Solar Installation Complete

Today I completed the solar installation on my new Tiffin.

I also installed rubber matting in one of the bays, and installed liners in my big toolbox.  Both were easy to do, but fiddly and time consuming.

Up on the roof, I needed to finally stick down the solar panels in their final positions and tidy up the wiring.   This involved cleaning off the mounting points with rubbing alcohol.  For each panel you had to lift it up, pull of the red cover on the VHB tape on each panel's feet and set it down in it's final position.  You can only do this once, as no matter how hard I pulled, I could not get one to pop off.

I zip tied all the wiring so it couldn't flap around when traveling.   I also covered each foot with Dicor to seal it up so they don't get hot from the sun, but also so water doesn't penetrate the tape.

I also did a final seal on the roof penetration with a healthy mount of dicor.  It all looks a little messy, but the Dicor is self leveling and will smooth out in the days ahead.

It ain't perfect, but I think it will do.

Final Panel Layout, BMK and Camping World

Today I'm almost wrapped up with the electrical mods on the Tiffin.

My day started off in a mild panic - I needed a disconnect switch, and some Dicor, so I went up to my dealer to buy these items in his parts store.  They were closed!   So in my desperation, I decided to go over to Camping World - surely those money grubbers would be open!   Of course they were.   I got my stuff, and at checkout discovered my membership had lapsed.  Like two years ago.  ;)    Of course they pressured me to re-up.  Not only did they have a two years for $50 deal, but I could get the club prices on the stuff I was buying (saved $5), they give you a $25 gift coupon with your new card, you get 3 cents off gas at Pilot/Flying J, you can use their dump station for free at CW, and they have discounted propane (by the gallon, and another 25% off Tuesdays and Thursdays).  To top it off, when I got home and looked at my receipt, they charged me for the membership, and the Dicor, but not the $40 switch!  Thanks CW!  

It will be interesting how they react when I take my Tiffin up there to dump my poop tank. They'll know I didn't buy it there, as they don't carry that brand.  Same with the Travato.  I look forward to giving them lots of my poop.

Anyways, back at the shop, I finalized my solar panel array.   After much consternation and research, I decided to downsize it a bit.   The information out there is very mixed on whether it is safe to oversize the array to account for the real world output based on weather conditions, shading and obstructions, plus the wiring losses.   One post I read confirmed that the Outback FM-80 clips to output power to 80 no matter what the inputs are (according to his call with their tech support).  Then I read other posts that that was all horseshit.   So what I decided to do was play it safe for now and see how she does.  If I consistantly get charging in the 40-50 amp range, then I may add the two panels back in.   If I get close to 80 amps as this is, then I'll leave it alone.

So I moved the remaining 6 panels closer together.  They are wired in two strings of 3 in series, and then paralleled at the roof penetration.   It should be 55.5 volts @ 17.3 amps to the controller.  At 14.6 volts, I should be seeing 65.8 amps of charging.  We'll see.  If you run the numbers at 12 volts, you get right at 80 amps - so that combo would be full sun coupled with a dearly empty battery.  Another benefit to this layout is that less wiring run is required.

Down in the electrical bay, I cleaned up loose ends.  I connected the main positive and negative cables to the batteries.   I also installed a disconnect switch and a fuse for the positive cable from the solar controller.   Initially, I didn't think I'd install a switch here, but seeing that the solar controller could bleed power if you were in inside storage, I wanted a way to turn it completely off.

I also installed the Magnum BMK.  This allows you to see the state of charge (SOC) and you can see it on the Magnum display, and you can control generator start based on this instead of voltage, as well as control charging based on SOC.  

Not as pretty as I'd hoped, but everything fits.  When my Lithionics battery comes in, I'll make it a lot more tidy - there are only two poles on this big battery - one pos, one neg.  I'll get some custom cables cut and install a couple bus bars on the poles for the numerous attachments.

I did get to set up the Magnum to charge on the CC/CV profile.  It was able to push 100 amps into the battery bank.  I believe that is the maximum for the Magnum 2012.   What I need to figure out is if I can set things up to "stack" charging - solar, charger, or alternator.  

