20-footers

[centennialman]

I bought it in Tucson in February and brought it home to Denver. The dealer in Tucson opened up the drains and let all the water out. Since then it's been sitting with a space heater going when the weather is cold. I changed the water heater bypass when I got home....didn't know about the hot water shut off below the water heater but my space heater has kept that area warm. Now that I know where all the valves are, I should have fun figuring out what direction they are all pointed in tonight. Thanks so much for the input everyone!

[CruizinDux]

Steve, if your hot LP drain (red) is in as far as mine was

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f516...127845-31.html

(# 23 on page 31 is a good view,) I would consider going back to the dealer. Mine was simply not accessible and binding on the bottom of the black box. I talked to JC and the dealer and they relocated them and installed a different style of valve. Mo Betta.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f516...ml#post1760031 post 527

The new ones are 1/4 turn but flip on the end vs a thumb swing.

However in the mean time, you may fined it easier to unscrew the panels in the dinette to expose the WH. I found it easier (until the change) to lower the table, kneel on it facing the door so I could get my hand in there with sufficient leverage.

I expect you have the style of valve that Peter showed in 411 & 428 on age 30 and they are huge improvement from my double wing handle type.

[Peter your links sent me elsewhere]

Good Luck.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Thank you for the clarification, but . . .

It has been my experience on the Internet that sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek comments do not translate well, generally speaking. Some authors follow such comments with an icon to warn that the words do not carry their "straight-up" meanings.

If the reader does not "get it" then the attempted humor backfires, as here. I appreciate the clarification.

I was about to chime in. Thanks Peter and Darrell.

Much appreciated.

Bob

p.s.

I summerized yesterday and all went well. Leaving for Beachside SP on Monday for 4 days.

I'll follow in a bit with the pump noise improvement and a few pics of the wheel well. I need to go back to look at the earlier photos for comparison, and download mine from today. If we're talking about the same area, they were more generous with my 1/4 horizontal plate than others....appears to disappear into the sheet metal as opposed to coming up an inch or two short like Peter's.

Bob

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

I enlarged the photo and it is definitely the plywood sub-floor cut-out around the wheel well sheet metal. You can actually see the plies inside the plywood. Whoever set that piece of plywood HAD to see daylight shining up through the hole. Argghhh . . .

Needless to say, this is probably NOT marine plywood. Hopefully it has an "X" rating for exterior use. If it is not exterior plywood, it is a major opening for rot to start, if it hasn't already. If I find any more chinks in the exterior armor, I may take it back to the dealer.

I would also be interested in a spray-gunk material, and will look for an thread about it. Here is the applicable sub-forum:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f456/

Seems I need to pay more attention to what specific location & orientation of what I'm shooting. I think I'll re-do after I run them up on some blocks.

These are just a camera underneath pointed upwards. Looks like I do have some minor reveal.

32 is streetside & 35/36 are curbside

Bob

[CruizinDux]

Almost forgot...when initial pumping from FW I was disappointed in the pump room noise. However once the lines were all filled and purged of air and pressured up, the operation of faucets and toilet produced a much reduced pump noise....not what I would call quiet like the fan, but I'm liking the noise reduction. I think I'm done in this arena.

Bob

p.s. At the last minute I added a foam wrap (1/2" low density what a hard backing ) over the top/middle of the pump.

[OTRA15]

Thanks Bob for the wheel well photos -- yup same problem. I hope to get the trailer wheels up on 6x6's today, for better access to repair the sheet metal holes from underneath. Ideally the wheels would come off, in order to use the bed liner spray everywhere but that will have to wait. Closing the holes is #1.

Supposed to pick up the blue jeans sound dampening material later today. Will put some loosely in the pump room, and decide how far to take this project. Summer road trips beckon, and we can live with the pump as-is. The new foot pads I put on last Fall halped a lot.

Thanks for the heads up that my links were NG for the LP drain valves. Probably because I have toggled on "Newest Posts First" for viewing all threads. The links probably work under the usual "Oldest Post First" set-up. Will refer only by Post Number from now on. Good to know. Thanks.

Have a great trip! Photos appreciated.

Time to get OTRA16!

Peter

PS -- A little new music perhaps?

[centennialman]

Thanks to everyone for the guidance on the valves, locations, opening/closing etc.... I found each of them last evening by using your directions and pictures. Can't thank you all enough!!

Here is another question. Today is the first time I opened the refrigerator since I brought the Airstream home from the dealer. Is there supposed to be a vegetable drawer in the refrigerator? I thought I would ask you folks before checking with the dealer.

Thanks again!

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Thanks Bob for the wheel well photos -- yup same problem. I hope to get the trailer wheels up on 6x6's today, for better access to repair the sheet metal holes from underneath. Ideally the wheels would come off, in order to use the bed liner spray everywhere but that will have to wait. Closing the holes is #1.

Supposed to pick up the blue jeans sound dampening material later today. Will put some loosely in the pump room, and decide how far to take this project. Summer road trips beckon, and we can live with the pump as-is. The new foot pads I put on last Fall halped a lot.



