I've only had two RVs and both had 12V fridges. Both worked great. I adjusted the temperature and forgot. The water bottles we had in there were frozen by the time we got to our campsite. As far as the LEDs, I agree. I like a warmer color than what most RVs come with.
Thanks... I'm with you on #5. Especially in vehicles. Switches and buttons evolved over time. They are intuitive and require less concentration by the user. I particularly dislike screen after screen to do the simplest function that a single flip or push would do. It is a conscious buying decision for me to avoid these.
My age group needs the solid steps - I am a youngster at 70 - and we could probably need the extended grab bar; they are a pain sometimes. I agree that keeping is simple is smart - most of us do not use all the features we purchase. Have not used auto-level, or motion sensors, or had an issue with color differences of LEDs - but bright - sometimes they burn thru your eyelids. We like our 12V fridge. I wanted a tankless, but your comments have made me reconsider - and our gas/electric works great. Per norm - THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO YOU PROVIDE.
As a person who likes to boondock, there are "improvements" that are everything but improvement. We boondocked/dry camped in Alaska for 3.5 months this summer. Auto level would have taken away from the carry capacity in our small trailer. A tankless water heater and 12v fridge would have made our lives miserable. We have a AC 200 Max Bluetti with a 2500w Champion duel fuel generator. I left the 2 solar panels at home. Too much rain, clouds and trees made that a good decision. From May 10th to the end of June, we needed to use the generator about 3 times. The rest of the time, our usage allowed us to just charge with the truck, while traveling. After a fishing trip, we ended up having to use the A/C side of the Bluetti, thereby draining it much faster. We had to start using the generator once a day. With two bricks, we charged up in under one hour usually, but would not want to have to do this all the time. The 65 lbs of fish in the portable freezer was worth it though!
I love my auto leveling, but yes you need to be aware of it's limitations before using it. We've had 4(5 with tongue connected) legs levelers and 6 leg levelers, and both need to be reset every so often, usually after a power cycle. In our current spot here in Georgia we needed to dig a trench for the tires and use blocks under the front landing gear to get level and stable. The only reasons I can think of for a tankless water heater is if you have a dishwasher or washing machine, otherwise you can shower a whole family of 4 every day without issues.
I like the solid steps on my RV except when I need to use a dump station. After dumping the black tank, I want to go in and add water and treatment to the toilet. However, often times, there is no room to open the steps to get into the RV. Sometimes, if it's a double dump station I would have to open the steps almost directly onto the sewer drain of the adjacent station. Sometimes, the steps are landing on a curb or a drop off, making it near impossible to fold them down for access into the RV. We have the same issue when traveling and stopping at a truck stop for a meal. Often, there is no room between parked trailers to pull down the solid steps to get into the RV for something before leaving.
I’ll limit my detailed comments to the water heater. I’ve had both the old school tank type and my current tankless. I LOVE my Truma AquaGo Comfort Plus tankless! Yeah, it’s propane only, but it doesn’t use all that much, except when it’s actually firing. Otherwise, if I leave it on all the time, it only fires for a few seconds to keep its hybrid tank (about a pint, I think) warm until hot water is called for at any faucet. It does not react to low flow by shutting off-nor does it fail to provide hot water at high flows. That’s its major plus, that it works at any flow and any pressure. It’s truly excellent. But I’m aware that almost all other tankless water heaters have the major faults of requiring a certain flow before they’ll fire at all, but too much flow will overwhelm them so that the water doesn’t have a chance to get warm. As for other “upgrades”, I’m really old school with leveling-I use 2x8 boards. I have touch screens by Spyder, and I’d say they’ve worked perfectly 99% of the time. In the 6+ years I’ve had them, I’ve had to shut off the power to reboot them maybe 3 or 4 times. The advantage of touch screens is that the electrical system is multiplex-much fewer wires or involved cabling to operate the electrical items than individual switches. I’m on the fence about 12v fridges. My 3-way absorption fridge works pretty well, but not perfectly, especially in really hot weather. A 12v fridge would work better in hot weather and would cool more quickly. But a 12v fridge would take more battery power.
Agree that the Truma has worked like a champ in all conditions for us, whether boondocking or hookup camping. We also like the 12v fridge which gives us more room in the same footprint and has been keeping more steady temps than our previous absorption fringes.
Love your channel! You are such great & kind folks!! We are currently looking into purchasing a 5th wheel and starting into part time camping and travelling. I have learned so much information from you! We will be using this information in our purchase and after the purchase!! Thank you so much and hope you continue to have safe & fun travels!!
Agree 100%. I have an older trailer so lots of these are not an issue. We boondock so power is always the big thing, having a 12 volt fridge would cut my time down. We like to camp in the trees so solar not an option I am willing to spend the money on. Plus live on the west coast of Canada so we don't get the temperatures where the gas fridge quits working, ours always cools, the freezer will freeze stuff rock hard in hours. I have converted my lighting over to LED. I wasn't really sure which ones I wanted so I tried a couple of different bulbs. I ran the warm light pretty much everywhere, put the colder lights in over the kitchen sink thinking it would be good for doing the dishes and such. Hated them, swapped the whole trailer over to a nice warm color, much more inviting. I thought about a tankless water heater but honestly, the 6 gallon tank we have works just fine, plus boon docking so having an unlimited supply of hot water not always a good thing. As for motion lights, we just keep some really low power flashlights beside the beds and use them in the middle of the night. When it is pitch black a motion light on the floor would have me wide awake, plus we have the dog who will wander around during the nigh finding the perfect spot to nap. I am looking at one of those leveling sensors that works on your phone, my wife has a disability so I pretty much do everything by myself. But auto-level no way.
I just found your video, and agree with you. Switches! I want Switches! This touch screen feature is just an indication of marketing arrogance TELLING US what is an improvement. If the industry just listened to what customers are saying, instead of putting the latest electronic feature in because the marketing dept says so, the complaints might reduce. Besides, what do you do when the touch screen packs it in?
Our flipdown step legs issue was high uneven ground. The legs barely extended to reach the ground, which is needed to hold the weight of the steps. Plus it was a big drop off from the bottom step to the ground. Also had to find and extra "step" alternative that would give us more stability than the usual stepstool kind of option. We found step up exercise blocks with adjustable legs work great. Cheap from a thrift store, adjustable height and wide enough to rest the legs of the steps on one and then a second as an extra wide "bottom" step.
1st I love the auto level on our Reflection. Problem free so far so maybe that could change later. Also love our 12 volt fridge. Cools down so much faster and works better in hot weather. The LED lights being different color temperatures would drive me crazy too. I'm indifferent on the water heater...they both have pros and cons but our tankless has worked flawless. Lastly the steps. Yes they are a pain at times but I would not trade them for the old style because I hate the bounce. I would add one you didn't mention and that is sky lights. They can be nice for daytime light but let in heat, too much light comes in early in the morning and it's just additional holes in the roof where water can find it's way in. Thanks as always for your content!
We are cold weather campers. The Furrion tankless water heater in our Reflection does not work well in cold weather. In fact, we have issues with it freezing. The folks at furrion tell us it is not guarenteed to work at lower than 40 degrees. Never had probelms with our previous gas/electric hot water heater.
Ya i totally agree with keeping the old style flip out steps. When i get a new rig later this year i will absolutely not take delivery of it untill the old style steps are retro fitted to it.
I enjoy my hydraulic auto leveling system. Works great. I have seen electric leveling not working as well. I saw the changing lanes video on tankless water heaters and it was well done. Based on that video I wouldn’t get one. If you have a delay every time you turn off the water that wouldn’t be convenient. On led lights you have to decide if you want warm or white. Makes a difference and they all need to match. Fridge: I have 2 trailers, a 5th wheel with 12 volt and a bumper pull with gas/electric. Advantages/disadvantages to each depending on how you are RVing. On a long travel day the 12 volt can drain your batteries. Good video and I appreciate your opinions.
I agree with you. Everything is on touchscreen in my RV. Takes me forever just to turn the bedroom light on. I’d rather not have the touchscreen at all or maybe a combination of touchscreen and switches. But I do love my auto level and absolutely hate my gas/electric fridge! It’s a pain to keep that thing cool in the summer.
