Battery, Leveling and Heating - R-pod Owners Forum

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techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
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Posts: 9059

Topic: Battery, Leveling and Heating
Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 10:01pm

While you can't run the A/C at the same time, you can run the A/C's fan if you want to distribute the heat better.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Outbound

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 767

Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 9:50am

Yes, your r-pod's power system will easily support a 1500watt ceramic/cube heater. Just don't run the air conditioner at the same time or you may pop a breaker at the power pole Wink

(same thing with the microwave/oven - shut off the electric heat while using it).

One note about those little electric heaters: they can be noisy as well. When I bought mine, a very helpful associate at Walmart let me unbox and plug in a half dozen of them to judge how quiet they were.

An electric mattress pad or electric blanket (I prefer the blanket, but most campers prefer the pad) also works quite well. Alternatively, foam earplugs do a great job of blocking out the sound of the propane furnace and snoring spouses.

Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

ToolmanJohn View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Apr 2014
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 451

Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 8:04am

Leveling - Use the tongue jack and your wheel chocks, just like camping. Use the stability jacks so you can walk around inside without having the trailer squirm. The refrigerator requires a certain amount of levelness, so if you want the refrigerator cold before loading up for a trip, you have to have a relatively level trailer to run it. My driveway has a healthy incline and I must use ALL of the available tongue jack plus blocks under it to level it. Then I drop the scissor jacks. I bought two real RUBBER wheel chocks from Home Depot. They are bigger and cling to asphalt and are much safer than the yellow plastic chocks that are int he RV starter kits.

Battery - Fully charge it and remove it before the Winter, store it indoors and protect from freezing. Put it on a trickle charger battery tender for the Winter indoors. You are ready for the Spring. Allowing the battery to fully discharge (it WILL if left on the R-Pod all Winter) is bad for the battery and will affect it's ability to reach a full depth charge in the future. Repeatedly fully discharging to very low voltage levels will shorten it's useful life.

Heating - If at a campground with shore power, by all means get a small quiet electric space heater. Usually a small ceramic cube will do the trick.The downside of the R-Pod furnace is it is NOISY. Those fans are loud. I don't stay at full hookup campgrounds. I use a Mr.Heater Buddy ceramic propane portable. It has Carbon Monoxide detection and tip over protection, I run it on the lowest setting, it uses a 1 pound bottle in about 4 hours. Leave the bathroom vent open an inch, and crack open a couple windows, it works extremely well and is VERY quiet (no electricity required to run).

2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD)
2013 VW Touareg TDI

shroomer

Senior Member

Joined: 24 Aug 2013
Location: New Haven, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 236

Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 11:06pm

I have no data on this, but... I keep my pod leveled in the driveway out of concern for drainage out of the windows. There are weep holes strategically placed that work on gravity and I'm afraid that if the pod is off kilter the water might find it's way in rather than out.

I'd like to hear more opinions/experiences regarding this hypothesis.

Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6
New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8

CharlieM

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Nov 2012
Location: N. Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1797

Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 9:48am

The two previous posters cover it pretty well. I agree.

Charlie
Northern Colorado
OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD
PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

ronahue

Senior Member

Joined: 02 Jun 2015
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 316

Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 4:49am

Battery: I disconnect my battery but some leave it plugged into shore power or place it on a charger. I believe you will find many different opinions on batteries and their care. If you are not on shore power and you do not disconnect the battery the battery will rundown due to the draw from items like smoke detector and LP/CO detectors which are always on.

Leveling: I believe you only need to level if you are running the refrigerator and you should not level using the stabilizers. Level left to right using blocks or a ramp and front to rear using the front jack then put the stabilizers down.

Heater: The R-Pod has a 30 amp system it can handle a small electric heater when on shore power. You will need an adapter if using a standard house outlet and you probably will not be able to run the AC. I just use the built in furnace though it is noisy.

Ron & Sharon
2015 R-Pod 179
2022 Nissan Frontier

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated

Unclewillis View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 26 Aug 2014
Location: NV
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100

Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 2:04am

as far as heaters go. We live in the Desert SW where winters aren't terrible but you may see temps in the high 30's.
We use a very small electric space heater that plugs into the AC outlet and it really works well. It sits on the counter top nicely. Of course the propane heater that comes with the pod works great too.

Daddy, Mommy and Daughter.
BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers)
Rpod 176T 2015
Nick:
ouR-pod

dogsintow

Newbie

Joined: 30 Sep 2015
Location: Pacific NW
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 31

Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 1:05am

I am new to this forum, and just picked up my used Rpod 177 Hood River Edition this morning. So exciting!!

About the battery-- If I'm not using the Pod, what is best for the battery and how long can it go? Do I need to disconnect it? Plug it into my house? And if so, what kind of electrical cord do I use and whether inside or outside plug? What happens if the battery loses all charge? I'm still in a learning curve on how this works.

Leveling-- the land around my home where I'm keeping the Pod isn't level. It's on rocks and it isn't flat. Do I need to level it for storing at home? And if so, do I just use the trailer legs, or just the jack and wheels and level it out with some sort of tool?

And about heating-- If I'm at a location with electrical hookups, will the Pod support the power if I use a small space heater or something rather than use the propane? And if anyone has any heaters in their pods, I'd love to hear what you have so I can purchase what you have experience with.

I am using this trailer solo, and it's my first ever camper.

Thank you!!

