Ordering a 2019 Classic 30 thoughts/advice

[Maineiac]

Turk, you are right, I mislabeled the inverter issue, mine is also only activated when you switch to cinema mode, it does not activate when I go into sleep mode. Sorry for the confusion.

[turk123]

You also said your internet seems to be working!

It is really sad that the dealers do not spend much time on delivery. North trails RV was very nice to us, but there was little information on the walkthru side. The guy that does their walkthrus is the owner's son I believe. Nice fellow, but short on Airstream knowledge. Since we were staying down the road at a nearby campground, we figured we could always get help from their service department. Our salesman was full of knowledge, but he and his wife live in an Airstream.

When the walkthru guy said things to us like "Here is the dump area and here are the outside compartments and here is the doorbell", well, we did not learn much.

He did know how to light the stove!

[jlandreth]

Originally Posted by Maineiac

Turk, you are right, I mislabeled the inverter issue, mine is also only activated when you switch to cinema mode, it does not activate when I go into sleep mode. Sorry for the confusion.

My inverter also comes on in cinema mode. According to Tim at JC, that is the way AS intended it to work. I'm not sure that I understand their reasoning but according to him it is working properly.

[Maineiac]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

My inverter also comes on in cinema mode. According to Tim at JC, that is the way AS intended it to work. I'm not sure that I understand their reasoning but according to him it is working properly.

I suspect the thought was that if you are boondocking on your battery and you sit down to watch TV and you want the lights dimmed, well you need your inverter on to run the TV? It may be some twisted logic with this programming mode, but that may be how it happened? Who knows lol.

I love the smart app and use it all the time. Including the dimming of the lights when we do sit down to watch TV . We, however tend to be plugged in to shore power 95% of the time so just need to remember to turn the inverter off, and of course, you can do that right from the smart app. It really does work nice

One would think this program will get changed at some point

[gypsydad]

Not sure why they don't just replace the Fantastic Fans with the MaxxFan Ventillation Fan which is all in one? Seems that most of us AS owners install the aftermarket Maxair cover...and some of us get the wrong size...the small cover does not allow the Fantastic fan to open all the way; the larger Maxair cover does. Seems like a no brainer for AS...but many things we modify on our AS's do seem logical!

[jlandreth]

Originally Posted by Maineiac

I suspect the thought was that if you are boondocking on your battery and you sit down to watch TV and you want the lights dimmed, well you need your inverter on to run the TV? It may be some twisted logic with this programming mode, but that may be how it happened? Who knows lol.

I love the smart app and use it all the time. Including the dimming of the lights when we do sit down to watch TV . We, however tend to be plugged in to shore power 95% of the time so just need to remember to turn the inverter off, and of course, you can do that right from the smart app. It really does work nice

One would think this program will get changed at some point

I agree the smart app was great when we were able to use it. But we have been unable to sign up with AT&T because of something between them and AS. We've had our '19 Classic for about 6 weeks now and have tried to be patient while they work out this issue. Part of the decision process to buy the Classic was the wifi and smart app neither of which we can use. I'm not sure what remedy we have with AS if this doesn't get resolved but I would guess that we are just screwed.

[jlandreth]

I guess I might as well add that we are frustrated with the Polk audio system as well. We got it to pair up one time so that we could control the surround sound but haven't been able to successfully pair up either iPhone since that initial success. Any suggestions about that?

[cbburke]

When Airstream starting using Fan-T-astic Vents the available Max Air Vent covers were too small and Fan-T-astic put out a bulletin not to use them. Since then Atwood and others have come out with larger covers. If the dealer is not aware of the size issue there will be problems such as you describe.

[trepine]

You can use the smart app without being subscribed to att. Just connect your phone to the trailer wifi and it will work. Of course this only works when you are in close proximity to the trailer. And when connected to the trailer wifi you won’t be able to use your phone to access the internet. Buuuut, it is a work around. And you can turn your wifi on and off as needed.

[james.mileur]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

I guess I might as well add that we are frustrated with the Polk audio system as well. We got it to pair up one time so that we could control the surround sound but haven't been able to successfully pair up either iPhone since that initial success. Any suggestions about that?

Unplug power to the Polk for a minute, or drop shore power and disconnect battery, easier. Then re- pair. Down load the Polk app?

[Maineiac]

Originally Posted by cbburke

When Airstream starting using Fan-T-astic Vents the available Max Air Vent covers were too small and Fan-T-astic put out a bulletin not to use them. Since then Atwood and others have come out with larger covers. If the dealer is not aware of the size issue there will be problems such as you describe.

This must be the issue, I will replace the max aire cover with a larger unit when I have a chance.

[Maineiac]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

I agree the smart app was great when we were able to use it. But we have been unable to sign up with AT&T because of something between them and AS. We've had our '19 Classic for about 6 weeks now and have tried to be patient while they work out this issue. Part of the decision process to buy the Classic was the wifi and smart app neither of which we can use. I'm not sure what remedy we have with AS if this doesn't get resolved but I would guess that we are just screwed.