I agree with most of your list. Auto level in our Solitude is great, but it's hydraulic. I don't think travel trailers need auto level. You are correct, it has generally an easy task to level manually. Touchscreens are just another gimic that will fail at some point. Tankless water heaters are horrible for RVs. We have a Norcold fridge that struggled to stay at temps set. It is located in a slideout, which creates kniwn issues with cooling and ventilation. We went to JC Refrigeration and had it converted to a 12v. It's a great option. We also love our Solid Step. The issues do exist as you mentioned but it's worth it to us. We have two sets of step mats cut to fit and we have a mat on the floor to catch dirt when folded in. Great video and some great points to consider.
It's been 1.5 years so far and my LCI Ground Control TT has never worked for more that 2 weeks at a time. It's in the dealership now to replace the main controller. Absolutely AWESOME when it works.. but really sucks when they don't. Luckily, one fix they made allows me to manually control all the jacks and watch my bubble levels when the auto feature fails. Also, mine once randomly extended the tongue jack when nobody was near the trailer. Good thing that didn't happen on the road!
I completely agree about the LED colors! We looked at some new Grand Designs and the strips were a different color than the dinette pucks which were a different color than the bunk lights. It was very noticeable to us, and the strip lights had a flicker that gave us headaches. We didn’t have any of those issues in our 2021 GD Transcend. Hopefully they get it worked out.
We replaced the bright white led puck lights in our Winnie 2108ds with warm light dimmable puck lights and it made a huge difference in our enjoyment of our evening lighting. They are pretty easy to replace, but we shouldn’t have to. Also they are inexpensive. No reason manufacturers should put them in, other than during the sales process it makes the unit look brighter and more desirable.
I really like my auto levelers. Yes I do have to get it somewhat level so that I don't raise any wheels off of the ground as that is what you are not suppose to do. Haven't had any trouble (knock on wood) with them and hopefully I won't. We really like our Lippert Solid Step. We did put the handrail on the Solid Step which helps out. It doesn't bother us that I have to clean or wipe them off before we raise them to put away. As we have before with any camper that we have owned, we usually don't even go into the camper until it's level. We have a residential refrigerator and really like it. We don't do any boondocking soo we are good with it. I pretty much agree with most of the other upgrades that you mentioned. I still wish that we had the old manual awning on our camper. They were so much better built. They would take a pretty good storm and be just fine. The electric awnings we have now I just can't trust them at all to be out in any weather.
I agree on the steps. Id like to see them as an option. One thing holding us back in getting a new unit - everything we like has the new steps and where we park the unit at our home, we dont have the space to swing them down. ( Next to our house), So I wont be able to get into the unit when its parked. Not practical .
I've had great luck with the 12v fridge, just like the one in your video. It cools down fast and I never have temp issues. Given, I boondock often and have solar, it works no matter what. As for the touchscreen, they just plain stink.
3. Well, I jumped on the Stabil Steps bandwagon because of my bride's walking disability and my aging arthritic knees. The floorplan of our GD Transcend 240ML actually requires fixed steps since the door opening is over the camp side wheel well. However, for the reasons you cited, and constant dirt I would seriously consider going back to the lighter and more manageable folding steps.
Yes on switches, no touchscreen anything. I love my 12v Truckfridge though, it uses very little power. Compressor is nearly silent, and doesn't come on often.
Great video- thanks! Here’s my chime-in: Auto-leveling - we did an RV Share before we purchased our camper. The owners did the setup - it was raining and a very unlevel site and the poor guy had to take half a lumberyard out of his truck to get the AL system to work. We’ve since set up our own camper in similar conditions (fully manual leveling) and we got set up in half the time, so I agree with you, not an upgrade. LED lights - my pet peeve. I’m a degreed mechanical engineer and even I struggled to understand the “temperature spectrum” at first for home LED lighting. Jayco did a good job of color matching in our Feather 25RB, but have seen at RV shows the LED mixed bag and knew it looked like a trouble spot. To be fair, we only have the puck lights on the ceiling and under the counters so not much chance of messing up, but definitely something to watch for. Tankless - we have one at home and love it but I don’t want one AT ALL on my camper. If we need fast hot water, I have run both electric and gas simultaneously to speed up recovery but all in all, I’m with you - NOT an upgrade. 12V fridge - our Furrion works great, but I have heard about a new brand showing up that is trouble and also some GE branded ones that are actually “new brand” with a GE badge that are trouble. We don’t do enough long-haul camping to need road access and gas absorption fridge so the 12V fits the bill for us. Solid Steps - we love them but agree with you that it slows down setup and leveling, and also is a pain especially when I forget to raise the steps before lowering the trailer for departure, then raise them and forget the threshold isn’t clear and try to close the exterior door with the steps’ hinge up in the way…. Oh, and definitely +1 on the digital screens. Give me an analog switch panel with a Bluetooth link to an app on my cellphone, or just skip the app. Between broken gas struts, loose door hinges, shaken-loose trim pieces from transit, and keeping up my side and rear camera rig, I have enough to do maintenance wise…. All in all, as my wife says, “it’s a camper, not a residence - keep it simple, stupid”…
The color temperature of the lights not matching isn't an LED problem, it's a manufacturer problem. Our RV has all LED and they are all the same color temp.
You mean Winnebago. I have a true Grand Design and for 7 years we have had zero issues. Since Winnibago bought them, my friend has a 2022, their customer services stink and quality went down. Ask me how we know. He has had issuse after issue with months before customer service gets back to him. I always have recommended GD, between structural problems and poor interior quality lately i no longer recommend them. He traded for a Brinkly. This year we will do the same. Covid destroyed us in so many ways
We have enjoyed our 12 V fridge with no problems over 3 years. They have more space inside than propane, better circulation, and can run off of solar while traveling without the risk of propane on during travel. Adjusting temperature has not been a problem. Just our experience. In bad weather we can get several days of power off a 2battery setup when off grid. We would never go back.
I think part of your problem with the tankless water heater and maybe even the 12 volt fridge is the Furrion brand. I've been quite underwhelmed with Furrion's quality. We have a Truma tankless water heater and I love it. Yes, it only works on propane but I've been shocked at how little propane it does use. I always use water from the holding tank with the pump. That eliminates campground pressure issues and the pump in the RV is plenty for the Truma water heater.
I have a 22 momentum and I have never had to manually level my rv. The auto level is great for me. I press one button and it does its thing. I wouldn’t buy one without it. My biggest complaint about the touch screen panels is they are soo slow to respond.
Totally agree with the LED lighting. I had to swap out lighting bcos it was not the same color. Huge difference between 2700k and 3500k. You are 100% correct with the touchscreens. I get it, centralized wiring and BT connection to another onboard control system. I cannot add a heat strip to my AC unit bcos it will require a lot of rewiring and adding of another thermostat bcos of this centralized control system. Dont get me started on how unreliable the touchscreen is… I have an extra android tablet available just in case the OEM screen goes out. RV manufacturers need to go back to basics.
LOVE my auto level! I'll NEVER have a 12V fridge! EVER! Motion sensor lights are for storage compartments, not bedrooms. Love the solid steps. Pros outweigh any cons.
I too have no use for a tankless water heater. I used to shut the hot water off at the source if my son was in the shower longer than 4 minutes. We do have the option to suplement the electric heater with propane by turning on both heating options at high demand times. I also prefer manual switches to any electronic option... that said, I do like auto level. There are times I need to roll up on 2x8's to get the trailer close to level before I hit the "auto level" button. Sometimes I need to put both sides of the trailer on 2x8's, to either allow the steps to rest on an adjacent concrete pad, or to level front to back without the front of the trailer hitting the ground. RV travel/living is all about being prepared to adjust to current conditions. Don't let them sell you what you don't need and keep enjoying the RV life.
my vote for the worst "upgrade" would be that horrible firefly system that will leave you stranded for control of the coach if it breaks, terrible idea especially considering how cheaply the components are made.
