Construction details

Geetarz

Hi, I joined the group today, nice to meet you. hope I’ve not started a conversation that exists, but I could not find one. We are picking up our new Tab 400 in two days. I was wondering, as I’ve been told two different things, if the side panels have a plywood core and are also coated with Azdel or if they are free of wood completely. I am hoping that NüCamp has done something to avoid the fiberglass over wood delamination issues of other manufacturers. One dealer told me the outer layer of the side walls was fiberglass, and the roof was Azdel, but some sources imply the entire exterior is Azdel. Thanks in advance!

Geetarz

It is a 2020, BTW

atlasb

https://azdelonboard.com/ The side walls and now also (i believe) the floors are Azdel.  The roof is a single piece of aluminum stretched on.  There is an alum inner structure in the construction.  Only plywood is Marine grade in the interior panels and structure. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Walls and floor construction are wood free.  Aluminum grid floor with foam core sandwiched with a combination of composite floor, Azdel and vapor barrier.  I think the walls are a thin veneer of fiberglass over Azdel, foam core, more Azdel, then the inside finish.

Geetarz

This is great news, thank you both. The dealer told me the roof was Azdel as well, but being one piece, it did not make sense to me. So is the aluminum stretched over from front to back is simply painted, or coated with something stronger? I was so impressed with the build quality, efficiency of space, component quality and design. As a ship’s Master in the Merchant Marines, I can tell you that it would be admiral’s quarters to have something like this on a ship. We can’t wait to put her to use. Nice meeting you, and thanks again. I’m sure my newbieness will give me more reasons in the spring to learn from you, as it is our first trailer. A winter cover is on the way, as VT has some tough, long winters.

Sharon_is_SAM

The thin aluminum cover is clear coated - no paint.  The only recent TaB that I know of that was painted was the Sofitel models.  

Also, the floors have 2 layers of Azdel - one above the foam core and one below.  

dragonsdofly

@Geetarz, welcome and congrats on your trailer!  Many adventures await. Happy t@bbing!

atlasb

There are a couple videos of tour of the 400 under construction on the  line at NU Camp.  Think there is one with Paul the airforce guy on you tube. maybe some one on here knows where to find them.

Bayliss

Here's the January 2019 factory video of the T@B 400:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAqjQGHSDb8

February 2019 (T@B 400) - - may be the same, or very similar, to the above video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRTITJw0QiI

June 2018 (T@B 400):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBDgzCYjxZM

June 2018 (T@B 320):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goJTMwQXVLU

Factory Tour (January 2019):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVUkSDVYcwM

Geetarz

I was not sure where to ask this... but, since my new 400 which I brought home today did not have a manual or a flash drive, and the Nucamp site only has a 2017 manual, I am stumped about a bunch of things. One small one... where do you guys stow the center cushion when it is dinette mode? Having that cushion flopping around with nowhere to stow it seems odd. Thanks!

Verna

I press it into place on top of the mattress and under the wooden board that have the lights for the bed on it. It’s like a soft headboard. I am 5’4”, so this may or may not work for you depending on your height. 

I have also left it at home when I knew I wasn’t going to need the sofa or bed configuration. 

Geetarz

thanks, that may work for us. Too bad there is no storage under the bed! We’ll figure something out. I wanted to make sure I simply was not noticing a special place where it was meant to be stowed.

RFraer

I got the flash drive when I purchased the 400 six week age but it looks like the   same 2017 manual that is online.

Geetarz

I’ll call Nucamp and see what’s available. I’ve never had a trailer before, and something showing the whole system and where things are located, what they are, etc... would be very helpful. The pile of manuals for each system are fine, but it does not really show how they integrate and work within the design of the trailer. Thanks!

PamandJohnUpNorth2

@Geetarz @RFraer You'll find a couple user-written manuals with more expansive information on the T@B400 at the link that follows:         https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/6371/t-b-owners-manuals#latest

N7SHG_Ham

@Geetarz Good luck but I think you will find documentation isn't a high priority, the original 2017 doc for the 400 is it.

The user written manual is a good resource and I would get that and from the two you will have about all the written documentation.

Geetarz

I spoke to the folks at Nucamp and they are currently working on updating all manuals. Thanks for the replies!

[Deleted User]

Anyone know know how thick the foam core in between the Azdel is? In the NuCamp factory tour videos, what are the slats on the roof that are then covered with aluminum made of?

dragonsdofly

@Missstsomewhere, except for the cabinetry, and a luan piece or two to cover the alde hoses/fins in the far back, I don't think there is any wood used during the construction of a t@b. The cabin part of the t@b has an aluminum frame, front to back, both sides and floor is made of an azdel kind of sandwich.

Will one of our resident experts post a pic of this azdel sandwich for @l@missstsomewhere? Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

Thank you!  I actually know what it looks like, I was wondering a) how thick the foam is in between the Azdel? b) what is the material used on the roof under the aluminum? 

dCliffhanger

Missstsomewhere said:

Thank you!  I actually know what it looks like, I was wondering a) how thick the foam is in between the Azdel? b) what is the material used on the roof under the aluminum? 