Rubber flooring, toolbox, Zillareel and wet bay accessories

Today was another big day of DIY mods.   May be partly procrastinating to finish the solar project.

I installed the rest of the rubber flooring in the storage bays.  I love this stuff - heavy rubber, interlocking tiles - just trim to fit with a carpet knife.  Hopefully it keeps cargo from moving around.

I trimmed around the cord reels so I can use every bit of usable space.

I was really excited to get this Husky Tool Box.  It's 18" deep, which is hard to find.  I don't plan on filling this with alot of heavy tools, but I want the extra drawer space for all the little items that you collect along the way.   I did have to mod the top so the locking bars are released - otherwise you don't have enough headroom to open the top fully and release the locks.  Each drawer has a tension latch on it anyways, so I'm not worried about any popping open when underway.

Next I installed the ZillaReel.  This is a 50' foot extension cord on a retractable reel.  I drilled two holes in the toolbox and bolted it to the side.  I'd plugged into the outlet for the vacuum system.

The final thing I did today was install some accessories in the wet bay.   I installed a soap dispenser, a paper towel holder, and a holder for a box of disposable gloves.   Pretty easy, just drilled some holes in the compartment door's aluminum skin.  You have to be extremely careful drilling into this, as you could push right thru and dent the exterior door skin. Thankfully, I didn't as I just went very slowly.  I would really like to do something with that exterior shower - getting rid of the hose and just have an articulating spigot would be great.

I did fool around on the roof.  I sealed up the roof penetration box and played around with panel layout.  But nothing final yet.

Solar Project Moving Along...

Today was another long day of mods.  Wanted to make some more progress on the solar project on the Tiffin.

First up was installing the rubber flooring I bought at Lowes for the floor of the new battery compartment.   Actually, this stuff is going to go into all the compartments eventually.  It's a nice 3/8" thick rubber matting that is in interlocking tiles 12' x 12'.  Cuts easily with a carpet knife.   Nice, non-slip surface.

I had a heck of a time deciding how and where to mount the solar controller.  It's pretty big, but I decided I wanted it in the battery compartment, but I also wanted it oriented so I could read the LCD display.  I did have to relocate the existing AC/DC outlet box in this compartement a couple inches up and over.  That was fairly easy, but required drilling 2 holes in the steel wall.  The controlller needed another 4 holes in the wall.

The wiring was a project in and of itself.  Starting with the overhead cabinet inside (that I showed you a few days ago), I cut out about 10 feet of that cabling and joined it all together with crimp connectors, and then taped it up.  Then replaced the wood cover.  While I was in there, I replaced the Magnum remote with the advanced remote (ARC-50).  This one will allow me to control charging based on SOC, as well as other nice features.

I pulled the solar cables out of the battery tray (under the steps) and rerouted them to this new battery compartment.  Had to drill a 1/2" hole in the steel wall for those cables.  Thankfully there was enough length to reach the controller.   I wired in a breaker box and breaker so I can shut off the PV power.  I selected a 30 amp breaker for this.  Then I ran to the controller and terminated.   Additionally, I ran a ground cable and terminated the 0 guage charging cables that will go to the battery.    Here is a picture of the termination end of the controller.

Here is how I left things for today.   I put in the Stark Batteries I had that eventually are going in my boat.  These are LiFEPO4, 125 AH batteries like I installed in the Travato.  I'll use these to get everything configured until my Lithionics 600 AH battery comes in.  In the picture below, you can see how I mounted the controller, my breaker box and installed combing over the wires.

Next, I had to install the remote display inside.  I was really nervous about this, as I had to take a jigsaw to my new cabinets.   In their wisdom, instead of a square cut, they require you to make an oval cut!   At least they give you a paper template.  To make this easier, I drilled two starter holes on each side of the oval.  Taped the shoe of the jigsaw so the wood doesn't get scratched.  I think it turned out pretty good.

I also had to drill a hole in the floor inside the cabinet to run the network cable between the controller and the remote/display.  That was actually easier than I thought, as it was all clear back there and the floor is just plywood.

That's it for now.  More in the days ahead.

Installing Powered Cord Reel & EMS

Today I installed several items in the electrical bay.