Our imagine 2600 RB had a new Tobol refrigerator and we didn’t have any issues with it. We replaced our imagine with the reflection 337 RLS and it too has a 12 V refrigerator and it as well. Did not have any issues. Now we’re replacing our reflection with a Solitude Which will have the largest to refrigerator yet at 20 ft.³. We’re expecting to take delivery of this sometime in March so the jury still out on this one. As far as the steps are concerned, the morryde on the reflection, or just fine. The problem I always have going up or going down the steps on the imagine, and the reflection was the door frame size. Being a little taller, and a little wider, I had to think about ducking my head, and twisting my shoulders to clear the height and width of the door frame. In the new solitude that will not be an issue at all. We also found a wraparound Astroturf like material for the steps which added a lot of grip and stability to them. To be honest, I never gave any thought to how low water flow pressure would affect our tankless water heater. Didn’t have any issues in the reflection, mostly due to it being hooked up to RV park water. Keep up the great videos!
We absolutely love our auto level, that being said, we have had only one issue, and that was over stroking one leg due to a hole , it couldn't reach. Our last 3 units have had residential fridges and that works best for us. Just bought a new unit, and our first touch screen, and I will say right away, they lack real switches in very important places, there are some switches that are also on the touch panel, but they could do a better job doubling up. Us personally, would never go back to flip stairs, we have had both brands of ground contact steps, and other than having to put them down just to jump in quick, they are great, .....yes we have to be level before landing them, but we just do our connections while leveling and then open up. Really nothing that can't be dealt with, but personal preference it what its all about, my wife and I have said after many units, there is no perfect camper.
6 years with our autolevel and would not want to be without it. People need to learn how to use it and get close to level side to side before hitting the button. Not a fan of tankless heaters or touchscreens. My biggest beef is cheap electric awnings.
I love my auto level, but got to start it properly Tankless water heater sucks! LED lights, only have pucks, and color matches fine…I added strip lights for for mood lighting 12v fridge, but full sized side by side, love it! But it is a power hog! Agreed on touch screens and the bus system…rather have manual rockers…
The thing that drives me me crazy is is having windows that don’t open And one of my windows only allows a quarter of it to open and also my rv only has a roof vent in the rest room so I have to leave the restroom door open to use it to draw more air in
The biggest issue with auto level is low voltage. The other is stroke. 12 volt fridges are getting better, installation was the big issue. Wiring wouldn’t support the amp draw. Burnt up components. I hate touch screens. The touch screen doesn’t work. Nothing works. LCI does have a relay box you can work from, but you don’t need everything blue tooth The solid steps with quick adjust legs are not bad. The pin was a PIA. Lots of bent doors where the threshold was too high Water heaters. Tankless for full hookup. Traditional for boondocking. I’ve seen very few issues with the tankless recently. The biggest issue has actually been the tanked redesign and complaints of water is too hot. 150 deg at the faucet. Was told that’s in spec. Mix with cold at faucet they say. Not what a camper with kids wants to hear. But who camps with little kids, the little bunk units they put these in? If only all motion sensors had an off. Please Lot of new units have been simplified. Demand for cheaper. Well demand is the extremes. Cheap as can be or all the bells and whistles
Agree with most everything, especially the tankless water heater trend. That being said I have to disagree with the 12v fridge thoughts. We have had one for 4 years now, and it’s been flawless. We use a traceable thermometer to monitor the fridge temps- it records the max and min temps and gives us a nice piece of mind that our food has been at the proper temp while travelling etc. What we have found is the fridge holds a very precise temp range of about 2 degrees variation, literally over the course of the entire summer season. Our rv is always plugged in and the fridge is on from April to November, and it holds temp even when its 95 outside and god only knows how hot inside the closed up rv. Same is true while traveling. Would never go back to gas electric.
Totally agree. We love our 12v fridge and have never had an issue. Hubby did install solar so it runs continually from April (ish) through October (ish) depending on when season begins and ends. We will open the trailer up and stock it so we turn the fridge on a day before we stock it. We don’t have to turn it up then down for each trip. We just turn it on and keep it at the second setting all season. We had stayed in our in law’s trailer that had a propane fridge. It was horrid! It was shallow and didn’t hold much plus it took a day to get cold. Every time we left, it was turned off and upon return, back on. This was the great for weekend stays.
1. 100% agree. I don't even like electric stabilizers. One more thing to break. 2. We almost always use propane for our tanked water heater to save amperage. Tankless is an upgrade that I've always been curious about. 3. The LED strips seem like a bad idea. I like being able to turn on a single puck or two in a specific area. 4. Yes and No. I paid extra for a gas/electric fridge in my trailer. But I swapped the outside fridge (110 only) with 12v. Now I can use both fridges while boondocking while minimizing battery usage. 5. I agree. Switches/buttons all the way w/ Bluetooth capability. *1. Motion sensor lights for cabinets/pantries/storage is great. In the main living area, not so much. *2. 100% agree. I've been contemplating switching back to the old folding steps since getting our new trailer in 2022.
As an old timer (bought our first pop-up camper in 1988) , I agree with most of your comments. We bought our first motorhome in 2018 (Newmar Bay Star) and last summer, we downsized to a Sprinter chassis Winnebago Via and with both rigs, I really like the auto levelers. But, I agree that there are situations where they don't work well and you have to manually level. We owned three travel trailers over the years, and with a travel trailer I'm not so sure I'd want the expense and weight of a auto leveling system but I can understand older folks wanting them! I strongly agree about LED lighting and the necessity of matching the color range of the light. But converting older lighting to LED lighting can save a lot of juice if you are running off batteries. In the case of our Bay Star, getting rid of old halogen reading lights got rid of the tremendous amount of heat that halogen lights create. Propane/electric water heaters are fine for campers! I can't see the need for tankless heaters even though I like the tankless heater we had installed in our house about a year ago. In an RV, the standard 6 gallon propane/electric heater does the job and the recovery time isn't an issue even for several campers getting showers. Finally, I love technology but agree strongly about the trend towards too much of it for many of the features in an RV. There's certainly enough regular maintenance on an RV that we don't need to worry about problems created by an electronic screen/controls failing and agree that replacing a basic switch or light socket can be a lot easier than dealing with electronic failures!! And, if the manufacturers would spend more time improving RV quality rather than on unnecessary technological "improvements", we'd all be happier!!
I agree with pretty much all of that except the fridge. Have had 2 gas/electric fridges and hated them. We have a 12 volt in our Transcend and love it. The gas ones took forever to get cold and didn't get very cold or maintain it very well. The 12 volt we throw food in it before we leave after turning it on and 1-2 hours later when we arrive it is already fairly cold. The touch screen reminds me of when you were a kid and wanted a ten speed bike. Turned into a headache. There are too many moving parts to break down, and you spent more time trying to fix it than you did riding it. Does the dog walking around at night set off the motion sensors?
I agree with simple being better in an RV. We have an Airstream Flying Cloud which doesn’t have all of the power options and touch screens. No slide outs, no electric awnings, no auto leveling. We do have a 12v refrigerator and a tankless water heater. The refrigerator has been fine, the hot water heater can be a bit annoying at times but not a big deal.
Totally agree with your thoughts on the steps. We had the solid steps first, then the old school steps on our new camper. We definitely prefer the old school approach.
Great topic for your video. I have been RVing for 30 years and agree with you on everything except 12 volt refrigerators. I can only speak for the one in my Rockwood. It works great and is far superior to any absorption refrigerator I have owned. I will never go back to an absorption fridge.
I agree on the automatic jacks. My old 96 safari had manual hydraulic jacks. They were solid. Our new to us 09 newmar has electric automatic Atwood and they are obsolete and going in the trash. To be replaced by manual bigfoots.
Interesting mattress, I ended up going with a full queen purple. Love the thing, best for side sleepers. I do enjoy the 12v/gas fridge we have - also the dual water heater, gas and electric. I do like the switches rather than the touch screens, for some reason the touch screens don't last as long.
I like my solid steps. There's less trampoline action when the steps are used. I haven't used a 12 volt fridge, but my absorption fridge struggles to remain under 40 degrees.
