Black Series HQ - Any Reviews?

[HQ15fan]

Any concerns with the quality of the electrical wiring on it? Heard it wasn't fused properly from the batteries and there was concern with solar chargers and setup. Would you buy it again so far? I know you are only a week in, but just curious. It's a hell of a lot of money to spend. I wish we had some of the real Australian caravans here like the Kedron or Lotus. I looked at Bruder, but at 95k I simply can't stomach that. The Conqueror seems to be a tent style which is what I'm looking to get away from. Can't find much else that fits the "caravan" model and does it all like the Black Series. Also really not sure how I feel about not having it setup for all seasons with no protection or heat for the tanks and lines. Really limits the vehicle. Tough decisions!

I am an electrical engineer, so I did check out the wiring. The only thing I would do immediately is upgrade the solar controller to a real MPPT one. You're leaving a lot of solar on the table otherwise. The fusing from the battery is actually pretty clever. There are three big fuses bolted to the floor next to the batteries. a 200Amp fuse for the 12V -> 110V inverter. A 50Amp fuse for the separate cord up front with the anderson pole connector. We don't use that in the US, but Black Series didn't take that off. Then there's a 30amp fuse for the solar, and another 50amp fuse that feeds everything inside the trailer, through the control panel in one of the little cabinets. That control panel has a bunch of smaller fuses. For as far as I can visually see the wiring, it all looks well organized. Note, the fridge is electric only (Dometic CRX65 I believe). I have seen pictures of bare 110V wiring under the trailer on the black series website, but that is the Australian way of doing things, not how I would have ever wired it, and not how mine came either. When they are imported into the US all that is changed, at the factory in LA I believe.

As for four season use. I had my dealer (RVs of America in Lindon, UT) wrap all water lines and insulate the tanks, plus put heater pads on the four tanks. They did a really high quality job on that. We'll see next winter how well it actually works, but for my use not having to worry about lines freezing when the temperature drops below freezing for a few nights, it'll definitely work. Would it be good enough to camp at 10 degrees? Probably for one night yes. But again, I've not tried that yet, so I'll get back to you in 8 months

Barthold

 

[Exeter]

I am an electrical engineer, so I did check out the wiring. The only thing I would do immediately is upgrade the solar controller to a real MPPT one. You're leaving a lot of solar on the table otherwise. The fusing from the battery is actually pretty clever. There are three big fuses bolted to the floor next to the batteries. a 200Amp fuse for the 12V -> 110V inverter. A 50Amp fuse for the separate cord up front with the anderson pole connector. We don't use that in the US, but Black Series didn't take that off. Then there's a 30amp fuse for the solar, and another 50amp fuse that feeds everything inside the trailer, through the control panel in one of the little cabinets. That control panel has a bunch of smaller fuses. For as far as I can visually see the wiring, it all looks well organized. Note, the fridge is electric only (Dometic CRX65 I believe). I have seen pictures of bare 110V wiring under the trailer on the black series website, but that is the Australian way of doing things, not how I would have ever wired it, and not how mine came either. When they are imported into the US all that is changed, at the factory in LA I believe.

As for four season use. I had my dealer (RVs of America in Lindon, UT) wrap all water lines and insulate the tanks, plus put heater pads on the four tanks. They did a really high quality job on that. We'll see next winter how well it actually works, but for my use not having to worry about lines freezing when the temperature drops below freezing for a few nights, it'll definitely work. Would it be good enough to camp at 10 degrees? Probably for one night yes. But again, I've not tried that yet, so I'll get back to you in 8 months

Barthold

Appreciate the reply! Who was your dealer? Is it the RV's of America? They recently did a video of doing exactly that. Do you mind me asking what it ran you to get done? Appreciate it. Thanks for your time!

