Our new CSS has arrived!

Sharon_is_SAM

We are happy as clams in a, well, clamshell!  We placed our order at Haydocy in Columbus, OH in October and requested an April delivery.  We received a surprise call on Friday that it was available!  So off to Columbus we drove and visited and made us official T@B owners - Yeah!  There are a few items yet to be added (sewer hose holder, brake controller and AGM battery) and a few alterations, but we are thrilled with the results - especially the galley which was customized around an ARB.  We are told this is a one-of-a-kind and we are in awe of nuCamp/PV/Haydocy in their ability to make this happen.  We will pick it up later in April and take it out for a shake down trip then.  Here are some pics.  5 months 5 days to retirement!

ericnliz

SAM, Very nice! Like how you customized your T@B. The ARB idea looks great. Those cabinets in the front will give you a ton of storage area. Are those shelves adjustable? If I may ask, what is the square box on the wall ( left side) by the front window above the USB port? Congrats, and happy T@BBing!

Sharon_is_SAM

Eric, Thank you.  The shelves in the front are fixed.  The narrow shelf was not intentional, but instead of altering it, we elected to use movable shelving units to divide our space under the counter.  The square box is a Victron Battery Monitor (thank you JKJenn). It uses a shunt and reads the battery beyond the shunt so, it will give a more accurate assessment of remaining voltage and charging via solar.  

Sharon

Homebodyatheart

SAM that's a beautiful CS! I like your mods, especially the ARB. Thanks for the pics. Looks like you've got many happy camping days ahead of you! Congratulations!

Verna

I like this one!  Is that a 50 qt ARB?  I had wanted a CSS until I found out about the 2-way fridge being such an energy hog. The storage looks great. The ARB is an added bonus!

Sharon_is_SAM

Homebodyatheart, thanks!

Verna, That is a 50 QT ARB and we procured the aluminum slide from another source.  The slide locks in place.  We need to bolt the ARB down to the slide to prevent movement and bouncing.  When we first planned this mod, the factory said that we would have a staggered counter.  To our great surprise and pleasure, they made the counter flush!  The counter is more narrow as the entire cabinetry is raised to accommodate the height of the ARB.  And there is limited backsplash, but I think I can hang things off the under cabinet area.  So pleased.  Can't wait to camp!

Verna

SAM, ARB has a hold down kit that clamps onto the handles. It might be worthwhile to look into that kit. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Verna, I have that ratcheting set and the aluminum slide will work with that.  Just thought screwing the feet down to the slide may be a cleaner way of doing it.  We will see.  Sharon

manny

SAM,  great mods.  I worked with Haydocy also..  Don't see the licence plate bracket..  I had them put mine on the clamshell. Did You?  I also have a ext. storage door ...  I`m down by Cincy, Planning a trip up to Cuyahoga Valley N.P. this spring.. You guys will love this unit,  we do..

Sharon_is_SAM

Hi Manny, yes, we had them place the license plate bracket - very good mod that should be adopted by the factory.  Here is a picture, but not a great shot from this angle.  We ordered an outside mounted Lagun, but for some reason the factory did not complete it - they installed it inside.  Haydocy will make good.  Do you have the outside Lagun?  I think it will need to have additional wood installed to support it.  Unlike the S models which have some of the wood from the bench.  You will enjoy our N.P.  Where will you camp?



 

manny

SAM,  don't have the ext. Lagun mount..  Don`t know yet about N.P.  some place close by..   limited sites there..  if any..  We have been to  24 Natl. Parks.  not the one in our own state..  any suggestions to camp at?

Sharon_is_SAM

Never camped in this area.  Check out the American Wilderness Campground in Grafton - Southwest of Cleveland.  http://americanwildernesscampground.com/
JKJenn has been around here with her T@B---Oh Jenn!!!  Please chime in.

kenclunk

SAM - We just got our new T@B S from Haydocy and we're in Lakewood! Small world! Great mods you guys have there. 

manny - Not sure of where specifically would be a good place to camp but I'd use Peninsula as the place to be close to. While in the CVNP there check out Blue Hen Falls, Virginia Kendall Ledges, Brandy Wine Falls, and Squires Castle. Such a great spot.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Kenclunk, Haydocy was our best decision.  Lucky you for Lakewood - you have the best place on earth for pomme frites - Deagans!  Everybody else has seen a T@B around here except me!  I wonder if there is anyone else on the forum in this town?  Right now we are east siders, but eventually we plan to move to the west side and have room for the T@B.  

