Best Of
Re: Is this the correct glycol?
This may help. I'm (red/green) color blind, but can still tell the difference. Sounds like you have the Rhomar/Alde fluid, so your big concern is to say away from the Century product on the right. The two should not be mixed.
Re: Is this the correct glycol?
When NuCamp first announced the glycol change back in Dec 2020, the glycol was described as the "Rhomar". Somewhere along the line, "Truma" simply re-branded the Rhomar into their own "Alde Truma" branded glycol for the Alde. Same stuff as in your link at Amazon.
The earlier glycol installed in the trailers before the Dec 2020 change over was Century brand glycol. Many owners with the Century stuff in the trailer who changed their own glycol simply stayed with the Century product.
So: what year is your trailer? And, as suggested, what "color" glycol is in your expansion tank?
Re: Cargo basket
Several videos on you-tube demonstrate how weight distribution affects
trailer stability. Indeed, when I added two 2 gal fuel containers and
one 3 gal water container to the rear rack of my 320 Booondock, using a
3,300lb '99 Jeep XJ as a TV, I crossed a depression on I-5 just north of
LA. This sent the T@B violently oscillating from side to side. I
counter-seared and eased off the throttle. At around 50mph, the trailer
began tracking strait. I pulled over, removed the water container and
I've never experienced sway again. Since then, I've upgraded to a
heavier TV weighing about 5,250bs fully loaded - it is true that the
weight ratio of TV/trailer effects trailer stability. However, unlike,
people pulling much heavier trailers, I do not require an anti-sway
hitch attachment. I've pulled my T@B across this country several times
and down many dirt roads and moderate 4x4 trails without another
incident. Gas weighs a little over 6 lbs a gallon, so 2 containers of 2 gal of gas weigh about 24lbs +the weight of the rack. The 3 gal of water I removed weigh about 24lbs
Re: Is the dealership trying to screw me?
Chiming in on the use of worm drive clamps mentioned by @rfuss928
After doing my winterizing, I noticed that I had at the connections between pex fitting and the flexible PVC tubing I had leaks. It is next to impossible to use a crimp tool to tighten them down. I removed most of the PEX crimped clamps at most of these connections and replaced them with stainless steel worm clamps.
The difference in the quality of the connection is night and day difference. With the crimp clamps I could twist and move the PVC tubing. With the worm clamps they are nice and snug.
After doing my winterizing, I noticed that I had at the connections between pex fitting and the flexible PVC tubing I had leaks. It is next to impossible to use a crimp tool to tighten them down. I removed most of the PEX crimped clamps at most of these connections and replaced them with stainless steel worm clamps.
The difference in the quality of the connection is night and day difference. With the crimp clamps I could twist and move the PVC tubing. With the worm clamps they are nice and snug.
Re: 320 tongue jack replacement options?
We replaced original with electric jack but didn't like it. Ended up using this Trailer Valet off Amazon. I like it because just like the stabilizers, I can use a drill to raise and lower it but still use removable handle if need to also. We use it with the Jack E Up and Jack E Up Station so can remove it and store it further back so out of way when when putting truck tailgate down and traveling.
Here's the link. https://a.co/d/5rQi4jP
Here's the link. https://a.co/d/5rQi4jP
Replacing Batteries on my 2022 Tab 400
I can't find any Harris Batteries (Original Equipment) in Salt Lake City where I am.
Amazon sells: Sun Cycle 6 volt AGM Battery (brand Go Power)
Dimensions are exactly the same as Harris Batteries: 10.24"Lx7.09"Wx9.96"H
They weight 67.25 lbs each
Would these be good replacment batteries for my trailer?
Amazon sells: Sun Cycle 6 volt AGM Battery (brand Go Power)
Dimensions are exactly the same as Harris Batteries: 10.24"Lx7.09"Wx9.96"H
They weight 67.25 lbs each
Would these be good replacment batteries for my trailer?
LiFePo4 charging Trials and Tribulations
(yes I stole the idea for the title...)
TL;DR Charging your LiFePo battery with constant 14.4V keeps it happy.
A few weeks back I posted about a charging issue a friend had with his LiFePo battery. This is a closer look at charging LiFePo batteries which might help with troubleshooting. Over the past few months I had access to Batteries from SOK, Renogy, LiTime, PowerUrus and Vatrer, solar charge controllers from Victron (MPPT), Renogy and Zamp (PWM), 120V powered chargers from Victron, PowerUrus and an adjustable lab power supply off Amazon (same one Will Prowse uses in some of his videos).
The problem
LiFePo4 batteries want to be charged with 14.2V - 14.6V and can ingest large amounts of current until close to full charge state. The battery management system (BMS) simply cuts off charging once it deems the cells fully charged. LiFePo batteries with integrated Bluetooth monitoring will often show the status of the “Charge” and “Discharge” cutoff switches in the monitoring app. Note the “switch” is not a physical contact but a metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) transistor.
In contrast lead-acid batteries need the charger to employ charging curves to balance charging speed vs. battery health. The phases are bulk, absorption, equalization (for some battery types) and float charging, representing different charge voltages and currents. A typical logic for charging lead acid batteries is as follows: Charge with maximum power until absorption voltage is reached at the charge controller output, then stay at absorption voltage for a time, then lower the voltage to float (ignoring equalization because it does not apply to all lead acid batteries).
LiFePo batteries essentially only charge in bulk mode which is as much current as possible within the limits of the charger. The charging variations of most solar charge controllers can be detrimental to achieving a full charge for a LiFePo battery.