A couple of comments: As to the auto levelers: I have had back surgery, and as anyone who also has, you're never quite the same. Autolevelers allow me to continue RV'ing as it limits the time I have to spend bending over to crank the scissor jacks. As to the 12V fridge: like any other product, there are differences in quality among the different vendors. That is where doing research prior to purchase comes in. Anyway, great video. Keep up the good work, and safe travels.
Thanks for a very informative video. I agree with you on most, but I like the 12 volt fridge and the convenience of it. Looking forward to the next video.
People like their gadgets which like you said are great when they work, the problems is when they fail; and they do, you have to find a tech somewhere and to replace this tuff can cost a lot. I guess I am just old school I like the KISS method. Keep it simple stupid. I want to be able to fix, over ride the problem myself. The steps I looked long and hard at and decided to just keep the fold out sets and add the solid stance to them and glad I did because some times ; very few, I wouldn`t be able to pull the steps down.
We do 95 percent dry camping and ALL of your upgrade complaints are our complaints! If you're a 'parking lot' camper, those are probably great. But not out in the boonies! Also, the LED strips, if a portion dies, you have to replace the whole strip. Don't know how much it costs to replace but at least with the pucks they're cheap and easy to replace.
Great video! I have auto levelers on our new trailer. They work pretty well most of the time. But as you stated they don't work if you are way off. On those occasions i back on to our Andersen quarter moon shaped levelers and then Auto level. They are much beefier than the standard stabilizers and do provide a lot more stability inside as you walk around. It takes a few uses to learn how to work them though (auto & manuall modes) Not sure I'd pay the premium for them again though (?). On the LED lights; I installed dimmer switches and it cured the lighting issues. I agree with your opinion on the steps. Mainly with all the dirt & water you end up with inside. My aluminum fold outs with an added small stabilizer underneath works just great.
I’m old school too and don’t disagree with anything you touched on cept the steps. We love those fold in steps because they’re so much more solid. My only complaint with the fold in style steps is they’re a pain to clean.
Touch screens - I'm with you. Don't need them or want them. Switches are the best. Along that same line, I DO NOT like everything connecting to a phone app. I have too much stuff on my phone now. Auto Level - There was a time I wanted it. But I've found the best solution for me is Anderson levelers and a Level Mate Pro. (which uses a phone app. LOL) with the Level Mate Pro, I'm level in minutes. Step Above (or Solid Step) - They're great when you are set up and going in/out. Yes there are some disadvantages. For one, I cannot get into my unit when it's in the storage bay, as there is not enough room between the trailer and the wall of the storage bay to get the step down. Another is that you have to adjust the length of the feet every time you put them down in a new location. But after 4 years of ownership, I still prefer the Step Above steps.
I agree with you about the touch screens. I prefer simple switches. When I bought my current TT I didn’t want auto leveling but the rig I wanted had it. So far it’s been great. We’ll see how long that lasts. I like things simple.
Good list, I think you are pretty much on the mark with your list. It brings up things to think about when purchasing and optioning a rig. As always your experience may differ, and everyone has different likes and dislikes.
Auto leveling- at your age probably not necessary. At my age I love it. Tell me you wouldn't love if you are setting up or breaking down and it is pouring down raining or just muddy you would not love it. Most of the campgrounds I have stayed in you can use it. If you can't you can manually level or at least stabilize your rig. If you can afford it go for it. I think most campers it's an upgrade.
This video kind of makes me laugh because I've had nothing but good experiences with upgrades1 through 5 - don't have any experience with 6 or 7. We have a 2021 Tiffin motorhome and 1) love the auto leveling and (knock on wood) have never had issues with it; 2) LOVE our tankless water heater but we have an all-electric coach so maybe that makes a difference; 3) don't see any color differences at all in our LED lighting; 4) Love our residential refrigerator too; and, finally, 5) Haven't had any problems with our touchscreen either (again, knock on wood!). I can certainly see why you've mentioned some of these items because my guess is that they have a high fail rate. But, for our lazy selves, I appreciate all of these niceties. Best regards to you and your family! P.S. One upgrade that wasn't mentioned was having an all-electric unit. I absolutely love ours and would never go back to worrying about propane tanks again.
I completely agree about the step above step. I don’t like it. It is a pain in the butt. Absolutely agree when you’re set up camp in all done and it’s set down. It’s great but I really don’t like them and wish I didn’t have it and had the old-school step.
Regarding touchscreens....I saw a unit at the Tampa Supershow this week that had touchscreens throughout the rig. Right beside the nightstand was one, with all of the "important" functions on the home screen. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, still groggy, and instead of turning on the nightlight you start retracting the bedroom slide or start the generator. :( Yeah, I understand the desire for integration and touchscreens, but there needs to be some common sense applied to them.
I agree with the solid steps...Not only are they heavy, but you get all the dirt in the rv when you put them away. AND, you also have to adjust the legs if you’re in an uneven ground. I much prefer the outside steps.
Thanks. So glad someone is mentioning the steps as a potential negative. We had them on our last trailer and ended up hating them because of all the reasons you mentioned in the video. Additionally we did not like them because of how much space you need on the side of the rig to open the steps and the door which was an issue in storage and at truck stops. And I agree now that I have a tankless water heater I think I liked the old style better on our previous unit.
You pretty much nailed them all! We have a 2017 Solitude with the absorption frig, gas/electric water heater, old school switches (no One Touch system) and Torklift GlowStep Revolution system (Grand Design had them as OEM for a while). I absolutely, hands down, believe the Torklift steps are superior. I don't want the dirt & water in my rig when its time to stow and go. You should partner with Torklift and get a set to review. While I would love to get a new Momentum for layout reasons, I don't want the 12v frig, tankless water heater, OneTouch system or the steps from Lippert or MorRyde. I'm keeping my auto leveling system for our fifth wheel though. Seriously, you don't need it on a travel trailer. I've owned two TTs and never felt the need for it.
I hated those motion sensor floor lights in our Grand Design. They were needlessly bright and no way to turn them off. We had a cat so you can imagine having those things light up all night long as the cat roamed around the RV all night. Glass doors in the bedroom and bathroom that let in light into the bedroom. Window over the headboard that lets in light and creates condensation creating mold in the bed board under the mattress. Why GD thought turning the bedroom into a glass light filled room was a good idea I'll never know. I ended up blacking out the lights and putting Rabbit Goo blackout window covering on the headboard window and glass doors so we didn't wake up with the early sunrise in the summer.
The fold out steps can be an issue at my storage lot. If the trailer next to me parks to close I cannot get the step down to access my trainer. This has happen twice in the last few months.
I totally agree with sticking to switches instead of touchscreens 👍🏻Way easier to fix if a problem occurs
Ideally they have switches with blue tooth connectivity to your phone.
I've only had two RVs and both had 12V fridges. Both worked great. I adjusted the temperature and forgot. The water bottles we had in there were frozen by the time we got to our campsite. As far as the LEDs, I agree. I like a warmer color than what most RVs come with.
Thanks... I'm with you on #5. Especially in vehicles. Switches and buttons evolved over time. They are intuitive and require less concentration by the user. I particularly dislike screen after screen to do the simplest function that a single flip or push would do. It is a conscious buying decision for me to avoid these.
I agree 100% with all of these. I really like my 2020 Imagine, just enough tech to be helpful but not over the top where we could have issues.
I watched Chad's water heater review. I'll stick with gas/elec. Just wish my 6 gal was more like 10-12.
My age group needs the solid steps - I am a youngster at 70 - and we could probably need the extended grab bar; they are a pain sometimes. I agree that keeping is simple is smart - most of us do not use all the features we purchase. Have not used auto-level, or motion sensors, or had an issue with color differences of LEDs - but bright - sometimes they burn thru your eyelids. We like our 12V fridge. I wanted a tankless, but your comments have made me reconsider - and our gas/electric works great. Per norm - THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO YOU PROVIDE.