I've heard, and also measured at the factory, 1 inch of styrofoam insulation throughout. I will note that this is between each of the square tubes the cage is made of. That means that, except for the thin adzel layer on the inside, there is no insulation where the tubes come across. In chilly weather you will find condensation actually dripping from the ceiling every 8 inches or so where each cold cage member comes across .  You will learn to open windows, and vent a crack to minimize this accumulation - even inside the cabinetry. Nucamp could, I think, address this with at least a thin layer of insulation either under the aluminum skin or the adzel. I found myself keeping a dish towel handy to wipe this condensation. My experience was at temp between 35-45 degrees. I imagine it will be worse in colder weather.

[Deleted User]

I was afraid if that. Coachman uses 2 inches of polypropylene insulation in the Azdel panels and others use 1.5. 1 inch is less than the industry standard and will do the minimum of insulating and soundproofing. As for condensation, I expect that anyway and crack the roof vent. 

dCliffhanger

Missstsomewhere said:

I was afraid if that.

I will say though, that I've been testing the Alde hydronic heating system and it's the cat's meow as far as I'm concerned. Makes NO noise as it, slowly, heats up your space. With whatever insulation there is, I've found it can maintain 70 degree temperature even with near zero outside temperatures. And, it can do it using only 0.7 amps of power burning propane meaning it can keep you warm off-grid forever with solar. Or, it can run on shore power or both at same time. The quiet is really nice with no noisy blower ever running. Once figured it out, we were able to minimize the condensation issue.

[Deleted User]

That’s awesome!  Can’t beat the Alde for heat. All in all good little campers. I’d like to see them double the polypropylene in the Azdel panels though.

Bayliss

I was looking through some of the old T@B construction photos and came across this one, which has been posted a few times for various reasons.  It is a 2018 photo of the T@B 320 S floor underlayment.  This may be a stupid question, or I'm just missing something, but can someone tell me what the hole labeled with the red arrow is for?

The location of the other holes are consistent with the kitchen sink drain, toilet, and shower drain (largest hole.)  When I zoom in on the labeled hole, I can see the open end of a black PVC pipe, but I can't figure out what it is for.  Assuming the photo is of a 2018 320 S, it would seem that the hole is located in an area that is outside the shower pan, and presumably outside the kitchen cabinet as well.

Just curious..............there is probably a simple (duh!) answer, so go easy on me.     Thanks.

Sharon_is_SAM

? Vent

Bayliss

@Sharon_is_SAM, l considered that possibility, but (remembering we are looking at a 2018 or 2019 320 S plumbing system) the vent pipes are located at the front wall of the trailer.  Specifically, they run behind the kitchen cabinets and compartment behind the toilet.

Those pipes are black PVC - - - same as the pipe opening that I labeled with a red arrow in the first photo.  However, as depicted in the photo below, the kitchen gray water drains downward via the pipe labeled with a yellow arrow, and any gray water gases vent upward (small vertical green arrow.)

The black water tank (right side of the photo) vents via the pipe labeled with the longer/vertical green arrow.  The gray and black vent pipes join together in the upper right area of the photo (connection not visible, because it is behind the wood plank, which is there for structural support and to secure the water pump.)  Both pipes ultimately vent through the driver side wall of the trailer (horizontal green arrow.)

MuttonChops

IMHO it is an electrical wire access point = = for SeeLevel wires = =
Placement appear to be near/under/at the Kitchen-2-Shower Wall.

Have seen "the hole" in other factory pictures so it's not a build error.


Wall placement vs known 'drain holes' . . . .

Bayliss

That is a possibility, @MuttonChops.

My only knowledge regarding where the wires enter the trailer cabin is that they are routed through the floor adjacent to the black water tank (inside the compartment behind the toilet.)

The labeled photograph below was previously posted by @ScottG.  The green circle is the entry point.  The pink circle identifies where the wires travel through a similar black PVC pipe (conduit/raceway) to route them rearward to other locations inside the trailer. 

@ScottG only referenced the wires coming from the front exterior electrical Junction Box (because that is what he was working on), so I do not know if the tank sensor wires were in that same group.  However, IF the tank sensors wires do enter at the same location, that tends to indicate that the mystery hole is not for routing wires.

MuttonChops

Bayliss said:
. . . only referenced the wires coming from the front exterior electrical Junction Box
. . . I do not know if the tank sensor wires were in that same group.

I've worked on** that 'wire port' a couple of times, it only has 7-Pin / Junction Box wires, No tank sensors feeding in from the aft area of trailer.

** First running a ground wire replacement.
    Second time attempting to add a wired current shunt signal cable (ended up drilling a second port)

Bayliss

EUREKA!  I figured it out.  I found the below photograph of the area below the shower and toilet floor of a 2015 T@B Max S.  It was posted by @Matt in 2017.  I added the labels.  It is a rare view of what that area looks like, at least for earlier model T@Bs.

As depicted in the photograph, the previously unidentified hole is where the shower water ultimately drains to the gray water tank.  So, my confusion was in not realizing that the shower floor drain, which connects to a P-Trap, is connected to a black PVC pipe that empties into the gray water tank (red arrow.)  Thus, the shower requires TWO holes through the floor.

Mystery solved, and good to know info for future reference.  Thank you working through this with me.

att