Standard with the coach is a transfer switch with a built in surge suppressor.  This is fine for surges, but it does nothing for power dips or polarity problems in older power pedestals.

First task was to install the Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C.  This device works very well and will disconnect the power to your rig if it reads high or low voltage, polarity errors, etc.  There is a remote display so you can see what volts and amps it's drawing, as well as error codes for problems it discovers.  It also has a switch if you want to bypass the device.

To install the EMS, you have to cut the shore power cord, strip back the leads and connect it to the device per the instructions.

Since I was cutting the 25' shore power cord, I decided to install a Shoreline Powered Cord Reel.  It comes with 34' of 50 amp cord, plus a short pigtail to install it to your transfer switch. In my case, I installed it to my EMS unit.  There is also a switch to retract/release the cord that you need to run to 12 volt power to make it all work.   I ran some 12 gauge wire over to the next bay where the generator lives.   It has posts for positive and chassis ground on the side of the generator.   I routed the wires over there, covered them in combing, and zip tied it to secure it.

The cord reel works smoothly and makes quick work of what are normally unwieldy and heavy 50 amp shore cord.

The final item I installed was a Moryde Manual Cord Reel to house my 50 amp extension cord.  This gives me an additional 30 feet of length for those rare occasions where the power is farther away than normal (like at rallies, or if you regular power pedestal goes caput.)  You don't use this very often, so a manual reel works just fine.  All there is to install it is to drill the holes and bolt it down.   The picture below is all this hardware in my electrical bay.  Before, the shore cord alone took up this whole compartment just layed in there.   Now I have room for a bin of other stuff, TBD.

Lippert Waste Master

Today I also got my new Lippert Waste Master sewer hose installed on the Tiffin.  This is a high end sewer hose with a bayonet connector that is common in industrial hose applications.  It's virtually spill proof and cannot be pulled apart resulting in nasty accidents.

Here is a link to it on Amazon:  Lippert Waste Master

This is a premium system, and it's priced like it.   I like that it's crush proof, and has a valve on the discharge end you you can control the length of hose, but also both ends of the dumping operation.  There is also a clear section so you can see what is going thru it.

To install the coupler, you need to make a permanent alteration to your sewer outlet.  You have to saw off the pegs for the standard coupler, and sand the surface to prep for the ABS cement you apply to join the pieces together.    You could always put this back to original, but it would require taking it all apart and replacing this piece.

Installing the coupler is as easy as swabbing both pieces with the cement, and pushing them together.  Inside of 2 minutes, you couldn't pull it off.

For those times I go to rallies, and need the services of the pumper truck, I bought this accessory to go back to a standard bayonet style coupler.

Here she is with the hose attached.

And the end with the rubber donut and the shutoff valve and sight window.

I also got the extention hose so I can go a really long distance for those rare occasions it's needed.   All of this fits just fine in the bottom of the wet bay.

Big Solar on the Tiffin

Started my solar project on the new Tiffin Open Road 32SA.  Putting eight, 160 watt panels on the roof for a total of 1280 watts!   I got the solar pre-wire from Tiffin (which I'll explain further below).   For a controller, I got an Outback FM80.   This controller is MPPT and good for 80 amps and 150 volt input.   It's a very robust looking peice of equipment.

Today's goal was to get the feet bolted on the panels, get them on the roof and uncover the wiring to see what I'm dealing with.   Lucky for me, I had my nephew Alex to give me a hand.  It would have been impossible to get this done without some assistance, so I thank you very much, buddy.

My plan is to have two banks of panels - 4 each, wired in series.  Then they will be joined in parallel to the two wires at the roof penetration.   So what is coming down off the roof is roughly 80 volts and 16 amps.  There will also be a 20 amp DC breaker mounted down below as a shutoff for this power before it gets to the controller.

I played around with laying the panels out without getting shadows.  Of course, that is pretty much impossible, so trying to get few is the goal.  First was as you see here (the cardboard is still on the panels to protect them and so there isn't current when I connect the cables).

 I didn't like that they were all over the place.  My OCD demands symmetry, so I moved a few around.  I like that the center is clear for walking to get to the various items on the roof.
The little white dome you see on the right is where the wiring bundle is supposed to be for the pre-wire. 

