Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > THE OWNER'S CORNER FORUMS > Excel Owner's Forum
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-30-2013, 12:36 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5
Cool RV R-Values

I currently have a tag along trailer and soon will move to a 5r. Have been looking at the Teton (No longer made) for its super build quality, high r values and its super quiet ac system.
I can't affford a new model but I am wondering what year Excel increased their insulation values to a "minus 10 degree warrenty"? Was it 2008? Trying to find the best bang for the buck under 40k. Thanks for your help
journeyman29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 07-30-2013, 04:23 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
rockintom's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Fulltime TX Escapee
Posts: 8,901
Quote:
Originally Posted by journeyman29 View Post
I currently have a tag along trailer and soon will move to a 5r. Have been looking at the Teton (No longer made) for its super build quality, high r values and its super quiet ac system.
I can't affford a new model but I am wondering what year Excel increased their insulation values to a "minus 10 degree warrenty"? Was it 2008? Trying to find the best bang for the buck under 40k. Thanks for your help
Welcome journey,

I don't have the numbers in front of me....maybe Bryan Tillett, Pres. of Excel will chime in here.

I think you're right that the -10*F rating started in '08. I had heard there wasn't a lot changes from the previous models, but some minor tweaking and then it was retested and passed to the new rating.

What I can tell you.....that is the one big strength Excel has over their competition. We've owned 3 Excels total and FTed in them for 9 years. Insulation is great hot and cold. We've spent some time in some friends SOB (some other brand) in extreme cold and heat and they were no fun to be in. When you sit in the slideout and nearly freeze and stand up and walk down the middle of the rig and it's warm! Wow. Anyway....I'm sure others will back me up that an Excel is very well insulated. rockin'
__________________
2012 Excel L33ft. GKE named Charm as in 3 times is a Charm. Love Fulltiming. Bullet '14 Chevy D/A 3500 LB CC DRW Summit White - Ebony Interior. Check out our blog at: https://claphamstravels.blogspot.com
rockintom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 06:32 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 240
Quote:
Originally Posted by journeyman29 View Post
I currently have a tag along trailer and soon will move to a 5r. Have been looking at the Teton (No longer made) for its super build quality, high r values and its super quiet ac system.
I can't affford a new model but I am wondering what year Excel increased their insulation values to a "minus 10 degree warrenty"? Was it 2008? Trying to find the best bang for the buck under 40k. Thanks for your help
it was 2008 but if you go to off-topic page 2082, 12-22-10 is where I got answered before
Hermandutchman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 06:40 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Workshop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,334
Here's the link to above.
__________________
2000 Alpenlite, 29 ft Valhalla - 2014 F350
Workshop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 11:00 PM   #5
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5
Thanks for the fast replys. I am looking at a 2007 33RSO model which the wife and I like (lots of kitchen counter work space and price point etc,)and wondering if that year has the same r values including slide-outs as later models
journeyman29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-30-2013, 11:12 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
rockintom's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Fulltime TX Escapee
Posts: 8,901
Quote:
Originally Posted by journeyman29 View Post
Thanks for the fast replys. I am looking at a 2007 33RSO model which the wife and I like (lots of kitchen counter work space and price point etc,)and wondering if that year has the same r values including slide-outs as later models

Close enough for government work. A couple of things to check close on those older Excels are slide floors for soft spots especially near the ends. Make sure caulking has been properly maintained all around the rig, roof, sides, moldings, and etc. A leaker can get real expensive to update. Good luck, rockin'
__________________
2012 Excel L33ft. GKE named Charm as in 3 times is a Charm. Love Fulltiming. Bullet '14 Chevy D/A 3500 LB CC DRW Summit White - Ebony Interior. Check out our blog at: https://claphamstravels.blogspot.com
rockintom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 07:52 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
ExcelRVGuy's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Kansas
Posts: 552
We began offering a ZERO degree guarantee in model year 2004. Then with virtually no issues, we made a couple of modifications, added an extra layer of insulation in the holding tank and water tank area, moved the brass water tank elbow away from the steel main frame, altered the heat ducts a bit and increased our guarantee to MINUS TEN degrees in model year 2008.

I literally only remember 2 issues in the last 10 years requiring adjustments. One was when we discovered the brass water tank elbow freezing by laying up against the steel lower main. The other was when we failed to route our heat duct properly.

