New Owner - 2019 Interstate Lounge

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Mikemdd

I appreciate your input. Quick question. My understanding was that the bed layout was a queen size, but you noted a king. Just wanted to confirm. Finally, how do you store the topper when the bed is not made up? Again, it is a 2019 Interstate Lounge Slate Edition. Thanks!

Slate edition has the upgraded bed setup. And you are still finding the need for a topper? Yours is supposed to be completely flat when opened and the cushions are thicker... Overall, it should be very comfortable.

In our case we tried different things, from inflatable mattress to foam mat, and ended up using three 2 inch self-inflating memory foam mats. Easier to pack when all is done.

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on such a beautiful AI. Enjoy it in good health.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by RGJZ06

I picked up my coach a week ago Friday and when the tech did the overview demo he mentioned that you have to turn the Fusion off manually. He said the Fusion doesn't turn itself off when you turn the key off and leave the coach. I'm getting more familiar with it every time I drive it. Between the Mercedes-Benz manuals and the Airstream manuals, I'm getting quite an education. I'm very impressed with the fuel mileage as well.

And even then it is not completely off... some of us have installed switches to completely eliminate the battery drain from the Fusion.

[RGJZ06]

Originally Posted by wachuko

And even then it is not completely off... some of us have installed switches to completely eliminate the battery drain from the Fusion.

Now that's not good. Did you just installed a toggle switch or some other type of switch somewhere?

[busb2]

Wachuko you mentioned the slate edition back side seats which I think are a significant improvement over the articulating seats in my AI. Do you know if these seats are now becoming standard in knew Interstates? If not, I wonder if it is possible to buy the necessary components from Airstream to modify an existing AI? The Airstream website photos and floor plan info seems to show the same configuration as my 2017 so you can’t tell if the change is coming or not. I ask my sales person at my dealer but he had no idea what I was talking about. No surprise.

[Mikemdd]

Originally Posted by busb2

Wachuko you mentioned the slate edition back side seats which I think are a significant improvement over the articulating seats in my AI. Do you know if these seats are now becoming standard in knew Interstates? If not, I wonder if it is possible to buy the necessary components from Airstream to modify an existing AI? The Airstream website photos and floor plan info seems to show the same configuration as my 2017 so you can’t tell if the change is coming or not. I ask my sales person at my dealer but he had no idea what I was talking about. No surprise.

We bought the 2019 Slate Edition based on what we felt was an improved interior overall (ie marine flooring, cabinet finishes and upholstery ) but our number one reason was because of the improved bed and power side seats. Specifically, the Slate Edition does not have the side arms which we felt were intrusive when making up the bed platform. The side seats (rear) are also larger and powered just like the couch. We have not slept on it yet, hence all the questions on the correct bed coverings. While I think the bed has a much improved layout, the gaps still suggest some type of topper may be in order. I'll update once we actually outfit it and sleep on it.

[Mikemdd]

Originally Posted by wachuko

And even then it is not completely off... some of us have installed switches to completely eliminate the battery drain from the Fusion.

We were finally able to get out on a day trip in our new Lounge, Slate Edition. I found out at our first stop what everyone is talking about regarding the Fusion system. I immediately found that pushing the "off" icon turned the screen off, but low and behold I could still hear the radio even though nothing was on the screen. However, I finally found that you can turn everything off by simply holding the power button for about 5 seconds. By doing that, not only the screen but also all functions of the system were shut down. Not sure if everyone knows that. Given that, not sure why a separate switch is needed since I can power down everything just by long holding the power button.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Mikemdd

We were finally able to get out on a day trip in our new Lounge, Slate Edition. I found out at our first stop what everyone is talking about regarding the Fusion system. I immediately found that pushing the "off" icon turned the screen off, but low and behold I could still hear the radio even though nothing was on the screen. However, I finally found that you can turn everything off by simply holding the power button for about 5 seconds. By doing that, not only the screen but also all functions of the system were shut down. Not sure if everyone knows that. Given that, not sure why a separate switch is needed since I can power down everything just by long holding the power button.

Correct. That is the way to turn off the Fusion unit so that the radio is not left on. The music stays on unless you hold down the power Switch until both the sound and the screen go off.

And this is the reason some of us have installed kill switches for the radio... Here is a direct link to when I started doing mine:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ml#post2112824

and when I got the rest of the switches...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ml#post2118445

I switched both yellow and red wire.

[Mikemdd]

Originally Posted by wachuko

Correct. That is the way to turn off the Fusion unit so that the radio is not left on. The music stays on unless you hold down the power Switch until both the sound and the screen go off.

And this is the reason some of us have installed kill switches for the radio... Here is a direct link to when I started doing mine:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ml#post2112824

and when I got the rest of the switches...

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...ml#post2118445

I switched both yellow and red wire.

Wow. That is a nice setup. I am not handy or confident enough in my electrical skills to do anything close to that. It is crazy what they did with the Fusion setup. I cannot understand the logic of how they powered the system.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Mikemdd

...I cannot understand the logic of how they powered the system.

Neither could I and the reason I switched both wires (Red and Yellow)

[umpqua]

There is some great info in this thread! I am the new owner of a 2015 Grand Tour EXT. I absolutely love it and am reading everything that I can in the forums and watching lots of YouTube My question is regarding the Cal King topper for the bed...has anyone found that a latex topper is more compact and gives better support than a gel memory form topper? Is a 2" topper sufficient or is it worth sacrificing space to get a 3" topper? Does anyone have a brand recommendation? I have searched Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair, Costco and a few other places. Frankly, it's a bit overwhelming. I prefer a bottom sheet, with a duvet cover on a down comforter for sleeping, which rules out the rv superbags.