I had to chisel off the sealant around the dome and over the screw heads.  The red stuff you see is what I refer to as "project lubricant".  You can't get any project done without it getting smeared on you equipment or tools.

I'm mulling how to do the roof penetration.   Drill holes in the dome, and push the cables threw and seal around them?   Discard the dome and install a roof mount box?

Inside was packed with sealant too.  They must have used an entire tube on just this dome!
The wires were bundled inside, just below a piece of insulated foam.

The wires were all marked with the coach model (32 SA) and the service (solar panel).

A finger for perspective.   Looks bigger than the 10 AWG that the panels are wired with.

And it's a stranded cable.

Inside the cabinet, overhead of the driver's seat, I found the other end of the cable, as well as the set of cables that go down to the battery compartment.    Tiffin intends for you to mount your solar controller here.   It's just unworkable to do this, as while this cable size is adequate to come down off the roof, it is not to run to the batteries.

I'm going to splice these cables together with butt connectors, and take the end of these cables (down in the battery compartment) and hook those to my controller.  Then I'll run new, heavy guage cables from the controller to the batteries.

What's odd is there was about 10-12 feet of cable shoved up in there, and all of it in combing.  Crazy!   I'll cut most of this out, as unnecessary cable length is not what you want in a solar installation.

What's up in there, inside the front cap, it a rat's nest of wires, and no insutation.  Looks like another project is in order to stick something in there to keep the heat down in the front of the rig.

I found other markings on the cable - the standard stuff from the cable manufacturer.  Looks like it's all 8 AWG.   10 AWG would have been more than adequate for how I've layed this out, so 8 is great.

Down in the battery tray, I found the other end of the cabling, stuffed in the side against the wall of the compartment.  There is plenty of slack, so I can pull this wire out of this area and feed it into the compartment I'm going to install the solar controller.

 That's all for today.  More in the days ahead.

I bought a 2017 Tiffin Allegro 32SA

On November 19th, I took delivery of my new 2017 Tiffin Allegro 32SA.

This is a class A gas powered motorhome that is under 34' long.   My work is taking me out to work several projects in California, and I'm going to use this motorhome as my lodgings.

I also bought a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara to pull behind.   My plans are to not only live and work in this RV during my assignment, but also take advantage of my time in the west by doing some adventuring.

Time at home will be limited for the next couple of years, but I still intend to keep my Travato for those times I'll be home, but for the time when my assignment in the west is complete. In fact, I have several exciting modifications I'll be doing on the van in the coming months.

The Tiffin is amazing as far as gas motorhomes go.   I ordered it from Tiffin Motorhomes back in September (after the Hershey show) and it was completed to my specification in early November.

Later I'll do a walk thru tour, but I'll just say now that it's fully equipped with nearly every option available - including a residential size refrigerator.   I have big mod plans on this one with lithium battery upgrade and a large solar array that you'll be reading about in subsequent posts.

At Camp Driveway:

Jeep hooked up and ready to go:

My Thoughts on the 2016 Hershey RV Show

On Friday, September 16, 2016, I met up with my Facebook group at 8:45 AM to take in the Hershey RV show.  This is arguably one of the biggest, if not THE biggest RV show in the country.   Sue Valentine and Angel Roman I knew from other events and chatting online, but the others I met for the first time.  This was us:

Don't expect this write-up to be an exhaustive report on all the things at the show.  Below are only the things that drew my attention as a jaded connoisseur of Class B vans.

ROADTREK

The Link was back.  Why they keep beating this dead horse is beyond me.  I just don't see where it fits in their lineup or who it's supposed to appeal to.    I doubt this will turn into a real product.  I suspect that it's just a place holder to have something "new" to trot out at these shows.   It does look like they refined the shower arrangement.   It has the shower curtain now supported from a ring that pops up when you lift up the counter.   Improved I guess.

Pretty large footprint.

What didn't improve was the commode.  They chose this huge model you'd normally find on a large deisel class A.  Don't get it.

The sleeping arrangement is cross-wise.  Fine if you're on the shorter side like Sue here.