2011 R-Pod 177 aka The Pawd Pad
2002 Chevy Tahoe
2 happy dogs

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techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Topic: Battery, Leveling and Heating Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 10:01pm
	While you can't run the A/C at the same time, you can run the A/C's fan if you want to distribute the heat better.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 9:50am
	Yes, your r-pod's power system will easily support a 1500watt ceramic/cube heater. Just don't run the air conditioner at the same time or you may pop a breaker at the power pole (same thing with the microwave/oven - shut off the electric heat while using it). One note about those little electric heaters: they can be noisy as well. When I bought mine, a very helpful associate at Walmart let me unbox and plug in a half dozen of them to judge how quiet they were. An electric mattress pad or electric blanket (I prefer the blanket, but most campers prefer the pad) also works quite well. Alternatively, foam earplugs do a great job of blocking out the sound of the propane furnace and snoring spouses.
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

ToolmanJohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Apr 2014 Location: Connecticut Online Status: Offline Posts: 451	Posted: 04 Oct 2015 at 8:04am
	Leveling - Use the tongue jack and your wheel chocks, just like camping. Use the stability jacks so you can walk around inside without having the trailer squirm. The refrigerator requires a certain amount of levelness, so if you want the refrigerator cold before loading up for a trip, you have to have a relatively level trailer to run it. My driveway has a healthy incline and I must use ALL of the available tongue jack plus blocks under it to level it. Then I drop the scissor jacks. I bought two real RUBBER wheel chocks from Home Depot. They are bigger and cling to asphalt and are much safer than the yellow plastic chocks that are int he RV starter kits. Battery - Fully charge it and remove it before the Winter, store it indoors and protect from freezing. Put it on a trickle charger battery tender for the Winter indoors. You are ready for the Spring. Allowing the battery to fully discharge (it WILL if left on the R-Pod all Winter) is bad for the battery and will affect it's ability to reach a full depth charge in the future. Repeatedly fully discharging to very low voltage levels will shorten it's useful life. Heating - If at a campground with shore power, by all means get a small quiet electric space heater. Usually a small ceramic cube will do the trick.The downside of the R-Pod furnace is it is NOISY. Those fans are loud. I don't stay at full hookup campgrounds. I use a Mr.Heater Buddy ceramic propane portable. It has Carbon Monoxide detection and tip over protection, I run it on the lowest setting, it uses a 1 pound bottle in about 4 hours. Leave the bathroom vent open an inch, and crack open a couple windows, it works extremely well and is VERY quiet (no electricity required to run).
	2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler 2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI

shroomer Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Aug 2013 Location: New Haven, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 236	Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 11:06pm
	I have no data on this, but... I keep my pod leveled in the driveway out of concern for drainage out of the windows. There are weep holes strategically placed that work on gravity and I'm afraid that if the pod is off kilter the water might find it's way in rather than out. I'd like to hear more opinions/experiences regarding this hypothesis.
	Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6 New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8

CharlieM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797	Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 9:48am
	The two previous posters cover it pretty well. I agree.
	Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD

ronahue Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 02 Jun 2015 Location: Massachusetts Online Status: Offline Posts: 316	Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 4:49am
	Battery: I disconnect my battery but some leave it plugged into shore power or place it on a charger. I believe you will find many different opinions on batteries and their care. If you are not on shore power and you do not disconnect the battery the battery will rundown due to the draw from items like smoke detector and LP/CO detectors which are always on. Leveling: I believe you only need to level if you are running the refrigerator and you should not level using the stabilizers. Level left to right using blocks or a ramp and front to rear using the front jack then put the stabilizers down. Heater: The R-Pod has a 30 amp system it can handle a small electric heater when on shore power. You will need an adapter if using a standard house outlet and you probably will not be able to run the AC. I just use the built in furnace though it is noisy.
	Ron & Sharon 2015 R-Pod 179 2022 Nissan Frontier No trees were harmed in the sending of this message but a billion electrons were really agitated

Unclewillis Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Aug 2014 Location: NV Online Status: Offline Posts: 100	Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 2:04am
	as far as heaters go. We live in the Desert SW where winters aren't terrible but you may see temps in the high 30's. We use a very small electric space heater that plugs into the AC outlet and it really works well. It sits on the counter top nicely. Of course the propane heater that comes with the pod works great too.
	Daddy, Mommy and Daughter. BlackJack & Keno (boston Terriers) Rpod 176T 2015 Nick: ouR-pod

dogsintow Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 30 Sep 2015 Location: Pacific NW Online Status: Offline Posts: 31	Posted: 03 Oct 2015 at 1:05am
	I am new to this forum, and just picked up my used Rpod 177 Hood River Edition this morning. So exciting!! About the battery-- If I'm not using the Pod, what is best for the battery and how long can it go? Do I need to disconnect it? Plug it into my house? And if so, what kind of electrical cord do I use and whether inside or outside plug? What happens if the battery loses all charge? I'm still in a learning curve on how this works. Leveling-- the land around my home where I'm keeping the Pod isn't level. It's on rocks and it isn't flat. Do I need to level it for storing at home? And if so, do I just use the trailer legs, or just the jack and wheels and level it out with some sort of tool? And about heating-- If I'm at a location with electrical hookups, will the Pod support the power if I use a small space heater or something rather than use the propane? And if anyone has any heaters in their pods, I'd love to hear what you have so I can purchase what you have experience with. I am using this trailer solo, and it's my first ever camper. Thank you!!
	2011 R-Pod 177 aka The Pawd Pad 2002 Chevy Tahoe 2 happy dogs