Mods/Upgrades while waiting out social distancing . Please share yours.

xdr

Nice work! How do you keep it in place? Did you screw it or tape/glue? 

jgram2

Cool! It’s so important to stay hydrated while camping.

ScottG

Thanks, all. It's been in the planning for a while but I just needed to get into the shop and get it done. I only had to build it twice to get a version that worked!  :-)

@xdr, holding it in place was one of the challenges, since there is no real substance to the adjacent wall. I ended up screwing two right-angle brackets to the top, and then bolting those brackets through two small holes drilled in the solid plywood underside of the cabinet. It seems pretty sturdy without any additional anchoring.

anba

One more idea for those with the problem that the toilet seat is not holding up due to the shower curtain.

I used one of these child safety locks https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CQ2CJRQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 . Works perfect.

Deb55

I highly recommend the Maxxair fan! It's so quiet, the remote is great, and it draws so much less battery power than the Fantastic Fan did. Worthwhile mod. We're cooling our heels in a Cracker Barrel on the way to get another worthwhile mod--rooftop solar along with a Victron battery monitor. Boondocking, here we come! 

Denny16

The upgrade mod on the Fantastic Fan gives the same advantages, and reduced power draw.  A little less $ than the Maxxair or Maxxfan upgrades, also less work...
cheers

Verna

I’ve not heard a Maxaire Fan, but I know my 13 speed Fantastic fan with remote is so very quiet at lower speeds, I don’t know it is running. The level of sound at high speed seems to be the same as the sound at low speed of the 3 speed. I had it installed at the factory during production and it is a great mod (though not done during the stay at home adventure).

Denny16

A typo, or my iPad trying to change my word choice (Maxxair)  Corrected my post.

Dutch061

Verna said:

I’ve not heard a Maxaire Fan, but I know my 13 speed Fantastic fan with remote is so very quiet at lower speeds, I don’t know it is running. The level of sound at high speed seems to be the same as the sound at low speed of the 3 speed. I had it installed at the factory during production and it is a great mod (though not done during the stay at home adventure).

If you want to do this upgrade yourself, you can get the upgrade kit from Camping World or similar (I got mine direct from the Manufacturer) for $150.00 USD.  You never disturb the seal of the original installation of the fan, so no worry about water leaks. It takes about 30 minutes maximum to do, the only thing to be aware of is that depending on the year of your camper, you can have a long motor housing (Brush Type) or a short pancake looking motor (Brushless Servo) and there is a jumper that must be positioned on the circuit board depending on that motor type. 

Added functionality:

1. 13 speeds instead of 3

2. Rain Sensor so if you were to leave the vent open without a cover it will close automatically if it rains

3. Temperature sensor on the board - Instead of setting the speed set the desired temperature and as the  

    temperature drops, the fan speed does also. If it drops enough, it turns off

4. Power Vent opening - TAB 400, my wife is 5' 1" tall. I think you get the picture

5. Reduced noise due to many more speeds

6. Reduced amperage draw because of lower speeds

Brad

VictoriaP

DougH said:

As @VictoriaP suggested, I sent a request to tech @ nüCamp to get the shellac / stain color, or make sure I can order a small can from my dealer. What I used was a little light / little too yellow.  Easy enough to re-sand fronts and apply what they send me.  Or just wait until the right side gets dirty or ages so it matches better...

I'll share whatever they tell me.

Hey Doug, two quick questions for you. Did you ever hear back from nüCamp on the finish used? And how is the Iceco performing?

Inquiring minds and all that... 😊

DougH

@VictoriaP ; Sadly, nope.  But with the huge surge in demand for RVs, I'm not too surprised.  The Iceco has been great so far.  It sips watts and I've been on plenty of gravel roads since putting it in, and so far everything is staying in one piece. It sure feels weird though getting into a 120F camper, turning on the fridge, then ten minutes later having it report 38F.

This morning I finally picked up some 5mm vinyl planking for the floor.  I've had some soft spots since I bought the T@B, but there's one grid area between the aluminum framing where I suspect the top Azdel layer under the linoleum has fractured badly. DW and I both feel like there's a half inch drop into the foam in the floor if one stands in the right spot. I'm hoping once the planking is in place, it'll not only look better, but the floor will be much more rigid (albeit 35lbs heavier).