I was asked to get a picture of the "underhood generator" that is being used on the Promaster.  The party was interested in seeing how they protect this alternator from roadside debris and ice/snow/slush.  The short answer - nothing!  They even remove and don't replace the plastic splash guard that Chrysler ships the vans with.   Appalling!

Roadtreks big design breakthrough this year on their Promaster models is a hinged sewer panel door.  Last year, they had a klunky removeable panel you had to fiddle with at each dump.  Baby steps, folks, baby steps.

The new product  for my viewing was the Simplicity.  I had yet to see one in person.
I was really struck by the decontenting compared to the Zion.    First, the screen door system was a fairly simple netting setup with snaps at the door jamb.

Steel wheels, not aluminum on the short one.

Hard to see here, but the black band is not windows.  It's a painted surface - only the rear quarter was glass.   Winnebago does the same thing on Travato, but they don't have full glass on any of their Promasters.  Roadtrek stocks these parts which they buy in bulk.

At first glance, looks like a Zion.

No sofa though.

Large drawer, but the materials are cheaper - all press-board with vinyl wrap.  Very disappointing.  The bottom of the draw was so weak, it bowed easily.  Can't imagine using this as a pot drawer as is the intent.

Simplicity has their dual dump system.  Macerator & gravity drain.  The Zion they had looked like macerator only.   I would have expected Simplicity to have gravity only.

It is cheap though.  I think Roadtrek can stake the claim as lowest priced Promaster based B.   It's cheap and it shows!

The short wheelbase version - the difference comes out of the bed area.

No counterspace to speak of, but does have a flip-up.

Bathroom same as Zion.  Not very usable for showering.

Refrigerator is compressor type and up high, which is convenient.

No motorized step for Simplicity, just a running board.

This short wheelbase 4x4 caught everyone's eye.  It was pretty neat.

Pretty impressive off-road style tires and a sizable body lift.

And an impressive price to match!   Someone posted to me that they did a correction later in the day, as this one was "slightly" too high.  How much I don't know.

For this size van, the cabin seemed roomy enough, and not as dark as the Simplicity or Zions.

Tried to get a shot of the roof to see what they had for solar on this one.  Appears to be room for at least a 100 watt panel.

This TV antenna caught my eye.  Like the way this is mounted at the rear - leaves the roof less cluttered for other things like solar.

These are the battery packs on the 4x4.   Two Ecotrek 200 modules.   What struck me about this is that the casing, wiring and mounting looked much more professionally done than what I saw at last year's show.   The bad news is that these modules and their wiring are hanging down and exposed on what is supposed to be an off-road vehicle.   I'd at least add a skid-plate.

There was nothing new I could discern on the Adventurous line, so I have no photos to share.

Chinook (Mid West)

The new owners of the Chinook line were there with a handful of their models to show.
They've resurrected this brand name with a line of very plush Sprinter conversions, but have plans to bring back the fiberglass bodied B+ units like the Concourse of year's past, but not on a Ford, but on a Sprinter.   I'd rather see them do this on Transit, but that is not going to happen I suppose.

Their pricing is middle of the pack on the high-end offerings, so on par with Roadtrek Adventurous (minus the lithium tech) and Airstream Interstate (minus the brand recognition).

They were very pretty though, with nice Alcoa aluminum wheels...

Quartz counter tops and shiny cabinetry, and sumptuous leathers.
You can tell they were in the limo business, if you like that kind of aesthetic.

They have a nice big bathroom though, with a usable size shower.

Beautiful leathers.

Multiplex wiring.

AVION

Tucked away in a corner was the Avion.   Back in the day, there was a cheaper line by Airstream for their iconic aluminum travel trailers that was called Avion.  It was the poor man's Airstream.   I have literally no idea if there was any relationship at all to Airstream, or they just "borrowed" the name.  But thier lonely Sprinter definately had the vibe to match the name.

On the lower end for a Sprinter!

I did not care for the quality of the laminated cabinetry.   Just looked too cheap for my taste.

Spartan and looks dated.  Low budget electronics too.

Floor plan looked workable.  Microwave up high.