Kurt_SueAnn

Congratulations on your T@B!! Looks great and our wonderful weather may actually cooperate! Have fun and be safe out there.

Sharon_is_SAM

Thanks.  We won't get a chance to test the Sienna/T@B combo until end of April, so I think it should be relatively balmy by then!

jkjenn

Congrats! It looks fabulous and I am glad you guys got all of the mods you wanted!

@manny there us a small local campground in Stowe, just south of the park at the local lake. Electric hook ups, potable water and dump station available. Nothing extraordinary but dirt cheap and not a typical commercial rv parking lot. It fills up on weekends, so you would want ti get there early. Its first come, first serve.

Sharon_is_SAM

Good find Jenn!  We are very pleased.  PV installed the Victron monitor - we will see how it goes at the battery end when it is delivered to Haydocy.  Can't wait to learn how to tow...

manny

Thx,Jenn  I will check it out...

jkjenn

SAM said:

Good find Jenn!  We are very pleased.  PV installed the Victron monitor - we will see how it goes at the battery end when it is delivered to Haydocy.  Can't wait to learn how to tow...

I would just double check that they don't have any connection going to the battery before the shunt. I need to do the same. The repair department was unfamiliar with the shunt, but I am fairly sure they followed my wiring schematic when they reinstalled everything and their work was neater than mine, thankfully.

Sharon_is_SAM

It really is a simple connection.  I am now wondering if Haydocy will reverse the Zamp wires so my Renogy plugs will work.

ericnliz

SAM, You can buy an adapter from Amazon: Optimate cable 0-27- adapter, polarity ,SAE  That's what I used, plugs right in.

ScottG

You could just swap the Zamp leads at the battery yourself--though there are some compelling safety reasons why Zamp wired them the way they did. (It's wired so that the + pin from the panel is protected rather than exposed, reducing the likelihood that you will accidentally bridge the + pin to ground and create an unintended sparkler show.)  

You'd be better to leave the Zamp leads alone and either rewire your Renogy plug or use the adapter ericnliz described.

Verna

ScottG said:

You could just swap the Zamp leads at the battery yourself--though there are some compelling safety reasons why Zamp wired them the way they did. (It's wired so that the + pin is protected rather than exposed, reducing the likelihood that you will accidentally bridge the + pin to ground and create an unintended sparkler show.)  

You'd be better to leave the Zamp leads alone and either rewire your Renogy plug or use the adapter ericnliz described.

I was helping a fellow T@B owner with some rewiring in her front tub. I sure got a surprise when I accidentally shorted the lugs on her battery shut off switch that had exposed logs!  I'm certainly used to my totally encased lugs on my switch. So, be careful and look at everything with wiring on it inside the tub. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Eric's Amazon fix sounds easy.  I will check it out.  Thanks!

pthomas745

This thread helped me quite a lot to understand how to make my Renogy panel work seamlessly with the Zamp connector.

http://tab-rv.vanillaforums.com/discussion/2973/please-help-renogy-solar-panel-wiring#latest

ericnliz

Pthomas745, Thanks for finding that thread! Ha, Funny part is that I started that post!

ScottG

Yup--I looked back at that same thread to make sure my explanation of the Zamp wiring scheme was correct. To clarify, it's the + pin from the solar panal that is protected on Zamp systems, since accidentally bridging that pin to ground could short circuit the panels or controller. (I've edited my previous post to reflect this.)

The same concern exists at the Zamp port, where the + pin is exposed. Accidentally bridging that pin to ground would short your battery and create the "surprise" described by by Verna. However, since that pin is tucked away in its little capped socket, such a scenario is unlikely.

This does help to explain the thing that originally gave people fits about the Zamp port--why they are wired differently from the SAE connectors used on the popular Battery Tender brand chargers. Using such a charger typically involves a loose cable dangling from a battery, and an exposed + pin on such a cable would almost certainly end up touching something it shouldn't. I just realized this is something I need to be very careful of myself--I put an SAE plug on my amputated Renogy battery clamps that could create this exact situation if I were to leave them clamped to a battery but disconnected from the suitcase!

The moral of the story is you should always be careful not to accidentally ground the + leg of any 12V power supply such as a battery or solar panel.

(With thanks and credit to Michigan Mike, who originally contacted Zamp to get their explanation on why they wire the ports the way they do.) 

Ratkity

dsatwork

love the ARB, you created a master piece?

Sharon_is_SAM

I am anxious to see how it works out.  There is a vent hole below it to let heat exhaust.  When in hot weather, I may need to add a fan at the vent hole.  We will see.