Hi Everyone! Looking at new Winnebago View and have questions

[randolf]

Hi Everyone!
I'm back and at square one again! The inspection on the 24v was good, other than needing new tires in 6 months, but then it finally came to light that the couch doesn't turn into a bed. I had repeatedly asked the salesmen to provide me a video showing it converted because I was concerned with the way it looked - it didn't look like it would convert. Unfortunately, AFTER I paid for an inspection, I found out that they made a mistake and it's a dual recliner couch, which won't work for me. I'm told the 2021 24V doesn't have a sofa bed option, so I am back to looking at either Navion or View 24D.
I have heard differing opinions on the 2 Sprinter versions - 6 cylinder vs the new one ?4 cylinderish?
I know it is supposed to get better gas mileage, but I also read some things about the weight of the cabin being a bit much for the new Sprinter and engines quitting in protest.
Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of that? I am leaning towards sticking with the older model with the 6 cylinder (mainly because of price), but want to keep options open (again).
And one more completely different question: Does anyone have an opinion on Thor Chateau? The salesguy was trying to get me to look at one, but from what I read, it sounds like the workmanship and materials won't be as good as Winnebago, so that would be a no-go if that is the case.
Thanks guys!!!
Randy

 

[Pointyears]

I'm not sure the jury has been out long enough on the Winnie 4 cylinders. MB only introduced them in their 2023 chassis and thus are only in the 2025 RVs.

Salesmen lie. And the good ones graduate to being used car salesmen.

The Thor Delano would be more comparable to a Navion/View, not a Chateau. I'm sure the salesman was trying to steer you to something he had on the lot he wanted to get rid of.

 

[randolf]

Hi Pointyears - Yes, you are correct! He has that one on the lot I'm in a bit of a situation with them since I have given them $1000 for the down pmt on the 24V, plus I spent $1100 on an inspection that I would have never paid for had I known the 24V wasn't going to work for me. Now that I am looking at the 24D, I see a lot of choices and would prefer to NOT be stuck with just this one RV dealer. Ugh!
Thanks for the info, as always!!!

 

[Pointyears]

When I bought mine, the down payment was refundable. It's not at your dealer? Especially since they misrepresented a key feature that was important to you?

 

[randolf]

I'm pretty sure I can get refunded the $1000. But the $1100 for the inspection will probably be more difficult.
But, if it comes down to it, I'll just have to deal with losing $1100, with LESSON LEARNED!

 

[Pointyears]

I can't imagine the inspector not having a provision for discounts for secondary or tertiary tests.

 

[roundtail]

Randolf,

We have a '20 24D, just recently purchased, and have yet to get the "maiden voyage" under our belts...as it's still too chilly here in the Northeast. But I've worked on it a bit, and thought I'd share what I've learned about the Murphy bed.

But before that, a word on Thor: My wife's cousin recently owned a Thor Hurricane, a 2023 I believe. He kept it less than one year. It was always needing repairs. Said it was the worst RV he'd ever owned out of the four he had over many years. FWIW.

The 24D Murphy Bed: In my opinion, the bed design would be better off as a manual/boosted affair instead of the electric motor design. On ours, it utilizes an offset hinge which is leveraged by two seatbelt-like straps, each wrapped in opposite directions around a small shaft, which in turn is slowly spun by two small, reversible electric motors. As tension is applied to (or released from) the corresponding strap, the head of the bed is moved to raise or lower the entire frame about the lever point of the hinges.

It is this leverage (on a wooden frame) that I believe is the source of failure. If the straps are not properly adjusted (mine had a lot of slack), the bed will "lurch" when you lower it until gravity is stopped by the now-tight corresponding strap, greatly increasing the strain on that part of the frame.

My solution to this point was to guesstimate how much opposing tension/slack belongs on the straps, and to always manually assist the bed whenever I operate it. I want as little force on the frame and motors as possible. If the motors fail, the straps need to be mechanically released in order to lift the bed, then re-secured to keep it stowed - a curse of a "solution" if there ever was one.