Two surprises on this one though.  First was very nice leather and elaborately stitched.

Second was that this was an east-west sleeper.  Each side had 3" bump-outs to accommodate heads and feets!   Just like the old Gulfstream Cruiser's.

HYMER

Hymer seems poised to take the world by storm.  That is if enough of us take on European sensibilities.

On display were two versions of their new caravan trailers they intend to produce in the new Kitchner factory.   These units were for display only, as they are Euro models and not modified for use in North America.   The silver one is the high-spec model, and the white one is the low-spec, or economy, model.   Pricing is expected to be $21-$29k, but you know how that goes.

Both are pop-tops.  The Hymer reps told me that these need to be re-engineered to carry the weight of roof-top air conditioners that us North Americans demand to have that Europeans don't.

All have dual pane, acrylic awning style windows with integrated shades & screens.

The silver, smooth shiny fiberglass exterior is very automotive looking.

Note the gas-bottle locker.  Very integrated look.  All windows look to open fully.

The exterior on the white model had the look of styrofoam, but it's hard and durable like fiberglass.   I have no idea what this is made of, but it seems extremely tough and resistant to marring/scuffing.

As you'd expect, the interior was compact, but open.  Note all the overhead storage, but smooth fitting euro-style cabinety like you see in B-vans.

Small dinnette in the front.

Extremely lightweight.  That will be a big selling point - no need for a truck or an SUV to tow it.

Some had permanent beds like this one, others were a u-dinette that made a bed.

Big fully opening rear window.

Gobs of storage under the big bed.

The Hymer Aktiv was their B-van offering.  I was poo-hooing this van in pictures I've seen, but seeing it in person is another matter.  I was fairly impressed with it and can see the appeal to the demographic they are pursuing.  Weather they will bite on this at $100k, may be debatable.  Time will tell.

This is the first Promaster I've seen with leather/ultraleather seats instead of the standard cloth.  Supposedly this wasn't possible, but I guess maybe in the 1500 series it is?  Also, they are not using the standard U-Connect radio.  Looks like a bigger touchscreen with a different brand of Nav.   +1.

Big drawers.  I'm a fan of drawers.   All looked to be a laminated plywood - much better grade of cabinetry than the Zion or Simplicity.

The bathroom makes this van.  Since it's on the short Promaster, there is not alot of room to work with.  Especially if you are wanting a north-south sleeping arrangement, which this van has.   The bathroom is about a 24" square cubicle.  What makes this work is not only the flip-down sink, but the rotating head commode.  You can make a nice large space to take a shower without having to stoop over, or sit down.

The sink is a thing of beauty.

Gobs of storage everywhere.  I don't think Hymer wastes an inch of space in any of their designs.

Hard to tell, but this is the cubby over the cab.  What struck me was that is was nicely finished around and inside it.  Normally on Promasters, this area is pretty sloppy.

In the previous show models, Hymer had a ridiculous, 42" pull-out LED TV in this space. They tell me you can still opt for that if you are a big tailgater type customer.  But on this example, it's just storage for long items.  Wiser choice in my view.

Even the edge of the flooring was nicely finished with a durable material.  In a Winnebago, this piece is plastic.

The controversial cassette system.  Some folks will love it, some will hate it.  Nobody is sure how the market will react to it.   I think the kids moving up from pop-up and truck campers will not have a problem with it, but traditional van buyers will probably balk.

Seemed easy enough to deal with to me.  The mechanism seemed to work smoothly.   About 35 lbs to pull out and set down.   But the handle extends and it has wheels, so the rest is not so strength dependent to deal with.

PLEASUREWAY

Nothing really new to report with Pleasureway other than a shinny finish cabinetry (reminded me of Airstream Interstate)...

and slightly higher prices..

They did move the lithium battery pack out of the well in the floor of the van and placed it in the storage area under the rear sofa.   Probably easier temperature control in this location.

The Lexor is all painted now instead of having black trimwork and bumper covers.  More in keeping with their upscale look.   They use the Winegard Rayzar TV antenna up on the roof. Not sure how well this works up against the metal awning housing.