We had a difficult time getting signed up with ATT initially. I finally got in touch with an excellent service rep at ATT who walked us both thru the process. I wish I had kept her name and number , as she had never done one before either. But she was committed to see it thru with multiple returned calls from her until it was resolved.

Regarding the Polk, this is not a user friendly unit. Ours continually drops the blue tooth connection and requires re...pairing. We usually are able to do that without disconnecting the power. Just going thru the Polk programming. It is a pain however.

[jlandreth]

Well, today has been a great day. With the help of you guys we got our Polk Audio/app to reconnect. It seems to be working perfectly, we turned it off and paired numerous times. The really big news is we finally got signed up with AT&T. Wifi is working great, remote app is working as it should. We ate dinner in a town about 30 miles from us, used the app to turn on lights in the AS. Hopefully it will all continue to work as it should. Next problem, why does the grab handle work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. At other times it just works partially. Ant ideas?

[james.mileur]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

. . . Next problem, why does the grab handle work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. At other times it just works partially. Ant ideas?

Great news on Polk and wifi. The handle on my Classic has a single led chip in the top bracket with a short pigtail thru the exterior skin. I would suspect the switch or wiring connectors inside first. But,

there is an old problem with the lower bracket gasket that allows rain water to enter through the weep hole (on top) that you may want to correct while trouble shooting the light. The handle WILL drop out of the upper bracket if lower is removed. Don't ask why there is a chip in mine

You can see from the Utah dust high water line the screw into the skin sealed enough to collect the water.

[Maineiac]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

Well, today has been a great day. With the help of you guys we got our Polk Audio/app to reconnect. It seems to be working perfectly, we turned it off and paired numerous times. The really big news is we finally got signed up with AT&T. Wifi is working great, remote app is working as it should. We ate dinner in a town about 30 miles from us, used the app to turn on lights in the AS. Hopefully it will all continue to work as it should. Next problem, why does the grab handle work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. At other times it just works partially. Ant ideas?

I personally don't think that it is a short. Mine has functioned sometimes and not others. I think mine is in the programming between the away and on board settings.

I have had a hard time figuring which combination I used to have it activated, but it seems to work or not work when I am shuffling back and forth in those modes? While also using other settings , If that makes any sense lol. I am just not focused enough or had the desire to chase it out yet

[Maineiac]

The six month update.

We ordered our Classic 30 last summer and took delivery in Mid October.

In the past six months, we have had 105 nights in our unit. My wife used the Classic in Naples Florida last winter for 50 of those nights. We have traveled with it for 55 nights on the road.

The old adage, “no news is good news” does not apply here

As we have commented in the past, we continue to be very satisfied with our unit. We love all the features and we continue to remind ourselves how nice this unit fits our desires.

The Airstream Classic 30, ....we have no regrets... just smiles!

We are in Texas now, back to Maine by mid May to enjoy the Maine summer weather.

Happy Camping!

[ajwbarnard]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

My inverter also comes on in cinema mode. According to Tim at JC, that is the way AS intended it to work. I'm not sure that I understand their reasoning but according to him it is working properly.

Seems a bit ridiculous to assume you want to watch TV only on an inverter. Wish there was a way to customize the modes as you do in other apps. For example, here’s all the things you could do in away mode, switch an off/on switch to desired action.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by ajwbarnard

Seems a bit ridiculous to assume you want to watch TV only on an inverter. Wish there was a way to customize the modes as you do in other apps. For example, here’s all the things you could do in away mode, switch an off/on switch to desired action.

Why is that ridiculous? When your boondocking and a great game comes on and you have satellite, that's why the inverter was invented! We have used it many times with our 28'. It works fine with the TV. We also watch movies on the DVD or if I have a signal, over wifi.. I even use the inverter for my coffee pot in the morning. Batteries charge via solar during the day just fine or generator if needed. Many of us use our TV off grid....thanks to the inverter.

[BigSxyWhtGuy]

On the 33 classic there is a cinema mode. When you press that the inverter kicks on, even if you’re hooked up to shore power — I believe that’s the ridiculous part

No need for inverter to come on if you’re on shore power

[ajwbarnard]

Originally Posted by gypsydad

Why is that ridiculous? When your boondocking and a great game comes on and you have satellite, that's why the inverter was invented! We have used it many times with our 28'. It works fine with the TV. We also watch movies on the DVD or if I have a signal, over wifi.. I even use the inverter for my coffee pot in the morning. Batteries charge via solar during the day just fine or generator if needed. Many of us use our TV off grid....thanks to the inverter.

It is not ridiculous to watch TV with an inverter. We have done that. What I am saying is ridiculous is that when on the cZone panel when you ask for the cinema mode which adjusts lighting etc automatically, it turns on the inverter as if that is a requirement of watching a movie or tv.