A german camper needs a little help

[Festus2]

As jtyphoid outlined in his above post, 110VAC is used for: some supplied appliances (microwave), Air Conditioner(s), ceiling fan (s); fireplace (optional, converter, water heater (when on electricity) and for any 110VAC outlets for any owner- supplied small appliances (coffee maker, toaster, etc.).

The 110VAC wires start at the converter and branch out to the interior of the RV. As has been pointed out, there are no diagrams available and I am not aware of any member who has made up their own. Unfortunately, it looks like you are on your own with respect to wiring schematics.

[outwest]

Originally Posted by Tac

The normal streetlegal vehicle wide is exactly 100,39". If you have isolated sidewalls, the wide can be 102,36".

If i found a wide for the 343RL, its always 8ft or 96". Is this the interior wide?

It would really help me if i would know where the 120V wires are and what they are for. The 12V wiring is not a problem. 12V is also the normal vehicle-voltage in europe.
The gas-system is absolutly no problem. Inch or millimeters, what ever. It just have to hold tight.

Mine (Keystone Vantage) was advertised as 8,5ft wide. (which is 102", but all spec sheets I've found say it's actually 101"). Advertised width is the exterior width. So, if it's advertised as 8ft you should be okay. The reason some (like mine) are wider is because maximum legal width in United States is 8,5ft.

I hear you on the helpfulness of knowing exactly where the 120V wires are. There's some modifications I am thinking of doing and that information would be very helpful for it.

[Tac]

Do you know what profile/cross section the cables have? If they are big enough, i could use them. ( The USA have just the half voltage of europe, so there must be the twice amperage to get the same watts, and amperage needs bigger wires)

I'm a diplom chemical engineer, i can dissolve the complete RV in acid, but wire it?

With 2 AC's it must have a 400V 32A 3-phase 5 point powerinlet to the vehicle.
Maybe i should use one 230V phase for each AC and wire the rest to the third phase.
3500W are possible on each phase in germany.
Fusing a RV is a special thing to do. Directly behind the inlet plug must come a overload and short protection. Than distribute with overload protection for each phase and for sensitive devices a extra short and overload protection.

Hot water should be provided by gas. 60gal should be enough for some gallons of hot water.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Tac

Hot water should be provided by gas. 60gal should be enough for some gallons of hot water.

In both the Suburban and Atwood Hot Water heaters, you can use both gas/propane and/or electricity to heat the water. Do you mean "6 gal" rather than "60 gal"? Two common HW tank sizes are 6 and 10 gallons - not 60.

If you do not know how to wire an RV (but can dissolve it in acid ), perhaps a major modification/conversion to 220VAC would best be left to someone who has some expertise and experience in wiring an RV rather than tackling this job yourself. Just a thought.

[Tac]

No, i mean 60gal LPG tank. This must be enough for more than a few gallons of hot water.

Of course we have a few shops here who made a complete conversion to eurpean standards. I could even buy the hole vehicle there. For example the only european offical importer of airstream travel trailers. He made conversions on all american and canadian RV's.
But the prices they call aren't funny anymore. Often they just double the dollar figures in euro.
The airstream landyacht has a price of nearly 135000$ at the importer here.

BTW.
What is better in durability and rust protection? Buy a US or a canadian vehicle? Germany is not really the sunny state.

I had a few questions else. Could someone answer them?

[Jim W]

Would you consider a Ram 1500 truck with a diesel engine in it? This will be available in the third quart of the MY for the 2014 Ram trucks. The Quad cab truck has an overall length of 5816.5mm (229"). I do not know the GVW as of yet; but it should be close to the gas engine trucks which is 13,970 kg (6350lbs) the max trailer weight that a gas 6.7L Hemi can tow is 19,910.0 kg (9050lb). But this must be reduced by the weight of all of the occupants in the truck and gear carried. The Diesel will have a higher GCVW (tow) rating which will help in the 5er towing ability that you want.