As a person who likes to boondock, there are "improvements" that are everything but improvement. We boondocked/dry camped in Alaska for 3.5 months this summer. Auto level would have taken away from the carry capacity in our small trailer. A tankless water heater and 12v fridge would have made our lives miserable. We have a AC 200 Max Bluetti with a 2500w Champion duel fuel generator. I left the 2 solar panels at home. Too much rain, clouds and trees made that a good decision. From May 10th to the end of June, we needed to use the generator about 3 times. The rest of the time, our usage allowed us to just charge with the truck, while traveling. After a fishing trip, we ended up having to use the A/C side of the Bluetti, thereby draining it much faster. We had to start using the generator once a day. With two bricks, we charged up in under one hour usually, but would not want to have to do this all the time. The 65 lbs of fish in the portable freezer was worth it though!
I love my auto leveling, but yes you need to be aware of it's limitations before using it. We've had 4(5 with tongue connected) legs levelers and 6 leg levelers, and both need to be reset every so often, usually after a power cycle.
In our current spot here in Georgia we needed to dig a trench for the tires and use blocks under the front landing gear to get level and stable.
The only reasons I can think of for a tankless water heater is if you have a dishwasher or washing machine, otherwise you can shower a whole family of 4 every day without issues.
I like the solid steps on my RV except when I need to use a dump station. After dumping the black tank, I want to go in and add water and treatment to the toilet. However, often times, there is no room to open the steps to get into the RV. Sometimes, if it's a double dump station I would have to open the steps almost directly onto the sewer drain of the adjacent station. Sometimes, the steps are landing on a curb or a drop off, making it near impossible to fold them down for access into the RV. We have the same issue when traveling and stopping at a truck stop for a meal. Often, there is no room between parked trailers to pull down the solid steps to get into the RV for something before leaving.
I’ll limit my detailed comments to the water heater. I’ve had both the old school tank type and my current tankless. I LOVE my Truma AquaGo Comfort Plus tankless! Yeah, it’s propane only, but it doesn’t use all that much, except when it’s actually firing. Otherwise, if I leave it on all the time, it only fires for a few seconds to keep its hybrid tank (about a pint, I think) warm until hot water is called for at any faucet. It does not react to low flow by shutting off-nor does it fail to provide hot water at high flows. That’s its major plus, that it works at any flow and any pressure. It’s truly excellent.
But I’m aware that almost all other tankless water heaters have the major faults of requiring a certain flow before they’ll fire at all, but too much flow will overwhelm them so that the water doesn’t have a chance to get warm.
As for other “upgrades”, I’m really old school with leveling-I use 2x8 boards.
I have touch screens by Spyder, and I’d say they’ve worked perfectly 99% of the time. In the 6+ years I’ve had them, I’ve had to shut off the power to reboot them maybe 3 or 4 times. The advantage of touch screens is that the electrical system is multiplex-much fewer wires or involved cabling to operate the electrical items than individual switches.
I’m on the fence about 12v fridges. My 3-way absorption fridge works pretty well, but not perfectly, especially in really hot weather. A 12v fridge would work better in hot weather and would cool more quickly. But a 12v fridge would take more battery power.
Agree that the Truma has worked like a champ in all conditions for us, whether boondocking or hookup camping. We also like the 12v fridge which gives us more room in the same footprint and has been keeping more steady temps than our previous absorption fringes.
We have a Truma in our Sprinter, and we love it! Have never had a problem with it!
I’ve heard great things!
Love your channel! You are such great & kind folks!! We are currently looking into purchasing a 5th wheel and starting into part time camping and travelling. I have learned so much information from you! We will be using this information in our purchase and after the purchase!! Thank you so much and hope you continue to have safe & fun travels!!
Agree 100%.
I have an older trailer so lots of these are not an issue.
We boondock so power is always the big thing, having a 12 volt fridge would cut my time down. We like to camp in the trees so solar not an option I am willing to spend the money on. Plus live on the west coast of Canada so we don't get the temperatures where the gas fridge quits working, ours always cools, the freezer will freeze stuff rock hard in hours.
I have converted my lighting over to LED. I wasn't really sure which ones I wanted so I tried a couple of different bulbs. I ran the warm light pretty much everywhere, put the colder lights in over the kitchen sink thinking it would be good for doing the dishes and such. Hated them, swapped the whole trailer over to a nice warm color, much more inviting.
I thought about a tankless water heater but honestly, the 6 gallon tank we have works just fine, plus boon docking so having an unlimited supply of hot water not always a good thing.
As for motion lights, we just keep some really low power flashlights beside the beds and use them in the middle of the night. When it is pitch black a motion light on the floor would have me wide awake, plus we have the dog who will wander around during the nigh finding the perfect spot to nap.
I am looking at one of those leveling sensors that works on your phone, my wife has a disability so I pretty much do everything by myself. But auto-level no way.
I just found your video, and agree with you. Switches! I want Switches! This touch screen feature is just an indication of marketing arrogance TELLING US what is an improvement. If the industry just listened to what customers are saying, instead of putting the latest electronic feature in because the marketing dept says so, the complaints might reduce. Besides, what do you do when the touch screen packs it in?
Our flipdown step legs issue was high uneven ground. The legs barely extended to reach the ground, which is needed to hold the weight of the steps. Plus it was a big drop off from the bottom step to the ground. Also had to find and extra "step" alternative that would give us more stability than the usual stepstool kind of option. We found step up exercise blocks with adjustable legs work great. Cheap from a thrift store, adjustable height and wide enough to rest the legs of the steps on one and then a second as an extra wide "bottom" step.
100% concur with you about the tankless water heater. I despise them for all the reasons you mention.
We have a 12volt fridge in our Rockwood and so far it's working great.
1st I love the auto level on our Reflection. Problem free so far so maybe that could change later. Also love our 12 volt fridge. Cools down so much faster and works better in hot weather. The LED lights being different color temperatures would drive me crazy too. I'm indifferent on the water heater...they both have pros and cons but our tankless has worked flawless. Lastly the steps. Yes they are a pain at times but I would not trade them for the old style because I hate the bounce. I would add one you didn't mention and that is sky lights. They can be nice for daytime light but let in heat, too much light comes in early in the morning and it's just additional holes in the roof where water can find it's way in. Thanks as always for your content!
We are cold weather campers. The Furrion tankless water heater in our Reflection does not work well in cold weather. In fact, we have issues with it freezing. The folks at furrion tell us it is not guarenteed to work at lower than 40 degrees. Never had probelms with our previous gas/electric hot water heater.
Ya i totally agree with keeping the old style flip out steps. When i get a new rig later this year i will absolutely not take delivery of it untill the old style steps are retro fitted to it.
I enjoy my hydraulic auto leveling system. Works great. I have seen electric leveling not working as well. I saw the changing lanes video on tankless water heaters and it was well done. Based on that video I wouldn’t get one. If you have a delay every time you turn off the water that wouldn’t be convenient. On led lights you have to decide if you want warm or white. Makes a difference and they all need to match. Fridge: I have 2 trailers, a 5th wheel with 12 volt and a bumper pull with gas/electric. Advantages/disadvantages to each depending on how you are RVing. On a long travel day the 12 volt can drain your batteries. Good video and I appreciate your opinions.
I agree with you. Everything is on touchscreen in my RV. Takes me forever just to turn the bedroom light on. I’d rather not have the touchscreen at all or maybe a combination of touchscreen and switches. But I do love my auto level and absolutely hate my gas/electric fridge! It’s a pain to keep that thing cool in the summer.
I agree with most of your list.
Auto level in our Solitude is great, but it's hydraulic. I don't think travel trailers need auto level. You are correct, it has generally an easy task to level manually.
Touchscreens are just another gimic that will fail at some point. Tankless water heaters are horrible for RVs.
We have a Norcold fridge that struggled to stay at temps set. It is located in a slideout, which creates kniwn issues with cooling and ventilation. We went to JC Refrigeration and had it converted to a 12v. It's a great option.
We also love our Solid Step. The issues do exist as you mentioned but it's worth it to us. We have two sets of step mats cut to fit and we have a mat on the floor to catch dirt when folded in.
Great video and some great points to consider.
100000% agreed on the touchscreens -- give me plain ole 12v toggle switches every day!
Our levelmate pro makes leveling so easy but you still need two people to level a trailer attached to a truck for most leveling configurations.
