Making switch to 2014.5 - some ??

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Nealrap

When boondockong, can you fire up the generator for a few hours to recharge again?

Really depends on what you consider "recharge" means. A few hours will not bring the battery(s) back up to 100% charge. Not even close. Obviously, you will be putting some amps back in and using up propane. A better strategy is conservation and solar.

I'm surprised a previous poster said he expects only 1 day's worth of juice from his batteries while boondocking. I can go 3 or more. I worry about holding tanks before I worry about electricity.

Disclaimer:I don't own an Airstream yet. My experience is with a Class C.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Nealrap

When boondockong, can you fire up the generator for a few hours to recharge again?

If the chassis battery is not too far gone, the BIM will cross-connect the main and chassis systems, so that the generator will indeed charge the chassis battery. However, the BIM relay will prevent the two systems from connecting if either battery bank is too far gone, to keep from depleting the other, so if you wait too long to fire up the engine, the generator may NOT charge the chassis battery. In such a case, you may have to jump-start the engine. Which is easy on late-model Interstates with the "boost" switch, that manually overrides the BIM and lets you jump-start the engine from the house batteries. My 2012 doesn't have a Boost switch, so when I had to jump-start mine, I had to do it the old-fashioned way.

Using the Boost feature is not good for the house batteries, but it's a lot better than being stranded because the engine won't start.

[MILATV]

14,000 miles, 60+ nights on the road.

CONS:
I got a full zero hours on battery this trip. Looks like they're toast. 10.1v when engine cut off.

Rear seat belts are pain, curbside plastic guard on seat keeps popping out.

Agree with airflow improved with curbside rearmost window I don't open driver side rear due to water heater and generator exhaust.

Table mounted in forward position is a pain, can't get from front to back.

PROS:
- Can parallel park in Chicago.
- Wife can co-drive (multiple 28 hr drives straight thru)
- 18.5 MPG at 75 MPH
- drives like a minivan
- rides like Mercedes (with shock upgrade)
- climbed all hills east to west w/o load

AMAZING office on the road with upgrades (Bluetooth printer, wifi extender, RAM Mount laptop shelf).

[73shark]

Originally Posted by MILATV

- rides like Mercedes (with shock upgrade)

Either the shocks are the best in the universe or you haven't ridden in the rear seats.

If the former is true, would like to know what shocks you put on. Mine rides like an empty gravel truck when going over sharp perturbations like train tracks or pot holes. The kids like the ride in back tho.

[Bikerbill]

Our 2013 chassis doesn't ride THAT bad. But then we are almost at maximum weight with all that I have found room for to carry.

[Boxster1971]

They ride like a Mercedes truck.

[MILATV]

I'm usually packed for 7-14 days + have a motorcycle on a rear carrier so I'm packed heavy; but - Ok - I get to ride in the front left seat most of the time (. . . driver) but yes - the rear seat would be a fun place for kids on a rough road.


BTW: I found 55 lbs air rides better than 60 lbs and no real difference in fuel (18.5 pretty steady).

[Nealrap]

I am only getting 16mpg on my 2014.5 pretty empty.
How do you get better mileage? I drive about 65-70mph

[MILATV]

Don't know "how" but mine got 16-17 when I ran at 75-80 Mph; when I stay closer to 65-70 it is 18-19. I actually managed 19.5 on a 120 mile trip (betting had a good tail wind)

Just did 3800 mile trip Il to Ca to AZ yo tx to Il and ran solid 18.6 mpg.

I add Lucas diesel additive but nothing special.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Nealrap

I am only getting 16mpg on my 2014.5 pretty empty.
How do you get better mileage? I drive about 65-70mph

Fuel economy is actually quite variable, and depends on a lot of different factors. Altitude. Temperature. Windspeed and direction. Driving speed. Regular diesel vs B5 diesel. How long you sit still with the engine running at idle. How hard you accelerate.

The sweet spot for fuel economy seems to be about 45mph. Faster or slower I'll get less. I drove across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, 24 miles, at 45mph due to fog restrictions, and topped out at 22.1mpg just as I exited the bridge, my best fuel economy ever in my Interstate. The listing dropped again as soon as I hit my first red light after the bridge, though.

On one trip, coming back to New Orleans from Lake Dardanelle in Arkansas, my average for the trip was a mere 14.7mpg. I was understandably concerned about that, but on the very next trip, I averaged 18.2 mpg. It dawned on me later that coming back from Lake Dardanelle, I was pushing the limit the whole 500 miles because I was in a hurry to get home in time to report for work, and driving much more aggressively than normal.

If I toggle the screen displays to the "Since Reset" readings, my average over 10,000 miles since I did my last reset was 17.7mpg. Which is a respectable number for a 5½-tonGVWR van conversion.

What I took away from my experiences is, if you drive like a feeble old granny who's afraid of traffic, you'll get great fuel economy. If you drive like NASCAR, you'll get crappy fuel economy. If you drive anywhere in between, you'll do well enough, but not anything to brag about. It still beats the 10~12mpg that you'd get from a gasoline-powered van conversion!

[73shark]

On the plus side, I've noticed on mine that the readout is usually a little pessimistic when compared to calculated mpg.

FWIW, my dealer advised me to steer clear of B5 even tho the MB 3.0L is rated for it.