Bedding storage

Kr@cken

Just digging deeper into my Aldi owners manual at it says “air should circulate freely under bunks, and behind the backrest and cabinets.” I have been storing my bedding in my 2020 T@B 320 Boondock behind the backrest in those deeper well compartments. Should I be leaving those empty and storing my sleeping bag somewhere else? Appreciate any advice.

Sharon_is_SAM

That is pertinent to when you are heating the cabin with the Alde.  The Alde works by convection - cooler air enters through the bench cut outs at the floor, warms as it circulates around the heating fins, then exits into the cabin above the fins.  Make note of where your glycol runs and fins are located and make sure you are not obstructing any airflow.  

Kr@cken

Thank you. It is so hard to find everything behind the walls. I may reach out to nUCamp to see if there is a behind the wall photo album to help track things down. I appreciate your answer. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Open up the benches and the rear shelf and you will find the heating areas.

Bayliss

@Kr@cken, we have a 2019 320 S, but I believe it is similar to your design.  When not using the bed, we store our bedding behind the fold-up couch.  Although we currently use a mattress topper, which rolls up nicely for storage, we previously used sleeping bags and stored them behind the raised couch backrest as well.  You do want to maintain some airspace around the metal convectors for the Alde so the warm air circulates properly, but that does not mean you have to leave the storage compartments empty.  Just don't over-stuff them.  We use the far rear area for some storage, but we also leave some head space (for lack of a better term) above those items to assist with air flow.

The problem with storing your sleeping bags or bedding in the far back storage area of the trailer, where the floor curves upward, is that you will likely be totally blocking the lower air passage opening that allows air flow around the rear Alde convector (see photo below.)  The heat actually rises up through the opening along the backside of the storage box (located behind the couch) to heat the trailer cabin.

As you know, there is also an Alde convector under the passenger side bench seat.  There are two openings at the floor adjacent to that convector, which provide sufficient air flow and the heat rises from the floor area.  Also, if you look inside the side storage compartment, in the Alde compartment, and the electrical equipment compartment (over driver's side wheel), there are openings in the lower areas that allow for proper air flow.  There are additional openings at the floor under the bed to assist with air flow and circulation of the heat between the rear and under-the-seat storage compartments.    

Kr@cken

Thanks for the help. We realize now that our 15 minute walk through at pick up was a bit on the light side. So does your topper just lay across the top of the curved empty space below the back rest and allow for circulation? 

Bayliss

@Kr@cken, to clarify, we pull the couch back forward and lay the mattress topper behind the couch and over the lower storage compartments.  I made some lightweight removable covers that lay over the storage areas as depicted in the photos below.  The Alde compartment is not covered, except by the seat cushion.  The compartment covers provide a nice platform for our mattress topper and also help prevent any dust in the storage compartments from entering the cabin area.  The heat from the rear Alde convector radiates upward and through the opening above the rear shelf (yellow arrows in last photo.)  When using the Alde, we remove the four gray storage baskets so they do not obstruct the flow of air/heat.

Kr@cken

Thank you. Did you put those covers on your storage areas? Our 2020 does not have covers over the storage behind the seat so the sleeping bags tend to fall down into those “holes”. I think we will look at some sort of slats to keep things from falling through. I usually solo camp and sleep wheel to wheel so I find a sleeping bag a better option. The photos were helpful. Much appreciated.

Verna

@Kr@cken try measuring for wire shelving to put on top of the storage, of keep a grabber handy to get the lost items. 

One or two people have used the wire shelving. Try a search for wire shelving or wire shelves 

Bayliss

@Kr@cken, here's the discussion thread for the covers I made.  As @Verna mentioned, there are other ideas on this forum as well.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/121703#Comment_121703

Here's a discussion that may be of interest to you:

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/40813#Comment_40813

PNWtabber

@Bayliss -- the area under where you keep those gray storage baskets, is it supposed to be kept empty?  I thought it was storage.  

VictoriaP

PNWtabber said:

@Bayliss -- the area under where you keep those gray storage baskets, is it supposed to be kept empty?  I thought it was storage.  

The area beneath that hinged lid is storage. Be forewarned that anything you put in there will get warm—in other words, don’t use it for food or medications. The gap at the back of the lid is where heat comes up into the cabin.

Bayliss

@PNWtabber, the cabinets under the gray storage baskets ARE for storage, and we use them.  I cut the lid into three openings for individual access to each compartment.  The cuts are blocked by the yellow arrows in the photo above, so I am including a photo below that depicts a close-up of the center compartment and lid.  We purchased the gray baskets at Target.  When we are using the Alde for heating at night, we set the baskets aside to allow for the free-flow of the radiant heat through the rear vent opening.  (Added Note:  @VictoriaP was adding her post as I was writing mine.  We use one of the gray baskets to store  medications, band-aids, etc.  It provides quick and easy access to those items.)

PNWtabber

@VictoriaP and @Bayliss -- thanks for the clarification!