It's been 1.5 years so far and my LCI Ground Control TT has never worked for more that 2 weeks at a time. It's in the dealership now to replace the main controller. Absolutely AWESOME when it works.. but really sucks when they don't. Luckily, one fix they made allows me to manually control all the jacks and watch my bubble levels when the auto feature fails. Also, mine once randomly extended the tongue jack when nobody was near the trailer. Good thing that didn't happen on the road!
I completely agree about the LED colors! We looked at some new Grand Designs and the strips were a different color than the dinette pucks which were a different color than the bunk lights. It was very noticeable to us, and the strip lights had a flicker that gave us headaches. We didn’t have any of those issues in our 2021 GD Transcend. Hopefully they get it worked out.
We replaced the bright white led puck lights in our Winnie 2108ds with warm light dimmable puck lights and it made a huge difference in our enjoyment of our evening lighting. They are pretty easy to replace, but we shouldn’t have to. Also they are inexpensive. No reason manufacturers should put them in, other than during the sales process it makes the unit look brighter and more desirable.
I really like my auto levelers. Yes I do have to get it somewhat level so that I don't raise any wheels off of the ground as that is what you are not suppose to do. Haven't had any trouble (knock on wood) with them and hopefully I won't. We really like our Lippert Solid Step. We did put the handrail on the Solid Step which helps out. It doesn't bother us that I have to clean or wipe them off before we raise them to put away. As we have before with any camper that we have owned, we usually don't even go into the camper until it's level. We have a residential refrigerator and really like it. We don't do any boondocking soo we are good with it. I pretty much agree with most of the other upgrades that you mentioned. I still wish that we had the old manual awning on our camper. They were so much better built. They would take a pretty good storm and be just fine. The electric awnings we have now I just can't trust them at all to be out in any weather.
I agree on the steps. Id like to see them as an option. One thing holding us back in getting a new unit - everything we like has the new steps and where we park the unit at our home, we dont have the space to swing them down. ( Next to our house), So I wont be able to get into the unit when its parked. Not practical
.
I've had great luck with the 12v fridge, just like the one in your video. It cools down fast and I never have temp issues. Given, I boondock often and have solar, it works no matter what. As for the touchscreen, they just plain stink.
3. Well, I jumped on the Stabil Steps bandwagon because of my bride's walking disability and my aging arthritic knees. The floorplan of our GD Transcend 240ML actually requires fixed steps since the door opening is over the camp side wheel well. However, for the reasons you cited, and constant dirt I would seriously consider going back to the lighter and more manageable folding steps.
Definitely agree about steps, but I do like 12 fridge and on demand water heater works great for me but it is not necessary
Yes on switches, no touchscreen anything. I love my 12v Truckfridge though, it uses very little power. Compressor is nearly silent, and doesn't come on often.
Great video- thanks! Here’s my chime-in:
Auto-leveling - we did an RV Share before we purchased our camper. The owners did the setup - it was raining and a very unlevel site and the poor guy had to take half a lumberyard out of his truck to get the AL system to work. We’ve since set up our own camper in similar conditions (fully manual leveling) and we got set up in half the time, so I agree with you, not an upgrade.
LED lights - my pet peeve. I’m a degreed mechanical engineer and even I struggled to understand the “temperature spectrum” at first for home LED lighting. Jayco did a good job of color matching in our Feather 25RB, but have seen at RV shows the LED mixed bag and knew it looked like a trouble spot. To be fair, we only have the puck lights on the ceiling and under the counters so not much chance of messing up, but definitely something to watch for.
Tankless - we have one at home and love it but I don’t want one AT ALL on my camper. If we need fast hot water, I have run both electric and gas simultaneously to speed up recovery but all in all, I’m with you - NOT an upgrade.
12V fridge - our Furrion works great, but I have heard about a new brand showing up that is trouble and also some GE branded ones that are actually “new brand” with a GE badge that are trouble. We don’t do enough long-haul camping to need road access and gas absorption fridge so the 12V fits the bill for us.
Solid Steps - we love them but agree with you that it slows down setup and leveling, and also is a pain especially when I forget to raise the steps before lowering the trailer for departure, then raise them and forget the threshold isn’t clear and try to close the exterior door with the steps’ hinge up in the way….
Oh, and definitely +1 on the digital screens. Give me an analog switch panel with a Bluetooth link to an app on my cellphone, or just skip the app. Between broken gas struts, loose door hinges, shaken-loose trim pieces from transit, and keeping up my side and rear camera rig, I have enough to do maintenance wise….
All in all, as my wife says, “it’s a camper, not a residence - keep it simple, stupid”…
The color temperature of the lights not matching isn't an LED problem, it's a manufacturer problem. Our RV has all LED and they are all the same color temp.
You mean Winnebago. I have a true Grand Design and for 7 years we have had zero issues. Since Winnibago bought them, my friend has a 2022, their customer services stink and quality went down. Ask me how we know. He has had issuse after issue with months before customer service gets back to him. I always have recommended GD, between structural problems and poor interior quality lately i no longer recommend them. He traded for a Brinkly. This year we will do the same. Covid destroyed us in so many ways
Totally agree! Solid steps, the hot water heater and 12v fridges are all something I wish we could option out of.
We have enjoyed our 12 V fridge with no problems over 3 years. They have more space inside than propane, better circulation, and can run off of solar while traveling without the risk of propane on during travel. Adjusting temperature has not been a problem. Just our experience. In bad weather we can get several days of power off a 2battery setup when off grid. We would never go back.
Pretty much agree with you on everything. We just ordered a new Alliance with a 12v fridge and I'm a little worried about it.
I think part of your problem with the tankless water heater and maybe even the 12 volt fridge is the Furrion brand. I've been quite underwhelmed with Furrion's quality. We have a Truma tankless water heater and I love it. Yes, it only works on propane but I've been shocked at how little propane it does use. I always use water from the holding tank with the pump. That eliminates campground pressure issues and the pump in the RV is plenty for the Truma water heater.
I agree with every item on your list. Good to know I’m not the only one that feels that way.
I have a 22 momentum and I have never had to manually level my rv. The auto level is great for me. I press one button and it does its thing. I wouldn’t buy one without it. My biggest complaint about the touch screen panels is they are soo slow to respond.
Totally agree with the LED lighting. I had to swap out lighting bcos it was not the same color. Huge difference between 2700k and 3500k.
You are 100% correct with the touchscreens. I get it, centralized wiring and BT connection to another onboard control system. I cannot add a heat strip to my AC unit bcos it will require a lot of rewiring and adding of another thermostat bcos of this centralized control system. Dont get me started on how unreliable the touchscreen is… I have an extra android tablet available just in case the OEM screen goes out. RV manufacturers need to go back to basics.
LOVE my auto level!
I'll NEVER have a 12V fridge! EVER!
Motion sensor lights are for storage compartments, not bedrooms.
Love the solid steps. Pros outweigh any cons.
I too have no use for a tankless water heater. I used to shut the hot water off at the source if my son was in the shower longer than 4 minutes. We do have the option to suplement the electric heater with propane by turning on both heating options at high demand times.
I also prefer manual switches to any electronic option... that said, I do like auto level. There are times I need to roll up on 2x8's to get the trailer close to level before I hit the "auto level" button. Sometimes I need to put both sides of the trailer on 2x8's, to either allow the steps to rest on an adjacent concrete pad, or to level front to back without the front of the trailer hitting the ground.
RV travel/living is all about being prepared to adjust to current conditions. Don't let them sell you what you don't need and keep enjoying the RV life.
my vote for the worst "upgrade" would be
that horrible firefly system that will leave you stranded for control of the coach if it breaks, terrible idea especially considering how cheaply the components are made.
My rig is a 2016 Montana and I would hate the steps that fold out, tankless water heaters or controls on a screen.
Our imagine 2600 RB had a new Tobol refrigerator and we didn’t have any issues with it. We replaced our imagine with the reflection 337 RLS and it too has a 12 V refrigerator and it as well. Did not have any issues. Now we’re replacing our reflection with a Solitude Which will have the largest to refrigerator yet at 20 ft.³. We’re expecting to take delivery of this sometime in March so the jury still out on this one.
