More stuff installed today

John_Canfield · 08-22-2005, 01:52 PM

Yehaw - I now have starting batteries being charged all of the time the coach is sitting (plugged in of course.) I ordered and this morning installed a Xantrex Echo~Charge. It was a simple three wire hookup. I took some pictures which I will post in a few days.

I should have gotten pictures of the afternoon project - installing the Splendide 2100 washer dryer. It was just me and the DW

for the man/girl handling of the 150 lb (or whatever) behemoth.

It was my Kubota loader to the rescue - I had the Splendide strapped to the bucket and raised it up very high and postitioned it as close as possible to the door. (I removed the door keeper which allowed the door to open to about 160 degrees or so.) I had a board from the co-pilot seat to the dash, and two boards from that board to the loader bucket. We shoved/tugged/pulled/rocked the thing in the coach. It was a very anxious moment and I'm glad our pastor wasn't around

It was all downhill once it was in the door. The thing is hooked up and seems to run okay. No leaks that I can see.

Next project is installing the Xantrex RS2000 and auto gen start. I'll start that in a few days.

--John (with fresh cuts, bruises, and bad knees now)

John_Canfield · 08-22-2005, 01:52 PM

Yehaw - I now have starting batteries being charged all of the time the coach is sitting (plugged in of course.) I ordered and this morning installed a Xantrex Echo~Charge. It was a simple three wire hookup. I took some pictures which I will post in a few days.

I should have gotten pictures of the afternoon project - installing the Splendide 2100 washer dryer. It was just me and the DW

for the man/girl handling of the 150 lb (or whatever) behemoth.

It was my Kubota loader to the rescue - I had the Splendide strapped to the bucket and raised it up very high and postitioned it as close as possible to the door. (I removed the door keeper which allowed the door to open to about 160 degrees or so.) I had a board from the co-pilot seat to the dash, and two boards from that board to the loader bucket. We shoved/tugged/pulled/rocked the thing in the coach. It was a very anxious moment and I'm glad our pastor wasn't around

It was all downhill once it was in the door. The thing is hooked up and seems to run okay. No leaks that I can see.

Next project is installing the Xantrex RS2000 and auto gen start. I'll start that in a few days.

--John (with fresh cuts, bruises, and bad knees now)

BucknJeff · 08-23-2005, 05:44 PM

Having fun are we!!

I remember pulling out the 2100, and then bringing in the new stack units. NOT Fun.

Did you get the foot clamps to screw it down to the floor?

They should have come with the new unit.

Have fun with your new projects! We are.

Cheers!!

Lucchese1 · 08-24-2005, 05:31 AM

Just a reminder to make sure the support shelf under the 2100 is enough, after two months of use the small 1x1 side supports gave way and I had to build additional support to strengthen. When it is loaded and spinning it really vibrates, avoid using it on the road and also learn that it does less than a 1/3rd of normal load so just have to do more but we still would not be without it! look forward to the pictures of the charger!
Thanks Ben!

John_Canfield · 08-24-2005, 07:34 AM

Hey guys - Oh boy were we having fun

We have a real sense of accomplishment though.

I did get the Splendide brackets and even managed to figure how they were supposed to be used. The foot brackets were simple enough; the top brackets were a little more ambiguous.

Ben - I did remember a post about the floor under the Splendid not being stong enough. I used a hardwood 3/4" by 4" by 23" long strongback under the floor (a strongback is a stiffener screwed to the underside or topside of a panel.) I also supported the rear of the WD floor which was free-floating surprisingly.

The Echo~Charger seems to work well.

I'll get pictures posted probably by Sunday.

--John

Lucky13 · 08-24-2005, 09:24 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Echo~Charger </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
John, I'm also looking at the Echo~Charger. Originally I was interested in the TRIK-L-START but like the Echo~Charger better even though it's twice the price. The literature says to mount it in a dry, non-dusty place, where did you mount yours? I assume in the battery box area since it needs to be within 2' of the batteries. I've seen it for about $105 on the net, is that about right? Who did you buy yours from? Thanks.

hogbreth · 08-24-2005, 10:06 AM

John,
I'm interested in your install of the RS 2000 and the auto start. I own a 2004 Horizon and have been contimplating the same thing.
John bennett
[email protected]

John_Canfield · 08-24-2005, 11:16 AM

Lucky - I ordered the Echo~Charge from Northern Arizona Wind and Sun. It was $136 and web ordering worked well. Here is the link to order. The Echo~Charge was rather difficult to find when I was doing a Google - so I really couldn't do price-shopping. I hunted for almost an hour on the 'net. I installed mine in the basement compartment just aft of the battery compartment. The compartment is out of the weather, but close enough to the batteries. I used #14 wire so I wouldn't have any voltage drop.

John - I'll start the RS2000/auto gen start install next week. I'm planning on taking pictures and documenting the install. I'll let ya'll know when it's finished.