I did get to meet Dean.  He does all their youtube video.   A good bit more reserved than the "other Dean" over at Leisure Travel Vans.

COACH HOUSE

Nothing new at Coach House.  A few tweaks on the Arriva model, but not enough to write home about.  Pricing still about the same - no big run up like some others.

WINNEBAGO

Nothing really new to report.  No preview of the Paseo model like I'd hoped.  No display of the new roof rack and ladder system or the new bike rack that will be offered on Travato in the coming days (Fiamma is going away at WGO).

I did notice this bike rack setup on the Fuse, which looks pretty cool.  Nice, usable height to lift bikes without alot of effort.

They are using the diesel cutaway Transit for the fuse.  This one had the better nav dash that doesn't look so far-out at the base unit dashboard with 100 buttons on it.

If you are in the marked for a B+ or C unit, the Fuse has a lot to offer for the low price point.  Granted, it's not a Navion or an LTV Serenity, but it's roomy and bright interior.

Big shower and bath....

Huge drawers made of real wood.

Eras on display had new interiors.  It looks like they've done all of them now, including the big seller the 170 A model.   Cool use of LED light tubes.

Multiplex wiring now and a new touch screen monitor panel to move it up-market from Travato.

Still has the nice slide-out storage tray.   The post is one of those hitch mounted flag poles.

COACHMEN

The Galleria is their introductory product in the B space.  Not really impressed with Coachmen's other products, or their reputation, but upon close inspection, these vans look well done.

This optional rear step I could do without.  It just slides into the hitch receiver, so easily removed.

They are wheelin' and dealin' though.  This is really cheap for a Sprinter!

Induction cook top option.  Truma is standard.

Plenty of storage.  Their floorplans copy Roadtrek's Adventurous series.   The salesmen/reps were bold in their claims that they were competing with Roadtrek and copying their plans.  They were quite chagrined when I told them that they compete with Winnebago, not Roadtrek.  They have a looong way to go before they will compete with the tech that is available on a Roadtrek.

Since they got smart with the sink, the bathroom ends up being roomy enough to stand-up shower in.  Joy!

Small fridge in this layout, but you get a long counter and a convection microwave.

But through and thru, some really excellent all-wood cabinetry.   Clever pull-out drawers.   All dove-tailed construction.  Very impressive wood shop they must have.

Although I don't have pictures, they did have a nice CS clone with a bigger two-door fridge. And for the same $99,999 price, which would put it $60-$80k cheaper than Roadtrek depending on options selected.

The biggest negatives I see on the Galleria are the brand reputation and that they don't use AGM batteries.  They are using old-time lead acid batteries.  They are mounted underneath and behind the rear wheels - making a very difficult placement to check water levels.  Their response was that people wreck their batteries so quickly, that they expect to throw them out every two years anyways, so why buy expensive batteries?  LOL!

AIRSTREAM

I really wanted to see the new Basecamp.   Nothing new on Interstate to report - guess they are also resting on their laurels like some others.

I was struck by how big the thing was!  The old version was much smaller.

Here's a pic with a man in it to give you some perspective.

Same wonderful riveted aluminum construction though, with a clear-bra material applied to the front side for rock-chip protection.

All the kids will like the cool wheels.

Integrated pockets in big rear door.

Roof-top air conditioner.   Well integrated into the design.

Loading area for big items if you removed the tables.

Expensive though for this size trailer, but their cheapest model overall.

Pop-out windows as if you would leave them open while travelling down the road.

More hooks and cubbies.

Integrated window shades.

Storage cubby on top of propane bottle locker.

Not much carrying capacity for such a large trailer.  Guessed they scrimped on the axle.

Storage.....

Wet bath.  Looks big enough to be useful.

More storage but I'm sure you are overweight by now.  ;)

The top part that says Airstream is all a storage area.

That's about it for the RV's.

The vendor area was a bust generally speaking.  The only thing that tempted me was this folding bamboo table from Camco.   Cheaper on Amazon too and I wouldn't have to carry it back to the car, so I passed.

Well that is it for this year's show.  Sorry no bombshells to report on.  Maybe if they had revealed the Paseo here instead of at the dealer show in Indiana, I'd have more to report.