Mods to the new 21FBS

mbopp

Well-known member
Yes, another converter. I have an Iota 55 amp deck mount that'll go in the front pass through. I'll need to run a 110V line to it, probably tap off one of the outlets near the bed. That'll give me a 3' 12V wire run to the batteries.
We dry camp a fair amount and some cg's we go to have limited generator hours. The WFCO converters aren't known for going into boost mode easily, and the Iota is being re-purposed from the hybrid we had. It'll maximize the battery charge for a limited generator run time.
 

Invizatu

Senior Road Warriors
That is interesting, how many and what type of batteries. We boondock a lot, so I would be interested in maybe doing something like that also.
Thanks
 

mbopp

Well-known member
I've got 2 G27 12V batteries I need to mount. If I were to start from scratch it would be 2 6V golf cart batteries.
I'd add solar panels but a lot of our "dry" sites are shaded. They'd have to be movable if I went that route. I have a Honda 2000i generator to handle charging off the grid.
The LED lights I'm adding are 36 LED type 1210 warm white panels. They draw 1/7 the power of a 921 bulb.
I put an on/off switch on the radio / DVD player so the power draw is ZERO when it's off.
The propane detector draws app .1A. The Norcold fridge draws .5A running on propane. I was surprised it was so low since there's no on/off switch for the door heater unlike my previous Dometic. Maybe Norcold only runs the door heater when you're on shore power?
Out of curiosity I need to measure the 12V draw on the water heater when it's fired up. The water system still has antifreeze in it yet.
I need to add pics of the marine battery shut-off switch I mounted on the battery box, and a pic of the storage box for the wheel chocks and levelling blocks mounted on the rear bumper.
 

mbopp

Well-known member
Very nice!! Where did you get that adjustable table?
We looked at umpteen manufacturers and models. It's the table top that comes with the 21FBS but we had the dealer install the legs from a Trail Runner 22RK and remove the factory twin pedestal mounts. Now we can use the table inside or outside, and having it movable opens up the dinette more like a couch without tripping over the table mounts in the floor.

It doesn't sit level between the slide and floor, so I had to add some 3/4" plywood spacers under 2 of the feet. A small price to pay.
 

dl_camps

Member
Wow~~~awesome mods. We have the same TT & I think I am going to have to show my DH your photos. I love the idea of more outlets and that table is great. We don't really care for the pedestal mounts either and was thinking of making a small table half the size of the one that is there now. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. Have a great camping season :)
 

Rogue9

Member
Mods are looking great! I like the shelf idea for the bathroom sink. It's a large bathroom, and there isn't enough counter space to sit anything down. Did you use maple for the shelf?
 

mbopp

Well-known member
Mods are looking great! I like the shelf idea for the bathroom sink. It's a large bathroom, and there isn't enough counter space to sit anything down. Did you use maple for the shelf?
No, it's just a poplar plank from Lowes shaped with a hand belt sander. A light coat of maple stain then a coat of walnut (I had them on hand) was a close match. And 2 coats of clear on top.
 

Rogue9

Member
Blends nicely! I bought some maple planks to make my shelves for the dinette corners, but haven't had the time to glue them together and then shape them. Hopefully, I can get to that project before the end of the camping season.
 

mbopp

Well-known member
The clamp-together one gets used on the side with leveling blocks, and the scissors jack is used on the opposite side.
 

SailorDon

Well-known member
The clamp-together one gets used on the side with leveling blocks, and the scissors jack is used on the opposite side.
The "fail mode" of the scissors jack wheel chocks is the same as wheel chocks without scissors jack. The wheel(s) ride up over the chock, sort of like jumping a curb.

Have you investigated the "fail mode" of the clamp-together design? Does it bend the axle? Since it is suspended off the ground, does it twist and pop out?
Does it twist the suspension as you push the axles apart?
.
 

mbopp

Well-known member
Sheesh, if the ground is sloped enough where the trailer jumps the chocks it would be a pretty steep angle, certainly enough where I'd move to another location.
I had a shorter set of clamp-together blocks on our previous hybrid. I did forget to take them out once and I skidded the tires a bit before I realized why the truck was pulling so hard.
You do need to take a hammer to the 4X4's to pop them out of the tires after the nuts are loosened. On installation I just snug them up and re-check them after the tires have cooled off (they do loosen up.)
I was going to buy a set of extended X-Chocks http://www.amazon.com/BAL-28014-X-t...=UTF8&qid=1379778924&sr=8-3&keywords=x-chocks but decided I had better things to spend the money on.
 

fdajnowicz

Member
Great job on the mods. I used a few of them already. I have the 22FBS and the interiors are just about the same, so you took out all the extra thinking on how to do the job right,to just do it. I started a new thread; //heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/42428-2013-North-Trail-22FBS-Mods-I-have-completed , there are a couple here for you as a payback.

Frank
 
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