--John

JanBCarter · 08-25-2005, 06:46 AM

John: Hope you find the effort was worth it. I'll bet you could find a number of people that would have given you the darned Splendide. So far the best suggestion I've seen is to remove it and use the space for storage. Unit is slow, slows, slow (did i say slow?) which I guess one should expect for a 120VAC dryer. Knowing what i know now, I would definitely not want another unit with one in it.

JamesOne · 08-25-2005, 02:40 PM

Well, I guess there is always one with a different opinion. We used ours in our new coach to and from Maryland to California. Yes, it is slow but it worked for us. We could wash and dry two sheets and two pillow cases in one load in a couple of hours while we were out sightseeing or whatever. For us, the convenience of not having to sit in a laundramat watching the machines is well worth it. We learned to do only one load a day rather than our whole weeks wash in one day as we do at home.

We think our Splendide is splendid.

RKL2 · 08-25-2005, 03:55 PM

John...did the same install as you did with the Splendide after the first one failed...I also installed a portable water leak detector on the floor under the Splendide to alert for any water leaks. My 1st Splendide leaked slowly at the water pump for a long time and made a slow mess of the floor.
The detector I have runs on a 4.5V battery which lasts a year plus. It is about the size of a deck of cards and alarms when water hits two prongs...I got it at a either Home Depot or Lowes store for about $10. nice piece of mind product....RKL

Savannah · 08-25-2005, 04:06 PM

We installed a drain pan and a drain under our washer since it also leaks now and then.

It may be slow but I just adjust my time as needed and can't say that I miss the laundramat at all.

Rick Buddrus · 08-26-2005, 05:55 AM

RKL,

Would you happen to have the manufacturer and part number of that water leak detector? Have a need for one in the stick house.

Thanks

RKL2 · 08-26-2005, 06:58 AM

Rick...It is a ZIRCON electronic water detector. ZIRCON's part number is "57920 REV A" It has an 800 phone number....800 245 9265
ZIRCON Corp
1580 Dell Ave.
Campbell, Cal. 95008

rkl

Rick Buddrus · 08-26-2005, 07:27 AM

RKL,

Thanks for the info.

The Shadow · 08-26-2005, 09:24 AM

John, please, stop it. I have to be honest, when I get finished reading about all the great work you are doing, I'm absolutely exhausted. No doubt you aren't even the least bit tired. You see, I've figured it out, somehow you are transfering all of our energy to you through this forum.

All kidding aside, I have to say that some of us (I'm one in this category) wouldn't even think of doing all the things you are doing.

You've made me so tired I've got to go have a nap.

Jeanne M. · 08-26-2005, 12:22 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">JamesOne </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">We learned to do only one load a day </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

JamesOne...I agree. We do one load a day as well. Only we're not brave enough to set it up and leave. We do a load in the evening while we're cooking dinner, eating, reading or watching TV. It's usually done by bedtime. This method works fine for us. Who wants to spend a whole day doing laundry anywhere..be it in a CG laundry facility or your own RV? So one load a day is good!

The Shadow · 08-26-2005, 12:50 PM

Jeanne M. we are fortunate our park in FLA has a very good laundry with 6 new Maytag washers and 6 Maytag gas dryers. DW does 3 loads very quickly. It is a bit of a nuisance taking the laundry over to the building - but she and our son play shuffleboard or bean bag while doing to laundry.

We've had a Splendide 2000 and it sure does take a long time for a load. We are getting a new MH that doesn't have a W/D and its floorplan requires it to be installed at the factory and you lose the desk and a window. We feel there is no downside at our park but there certainly may be when we try to do laundry on the road.

I have to say I found the W/D noisy and annoying. She didn't mind it. I was also amazed how long it took to do a load. If we hadn't traded, this next season in FLA she would have had it on the wash cycle only and then dried the items on a clothes line outside. It is the drying cycle that seems to take all the time.

Hofsdad · 08-26-2005, 01:30 PM

I'm right on the verge of ordering the Echo~Charge but haven't since I'm still trying to find a place to install it. On a Journey 36G the compartment aft of batteries is heat pump (open to elements) and the compartment forward is water heater. I think I may be able to sneak it in there but have to do some exploring. The actual battery compartment is also open to the elements and gets wet/dusty so is no place for electronics. Have to find an good environment but still meet Xantrex's two foot recommended limit. Anyone installed an aux charger on a 36G and have a suggestion? Any would be appreciated. Thanks.

Lucky13 · 08-27-2005, 04:37 AM

Ken, I also have a 36G and have the exact same concerns as you, where to install this thing! I read the technical and installation literature and they seem to want it mounted in a cleaner environment than the 36G has to offer. My battery area is always a dusty dirty mess and I only have 5,000 miles on the motorhome. For this reason alone I finally decided yesterday to go with the TRIK-L-START which is 1/2 the cost ($50). Although it's not as intellegent as the Echo-Charge others say it works just fine. It's an all enclosed unit which can live in the harsh bettery box environment. When ordering the unit I was told they are selling a lot of units for late model Winnebago motor homes. I should receive it today or next week.