To all you naysayers to the rdome.
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3048
Printed Date: 25 May 2025 at 6:25am
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Topic: To all you naysayers to the rdome.
Posted By: marwayne
Subject: To all you naysayers to the rdome.
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2012 at 8:36pm
We were out camping for 4 days, middle of october, night temp around 0* Celcius, daytime temp single digits, so you want a place to warm up. No chance with an awning, but the r-dome is enclosed, so I put in my little LP heater with my Eco Fan on top, opened the trailer door and within 5 min the r-dome and the trailer are warm (about 20* C). I would not trade my dome for any kind of awning. After all we live north of the 49th. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Replies:
Posted By: Racer|X|
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2012 at 8:43pm
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I dig my r-dome...nice idea wi the heater. ------------- |
Posted By: Podsible Dream
Date Posted: 22 Oct 2012 at 8:44pm
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+1 , marwayne! We love our dome! Easy to keep warm at below freezing temps! ------------- Chris and Walt '10 RP-171 'Free Spirit' '13 Dodge Durango Crew 5.7 L Hemi V8 |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 5:45pm
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love the sounds of the r-dome, have thought and thought on it, but I am older and one person putting it up and thru the groove means up on a ladder. But I really like the idea for those who can handle it, just makes an extra room rain or shine! ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: dsmiths
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 8:03pm
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We got the dome with our 12 model 172 and have not had the chance to put it up yet, but by golly next summer its going up one way or the other.
------------- Dane and Donna Smith 2011 RP-172 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer 4X4 lift kit prodigy wireless brake controller |
Posted By: Goose
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 8:49pm
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We love the Dome too. I have to say that the heater and the fan look like something out of a Sci-Fi movie. Glade that it works well. Goose ------------- Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee 
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 24 Oct 2012 at 9:41pm
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The nice part about the fan is, when it sits on the heater it produces it's own electricity. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: TerryM
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2012 at 7:20am
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I'm only 5'8" tall so I have to use a stool to get the dome on. But it is worth the effort. Please explain about that fan. It converts heat to electricity to power itself? Great idea! Terry ------------- RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2012 at 1:51pm
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The cool thing about thermoelectric pumps (Peltier junctions - same thing used in the Coleman thermoelectric coolers to heat/cool) is if you drive them backwards they will produce some electricity. Supply electric and you get heat on one side and cold on the other, as long as you heat sink one side. Put heat on one side and the same heat sink on the other (the big black fins on top in that picture) and you get the energy to run that fan. Recently I saw a woodburning camp stove which does the same thing to drive a fan which blows fresh air into the burning chamber. As an added bonus it has a plug where you can charge your cell phone in the middle of nowhere. As long as the fire is going.------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2012 at 5:45pm
I use one for backpacking. It's called a "BioLite": http://biolitestove.com/ - http://biolitestove.com/ The charging part isn't so great (too slow), but the TEG runs the fan just fine and keeps the internal battery topped off. It's a fantastic stove and will provide an intense smokeless spiral of flames as long as you have a supply of sticks.
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2012 at 9:52pm
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That's the one! A friend has a Zip stove, which relies on a battery pack to drive the fan. I love the thought of a wood-burning backpacking stove. I use a Pepsi can alcohol stove.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 2:20pm
mountain mist: When I put up the dome I spray a little WD40 on a ragg and wipe down the strip that goes into the track, I can push the hole thing through the track from one side. The only thing I need a ladder for is the top pole. How ever I tapert the ends of the vinyl strip, so it wont hook on the screwheads.   As far as being an older person I am right behind you. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 4:59pm
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I use the silicone spray to "grease" the groove, have put a grommet in the side at top, have threaded a stout cord to give myself a pull, and Pull it thru the grooove..... Still need the ladder to do this up at the top of the curve. I don't have the r-dome, have a custom made awning. Wlll no doubt be up on that ladder one way or the other from the sounds of it Have just canceled my 6th try at getting out to camp this year... this time due to the effects of Sandy that is perported to be in the higher elevations early next week... by the end of next week ,back to 70's... go figure. May not give up , but hubby is clambering to Winterize the Pod, just in case. I have emptied it of all liquid, have the heater ready to fire up for the few nights that will be in the 20's and the more the negetive stares me in the face, the more I am determined to go when it warms up,.... If what remains of the campground it not overflowing! ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 27 Oct 2012 at 4:59pm
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ps,,,, I tapered the ends too! ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2012 at 12:16pm
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We are able to just push ours through.. We spray with silicone, and push it up the groove.. you do have to move the "hanging part of the dome along a bit, but we have never needed to climb a ladder or pull it through the track..
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Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2012 at 5:06pm
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I am just not tall enough to get the "push" up with one hand, working the bottom part with the other hand. But it works fine (my custom awning) when I do the ladder thing. I have the awning because for years I used a screen house and it just pops out . of course it does not make the screen room attached to the Pod. But I have tried to use what I have already. need the screen house to even sit out when the bugs are out! the awning just keeps rain out of open door and lets air circulate in Pod also..... Does the same thing your r-dome does and I did not have to spend as much as I would have with the dome. BUT spent it on other things of course, i have really too much stuff probably. So I am not a nay sayer for dome, just made do with what I had. and for all that I have not used ANy of it but one time this year. darn weather bad now, but better later next week, will see what I can do. ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 28 Oct 2012 at 6:09pm
We love our dome. It shielded us from some freezing winds this weekend. But I'm a bit upset at a huge rip in the fabric that occured while putting it up this weekend. I have a sewing project ahead of me.  ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: P&M
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2012 at 11:18am
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We are taking ours out for our first real overnighter this weekend, and are planning on setting up the dome so we can get used to it. Quick question ... many times before I saw Podders talking about using a dry graphite spray lube, and now here it appears that WD-40 will work also ... yes? I already have WD-40 but not graphite spray, so if I can save myself a trip to the store this week that would be great. Thanks! ------------- P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |
Posted By: bhamster
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2012 at 12:18pm
| I'm sure it will work if you don't mind the mess. Most people use dry lubes so it doesn't gunk up or stain other things. Also keep in mind that lube isn't actually required. We never used anything and it worked fine without. |
Posted By: this_is_nascar
Date Posted: 30 Oct 2012 at 11:36am
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WD-40 will make a huge mess. Find a silicon dry-lub spray and it will work fine. Most RV dealers carry this as it used on awnings to allow the channels to slide properly and smoothly.
------------- "Ray & Connie" - 2017 R-Pod RP-180 - 2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD-Off Road |
Posted By: P&M
Date Posted: 30 Oct 2012 at 12:01pm
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Will do ... thanks!
------------- P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 30 Oct 2012 at 1:33pm
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Silicone spray, if it runs down out of the channel is easy to wipe away..... I found mine at Home Depot, but most big box stores have it. ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: Paige
Date Posted: 30 Oct 2012 at 9:48pm
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I sewed high tensile strength pull tape on each end of the vinyl strip so I don't have to pull on the RDome fabric. With the silicone spray and the tape, it makes it very easy to pull the dome through the channel. ------------- Paige and Pete 2010 177 - RPug 2012 Rav (six cylinder) New York & Florida residents 
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Posted By: danthoman
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2012 at 5:19pm
| I use wd-40 and have not found it to cause a mess. I'm 5'6" and haven't needed a ladder to pull/push the r-dome through the channel. There is only one screw where the vinyl always seems to catch above the door but I just pull out on the fabric (away from the r-pod) and I'm good to go. I did grind down the ends of the aluminum channel because it would catch and cut the vinyl strip on the dome as it was being pushed through.. |