2014 T@B S floor plan new owners--no walk through

Kats

We are new owners of a 2014 S plan. We did not receive any kind of walk through from the dealer, so we are floundering our way through figuring how to operate the trailer. We have lots of separate manuals, but have been spending the morning looking at internet posts and discussions in this forum to figure out things like how to drain the water heater tank, how to fill the water tank, how to sanitize, etc. Our Alde manual doesn't seem to apply to our Alde system, but there was a separate piece of paper that applies to the control panel. We are just a bit confused, as you can imagine. Confused enough that we are now just giving up for the day and turning or attention to stacking wood. 

Does anyone have any information on the BASICS for this trailer? We printed out the owner's manual, but it really doesn't give us a lot of information, and some of the information doesn't even seem to apply to our trailer.

jkjenn

Welcome. You have come to the right place. Everyone here has been very helpful and kind to me as I have learned the ins and outs of T@b life. You can search this forum for a lot of answers and people are pretty patient to answer questions.

Re: the Alde - try this thread and read wizard1880's post. It does a good job explaining the Alde. This PDF has a diagram of the control panel.

Here are a few things I have learned along the way:

1. The stabilizer jacks are not meant to level the T@b -use either a BAL leveler or the Lego style leveling blocks to level the T@b.
2. Leveling the T@b is important if you use the A/C (so it does not leak into the T@b) or using the 3 way fridge on propane.
3. To use the 3 way fridge on propane, you still need to start with a pretty good battery charge.
4. The sink faucet is fairly close to the edge of the sink but an inexpensive aerator is a great fix. I use this one and am happy with it.
5. There is a valve to drain the freshwater tank on the front of the T@b, on the right side. It does not completely empty it, though. You can either tilt the T@b to that side to help drain it or drive with it open and let gravity do the trick.
6. You will find a pretty thorough discussion re: using/emptying the grey and black tanks in this thread.
7. A surge protector is highly recommended. You can either use one that plugs in between the electrical receptacle and the power in on the T@b or permanently install one. This will protect the T@b from bad wiring at a campground.
8. The new T@bs require maintenance on the bearings on the wheels approximately every 6,000 miles.
9. There are many ways people secure the T@b, including: Wheel chock lock, coupler lock, and hitch lock. Here is a related discussion.
10. The Norcold manual is pretty good. I recommend you have it with you the first few times you use the fridge, especially on propane. If you have a 3 way fridge, your tow vehicle might not be able to keep up with the battery drainage while you are driving. You have a few options if this is the case. First, you can turn it off, completely. If your items are good and cold, the fridge seal should keep things cool for a few hours. You can add ice if it is a longer trip, especially if it is a hot day. Second, you can add a second battery to the T@b. Third, you could add a solar panel to supplement the charge.
11. Make sure you sleep with the roof vent slightly open or a window slightly open to reduce condensation. If you use the fan, a window should be open.
12. The spare tire, mounted underneath the T@b, does not leave a lot of clearance. LG sells (as does Camping World and Amazon) tongue mounts for the spare tire if you need more clearance.
13. The LG shop sells Visors, awnings, and add a room tents made by Paha Que for the T@b as well as other parts and accessories.
14. The black strip in the keder rails can be removed to use the visor, awning, or tent room.
15. Stabilizer Jack Pads keep your stabilizer jacks from sinking into the ground and also protect the ground.
16. The table is heavy and awkward to move. I took mine out and use a lapdesk instead. Some people use TV trays or lighter tables. Slats can be added to the T@b if you do this that allow you to use the full queen size bed.
17. The "Ready, Set, Tow" checklist is pretty invaluable.
18. The Jensen unit and the CO2 and smoke detectors cause some battery drain. It is best to keep your battery charged either by plugging the T@b in or using a solar panel and trickle charger.
19. The solar port on the propane box on the front of the T@b is designed for Zamp Solar products. You can use other products with the port by using a Zamp Quick Disconnect cable, which is an SAE cable. If you use solar, you will need a panel and a charge controller and the appropriate cables. Some people mount the flexible panels directly to the T@b.
20. The black tank holds 6 gallons and the grey tank hold 11 gallons. LG changed the fresh water tanks this year. If your freshwater tank is below the sink, it is 5 gallons. If it is under the T@b, it is 11 gallons.

DurangoTaB

Awesome summary Jenn!

TABaker

Great post, Jenn!

Kats

Thanks so much Jenn! Our maiden trip is going to be to a wedding on Cape Cod later this year. The plan is to go to the wedding, then come back to the trailer, change, and get into our gear to go fishing for striped bass!

radren

I know how important the dealership is when you are buying a trailer, any trailer.  Especially if you are a first time buyer. I am lucky I had two dealerships to choose from. I would have liked to use the dealership only 45 minutes away but I chose the dealership 2.5 hours. (Little guy in San Diego) They know their stuff and  encourage you to ask questions about the trailers. They also CAMP with their customers. That sealed the deal for me and made the extra travel time worthwhile. I am saying this AFTER waiting 3 months to get my trailer and it being the WRONG trailer. San Diego little guy and Chris Baum at the factory did everything possible to correct the problem and make me happy.  Customer service and the T@B reputation is their number one priority. I know I bought the right trailer from the right people. Thank you Little guy in San Diego for being my dealership and Little guy in Ohio for making this wonderful little trailer. 

jkjenn

I know it is a delicate issue, but I wish there was a way to review dealers. I know there are outside reviews (Yelp, etc.) but they would not be T@b specific. I picked the dealer closest to me, which was still close to 4 hours away.

Michigan_Mike

Constructive feedback goes a long way and am sure that you could speak to Little Guy World Wide and discuss issues/suggestions with them if you do it appropriately.  I've always dealt with people with an attitude that "you get more bees with honey" approach.  Little Guy knows that their dealers are the life blood of their company and am sure they would welcome any feedback that comes their way.