As for the white cabinet faces: We have them, and we like them. I owned a similar Sprinter-C, and we opted for the lighter-faced cabinets in that as well. Too much darkness, especially at eye-level, can create a perception of closeness, while lighter color does the opposite. Matters more in a smaller unit such as this, obviously. Purely a personal cosmetic decision.

 

[Morich]

On the Thor Chateau? UGH!
We have had numerous RV and thought to finally buy a totally new one but did not do a good job at all of shopping the Thor!
It was among the worst jobs for fit and finish on things that are my bugs! The hidden parts were the worst part!
And that led to us only finding out when we got hands on and did things like open the dinette seat to stow things. Much of the space under the seat was taken up by excess wire coils!
Customer service? None that wanted to make life easy for the buyer!
I needed to know where the other end of a defective coax might be found? They told me they did not know as it was just a "generic" plan! I finally found it was defective because somebody has drilled a hole and wrapped the coax around an auger bit!
It was pretty well mangled and the ends had been twisted together and just taped! Once vinyl tape gets hot it unwraps.

This was before the loss of skilled people during Covid, so no excuse at that time but it was as if nobody had an actual plan for building wiring looms or cutting them to proper length.
We had lots of trouble with plumbing as there was a lot of debris in the tanks and drains. When they cut holes for pipes into the holding tanks, they left the cutout in the tank!
I had never seen an RV drain clog at the main pipe! It's really hard to stopper a big pipe like that but if there is a piece of plastic sticking half way in the pipe, all the paper, etc. can stick and tend to clog but when you run a snake in, you can push the piece so that it is cleared for a time. We gave up after a year or so of constant head scratching on things we had never seen before!

For shopping, are you aware of the online info we have that lets us shop from home on Winnebago?
Home page as start:

Home - Winnebago

www.winnebago.com

Under the owners tab for links to lots of drawings and other info?
One I love is the interactive parts drawings that let me look at many of the systems like plumbing to see anything that sticks out as a problem:

Parts Catalog

It takes a bit to learn to drive it well but once you get the idea, it is great to stay out home and look where the drains hang out-----without even crawling!

 

[randolf]

Randolf,

We have a '20 24D, just recently purchased, and have yet to get the "maiden voyage" under our belts...as it's still too chilly here in the Northeast. But I've worked on it a bit, and thought I'd share what I've learned about the Murphy bed.

But before that, a word on Thor: My wife's cousin recently owned a Thor Hurricane, a 2023 I believe. He kept it less than one year. It was always needing repairs. Said it was the worst RV he'd ever owned out of the four he had over many years. FWIW.

The 24D Murphy Bed: In my opinion, the bed design would be better off as a manual/boosted affair instead of the electric motor design. On ours, it utilizes an offset hinge which is leveraged by two seatbelt-like straps, each wrapped in opposite directions around a small shaft, which in turn is slowly spun by two small, reversible electric motors. As tension is applied to (or released from) the corresponding strap, the head of the bed is moved to raise or lower the entire frame about the lever point of the hinges.

It is this leverage (on a wooden frame) that I believe is the source of failure. If the straps are not properly adjusted (mine had a lot of slack), the bed will "lurch" when you lower it until gravity is stopped by the now-tight corresponding strap, greatly increasing the strain on that part of the frame.

My solution to this point was to guesstimate how much opposing tension/slack belongs on the straps, and to always manually assist the bed whenever I operate it. I want as little force on the frame and motors as possible. If the motors fail, the straps need to be mechanically released in order to lift the bed, then re-secured to keep it stowed - a curse of a "solution" if there ever was one.

As for the white cabinet faces: We have them, and we like them. I owned a similar Sprinter-C, and we opted for the lighter-faced cabinets in that as well. Too much darkness, especially at eye-level, can create a perception of closeness, while lighter color does the opposite. Matters more in a smaller unit such as this, obviously. Purely a personal cosmetic decision.