[MamaG]

Originally Posted by umpqua

There is some great info in this thread! I am the new owner of a 2015 Grand Tour EXT. I absolutely love it and am reading everything that I can in the forums and watching lots of YouTube My question is regarding the Cal King topper for the bed...has anyone found that a latex topper is more compact and gives better support than a gel memory form topper? Is a 2" topper sufficient or is it worth sacrificing space to get a 3" topper? Does anyone have a brand recommendation? I have searched Amazon, Overstock, Wayfair, Costco and a few other places. Frankly, it's a bit overwhelming. I prefer a bottom sheet, with a duvet cover on a down comforter for sleeping, which rules out the rv superbags.

We used a 2 inch gel topper and were very comfortable for our 6 week adventure. However, we tryed several things and what worked best for us was to leave the bed out and use only the couch for a bed ,laying with our head to the left instead of the back of the coach.We are going to buy a custom 6 inch mattress for about 399.00 with our next trip just because it will be easier to make up. Experiment as to what works for your adventure

[Ryoungca]

We were concerned about the storage space for a topper so we bought a king size blow-up mattress. It's a little wider than the bed area but we set it up, add a thin mattress pad and a sheet on top and then blow it up. As the mattress expands it traps the sheets in place nicely. When it's deflated it can easily fit in the back overhead compartment.

[catjer]

We use an IKEA 2” memory foam bed topper. Over it we place a double size mattress protector with a tight elastic. Queen fitted sheet next with a tight elastic or add elastic “garters” to the underside of the memory foam topper. The flat sheet and duvet on top. There is a small overhang of the topper and a small space on the sides. Usually our bed is made up but if we need the couch the topper rolls up and fits in the back or stands up in the washroom. The king extension is never used.
We have used a Camping World sleeping bag bed but the fabric quality isn’t great so our bamboo bedding is favored.

[Hawk-ination]

Congrats on your purchase! The slate edition looks like a beautiful coach online, and probably even more in person. We are fairly new AI owners, too. I read everything I could but still found myself figuring things out as we went. The manuals and videos are lacking in my opinion so this forum is very helpful, along with the members. Don't feel sheepish about asking questions, most are here to help with the drop of a hat, and the questions are not silly.
I found little things that were confusing, the AC not starting if your battery drops below what, 12.5 volts, the radio (probably your Fusion) runs off the house batteries, therefore, draining them since it doesn't shut off as you have discovered, and there is no true off button. Generator won't start without enough house battery power. We ran into these things early because of a setting that was wrong on the inverter. Ran into the awning deployed alarm, having no idea what it was after my fiance accidentally hit it with our tent and it retracted, but apparently not fully. Went to leave the campground and had to figure that out in a panic and annoyance with it sounding for probably an hour. Our macerator pump kept blowing fuses as a bit of road dust had effectively locked it up barely, yet you have to take a screwdriver to the capped end to turn it free, problem solved. You will run into little things as you go probably, just don't sweat it. You might not have many of these issues since your coach is new, but eventually, it seems many run into similar issues as they have to learn what's what. I have had issues with the search coming up with either the wrong feeds or sometimes too many also, so I've had to just ask questions also. Not sure that's totally a popular answer, but their are a lot of nice members who just answer them. I feel like there might be new answers anyway, so why not revisit?

I have to say, I thought I had measured, planned, and found a lot of answers, but we are still adjusting to find better solutions, and that's not such a bad thing. I feel like you figure it out as you learn what works and what doesn't. They say less is more, and I am now believing that theory. You don't need tons of stuff... that took me a bit to get over, and I still find myself taking a few too many items. It's just stuff to move around as storage is at a premium, yet I find there's enough to get us out and about, and we don't need all that junk.

Your question on the bed, it is a king or extended king size if you measure end to end. We keep the arm bolsters on the sides while sleeping, which makes a queen foam topper fit perfectly in between. I looked at lots of options as we found the bed hits some of our pressure points though it is fairly comfortable. And yes, those sides on the side chairs are a killer when you kneel on them, too! Good if you don't have them! I found a 2 or 3" memory foam mattress pad from Sleep Number queen fits well and put a comforter topper on it. We sleep with either a sheet and lightweight blankets on top, none being secured. Many rave on the superbag, would be interesting to try it. We roll up the topper and secure with velcro straps, and stand it up and secure to the flaps that are against the wall during the day, or roll it over the back into the storage area. Wish we didn't need it really, but we are spoiled at home and just don't sleep well enough without a bit of cushion. Now we sleep like babies. We flip flop bedding and pillows above the bed during the day and place our clothing bags in that area at night, or under the bed as we sleep. Good luck figuring out what works best for you! Just don't sweat it, it will come as you spend time out and about, and if not, this is a great place to ask! Welcome and enjoy!

[Mikemdd]

Wow....how time flies! I started this thread last March and have benefited from all the advice throughout the last 8 or 9 months. We have put just over 5K miles on the Slate with virtually zero issues. I read every manual, operated everything exactly as instructed, never plugged in without using a Progressive EMS, never let the batteries go below 12.4 volts and installed a TPMS system (with all metal valve stems) to insure there were no surprises. The drive and ride has turned out to be incredible. We liked the Slate so much, that I am now selling it to "upgrade" to a new Airstream Atlas. If anyone is interested in very low miles, perfectly maintained Limited Edition Slate (#34), with all the benefits it offers, please let me know. It will be sad to let it go, but we will be increasing our time on the road and the Atlas will provide some benefits we miss in the Class C. Again, I can't say enough about the advice and friendship everyone has offered in this community.