 

[Exeter]

RV Manufacturer’s are in no way up to speed with automobile industry standards. They should be and could be but most are here today and gone tomorrow. Low bar standards allow the bigger RV names a pass on quality too. Amazing how the two industries haven’t parallel progressed over the 45 years I’ve been a consumer. As example, my current Tiger RV coaches quality control is horrible compared to the Ram truck it’s mounted on. Bad wiring, plumbing, leaks and general installation all have been problems. Truck that coach is on, 50,000 miles not one issue. Every RV including many type's I’ve owned, all had issues. IMHO, just get a model that serves your needs best and deal with the issues, cause all RV’s have issues. Rant over, I’m good, no worries. Cheer's

I think that is a very fair assessment. I have been utterly floored at how awful the quality is on a lot of the RV's out there. We have been looking for the last month almost every weekend. So far, we are torn between a Grand Design and the Black Series. The Black Series gives us far more capability by far though, but the issues I've heard concern me. Physically inspecting them, they seem to be very high quality and well built compared to what I'm seeing elsewhere. May just need to bite the bullet and make the recommended changes with wheel bearings and solar controller and call it a day.

 

[WOODY2]

I owe a HQ15, had it for a good week so far, took it out to some good dirt roads here in western Colorado. It handles those like a dream. So far all good. Yes, minor things did need fixing, but that doesn't bother me. The comments about it being crap I haven't experienced so far. As for the 25g vs 50g, the HQ15 and I assume the HQ19 has four tanks. 26g black water, 26g water, 16g water, 55g water. You can get your dealer to route those three water tanks how you want them. Black Series has two water pumps inside the camper, one for "drinking water" and one for "general" water. "Drinking" water is filtered three times, general only once. "Drinking" water only comes out of the kitchen faucet (general does too, it has two spouts). To me it doesn't really matter. If you fill the tanks with potable water, you can drink out of either. Anyways, you can configure those three tanks of 26, 16 and 55 as general, drinking and gray water, in whatever configuration you want. Mine came as 26 general, 16 drinking, 55 gray, and that is how I wanted it. The only other configuration that seems to make sense is 16g drinking, 55g general and 26g grey. But then you likely fill up your grey before you empty your general tank.

If you want more first-hand experience, be happy to chat.

Barthold

I have a question. Are all three tanks rated for potable water or just the main and the others made of ABS or similar? Just curious.

 

[Exeter]

I have a question. Are all three tanks rated for potable water or just the main and the others made of ABS or similar? Just curious.

From the brochure, this is what it says for the HQ19. HQ15 says the same thing.

Water Tanks: Fresh Water: 50Gal Polyurethane Water Tank With 2Mm Bash Cover For Ultimate Protection.
Grey Water: 26Gal Polyurethane Water Tank With Aluminum 0.12” Bash Cover
Black Water: 26Gal Polyurethane Water Tank With Aluminum 0.12” Bash Cover

 

[WOODY2]

Thanks, just want to make sure. People get innovative without realizing the consequences, but who doesn't need a third eye growing in the back of their head from chemical poisoning? BTW if all were full that would be almost 900 lbs, WHOA!!

 

[Exeter]

Actually just got off the phone with a dealer. Learned they did ship units with only 25 gallon tanks in them and not the 50’s. Looks like it’s been corrected but it is an interesting find.

 

[PSea]

My dealer is the exact same way...they just have no clue about it. I can't fault them as I know it isn't what they typically sell, but still. My biggest concern right now is company reputation and quality though. Just can't find much, especially with that deleted thread now.

Exeter, I started a forum specifically for Black Series. I've started adding as much as I can find. Was going to buy a new one but then found the company to be petulant. Here's the site if you haven't found it yet. Just getting off the ground. http://blackseries.freeforums.net/

 

[PSea]

Might buy used and let someone else eat the huge depreciation.

EXACTLY my thoughts.

 

[PSea]

The fusing from the battery is actually pretty clever. There are three big fuses bolted to the floor next to the batteries. a 200Amp fuse for the 12V -> 110V inverter. A 50Amp fuse for the separate cord up front with the anderson pole connector. We don't use that in the US, but Black Series didn't take that off. Then there's a 30amp fuse for the solar, and another 50amp fuse that feeds everything inside the trailer, through the control panel in one of the little cabinets.