Hi Roundtail and everyone!
I had completely forgotten to update this thread! Thanks so much for that information, Roundtail!
I think it is a great idea to assist the murphy bed, and I've heard others say the same thing (possibly on this thread).
I am in the process of purchasing a 2022 Navion 24D. I had the inspection done and am waiting for the dealer to address some things, none of which were the bed (knock on wood). However, the slide was making a lot of noise in the video that the inspector sent to me and he pointed out that the rails are slightly bowed, which he believed might be the source of the noise. The dealer told me they tried lubricating the rails, but I told them I didn't think that was going to be enough and that they need to really check out the slide thoroughly. Meanwhile, I contacted Winnebago and asked them about the excessive noise, and about the bowed rails. They said that they really shouldn't need lubrication but that slight bowing of the rails is okay. They also suggested that I should investigate the excessive noise to make sure there aren't any alignment or structural issues (which is what I am afraid of). I'm waiting to hear back from the dealer on what their technician finds out. If anyone has any experience with that slide and knows what their rails look like, I'd appreciate knowing if yours are bowed at all, and whether your slide-out gets very noisy towards the end when being slid out. I attached a picture that the inspector took of the bowed rail.
I have looked online it sounds like once I go in for the final walkthrough, I should look at the slide-out while it is in - look for it to be lined up evenly and flush with the RV, and then while it is out, look for anything that makes it look like it is not properly aligned. I'd love to hear any other advice on that!
Thanks everyone!
Randy

 

[Pointyears]

That looks like the same Lippert Slim Rack slide my Vita has and they have a slight bow too. I’d find it pretty astounding that they’d go bad in 3 years as they’re extremely reliable. It’s not like they’re the mediocre Schwinteks that are on most class Cs.
Make sure that when the slide is out that the rubber seal is tight to the side of the slide and doesn’t get folded behind.

 

[randolf]

Thanks so much, Pointyears!!! I will add that to my inspection notes for when I go look at it in person!
Randy

 

[JayBirdley]

Hi fellow Glampers!
I currently own a 33 foot Minnie Winnie (2002) and am looking to downsize to a more manageable length with newer features.
I am currently looking at the Winnebago View 24D and 24V.
Wondering if anyone on this forum has either of these and if they have things they'd like to share about their experience with this model.
I am looking at the 2021 and later. We do boondock some of the time, but not always.
I am not very fond of the white high gloss cabinets in the 2024/2025 models - makes me feel like I'm on the bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise, or in an office.
However, a local dealer has one available at a good price, so I'm considering whether I can deal with that or not. Any idea what type of coating/stickers/anything I could use to make them look darker but not harm them? I was thinking laptop skins might work.
For the View 24D:
Any opinions on the electric murphy bed?
How about the privacy curtain when others are in the Rig?
Do you find the refrigerator annoying since it cannot open all the way when slide-out is in?
For the View 24V:
How do you like the bed in the back?
How comfortable is the couch with the table for dining in the front?
I wish there was an option with the 2 of these units combined: I want the bed in the back, but I want the U-Shaped Dinette!
Thanks everyone!!!
Randy

Hi fellow Glampers!
I currently own a 33 foot Minnie Winnie (2002) and am looking to downsize to a more manageable length with newer features.
I am currently looking at the Winnebago View 24D and 24V.
Wondering if anyone on this forum has either of these and if they have things they'd like to share about their experience with this model.
I am looking at the 2021 and later. We do boondock some of the time, but not always.
I am not very fond of the white high gloss cabinets in the 2024/2025 models - makes me feel like I'm on the bridge of the Star Trek Enterprise, or in an office.
However, a local dealer has one available at a good price, so I'm considering whether I can deal with that or not. Any idea what type of coating/stickers/anything I could use to make them look darker but not harm them? I was thinking laptop skins might work.
For the View 24D:
Any opinions on the electric murphy bed?
How about the privacy curtain when others are in the Rig?
Do you find the refrigerator annoying since it cannot open all the way when slide-out is in?
For the View 24V:
How do you like the bed in the back?
How comfortable is the couch with the table for dining in the front?
I wish there was an option with the 2 of these units combined: I want the bed in the back, but I want the U-Shaped Dinette!
Thanks everyone!!!
Randy