As far as the steps are concerned, the morryde on the reflection, or just fine. The problem I always have going up or going down the steps on the imagine, and the reflection was the door frame size. Being a little taller, and a little wider, I had to think about ducking my head, and twisting my shoulders to clear the height and width of the door frame. In the new solitude that will not be an issue at all. We also found a wraparound Astroturf like material for the steps which added a lot of grip and stability to them.
To be honest, I never gave any thought to how low water flow pressure would affect our tankless water heater. Didn’t have any issues in the reflection, mostly due to it being hooked up to RV park water.
Keep up the great videos!
We absolutely love our auto level, that being said, we have had only one issue, and that was over stroking one leg due to a hole , it couldn't reach. Our last 3 units have had residential fridges and that works best for us. Just bought a new unit, and our first touch screen, and I will say right away, they lack real switches in very important places, there are some switches that are also on the touch panel, but they could do a better job doubling up. Us personally, would never go back to flip stairs, we have had both brands of ground contact steps, and other than having to put them down just to jump in quick, they are great, .....yes we have to be level before landing them, but we just do our connections while leveling and then open up. Really nothing that can't be dealt with, but personal preference it what its all about, my wife and I have said after many units, there is no perfect camper.
Completely agree on touch screens, camping isn’t supposed to be stressful. Technology isn’t stress free.
Great video
6 years with our autolevel and would not want to be without it. People need to learn how to use it and get close to level side to side before hitting the button. Not a fan of tankless heaters or touchscreens. My biggest beef is cheap electric awnings.
Ah, electric awnings should have definitely made the list!!
I love my auto level, but got to start it properly
Tankless water heater sucks!
LED lights, only have pucks, and color matches fine…I added strip lights for for mood lighting
12v fridge, but full sized side by side, love it! But it is a power hog!
Agreed on touch screens and the bus system…rather have manual rockers…
We had our last RV for 7 years. The electric autolevel worked well. We did need to replace one motor, but that wasn't difficult. Thanks for the video
Brother,
A Massive Amen on the nasty overbright 5000K light.
Under no circumstance should RVs have LED lights without a Dimmer and 2700K.
Cheers, Eric
Agree!!
So far, love our 12v fridge. Haven’t had any issues.
Totally agree on the water heater and touch screens, but I love my 12v fridge... Love your videos!
The thing that drives me me crazy is is having windows that don’t open And one of my windows only allows a quarter of it to open and also my rv only has a roof vent in the rest room so I have to leave the restroom door open to use it to draw more air in
Hmm, that does stink… no pun intended
Wishing we didn't have a tankless water heater, especially when trying to conserve water - by the time hot water gets to the sink 2 gal. are wasted.
The biggest issue with auto level is low voltage. The other is stroke.
12 volt fridges are getting better, installation was the big issue. Wiring wouldn’t support the amp draw. Burnt up components.
I hate touch screens. The touch screen doesn’t work. Nothing works. LCI does have a relay box you can work from, but you don’t need everything blue tooth
The solid steps with quick adjust legs are not bad. The pin was a PIA. Lots of bent doors where the threshold was too high
Water heaters. Tankless for full hookup. Traditional for boondocking. I’ve seen very few issues with the tankless recently. The biggest issue has actually been the tanked redesign and complaints of water is too hot. 150 deg at the faucet. Was told that’s in spec. Mix with cold at faucet they say. Not what a camper with kids wants to hear. But who camps with little kids, the little bunk units they put these in?
If only all motion sensors had an off. Please
Lot of new units have been simplified. Demand for cheaper. Well demand is the extremes. Cheap as can be or all the bells and whistles
Agree with most everything, especially the tankless water heater trend. That being said I have to disagree with the 12v fridge thoughts. We have had one for 4 years now, and it’s been flawless. We use a traceable thermometer to monitor the fridge temps- it records the max and min temps and gives us a nice piece of mind that our food has been at the proper temp while travelling etc. What we have found is the fridge holds a very precise temp range of about 2 degrees variation, literally over the course of the entire summer season. Our rv is always plugged in and the fridge is on from April to November, and it holds temp even when its 95 outside and god only knows how hot inside the closed up rv. Same is true while traveling. Would never go back to gas electric.
Totally agree. We love our 12v fridge and have never had an issue. Hubby did install solar so it runs continually from April (ish) through October (ish) depending on when season begins and ends. We will open the trailer up and stock it so we turn the fridge on a day before we stock it. We don’t have to turn it up then down for each trip. We just turn it on and keep it at the second setting all season. We had stayed in our in law’s trailer that had a propane fridge. It was horrid! It was shallow and didn’t hold much plus it took a day to get cold. Every time we left, it was turned off and upon return, back on. This was the great for weekend stays.
1. 100% agree. I don't even like electric stabilizers. One more thing to break.
2. We almost always use propane for our tanked water heater to save amperage. Tankless is an upgrade that I've always been curious about.
3. The LED strips seem like a bad idea. I like being able to turn on a single puck or two in a specific area.
4. Yes and No. I paid extra for a gas/electric fridge in my trailer. But I swapped the outside fridge (110 only) with 12v. Now I can use both fridges while boondocking while minimizing battery usage.
5. I agree. Switches/buttons all the way w/ Bluetooth capability.
*1. Motion sensor lights for cabinets/pantries/storage is great. In the main living area, not so much.
*2. 100% agree. I've been contemplating switching back to the old folding steps since getting our new trailer in 2022.
As an old timer (bought our first pop-up camper in 1988) , I agree with most of your comments. We bought our first motorhome in 2018 (Newmar Bay Star) and last summer, we downsized to a Sprinter chassis Winnebago Via and with both rigs, I really like the auto levelers. But, I agree that there are situations where they don't work well and you have to manually level. We owned three travel trailers over the years, and with a travel trailer I'm not so sure I'd want the expense and weight of a auto leveling system but I can understand older folks wanting them!
I strongly agree about LED lighting and the necessity of matching the color range of the light. But converting older lighting to LED lighting can save a lot of juice if you are running off batteries. In the case of our Bay Star, getting rid of old halogen reading lights got rid of the tremendous amount of heat that halogen lights create.
Propane/electric water heaters are fine for campers! I can't see the need for tankless heaters even though I like the tankless heater we had installed in our house about a year ago. In an RV, the standard 6 gallon propane/electric heater does the job and the recovery time isn't an issue even for several campers getting showers.
Finally, I love technology but agree strongly about the trend towards too much of it for many of the features in an RV. There's certainly enough regular maintenance on an RV that we don't need to worry about problems created by an electronic screen/controls failing and agree that replacing a basic switch or light socket can be a lot easier than dealing with electronic failures!! And, if the manufacturers would spend more time improving RV quality rather than on unnecessary technological "improvements", we'd all be happier!!
I really appreciate your approach to your content. Your logic makes a lot of sense and I thank you for your RV content.
I agree with pretty much all of that except the fridge. Have had 2 gas/electric fridges and hated them. We have a 12 volt in our Transcend and love it. The gas ones took forever to get cold and didn't get very cold or maintain it very well. The 12 volt we throw food in it before we leave after turning it on and 1-2 hours later when we arrive it is already fairly cold. The touch screen reminds me of when you were a kid and wanted a ten speed bike. Turned into a headache. There are too many moving parts to break down, and you spent more time trying to fix it than you did riding it. Does the dog walking around at night set off the motion sensors?
I agree with simple being better in an RV. We have an Airstream Flying Cloud which doesn’t have all of the power options and touch screens. No slide outs, no electric awnings, no auto leveling. We do have a 12v refrigerator and a tankless water heater. The refrigerator has been fine, the hot water heater can be a bit annoying at times but not a big deal.
Totally agree with your thoughts on the steps. We had the solid steps first, then the old school steps on our new camper. We definitely prefer the old school approach.
Absolutely right! How can I get RID of my Solid Steps and dumping dirt and rain into the coach? Every reason you gave is correct.
I'm with you regarding the steps, I personally dislike them.
Great topic for your video. I have been RVing for 30 years and agree with you on everything except 12 volt refrigerators. I can only speak for the one in my Rockwood. It works great and is far superior to any absorption refrigerator I have owned. I will never go back to an absorption fridge.