Barthold

Very interesting. The Dominator popup (and I'm assuming all the popups) doesn't have fusing at the batteries, thus making risk of the wiring catching fire much higher. I was pretty surprised. Glad to hear they're not doing the same thing with the caravans. BTW, look around. You'll find a lot of use of the Anderson plug here in the U.S. mostly by overlanders. Not as uncommon as you might believe.

 

[PSea]

Another thing that really bothers me about this industry is the lack of ability to inspect and clean the tanks.

 

[dreadlocks]

onboard water is over-rated, did ya know its cheaper to insure a travel trailer that has no plumbing? Full coverage on my inTech is almost nothing, which surprised me after some of the quotes we got on a half the cost forrest river.

Water tanks are easy to contaminate and hard to clean and easy to muckup in cold climates, I like my jugs honestly.. I can keep em inside warm, move em around to accommodate ballast where I need it, drain em completely and get every drop out of em if I need, dont screw with clearance, I can take them to the water source by hand or in tow vehicle and not pull trailer over or carry a few hundred feet of hose.. water dont taste like plastic and I can toss em if I ever question the cleanliness... ******** tanks are no fun either, I'd rather go crap in the woods than clean that thing out honestly, you dont get dump stations when you are dispersed camping so your hauling all that crap back (literally) and then you gotta pay someone to use a dump station if you dont have a home sewer port downhill from your RV parking.

I was one of the oddballs looking for a trailer without a shower/bathroom, simply disgusted in how much room/weight they consumed for as little use as they provided.. my folding toilet seat and lil popup tent takes no space at all.

 

[PSea]

onboard water is over-rated, did ya know its cheaper to insure a travel trailer that has no plumbing? Full coverage on my inTech is almost nothing, which surprised me after some of the quotes we got on a half the cost forrest river.

Water tanks are easy to contaminate and hard to clean and easy to muckup in cold climates, I like my jugs honestly.. I can keep em inside warm, move em around to accommodate ballast where I need it, drain em completely and get every drop out of em if I need, dont screw with clearance, I can take them to the water source by hand or in tow vehicle and not pull trailer over or carry a few hundred feet of hose.. water dont taste like plastic and I can toss em if I ever question the cleanliness... **** tanks are no fun either, I'd rather go crap in the woods than clean that thing out honestly, you dont get dump stations when you are dispersed camping so your hauling all that crap back (literally) and then you gotta pay someone to use a dump station if you dont have a home sewer port downhill from your RV parking.

I was one of the oddballs looking for a trailer without a shower/bathroom, simply disgusted in how much room/weight they consumed for as little use as they provided.. my folding toilet seat and lil popup tent takes no space at all.

I didn't know that about the insurance. But my max insurace would be about $175/yr so not worried about that (popup camper). They're only hard to clean if there isn't a proper port to get at the tanks. Agree! The tanks on the BS popup campers, and I'd assume the caravans, is stainless steel. So shouldn't have any plastic taste to them. I do like the portability of exterior tanks, so I'll likely have them. The alternative is to build a shelf in the back of my TV and put a large bladder back there and use a transfer pump for extended stays although I can make 30gal last a damn long time if I want to. Agree about the black tanks. The popups don't have them (or gray tanks). But some places aren't wooded and crapping isn't allowed. So......"Look, a squirrel!" lol

 

[HQ15fan]

Appreciate the reply! Who was your dealer? Is it the RV's of America? They recently did a video of doing exactly that. Do you mind me asking what it ran you to get done? Appreciate it. Thanks for your time!

Yup, RVs of America. Those guys (Shane and Michael) are great! Definitely talk to them.

 

[HQ15fan]

Very interesting. The Dominator popup (and I'm assuming all the popups) doesn't have fusing at the batteries, thus making risk of the wiring catching fire much higher. I was pretty surprised. Glad to hear they're not doing the same thing with the caravans. BTW, look around. You'll find a lot of use of the Anderson plug here in the U.S. mostly by overlanders. Not as uncommon as you might believe.

Hi Psea, thanks for the correction on the Anderson plug. Learned something

As for proper wiring, everything should be fused as close as possible to the batteries, exactly for the reasons you stated.