We have had the 2024 D for about 16 months and are very pleased so far.
The Murphy bed has worked very well so far, other than being a bit cumbersome to get in and out of during the night.
We had the factory replace the white cabinetry with the walnut before they delivered to our dealer for pickup and walnut looks great.
We make a lot of use out of the dinette and wouldn't replace it.
Our main complaint is that the EO stabilizer footings are very vulnerable to popping off while you are driving due to they don't retract very far off the surface of the road.
JayBirdley

 

[randolf]

Hi Everyone!
I have finally taken ownership of my 2022 Navion 24D and have already run into a few issues that I am trying to figure out. Hoping someone here can assist! Luckily, we were just testing in the backyard.
Electrical, Inverter/Charger and Solar questions:
I had the RV sitting out in the sun without the refrigerator running for a day and the Zamp solar panel never showed anything over 12.2 volts. So it doesn't seem like the solar is doing a good job of charging the batteries, based on what I read (I read that it should read between 12.6-12.8v).
2 - I plugged the RV into AC outlet at home and assumed that would charge the House batteries (there are 2 batteries). However, it doesn't seem to be charging the batteries from what I can tell because it still hasn't gone up above 12.2v.
3 - When I turned on the refrigerator to test it, it gave an E3 error, but then that flashed off and it read "5". Hours later, I went back into the RV and the refrigerator was beeping and showing a flashing E3 error again. I powered it off and on, and it flashed E3, then went to "5" again. I just turned it off at that point.
I've been reading manuals and looking online, but so far, haven't found the answers I'm looking for.
Why is the voltage remaining at that level regardless of shore power and/or solar/sun?
I read the Inverter must be on in order to charge the batteries - is that true? And should it remain on even when connected to shore power in order for the batteries to charge?
In the Navion Supplemental manual it shows a display panel for the inverter. I have no idea where that is. I have 2 panels that are easily viewed inside the cabin:
The Solar status Panel (Zamp) and the "One Place" panel that shows battery and tank levels. I am attaching pictures of them.
I also have questions about the normal auto-leveling system (Equalizer Systems/EQ Smart level). I couldn't tell if it had completed the process... I think it did, but I found the light activity to be a bit unsettling.
I pressed power and it showed Ignition On. I pressed the auto-level button and it turned on the operating light and went through a bunch of adjusting, then stopped for a long enough time that I assume it was done. During the auto-leveling, the low-voltage light would intermittently flash and then when it seemed to be done, the operating light went out, but the front, left, right and rear arrow lights were all still flashing (I believe those may have been flashing while I was leveling it too). I would expect those to stop flashing when it is done, but I read as soon as Operating light goes out it is done. I just want to hear from others what theirs looks like during and upon completion. I'm surprised by the lack of documentation on what lights should look like in the manual!
Previously, I had a 2002 Minnie Winnie and I didn't have these options to worry about. I don't mind reading a manual, or looking at videos... but I haven't found what I need to fully understand what I am doing!
Thanks so much!!!
Randolf

 

[Pointyears]

There’s a possibility at 4+ years old your house batteries are shot. Nothing is going to charge from your 120 house power. My house batteries get charged by the solar, not the house power.

Is your refrigerator a 12v?

Re your leveling, it keeps flashing and beeping after it’s leveled to remind you that your ignition is still on and to not try and drive while the jacks are down.

 

[WinniMN]

Hi Everyone!
I have finally taken ownership of my 2022 Navion 24D and have already run into a few issues that I am trying to figure out. Hoping someone here can assist! Luckily, we were just testing in the backyard.
Electrical, Inverter/Charger and Solar questions:
I had the RV sitting out in the sun without the refrigerator running for a day and the Zamp solar panel never showed anything over 12.2 volts. So it doesn't seem like the solar is doing a good job of charging the batteries, based on what I read (I read that it should read between 12.6-12.8v).
2 - I plugged the RV into AC outlet at home and assumed that would charge the House batteries (there are 2 batteries). However, it doesn't seem to be charging the batteries from what I can tell because it still hasn't gone up above 12.2v.
3 - When I turned on the refrigerator to test it, it gave an E3 error, but then that flashed off and it read "5". Hours later, I went back into the RV and the refrigerator was beeping and showing a flashing E3 error again. I powered it off and on, and it flashed E3, then went to "5" again. I just turned it off at that point.
I've been reading manuals and looking online, but so far, haven't found the answers I'm looking for.
Why is the voltage remaining at that level regardless of shore power and/or solar/sun?
I read the Inverter must be on in order to charge the batteries - is that true? And should it remain on even when connected to shore power in order for the batteries to charge?
In the Navion Supplemental manual it shows a display panel for the inverter. I have no idea where that is.

