... I'd sure hate to have to retype all that I wrote just now.
I can't quite believe there are only 2 of us active in this entire forum with an Avenue.
The most important question I have is what is the white thing in the water line... behind the fridge?? Looks like a water filter but what a dumb place for a water filter that would be. Most put a water filter in-line outside in the fresh water hose coming to the rig.
Airstream answered me back... and it's a SHURFLO water filter. I'm removing it. That's just going to slow down the water pressure. We have a Tyent system that filters and Ionizes our drinking and cooking water.
The Avenue was missing the macerator hose...and the macerator did not work so the dealer sent me a replacement. It's too big dia and it's not flexible enough to fit in the compartment.
I'm returning the kit to the dealer and I reached out to airstream and asked them which one I should buy that would fit into that compartment. They replied with a link to the parts manual. That's no help to me. I KNOW there's a hose that will fit in that compartment but I don't know WHICH hose would fit without going to a store and finding one that is flexible enough. Shopping online has it's limitations. https://photos.app.goo.gl/3cpnpXsWEtXXNb9Y9
What are you guys using??
Can someone please give me a link to a hose that will fit in that compartment? If it comes in a kit with a macerator that's even better.
The dealer probably sent you the newer Sanicon "Turbo" which is larger at the impellar housing, and yes, will not fit the Avenue models. The model you need is the previous model like this one on EBay:
But don't buy this one. It is over-priced and missing the bypass feature connection and the discharge hose. There is another model without the gray water bypass feature, but is otherwise the same. They are becoming hard to find, however.
There may be other (and much cheaper) macerator brands that can be adapted, but I know the Thetford Sanicon is an easy plug & play fix. Get only the stretchy discharge hose that expands up to 21 feet. Otherwise the fixed hoses are 10 feet (might not be long enough to reach where you need to dump) and the longer fixed hose will not fit into the small box you have available.
Airstream answered me back... and it's a SHURFLO water filter. I'm removing it. That's just going to slow down the water pressure. We have a Tyent system that filters and Ionizes our drinking and cooking water.
I'd love to see a picture of the filter if you have one.
TrailRunner1's model is the same as mine Thetford Sanicon #70224 with the gray water bypass. It mounts the same as model #70228 which was the original factoryinstalled model (without the bypass).
The problem is finding one of the above models since they've been discontinued.
TrailRunner1's model is the same as mine Thetford Sanicon #70224 with the gray water bypass. It mounts the same as model #70228 which was the original factoryinstalled model (without the bypass).
The problem is finding one of the above models since they've been discontinued.
The photo of the water filter behind the fridge will post as soon as it is reviewed by the moderator.So it's coming....
They sent me a flojet macerator and it does have the grey water bypass so that's a win. I emailed the dealer and told him we're keeping it... I'll find a flexible hose at some point. Not sure we can go anywhere right now to need to use it anytime soon. I need plates on my new rig and both DMV in OR and WA seem to be out of business right now. What makes me nervous is there was an 8 week wait to process the title BEFORE this social distance stuff kicked in.
We had our Avenue nearly 5 months before our first trip (our dear elderly dog was not able to travel so we waited until he passed). We now travel with his "brother", a 70lb. standard poodle named Typhoon; aka "Ty the Wonder Dog".
I used that intial time before we traveled to familiarize myself with our rv, being that is was our first. My motto was "I learned something new every day." Even at the end of our first year my motto was "I learn something new every week." After two & a half years, I can still say "I learn something new every month."
Being retired, and after initially being "taken" by an rv dealership that was either dishonest or incompetent (probably both), I've done all my own repairs and modifications. I found it's a relatively easy plug-&-play replacement if you can find the same brand and model. Since most local rv dealers want $130/hr. labor, I'm making my retirement pay by doing my own repairs. Plus, I've developed an intimate knowledge of my rig.
Now, if I could just figure out why the water pump can only draw about the first 1/3 out of the fresh water tank, I'd have my final problem fixed. My "fix" so far is just to keep the fresh water tank topped out.
Must be something wrong with the draw tube, but it's nearly impossible to access it. Another Avenue Suite owner from another forum has the exact same problem.
We had our Avenue nearly 5 months before our first trip (our dear elderly dog was not able to travel so we waited until he passed). We now travel with his "brother", a 70lb. standard poodle named Typhoon; aka "Ty the Wonder Dog".
I used that intial time before we traveled to familiarize myself with our rv, being that is was our first. My motto was "I learned something new every day." Even at the end of our first year my motto was "I learn something new every week." After two & a half years, I can still say "I learn something new every month."
Being retired, and after initially being "taken" by an rv dealership that was either dishonest or incompetent (probably both), I've done all my own repairs and modifications. I found it's a relatively easy plug-&-play replacement if you can find the same brand and model. Since most local rv dealers want $130/hr. labor, I'm making my retirement pay by doing my own repairs. Plus, I've developed an intimate knowledge of my rig.
Now, if I could just figure out why the water pump can only draw about the first 1/3 out of the fresh water tank, I'd have my final problem fixed. My "fix" so far is just to keep the fresh water tank topped out.
Must be something wrong with the draw tube, but it's nearly impossible to access it. Another Avenue Suite owner from another forum has the exact same problem.
The water pump issue has to be an air lock issue... not? Hubby would be taking things apart trying to find the problem.. and I would be unscrewing the fresh water fill cap to let air into the fresh water tank.
I'm still learning... Hubby is still learning. I think the day we stop is the day we stop doing. I've glad the Avenue isn't our first rodeo with a rig. We are still young enough to enjoy a challenge but we've gotten old enough that physically it's not an easy challenge... Takes the two of us but we work together on it and get it done.
I don't see my photo of the water filter on this thread yet... I tried PM'ing you with it and I tried posting a picture directly and I've tried putting a link to the photo I've posted online into the thread and into the PM I sent you. NOPE.. no go. I'm too new and they don't trust new members to post links and photo's. I get it. I understand and in this online world... they are being prudent.
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of me in the back lounge, you can see we discovered we could roll up our sleeping bags with pillows inside them and stuff them to the sides in back. This made them much easier to access and left the front cab-over compartment nearly empty. Before our trip, I removed the heavy table from behind the driver's seat and also removed the pedestal base from the rear floor. It was just too big, too heavy, and we took a lightweight folding table instead, but never used it.
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