Here is a link to the Ram Body Builders web site that lists all of the information that you are looking for. The diesel truck should be listed by Feb, 2014 the latest on this link for the 1500 RAM diesel.


http://www.rambodybuilder.com/2014/intro.pdf

Jim W.

[Tac]

Thanks for the sheet. Really interesting. Now its 2:00am here. I will read it today morning, after i get some sleep.

[Festus2]

[QUOTE=Tac;102618]

BTW.
What is better in durability and rust protection? Buy a US or a canadian vehicle? Germany is not really the sunny state.

QUOTE]

I may be wrong but I don't think that there is any difference between an American or Canadian-made vehicle in terms of durability and/or rust protection. There are some minor differences in trim and features that are available but the engines, transmissions and all the rest of the "basics" are the same. Various components of the vehicle are made and shipped back and forth across the border from plant to plant. The end result is essentially the same.

[Ken / Claudia]

You may not know where the vehicle is made until you read the VIN if it starts with 1 USA made, 2 Canada. Last I checked Dodge where USA and Canada, Ford USA and Mexico (which starts with 3). Also the buildt in what country will be stated in writting on the Fed. Std. Sticker if it was to be sold in USA. The speedos are different if the vehicle is for sale in Canada or USA. If you feel the need to buy a vehicle made in a country of your choice, you need to check with that make and find which country that model is being made and that could change from year to year.

[JRTJH]

Tac,

We have another relatively new member who lives in Great Britain. They just bought a Springdale 242 fifth wheel and had it shipped to England for conversion. You might do a search for posts made by "Justlizz."

I'm sure that much of the information they shared will apply to you as well.

Good luck

[Tac]

I wrote a PM to Justlizz. Hope he answer.


Many Thanks for the technical sheets Jim W.
The Ram is the ultimate styler-pickup over here. And to found one in original conditions is Xmas and eastern together.
Mostly chrome-blingbling-style or badboy-black-style.
The vehicle for self-expression

Aren't the Rams a little bit low on payload?

[justlizz]

Hi I have sent a pm but have a look at 5th wheel webs in UK I know the prices are higher than US but a lot of work is done on them and the import of them also Keystone put a disclaimer in they have no warranty the min they leave USA so if things go wrong you could end up with a lemon my dealer will fix things within reason and is very helpful
liz

[Jim W]

Originally Posted by Tac

I wrote a PM to Justlizz. Hope he answer.


Many Thanks for the technical sheets Jim W.
The Ram is the ultimate styler-pickup over here. And to found one in original conditions is Xmas and eastern together.
Mostly chrome-blingbling-style or badboy-black-style.
The vehicle for self-expression

Aren't the Rams a little bit low on payload?

Hi,
For the newer trucks say 2013 and up Ram has step up to the plate in payload and ride comfort. In fact the 1ton 3500HD DRW has the highest payload and towing capacity in that class for 2013. This is why I think the diesel Ram will have the payload rating that you may need. Look at the 1500 model you will see two different trucks one air ride suspension and or spring suspension list. These I believe have different ratings.

If you need more information look at Turbo Diesel Registry.Com they are the most reliable web site for Ram news, which I am a member on also.

Jim W.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

Dodge are good trucks, used to own one.
However don't forget about the recent recall;
http://fox17online.com/2013/11/10/ch...#axzz2kaB5mCKN
Need to keep aware...

hankaye

[Tac]

The sheet lists 3900lbs axles for fornt and rear on the Ram 1500 with 2400lbs baseweight on the rear, for the 5.7l V8. That will not work with the most fifth wheels i see, even not with the Jayco half tons.
Don't know what the Diesel will get.

3500 with drw? Nice truck, but maybe a little bit overpowered on each dimension for a Montana HC 343RL.

If i bust the jackpot on saturday, we can talk. 3500er with DRW and a Heartland Landmark San Antonio or a DRV Elite Suite 44 Memphis.