Hi Randolf

I think the other panel is the one on the inverter itself. That is located in the basement storage next to the steps toward the rear. It will charge your batteries when on shore power.
I think pointyears has the clue. I would start by servicing the batteries. These are flooded batteries and need water. Carefully remove each of the caps (6) and add distilled water to cover the plates. Make sure the connections are clean.
Back to the inverter, ours turns on automatically when connected to shore power. The remote panel will light up when on.
Another thing is that the remote panel cannot turn the inverter on and off if the main switch on the inverter is in the ON position. We leave the inverter off while dry camping. To be able to turn on and off from the remote panel, turn it off on the inverter itself in the basement cabinet. Then you will have control on the remote panel. Our remote panel is mounted next to the one place panel. We can’t turn the inverter off when connected to shore power, only on battery power.
Start with the batteries.
Clear as mud?
Bruce

 

[roundtail]

Hi Everyone!
I have finally taken ownership of my 2022 Navion 24D and have already run into a few issues that I am trying to figure out. Hoping someone here can assist! Luckily, we were just testing in the backyard.
Electrical, Inverter/Charger and Solar questions:
I had the RV sitting out in the sun without the refrigerator running for a day and the Zamp solar panel never showed anything over 12.2 volts. So it doesn't seem like the solar is doing a good job of charging the batteries, based on what I read (I read that it should read between 12.6-12.8v).
2 - I plugged the RV into AC outlet at home and assumed that would charge the House batteries (there are 2 batteries). However, it doesn't seem to be charging the batteries from what I can tell because it still hasn't gone up above 12.2v.
3 - When I turned on the refrigerator to test it, it gave an E3 error, but then that flashed off and it read "5". Hours later, I went back into the RV and the refrigerator was beeping and showing a flashing E3 error again. I powered it off and on, and it flashed E3, then went to "5" again. I just turned it off at that point.
I've been reading manuals and looking online, but so far, haven't found the answers I'm looking for.
Why is the voltage remaining at that level regardless of shore power and/or solar/sun?
I read the Inverter must be on in order to charge the batteries - is that true? And should it remain on even when connected to shore power in order for the batteries to charge?
In the Navion Supplemental manual it shows a display panel for the inverter. I have no idea where that is. I have 2 panels that are easily viewed inside the cabin:
The Solar status Panel (Zamp) and the "One Place" panel that shows battery and tank levels. I am attaching pictures of them.
I also have questions about the normal auto-leveling system (Equalizer Systems/EQ Smart level). I couldn't tell if it had completed the process... I think it did, but I found the light activity to be a bit unsettling.
I pressed power and it showed Ignition On. I pressed the auto-level button and it turned on the operating light and went through a bunch of adjusting, then stopped for a long enough time that I assume it was done. During the auto-leveling, the low-voltage light would intermittently flash and then when it seemed to be done, the operating light went out, but the front, left, right and rear arrow lights were all still flashing (I believe those may have been flashing while I was leveling it too). I would expect those to stop flashing when it is done, but I read as soon as Operating light goes out it is done. I just want to hear from others what theirs looks like during and upon completion. I'm surprised by the lack of documentation on what lights should look like in the manual!
Previously, I had a 2002 Minnie Winnie and I didn't have these options to worry about. I don't mind reading a manual, or looking at videos... but I haven't found what I need to fully understand what I am doing!
Thanks so much!!!
Randolf

Randolf,

The inverter panel in my View 24D is in the overhead cabinet next to the fridge. Look there.

You bought this from a dealer, correct? Yours are basic questions any dealer should be able to walk you through on the phone.

One thing to check is to be sure your house batteries match the charging profiles for the Zamp and inverter/charger. Your Zamp display shows "AGM". That should be fine for flooded batteries if you have them. However, flooded batteries can stratify. That would prevent charging adequately. If you have flooded, look into running an "equalization cycle" in your inverter manual. But ONLY for flooded. Do not run that on AGMs.

