New 178 in NE Oklahoma
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6040
Printed Date: 20 May 2025 at 1:51am
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Topic: New 178 in NE Oklahoma
Posted By: regdave
Subject: New 178 in NE Oklahoma
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 2:11pm
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Well, the notes said to post a 'hello' so..... Just picked up a 178 and had it out this weekend for a 'test camp'. All is well and the added room with the slide-out, and a permanent bed, is great! Tows with a Nissan Frontier (4L 6cyl) with load distribution hitch just fine. Still compiling a list of things we need - such as a 25ft drain hose! The 10ft one with the camper is a bit short.... We've added a 100W Renogy suitcase solar set. We had been using a 60W with our prior camper and were quite happy with it (we boon-dock several times a year) Added a connector at the battery (same as at the rear solar input) so it can plug in either end. The dealer said the solar wires ran through the inverter but continuity testing suggests it's a straight shot to the battery. So a fuse is added in the Renogy wiring. Going to add some 12VDC outlets as well as a 50A quick-disconnect on the battery ( we store at a remote site without power). The 12V functions (lights, CO/propane leak detector and the A/V system apparently do not turn off from the breaker panel so a switch/disconnect on the battery seems appropriate. We looked at the 179 but the table location and layout of the 178 suited us best. Although the interior storage in the 179 is impressive. We first saw the R-POD at a House Concert in Tulsa. The Isles were performing and had their 178 out front. That - and some questions answered by them - was all it took! If anyone has suggestions for R-POD newbies on things to watch for/install, etc., your experience would be appreciated. - Dave and Adele ------------- Dave & Adele |
Replies:
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 2:38pm
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Welcome to the group! Congrats on your 178! ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 3:25pm
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Congratulations and enjoy the 178, it's a great model ------------- 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: techntrek
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 8:09pm
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Welcome. Yes, a battery disconnect is a must-have. I don't know why camper manufacturers don't include them in the original design. ------------- 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: regdave
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2015 at 11:52pm
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The quick-disconnect is going in tomorrow. We've inadvertently drained a camper battery and it's a problem. Even if the residual electronics only draws 100ma or less, it will pull the battery down in a few weeks. So it seemed logical to do something. In checking with several R/V stores nearby and asking for information on a battery disconnect, no one had anything in stock. Looking around on various forums I don't see much discussed. Anderson makes a line of nice connectors, one of which (SB50) is used by our high school robotics team and has been very rugged and reliable. And we have the crimper for it!. Thank you for your feedback. This doesn't appear to be common practice so the advice is very much appreciated. ------------- Dave & Adele |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 07 Apr 2015 at 1:07pm
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It is very common on all the camping boards I've been on over the years. Personally I just mount a 30 amp weather-proof fuse just outside the battery box. This has the benefit of adding a little more protection when everything is in use, plus little can go wrong as a battery disconnect with almost nothing to corrode. I like the Anderson connectors and use several at home, but since they aren't weather proof I would worry about that. I thought more about why manufacturers don't include them and I think I figured it out. They would need to include a system that locked out the propane any time the battery was disconnected. Otherwise the LP detector would be dead (assuming the camper wasn't plugged in, which is likely if the battery is being disconnected) while the LP system was still pressurized. It is all about liability and additional cost for them. It also adds complexity and would use more amps when off-grid for Joe the camper, to keep the fuel solenoid open.
------------- 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: regdave
Date Posted: 10 Apr 2015 at 4:26pm
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Thank you for the comments on a fuse or switch vs a connector. After pondering the options, a switch made more sense as the only time the battery comes out is for winter storage.That's now been installed. But a little investigative testing: Solar connector - it appears that this is wired directly to the battery. At the dealership they indicated it went to the inverter but I've read conflicting comments elsewhere. Continuity checking suggests it's a straight shot from the rear connector to the battery. If either of the extra leads to the battery are removed, voltage and continuity to the rear connector is lost. The connector itself is a standard 2-wire trailer connector available at most auto supply stores. Most of those are 16ga. A better option would be ~ 12ga which is readily available on-line usually as a 3ft extension. Just cut off the end you need for an adapter and crimp the other end for whatever is needed. I added a connector at the battery so the solar panel can be located at either end of the R-Pod. Both the rear and added connector are on the screw-down terminals. Our Renogy panel came with the proper connector - which was a surprise. Normally they are supplied with an Anderson type connector but this one is plug-compatible with the R-Pod. Works fine at either end and was pumping ~ 5.5A into the battery most of Tuesday. The interrupt switch is a convenient mount and is in the negative line. Mounted the way it's shown still allows the wires to exit the battery container conveniently. Snug the screw down and the circuit completes. Back it off ~ 1/4 turn or more and it's open. When left in the yard on Sunday evening (after our first outing), the battery indicated fully charged - both with the R_Pod panel and my VOM. By Tuesday it was down ~ 0.5V but still indicating fully charged on the panel. Today (Thurs) it's down another 0.5V and the R-Pod panel shows 3/4 charge. A measurement with my meter shows a 'quiescent current' draw of ~ 150mA - which translates to ~ 3.6A-H/day. As the battery is 60A-H, that suggests 4 days would drain about 1/4 of the capacity. So everything is consistent and leaving the battery hooked up - with all the circuit breakers thrown - will still kill the battery in about 2-3 weeks time. I'm sure this is pretty well known out there but just thought I'd fill in some numbers as an example. I'll attach a pic of the battery setup if I can figure out how to do that. Thank you again for the helpful suggestions!  ------------- Dave & Adele |