It's great that there's several manufacturers (NuCamp, Lance, etc) offering composite panels for a very lightweight camper that is easy to tow.  However, using the same thin Azdel foam sandwich, similar to the walls, but as a floor with only a sheet of linoleum on top, seems like it might be too weak a design for the 5% of customers that are 6' 200+ lb folks and use the camper frequently. Maybe a thick sheet of normal fiberglass or something under the linoleum might have been warranted.

VictoriaP

@DougH Bummer about the no-answer, but awesome to hear your positive review on the Iceco. While I’m not replacing my fridge yet, I’ve been eyeing one to supplement it or to use as a portable freezer or with my GZ Yeti battery for emergencies...a smaller and less pricey ARB substitute, I guess. 

My understanding is that some of the 2016 trailers had a form of luan as part of their composite flooring sandwich, while others are the same as the current Azdel. Do you know for certain that yours is Azdel? Either way, you’ve got a point, the flooring probably should be a bit sturdier than it is, since we’re at the point where 40% of the US population qualifies as obese, and plenty of the rest of us are overweight. It’s not just the vertically gifted among us clocking in at 200 lbs anymore. Interesting thought, I know clothing and furniture designs have changed some to accommodate this, but I don’t know that RV manufacturers have.  

falcon1970

I once asked nuCamp for specifics about the finish used and all they could tell me is that the wood comes to them from their supplier pre-finished and they don't know what the finish is.

ontheroad

@DougH...maybe send an email to Austin...I know they use touch up pens for scratches etc...maybe they can give you the name 

DougH

@falcon1970 @ontheroad ; I think I'll just live with the color mismatch then.

@VictoriaP : Not absolutely sure what my floor is. I have the azdelaboard.com sticker near the entrance door, but that could refer to the side walls only. I did use a hole saw on the floor in the far back of the camper to make way for a shroud, insect screen, and exhaust fan a couple years back. Half my passenger rear storage has extra batteries and an inverter, and I didn't want the inverter to overheat.

I remember looking at the cylindrical cross section in wonder for a while thinking, "The floor is just this?"  The 3mm layer under the linoleum and above the bottom anti-rodent weave looked more fibrous / plastic-like than plain luan that I had with a previous trailer... but maybe it is.  Now you've got me curious.  I guess I could cut and peel a circle of linoleum on the worst spot (passenger side half way back in front of the bench) and see what's under there.  I should be able to epoxy it back in place before putting down the planking, assuming mold / rot demons don't come crawling out of the hole.

Seems like an odd spot, close to the center of the camper, if the floor incorporates luan layers to have water intrusion and rot, especially since it started as a soft spot when we first got the camper. But I've read moisture can get trapped anywhere with both luan and azdel layered panels and can cause surface bubbling, or fracturing with freezes.

VictoriaP

@DougH Well, before you drill holes or pull up the linoleum, maybe send the VIN# to nüCamp and ask? I believe that's the process others have used to determine whether or not their trailers built during the changeover of materials were part of the old composite material group that included the luan, or the newer Azdel composite group. 

I agree, that seems weirdly located for rot. Hopefully it’s a limited scope issue and not a growing one! Can’t wait to see the new flooring once you have it installed.

DougH

Planking is twice the thickness of the original top layer, and the frame in the floor is still strong. But until I have the planks laid down, I'll have to remember not to jump with joy when I wake to an especially beautiful sunrise.

Related: I got another dozen bags of rock this morning from Home Depot to spread in the front garden of the stix-n-brix for the next owner.  Looked down at the floor of the little garden wheelbarrow I was using.  I'm sensing a theme in my life.  

DenisP

A mod that has been on my mind for awhile is to make a register for the galley Alde vent for my 2018 400. After a visit to NuCamp, I toured a new 2021 which among it’s new features was a nice cover for the galley Alde opening. 

Today I made a cover out of stainless perforated pegboard.

Bayliss

Excellent, @DenisP.  What did you use to cut the peg board, and where did you obtain the material?

DenisP

@Bayliss I used a thin cutoff abrasive disc on a 4 inch grinder to cut the metal.  I had the pegboard material in my workshop and I cut the 1.25" x 31" from the panel.  I did check into Home Depot and they did have a number of suitable perforated panels but I decided to use what I had on hand.

Horigan

Here's my latest update, with the idea borrowed from Michael49's similar modification.  The wood isn't as dark as the picture is showing.  Next are closet shelves...