Also, what voltage are you seeing on the house with the Sprinter engine running? Should see charging there, too.

 

[randolf]

Thanks to all of you who posted responses - It's all VERY helpful!!! My friend that is much more technically and mechanically inclined than I am helped look at this issue today. I forwarded all of your posts to him as well.
I would love if there were an instructional video or manual that tells me exactly what I am supposed to do when I am connected to shore power and when I'm using solar. The person who was supposed to have showed me all of this at the dealer didn't do a good job... She was too busy babbling about all the interesting things she would find when cleaning out RVs that came back from Burning Man....
Not once did she show me the Xantrex panel - she only showed me the battery on/off switch and then kind of pointed to the other 2 obvious panels, but she assured me that she'd send me links with helpful videos that would show me everything I needed to know... Unfortunately, the videos didn't cover any of this!
My friend found the Xantrex panel in the cabinet that Roundtail mentioned (THANK YOU, Roundtail!!!) and saw that it was powered off. So, he turned it on and almost instantly things looked better. It shows the bypass to the 30 amp shore power and shows a battery symbol charging. The One Place panel now shows 12.2v for the chassis and 13.9v for the house, and the ZAMP shows 14.1v now.
Should that be on at all times? Or is there a reason it was turned off? I read the inverter manual and it was not clear on any of this.
The technician who did work on the RV before I purchased it had mentioned they replaced a battery and when we looked under the step, the batteries looked to be in good condition - one was dated 4/25 and the other was dated 11/24.
My friend also pointed out that although we do get decent sun in the backyard, there is a tree blocking some of it, and that we only get good sunlight in that area in the later afternoon, so I guess it's possible that it just wasn't getting enough sun to keep the refrigerator running when I first brought it home... however, I am concerned that once I turned the refrigerator off for a few days, it never got up past 12.4v.
@ Roundtail - it sounds like yours is the closest to this 2022 Navion - Do you have suggestions for how things should be done when plugged in vs when using solar?
Thanks everyone SO MUCH!!! This is a wonderful forum!!!
Randolf

 

[Morich]

Keep in mind that nobody is born knowing how to deal with RV!
We all have to keep learning new stuff, so don't feel lonely out there in confusion land!
But I might throw in some small points to help ease you into the new things?

One easy thing to miss is that we need to keep the battery cutoff switches ON when we want the batteries to charge. That also can involve the idea of when the chassis/start battery and coach batteries charge.
The normal car/truck start battery charges off the engine alternator when the engine runs. Works the same in RV but with an added feature which ties chassis and coach batteries together when the engine runs. That lets us get some charge back into the coach batteries after we tend to run them down but get them charged as we drive!
Then there is the second coach battery system! This setup, battery isolation manager (BIM) connects as we drive or when we hold a dash switch. It's hiding under the passenger seat.
But when we turn the engine off, this system disconnects the two groups and we begin to use the coach battery power alone. But if we then plug the RV into power, there is a charge sytem that can have different names that charges the coach batteries! This is often called a converter and uses 110AC power to "make" 12VDC. We use the DC for inside RV things like lights, fans, water pump. One big confusing thing is that this 12VDc also does controls for things like furnace, air cond., etc.
There are times when we plug into power and expect the air to run but it won't if the 12VDC controls are not good!

Yes, it can be a totally mind boggling thing when we start!!!
One help when we start out is knowing how to be most likely to get that good power to run different things. Some things like jacks and slides take a lot of power and one way to help make sure that 12VDC power is good, is just running the engine while we use those heavy user items!

We might do the same thing by starting the generator but one little secret is that the big old engine upfront is likely much quicker/easier to start as we drive it more often. So it helps to first start the engine and THEN if you want to start the generator that may take some cranking to get fuel and start..

Lots of small tricks to learn but that takes time! Enjoy the trek!