Batteries
The batteries are all Chinese made with similar construction using 4 prismatic cells. The BMS is essentially a cell-level charge controller. Unsurprisingly they all have the same charging behavior: With a charging voltage of 14.2-14.6V they pull the maximum current the charger can deliver until the BMS turns charging off. Charging with lower voltages does work to some extent, but the current drops off as the charge level increases and charging takes longer or never finishes. Think of charging voltage as “pressure” that pushes charge into the battery against its internal “pressure”. If the voltage is too low (typically 13.2V) the battery does not charge regardless of charge level.
Solar charge controllers
The following are empirical results with the lab power supply as a stand-in for the solar panels.
- The Victron 75/15 has the least aggressive settings for “Smart Lithium” with 14.2V absorption voltage and 2 hrs of absorption time. This is somewhat of a double whammy as it kicks into absorption early and only continues for two more hours before dropping too low to continue charging.
- The Renogy Wanderer 30 in LiFePo mode uses an absorption voltage of 14.4V and no timeout. It basically behaves like a simple 120V powered dedicated LiFePo charger. Works well.
- My puny pre-LiFePo Zamp ZS-8A was a surprise. Although sold as 8A it delivered a constant 10A current, I’m guessing marketing didn’t want to encroach on the more expensive 10A models with display. In AGM setting (14.4V absorption/4hrs) it did fully charge the battery. My hunch is because the controller is at its limit it never sees 14.4V until the battery turns off charging.
120V powered chargers
- The Victron Blue Smart IP65 5A again uses absorption/float stages in the “Li-Ion” setting which is not needed. To be fair the charger has many settings and features for lead-acid battery charging, it is somewhat “overqualified” if you will. It does work well and has the good Victron bluetooth interface.
- The PowerUrus charger is a dedicated LiFePo charger and is simply a 14.4V/10A DC power supply with some short-circuit protection. The charging LED turns green once the battery turns off its charging MOS switch. Simple and effective.
- The lab power supply set to 14.4V works just like the dedicated LiFePo charger with added benefit of voltage and current display. It was handy for experimenting with different charging voltages and different solar side power levels.
Converter in the power center
The non-LiFePo converters switch to absorption mode at 13.6V and stay there for almost two days. 13.6V is too low for maxing out the possible charge current and charging gets painfully slow towards the end. Depending on other loads on the converter the battery may reach 85-95% after a long time. See picture below where the current is well below the 10A maximum of the power supply.
Troubleshooting tips
Compare voltages at the charge controller and the battery. A large difference can cause the controller to kick into absorption early. Increase absorption time if the charge controller goes into float before the battery is fully charged.
Kitchen lab setup 
Re: Driving Self Crazy What If'ing on Next Trailer & Tow Vehicle {long rambling}
To each his own. I'm in my 70s. I've had black tanks for over 30 years. Cassette is so much quicker, cleaner, and easier. Never want to go back to a black tank. Don't have to pack up to dump it either.
Re: Driving Self Crazy What If'ing on Next Trailer & Tow Vehicle {long rambling}
We have looked at the Casita, Scamp, and others. We bought our 320S during the pandemic as it was the only one on our list of four or five that was available in our time frame. The 320S works for us sleeping front to back as we're too tall for side to side sleeping. Would like more headroom and larger bathroom and when I first heard about the 360 I was excited. Unfortunately after seeing the 360 I find the bathroom is no more floorspace than our 320 and the hitch weight is higher than it should be. NuCamp could have made the bathroom bigger quite easily. I really don't think we'd gain that much for the additional cost as the twin set up we have now in our 320S works for us. We spend most of our time outside anyway. The 400 is out for us due to the bed set up.
Re: Upgrade/Repair for the 360 folding seatback
I did have a similar issue with the passenger side dinette seat this fall (not right away) and nuCamp repaired it. This has already been rectified in production so newer models should not have this issue. Don't ask me what the remedy they implemented in production was, because I don't remember. The repair has had no issues, whatsoever, and feels very solid. (Sitting in that seat at a campground, right now.)BillJ70 said:I wonder if @jkjenn had a similar issue with that seat connection-- or really any other fit/finish issues with the 360-- after spending some months with it. I'm still considering the 360 down the road and would be interested in any issues like this or others that might have popped up. I'm also curious to see the CS, but worried about what is going to happen to the beds/storage.
Overall, it is probably not fair to compare fit and finish of a prototype with a production model unit, as a prototype does not undergo the same process and is used to test and try things. That said, it's been solid, even after months on the road and somewhere in the ballpark of 7,000 miles - so much so that I am camping in it right now. Think about the different real-life "pressure testing" I put it through:
- About 7,000 miles of travel for roughly 4+ months of continuous use
- 3 straight weeks of boondocking - I could have gone on, but had reservations in a hot climate, so AC was a must
- Travel through mountain passes
- Significant rain, sun, and wind exposure - probably the windiest I have ever experienced in a TAB
- Travel on rough forest service roads and other rough dirt roads - plus I-70 in Indiana (that's its own special brand of brutal)
- Full hook-up camping
- Extended hours inside of the camper due to remote work and Covid, thus additional wear and tear
- I don't use campground bathroom facilities - I use the TAB almost exclusively.
- Shih Tzu tested and approved
Based on a recent interview with Jesse Mullet and also my own recent visits to nuCamp, I see an even deeper commitment to quality and attention to detail. IMHO, it's easy to focus on the few defects that get brought up online, but overall, nuCamp is still an industry leader in quality and bests the competition with warranty claims. I am more confident today in nuCamp's commitment to quality as I was in 2014, when I bought my first TAB.
