Community Forums

moisheh · 12-02-2007, 03:53 PM

Cruzer:

Is that the Powerglide chassis?

Moisheh

HeresLucy · 12-03-2007, 05:58 AM

Our sewer bay is similar only in reverse (water pump on the opposite side - etc). Even though there is room, DH never stores the sewer hose in there anyway. We can't stand the thought of that hose laying around inside the area near the fresh water hookup and filter, etc so we store ours inside a plastic garbage bag and then inside a plastic container in the bay next to it. After dumping he places the top end into the bag and then slowly lets the rest of it fall in. We put it in a new bag after each use.

Cruzer · 12-03-2007, 06:41 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by moisheh:
Cruzer:

Is that the Powerglide chassis?

Moisheh </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nope, It's a Spartan. But, the water bays are the same in either.

rebelsbeach · 12-07-2007, 02:10 AM

WOW...WOW....WOW.

Mark, I'm guessing that without the overhead front tv, there'd be no tv watching as you go down the road.....right?
Something for Joe...and I to consider as the big tv is covered when the slides are in....

Also....I too would store the sewer hose in a tub away from the fresh water stuff......Just something to think of.

Looks like this will be an interesting summer for us iRV2'ers with several moderators and maybe even one of da bosses in a Tiffin!

Joe-K · 12-07-2007, 04:08 AM

The optional front TV has been a topic of much thought for us. The order isn't in yet, but we're leaning towards not getting the front TV. My thought of having two large flat screen TV's in the galley/lounge area is a bit of overkill.

Also, it might just be me, but the panoramic view out that one piece front windshield really seems to be intruded upon when the TV is up front.

It is true that the rear TV in the 43QRP is hidden by the slide when the slides are in so without the front TV, there is no TV watching when traveling. As my boys are getting older, they've had their I-Pod earphones surgically implanted into their ears so they rarely watch the TV anway. For the daughter, I'm leaning towards giving her her very own portable DVD player so she can watch a movie when bored with the driving.

I'll need to see if I can find a picture of the front end with and without the front TV for opinions.

rebelsbeach · 12-07-2007, 04:45 AM

Joe, you make some good points and offer some reminders as well, since this past summer when Adrienne and Bryan traveled with me they BOTH used dvd players and we never turned the tv on....
Deleting it might be the thing to do....

Also noticed in Bill's gallery that the show coach had a two door fridge.....Wonder whether the loss of the two drawers is noticed in this floor plan. In the London Aire I desperately needed those two drawers and as such I had the dishwasher removed.
With the prospects now of traveling with three kids, I may either go paper or see how she feels about the dishwasher....

Joe-K · 12-07-2007, 08:24 AM

We've decided to order the rig with the two door residential fridge like shown in the gallery. I considered the idea of residential vs RV fridge long and hard and the residential fridge won out.

The idea of a regular residential refridgerator operating with compressor technology had many advantages over the RV absorbtion style fridge. The residential fridge will have a little hum from the compressor, but other than that, I don't have to deal with the cooling inadequacies of the RV fridge. I'm sure all of us have dealt with the contents of the fridge not being of cosistant cold temperature.

Besides that.....I think the 22cu.ft. capacity fridge in the rig is almost double that of the 12cu.ft Norcold....can you say MORE BEVERAGES...and they'll be cold!

The dishwasher is on Shelly's must have list....so I'm not thinking of deleting that one

You are right about it taking up drawer space though, but since this kitchen is much bigger than our Journey, I think we'll be OK. If we do become short on space I suppose it could be deleted later and drawers put in.

Good comments.

rebelsbeach · 12-07-2007, 02:54 PM

Joe, after having THREE RV refrigerators in my Essex and now learning the new owners have had to do the FOURTH replacement, AND having lived with the residential reefer in the LADB, I would never go back.....The two door will be on my must have list as well....
I need to look at what happens to the couch to make it a sleeper,as I dearly loved the inflatable mattress situation in the Essex.....Unfold the couch and a quarter turn valve with the electric pump and that was that.....guess I need to bone up on my Tiffin Product knowledge...
The Pearl leaves tomorrow morning for consignment land, so I guess it's time to start learning!

Joe-K · 12-08-2007, 02:53 PM

The couch arrangement on the 08 Bus is finally what let us make the jump to Tiffin. In O7, they used a regular airbed that had to be taken out from underneath the sofa, laid on the floor, unfolded, then finally inflated...ugh, what a pain, and on top of that, the airbed when put up against the passenger side sofa as it was designed, completely blocked the heat vent on the sofa.

In 08, Tiffin is using a UltraLeather sofa bed with an air topped mattresss. I didn't see the unit in your Essex, but this sounds like the same unit. Simply unfold the couch mattress, close the air valve and about a minute with the electric pump. To close it up, open the quarter turn valve, and close up the sofa bed. So easy, my kids will do it every night....if they want a bed that is

smlranger · 12-08-2007, 05:37 PM

Joe, since you are planning to order the residential fridge, will you also go with the new Onan smart genset?

We've also decided that our next rig will have a residential fridge. We've always known that RV fridges were not consistent and we had some food spoil while in Orlando (outside temps in the 80's), and some food freeze when we got to Charleston, SC (outside temps low 40's at night). We use two of those little fans in the fridge but it's still a pain.

rebelsbeach · 12-08-2007, 06:19 PM

Joe....that's exactly the setup I had and the one I would opt for again and again.....Adrienne loved the chance to use the quarter turn pump and "make" her own bed....

Joe-K · 12-09-2007, 04:04 AM

Gary,

I'm not sure what the smart genset is?

The 40' AB uses the same 7.5 kw variable speed Quiet Diesel genset as our Journey's but the 42-43' models use a 10kw fixed speed Quiet Diesel Onan. They operate differently since the variable speed model is an inverting unit, but other than that, I think their controls are pretty similiar.

If the "smart" feature means that it includes auto generator start, I need to do some more reserarch. I'm pretty sure the auto gen start can be programmed into the control of either the generator or be done by the inverter control, but I'm not positive.

I know Mark will know and can answer

rebelsbeach · 12-09-2007, 07:21 AM

Spec sheet for the 10KW QD shows the necessary addition of the EC20 or EC30 panel to make it auto start....

Winnie, and more specifically John Canfield has done this as well...

http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/s...ets/a-1483.pdf

Cruzer · 12-09-2007, 12:37 PM

The Onan Smart system is an integrated package of AGS, inverter/charger, genset, and automatic transfer switch. Everything is Onan and each component talks to each other. The brains behind it kick in the genset whenever it's needed. It's only a 8500 watt genset but it's supposed to add the inverter's surge capacity to it to deliver the 10KW needed for starting surges. It's new technology and it's not on any of the RVs that I've yet looked at. Nor do I know if it's bulletproof yet. Tiffin could implement it on the 2009 model run (available next May) if they decide to go with it. No word on Onan's price for that setup either.

As long as you have adequate batteries, a good genset, and an AGS module you really do have everything you need. It's just not all "put together" by one entity. My Bus came with the EC-30 and 10KW Onan ans 8 AGM batteries (I added 4 more for 12 because I like overkill). It works fine for me and I don't see any real practical benefit to the Smart system.