 

[randolf]

Thanks to all of you who posted responses - It's all VERY helpful!!! My friend that is much more technically and mechanically inclined than I am helped look at this issue today. I forwarded all of your posts to him as well.
I would love if there were an instructional video or manual that tells me exactly what I am supposed to do when I am connected to shore power and when I'm using solar. The person who was supposed to have showed me all of this at the dealer didn't do a good job... She was too busy babbling about all the interesting things she would find when cleaning out RVs that came back from Burning Man....
Not once did she show me the Xantrex panel - she only showed me the battery on/off switch and then kind of pointed to the other 2 obvious panels, but she assured me that she'd send me links with helpful videos that would show me everything I needed to know... Unfortunately, the videos didn't cover any of this!
My friend found the Xantrex panel in the cabinet that Roundtail mentioned (THANK YOU, Roundtail!!!) and saw that it was powered off. So, he turned it on and almost instantly things looked better. It shows the bypass to the 30 amp shore power and shows a battery symbol charging. The One Place panel now shows 12.2v for the chassis and 13.9v for the house, and the ZAMP shows 14.1v now.
Should that be on at all times? Or is there a reason it was turned off? I read the inverter manual and it was not clear on any of this.
The technician who did work on the RV before I purchased it had mentioned they replaced a battery and when we looked under the step, the batteries looked to be in good condition - one was dated 4/25 and the other was dated 11/24.
My friend also pointed out that although we do get decent sun in the backyard, there is a tree blocking some of it, and that we only get good sunlight in that area in the later afternoon, so I guess it's possible that it just wasn't getting enough sun to keep the refrigerator running when I first brought it home... however, I am concerned that once I turned the refrigerator off for a few days, it never got up past 12.4v.
@ Roundtail - it sounds like yours is the closest to this 2022 Navion - Do you have suggestions for how things should be done when plugged in vs when using solar?
Thanks everyone SO MUCH!!! This is a wonderful forum!!!
Randolf

Hi again - Sorry, I forgot to mention the battery specifics. The batteries are difficult to get to and we didn't want to unhook them right now, but I was able to see Napa No. 7236 BCI No. 31T. When I looked that up, it appears those are lead acid batteries.

 

[randolf]

Keep in mind that nobody is born knowing how to deal with RV!
We all have to keep learning new stuff, so don't feel lonely out there in confusion land!
But I might throw in some small points to help ease you into the new things?

One easy thing to miss is that we need to keep the battery cutoff switches ON when we want the batteries to charge. That also can involve the idea of when the chassis/start battery and coach batteries charge.
The normal car/truck start battery charges off the engine alternator when the engine runs. Works the same in RV but with an added feature which ties chassis and coach batteries together when the engine runs. That lets us get some charge back into the coach batteries after we tend to run them down but get them charged as we drive!
Then there is the second coach battery system! This setup, battery isolation manager (BIM) connects as we drive or when we hold a dash switch. It's hiding under the passenger seat.
But when we turn the engine off, this system disconnects the two groups and we begin to use the coach battery power alone. But if we then plug the RV into power, there is a charge sytem that can have different names that charges the coach batteries! This is often called a converter and uses 110AC power to "make" 12VDC. We use the DC for inside RV things like lights, fans, water pump. One big confusing thing is that this 12VDc also does controls for things like furnace, air cond., etc.
There are times when we plug into power and expect the air to run but it won't if the 12VDC controls are not good!

Yes, it can be a totally mind boggling thing when we start!!!
One help when we start out is knowing how to be most likely to get that good power to run different things. Some things like jacks and slides take a lot of power and one way to help make sure that 12VDC power is good, is just running the engine while we use those heavy user items!

We might do the same thing by starting the generator but one little secret is that the big old engine upfront is likely much quicker/easier to start as we drive it more often. So it helps to first start the engine and THEN if you want to start the generator that may take some cranking to get fuel and start..

Lots of small tricks to learn but that takes time! Enjoy the trek!

Thanks so much for those details, Morich!!! I knew about the battery switch needing to be on to charge - that was one thing the person at the dealer DID mention, thankfully! But the rest is all VERY useful information!!! I am going to be keeping detailed notes and if I ever sell this, I will hand them over to the next person so they don't have to go through as much mental strain! haha! Thanks again and keep the info coming!