DougH

Tried the new CustomerCare email address with the question about my old floor (for my VIN is it luan or azdel), and got an automated response indicating they'd get back to me.    But didn't.    So went ahead and put down that 5mm vinyl planking.  It didn't eliminate the soft spot completely, but got rid of most of it, and made the rest of the floor a bit cushier so at least all the floor feels about the same.  I didn't want to go up to a 10mm plank even though it would be more rigid, not only because of the weight, but also I didn't want to cover too much of the air inlets under the Alde radiators. Went with a gray / driftwood color / pattern for the floor.  There's a few splotches of similar gray in the cushions, and then added some tile in the kitchen to try and blend the colors a bit more.  After the tile went in, had to reinstall the SeaLevel monitor since it originally was installed with a little angle to it, which became a lot more obvious with the horizontal tile lines.

ontheroad

@DougH...looks great...but trying to figure out the black (Velcro?) Squares on the driver's side by the shower door?

Sharon_is_SAM

Some of the 2016 models have plywood flooring.  The first model year with all Azdel flooring was 2017.

DougH

@ontheroad ; The velcro holds the displays for the 8 thermocouples scattered in the basement for tank and valve heating.  I like winter camping. 

@Denny16 @Sharon_is_SAM ; My build date was 09/2016 so does that make it a 2017 model with all Azdel floor... given that everyone is selling 2021 models now in mid-2020?

From the cross-section of a hole in the back I did, the layers sandwiching the foam are either luan or Azdel, not plywood.  My curiosity had been whether it's a broken top Azdel layer, or worse, water damaged luan.  So if that build date makes this a 2017 model I'll change my Sig line and be a happy camper, with a somewhat patched Azdel floor.

Verna

@DougH, look at your VIN tag on the tongue. It will have the build date on it. In years past, nüCamp started the new product year on April 1st. So a 2016 could been built anywhere from 4/1/2015 to 3/31/2016. 

This year, the new 2021 models started coming out on 1/1/2020 (actually after their two week Christmas vacation was over).  So, the 2021’s have build dates from 1/1/2020 to 12/31/2020. 

simonseyz

What I see in my 2018 400 is Azdel is a black plastic type material. The vinyl flooring is laid on it with no luan between. Look under cabinets or were the Alde is, the vinyl should stop and you can see the Azdel.

Sharon_is_SAM

@Doug, sorry - should have said Luan ply.  Better yet, just wood😁. I searched 2016 floors and found a September 2016 entry by a Moderator that said the wood in the floor had been replaced with a composite material (Azdel), but no specific date.  If I had to guess, I would say you have a 2017 model with Azdel.

DougH

@simonseyz ; Thanks for the description.  In the bottom storage area under the fridge in the far corner the vinyl flooring wasn't stapled down all the way.  Shows a dark fibrous plastic material... so that's extra confirmation.  Thanks all!



I've welded steel, but never aluminum.  Otherwise it might have been tempting to take off the vinyl sheeting, cut out the Azdel, weld in a grid of aluminum one inch square tube on 6" center instead of 12-16", then glue down a thicker sheet of fiberglass before putting down new vinyl planking.  Maybe I'll give that a shot in another year or two before I trade this one in so the next owner has a super sturdy floor.

UPDATE JULY 28TH:  I heard back from repairs@nucamprv.com this morning.  He (Austin Jones) confirmed that based on VIN, I have an Azdel floor.  He indicated it would be only $2,000 to delaminate the floor and rebuild it (out the door).  And for a few hundred more they could use Azek instead of foam for a more prominent remedy.

Bayliss

We needed a convenient location to store our eyeglasses at night, so we purchased a couple "ReadiSpex" eyeglasses holders from Amazon.  They adhere to most surfaces with an adhesive backing.  We attached them to the end of each side window valances at the back end of our trailer (at the head of our bed, so they are readily accessible at night and in the morning.)  They have a ring that folds down and you simply slide one of the side arms of your glasses (or sunglasses) into the ring.  They are small, unobtrusive, and can be mounted at any convenient location inside your trailer or tow vehicle.  The second photo below shows what it looks like when the ring is folded up around the base.

https://www.amazon.com/ReadiSpex-Eyeglasses-Sunglass-Metal-Alloy-Sunglasses/dp/B07V9TYDRB