Thanks for the heads up that my links were NG for the LP drain valves. Probably because I have toggled on "Newest Posts First" for viewing all threads. The links probably work under the usual "Oldest Post First" set-up. Will refer only by Post Number from now on. Good to know. Thanks.

{ no prob}
Have a great trip! Photos appreciated.



Time to get OTRA16!

Peter

PS -- A little new music perhaps?

agreed. I think I'll wait until after the BS and Orcas trip in June as there may be some warranty repairs that would be an incentive to take it in. It's more the time since the dealer is in town. Since it is so small an area, I may opt for some sealant/caulk like what was used when they penetrated the SF for the new LP drain @ the WH.

agreed again. I think the pump pad and hose separation is key.

You betchya on the pics. BTW congrats on the new grandchild.

Bob

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by centennialman

Thanks to everyone for the guidance on the valves, locations, opening/closing etc....

.... Is there supposed to be a vegetable drawer in the refrigerator?

Thanks again!

Steve. BTW you mentioned the yellow bypass valve. I always leave it open as I only run air or water thru the vale/HWH and never winterize with the RV AF. Copious comments on this thread starting around late October/Nov as folks were scrambling on winterization before the first hard freeze.

As for the drawer, ours did not come with one. The next couple of trips we'll be evaluating the need, probably more to keep things in one place.

On our maiden voyage, we realized that there was a continual demand to move items around in the refer as food was consumed and replaced with leftovers/new food, often with different dimensions requiring some re- shuffling.

happy trails

Bob

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by centennialman

. . .
Is there supposed to be a vegetable drawer in the refrigerator? I thought I would ask you folks before checking with the dealer.

Thanks again!

No vegetable drawer in our 2014, Steve. Would clutter things up IMO -- a small covered plastic tub might work best. The bottom of the fridge is the coldest, however, so vegetables are probably better off on a higher shelf. BTW that piece of plastic that slides up and down on the coolant fins at the top right is the only "thermostat" on our unit. There is none on the face of the control panel FYI. Maybe you have a real thermostat like the larger/newer trailers?

Also we keep a cooler in the tow vehicle, and tend to keep loose stuff in there like lettuce, vegetables, spare ice, milk and so forth. In good weather the van cooler permits making early-morning coffee etc. over a portable butane burner on the campground table, without disturbing the missus. The cooler is also easier to access for cooking outdoors on a charcoal grill or over a fire.

Bob, thanks for the GC well-wishes!

Have a good weekend all.

Peter

[waldosgone]

Sendel rims are on backorder for 45-60 days from PerformancePlusTires.com... Unfortunately we'll be in Alaska by then; anyone have other sources?

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

... BTW that piece of plastic that slides up and down on the coolant fins at the top right is the only "thermostat" on our unit. ....

Peter

OK, for the record as the manual is silent on this issue. You move it to the rightmost fin for colder and to the left for (no so) colder...correct?????

L to R as opposed to up down on the same fin.

My experience on the maiden was that the beverages weren't as cold as I was expecting as fast as I was expecting considering the bag of ice was frozen solid, so I called he dealer. He said move it to the right more...I was sliding it up and not getting any colder. Well it was already all the way to the right so I just needed to give it more time...anther day to stabilize and provide the frosty one I was hoping for... after 4 days I finally backed it off a fin maybe two (?) as a head of lettuce froze.

hmmm...seems to be pushing beer-thirty

Bob

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by waldosgone

Sendel rims are on backorder for 45-60 days from PerformancePlusTires.com... Unfortunately we'll be in Alaska by then; anyone have other sources?

Hey Waldo, we're penciling in an Alaska trip for '17. May I ask what mods you're making to the 20' if any(solar, batts, generator etc??)...and to the TV other than the 15>16's?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

[waldosgone]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Hey Waldo, we're penciling in an Alaska trip for '17. May I ask what mods you're making to the 20' if any(solar, batts, generator etc??)...and to the TV other than the 15>16's?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

Dux - We're actually moving back to Alaska full time. My wife and I met there 9 years ago and lived there until 2010. We moved to Florida, then Oklahoma and a job opportunity came up that I jumped on to get us back there full time. When we moved out in 2010 we tent camped from Anchorage all the way to Mt Rushmore before it was too hot and had to stay in hotels or with friends/family. This time we expect that it will be a bit more comfortable. Work gives me 11 days to get to Alaska from Oklahoma and I'll take some vacation with it to make a nice 30 day trip.

As we've just bought the FC20 we were planning to do minimal mods but were prioritizing safety then everything else. 16'' wheels and tires were first on the list.

After that it was kind of a create your own adventure. Thinking Trojan T105 with an upgraded 3 stage charger. A suitcase solar is possible as most of the places we'd camp are under cover and don't see the point in roof mounting solar if that's the case

We've got an SUV at the moment so a generator is out as we don't want to carry it in the passenger cabin...

A Oxygenics shower head might have to happen to stretch the limited fresh water tank a bit further.

Waldo

[CruizinDux]

Waldo, that sounds like a great adventure. 10-4 on the 16's. It's top on my list for that trip as well. I need to get Milepost and get started on my reading/planning. I suspect time will fly by exploring the continental USA....and Alaska will be uon us.

