I think I'll check in over here...

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

Another option - I put a swivel trailer behind our fifth wheel to haul a motorcycle w/o trailer sway/backup hassles.

...and that's only legal in 28 states, even if you're under the maximum legal length for those 28 states, under the maximum GCVWR, and have the proper driver's license endorsements required by certain states for triple-towing. Driving without the correct endorsement(s) for whatever you're driving in particular, is the same as driving without a license at all, and is an arrestable criminal offense in all 50 states and D.C..

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by dennis45

Been following your thread and it's apparent you are new to the RV world. What you're proposing is far from a new concept. Pleasureway is one I can think of that mounts the Onan behind the rear axle. All is well until you want to do a little Mild Off Roading. Forward of the rear axle, the clearance does not change a lot. Rear of the axle, different story.

I appreciate your input, and yes, you are right, we are new to this. We were new to everything that we did, prior to succeeding at it.

We are not interested in "off-roading", per se.

We were looking at the Power Tech PT-3SV2 diesel generator, which would be efficient and can tie into the Sprinter's diesel fuel supply system, but it's about $4,500 more, and is probably going to be even louder than the Cummins-Onan I cited. It's also several inches taller, allowing several inches less ground clearance.

[grindstone01]

Originally Posted by Grand Tour

...and that's only legal in 28 states, even if you're under the maximum legal length for those 28 states, under the maximum GCVWR, and have the proper driver's license endorsements required by certain states for triple-towing. Driving without the correct endorsement(s) for whatever you're driving in particular, is the same as driving without a license at all, and is an arrestable criminal offense in all 50 states and D.C..

I think you misunderstood the post. I was suggesting a swivel trailer behind the MH or class C. If someone didn't want to tow a trailer, a swivel trailer would work w/o the hassle of backing a trailer.
I tow a swivel trailer behind my fifth wheel and it's legal in the US. It's not considered a second trailer, rather it's a mounted platform with a support wheel. I have 6 years actual experience full time towing with a swivel trailer.

[Luv2go]

Originally Posted by Grand Tour

Looking at that too- a long/tall Transit 350 HD (the diesel Sprinter reportedly does not take well to extended idling). I'm concerned about the expense of lithium at this point. What lithium house battery are you using?

Yes, I'm staying away from the Bluetec Sprinters, too many issues in the class B forums I visit, as well as the extended idling issues, I've read multiple reports that say if you put mixed fuel containing too much biodiesel in them (evidently not hard to do) they start throwing codes left and right and cost $$$$ to fix. But there are plenty of happy Bluetec Sprinter owners out there so the issue is probably overblown.

The only reason for me to go with a diesel like a Sprinter is I can use the diesel-powered water heaters to heat water and heat the van, similar to the way Roadtrek does it with the original EcoTrek. Ford does make a Diesel Transit but they seem hard to find used.

Lithium is not cheap, but if you look at the cost over life of similar sealed batteries (Lifetime, for example), it's cheaper over the long run because they hold up to cycling much better than lead acid batteries in general. My personal experience with lead acid bears this out, on our previous coach the AGM lead acid batteries lasted us under 4 years before their capacity dropped to 20% of original, the lithium ion I installed 7 years ago are still going strong (the present owner recently discharged them accidentally to 20% and they were not alarming under-voltage which means they have over 80% capacity).

They are not for everybody, however they do seem to be popular enough that class B manufacturers are adding them as options to their coaches.

I designed and built the lithium ion bank myself. I paid about $0.87 per A/H ($0.272 per W/H) for bare cells from eBay, they look like CALB CAM80's. You must multiply the cost per A/H by 4 to compare with a 12V lead acid system. I used 16 80A/H cells in a 4S4P configuration for a 320AH system, so a little over $1100 for the bare batteries. I added an active balancer and a Celllog 8 monitor which is set up to alarm with cell balance issues, under and over-voltages. Also I have a Bluetooth battery monitor that sends me text messages when the battery is over or under-voltage. Add cables and heaters, etc and I probably have $1500 total in the battery. I do not have a system which automatically disconnects the battery when under or over-voltage (over-discharged or over-charged).

I would not recommend this DIY lithium type of system to everybody, if you want a system that you can put in and forget about, spend the extra money for a Lithionics custom system or Battle Born or similar drop-in lead acid replacement batteries. They have all the bells and whistles to keep you from destroying your investment (which you can do with one over-discharge event). However if you're more interested in a system that you build yourself PM me and we can discuss my particular system more.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

I tow a swivel trailer behind my fifth wheel and it's legal in the US.

...in only 22 states. Not looking for an argument, but from Cruiserlift's web site:

"A frequent question asked is if the Swivelwheel system is legal to tow in all states. There are basically 22 states that do not allow double trailer towing, which some call 'Triple Towing'. These states are the entire east coast from Maine to Florida, Oregon and Washington."

It's not considered a second trailer...

"Considered" by WHO? Even YOU refer to it as a trailer. Cruiserlift's own web site says it can only attach using a Class-III or Class-IV TRAILER HITCH.

...rather it's a mounted platform with a support wheel.

That's pretty much the definition of a trailer. A wheeled platform that attaches to the back of another vehicle.

I have 6 years actual experience full time towing with a swivel trailer.

I can guarantee you from first-hand personal vocational experience, to include formal training in the state laws of several states, as well as formal training in 49 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) federal motor vehicle laws, far in excess of 6 years, that playing word games on the side of the road won't keep you out of jail. You may have been able to get away with it so far, but why tempt fate? What's the point? The longer you roll the dice, the more you run the risk of encountering a peace officer who knows the law well enough, and cares enough, to take enforcement action against you.