I've been playing around with the idea of increasing again, this time would require no changes, but so far, no other manufacturer has been able to come close to us so there's really no reason to raise the bar.... If another manufacturer wants to challenge us, we're prepared to go as low as needed. I hope this doesn't sound flip, we're just that confident in our product.

We have a salesman that works for an Excel dealership and lived for nearly 2 weeks in MINUS 38 DEGREE nightly temps without issue. Needless to say, he's sold on our insulation values.

Speaking of values, keep in mind that when manufacturers brag about R30 here and R40 there.... there's not a manufacturer in this industry who actually has their coaches R-tested!

Hope this answers your questions.

Bryan
ExcelRVGuy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 08:21 AM   #8
Registered User
 
Excel Owners Club
Retired Fire Service RVer's
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Farmington NM
Posts: 1,822
Our friend, RetFF spent a summer in Az (not by choice) in a 05 Excel with one AC. He said he did a few things to control sun heat gain but the rig did great in temps up to 116F and nights that never went below 95!
chief02 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 08:30 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
drfife's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Whitney, Texas, USA
Posts: 2,284
Bryan, down here we need a 110 degree guarantee!

Have you seen the forecast?

All kidding aside, our Excel is very comfortable in 100+ degree weather.

I hope to never test the -10 guarantee......
__________________
Russell
'13 Excel Winslow 34IKE

'16 GMC Sierra 3500HD
drfife is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 12:03 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
RickS's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Edmonton,AB Canada
Posts: 568
Well, I've seen both ends of the temperature scale with my Excel and can say it does very well with both extremes. In 100 degree heat in Denver I set the temperature to 75° and it had no problem maintaining that temperature. The cold weather is more of a concern up here than the heat and the heat pumps in the A/C units and the electric fireplace can keep the unit warm without even using much propane.I have been very happy with the insulation part of the unit.
__________________
Rick & Carey
2012 Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo
(2015 Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850) (2015 GMC 3500 Denali D/A 4X4 Dually)
RickS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 03:51 PM   #11
Member
 
hydman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Belen, NM
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by ExcelRVGuy View Post
Speaking of values, keep in mind that when manufacturers brag about R30 here and R40 there.... there's not a manufacturer in this industry who actually has their coaches R-tested!

Hope this answers your questions.

Bryan
Has Excel R-tested any of their units? Just like the main entrance being located in a slide...someone has to be the first. I'd love to see an honest comparison.
__________________
Walt & Karen, Belen, NM
2013 Excel 36GKM
2013 Denali
hydman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 11:20 PM   #12
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 5
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickS View Post
Well, I've seen both ends of the temperature scale with my Excel and can say it does very well with both extremes. In 100 degree heat in Denver I set the temperature to 75° and it had no problem maintaining that temperature. The cold weather is more of a concern up here than the heat and the heat pumps in the A/C units and the electric fireplace can keep the unit warm without even using much propane.I have been very happy with the insulation part of the unit.
In near or sub zero weather you will freeze up your holding tanks and water lines with out running the furnace as your primary heat source.I have had my 2005 Nash ( nearly a Artic Fox) in -25 weather in Idaho and 100+ weather in Las Vegas and it has performed quite well for the money spent. Some skirting in the winter and some reflective foil in the windows for Vegas summers and everyone survived.
journeyman29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-31-2013, 11:57 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
RickS's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Edmonton,AB Canada
Posts: 568
Yup! The -23C/-10F warranty for Excel states with furnace running. The nice thing about the heat pump a/c units is they start to fall off in the lower 40 degree range and the furnace takes over automatically since they are tied to the same thermostat.
__________________
Rick & Carey
2012 Excel W41GKE Wild Cargo
(2015 Volvo 730, D13, I-shift, 500/1850) (2015 GMC 3500 Denali D/A 4X4 Dually)
RickS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-01-2013, 06:16 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
drfife's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Whitney, Texas, USA
Posts: 2,284
Jayco claims they have their RV's tested and temperature certified by Dometic.

Has Excel considered following suit?
__________________
Russell
'13 Excel Winslow 34IKE

'16 GMC Sierra 3500HD
drfife is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:36 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.