I agree on the automatic jacks. My old 96 safari had manual hydraulic jacks. They were solid. Our new to us 09 newmar has electric automatic Atwood and they are obsolete and going in the trash. To be replaced by manual bigfoots.
Interesting mattress, I ended up going with a full queen purple. Love the thing, best for side sleepers. I do enjoy the 12v/gas fridge we have - also the dual water heater, gas and electric. I do like the switches rather than the touch screens, for some reason the touch screens don't last as long.
I like my solid steps. There's less trampoline action when the steps are used.
I haven't used a 12 volt fridge, but my absorption fridge struggles to remain under 40 degrees.
A couple of comments:
As to the auto levelers: I have had back surgery, and as anyone who also has, you're never quite the same. Autolevelers allow me to continue RV'ing as it limits the time I have to spend bending over to crank the scissor jacks.
As to the 12V fridge: like any other product, there are differences in quality among the different vendors. That is where doing research prior to purchase comes in.
Anyway, great video. Keep up the good work, and safe travels.
Thanks for a very informative video. I agree with you on most, but I like the 12 volt fridge and the convenience of it. Looking forward to the next video.
People like their gadgets which like you said are great when they work, the problems is when they fail; and they do, you have to find a tech somewhere and to replace this tuff can cost a lot. I guess I am just old school I like the KISS method. Keep it simple stupid. I want to be able to fix, over ride the problem myself. The steps I looked long and hard at and decided to just keep the fold out sets and add the solid stance to them and glad I did because some times ; very few, I wouldn`t be able to pull the steps down.
A LevelMate Pro and a couple of Andersons and I can level the camper in less than 5 minutes.
Your 7 for 7 for us too. I guess that's why we keep this old rig. Putting the solid stance on our fold down stairs was a plus though.
We do 95 percent dry camping and ALL of your upgrade complaints are our complaints! If you're a 'parking lot' camper, those are probably great. But not out in the boonies! Also, the LED strips, if a portion dies, you have to replace the whole strip. Don't know how much it costs to replace but at least with the pucks they're cheap and easy to replace.
Completely agree on the auto level,, its not that's freaking hard considering how much can go wrong with all the stuff involved with auto leveling.
Great video! I have auto levelers on our new trailer. They work pretty well most of the time. But as you stated they don't work if you are way off. On those occasions i back on to our Andersen quarter moon shaped levelers and then Auto level. They are much beefier than the standard stabilizers and do provide a lot more stability inside as you walk around. It takes a few uses to learn how to work them though (auto & manuall modes) Not sure I'd pay the premium for them again though (?). On the LED lights; I installed dimmer switches and it cured the lighting issues. I agree with your opinion on the steps. Mainly with all the dirt & water you end up with inside. My aluminum fold outs with an added small stabilizer underneath works just great.
Tankless water heater not for me and the same with the steps getting all that dirt in the camper.
I’m old school too and don’t disagree with anything you touched on cept the steps. We love those fold in steps because they’re so much more solid. My only complaint with the fold in style steps is they’re a pain to clean.
Touch screens - I'm with you. Don't need them or want them. Switches are the best. Along that same line, I DO NOT like everything connecting to a phone app. I have too much stuff on my phone now.
Auto Level - There was a time I wanted it. But I've found the best solution for me is Anderson levelers and a Level Mate Pro. (which uses a phone app. LOL) with the Level Mate Pro, I'm level in minutes.
Step Above (or Solid Step) - They're great when you are set up and going in/out. Yes there are some disadvantages. For one, I cannot get into my unit when it's in the storage bay, as there is not enough room between the trailer and the wall of the storage bay to get the step down. Another is that you have to adjust the length of the feet every time you put them down in a new location. But after 4 years of ownership, I still prefer the Step Above steps.
Agree 100% with your list.
I agree with you about the touch screens. I prefer simple switches.
When I bought my current TT I didn’t want auto leveling but the rig I wanted had it. So far it’s been great. We’ll see how long that lasts. I like things simple.
Good list, I think you are pretty much on the mark with your list. It brings up things to think about when purchasing and optioning a rig. As always your experience may differ, and everyone has different likes and dislikes.
Auto leveling- at your age probably not necessary. At my age I love it. Tell me you wouldn't love if you are setting up or breaking down and it is pouring down raining or just muddy you would not love it. Most of the campgrounds I have stayed in you can use it. If you can't you can manually level or at least stabilize your rig. If you can afford it go for it. I think most campers it's an upgrade.
This video kind of makes me laugh because I've had nothing but good experiences with upgrades1 through 5 - don't have any experience with 6 or 7. We have a 2021 Tiffin motorhome and 1) love the auto leveling and (knock on wood) have never had issues with it; 2) LOVE our tankless water heater but we have an all-electric coach so maybe that makes a difference; 3) don't see any color differences at all in our LED lighting; 4) Love our residential refrigerator too; and, finally, 5) Haven't had any problems with our touchscreen either (again, knock on wood!). I can certainly see why you've mentioned some of these items because my guess is that they have a high fail rate. But, for our lazy selves, I appreciate all of these niceties. Best regards to you and your family! P.S. One upgrade that wasn't mentioned was having an all-electric unit. I absolutely love ours and would never go back to worrying about propane tanks again.
I completely agree about the step above step. I don’t like it. It is a pain in the butt. Absolutely agree when you’re set up camp in all done and it’s set down. It’s great but I really don’t like them and wish I didn’t have it and had the old-school step.
OK Siri voice. Dictation messed up that message.
My new rockwood lights are great 👍🏻
Regarding touchscreens....I saw a unit at the Tampa Supershow this week that had touchscreens throughout the rig. Right beside the nightstand was one, with all of the "important" functions on the home screen. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, still groggy, and instead of turning on the nightlight you start retracting the bedroom slide or start the generator. :( Yeah, I understand the desire for integration and touchscreens, but there needs to be some common sense applied to them.
I agree with the solid steps...Not only are they heavy, but you get all the dirt in the rv when you put them away. AND, you also have to adjust the legs if you’re in an uneven ground. I much prefer the outside steps.
Thanks. So glad someone is mentioning the steps as a potential negative. We had them on our last trailer and ended up hating them because of all the reasons you mentioned in the video. Additionally we did not like them because of how much space you need on the side of the rig to open the steps and the door which was an issue in storage and at truck stops. And I agree now that I have a tankless water heater I think I liked the old style better on our previous unit.
You pretty much nailed them all! We have a 2017 Solitude with the absorption frig, gas/electric water heater, old school switches (no One Touch system) and Torklift GlowStep Revolution system (Grand Design had them as OEM for a while). I absolutely, hands down, believe the Torklift steps are superior. I don't want the dirt & water in my rig when its time to stow and go. You should partner with Torklift and get a set to review. While I would love to get a new Momentum for layout reasons, I don't want the 12v frig, tankless water heater, OneTouch system or the steps from Lippert or MorRyde. I'm keeping my auto leveling system for our fifth wheel though. Seriously, you don't need it on a travel trailer. I've owned two TTs and never felt the need for it.
My auto level is never level always have to manually level our class A
Try a 12/24 volt compressor Frig. They work great. I will never go back to gas Frig.
I hated those motion sensor floor lights in our Grand Design. They were needlessly bright and no way to turn them off. We had a cat so you can imagine having those things light up all night long as the cat roamed around the RV all night. Glass doors in the bedroom and bathroom that let in light into the bedroom. Window over the headboard that lets in light and creates condensation creating mold in the bed board under the mattress. Why GD thought turning the bedroom into a glass light filled room was a good idea I'll never know. I ended up blacking out the lights and putting Rabbit Goo blackout window covering on the headboard window and glass doors so we didn't wake up with the early sunrise in the summer.
We're currently looking to buy a new 5th wheel. This is great info to have and will definitely use this in our buying decision
The fold out steps can be an issue at my storage lot. If the trailer next to me parks to close I cannot get the step down to access my trainer. This has happen twice in the last few months.
100% agree on everything he is saying. I feel like I've been saying this myself for years!