...and that's assuming, once again, that you actually have the required driver's license endorsements for triple-towing, and assuming that you're not over your GCVWR, and assuming that you're not over the state maximum vehicle combination lengths in any of the states that you operate that in.

I'd rather just have something that's legal in all 50 states, and not run the risk of being arrested and thrown in jail.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by Luv2go

Yes, I'm staying away from the Bluetec Sprinters, too many issues in the class B forums I visit, as well as the extended idling issues, I've read multiple reports that say if you put mixed fuel containing too much biodiesel in them (evidently not hard to do) they start throwing codes left and right and cost $$$$ to fix. But there are plenty of happy Bluetec Sprinter owners out there so the issue is probably overblown.

The only reason for me to go with a diesel like a Sprinter is I can use the diesel-powered water heaters to heat water and heat the van, similar to the way Roadtrek does it with the original EcoTrek. Ford does make a Diesel Transit but they seem hard to find used.

Lithium is not cheap, but if you look at the cost over life of similar sealed batteries (Lifetime, for example), it's cheaper over the long run because they hold up to cycling much better than lead acid batteries in general. My personal experience with lead acid bears this out, on our previous coach the AGM lead acid batteries lasted us under 4 years before their capacity dropped to 20% of original, the lithium ion I installed 7 years ago are still going strong (the present owner recently discharged them accidentally to 20% and they were not alarming under-voltage which means they have over 80% capacity).

They are not for everybody, however they do seem to be popular enough that class B manufacturers are adding them as options to their coaches.

I designed and built the lithium ion bank myself. I paid about $0.87 per A/H ($0.272 per W/H) for bare cells from eBay, they look like CALB CAM80's. You must multiply the cost per A/H by 4 to compare with a 12V lead acid system. I used 16 80A/H cells in a 4S4P configuration for a 320AH system, so a little over $1100 for the bare batteries. I added an active balancer and a Celllog 8 monitor which is set up to alarm with cell balance issues, under and over-voltages. Also I have a Bluetooth battery monitor that sends me text messages when the battery is over or under-voltage. Add cables and heaters, etc and I probably have $1500 total in the battery. I do not have a system which automatically disconnects the battery when under or over-voltage (over-discharged or over-charged).

I would not recommend this DIY lithium type of system to everybody, if you want a system that you can put in and forget about, spend the extra money for a Lithionics custom system or Battle Born or similar drop-in lead acid replacement batteries. They have all the bells and whistles to keep you from destroying your investment (which you can do with one over-discharge event). However if you're more interested in a system that you build yourself PM me and we can discuss my particular system more.

I find that interesting, but at this point, I just don't think that lithium batteries have gotten affordable enough to make sense for me.

But thank you for the input.

[magicbus]

Originally Posted by Grand Tour

I discovered another option-

Cummins-Onan makes a 2,500-watt generator with electric remote start, that is only 12.8" tall. That would fit completely under the floor behind the rear axle. Cummins-Onan even makes a set of brackets to mount it under the floor of a vehicle. If I choose the propane version, then I don't need access to the top of it to refuel, nor do I need a remote gasoline tank (and all of the attending headaches associated with that).

This is the generator I have that I mentioned earlier, and on my Sprinter it is mounted in the exact location you mention.

Dave

[cowboy70]

Grand Tour
"Old is a relative term, and being a man, I don't need a bathroom to pee- I just need to go outside or have a pee tube or something."

This whole thread sounds like a put on or a gag. So you just urinate wherever you are outside? What about your wife?
[Mod Edit]

Your plan sounds unrealistic and if true, I think you will regret this whole idea.
This kind of activity gives RV'ers a bad name.

Just my opinion that means nothing.

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by magicbus

This is the generator I have that I mentioned earlier, and on my Sprinter it is mounted in the exact location you mention.

Dave

Sorry, I must have missed that the first time around.

Tell me more about it- how's the ground clearance? How much propane does it burn? How loud is it? Is it super-visible from behind?

[Grand Tour]

Originally Posted by cowboy70

This whole thread sounds like a put on or a gag. So you just urinate wherever you are outside? What about your wife. Does she just squat in some parking lot?

You must have missed the part about the porta-potty in my first post.

Your plan sounds unrealistic and if true, I think you will regret this whole idea.
This kind of activity gives RV'ers a bad name.

Just my opinion that means nothing.

Okay, [Mod Edit].

[okcnewbie]

A few posters have been a bit harsh but this does seem a bit unrealistic. I have no idea what " modest pension means " but this idea seems better for someone that has a great pension and has saved a lot of money.
Sometime after the Holiday season I hope you order your van and get going on the renovation. Please be big enough to come back and tell us if you bit off more than you can chew.
If this goes as planned I for one look forward to following your custom build if you choose to share with us.
Good luck!

If my own dreams go as planned I'll be retiring about a year after you and I'll also be 56. FT'ing may be in my plans.

[Harrysait]

Ponchos Solar in Honolulu sells the Letiz solar ac.

https://www.ponchossolar.com/

[jarata]

I wonder how this story will end

[saddlesore]

Originally Posted by jarata

I wonder how "this story will end

Me too..
Trying to license & insure here in Oregon with a "home built" RV will have some extensive hoops to jump thru.
1) "Assembled/altered/converted" vehicle title.(similar to what Marathon & other licensed "Bus/shell" converters have to tend with.)

2)Required to have RVIA certification sticker or you will not get licensing or insurance as a RV..UNLESS you retain the work van title and keep your mouth shut..

3) without the required RVIA sticker you will have a very difficult time trying to sell (as an RV) or even trade it in (as an RV) on an other vehicle..