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AgedWhine 
Newbie 
Joined: 28 Mar 2019 Location: Alabama Online Status: Offline Posts: 22 |
 Topic: Rpod dreamer, now lover, but what do I DO???Posted: 31 Mar 2019 at 10:02pm |
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We have looked for some time. Walked in many. Even checked other small units. Some are so small that I felt like I had to move something just to blink. Others may be roomier but you almost need to donate a kidney to afford it and then one hail storm and it looks like the surface of the moon 🌙. We are not new to having an RV, but after living fulltime in a 5th wheel, we are ready for something that is easy to pull, park and play (PPP). In all our hours of research, looking and dreaming. The decision has been made! The winner is rpod. We have placed our order for the new 195! We are so excited that all my wife and I talk about is the new child in our family. But now the questions begin...
1. Should we have the slide-topper installed??? 2. Will I want a camera installed on the back to help me park in some hidden dream location??? 3. Will I need some kind of a anti-sway hitch??? 4. What kind of mods should we consider right away??? 5. I’d like a generator that will handle the AC. What size do I need? I don’t need one for the whole camper, just the AC when it’s just so hot and humid. 6. And what do I name it??? Now that’s a major problem! So thanks for letting us be part of the rpod community. Please be patient with us as we learn the process of this forum. But please make any suggestions that you think we may need . Now we’re ready for some PPP!!!
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...On the road again! Just can’t wait to get on the road again....
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offgrid
Senior Member 
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 7:27am |
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Welcome!
On your questions: 1) Personal choice. If not a topper then a stable stepladder and something to brush leaves and debris off the top of the slide. 2) Personal choice. If there are two of you then its not really needed for backing. rpods are a lot easier to maneuver than a big old 5th wheel. 3) Start by loading and actually weighing your trailer and tongue under real world conditions. If you're going to be boondocking then fill your gray tank which is aft and empty your fresh tank. That will give you your minimum tongue weight, which you should always keep above around 10% to avoid sway tendency. Beyond that what you get will depend on your tow vehicle. If its a lighter TV then you'll probably want a weight distribution/antisway hitch. If its heavier then maybe an electronic antisway system. 4) rpods come well equipped so you can wait till you've used the trailer a couple of times and see what changes you'd like to make before doing a bunch of mods. The only one I'd suggest doing right away is dual batteries if you're going to be camping much without hookups. Instead of the dealer installing a single 12V battery which is typical, you can have him install dual 6V golf cart ones. 5) First question is, where are you going to be camping using a generatior for the a/c? If its in park campgrounds there are usually noise restrictions that will keep you from running the generator all night on those hot sticky southeast nights. If you're truly boondocking in a remote location you can run the genny without bothering anyone, otherwise its daytime and early evening only. It's good to be realistic about generator use. Living in the southeast I find I rarely use mine for air conditioning because I'll either have hookups or go somewhere with cooler nights in the mountains in midsummer. The only true boondocking locations I camp in are in the mountains anyway. There are three ways to go with generators and the a/c. You can get a larger generator, around 3500-4000 watts, that will start and run the a/c directly. But that is going to be about 100lbs, so could be an invitation to lumbar disc surgery. You can get two smaller generators, each around 2.2kw and 50lbs, and run them in parallel. Or, you can get one of these smaller generators and add an Easystart to the a/c so it will start from the small genny. If you go this route you will need to avoid running any other 120Vac loads in the trailer while the a/c is running. 6) I'm sure you'll get an inspiration once you get your trailer, if not before. Enjoy!
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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AgedWhine
Newbie
Joined: 28 Mar 2019 Location: Alabama Online Status: Offline Posts: 22 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 8:11am |
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Thanks for your suggestions!
As for the slide topper. I believe right up front we will bite the bullet and have it installed. As for the sway issue my concern is making sure that I distribute the weigh for traveling. I am still using my truck that pulled our 5th wheel so I can handle the tongue weight. The 195 has a larger fridge and kitchen located on the back end. So I do get a little concerned about the tongue getting to light... I like the idea about the dual battery upgrade. As for a generator maybe I can do a mod to have one installed on the tongue??? 💡 plus that may help my concerns of keeping a good tongue weight 🤔. Again. Thanks for your input.
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...On the road again! Just can’t wait to get on the road again....
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 9:50am |
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Not so sure about mounting a genny on the tongue. I think some have done that on the forum, maybe they might have some comments.
I'd suggest loading up and weighing the 195 and its tongue before adding a lot more weight from a genny up there. The dual batteries will add well over 120 lbs. For that weighing you'd want the fresh tank filled and the gray tank empty. You don't want too much tongue weight, you might want to get a lighter tow vehicle someday. And you'd likely have to stack the generator on top of the batteries which might require some a-frame reinforcement, that's a lot of weight at one point load.
Also, you might get quite a bit of vibration, noise, exhaust fumes from the genny in that location. The inverter-generators are quiet when idling but when loaded up running the a/c they're pretty loud. I always try to move my genny as far away from my campsite (and my neighbors') as possible and point the exhaust away from everyone. Just trying to follow good campground etiquette.... |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2595 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 9:59am |
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There is also the danger of carbon monoxide entering the trailer if you run the generator too close to the trailer, such as when on the tongue. Most generator instructions warn users not to run the motor near enclosed occupied spaces.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 10:17am |
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I think there's also a restriction in the RV code about distance between heat sources like a genny exhaust and the propane tanks. I don't recall what that distance is ATM.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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AgedWhine
Newbie
Joined: 28 Mar 2019 Location: Alabama Online Status: Offline Posts: 22 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 10:45am |
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So much for the generator idea🥴. I’m glad I asked. I don’t want the fumes or the vibration. Probably check into something I can pull out of the truck when needed. Thanks again.
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...On the road again! Just can’t wait to get on the road again....
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 11:23am |
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Maybe you could just leave it in the truck bed and run it from there?
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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AgedWhine
Newbie
Joined: 28 Mar 2019 Location: Alabama Online Status: Offline Posts: 22 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 2:04pm |
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That’s what I was thinking. Thanks
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...On the road again! Just can’t wait to get on the road again....
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crw8sr
Senior Member
Joined: 12 Oct 2017 Location: Omaha Nebraska Online Status: Offline Posts: 328 |
Posted: 01 Apr 2019 at 4:36pm |
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Welcome! Get out there and enjoy it; mods and a name will follow.
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Chuck & Lyn
Izzy, Morkie. RIP Zoe Joy & Gracie, Yorkie 2018 R Pod 190 2019 Traverse In moments of adversity;when life's a total wreck, I think of those worse off than me and really feel like heck. |
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Rpod dreamer, now lover, but what do I DO???