Safe journey's

Bob

[OTRA15]

Bob, our Dometic fridge has the sliding "thermistor" (?) shown below, which can be slid up and down on the right fin. There is a blue triangular arrow/play symbol on the right side of the case (and looks like a hint of blue mark near the top of the slide?). This is the way it came from the factory, and the various threads here which mention this seem to agree +/- that it should be on the right fin. I did try sliding it up and down last fall, but don't recall any firm conclusions.

One thread about slide adjusting up for colder etc. :

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f425...nt-147010.html

We have accurate Taylor thermometers in the fridge and freezer at all times, as I have found that looking at them often is advisable, both at home and in the trailer.

I just turned the fridge on and will check back tomorrow. I put two large blocks of blue ice in there also, as it helps lower the temp more quickly. Also, I have read that one should never put warm items in the fridge. We pre-cool all beverages etc. in the tow vehicle's ice chest first. If needed in hot weather, I may even add a bag of ice to the fridge, as you seem to have done.

Once the fridge is at temperature and stable, it can take 24 hours for the system to stabilize again after moving the thermistor apparently. In a sense our AS Dometic fridges are more like a "keep cool" appliance than a "get it cold" unit IMO -- an acceptable compromise when backed up by a good ice chest. The next purchase for boondocking might be a Pelican or Yeti cooler for dry ice storage of frozen items.

Curious to hear how you make out on the trip, and whether you can get a handle on this temp. adjustment system.

Peter

[OTRA15]

On the pump noise -- I loosely installed wall-to-wall "blankets" of the rolled blue jeans material shown below (dark side backing is up) over the pump, to check things out. The improvement is noticeable but still irritating that a better pump is not supplied. Not a diaphragm pump, but a variable speed screw-feed pump (if I have the terminology right). A lower GPM flow rate would be OK too. The pumps we have produce too much water too quickly (for our small trailer) which is what has led some to install an accumulator, which would not be necessary with a lower GPM pump. Larger trailers with 3-4 concurrent water users might need our pump, but not the FC20 IMO.

Gonna leave this as-is for now, but will have to make sure the pump room space under the blankets does not get too hot with the pump running in the summer. Leaks down there will obviously be an issue, as the blue jeans material is like a dry sponge. TBD in order to get to the next item on the To-do list!

Peter

PS -- Post 683 contains more info. on the blue jeans material. Rain today so no work on the wheel well sheet metal patch job after driving the trailer onto 6x6 pads.

[teagues]

Originally Posted by waldosgone

Sendel rims are on backorder for 45-60 days from PerformancePlusTires.com... Unfortunately we'll be in Alaska by then; anyone have other sources?

I just got a call yesterday from our local Discount Tire to let me know that the Sendel wheel I ordered is ready. I asked them to order it on 3/22, so that does suggest that there is a shortage. Good luck finding wheels before your trip.

[OTRA15]

Welcome to the forum waldosgone! Bummer about the Sendel back order. I would call the mfg. and see if they can locate some for you. Please follow up here, as we are considering the same upgrade. [edit -- thanks teagues for the update.]

Your Alaska move sounds great! Too much craziness down here below the line (49 degrees N. Latitude).

Thanks,

Peter

[waldosgone]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

Waldo, that sounds like a great adventure. 10-4 on the 16's. It's top on my list for that trip as well. I need to get Milepost and get started on my reading/planning. I suspect time will fly by exploring the continental USA....and Alaska will be uon us.

Safe journey's

Bob

Bob - I've driven the ALCAN/Cassiar highway twice and my wife has done it five times and couple words of advice.

Milepost is an invaluable tool on this trip but like any tool it's not 100% accurate. For example, when my wife and I drove south from Alaska in 2010 there was a town on the guidebook that had a gas station open 6 AM to 6 PM, 7 days a week. We pull into town at 1 PM and the gas station is literally shuttered. Posts dragged across the entrance and the windows were boarded up. It put us in a bit of a tight spot where we had to set out and ended up with less than 20 miles to go on our tank of fuel according to the on board trip computer before we pull into the next town. Our contract after that was we would fuel up at the next gas station after we hit 1/2 a tank. This worked well for us in our 2006 Toyota 4runner V8 and I expect we'll do the same on this trip town the FC20.

If you're interested I'm happy to share a couple of the places we tent camped... they were "boon docking" and if memory serves would be accessible with a 20 footer. Like anything else it may be useful to verify by walking before driving! As long as the land isn't private (typically marked with signs on trees) you can camp pretty much wherever. The locations would be latitude and longitude because my factory installed GPS could't get an address.

When I drove it the first time iPhone wasn't a think and driving back it won't be a thing again. There was little/no cell service in Northern British Columbia and certainly not in Yukon and most of Alaska. The larger towns would have it but the little places certainly did not. It'll be refreshing to get back to that which part of the reason for the move back to Alaska. You can speed up if you want but you can also go completely off the grid. My wife and I like relying on our own skills, ingenuity, and a fair bit of luck. We're not off the grid peppers but sometimes it's nice to "unplug."

If anyone has an questions I'd be happy to answer them or share our experiences along the way in a separate thread.

Jim