[Tac]

Hi everybody

I have spoke to our TÜV again and he had done some maths for me during the last 2 Day.
The F150 will not work. ~1800lbs on hitch would work, ~1950lbs is out if range. Towingrate and GCWR is not the problem, but the hitchweigt is just to much. The hitchweights are always the problem over here.
At least, i'm lucky we were not talking about a traveltrailer, because the maximum weight on the ball here in germany is 330lbs. Everything above is not streetlegal.

So if we decide to buy the american way of live, we must purchase the lightest 4x4 2+2 seating 2500er truck on the market.
Would be the F250 with Supercab, 6 3/4 Box and 6.2l V8. And limit it to 7715lbs to get a car registration.
I would prefer the diesel, but its just to heavy.

The next thing i must observe. I must import the fifth wheel by myself. If i would buy it as a complete fifth wheel here, it would be a german saled vehicle and it must have airbrakes. I can just import it by myself and let the conversion done by a shop. Than i can use a connected electric over hydraulic brake.

But i have a question that maybe sounds stupid.
Today i have read many sites about electric over hydraulic trailer brakes.
12-13" discbrakes, matching hydraulic brakecalipers, tubing and of course the electric over hydraulic brake-actuator.
But one thing is not clear for me. I have read many times about the different types trailerbrakecontrol acting.
In one time the brakepower of the trailer is set by the driver and when the driver hits the brakepedal there is only a signal to the trailer brake on or off. The brakepower is not regulated.
The next time the brakepower to the trailer is regulated by centrifugal force. The driver hits the pedal, set trailerbrake on and a small centrifugalsensor sets the brakepower of the trailer.
And the third option is a trailerbrake that sets the brakepower on the trailer syncron to the pedalmovement.

Only the third way is streetlegal in germany. Has the ford F250 a TBC like the third? Do i need a special EoH-Actuator?

[Ken / Claudia]

I can help alittle regarding trailer brakes. The brakes that work by themselfs as the truck slows or stops is on the trailer only and that is for boat trailers. RVs have brakes controled by the driver and truck. They can be set to start with more force when brake peddle is pushed or not. They all give the trailer more braking with the harder you push on the peddle. With a trailer heavier than the truck you are adivsed to set the controler to start with more force so it brakes harder faster so the truck as not being pushed by the trailer as the truck is stopping. The other brake question I cannot answer.
I did think of a possible truck purchase idea if it might help. You can order/buy a truck without the bed and make one that does what you need to hitch the trailer to. This way you could make it lighter and shorter if needed.

[Tac]

If i understand it right. The brakepedal has a little potentiometer that rises the voltage or amperage equal to the pedalmovment and the TBC is a amplifier curcuit which adds a adjustable voltage or amperage to the brakepedal signal and the added signals go through the wire to the trailerbrake actuator?

[RGene7001]

Tac,
I thought that upgrading ML's hitch receiver and putting a brake controller in is a complicated affair but now I see there are bigger possibilities in this world to get yourself in an RV trouble......
I am quite sure nobody in all US RV industry will be willing and able to modify anything in the trailer to make it EU compliant, especially the brakes. Unless you know somebody on Germany who can DEFINITELY convert the brakes right way you are running a risk of getting a trailer you can't legally use after spending huge amount of € and$ to bring both the trailer and huge TV through the customs and paying all taxes. We like German vehicles here (I have 2 Mercs) but we pay 50-60% or less from what Europeans have to spend.
If I were you AND PROVIDED IF BRAKE CONVERSION IS DOABLE, I would try to get a German SUV with diesel, air suspension, American type hitch receiver, import an ultralight TT 26-30 feet , up to 7716 lb of weight and try to enjoy your life without this bedroom upstairs.
I feel as comfortable on the road as fifth wheel towers and you can always get Hensley hitch if sway for some reason is present

[Ken / Claudia]

I think you got it right, it happens thru wires, try Tekonsha towing systems on the web, they are one of several companys that make brake controllers for RVs and large trailers. Some newer Ford trucks come with brake controllers, maybe Dodge and GM but, I am not sure.